Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
1. 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 to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to apparatus for producing acetylene gas in large
quantities and for conveying the produced gas, by the aid of appropriate tubular
connections or other feed channels to various places for consumption.
The apparatus substantially consists of a calcium-carbide-reservoir; an empty
reservoir serving to hold water which at the proper times is forced back by the
excess pressure; a main water reservoir, containing the water to be discharged
upon the calcium carbide in order to produce the gas; a small box divided into
two superposed and independent compartments, the lower one of which contains a
hollow sphere or spheroid, which forms part of the safety device, whilst the upper one
contains sulphuric acid; and finally an upper water reservoir, in which the
washed and purified before being supplied for use. All these. constituent parts are
superposed in the order just explained, the calcium carbide reservoir being arranged
lowermost.
gas
The water feed and safety device consists of a comparatively large tube,
which communicates at the top with the chamber containing the hollow sphere or
spheroid, and at the bottom with the upper chamber of the carbide reservoir, by
passing across the water reservoir and the empty reservoir. In this.tube the safety
tube is inserted, the upper extremity of which communicates with the interior of
the hollow sphere, the lower extremity descending into the upper part of the
carbide reservoir, where it is hermetically inserted into a small pear shaped vessel
or bulb, reaching to near its bottom. This bulb is provided with two openings,
through which the water descends upon the calcium carbide, and these openings
are placed above the extremity of the safety tube at a distance which is greater
in proportion as the pressure at which the apparatus is required to work is
bigher.
Four tubes, placed crosswise and bent upward communicate with the bottom of
the pear shaped bulb; two of the said tubes terminate in the main water reservoir,
whilst the other two terminate in the empty box, where their upper portions are
provided with an opening. The tubes which are in communication in the water
reservoir, are each closed at this point by a screw valve, by the aid of which the
quantity of water to be discharged upon the carbide, is regulated. The admission
valve in this case is a double, instead of a single valve.
The operation of this generator is as follows: The water admitted in a greater
or smaller quantity, arrives in the pear shaped bulb, in which the lower end of
the safety tube terminates, and falls through the holes of this bulb upon a conical
screen which uniformly distributes it upon the calcium carbide. As the lower end
of the safety tube is immersed in the water contained in the bulb, this water rises

page_text: in the safety tube, until it balances the gas pressure. If for any cause there
should be a surplus production of gas, the pressure would cause the water to rise
higher in the safety tube, and the discharge thereof upon the carbide would be
stopped instantly, but as the supply through the admission valves continues, the
water would rise in the branches which communicate with the empty reservoir, and
would be discharged into the latter, until, the pressure having again become
normal, the operation would be resumed. If during the period of excess produc-
tion, a certain quantity of gas should escape through the water contained in the
safety tube, and rise into the hollow sphere, it would pass out through tubes
arranged at the top of the said sphere, which tubes communicate with the reservoir
containing sulphuric acid for absorbing the gas.
The gas produced in the carbide reservoir first passes over a certain quantity of
ground brown hæmatite, placed therein upon a disc provided with holes; this
limonite or hæmatite absorbs the sulphuretted hydrogen. The limonite may be
rendered more porous by mixing it with moist sawdust. The gas rises through the
intermediate space left between the safety tube and the large tube, across the water
reservoir, and into the space containing the hollow sphere, whence it is discharged
by pipes having their upper extremity bent downward below the water contained
in the upper water reservoir.
This water retains a portion of the carbonic acid and almost the whole of
.the tar.
If desired the pipes just referred to may be bent downward so that they may
first pass into the water of the main reservoir, for the purpose of cooling the gas.
When being discharged from the water contained in the upper reservoir, the gas
traverses a disc covered with quick lime, which absorbs the moisture and the
remainder of carbonic acid; one or two fine wire gauze pieces placed above, retain
the last traces of tar. The gas thus purified leaves the upper water reservoir and
enters the tubes, which are curved downward, so as to surround the carbide
reservoir in the form of a spiral; it thus recovers a portion of the heat disengaged
by the chemical action, and arrives at the places where it is to be consumed in a
heated state, whereby its illuminating power is materially increased. The coils
extend upwardly into tubes, which together enter a ball or other receptacle whence
the gas is drawn for use in a heated and purified state.
