Improvements in the Method of Producing Acetylene or similar Gas and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 29th Sept.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Producing Acetylene or similar Gas
and in Apparatus therefor.
I. PER OLOF PETTERSON, General Manager, of Stortorget 3 B, Malmo, in the
Kingdom of Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a method of producing acetylene or other similar gas,
and in apparatus therefor, and consists in dividing up the carbide or raw material
in portions and supplying to the same the generating liquid (water) also in
portions, so that the portions of the carbide or raw material are acted upon and
used up one by one.
The characteristic feature of the apparatus for the genera-
tion of gas according to the said method is that the generating liquid, usually
water, is successively applied to the carbide or raw material, which is divided
up by cells or the like into equal portions or quantities, by means of a measuring
vessel, so as to cause a cell to be flooded and a corresponding volume of gas
developed each time the said vessel is emptied. The measuring-vessel, or the
tube leading to and from said vessel, is provided with supply and discharge cocks
which primarily by the action of the descending gas holder, with which they are
connected by lever mechanism, are placed in the proper positions for filling the
reservoir, but subsequently in the continued downward motion of the gas holder
are released, thereby automatically changing their positions so as to cause the
vessel to be emptied. Gas is now generated and the gas holder ascends. When
the holder again descends it acts once more on the cocks, and the action described
is repeated, and so on.
Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings shows an apparatus according to this
invention in front elevation and
Figure 2 a side view.
Figure 3 shows the lower portion of the apparatus viewed in plan.
Figures 4 and 5 are details and
Figures 6 and 7 show a releasing device, mentioned above, in two different
positions.
Figure 8 shows in plan a bowl located beneath the measuring vessel.
To the measuring vessel 1 is connected a supply pipe 2 provided with a supply
cock 3, and from the vessel 1 a tube 4 extends provided with a cock 5. From
the cocks 3, 5 project lever arms 6 and 7 connected by a rod 8 from which
projects at an angle an arm 9. 10 is a vertical bar or guide provided with a
sliding-piece 11 from which projects at an angle an arm 12 which can be moved
upwards but not downwards. The sliding-piece is connected with the gas holder
(not shown in the drawing) by means of a cord 13 or the like (passing over a
pulley), so as to be raised when the holder descends and, when the holder sub-
sequently ascends, it will slide down along the bar once more, of its own accord.
To the arm 6 is pivotted a rod 14 of adjustable length, with which rod is con-
nected a sliding-piece 16 which is movable on a guide 15 and provided with

page_text: teeth. With this sliding-piece engages a catch or pawl 18 shaped like a bell-
crank lever, and pivotted on a stationary pin 17, and with which catch is con-
nected a lever 19 which extends into the path of the arm 12, as does also the
arm 9.
The tube 4 has a prolongation in the shape of a hose or rotatable pipe 20 which
is bent sideways and passes through a hole in a rotatable dise 21 arranged co-
axially with the tube 4 and provided on each quarter of its periphery with a
group of teeth 22, which groups are separated by plain surfaces 23, as shown in
Figure 3. Two pawls 24 and 25 engaging with the said teeth and situated on
each side of the disc, retain the latter in position, which by a spring, weight or
the like (not shown in the drawings) is given a tendency to revolve. Beneath
the disc are four compartments 26, 27, 28, 29 formed by dividing a bowl 30
by two cross partitions into four chambers, or in some other manner. From each
compartment issues a pipe 31 leading to a chamber 32 containing a number of
carbide cells or holders 33 for each of which the volume of water held in the
vessel 1 is sufficient. In Figure 2 is shown a chamber 32 containing a number
of cells superposed on one another. From the cock 5 projects another arm 34
provided with a smaller swinging arm 35 the extreme positions of which are
determined by means of adjusting-screws. In one of said positions Figure 4,
the arm 34 by means of arm 35 holds the pawl 25 out of engagement with the
dise 21, and in the other position, into which it is swung, by the turning of the
cock 5, Figure 5, it holds the pawl 24 out of engagement with the disc 21.
