Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Generation of Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Generation
of Gas.
A communication from HENRY FREDERICK FULLER, of 134-136 Wabash
Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
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
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improvement in the class of generators for generating
gas from suitable chemically coacting liquid and solid materials by bringing them
into contact with each other; and it relates particularly to an improvement in
generators of the class named wherein the generator contains a gasometer for
holding the gas under slight pressure controlling the contact between the liquid
and solid materials, to render the action of the apparatus automatic in the sense
of causing the generation of gas to take place proportionately to the consumption
thereof, and to check generation when consumption ceases.
The improvement is designed more immediately for the manufacture of acetylene
gas from calcium carbide and water, and therefore, as also for the sake of
convenience, the description of it hereinafter contained is confined to these
particular materials for producing acetylene gas.
A serious obstacle heretofore encountered in the use of acetylene gas generators
has been the impossibility of preventing the entire charge of carbide, or an unduly
large portion thereof, from becoming impregnated with moisture, since, the supply
being in one mass, presenting considerable surface area to the water, even if the
latter contacts only with the base of the mass, it will soon become saturated by
capillary absorption throughout, and thus be rendered continuously active in
evolving acetylene gas, thus also when the confined pressure of the generated gas
forces and maintains the water out of contact with the carbide. As a consequence,
there is always danger of a wasting of gas by the apparatus while in its shut-off
condition, while at the same time the apparatus is not, as it should be and is
intended to be, self-regulating and economical in the matter of gas generation.
A further difficulty heretofore encountered in generators of the class referred
to has been the failure to obtain adequate condensation of the moisture carried by
the gas, and adequate cooling of the latter before it leaves the apparatus; and a
still further difficulty has been the tendency toward leakage at the man-hole. In
all such apparatus a man-hole is necessary through which to effect the charging
with solid material; and unless the closure of the man-hole is perfect, leakage at
this point is unavoidable.
The first obstacle named is overcome by preventing contact of the liquid at
one time with a greater portion of the solid material than shall be required to
maintain the desired quantity of gas in the apparatus, by supporting the solid
material in such a way as to cause it to be consumed progressively, the contact of
the liquid with the solid material, under the periodical drops in pressure, being on

page_text: successively higher planes, and consequently on successive sections of the supported
solid material.
The second difficulty mentioned is overcome by providing a condenser and
cooler within the generator in the form of a tank of smaller diameter than the
generator and extending upward from the bottom thereof, whereby a water space
is formed between the tank and the wall of the generator; and it is preferred to
provide this tank with internal deflecting plates, giving it the character of what
is technically called a scrubber whereby the gas shall pass through it in a tortuous
course.
The third difficulty above mentioned is overcome by providing about the man-
hole an annular, transversely concave packing seat and providing the cover with
an annular flange, the under side of which is of slight transverse convexity as
compared with the degree of concavity of the seat, thus forming with the
latter a concavo-convex recess, and providing an elastic packing within this
recess.
.
The invention consists in the general features of construction above outlined,
and it also consists in details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter
fully set forth.
Referring to the accompanying drawings-
Figure is a view in sectional elevation of an acetylene gas generator
embodying all of the improvements in the form which is preferred;
Figure 2, a plan view of the holder for calcium carbide of the form shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 3, a view of the same in side elevation ;
Figure 4, a view similar to that presented by Figure 1, showing a broken
section of the generator with a modified form of the calcium carbide holder in
place therein;
Figure 5, a view similar to that presented by Figure 4, showing still another
modified form of the calcium carbide holder in place therein; and
Figure 6, an enlarged sectional view of the top of the generator, showing in
detail the construction of the man-hole and man-hole cover.
The following is a description of the improved generator in all its details.
A is the outer tank, closed at its base and open at its upper end; and B is the bell,
consisting, as usual, of an inner movable tank having an open base and closed top,
and supported inside the tank A, as for example through the medium of counter-
weights w suspended on chains v connected with the bell and passing over
pulleys u. Guide-rods are shown extending upward from the outer sides of the
tank A through guides t¹ projecting from the top of the bell B to afford means for
guiding the inner tank in its movements. From the bottom s of the outer tank,
there rises within it the scrubber C, shown as a cylindrical chamber having a
conical top and containing vertical partitions, the central one, r, depending from
the apex of the top short of the bottom of the scrubber, and the lateral ones,
and 2, each extending from a point below the top nearly to the bottom; and from
the inner sides of the walls of the chamber and the opposite sides of the diaphragms
or partitions, there extend correspondingly the baffle plates ³ so arranged
relatively as to cause the members of each vertical series to alternate with those
of the next adjacent series.
