An Improved Apparatus for Generating, Acetylene and other Hydrocarbon Gases.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1896--Accepted. 16th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Generating, Acetylene and other
Hydrocarbon Gases.
1 JABEZ FIRTH BLAKELEY, Gas Engineer of Ivy Cottage, Queen Street,
Ravensthorpe near Dewsbury Yorkshire do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-:
This invention consists of an improved automatic apparatus for the manufacture
of acetylene or any other hydrocarbon gas from. any carbide or acetylide of
calcium or potassium by decomposition when placed in contact with water and. for.
burning the same for lighting purposes, also for the admixture with. this gas, air or
carbon di-oxide gas in the proportion desired or necessary for the best illuminating,
results. This invention may be applied to a single light.or lamp or for any number
of 'lights.
The smaller apparatus consists of a metallic vessel, preferably of cylindrical
form in the interior of which is fitted a grate or perforated receptacle for the
carbon which is inserted by means of a circular opening: in the upper part of the
vessel, the decomposition falling through, a.conical.opening to the bottom, where a
cleaning out arrangement is provided.. Suitable,openings. being provided for. the
admission of, water and exit of gas.. Instead of a grate, or perforated receptacle
named, a tube sliding, in another tube. may be adopted, the tube containing, the
carbide to be inserted from the top, a blank. tube, being tumped..to prevent. escape
of gas.
The water coming in contact with the carbide, evolves the gas,.,charges, the
upper vessel and acts in the same manner as an ordinary gasholder the pressure of
the gas controlling the make of gas in proportion to the .consumption...
Also the pressure of gas in this arrangement may be applied to a single vessel,'
the water being displaced from contact with. the carbide and passed. through a
series of circulating tubes to a receiver the pressure being reduced by consumption.
of gas, allows the, water to return to the carbide or generating, chamber thus
resuming the generation of gas..
In a larger apparatus I may employ a series of, trays, for receivings the carbide
having the ends secured to prevent the escape of gas, taps, and..connections, being
arrarged to each tier of trays for, the exit of gas. to storage holder, and, for the
regulation of water supply by means of an automatic regulating, valve, which is
controlled, and operated by the gas pressure acting (through, the gasholder.or
separate governor to which the valve is connected) upon a lever attached.to.the
valve spindle, thus the quantity of water supplied for the evolving of gas is
controlled in proportion to the quantity of gas.consumed...
In another modification I also employ, an arrangement of two generating
chambers one on each side of the gas holder, these..chambers being, hung to the
holder by means of a series of levers or chains, pulleys and..the like, the action of
the holder in proportion to the pressure raises or lowers. the generating chambers,
the water supply being thus.controlled and gas generated in proportion to the gas
consumed. Communication with the gasholder and these two generator chambers
being made by flexible tubes, suitable taps being attached so that they may be

page_text: recharged with calcium carbide alternately without stopping the generation in the
other chamber, or discontinuing the consumption of gas.
Dated this Second day of March 1896.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Crossley Street, Halifax, Patent Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Apparatus for Generating Acetylene and other
Hydrocarbon Gases.
I, JABEZ FIRTH BLAKELEY of Ivy Cottage, Queen Street, Ravensthorpe
near Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Gas Engineer, 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 consists of an improved automatic apparatus for the manufacture
of acetylene or any other hydro-carbon gas from any carbide or acetylide of
calcium or potassium by decomposition when placed in contact with water and for
burning the same for lighting purposes, also such gas may be mixed with air or
carbon dioxide gas in the proportion desired or necessary for the best illuminating
results. This invention may be applied to a single light or lamp or for any
number of lights.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS..
Fig. 1. is a sectional side elevation of my improved construction of generator
and governor for the manufacture of acetylene or other hydro-carbon gases.
Fig. 2. is a modification of gas generator shown in Fig. 1. in section.
Fig. 3. is a sectional side elevation of another modification of gas generator,
with storage holder, pipe connections, and mechanism for regulating same.
Fig. 4. is an enlarged view of generator shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a sectional elevation of gas generator and holder and mechanism for
operating same, such modification being applicable where a small quantity of gas
is required to be made.
In constructing my apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or any other
hydro-carbon gases, see Fig. 1, I employ a series of trays. A, within a suitable
chamber or generator B, these trays are for receiving the carbide C, and are
placed one above the other upon suitable brackets or supports, these trays may be
placed in the said generator through doors afterwards made airtight in any suitable
manner, to prevent the escape of gas during the process of generation. For
generating the gas I admit water to the carbide by means of a pipe D, from a
reservoir or cistern which enters the generator preferably at the bottom, and
gradually fills the generator, as the water rises it comes in contact with the carbide
within the series of trays by means of suitable pipe connections attached to each
tier of trays, when all the gas has been evolved from the carbide in the bottom
tray, the water passes by means of outlet and inlet pipe connections F. G, to the
next tray immediately above it and again commences to generate gas, this is
repeated until the generator is full of water and all the gas has been evolved from
the generator; as the gas is generated it passes by means of pipe E, to a suitable
storage holder fixed in any position and of the desired capacity, when the storage
holder is full, the pressure of gas within the small holder or governor H fixed upon
the top of the generator is increased, raising same, and by means of levers J and
connecting rods K, operates upon the tap or valve L, upon the water inlet pipe M,
gradually turning off or diminishing the water supply, consequently the generation

