Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LA COMPAGNIE CONTINENTALE D'INCANDESCENCE ET
DE CHAUFFAGE (System Franck et Poitrimol), of Brussels in the Kingdom of
Belgium.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas,
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an apparatus designed to produce acetylene gas for
domestic purposes and to work automatically while being of such a simple and
safe construction as to enable it to be worked and attended to by anyone not
specially trained for the purpose.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus constructed according
to this invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the generator and recharging apparatus
and
Figure 3 shows a modified form of apparatus.
It may be mentioned that the drawing serves merely as an illustration by way of
an example of the apparatus, and that the proportions and details of construction
as well as the general arrangement may be varied to suit particular circumstances.
The apparatus broadly consists of a generator A adapted to be charged with the
carbide or carburetted calcium from an automatic charging apparatus B, of a
gasometer C, and of a purifyer F. The two last named parts may be of any
ordinary or known construction and it is therefore only necessary to describe the
generator and its charging apparatus.
The generator A here shown, is of cylindrical form standing on end and closed
at the top, and has at its lower end a conical or funnel shaped portion which is
provided with an outlet valve D as shown.
To one side of the cylindrical portion of this generator is fixed a pipe E rising
above the generator and formed with an enlarged mouth arranged in proximity
of the charging apparatus B.
This latter consists of a horizontally arranged carrier plate P firmly secured to
a vertical spindle G and supporting a number of buckets 0, 0, distributed around
its circumference, each of which contains a pre-determined charge of carbide.
These buckets are suspended by pivots and are capable of being tipped in order to
discharge the carbide into the mouth of the pipe E as represented in Figure 2.
If desired the buckets may be provided with hinged covers to afford protection
to the carbide. .
The tipping of the buckets may be effected either in a plane passing through the
radius or in a plane at right angles according to the form of bucket.
The said buckets are so constructed as to have a tendency to tip automatically

page_text: and this may be effected either by placing the pivots out of centre or by weight-
ing the front of the bucket; a pivoted catch being provided to automatically
lock the buckets and retain them in their normal or upright position by engaging
in an eye piece I on the buckets. The catch together with the bucket held by
it, revolve with the carrier plate P and they pass at the required moment beneath
a fixed incline J whereby they are disengaged from the bucket and allowed. to tip
forward so as to discharge the carbide with the mouth of the pipe E.
On the spindle G but below the carrier plate P is a pulley K controlled by a
rope or the like having a weight M and passing over a guide pulley as shown. The
tendency of this pulley is to revolve the entire charging apparatus but its motion
is checked by pivoted and forked lever L adapted to act against two series of pegs
provided in the sides of the said pulley. These pegs are so arranged as to permit
of an angular movement of the pulley K at each complete oscillation of the forked
lever L equal to the distance between two consecutive buckets.
By this arrangement each complete oscillation of the forked lever L causes one
of the buckets to arrive in close proximity to and to be discharged into the
pipe E. The lower end of this pipe E extends into the interior of the generator
and so prevents gas-bubbles from rising vertically or by capillary action into such
pipe.
The gas generated in the interior of the generator is balanced by a column of water
contained in a vertical pipe N in communication with the generator by an opening
situated somewhat above that of the pipe E and protected against the entrance of
gas bubbles by an inclined screen or shield Q.
This pipe N is provided with an overflow tube R through which the excess of
water from the generator is allowed to escape while serving at the same time as
a safety device for limiting the maximum pressure of gas in the generator.
The gas generated in the generator flows through a bent tube S into the gaso-
meter C of sufficient capacity to receive the gas generated from a charge of carbide
the gas causing the bell of the gasometer to ascend with its uppermost position and
then to descend gradually in accordance with the consumption of the gas.
On the said bell is secured a tappet T which is so arranged as to strike against
the tail end of the forked lever L when the bell C reaches its lower position and
thereby causes a fresh charge of carbide to be discharged into the generator where-
upon the bell ascends again. The forked lever L now being disengaged from the
tappet T is returned to its former position by means of a spring U.
This method of charging repeatedly and only in small quantities permits of both
the gasometer and the generator being of small size while yet being of a working
capacity limited only by the number of buckets carried by the charging apparatus.
These buckets may be arranged to be recharged during the operation of the
apparatus and in such case the operation is only interrupted for the purpose of
removing through the plug or valve D, the residues which accumulate in the
lower part of the generator which however, is only required to be cleaned at long
intervals owing to the prolonged form of its lower end.
The operation of the modified form of charging apparatus shown at 11 in Figure 3
is essentially the same as the one previously described.
The charging apparatus B' consists of a number of vertically arranged tubes
or buckets 01 01 open at both ends and connected to endless chains adapted to
move parallel with each other around two drums K¹ K" and in such a manner as
to enable each one of them in turn to take its position above the pipe E¹. Ob-
viously these buckets 01 01 may if desired be carried on a horizontally arranged
disc similar to that adopted in connection with revolvers, all other parts and
arrangements remaining the same as in the first case. These tubes or buckets are
previously filled with carbide and the contents are successively discharged into
the pipe E as may be required for the working of the apparatus as herein before
described with reference to Figure 1.
To operate this bucket arrangement one of the drums, say K", is revolved on its
axis through the intervention of a weight M¹ attached to a rope wound upon the

page_text: periphery of such drum the motion of which is regulated by a forked lever L' acted
upon by a tappet T in such a manner as to move the buckets one after another to
the position above the pipe E¹.
It will be understood that not only do these two arrangements produce the same
effect by that they may be subject to almost endless modifications which it may
be advantageous to adapt to various circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be, performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas by discharging carbide in small
quantities into a large quantity of water, the combination of a revolving carrier
provided with buckets adapted to oscillate in a radial plane or perpendicularly
thereto for the purpose of delivering a charge of carbide into the charging pipe
of a generator working in conjunction with a gasometer and provided with a valve
for cleaning, and with a device, operated by the bell of the gasometer, for effect-
ing the discharge of carbide from one of the buckets each time the bell arrives
at the lower end of its movement.
2. The modified form of charging apparatus having a series of buckets arranged
in a manner similar to that adopted in revolvers or in such a manner as to form a
train of short cylinders open at both ends and adapted to move over a carrier plate
through the intervention of two endless chains in connection with two drums
whereby the said buckets are placed in succession above the charging pipe of the
generator in order to deliver their contents, substantially as herein before described
and shown with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 4th day of July 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.