In the annular space between the outer tank "A and the chamber C is formed
the hopper-shaped bottom D, converging from opposite sides of the space to the
center of the base s, and affording underneath, the chambers D¹ and D³, with the
former of which the chamber C communicates through the larger upper opening
and the lower smaller opening p in its wall, and with the latter of which said
chamber communicates through corresponding openings q₁ and p¹ in its wall
Adjacent to the converging center of the hopper bottom D there are provided at
opposite points in the wall of the tank A, openings o for the discharge of sediment
(lime), only one of these openings being indicated, however, owing to the nature
of the view selected for illustration. The hopper shape of the bottom D tends to

page_text: rect to the center thereof all sediment (lime) forming the residue from
alcium carbide contained in the holder E for the same, hereinafter described,
ost of which is precipitated upon the top of the chamber C whence it is shed,
wing to the slanting form of the top, to precipitate to the bottom D.
Fis a stand-pipe rising from the base of the outer tank and provided in the
hamber D with an opening n through which it communicates with the scrubber C.
The pipe Fenters and telescopes with a pipe F1, which depends through the top
f the bell B, with which it communicates from its upper end through a pipe m
ontaining a shut-off valve m¹. A pipe m² containing a shut-off valve m³ is
provided to extend from an opening at a low point in the chamber D₁ for carrying
off condensation from the chambers C & D through the small openings p, p'.
G is the gas outlet pipe containing a shut-off valve and extending from an
opening in the chamber D² to any desired point either for storage or consumption.
A pipe H leads into the chamber D2 through the wall of the tank A, beyond
which it is equipped with a shut-off valve and extends upward into the bell B
in which it telescopes with a pipe H¹, which should flare toward its lower end,
as shown, and which depends through the top of the inner tank and is connected
from its outer end with the latter through a pipek containing a shut-off valve k¹.
The top of the chamber D may be made to serve as a stop for the bell B, but
it is preferred to provide a circumferential flange i within the tank A for this
purpose.
The preferred form E of the improved holder for the calcium carbide, shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 3, comprises a circular body or shelf which may be formed of
sheet metal having a circular opening about its center, circumferentially flanged,
and between which flange g¹ and the flauge g surrounding the body at its outer
edge there should extend radially and at equal distances apart partitions g². The
base of the body of the carbide holder describes a helix and is provided with an
openwork bottomf which may be wire screen, for supporting the supply of calcium
carbide I.
For a purpose hereinafter described, it is highly advantageous to have the
carbide holder rotary in its position. To this end, a carrying frame is provided
composed of four bars K passed through the flanges g and gl and extending at
right-angles to each other to meet at a common center in sockets of a coupling L
at the center of the opening h, and having an operating rod M extending upward
from it through a bushing N in the top of the bell B, upon which there is fastened
a support for the rod, from which the holder E is thus suspended. As shown, the
support is formed with legs e converging upward and meeting at a socket e¹ through
which the threaded end of the rod M passes, and above which the rod carries a
collar P surmounted by a nut Q for holding the collar against its seat on the
socket-piece e'. The outer end of the rod M is shown to be provided with a ring R
for convenience in withdrawing the bell from the lower tank.
S is the man-hole in the top of the bell B.
It is always a matter of great difficulty to pack any opening in a gas-holder so
thoroughly as to prevent leakage; and the larger the opening, the greater the
5 difficulty in maintaining tight closure thereof. By rendering the improved carbide
holder revoluble on the central axis, this difficulty is reduced to the minimum, as
follows:
The man-hole through which the charge of calcium carbide is fed to the holder E
is provided directly over the circuitous path through which passes the circum-
ferential series of compartments formed with partitions 92 of the holder.
. Accordingly by rotating the holder E to bring any section thereof or one or more
of its compartments below the man-hole, a portion of the charge of calcium carbide
may be introduced through the man-hole to supply that particular section, when
successive sections may be brought in the saine way into position to be filled, until
5 the holder shall have been completely charged. Thus moreover the man-hole may
be small compared with what it would have to be to enable access to be had

page_text: 'through it to all parts of the holder if the latter were stationary, and the tendency
Loward leakage is accordingly reduced.
Simpler forms of the improved holder are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, but in
these forms only part of the benefits of the one above described are attained.
They present the carbide to the action of the water in separate compartments, and
at graduated altitudes, and thus prevent an undue and irregular generation of gas ;
but they are not mounted upon a revoluble frame, and hence the several compart-
ments must be charged in their uniformly fixed position by way of the man-hole.
