Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
I, OSCAR FALBE, of 77, Manteuffelstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany
Manufacturer, 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 has for its object a constantly working acetylene gas generator with
an automatic feed device and an arrangement rendering possible the cleansing of
the apparatus during the working without interrupting the latter.
Such an acetylene gas generator is shown in the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 being a sectional elevation, and
Figure 2 a detail view of the releasing catches.
The arrangement and mode of working of this apparatus is essentially as
follows:-
A feed vessel b is arranged on the gas generating vessel a and extends
with its lower open end below the water level of the said gas generator vessel a.
A number of plates c c¹ c² c³ c (in the present instance five) are arranged at
suitable distances apart, preferably in a somewhat inclined position, in the feed
chamber b, on which plates the carbide is placed in equal quantities. The front side
of the feed chamber bis provided with an opening capable of being closed to allow
of the feed. The plates c-care pivotally attached by means of hinges d-d to
the front side of the chamber and their ends which in consequence of their inclined
position stand lower than the hinges, rest on lever catches e-et which pass through
the rear wall o of the chamber b. Each of the catches c-et is carried by or formed
on an elbow lever pivoting on a spindle ff and counterweighted (or provided with
a spring or acting under their own natural weight) at g-g in such a way that the
catches e-e under normal circumstances project so far into the chamber b that they
retain the plates c-c with security.
A vertical rod h travelling in suitable guides is provided with releasing catches i-i
corresponding to the lever catches g-g' but arranged at somewhat smaller distances
apart than are levers g-g' so that in the normal position, as shown, the lowest
releasing catch i lies directly under the end of its corresponding elbow lever, whilst
the next releasing catch has between it and its corresponding elbow lever a somewhat
larger interval and so forth. The rod h is connected by its upper end at the point k
to a pivotally mounted lever & which turns on a pin m and at the other end at the
point is connected with a cord, chain or the like p of a gasometer bell, the said
cord being carried over rollers in such a way that the chain p is drawn upwards
when the gasometer bell sinks. The length of the chain p, is so calculated that
when the gasometer bell descends below a given minimum position the rod h will
be raised to a certain small extent. The lowest releasing catch i then lifts the
lever g, thus drawing back the catch e, whereby the plate c accordingly looses its
support, and turns on its hinge d downwards and allows the quantity of carbide
carried on it to slip down into the water course of the generator a. The gas then
immediately developed causes the gasometer bell to again rise so that immediately
the pull on the chain p and therewith the upward movement of the rod h again

page_text: ceases. In consequence of the upward movement of the rod h the second releasing
catch is moved so far upward that it now lies directly under its lever g¹. When
therefore after a suitable consumption of the gas the gasometer hell again sinks
sufficiently low and thereby moves the rod further upwards, the catch e¹ is again
drawn back and the plate c¹ caused to fall so that then the supply of carbide carried
thereon is discharged into the generating vessel a. The same operation is repeated
until the last shelf c has dropped which may then operate a signal bell or the like
indicating the necessity of a fresh charging of the separate plates which may take
place during the working of the apparatus. The rod h is then again pressed down,
during which time the releasing catches i-which as shown in Figure 2, can
pivot on pins and have under their point of rotation an extended heel r serving
as a stop, can turn up as they engage levers g-g in order to pass same and then
drop back under their respective levers g-g into the working position limited by
the heel r. The plates cc are then turned back successively commencing at the
lowest into their working position pressing back the catches e-e by reason of their
bevelled under surfaces and then being retained by the catches e-e which again
slip beneath them so that the charging of the separate plates may take place. The
apparatus is then again ready for work.
In order to prevent the rod h being raised by unauthorized persons and thereby
cause the generating apparatus to work too rapidly, the movable parts are
surrounded by an enclosed casing, or a suitable locking device may be provided for the
rod, which for instance may be released by the gasometer bell sinking to its minimum
position.
Water is supplied to the generating chamber a by means of a pipes and the level
of the water may be controlled by a regulating tap t. The carbide falls from the
feed device b over a distributor onto a sieve v. The gas developed escapes through a
pipe w to the gasometer, and the sludge or slimy residue of the carbide falls through
the sieve v into the container x arranged beneath the vessel. This container has
at its upper end a flange y which is tightly connected with the under flange y¹ of the
gas generating vessel a, a washer y² being inserted to form a tight joint by means of
wing nuts y or the like. Over the flange y at the under end of the generating
vessel a, a tight closing device z shown diagrammatically in the drawing is employed,
consisting of a throttle valve or the like which may be opened or closed from the
outside by means of a lever or handle z¹.
When sufficient mud or refuse has accumulated in the container a, the
generator a is tightly closed by means of the closing device, the screws y³ are
slackened and the container x is removed (and for this object may be provided
with handles) in order to be cleaned or replaced by a cleansed container. The clean
container may be utilized in order to again replace in the generator a the water
which has been lost during the cleansing.
If small pieces of carbide fall through the sieve v into the mud or residue container a
during the working the gas produced thereby also escapes through pipe w. The
distributor u also prevents the gas entering the feed device band also allows of the
feed device being refilled during the working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A continuous working acetylene gas generator having an automatic feed device
acting in sections corresponding to requirements, characterized by a number of plates
arranged one above the other to carry separate quantities of carbide being pivotally
attached to one side of the feed device and on the other side supported by releasable
lever catches in such a way that after they have been released by the catches they
may drop down on their axis of rotation and discharge the carbide carried on them
into the water chamber of the generator, the releasing of the catches being effected
on the gasometer bell descending to its lowest or minimum position by means of
releasing catches carried by a single bar, the distance apart of such releasing catches

page_text: being calculated in such a way that on each downward movement of the gasometer
bell only that feed shelf is released which is at the moment the lowest undischarged,
substantially as herein before set forth.
2. In an acetylene gas generator such as hereinbefore described, the arrangement
of a separate removable sludge container at the under end of the generator and of a
device of a suitable kind for shutting off the same directly over the sludge container
with the object of allowing the låtter to be removed and cleaned without interrupting
the working of the apparatus, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1808
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.