When the sliding-piece 11 and arm 12 ascend from their lower starting position,
owing to the descent of the gas holder, the arm 12 will move arm 9, and con-
sequently the system of levers 6-7 upward. The arm 9 finally becomes free
from the arm 12, but the aforesaid elevated parts are retained in their elevated
positions by the catch 18. The upper cock 3 is now open but the lower one 5
is closed and water flows into the vessel 1 filling the same. In the continued
descent of the holder the sliding-piece 11 is raised to a sufficient height to cause
the arm 12 to actuate lever 19 so as to bring the catch 18 out of engagement
with the toothed slide 16, Figure 7, and a weight 37 on the end of the lever 7,
will consequently pull the system of levers 6-7 downward. The upper cock is
thereby closed and the lower one is opened, the contents of the vessel will flow
into one of the compartments 26-29 and thence into the carbide-chamber, and
a cell will be flooded. The holder now ascends as the gas is generated, the
sliding-piece 11 owing to the hinge of the arm 12 passing by the arm 9, and the
arm 12 will subsequently fall again into its horizontal position ready to engage
with the arm 9 once more in the following descent of the holder, and so on.
By the alternate releasing of pawls 24 and 25 the disc 21 is rotated each time
one tooth, the action being comparable to a so-called anchor escapement. The
pipe 20 is thereby caused to remain a sufficient length of time over the same
compartment or funnel, for instance, 26, to cause the latter to receive the contents
of vessel 1 as many times as there are cells or charges in the chamber 32 to which
the discharge pipe 31 of said compartment leads. In Figure 2, however, there
are only six cells shown. When all cells of the chamber 32 have become flooded,
the disc 21 revolves to the extent of one of the smooth surfaces 23 so as to bring
the pipe 20 over the next compartment, and so on. The disc 21 may be suitably
graduated so as to indicate the number of carbide cells acted upon. The vessel 1
is connected with a water system or with a larger reservoir. The chambers 32,
the number of which may be more or less, according to the number of compart-
ments 26-29 and the disc 21, may communicate with the same reservoir. The
vessel 1 is provided with an air-pipe or inlet 38.
The apparatus may be modified by omitting the suspension-device comprising
parts 15 19 and allowing the lever-system to drop immediately the arm 12
releases the arm 9. For, the vessel I can be filled during the latter part of the
upward motion of the lever-system, the subsequent operation being the same as
described above.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A method of producing acetylene or other similar gas consisting in dividing
up the carbide or raw material in portions and supplying the generating liquid
to the same in portions so that the portions of the carbide or raw material are
used up successively, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for the production of acetylene or similar gas, in which the
generating liquid is supplied to the carbide, or raw material in fixed quantities
from a measuring-vessel the supply- and discharge-cocks of which are so con-
nected with each other by levers and cooperate in such a manner with the gas-
holder that by the descent of said holder they will assume such a position as to
cause the filling of the vessel by the closing of the discharge-cock and opening
of the supply-cock but in the continued descent of the holder will be released
and automatically change position under influence of the weight of the levers,
or by equivalent means, so as to cause the vessel to discharge its contents on
a charge of carbide, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described the arrangement of a sliding-piece
movable along a vertical guide and connected with the gas-holder by a cord
passing over a pulley, or by like means, which sliding-piece is provided with
an upwardly yielding jointed arm which in the upward motion of the sliding-
piece moves the lever-system with it, thus placing the cocks in position for filling
the vessel, but eventually releases the system of levers, (which may be loaded
by a weight or the like) allowing it to drop and the cocks to be turned into the
position for emptying the vessel, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus of the kind described the arrangement of a toothed sliding-
piece as 16 connected with the lever-system and engaging during the upward
movement of the lever-system with a catch which is eventually disengaged by
the ascending arm of the sliding piece moved by the gas holder so as to allow
the lever-system to drop, substantially as described.
5. In apparatus of the kind described cells for containing the carbide, arranged
so as to be successively flooded (one at a time) by water, this action being
controlled by the successive discharges from a measuring vessel substantially as
described.
6. In apparatus of the kind described the combination with a rotatable disc
provided with groups of teeth and through which disc passes a pipe forming the
discharge-outlet of the measuring vessel, of compartments or funnels correspond-
to the groups of teeth and situated below the disc, from which compartments
pipes or passages extend to their respective carbide chambers and pawls adapted"
to retain in position the weight- or spring-actuated disc and to be alternately
disengaged by an arm projecting from the water discharge cock or by any other
part occupying alternate positions, so as to cause the disc to be rotated to the
extent of one tooth at a time until the pipe is to be shifted to the next compart-
ment, substantially as described.
7. The complete acetylene or similar gas generator substantially as described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Datal this 28th dor of November 1899
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.