Year: 1898

page_text: Машра
I. FRANK BALDWYN PARKINSON, Mining Engineer, of Cruzille Prestbury Road,
Cheltenham, England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I find that in order to produce acetylene gas on the comparatively small scale
required for consumption in table lamps, or for the illumination of a few apart-
ments it is essential (1) That the carbide of calcium used should be fed as required
into a large volume of water, as by this means alone can pure gas be obtained.
the traces of phosphoretted hydrogen, ammonia and such like impurities which are
nearly always present are then mostly retained by the water. (2) But quite as
important is the fact that by the above means of generation, the production of
heat by the reaction does not cause the temperature to rise to any degree harmful
for our purpose. (3) That the vessels containing the carbide and water shall be
entirely closed with the exception of the tube that leads the gas to the burner
or burners, and that as small a volume as possible of gas should be stored in the
lamp, thus obviating the smell and consequent danger of escaping gas inherent in
other systems, either when in action or when opened for cleaning.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates this invention Fig. 1 is a
sectional view, and Fig. 2 shews the forked lever and handle used to instantane-
ously close the water vessel on to the base of the carbide chamber.
In Fig. 1. A is the water vessel partially divided by a septum b. This septum
is perforated at the sides both above and below the water line, and serves to keep
the spray and powdered carbide from clogging the scrubbing material in O or
choking the service pipe while at the same time allowing the gas to pass freely
from side to side of the vessel A.
B is the carbide vessel fitted at the top with an aperture, through which the
carbide can be charged in a state of powder, and capable of being hermetically
sealed by a screw cap or other suitable means.
At the bottom of B is a longitudinal opening terminating in a gland S through
which passes a shaft bearing an archimedian screw C. By revolving the screw C
the powdered carbide is drawn out of the chamber B and falls into the water as
shewn.
To the bottom of the carbide chamber is attached a collar N also divided by a
septum which has a groove along its lower edge that fits loosely over the septum b
when the water vessel is in its place. The outer part of the collar N has a flange fur-
nished with a suitable washer so that there can be no escape of gas when the water
vessel is pressed up in place. The chamber O is filled with a suitable scrubbing
material such as sponge, asbestos &c to rid the gas of the last particles of spray
and dust before it enters the service pipe F.
The gas now passes into the chamber G which is provided with a flexible cover:
either metalic with annular corrugations as in the aneroid barometer or of oiled
silk or other suitable material. To the centre of this flexible cover is fixed one

page_text: end of a system of levers that actuate any suitable break on the wheel K; a
band of steel serves the purpose well.
The gas leaves the governing chamber G by the tube H, which is furnished
with a tap, and enters an ordinary gas meter J and thence passes out by the pipe R
to the burner or burners.
One end of the revolving axis of the gas meter J is attached to the shaft of the
screw C by means of the clutch M so that it can revolve independently when
required to do so.
The other end of the revolving axis of the gas meter has the wheel K attached
to it.
In order to facilitate the attaching and detaching of the water vessel I construct
a strong fork and handle as shewn at Fig. 2. The fork engages on the under side
of the lip of the water vessel A, and by simply lifting the lever handle until it
engages in the scotch E the said vessel is at once firmly held in its place.
Now the action of the apparatus is as follows:--Water and carbide having been
supplied to their respective vessels, the milled head L is revolved with the finger
and thumb; this by means of the pulleys or gearing P causes the screw C to turn
and feed some carbide into the water; gas is generated, the meter begins to turn
so that it may now be left to itself to work automatically. The tap H is adjusted
according to the amount of gas required, and also to keep the pressure in Galways
slightly higher than in J so that the flexible cover of G rises before any higher
pressure than is required has reached J thus applying the break and retarding
the feed. Sometimes I rotate the screw by means of clockwork in which case it is
necessary to introduce a small pair of bellows betwen the tap H and the burners
through which the gas may pass, and with a suitable weight or spring on these
bellows the gas is delivered to the burners at the requisite pressure.
.
In order to stop the flow of gas it is only necessary to seize the milled head L
and prevent it turning, this at once stops the feed, and in a few seconds the meter
ceases to revolve, the flame is extinguished and the whole of the internal parts of
the apparatus are reduced to the atmospheric pressure, and as the passage from
the water vessel right through to the burners is always open no subsequent accu-
mulation of gas can possibly take place.
Sometimes I lead a pipe containing a tap from F to R and by opening this tap
the meter can be short circuited when desired.
Sometimes also I feed the carbide into the water by means of two parallel
rollers and a belt just as ores or corn are fed into their respective mills.
It will be seen that in my lamp I both feed the carbide and take the issuant
gas through the collar N which also acts as the stopper to the water vessel, thus
obviating the necessity of connecting or disconnecting pipes etc, when recharging.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of June 1898.
I, FRANK BALDWYN PARKINSON, Mining Engineer, of Cruzille, Prestbury Road,
Cheltenham, England, 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 generators for acetylene gas and is as follows-
Referring to the drawings left with the Provisional Specification in this case

