Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1898—Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
AUDRY COMO
I, DAVID SAMUEL WILLIAMS, residing at 903, Walnut Street, in the City and
County of Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
1
My invention relates to the manufacture of acetylene gas, and consists of a
new and improved machine for automatically bringing the gas making material
in contact with a stream of water as fully set out hereinafter.
Heretofore in the manufacture of acetylene gas, it has been customary to place
the calcium carbide in a containing vessel, and different means were provided for
supplying water to the calcium carbide for the purpose of generating the hydro-
carbon gas, all of which involved the saturation or moistening of the entire mass,
or a large part thereof. As a consequence the gas is generated with great
rapidity, and although arrangements have been devised either for shutting off the
water supply, or for withdrawing the calcium carbide from the water auto-
matically as the pressure of gas approaches the danger point, it has been found
that the generation of gas continues, owing to the calcium carbide being in a
more or less wet condition for a considerable time after the supply of water is
discontinued. The result has been that, in spite of the perfect working of said
automatic devices, and notwithstanding the exercise of every reasonable pre-
caution, the pressure occasionally increases to such an extent that disastrous
explosions result.
My improvement consists in a machine to carry out said manufacture of acety-
lene gas. The embodiments of the invention herein described, comprise as their
main features a tank in which the gas is generated, the tank containing a vessel
for holding the calcium carbide, the vessel having a floor, preferably a deflecting
one, as a grate upon which the contained material is adapted to be fed toward
the circumference of the floor, which constitutes an annular receptacle for con-
taining the limited quantity of the calcium carbide that is to be subjected at
any one time to the action of the water. Water is supplied to the material in
the receptacle, preferably by means of a supply pipe which extends around the
tank over the material in the annular receptacle, the supply pipe being provided
with orifices through which the water is sprayed upon the material. The inven-
tion also consists in automatic means for shutting off the water supply when the
pressure increases up to a certain point, in means for charging the vessel for
containing the calcium carbide during the generating process and without inter-
ference therewith, and in means for removing the residuum from the tank.
I will now proceed to describe the several embodiments of my invention: It
must be understood that my invention; so far as the machine is concerned, is not
restricted to the types shown and described, as the construction may be altered
in many details without departing from the principle of the invention.
In the drawings :

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of a portion of the vessel for containing
the material.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the grating comprising the outer part of the floor
sustaining the material.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the grating forming the central part of the floor.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of my invention, and
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Fig. 6.
A is the tank or outer casing: B the vessel containing the calcium carbide.
This vessel may be circular in shape, of substantially uniform diameter and extend
upwardly to the top of the tank, leaving an annular space between it and the
wall of the tank as in Figs. 2, 3 and 7. The floor of this vessel consists of a cone-
shaped grate, C, the sloping ton thereof acting to deflect the material from the
vessel into the annular receptacle, D, which may be formed as in Figs. 2 and 7.
partly by the grate itself, and partly by an anuular sloping grate, E, secured
to the wall of the tank and shown in detail in Fig. 4. In Fig. 2, the floor
grate, C, is suspended from the vessel. B. by means of the depending bars, c.
This floor grate is shown in detail in Fig. 5. In Fig. 7 the floor grate is shown
suspended by means of stay rods. c, extending across the vessel, B, and a rod, o³,
depending therefrom and secured to the floor grate, O, at its apex.
In each of the several embodiments of my invention shown, the water is intro-
duced into the tank by means of a pipe. F, which is arranged within the tank
to extend entirely around the same and between the wall thereof and the wall of
the containing vessel, B. and directly over the receptacle, D. This pine is provided
with orifices through which the water sprays over the material in the receptacle.
The tank in each of the embodiments shown, is adanted to contain water, and a
pipe, G. from a source of water supply. controlled by a suitable valve, g, leads
to the lower part of the tank for the purposes of supplying water thereto, while
a discharge pipe, H, controlled by a valve, h, extends from the conical bottom of
the tank.
The operation of the machine, so far as I have described it, is as follows: the
vessel, B, is filled with the calcium carbide, and a limited quantity thereof is fed
by means of the deflecting grate, C, to the annular receptacle, D. Water is then
admitted into pipe, F, and is sprayed upon the material in the receptacle, the
hydrogen of which, as is well known, enters into chemical combination with the
constituent carbon of the calcium carbide, thus generating hydro-carbon or
acetylene gas, which fills the tank and is drawn off for consumption through the
pipe, I. The residual oxide of calcium and water drops down to the bottom
of the tank and accumulates there, whence it is expelled by flushing. that is.
opening the valve, h, and withdrawing the water. The flushing operation may
be continued by opening the valve, g, and admitting such additional quantities of
water as may be necessary to thoroughly clean out the tank, after which the
valve, h, is closed, and the valve. g, opened until the tank is again supplied with
the desired quantity of water. As the receptacle, C. is depleted by the operation
just described, it is continuously supplied with fresh material from the vessel, B,
the quantity of calcium carbide under the action of the water remaining there-
fore, practically stationary. When the water supply is turned off, either by
manipulating the controlling valve by hand, or by the closing of an
automatic valve by the means hereinafter to be described, only a small
proportion of the material, namely, the material in the receptacle D, will be in
a wet or moist condition and the subsequent generation of gas will be limited.
