Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1898-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
I, FRANCESCO GASTALDI, of Via San Francesco da Paola 23, Turin, Italy,
Professor, 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 apparatus for continuously and regularly generating
acetylene gas by the action of water on carbide of calcium magnesium &c. as I
shall describe referring to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, which is a
perspective view partly sectional of apparatus according to my invention.
It comprises two equal and similar generators A¹ A2 and a gas holder B₁ with
pipes and cocks worked partly by hand, partly automatically.
The generator A¹ is a hollow cylinder C₁ having within it a cylinder D¹ the
upper part of which is perforated with small holes. Near its middle it carries a
grating E consisting of sharp edged bars with points projecting upwards so that
it is like an inverted harrow. On this grating is placed the carbide in cakes or
large pieces, while the hydrate of lime produced can pass down between the bars.
The sharp edges and points promote separation of the hydrate as it is formed.
In order to absorb the heat evolved by the reaction, the upper part of C¹ is
surrounded by a jacket, G₁ for circulation of cooling water communicating by
branches H and L with the gasometer tank or other reservoir. The tops of the
jacket and the cylinder C are connected by a strong ring L to which is hinged
a cover M. The bottom of C' is also provided with a hinged lid N¹ held closed
by a suitable catch.
The gas holder B₁ comprises a bell P sliding in guides and floating in a water
tank Q, it is comparatively small as it is not intended to store the gas but only
to regulate its production and pressure, and it is loaded as usual to give the
required pressure.
From the lower part of the tank Q a pipe 1 ascends from 2 to 3 a little below
the top of C¹, then descends from 4 through the water jacket to 5 where it opens
into C at about one third of its height.
Between 3 and 4 there is a cock R' having its plug connected to a hand lever a¹
which when the cock is open lies over the cover M³ so that this cover cannot be
opened without closing the cock, also the cover is held down by engaging a¹ under
a catch 61.
From the one generator A¹ at 7, near its top, a pipe with bend at 8, leads
upward and then horizontally to S where it meets a corresponding pipe from the
other generator A³.
Thence a pipe 9 leads down to 10 at the bottom of a vessel T containing a few
centimetres of water and situated under the bottom of the tank Q.
From this vessel at 11 a helically twisted pipe leads, up to a point 12 where
it opens under the bell but above the water level.
The gas is washed in T and cooled in ascending the twisted pipe.

page_text: From the gas holder a pipe opening at 13 descends to 14 then leads horizontally
along the tank bottom to 15, ascending thence to the gas service at 16.
From the bend of this pipe at 14 a branch leads into the vessel T at 17 so as
to drain off any water accompanying the gas.
The water is kept at constant level in T by an overflow siphon with cock U.
At S there is a cock which can shut off both generators simultaneously. On
the plug is a forked lever c d (Figs. 2 and 3) having in its gab a pin e projecting
from the bell P, arranged so as to close the cock as the bell ascends and to open
it as the bell descends. Pins m n projecting from the lever and bearing against
strips attached to the bell prevent the cock from being moved by hand. In
the pipe from each generator is a cock V1, V2, by which each generator can be
separately shut off; the cock V₁ is opened by a rod h¹ attached to the bell
acting on the cock lever g¹ when the bell has descended below its usual place having
quite opened the cock S.
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The apparatus operates as follows:-
The grating E being charged with carbide and the cover M¹ being closed,
thereby opening the cock R¹ the bottom N' also being closed, and the cock $
being open as the bell is down, the vessel T and tank Q are charged with water,
air escaping at 16; then on opening the cock V₁ the air in the generator passes
to the gas holder allowing water to enter the generator at 5.
As soon as the water rises to the carbide, gas is generated which passes by 7, 8,
V₁, S, 9, 10 through the water in T, then up the twisted pipe 11 and 12 into the
bell and thence by 13, 14, 15 and 16 to the service. If more gas is generated than
is consumed the bell rises and by means of e closes the cock S, causing rise of
pressure in the generator, which sends water back by 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 into the tank Q,
the excess of gas following the same course, and the generation of gas being
stopped until the descent of the bell reopens the cock S. This action goes on
continuously as long as there is carbide in the generator. When it is exhausted
the bell descending opens by the rod 2 the cock V2 which brings the second
generator into action. The cock V¹ is then closed, the residues of the reaction
discharged by opening N¹, the cover M¹ is opened, fresh carbide placed on the
grating E and the operation is repeated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :--
1. A generator of acetylene gas substantially as described with reference to
the drawings.
2. In a generator such as is above referred to, the grating E¹ with sharp bars
and points in combination with the perforated shell D¹, substantially as described.
3. The water jacket G¹ communicating with the tank of the gas holder, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of July 1898.