An Improved Acetylene Gas Generator.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Acetylene Gas Generator.
I, MARK DUFFIELD of Birchwood Victoria Street Slough in the County of
Bucks Ironmonger do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The apparatus consists of water supply, generator, and gas holder. The water
is admitted to generator through a syphon to prevent gas passing back. The
syphon has a chamber to prevent any sudden pressure forcing water out of
syphon. The generator is divided into any number of cells or parts in such a
manner that the first is exhausted before any action takes place in the next and so
on until all are exhausted in turn. The holder is of the water rising type with
two distinct pipes, inlet from generator and outlet to service. The water is
admitted to generator at the top, the supply of which is governed by the rise and
fall of the holder. The main features are:-Divided generator, and no valves,
and gas never above buring pressure. There being little or no storage of gas.
Dated this 8th day of August 1896
MARK DUFFIELD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Acetylene Gas Generator.
I, MARK DUFFIELD, Birchwood, Victoria Street, Slough, in the County of
Bucks, Ironmonger, 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 an improved acetylene gas generator, comprising the
combination of water-supply apparatus, gas-generator, and gas-holder. The
object of the invention is to improve the construction of such apparatus generally,
that its control may be automatic and more perfect, and certain parts more
accessible for re-charging and cleansing purposes; and that the gas pressure shall
never exceed that at which it is burned or consumed.
I will now proceed to describe an acetylene gas generating apparatus constructed
according to my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
illustrating the same.
Figure is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, one entire generating chamber
and the water supply apparatus being in section.
Figure 2 shows a plan of my improved apparatus also partly in section.

page_text: Figure 3 shows a column of my improved cells, as they would be arranged in,
but separate from, a generating chamber.
Figure 4 shows a vertical section of one of the cells or receptacles for containing
the carbide.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of Figure 2 taken on the line.
Figure 6 shows an arrangement of my improved generator, wherein the gas-
holder may be situated at a distance from the generator.
Similar reference letters are employed to denote different views of the same
parts throughout the drawings.
The generating chambers a consist of two or more enclosed vertical cylinders,
one end, preferably the bottom, being fitted with either a hinged or removeable
lid b, the said lid fitting air-tight by means of a rubber or leather washer or
packing interposed between the lid and the end of the cylinder. These lids are
preferably secured to and fastened in front by a lever and catch, the said lever
beine hinged, to the chamber as shewn. At the side of these generating
chambers a is another chamber or box c for containing the water which feeds the
charge of carbide in the generating chambers. The chambers a, are preferably'
coupled or connected together in series, each series requiring only one water
supply box as e, lateral channels or pipes d, being provided to continue the passage
of the water and gas from one to another when the entire charge of carbide
in one chamber is exhausted, so that the water can flow on through the said
channels d to the hottom of the next chamber, and, percolating through the holes
in its sides, start the carbide in the bottom cell therein in action and so on until
the whole series of chambers is exhausted. This action is more fully explained
hereafter.
It is well known that if a little water be admitted to a large quantity of calcium
carbide, it acts and reacts more or less upon the whole quantity, for, that part
which is entirely exhausted contains water which acts slowly on the unexhausted
portion above it; and the affinity of the carbide for moisture is so great that even
though not in actual contact with water the gas is generated, to some extent, if
water be present, and further, the gas itself contains enough 'moisture to re-act on
the carbide in contact with it; therefore instead of simply filling up the generators
of my apparatus with carbide, as is usual, I provide each generating chamber a,
with a number of separate, detached perforated cells or receptacles, e, in each of
which is placed some, (preferably sufficient to produce gas enough to fill the
gas-holder once), of the dry carbide before inserting them in the said chambers.
The said cells are inserted from the bottom of the chamber, the lid b being first
removed or opened for that purpose, the lid is then replaced and, as before mentioned,
fits water-tight. The exhausted cells can be readily removed for re-charging and
cleaning, both operations being effected from the bottom of the generating
chambers. This division of the carbide by isolation in separate cells is to ensure
against generation of gas beyond the capacity of the holder, when no consumption
is going on. Any exhausted cell or cells can be removed from a chamber while
the apparatus is at work, so long as there is somo gas in store in the gas-holder,
without diminishing the lights. The cylinders or generating chambers a may be
fitted with a water-gauge for the purpose of ascertaining the condition of the
generator, in so far as progress of exhaustion is concerned.
The opening to the generating chambers being at the bottom, allows water and
sediment to flow by gravity freely out at the time of re-charging.
The water surnly apparatus consists of the usual tank connected with the main,
the inlet valve being controlled by a ball-float. A pipe fitted with stop-tap y',
and syphon h, establishes the connection between the said water supply and the
generator. The said syphon h is fixed preferably outside the water box c, on the
generator. The object of the syphon is to prevent gas passing back, and to prevent
any sudden pressure of gas forcing the water back out of the syphon. A small
bye-pipe or safety-vent j, is attached to the syphon, its object being to form an
outlet for the water in the event of the stop-tap g', being left closed after re-