So far this described operation applies to each of the several embodiments
I which I have illustrated. but it is obvious that machines used as a part of a large
supply plant and those intended for individual use for domestic purposes should
differ somewhat, not in principle, but in details of construction. The construc-
tion shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is one which I consider suitable for use in the

page_text: manufacture of gas on a large scale, and will proceed to describe some of its
peculiarities of construction.
It is manifestly sometimes desirable, in machines of this class, when the stock
of material in the tank becomes depleted to introduce a new supply without dis-
continuing the generation of gas. To this end I have placed a reservoir tank, K,
above the tank, the said tank having the annular flange, k, at its bottom, which
is bolted to the top of the tank, the bolts also extending through the annular
flange b, on the top of the vessel, B. by which means the vessel, B, is suspended
within, and the tank, K, sustained above the tank, A. This tank, K, has a trap
door bottom, K', which is shaped. preferably, like the floor grate, C. On the rim
of this trap door bottom is a gasket, k, so that a gas-tight joint will be normally
maintained between the reservoir and the interior of the tank. To sustain the
bottom in this position, I have shown a windlass, L, and chain L¹, the chain being
secured to a depending bar L having the stay rods and 18, and secured to
the bottom, K, by any desirable means. The reservoir, K has the cover, K³,
through which the material is introduced to fill the reservoir. To fill the vessel, B,
from the reservoir the chain is unwound thus dropping the bottom of the reser-
voir, and permitting the desired quantity of material to drop into the vessel, B.
In order to automatically shut off the water supply when the gas accumulates
in the tank faster than it is withdrawn for consumption, I have provided the
following means: The pipe, G, from the source of water supply has the branch
pines, G¹, and F, both hereinhefore described. The pipe G¹, has the hand-
valve, f. and the globe valve, f. adapted to be onerated automatically. A gas
pipe, M, leads from the top of the tank to a diaphragm case, M¹ sustained on
bracket, m. and having the diaphragm, m³, which has a spring pressed rod. m²³,
secured to the valve f. By this means the diaphragm is set to yield at a definite
pressure, and when the gas in the tank reaches that pressure, the valve will close.
Instead of introducing the water supply pipe into the annular space between
the tank. A, and vessel, B, above the receptacle. D. it may be arranged as shown
in dotted lines, Fig. 2, namely, by extending the pipe, F. into the tank, beneath
the floor grate and spraying the water horizontally and radially upon the material
in the bottom of the receptacle, D.
The gas may be expelled from the tank at any time that the vessel, B is
empty by onening the valve, g, and allowing the water from the pipe, G, to fill
the same.
The gas in the interior of vessel B. will he expelled by means of the
pine. J, leading therefrom and connecting, outside of the tank, with the pipe I.
The construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is intended for the manufacture of
gas on a small scale. I have shown the following means for automatically
shutting off the water supply as the gas pressure increases to a fixed amount.
Adjoining the tank, A. is a receiver, N. connected by means of a branch pipe, G³,
with pine G. Pipe F extends, in this construction, through the receiver, and
has a globe-valve, within the same. To this valve is connected the float, N',
by means of rod. n. A guide rod, 1. projects upwardly from the float, passing
through a circular orifice in bracket. N2, secured to the inner wall of the receiver.
A column of water is sustained in the receiver by the pressure of gas in the tank.
The receiver communicates with the room in which the same is placed by means
of the goose-neck, N³, extending from the receiver a short distance from the top
thereof. while it communicates with the exterior atmosphere by means of a
flue, N, extending from the top thereof to the chimney. As the pressure of gas
increases beyond the desired amount, the volume of water in the receiver is lifted,
raising the float and shutting the valve, f. If for any reason, whether due to
the derangement of valve, f. or otherwise, the gas continues to generate after the
float is lifted to an abnormal extent. the level of the water in the receiver will
rise until it reaches the goose-neck, into and through which the water will flow
until the level of the water in the tank, A, sinks beneath the mouth of the
pipe, G. The pressure in the tank then forces the gas through the water pipe, G,

page_text: and receiver, N, the gas escaping through the flue, N, the water in the goose-
neck acting as a seal to prevent the escape of the gas into the room.
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:-
First: A machine for generating acetylene gas, consisting of a receptacle
adapted to contain the gas making material, a conical grate arranged below said
receptacle, so as to convey the gas making material away from the receptacle
into an annular space surrounding the same, a water supply pipe located in said
annular space above the gas making material, and means as shown for regulating
the supply of water to the gas making material by the pressure of gas contained
within the reservoir.
Second: A machine for generating acetylene gas, consisting of an inner recep-
tacle adapted to contain the gas making material, a conical grate arranged below
said. receptacle so as to guide the material into an annular space formed between
the inner and outer receptacles of the generator, a water supply pipe located in
said annular space provided with a regulating device governed by the pressure
of gas in the outer receptacle for regulating the flow of water to the gas making
material, and a gas discharge pipe for conveying the gas from said outer receptacle.
