An Improved Automatic Acetylene Gas Generator.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1899
2000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Acetylene Gas Generator.
CHARLES PERCY, Clifton House, Alnwick, Solicitor, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An automatic acetylene gas generator which for its automatic water supply
obviates the use of taps or valves & indicates the gas supply pressure purifying
also the gas by washing or other means before it enters the bell. For the
storage of the gas I adopt the usual moveable bell holder in tank. Beneath
or at the side a cylinder made air tight by appropriate man hole or lid at one
end. The cylinder is kept immersed in small water tank for the purpose
of cooling process of generation of gas. In this cylinder I have a moveable
drawer divided into compartments for containing carbide each division of the
compartments containing a "V" slit at the top so that the water being intro-
duced at one end each compartment of carbide is thoroughly exhausted before the
water rises to the next I can adopt one or more cylinders and make the action
of decomposition follow one upon the other in each, by small pipes connecting
the ends of the cylinders at the top so that the water rises from one cylinder
to the other in succession. These pipes containing appropriate taps can be shut
off one from the other so that after a drawer of carbide is exhausted it can be
taken out & recharged while generation of gas is in full operation. Instead
of valve taps working automatically to allow these cylinders to be charged in
succession with water I adopt a system of syphon which is connected with one
end of the cylinders and run up by the side of the water tank or otherwise &
at the top of which but independently of it I adopt a small receptacle or narrow
basin at appropriate level into which water flows from the gas water tank by
means of a pipe inserted in it at right angles & which forms the pivot on
which the receptacle or basin revolves. The pipe inside the basin being per-
forated to allow water to flow into the same up to the level of the water in the
tank. An independent water supply can be likewise adopted.
Upon the bell I attach a thin brass cord or chain or other suitable substance
with a weight at the bottom and a cross pin in proper position so far up the
cord. This cord runs through a hole in a small flange at the side of the basin
& when the bell is exhausted of gas the pin comes down on the basin flange
tilts it gradually over & pours water into the top of the syphon which finds
its way through the cylinder into the carbide & so generates more gas which
in turn raises the bell & so takes the pin & weight off the basin which being
properly balanced resumes its former position against a check & so stopping any
more water running into the carbide cylinder until more is required by the
exhaustion of gas in the bell. For this cup or hasin can be substituted a jointed
pipe worked by appropriate spring or weight so that the top of the pipe shall
be above the level of the water supply in the tank or other supply, & when it
is depressed below the level and so that the water will pour into the syphon.
The normal pressure of gas will he so regulated by weight of bell or weights
attached to cords or chains on wheels that the gas will be supplied at about

page_text: three inches water pressure & I shall adopt an indicator in the syphon by which
it can be ascertained at any time what the actual pressure of gas is. The syphon
will be so constructed as to leave ample room for above normal gas pressure
but should any occur beyond safety the syphon will be so, constructed as to
allow gas to escape until the pressure is normal. From the cylinder I introduce
a pipe into the holder bent at the upper end sufficiently back into the water so
that the gas may be washed in the water or I can have an independent small
purifying tank before the gas is introduced into the bell. Above the level of
the water in the bell I adopt the usual pipe coming down below the tank to
which the usual connections are made for the supply of gas, for consumption.
Dated this Eighth day of April 1899.
An Improved Automatic Acetylene Gas Generator.
I, CHARLES PERCY, of Clifton House, Alnwick; in the County of Northumber
land, Solicitor, 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 automatic acetylene gas generator. which for
its automatic water supply, obviates the use of taps or valves and indicates the
gas supply pressure purifying also the gas by washing or other means before it
enters the bell. Figure 1 shews the external appearance of the "generator and
Figure 2 the internal.
For the storage of the gas I adopt the usual moveable bell holder a in a
tank b. Beneath is a cylinder c made air tight by appropriate manhole or lid d
at one end. The cylinder .is kept immersed in or nearly surrounded by a small
water tank or jacket, E. for the purpose of the cooling process of generation of
gas. In this cylinder I have a moveable drawer F Figure 3 divided, into
compartments for containing carbide each division of the compartment containing
a V slit G Figure 3 at the top so that the water being introduced at one end
each compartment of carbide is thoroughly exhausted before the, water rises to
the next. I can adopt one or more cylinders and in Figure 1 I shew two such
cylinders c and c. I thus make the action of decomposition follow one upon the
other in. each cylinder by small pipes H connecting the end of the cylinders c
and at the top so that the water rises from one cylinder to the other in
succession. The pipes,contain appropriate taps K which can be shut off one
from the other, so that after a drawer of carbide is exhausted it can be taken out
and recharged while generation of gas is in full operation in the other cylinder.
Instead of valve taps working automatically to allow these cylinders to be
charged in succession with water I adopt a system of syphon L which is con-
nected with one end of the cylinder c, and c¹ and run up by the side of the water
tank b and at the top of which but independently of it I adopt a small receptacle
or narrow, basin M at appropriate level into which water flows from the gas
water tank b by means of a perforated pipe N inserted in it at right angles
and which also forms the pivot on which the receptacle or basin revolves. The
pipe inside the basin being perforated to allow water to flow into the same up
to the level of the water in the tank: The perforations in pipe N are so small
that the water trickles and thus prevents the water from the gas tank rushing
out when the cup is operated as hereinafter mentioned. Attached to the bell
by. means of pulleys J.J attach a thin cord or chain O made of brass or other.

page_text: suitable substance with a weight P at the bottom and a cross pin Q in proper
position so far up the cord. This cord runs through a hole in a small flange R
at the side of the basin M and when the bell A is sufficiently exhausted of
gas the pin Q comes in contact with the flange R and tilts the basin gradually
over and thus pours water into the top of the syphon which water is thus
conducted through the cylinder c into the carbide and so generates more gas
which in turn raises the bell a and so disconnects the pin Q of the flange R
of the basin M, thus allowing the basin M (which is properly weighted so as to
resume its normal position) and so prevent any more water running into the
carbide cylinder C until more is required by the exhaustion of the gas in the
bell a.
The normal pressure of gas can be so regulated by weight of bell a
(or if desired several weights attached to separate cords) and pulleys can be
used so as to regulate the pressure of the gas. I find that 3 inches water pressure
is what is usually required. By means of an indicator S on the syphon L
it can be ascertained at any time what the actual pressure of gas is. The
syphon L is constructed to allow sufficient water in bend of the same as to
counteract the normal gas pressure, but should any undue pressure occur beyond
safety the syphon will allow gas to escape until the pressure is normal.
From the cylinder c I introduce a pipe T Figure 2 into the holder bent at the
upper end sufficiently back into the water so that the gas may be washed in the
water. Above the level of the water in the bell a I adopt the usual pipe W
Figure 2 coming down below the tank and outside to which the usual connections
are made for the supply of gas for consumption.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) An automatic acetylene gas generator which for its automatic water supply
obviates the use of taps or valves and indicates the gas supply pressure purifying
also the gas by washing or other means before it enters the bell.
(2) The combination of the automatic basin and syphon with the purifying
arrangement as above described.