Improvements in or relating to Acetylene Gas Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Acetylene Gas Generators.
I, THOMAS ROBERT WAITE, of 14, Out Risby Gate, Bury St. Edmunds, in the
County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide means whereby calcium carbide may be
fed into the generating chamber of an acetylene gas generator and the by-products
or lime withdrawn therefrom in such manner as to obviate the necessity of such
generating chamber being opened for the purpose.
To permit of the supply of calcium carbide I provide an auxiliary chamber com-
municating at one end with the interior of the generating chamber at a suitable point,
and open at its opposite end.
In a suitably shaped portion of this auxiliary chamber I arrange to revolve a hollow
plug having an opening formed on the side thereof in such manner that said opening
may be brought under the open end of the auxiliary chamber and the interior of the
plug charged with calcium carbide, and said plug then revolved and its contents
discharged into the generating chamber.
When desired the open end of said auxiliary chamber may be provided with a screw
cap or other means of closing same, which, after the plug has been charged with
calcium carbide, may be secured in position prior to the plug being revolved, thereby
forming a second check to the escape of gas.
To permit of the by-products being discharged I provide another auxiliary chamber
immediately below the generating chamber and communicating with the bottom of
this latter, which is preferably rounded, through a passage which may be opened and
closed by a suitable tap or faucet.
The refuse from the generating chamber is discharged into the auxiliary chamber
by opening said tap or faucet and when so discharged may be removed by first
closing said tap and then emptying the auxiliary chamber either by removing the
latter, or through a suitable discharge opening.
I, THOMAS ROBERT WAITE, of 14, Out Risby Gate, Bury St. Edmund's, in the
County of Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and .
[Price 8d.1

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention has for its object to provide means whereby calcium carbide may
be fed into the generating chamber of an acetylene gas generator and the
by-products or lime withdrawn therefrom in such manner as to obviate the
necessity of such generating chamber being opened for the purpose, and so that
the generator may be recharged whilst working or under pressure and a constant
supply of gas with the use of a single generator so rendered possible.
To permit of the supply of calcium carbide I provide an auxiliary chamber
communicating at one end with the interior of the generating chamber at a suitable
point, and open at its opposite end.
In a suitably shaped portion of this auxiliary chamber I arrange to revolve a
hollow plug having an opening formed in the side thereof in such manner that
said opening may be brought under the open end of the auxiliary chamber and
the interior of the plug charged with calcium carbide, and said plug then revolved
and its contents discharged into the generating chamber.
When desired the open end of said auxiliary chamber may be provided with a
screw cap or a plug shaped to fit down on to the hollow plug, or other ineans of closing
same, which, after the plug has been charged with calcium carbide, may be secured
in position prior to the plug being revolved, thereby forming a second check to the
escape of gas.
To permit of the by-products being discharged I provide another auxiliary chamber
immediately below the generating chamber and communicating with the bottom of
this latter, which is preferably rounded, through a passage which may be opened and
closed by a suitable tap or faucet.
The refuse from the generating chamber is discharged into the auxiliary chamber
by opening said tap or faucet and when so discharged may be removed by first closing
said tap and then emptying the auxiliary chamber either by removing the latter, or
through a suitable discharge opening.
My invention will be better understood and more easily carried into practical effect
by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which―
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the generator embracing my improvements, and
Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional elevations at right angles one to the other of
the charging, generating, and sediment chambers detached and on an enlarged
scale.
As shewn in Fig. 1 the apparatus consists of a gasometer a to which is attached a
water supply tank and the charging, generating and sediment chambers c, d, e,
respectively. The supply of water from the tank b to the generating chamber d is
effected through the pipe f and governed by two taps g, h, the latter being operated
through the medium of a rod k by the upward and downward movement of the
movable part of the gasometer.
The charging chamber is detachably secured to the open upper end of the
generating chamber and has mounted to revolve in it the hollow plug 1, Figs. 2
and 3, having an opening formed in the side of it. so that it may be charged with
calcium carbide supplied to the upper end of the chamber c and such charge
then discharged into the generating chamber d by simply revolving said plug
after the plug m has been inserted and the upper end of the chamber c
so closed.
The calcium carbide so supplied to the chamber d falls into a basket n contained
in the latter and from which as the generation of acetylene proceeds and said gas
escapes through pipe o into the gasometer the resulting lime will escape and fall by
gravity to the bottom of the chamber and if the tapy is open, thence into the
sediment chamber e.
This chamber e is detachably secured to the lower end of the chamber d and com-
munication between the two is controlled by an intervening tap p, so that as said
chamber e becomes filled with lime, communication between it and the chamber d

page_text: may be closed and said chamber then disconnected and its contents discharged,
preferably through an opening in the bottom thereof provided with a suitable plug or
cover q.
When desired the generating and sediment chambers and water tank may be fixed
independently of the gas-holder and any other convenient form of the latter than
that shown may be employed, as found convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) In acetylene gas generating apparatus means for supplying calcium carbide to
the generating chamber consisting of a hollow revolvable plug arranged at the upper
end of such generating chamber and having an opening formed therein so that it may
be filled with calcium carbide and then partly revolved and its contents so discharged
into the generating chamber substantially as described.
(2) In acetylene gas generating apparatus the combination with the generating
chamber of a sediment chamber arranged beneath such generating chamber and
communicating with the lower end thereof through a tap or its equivalent substan-
tially as described.
(3) In acetylene gas generating apparatus means for supplying calcium carbide to
the generating chamber and of removing the lime resulting from the generating of
acetylene gas substantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Pater this room day of June
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.