For this and other reasons, these forms are recommended chiefly for the smaller
sizes of generator.
In the form illustrated in Figure 4, the shelf is shown to be composed merely of
an inclined screen d surmounted by partition strips d¹ to afford compartments for
holding the calcium carbide; and in the form shown in Figure 5, the holder is
formed of separate and independent holders U resembling open-work baskets
supported by rods V in the upper part of the bell B at different altitudes, no two
being in the same horizontal plane. It will be seen that both these modified forms
of holder have in common with the preferred form first described the feature of
'separate compartments for the calcium carbide, no two of which occupy the same
vertical or the same horizontal planes.
S is the man-hole provided in the top of the bell B and equipped with the
improvement. This man-hole is provided with a bushing e secured in place as by
rivets, and provided in its horizontal portion with the transversely concave annular
seat 6 for the gasket b', preferably formed of india rubber. W is the man-hole-
cover of any suitable general form, provided with the perpendicular annular
flange a to fit inside the bushing, and having the outward extending flange a
transversely convex on its under side, the convexity being formed on a circle of
greater radius than that on which the concave seat b is formed.
When the cover W is tightened and held down in place, as by the clamping bar
arrangement Y illustrated, which is a well-known device for the purpose and
therefore requires no detailed description here, the convex flange a¹ bears against
the opposite edges of the gasket, thereby compacting it towards its center and
accordingly tightening the joint; and any water that may be contained in the
annular concavity b affording the gasket seat will be crowded against the central
portion of the under side of the gasket, and tend to increase the hermetical quality
of the junction by affording a water seal.
The operation is as follows: To start the apparatus, water is introduced in
desired quantity through a suitable inlet pipe or through a hose by way of the
man-hole, and the holder E is filled with calcium carbide through the man-hole,
whereupon the man-hole is closed and the valves k¹ and are opened to permit the
escape of air confined in the bell B above the water level therein. The valve k¹ is
then closed; but the valve should be left open during the operation of the
apparatus. The bell drops by its own weight until the lowermost compartment or
section of the holder E and its contents comes into contact with the water, where-
upon the evolution of acetylene gas immediately takes place, the gas passing off
through the pipe m (the valve in which has been preparatorily opened) and pipes Fl
and Fout through the opening n into the chamber D' and thence at the opening q
into the scrubber C and through the latter, escaping therefrom at the opening q¹
into the chamber D2 from which it is led off at the pipe G. Condensation from
the gas in the pipe F and scrubber C may be drawn off from time to time through
the pipe m².
Should the generation of gas proceed so much faster than the consumption as to
create an undue pressure in the bell B sufficient to lift it out of the tank A, this
will be obviated by the pipe H', since as soon as the lower flaring end thereof shall
be raised by the ascent of the inner tank beyond the water level, the pressure will
be relieved by rushing through the pipe H into the pipe H and thence out to
any desired point to which the last-named pipe may be caused to lead. This

page_text: 5
rrangement thus affords a safety vent for the apparatus, as well as an escape
he air.
Owing to the form, or rather to the relative disposition of the compartments of
he carbide-holder, it will be quite obvious that only a small portion of the calcium
arbide need be brought into contact at any one time with the water. Thus, when
hat at the lower part of the holder has been consumed, the descent of the inner
bank will be that much lower, to bring a portion of the unconsumed supply of
carbide into contact with the water, and so on until the entire supply of carbide
has been consumed. The purpose of the partitions is to keep the supply of calcium
carbide divided, as well as to tend to prevent the creeping of moisture from one
portion to another. Of course where only a portion of the material in a compart-
ment of the holder is in actual contact with the water, the remainder or a portion
of the remainder may become affected by the moisture through capillary attraction,
but not sufficiently to interfere materially with the desired automatic generating
and regulating action of the apparatus.
The generated gas on its way through the scrubber assumes a tortuous course
by reason of the partitions and baffle plates, and is thus deprived of its moisture
and cooled owing to the immersion of the scrubber in water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 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. In a gas generator of the character described, in combination with the outer
tank and the inner movable tank or bell, a plurality of compartments for the solid
material supported in the generator above the liquid level therein, each com-
partment occupying different horizontal and vertical planes from those of any other
compartment of the series, substantially as described.
2. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder for the solid material,
comprising a shelf having partitions at intervals on its upper side forming
compartments, said shelf inclining downward within the generator with relation
to the liquid level therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder for the solid material,
comprising a shelf rotatably supported in the generator with relation to the
man-hole thereof and inclining downward with relation to the liquid level in the
generator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder for the solid material,
comprising a shelf having a helically inclined open-work base, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
5. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder for the solid material,
comprising a shelf having a helically inclined open-work base and partitions
10 provided at intervals to form compartments, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
6. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder for the solid material,
comprising a shelf having a helically inclined open-work base and rotatably
supported in the generator with relation to the man-hole thereof, substantially as
45 and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a gas generator of the character described, a holder E for the solid
material, comprising an open-work base & extending helically about a center h, the
outer and inner circumferential flanges g and g, and the radial partitions g², a
frame connected with said holder, a stem M extending from the center of the
50 frame through the top of the generator, and a bearing O on the top of the
generator in which said stem is supported, substantially as and for the purpose se
forth.
8. In a gas generator of the character described, the combination with the oute
tank for containing water, and an inner movable tank or bell, of a holder for th
55 solid material supported in the upper part of the bell, an outlet for the generate
gas, a telescoping stand pipe communicating with the upper portion of the inne

page_text: tank and communicating by a tortuous passage within the water and below the
normal level thereof with said outlet, substantially as described.
9. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas from water and calcium carbide,
the combination of the outer tank and the inner tank or bell, a scrubber having
a conical top and immersed in the body of water contained in the apparatus, an
outlet for generated gas, and a telescoping stand-pipe communicating with the
upper part of the inner tank and with said outlet through the scrubber, substantially
as described.
10. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas from water and calcium
carbide, the combination of the outer tank and the inner tank or bell, a holder for
the solid material in the upper part of the bell, an outlet for the generated gas,
a telescoping stand-pipe communicating with the upper portion of the inner tank
and communicating by a tortuous passage within the water and below the normal
level thereof with said outlet, and extending through said tanks, and a telescoping
combined air-vent and safety-pipe communicating with the upper end of the inner
tank and leading through said tanks out of the apparatus.
11. In a gas generator of the character described, the combination with the
outer tank for containing water and the inner tank or bell, of a holder for the solid
material supported in the upper part of the bell, a conduit communicating with the
upper part of the bell, a gas-holding tank secured within the lower tank, forming
with the wall thereof a water space, and into which said conduit leads, and an
outlet for the generated gas leading from said gas-holding tank, substantially as
described.
12. In a gas generator of the character described, the combination with the
outer tank for containing water and an inner movable tank or bell, of a holder for
the solid material supported in the upper part of the bell, a conduit communicating
with the upper portion of the bell, a scrubber C provided with deflecting plates
and secured within the lower tank and extending below the normal water level and
into which said conduit leads, and an outlet for the generated gas leading from
said scrubber, substantially as described.
13. A gas generator comprising in combination the water tank A, having the
hopper-shaped bottom D provided with a discharge outlet, the gas outlet G and
the condensation outlet m², the scrubber C rising from the base of the water tank,
stand-pipe F communicating near its lower end with the gas outlet through said
scrubber, the inner movable tank or bell carrying the pipe F telescoping with
said stand-pipe and having a valve-controlled pipe-connection m with said inner tank
through its top, a valve-controlled pipe H extending upward in the generator from
near its base, and a pipe H¹ carried by the inner tank or bell and telescoping with
said pipe H and having a valve-controlled pipe-connection k with said inner tank
or bell through its top, the whole being constructed and arranged to operate
substantially as described.
14. In a gas generator of the character described, in combination with the outer
tank and the inuer movable tank, a plurality of unconnected holders for the solid
material supported in the generator in fixed relation to each other and to the points
of suspension at different elevations in a plane inclined with relation to the liquid
level therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
15. In a gas generator of the character described, the combination with the
outer tank and the inner tank movable vertically therein, of a series of separate
and independent holders for the solid material, each of which is suspended in the
generator in fixed relation to the others and to the points of suspension at a
different altitude from that of any other of the series, whereby the separate bodies
of material are successively presented to the attacking liquid, substantially as
described.
16. In combination with a man-hole, an annular transversely-concave packing
seat, a cover having an annular flange the under side of which is of slight transverse
convexity as compared with the degree of concavity of the seat, forming with said
seat a concavo-convex recess, and an elastic packing within said recess adapted by

page_text: pressure to conform thereto and to be centrally compressed in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as described.
17. In combination with a man-hole, an annular transversely concave packing-
seat having its concavity formed on a circle of one radius, an elastic packing in
said seat, and a cover having a flange transversely convex on its under side on a
circle of greater radius, whereby its pressure upon the elastic packing will cause
the same to be compacted toward its center, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of January 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.