An Improved Automatic Acetylene Gas Generator.
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Automatic Acetylene Gas Generator.
We ALEXANDER JAMES SMITH Merchant, 11 Gladstone Place and ALEXANDER
GEORGE SMITH, Optician 22 Gladstone Place, both of Aberdeen do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An Acetylene gas generator in which water is supplied to Calcium Carbide in smal
quantities at a time, & in which gas is only generated, as it is required. The
apparatus consists of A a water tank B a gasholder bolted to bottom of A & provided
with holes at the bottom so that the water can flow to & from A and B. C is an
outer vessel, supplied with a water gauge, inside it is a perforated holder for the
Calcium Carbide, of sufficiently smaller diameter to leave a space for water between
it & the outer vessel. A and C are connected by means of a U tube, one arm D
being in the gas holder B the other entering the side of C near the top. As the gas
is used from B the water rises in B, until it gets above the arm D, causing a small
flow of water into C, which comes in contact with the Calcium Carbide & Acetylene
gas is given off.
The gas passes through E to the purifier F. a cylinder filled with broken pumice or
other purifying material & from thence the gas passes to the holder B by means of
the pipe G. The height of water in C is seen in the glass gauge H, so that one can
see how much Calcium Carbide has been used.
Two containers like C may be used with the same gas holder, in which case two
U tubes are used one of the arms inside B being slightly higher than the other."
The two pipes are taken to a four way tap so made that either container may be
connected with the high or low level arms of the U tubes.
The containers & purifiers C & F are supplied with screw down or other suitable air
tight tops.
Further we claim by our invention that the containers can be recharged while the
gas is being used from the gasholder, more especially when two containers are used.
An insulated wire is fitted to the gas-holder B so that an Electric Bell will ring when
the water rises to a certain level.
Dated this 31st day of October 1896.
ALEX. J. SMITH.
A. GEO. SMITH.
We ALEXANDER JAMES SMITH Merchant 11 Gladstone Place and ALEXANDER
GEORGE SMITH Optician 22 Gladstone Place both of Aberdeen 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 an apparatus for generating Acetylene Gas from Calcium

page_text: or other Carbide and for cooling & purifying the gas. The apparatus consists of a
water tank, inside of which is a fixed gas holder provided with holes at the bottom to
allow of the water flowing in and out; or the tank may be divided in two the lower
part forming the gas holder, in which case one or more pipes connect the upper part
of the tank with the lower these pipes extend nearly to the bottom.
A vessel is provided to hold the Carbide this vessel may be cylindrical or otherwise
inside of which is a perforated tube or cage of sufficiently smaller diameter to leave
space for water between it and the outer vessel.
This outer vessel has a gas tight lid with a lever & screw tightening arrangement.
The gasholder and Carbide holder are connected by ineans of a U tube one arm of
which rises in the gas holder to a proper height the other arm enters the side of the
Carbide chamber. A pipe proceeds from the top of the carbide holder to carry off
the gas which is passed into a larger tube containing pumice or other drying material
pieces of Chloride of Lime or other purifying material may be placed in the tube.
From this tube the gas is taken by a pipe and delivered into the gas holder. Two or
more containers may be used in which case each container has a separate U tube
connection, the arm of the U tube connecting the second container being higher in
the gas holder than that connecting the first.
When two carbide holders are used a valve or tap is used which has two pairs of
gates or passes, one pair go straight through the key or block of the valve the other
pair cross, by this means the lower U tube arm may be connected with either Carbide
holder while the higher arm is connected with the other.
The action is as follows:-
Calcium Carbide is put into the cage which is then inserted in the holder the lid
of which is screwed down tightly.
The tank is filled with water & as the gas is drawn from the gas holder, the water
rises over the arm of the U tube which causes a sinall flow of water into the Carbide
holder, the water goes to the bottom of the holder & gradually rises until it touches
the carbide when Acetylene is given off. The gas passes by the gas pipe through the
purifier & into the gas holder pressing the water down below the level of the arm of
the U tube thus preventing more water from entering the carbide holder until the
gas is again used from the gas holder when the operation is repeated.
By our invention the water is not poured ou to the carbide but gradually attacks
it from the bottom & rises in the holder until all the carbide is converted into lime,
the water surrounding the cage all the time the gas is generating tending to reduce
the heat generated by the chemical action; stopcocks are provided on the water and
gas pipes by means of which the carbide holders can be shut off from the gas holder.
When two holders for Carbide are used the action goes on until the holder connected
with the lower U tube arm becomes filled with water & all the Carbide is converted,
the water then rises over the arm of the second U tube which is higher than the
first & allows the water to enter the second Carbide holder, the handle of the valve is
then altered connecting the second carbide holder with the lower U tube arm & the
first holder is recharged & comes into action, when the second holder is exhausted, as
it is connected with the higher U tube. Further by alight alterations our generator
is suitable for use on board ships, these alterations consist of fitting vertical or
horizontal partitions, or both of sheet metal in the gas holder A and in the water
holder B, which sheets may be perforated or may be gauze or such like, the object of
the partitions being to prevent excessive splashing & to break the power of the waves
set up by the motion of the ship, oil may also be used on the water to prevent
splashing, also in Fig. II. on the pipe which allows the water to flow to and from the
gas & the water holder, we may fit a trap which may be a U or such like to maintain
a water seal to prevent the escape of gas when the motion of the ship causes the
water to recede from the foot of the pipe.
We will now describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which :-
Figs. I & II shew sectional elevations of the two forms of gas holders.

page_text: B is the water holder.
C is the arm of the U tube in the gas holder.
D is the Carbide Holder.
E is the cage or perforated tube.
F is the screw-down lid or cover.
G is the gas pipe connecting the Carbide holder with the purifier.
H is the purifier.
I is the four way valve.
K is the gas delivery pipe.
L are stop-cocks for emptying the gas holder, purifier & carbide holders
respectively.
M&N are stop-cocks on the water & gas pipes between the gas holder & the
carbide-holder.
Fig. III shows sections of the four-way valve.
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
I. In an apparatus for the production & supply of acetylene gas the arrangement
of U tubes to supply water automatically to the Carbide in small quantities as
described.
II. The trap forined by the U tube being filled with water, forcing the gas to pass
through cooling & purifying tubes before entering the gas holder.
III. The lever & screw arrangement for closing gas tight the Carbide holders.
IV. The four-way valve as described.
V. The use of splashers or partitions in the gas and water holders to make the
generator suitable for use on board ship.
VI. The use of a trap as described on the water connecting pipe between the gas
holder and water holder.
Dated this 1st day of July 1897.