Improvements in the Production of Acetylene Gas, and in the Means or Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1895-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Acetylene Gas, and in the Means
or Apparatus Employed therein.
A communication from FERNAND ALEXANDRE, Merchant, of 42 Boulevard Bonne
Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The various processes for the production of acetylene gas employed up to the
present time have been based on the employment of carbide of calcium in a powdery,
granulated or agglomerated state being brought into contact with the liquid such as
water, employed to decompose it, the said carbide of calcium being supplied or
introduced into the liquid, or vice versa the liquid being supplied to the carbide of
calcium as required.
All these processes even those which operate by successive applications of the
producing agents in order to obtain successive productions of gas, present the serious
drawback of causing a sudden action of the said producing agents with a corre-
sponding sudden liberation of the gas, which may lead to very serious accidents,
and does not afford any security for the regular action or working of the
apparatus.
The process which my correspondent has invented avoids all these grave draw-
backs and inconveniences and affords the greatest security, avoiding the dangers
inherent to the processes and apparatus hitherto used for the same purpose and
ensuring perfect regularity of working.
The essential feature of this new process for the production of acetylene gas
forming the subject of the present application lies in the fact that, instead of
acting on the carbide of calcium, as has been hitherto done, by the direct action of.
immersing or saturating the same in the liquid intended to decompose it, this
decomposition is performed by means of moisture or damp i.e., the carbide of
calcium is submitted to the action of the moisture produced by aqueous vapours
escaping from the liquid intended to decompose it, and not, as is usually the case, by
the direct action of it in a liquid state.
In order to explain this invention more precisely I will describe one arrangement.
which has been successful in attaining the practical realization of this new process,
reference being had to the accompanying drawing.
The said drawing represents, in vertical sectional elevation an acetylene gas
generator constructed according to this invention.
As may be seen on reference to the drawing, this apparatus consists of a
receiver A of suitable dimensions in the interior and in the centre of which
another receiver B smaller but higher than A is arranged. The receiver B receives
the carbide of calcium and is made of porous material and closed at the top by a.
screw or other cap C forming a hermetical joint. This cover has in its centre a
tap D serving for the liberation of the gas and terminating in a bat's wing or other
burner E.
An annular cover F having in its centre a passage for the porous receiver B
closes the upper part of the receiver A and supports a reservoir G which is also
annular and is provided with an opening for filling, closed by a stopper I and

page_text: containing in its interior a syphon J ending in a tube K extending inside the
receiver A and terminating slightly above the bottom of the latter. The syphon J
is provided, on the branch prolonged by the tube K, with a cock L operated from
the outside of the reservoir G by means of a key or handle M.
The annular space of the receiver A is filled with a suitable spongy material F,
such as felt, sponge, or other absorbent material, intended to absorb the liquid
supplied by means of the syphon J and tube K in desired quantities, by means of
the cock L, into the receiver A, for the purpose of producing moisture or aqueous
vapours which, according to the principle of this invention, should act with sufficient
intensity upon the carbide of calcium to produce the decomposition or dissolution
of the latter and consequently the evolution of acetylene gas.
A sheath H of wire gauze or perforated metal keeps the absorbent material in
position in the receiver A in the interior of which sheath the porous receiver B is
arranged in such a manner that it can be removed and replaced for the purposes of
cleaning and charging.
The working or action of the apparatus constituted in the manner described is as
follows:-
The reservoir G being filled with a solvent liquid such as water the porous
receiver B provided with the desired quantity of carbide of calcium and the cock D
opened, the cock L is opened and a quantity of liquid necessary for the complete
saturation of the absorbent mass F 1 is allowed to flow in through the syphon J and
tube K into the receiver A; the cock L is then closed and after a very short time
the moisture, i.e. the aqueous vapours given off by the absorbent mass F1 passing
through the sheath H of wire gauze and the porous wall of the receiver B come
into contact with the carbide of calcium contained in the latter and acting on the
said carbide of calcium effects its decomposition resulting in the production of
acetylene gas in the receiver B. After the lapse of a few minutes, to permit the
small quantity of air, which may be mixed with the gas at the beginning of the
operation, to escape the burner E may be lit. The cock D is then regulated to
produce the desired amount of light and the production of acetylene gas at the
desired rate of consumption is then regularly maintained as long as the moisture of
the absorbent mass F 1 in the receiver A is sufficient to act on the carbide of calcium,
of which a sufficient quantity is contained in the receiver B.
As soon as the pressure and consequently also the intensity of the light has
diminished which takes place when the moisture of the absorbent mass F1 is
exhausted, it will suffice to completely saturate the latter afresh by opening the
feed-cock L. During the operation of the apparatus the cock L may be constantly
kept open, the tap being so adjusted that the supply of liquid itself exactly corre-
sponds to the desired production of gas.
The liberation of the gas by the cock D may be diminished and even entirely
stopped without danger by taking care to open the cock L as then, by the pressure
of the gas in the apparaus, all the liquid contained in the absorbent inass F 1 will
be forced back through the tube K and the syphon J into the feed-reservoir G;
when it has been completely forced back the cock L is closed and the apparatus
will cease working until the absorbent mass F 1 is saturated afresh by turning on
the cock L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of producing acetylene gas by the action of moisture or aqueous
vapours on carbide of calcium without bringing the latter into direct contact with
the solvent liquid employed.
2. In carrying out the process forming the subject of Claim 1, the adjustable
saturation by a liquid by means of a feed arrangement with a syphon or other
device, of au absorbent mass whereby moisture or aqueous vapours are supplied to
the carbide of calcium contained in a porous receiver the decomposition of the

page_text: carbide and the production of gas taking place, according to these arrangements, as
long as the gas is consumed or liberated and whilst the saturation of the absorbent
mass is sufficient, the said action ceasing when the consumption of the gas ceases, in
consequence of the pressure of the gas which automatically effects the expulsion of
the liquid from the absorbent mass and consequently stops the decomposition of the-
carbide of calcium substantially as described."
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..