page_text: of gas; as the gas is consumed and the pressure reduced, the governor falls turning
on or increasing the water supply and resuming the manufacture of gas. Also
I may construct my generator, see Fig. 2, with a series of trays A, containing
carbide B, these trays I preferably fix at an incline one above the other, the trays
are placed in the generator C, in this case preferably from the top, which may be
closed either by a water Inte D, or made airtight by any other means for the
purposes before described. Or I may construct my generator A, see Figs. 3 and 4,
with a suitable annular chamber or jacket B, containing water or other cooling
liquid, within this generator is a perforated cylindrical or other form of receptacle C,-
having series of trays D, containing the carbide E, water is also in this case
admitted from the bottom by pipe F, connected with a reservoir or cistern, the,
gas passes from the generating chamber by means of an outlet pipe G, passing.
down the water jacket B, and out at the bottom of generator, or in place of the
straight pipe G, a suitable coil may be placed within. this annular chamber, by
which the temperature of the gas is considerably reduced before passing to the
storage holder. The receptacle C, containing the carbide is taken out and put in
the generator from the top which has an airtight lid H. Pipes J conduct the gas
to and from the holder K, for purposes of consumption.
The inlet of water, and the manufacture of gas, being controlled by the holder K,
operating suitable levers L, and connecting rods M, connected with the tap.or
valve N, upon the inlet pipe P. R is a tap for preventing the flow of water
when the generator is not in use or is being charged with a fresh supply of carbide,
S are balance weights to assist in the above operation.
Also for smaller apparatus, see Fig. 5, where only a small consumption of gas
is required, I preferably employ a metallic vessel A of cylindrical form in the
interior of which is fitted a grate or perforated tray B, for receiving the carbide C.
which is inserted by means of an opening at the top secured and made airtight by
means of a screwed cap D. passing through this cap is a valve spindle E upon one
end of which is a conical valve F, which also acts as a spreader for evenly
distributing the carbide upon the grate; when charging, this valve is kept upon
its seat (and prevents the escape of gas when charging the conical chamber G
with fresh carbide) by means of a spiral spring H upon the valve spindle, when
the aforesaid conical chamber G is full of carbide, the cap D is screwed down and
the valve F by means of the spindle E pushed off its seat allowing the carbide to
fall upon the tray B. When the pressure is taken off the spindle, the valve
resumes its original position by means of the spring H before described. Water
is supplied to the generator A by means of a syphon or other pipe J from a tank,
cistern or reservoir K, placed at the top of the generator (and which may if
desired be made to rise and fall in accordance with the pressure of gas in the
generator) L is an outlet pipe to storage holder, when the holder is full of gas, or
the gas in the generator rises above a certain pressure, it eventually forces the
water out of the generator back into the cistern, at the same time diminishing the
generation of gas, as the consumption takes place and the pressure is reduced
the water again begins to flow into the generator, resuming the generation of gas,
as before described.
The decomposition may fall upon a conical receiver with an opening at the
bottom for cleaning out purposes. By admitting water at the bottom of the
generators and the said water acting upon the carbide from underneath, all the gas
producing properties of the same are utilized and the carbide does not cake or
become a solid mass upon the top as is usual with the ordinary generation of gas
where the water is admitted from the top in the form of a spray or otherwise.
I preferably employ two generators in conjunction with one storage holder, the
outlet pipe from each generator being opened and closed alternately by means of
a three way cock, so that while one generator is in operation the other may be
cleaned out and recharged with a fresh supply of carbide, thereby always
maintaining the pressure or quantity of gas in the holder. Also I may employ
two generators in conjunction with one storage holder, suspended at each side of

page_text: the said holder by levers and balance weights, the said levers being pivotted upon
the top of the holder, and the generator .connected to the storage holder, and to
each other, by preferably flexible,tubes, the action of the holder in proportion to
the pressure raises or lowers the generating chambers, thereby controlling the
water supply and generation of gas in proportion- to the gas consumed, suitable
taps are provided so that as one generator is in operation the other may be cleaned
out and recharged alternately without discontinuing the make or consumption
of-gas.
Having now, particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of acetylene or other hydro-carbon gases the use and
employment of a generator or generators having suitable trays fixed either
horizontal or at an incline, water being admitted from the bottom of said generator
and controlled automatically by the make and consumption of gas in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as shown aud described.
2. In the manufacture of acetylene or other hydro-carbon gases the use and
employment of a generator having an annular water space or jacket, carbide tray,
box or other receptacle water inlet pipe, and gas outlet pipe or coil in conjunction
with and operated automatically by the storage holder, according to the make or
consumption of gas in the manner and for the purposes substantially, as shown and,
described...
3. In the manufacture of acetylene or other hydro-carbon gases, the use of a
generator within which are a series of trays containing. carbide, pipe .connections
and governor actuating automatically the valve of the water supply pipe, according.
to the make.or consumption of gas in the manner. and for the purposes substantially.
as shown and described.
4. In the manufacture of acetylene or other bydro-carbon gases the use and
employment of a generator and holder having a tray and annular tank or reservoir,
spring conical spreader, and valve, syphon water inlet pipe operating in the manner
substantially as shown and described..
Dated : DIAL IN
1000
JOHN E. WALSH,
Crossley Street, Halifax, Patent Agent for the Applicant..