page_text: Fig. 1 1s a sectional view of an acetylene gas generator according to the present
invention.
Fig. 2 shows on an enlarged scale the forked handle and lever used to close the
water vessel on to the base of the carbide chamber.
A is the water vessel partially divided by a septum 6 fixed in said vessel. This
septum is perforated (above and also if desired below the water line) towards the
end that is to one side or to both sides of the point where the carbide falls into
the water and serves to keep the spray and powdered carbide from clogging the
scrubbing material in O or choking the service pipe F while at the same time
allowing the gas to pass freely from side to side of the vessel A.
B is the carbide vessel fitted at the top with an aperture (through which the
carbide can be charged in a state of powder) and capable of being hermetically
sealed by a screw cap or other suitable closure.
An opening is provided in the bottom of the vessel B leading into the water
vessel A and the lower part of the vessel B is also provided with a longitudinal
recess or chamber in or into which works an archimedean screw C this chamber
terminating in a gland S through which passes the shaft by which said archi-
medean screw C is revolved. By revolving said screw C powdered carbide is drawn
out of the chamber B and allowed to fall into the water as shown.
To the underside of the bottom of the carbide chamber B is provided a collar N
also divided by a septum which latter has a groove along its lower edge that fits
loosely over the septum 6 when the water vessel is in its place. The outer part
of the collar N has a flange furnished with a suitable washer so that there can be
no escape of gas when the water vessel is pressed up in place. The chamber is
filled with a suitable scrubbing material such as sponge, asbestos, etc. having for
its object to rid the gas of the last particles of spray and dust before it enters the
service pipe F.
The gas now passes into the chamber G which is provided with a flexible cover;
either metallie with annular corrugations as in the aneroid barometer or of oiled
silk or other suitable material. To the centre of this flexible cover is fixed one
end of a system of levers or other suitable mechanism that actuate any suitable
brake on the wheel K.
The gas leaves the governing chamber G by the tube H (which is or may be
furnished with a tap) and enters an ordinary or any suitable gas meter J and thence
passes out by the pipe R to the burner or burners.
One end of the axle or shaft of the gas meter J is connected to the shaft of the
screw by means of a clutch such as M so that it can revolve independently when
required to do so. The other end of the shaft of the gas meter has the wheel K
attached to it.
In order to facilitate the attaching and detaching (raising and lowering) of the
water vessel I employ a strong fork and handle as shown at Fig. 2, the fork
being adapted to embrace or engage the underside of the lip on the mouth or neck
on the water vessel A and by simply lifting this lever handle until it engages in
the scotch or catch E the said vessel is thereby firmly held on to the aforesaid
flange N on the underside of the vessel B and thereby connected to same in a gas-
tight manner.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:
:-
Water and carbide having been supplied to their respective vessels A and B the
milled head L is revolved by hand and this by means of the gearing P causes the
Screw C to turn and feed some carbide into the water; gas is then generated and
the meter J begins to turn so that it may now be left to itself to work automati-
cally. The tap H is adjusted according to the amount of gas required and also to
keep the pressure in G always slightly higher than in J so that the flexible cover
of G rises before any higher pressure than is required has reached J thus applying
the brake and retarding the feed.
In a modified arrangement I may rotate the screw by means of clockwork in
which case it is necessary to introduce a small pair of bellows between the tap H

page_text: and the burners through which the gas may pass and with a suitable weight or
spring on these bellows the gas can thus be delivered to the burners at the
requisite pressure.
In order to stop the flow of gas it is only necessary to prevent the milled
head L from turning and this at once stops the shaft of the screw C from turning
and thereby stops the feed and thus stops the further generation of gas that already
generated is used up and the light is extinguished and as the passage from the
water vessel right through to the burners is always open no subsequent accumu-
lation of gas can possibly take place.
Sometimes I lead a pipe (containing a tap) direct from pipe F to pipe R and by
opening this tap the meter can be short circuited when desired.
In place of the screw C I may employ other suitable means of feeding the carbide
into the water for instance by means of two parallel rollers and a belt.
It will be seen that in this apparatus I both feed the carbide and take the
issuant gas through the collar N which also acts as the stopper to the water
vessel thus obviating the necessity of connecting or disconnecting pipes etc. when
recharging.
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. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas-the combination with a vessel for
holding the calcium carbide and a vessel for holding the water, of a calcium car-
bide feeding device and a motor actuated by the generated gas to operate said feed-
ing device and said motor controlled and regulated as to its speed by excess of
pressure of the generated gas substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination with a vessel
for holding the calcium carbide having a neck on the undersido thereof sur-
rounding the opening through which latter the calcium carbide is fed into the
water below, of a water holding vessel having a mouth adapted to fit the aforesaid
neck in a gas tight manner, means to raise and lower said water vessel so as to
attach same to or detach same from the said vessel holding the calcium carbide,
and a calcium carbide feeding device actuated either by the generated gas or by an
independent motor such as clockwork the actuation of said feeding device being
controlled and regulated by means of excess of pressure of the generated gas sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas the several parts constructed com-
bined and arranged to act substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the drawings hereunto annexed.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.