Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
We, JAMES WILLIAM BAILEY and JOHN CLAPHAM, trading as Bailey and
Clapham, of Eagle Works, Keighley, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say:-
It relates firstly to improvements in the class of apparatus for generating
acetylene in which the water for hydrating the carbide is drawn from the vessel
in which the resultant acetylene is washed or cleansed of its impurities, and our
present invention consists in constructing said vessel and arranging the pipe con-
nections therein so that the possibility of the acetylene passing therethrough
forcing its way or escaping by the pipe through which the water is supplied to
said vessel is avoided.
To attain this object we form the vessel referred to in two parts by arranging a
partition to extend from towards its upper end down to within a short distance
from the base or bottom of said vessel, the said upper end being closed so that
the water contained by this part will form a water-locked joint at the bottom with
the other part of the vessel. Into this closed part we mount the water-supply-
pipe having its upper end arranged to be nearly on a level with the water therein
when in working condition, while the pipe conducting the gas from the generator
is taken through the top of the other part of the vessel and made to extend down-
ward therein to a position a little higher than the bottom edge of the partition.
By this arrangement of means the acetylene is conducted from the generator,
through the water in the divided vessel, and rising to the top of same passes to
the holder without showing any tendency to escape through the feed water pipe.
The second part of our invention relates to the generating chambers in which
the carbide is placed, and consists in arranging parts in connection therewith so
that given portions of carbide may be hydrated in succession instead of the whole
of such carbide being acted upon immediately any water is admitted thereto.
In carrying this part of our invention into effect we arrange the chambers to
receive a number of boxes or cylinders which are constructed of different depths
or heights and which have lids or coverings over them made hollow so as to float
when placed in water. By this means on the several cylinders being placed in the
chamber and water admitted thereto it firstly enters the one at the lowest level,
it then rises to enter the next highest by raising its lid and passing beneath same
and so it goes on until the last of the cylinders has been filled.
The floating lids may be formed to fit into annular recesses on the top of the
cylinders to form water-locked joints if desired, while retaining devices may be
arranged in connection therewith to prevent the lids from actually being removed
entirely clear of their respective cylinders.
Dated this 29th day of October 1898.
J. W. BAILEY,
J. CLAPHAM,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
We, JAMES WILLIAM BAILEY and JOHN CLAPHAM, trading as Bailey and
Clapham, of Eagle Works, Keighley, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
It relates firstly to improvements in the class of apparatus for generating
acetylene in which the water for hydrating the carbide is drawn from the vessel
in which the resultant acetylene is washed or cleansed of its impurities, and our
present invention consists in constructing said vessel and arranging the pipe con-
nections therein so that the possibility of the acetylene, passing therethrough,
forcing its way or escaping by the pipe through which the water is supplied to
said vessel is avoided.
In order that our said invention may be readily understood, we have hereunto
appended sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, to which by figures and letters,
reference is made in the following description.
Fig. 1 is a back elevation partly in section of apparatus for the production of
acetylene, showing the construction of our improved vessel and pipe connections
forming part of such apparatus, and comprising the first part of our said invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view, also partly in section of parts illustrated by Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevation and sectional plan respectively of an
acetylene generator constructed in accordance with the second part of our
invention.
Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional elevations showing the construction of the carbide
holders or cylinders used in said generator.
To attain the object of the first part of our invention, we form the vessel a
through which the acetylene passes in order to be cleansed of its impurities in
two parts a¹ and a² by arranging a partition 6 to extend from towards the top a³
down to within a short distance from the base or bottom a', the said upper end a³
being closed, so that a water locked joint is formed between the said two parts a¹
and u². Into the part awe mount the water supply pipe c (this said pipe c
being fed from the tank d) having its upper end c arranged to be nearly on a
level with the water in said part a when in working condition, while the pipe f
.conducting the gas from the generator e is taken through the top of the part a¹
and extends downwards so that its end f is slightly above the bottom edge of the
partition b. The pipe g for conducting the gas to the holder his mounted at the
top of the part a¹.
By this arrangement of means the acetylene is conducted from the generator e,
through the water in the part a' of the vessel a, and rising to the top of same
passes by the pipe g to the holder h without incurring the possibility to escape
through the feed water pipe
C.
The second part of our invention relates to the generating chambers in which
the carbide is placed, and consists in arranging parts in connection therewith so
that given portions of carbide may be hydrated in succession instead of the whole
of such carbide being acted upon immediately any water is admitted thereto.
In carrying this part of our invention into effect we arrange the generating
chamber to receive a number of boxes as at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. these boxes being
mounted at different heights in said chamber k (or they may be constructed of
different depths if desired) and being provided with the lids or coverings which
are hollow so as to float when placed in water. By this means on water being
admitted to the chamber k by the water supply pipe m it firstly enters the box

page_text: or holder 1 at the lowest level, it then rises to enter the next highest holder 2 by
raising its lid and passing beneath same, and so it goes on until the last or
highest of the cylinders has been filled. The gas which is generated is carried
away from the gas holder n by means of the pipe o.
A retaining device for the lid may be attached to each of the cylinders 1,
2, 3 atc. and preferably consists of the upright rod p connected to the lid a by
means of the chain q. In this manner the lids are prevented from floating away,
while at the same time the gas arising within the cylinders will be deflected by
their lids into the water surrounding said cylinders and will thus be cleansed of
its impurities before rising into the holder n. The floating lids a may be formed
to dip into annular recesses on the tops of the cylinders to form water locked
joints if desired.
Although we have only described the application of the second part of our
invention to the simple form of generator and holder as illustrated by Figs. 3
and 4, it will readily be seen that we may apply our improved form of carbide
cylinders or holders to any kind of generator that will allow of their lids being
placed at different heights therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. Apparatus for the production of acetylene the same being constructed and
arranged to operate substantially as herein specified, and as illustrated by Figs. 1
and 2 of the drawings.
2. Apparatus for the production of acetylene the same being constructed and
arranged to operate substantially as herein specified, and as illustrated by Figs. 3,
4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.
1
T 1
1000