page_text: charging, in which case water would be forced out but would again run into the
syphon on the tap being opened.
The water as above stated is admitted to the generator through a syphon at or
near the top thereof, the supply being governed by the rise and fall of the gas-
holder it passes into the water box c thence through holes c' in the side thereof
and holes or perforations el in the sides of the cells e to the carbide within, which it
immediately acts on, generating the gas. A pipe k, inside the box c, carried above
the water level as shown, conveys the gas from the generator to the condensing
chamber m, whence it passes through the pipe g to the gas-holders.
To meet Fire Insurances Companies requirements another pipe 7, extending
nearly to the bottom of the gas-holder and terminating with a union at top, so
that a length of tube can be fixed and carried through the roof of the building
in which the apparatus is placed, is provided to convey any overplus of gas that
might be generated beyond that which the gas-holder is capable of storing, into
the open air.
The gas-holders is of the ordinary bell or dome type and weighted both on the
bottom edge of its dome and also by a suspending weight, which weight, however
instead of being all in one piece as is usual, I prefer to divide into several parts
connected together by short lengths of chain. The said weight is preferably hung
from the centre of the dome inside at the end of a long chain, and extends below
the bottom edge of the dome so that on the descent of the latter it (the weight)
reaches the floor of the gas-holder first, for the object hereinafter stated.
Beneath the gas-holder are two condensing chambers m, n at the entrance and
exit respectively of the gas to and from the gas-holder, which entrance and exit
are effected through pipes 7 and r respectively, which spring from the condensing
chambers and extend upwards above water level in the holder into the dome.
In Figure 6, modification of the arrangement and construction of generator
is illustrated, whereby the generating chambers and their attachments may be
situated at a distance from the gas-holder if desired. In this figure the first five
cells are assumed to be exhausted, the gas-holder full, and the pressure of gas
become sufficiently high to check the inflow of water. It will be seen that by
reason of the syphon pipe v extending above the level of the water in the tank,
even if all the contents of the chambers and all the stored gas became exhausted
and the generator consequently full of water, the latter could not overflow down the
said shon and therefore could not gain access to the service pipe or pipes.
The operation and action of the combined apparatus is as follows:-
To start with, all taps should be shut off. The lids b, at the bottom of the
generating chambers a, are opened, the cells e, are charged with carbide of calcium
and inserted one after another up into the said chambers until each is full, the
lids are then closed. All the taps should now be opened and should remain
open during the whole time gas is being generated. The water passing from the
cistern through the stop-tap g thence through the syphon h, to the bottom of the
water box c on the first generating chamber a, and thence through holes cl and c
in the sides of the box c and cells e respectively, to the carbide within, whereupon
decomposition of the water immediately takes place generating the gas known as
acetylene. The gas thus produced passes down the pipe k, through the condensing
chamber m, up the pipe q into the gas-holder, whence it may be either drawn out
via the pipe n to the service nine and burners, or be stored in the holder until,
by virtue of the back pressure of une gas augmented by the weight on the dome,
the flow of water and consequently gas generation are stopped automatically,
which takes place the moment the weight on the dome begins to rise. By reason
of the cells being separated by a plain or unperforated bottom, action can only
extend as far as the cell actually in contact with water; thus each cell is com-
pletely exhausted before the water rises to the next and each chamber full of cells
'nust be completely exhausted before the next chamber is reached by the overflow
of water, throughout the set; and thus, although the generator when fully
charged may contain sufficient carbide to generate gas enough to fill the storage

page_text: space any number of times, yet no generation of gas at any time takes place
beyond the capacity of storage, as each cell only contains enough carbide to
generate gas sufficient to fill the holder once, and the gas is always burned at or
about same pressure as generated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for the generation, storage, and supply of acetylene gas, a
generator consisting of two or more separate, detached cells, the sides only of which
are perforated, enclosed within a gas-tight casing the bottom of which is closed
by a removable lid, substantially as described and shown.
2. In an apparatus for the generation, storage, and supply of acetylene gas, a
generator consisting of two or more separate, removable cells, the sides of which
only are perforated, enclosed within a gas-tight casing the bottom end of which
is closed by a removable lid and the method and means provided for controlling
the supply of water to generator by the pressure of gas, as herein described and
shown.
3. In an apparatus for the generation, storage and supply of acetylene gas, a
syphon pipe forming the connection between the water supply and the generator,
said syphon pipe being fitted with or without a vent pipe, substantially as described
and shown.
4. A cell for containing carbide of calcium for the generation of acetylene gas,
consisting of a perforated body portion or sides, a fixed plain disc bottom and a
removable car or lid.
5. The combination of apparatus for the generation, storing and supply of
acetylene gas, arranged, constructed and operating, substantially as herein
described and shown."
Get on way of May 10.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.