Third: A machine for generating acetylene gas, consisting of an innor recep
tacle adapted to contain the gas making material, and an outer receptacle adapted
to hold gas and contain the residuum from the gas making material, a conical
grate arranged below the inner receptacle 80 as to convey the gas making
material from the inner receptacle to the annular space formed between the same
and the outer receptacle, a gas discharge pipe connected to the outer receptacle,
a water supply pipe located in said annular space over the gas making material,
provided with a series of openings, a reservoir supported from the outside of the
generator provided with a pipe communicating with the outer casing of the
generator, said reservoir being adapted to hold a quantity of water, a float arranged
within said reservoir and being connected by a rod with a valve in the water
supply pipe so that the pressure of gas acting upon said body of water will regu-
late the supply of water to the gas making material.
Fourth: In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination
with a tank in which the gas is to be generated, of a vessel, such as shown and
described, having a conical grate, within said tank adapted to receive the gene-
rating material, a reservoir above said vessel for storing said material, an opening
in said reservoir for charging the same, a. communicating door between said
reservoir and vessel, and means extraneous to said tank for opening said door.
Fifth In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination
with a tank, such as shown and described, in which the gas is to be generated,
of a vessel within said tank adapted to receive the generating material, a reservoir
above said vessel for storing said material, an opening in said reservoir for
charging the same, a trap door beneath said reservoir for charging said vessel
from the reservoir and a windlass and chain connected with said trap door for
operating the same from without the tank and reservoir
:
Sixth: In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination
with a tank or casing, such as shown and described. in which the gas is to be
generated, of a vessel within said tank adapted to the generating material, the
Baid vessel having a deflecting grate beneath the same adapted to deflect the
material toward the walls of the tank or casing and a water supply pipe extending
into said tank, but without the vessel, and provided with orifices in proximity to
the said deflecting grate.
Seventh: In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas. the combination
with a tank or casing, substantially as shown and described, in which the gas
is to be generated, of a vessel within said tank adapted to hold the generating
material, the said vessel having a deflecting grate beneath the same adapted to

page_text: deflect the material toward the walls of the tank or casing, and a water supply
pipe extending into the space between said vessel and the wall of the tank and
above the deflecting grate, the said supply pipe being provided with orifices, and
means as shown and described for regulating the supply of water by the pressure
of gas in the generator.
Eighth: In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination
with a tank or casing provided with a water supply pipe and a gas discharge
pipe in which the gas is to be generated, of a vessel within said tank adapted
to hold the generating material, the said vessel having a deflecting grate beneath
the same adapted to deflect the material toward the walls of the tank or casing.
into an annular receptacle below the wall of said vessel, and a water supply pipe
extending into said tank and arranged to extend around the same above said
annular receptacle, the said supply pipe being provided with orifices.
Ninth In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination
with a vessel adapted to contain calcium carbide, of a receptacle in proximity to
said vessel and in communication therewith adapted to receive the calcium car-
bide from said vessel and to contain at a given time a limited quantity thereof,
a tank or casing around said receptacle adapted to receive the gas, a conical grate
arranged within said tank adapted to deflect the calcium carbide toward the
walls thereof, a water supply pipe extending into said tank and arranged to
supply water to said receptacle, a valve in said pipe without said tank, a gas
pipe leading from said tank, a diaphragm beyond said pipe, and a connection
between said diaphragın and valve, whereby the valve is closed at a given pressure
of gas.
Tenth: A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of an outer tank
or receptacle provided at the top with a gas discharge pipe and at the bottom with
an outlet for discharging the waste products from the generation of the gas,
a receptacle suspended within said tank or receptacle adapted to contain the gas
making material, a conical grate arranged below said receptacle so as to convey
the gas making material into the annular space between the tank and the inner
receptacle, a water supply pipe located in the annular space above the gas making
material and regulating devices such as shown and described for regulating the
water supply by the gas pressure in the generator.
Eleventh: A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of an outer tank
or receptacle provided at the top with a gas discharge pipe and at the bottom
with an outlet for discharging the waste products from the generation of the gas,
a receptacle suspended within said tank adapted to contain the gas making
material, a conical grate arranged below said receptacle so as to convey the gas
making material towards and into the annular space formed between the tank
and the inner receptacle, a water supply pipe located in the annular space and
above the gas making material, an outer receptacle communicating with the tank
by a pipe, said outer receptacle being adapted to hold a body of water, and a
float within said receptacle communicating with a valve in the water supply pipe
so as to regulate the supply of water by the pressure of gas in the generator.
Twelfth An acetylene gas generator, comprising an outer casing, and inner
carbide receptacle supported thereon with an open lower end separated by an
annular space therefrom, a conical grate below the carbide receptacle adapted to
convey the carbide to the lower part of said annular space, combined with the
water supply pipe in said annular space, and means for regulating the supply
of water by the pressure of the generated gas.
Dated this 14th day of November 1898.