All the constituent parts of the apparatus are provided with the requisite
discharge cocks, which like the devices serving to discharge the air at given times,
communicate with the atmosphere.
Dated this 4th dex of December 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
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 be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The present invention relates to apparatus for producing acetylene gas in large
quantities, and for conveying the produced gas, by the aid of appropriate tubular
connections or other feed channels to various places for consumption.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus embodying our invention, and
Figure 2 is another sectional elevation taken in a plane at right angles with the
first one.
The apparatus substantially consists of a calcium-carbide-reservoir A; an empty
reservoir B serving to hold water which at the proper time is forced back by the
excess pressure; a main water reservoir C, containing the water to be discharged
upon the calcium carbide in order to produce the gas; a small box divided into two
superposed and independent compartiments, the lower one D of which contains a
hollow sphere or spheroid E, which forms part of the safety device, whilst the
upper one D contains sulphuric acid; an upper water reservoir F, in which the
gas is washed and purified before being supplied for use; the necessary tabing
and accessories for connecting the reservoirs; and finally a safety device.
reservoirs are superposed in the order just explained, the calcium-carbide-
receptacle A being arranged undermost.
The
The water feed and safety device consists of a comparatively large tube G, which
communicates at the top with the chamber D containing the hollow sphere r
spheroid, and at the bottom with the upper part of the carbide-receptacle, by
passing through the water-reservoir C and the empty reservoir B. In this tube G
the safety-tube H is inserted, the upper extremity of which communicates with the
interior of the hollow sphere or spheroid E, the lower extremity descending into
the upper part of the carbide-reservoir A, where it is hermetically inserted into a
small pear-shaped vessel or bulb I, reaching to near its bottom. This bulb is
provided with openings i through which the water descends upon the calcium-
carbide, and these openings are placed above the extremity of the safety tube H at
a distance which is greater in proportion as the pressure, at which the apparatus is
required to work, is higher.
Four tubes J J and JJ placed cross-wise and bent upward, communicate with
the bottom of the bulb I; two of the said tubes J terminate in the empty reser-
voir B, where their upper portions are provided with an opening j, while the other
two tubes J' terminate in the main water-reservoir C, where they are completely
open, and even widened out so that each of the affords a seat for a conical valve K,
by the aid of which the quantity of water to be discharged upon the carbide is
regulated. Each valve K is provided with a long stem k, fitted by a screw into
the top of the water-reservoir C, and provided with a handle k¹.
The upper part of the spheroid E communicates with the sulphuric acid reser-
voir D by means of a pipe L, the upper end of which is divided into several
branches e which are curved down, so as to have their extremities immersed in the
sulphuric acid, the space above this latter liquid being in communication with
the outer air by a pipe d. The upper part of the chamber D, in which is placed
the spheroid E, communicates with the upper water-reservoir F by two pipes M,
which are first curved downwards, so as to pass through the water of the main
water-reservoir C, and then upwards so as to terminate in the upper water-
reservoir F where their ends are curved down, so as to be immersed in the water
therein contained. The water-level is indicated in the figures by a line X-X.
In this same reservoir F, above the water-line, are several wire gauzes f,f,f",
the first of which, being the coarser one, is intended to receive a layer of quick
lime, for drying the gas, and the other ones, of a finer texture, being inten led to
retain the tar and other impurities, which are developed during the reaction, and
carried along by the gas.
From the top of the water-reservoir F two pipes N lead down to the bottom of
the apparatus, where they surround the carbide-receptacle on the outside, forming
a sort of jacket, through which the gas has to pass, and then curving upwards
again, to be united in a ball, or other receptacle O.
The operation of this generator is as follows:
The water admitted in a greater or smaller quantity through the valves K,
arrives in the bulb I, in which the lower end of the safety tube terminates, and

page_text: falls through the holes of this bulb upon a conical screen P, which uniformly
distributes it on the calcium-carbide. As the lower end of the safety tube H is
immersed in the water contained in the bulb I, this water rises in the safety tube,
until it balances the gas pressure. If for any cause there should be a surplus
production of gas, the pressure would cause the water to rise higher in the safety
tube, and the discharge thereof on the carbide would be stopped instantly, but as
the supply through the admission valves K continues, the water would rise in the
branches J, which communicate with the empty reservoir B, and would be
discharged into the latter until, the pressure having again become normal, the
operation would he resumed. If during the period of excess production, a certain
quantity of gas should escape through the water contained in the safety tube, and
rise into the spheroid E, it would pass through the tabe L into the sulphuric acid
of the receptacle D', which would absorb the gas.
