Improved Acetylene Gas Generator.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Acetylene Gas Generator.
I, LUDWIG BARTMANN, of No. 15, Neue König Strasse, Berlin, Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
The object of the present invention is to provide an automatically operating
acetylene gas generator for lamps, which is also proof against explosions. The
device consists of two chambers closed at the top and communicating with each
other at the lower end. The carbide holder is mounted within the inner chamber
beneath a bell in the same and is normally below the level of the water in the
outer chamber. In order to carry off excessive gas pressure in the bell, an
acetone chamber is provided which under certain conditions herein after set forth
may communicate with the interior of the bell and absorb the excessive gas
produced.
-
In order to render the present specification easily intelligible reference is had to
the accompanying drawing which illustrates a vertical section through the
apparatus.
Within the exterior chamber A the chamber B is provided both chambers
being closed at the top advantageously by means of one and the same cover.
within the chamber B is provided the bell F which encloses the carbide
holder Chaving perforated walls and a full conically shaped bottom. The cover
of the holder is in the form of a piston 1) with piston rod extending downwardly
through the bottom and having a spring E which is stretched, its lower end being
hooked to a suitable part of the apparatus. This spring tends to pull the piston
downwardly and as the acetylene gas is developed, to press the carbide down-
wardly thus driving the residue out of the holder. The gas outlet pipe G passes
out of the inner chamber Bat the bottom and is formed to a coil, passing out at
the upper part of the outer chamber A and provided with a cock as at I, whence
it leads to the burner or to any other point of consumption. Below the bottom
of the chambers is provided an acetone chamber H with which a pipe M com-
municates, said pipe extending upwardly into the chamber B and being bent
round as at N, but standing normally below the water level in the said chamber B.
The top of the water column in the chamber B is provided with an oil seal as
indicated in the drawing, which oil layer, under certain circumstances closes the
As is known carbide will not develop acety-
carbide holder to the water inlet.
lene when immersed in oil and thus the oil layer serves to regulate the generation
of gas and render the same more uniform.
The device operates in the following manner.
the apparatus filled with water as shown in the drawings, air will be compressed
beneath the bell F which is either weighted or fixed, so that the water level in
the outer chamber will be higher than that in the chamber B. If the cock I is
opened the water will rise in the chamber B until it reaches the carbide, when the
generation of gas will commence. The pressure of the gas generated, if the con-
sumption is less than the amount of gas generated, will depress the water level
in the chamber B until the oil closes the carbide holder to the water inlet and
If the outlet cock I is closed and

page_text: stops generation. If however from any reason the generation of gas becomes
excessive, the water level in B will be depressed to below the mouth of the
pipe n and gas will flow into the acetone chamber H where it will be absorbed.
This absorbtion will render the quantity of gas under the bell less and the water
level will rise again so that any danger of an explosion will be entirely avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what inanner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
―
1 In an acetylene gas generator the combination of communicating chambers,
one of which encloses the carbide holder, and an oil layer on the water in the
said carbide holder chamber, which serves to close the carbide from the water
and to allow that part of the carbide only, which is below the oil layer to be
developed substantially as described.
2: In an acetylene generator as covered by Claim 1 the combination of an
acetone chamber having a pipe extending up into the water of the chamber con-
taining the carbide holder, said pipe opening into the said chamber at a point
above the water outlet to the chamber, for the purpose of preventing the entire
emptying of the chamber and allowing superfluous gas to pass to the acetone sub-
tsantially as described.
3: In the device covered by Claim 1 the combination of a cover for the
carbide holder, in the form of a piston which is spring pressed down on the
carbide and serves to force the residue out of the holder in the manner substan-
tially as described.
Dated this 20th day of
1833.
JOHNSONS,
Applicant's Agents, 115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.