The gas produced in the carhide receptacle A, first passes over a certain
quantity of ground brown hematite, placed therein on a dise Q, provided with
holes; this hematite or limonite absorbs the sulphuretted hydrogen, and it may
be rendered more porous by mixing it with moist sawdust. The gas rises through
the intermediate space left between the safety tube H and the large tube G, across
the water reservoir C, and into the space D, in which the spheroid E is located.
From here it is discharged through the pipes M in the upper water reservoir F,
being first cooled on account of these pipes passing through the water of the main
reservoir C. The water of the reservoir F retains a portion of the carbonic acid,
and a certain quantity of the tar.
Rising through the water of this reservoir F, the gas traverses the disc, loaded
with quick lime, which absorbs the moisture and the remainder of the carbonic
acid, and the last traces of tar are retained by the fine wire-gauzes ff". The
gas thus purified leaves this reservoir F through the pipes N, which are curved
downwards around the carbide receptacle; it thus recovers a portion of the heat
disengaged by the chemical action, and arrives at the places, where it is to be
consumed, in a heated state, whereby its illuminating power is materially increased.
The pipes N being then curved upwards, unite in the receptacle O, from where
the gas is distributed.
All the constituent parts of the apparatus are provided with the necessary
discharge cocks, and openings for filling the receptacles, and allowing the air to
escape when necessary: as for instance the pipe d' leading from the receptacle D'
to the outer air, and several caps shewn on the drawings, which need no further
explanation.
Instead of being put in a heap in the receptacle A, the carbide may be put in
several tubs or buckets, as shewn in dotted lines on the drawings, so as to allow
the used up residues to be easily taken ou, and new carbide to be put in. The
bottom of the carbide receptacle is movable; it may easily be taken out by
unscrewing the bolts, which fix it to the body of the receptacle, and giving it a
twist by means of certain handles fixed to it. Other devices may be used, to
ensure easy access to all parts of the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 a generator serving to produce acetylene gas in large quantities, the com-
bination of a receptacle A, containing calcium carbide, with two water reservoirs C
and Farranged above the carbide receptacle, and the first one of which, lying
below the second one, serves to receive the water employed for decomposing
calcium carbide, and the second serving to wash and purify the gas before being
supplied for use; with a receptacle B arranged helow the water reservoir C and
serving to receive the excess of water in case there should be a large surplus
production; with a receptacle arranged between the two water reservoirs C and F.
and divided into two superposed compartments D D', the first one D containing a

page_text: hollow spherical or spheroidal body E, in which the gas of surplus production
arrives, and the second D' containing sulphuric acid and communicating with the
spheroid E, the sulphuric acid serving to absorb the gas produced in excess; and
with a safety- and pressure-regulating device substantially consisting of a tube H
of a relative length, the upper extremity of which terminates in the spheroid E
and the lower extremity of which is immersed in the water contained in a bulb I
pierced with holes i, through which the water falls on the carbide, and provided
with two relatively short tubular devices or systems, one of which J J', closed by
adjustable valves, conveys and supplies the water from the reservoir C and the
other J J discharges the excess of water into the receptacle B, in case of a
large surplus production, substantially as described and represented in the
drawings.
2. In a generator serving to produce acetylene gas in large quantities of the kind
described in the first claim, the arrangement of tubes M starting from the com-
partment D and terminating in the water reservoir F, after having been bent
down toward the bottom, in order to immerse into the water of the reservoir C, for
the purpose of cooling the gas before being purified, and tubes N starting from
the top of the water reservoir F and terminating in a collector O, after having
been bent down toward the bottom in order to circulate around the carbide
receptacle, for the purpose of restoring the heat, produced by the reaction, and of
again heating the gas before being used.
3. In a generator, serving to produce acetylene gas in large quantities, of the
kind described in the first claim, and provided with tubes as described in the
second claim, the arrangement of wire gauzes (f, f, f) placed in the water
reservoir F, for the purpose of supporting gas drying substances and of retaining
the tarry substances."
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.