A New or Improved Automatic Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1897-Accepted, 26th June. 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Apparatus for the Production of
Acetylene Gas.
We, RAPHAËL QUATANNENS- MOENS, of Dixmude in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Inventor, and EMILE CARREÉR-DILGER of 58, Rue des Bouchers, Bruges in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Merchant, 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 the production of acetylene gas with
a device for automatically regulating the supply of the water and the production
of the gas by means of the pressure in the gas generator, and also with a device for
purifying and drying the gas, a cooling device, and a reserve gas holder serving to
feed the burners during the replacing of the carbide basket.
The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example a practical mode of
carrying out this invention. It shows in vertical section the gas generator proper
with its immediate parts, the reserve gas holder and the feeding apparatus.
The apparatus comprises a gas generator A surrounded by a cooling reservoir Z Z
which is open at its upper part to allow of pouring cold water therein and is
provided at its other part with a discharge cock p. This reservoir is designed to
cool the walls of the gas generator and at the same time the interior of the latter
by means of pipes a a passing inside the gas generator in such a manner as to
condense the steam or water vapour produced by the heat due to the chemical
reaction. The gas generator is surmounted by a cylinder V which is fixed thereto
and which is closed with a tight joint at its upper part by means of a cover D.
The latter is provided with a cock for regulating the production of the gas and
with a stuffing box for making a tight joint with the rod C which passes therethrough
and to which the carbide basket is attached. The cylinder V is surrounded by a
conical reservoir E into which water is poured so as to completely immerse the
cover D and thus indicate the perfect tightness of said part. A discharge cock Y
fitted to the bottom of this conical reservoir allows of discharging the water after
having ascertained this fact.
To the upper part of the cylinder V there is connected a tube F provided with
a cock m conveying the gas produced in the gas generator to a washing
reservoir G and reaching almost to the bottom of said washer. The latter has a
tube for indicating the pressure and two tubular unions h and h¹ the first one h
communicating with the atmosphere and the second one with a tube H which
terminates in the lower part of a purifier I that contains in its lower end a plug of
wadding covered with a layer of sulphate of iron (powdered) upon which there is finally
placed a layer of chloride of calcium. The purifier is provided with a tube union
having a cock k and to which there is fitted a pipe having two branches J J¹. One J,
of these branches leads the gas to the burners; the other J' communicates with the
gas holder K which is the gas holder in reserve and which serves to feed the
burners during the operation of replacing the carbide basket by first opening
the cock W and then closing the cock of the tube union k for feeding the burners
solely from the gas holder K which is of usual construction.
The pipe J' which ends with a double elbow under the bell is provided with a
blow off cock X that allows of discharging any moisture that may be carried
over by the gas by reason of its contact with the water of the gas holder. The

page_text: two apparatii G and I are placed on an annular ring or upon two plates fixed to
the vertical walls of the cooler Z, Z.
The rod fixed to the carbide basket is provided with a handle for manipulating
the same; it serves to maintain the carbide basket at the top in the cylinder V
and also serves for moving the basket down into the water of the gas generator
and is fitted with a graduated scale. The basket is attached to the rod C by
means of a safety hook; it consists of perforated sheet metal or of metallic cloth
and is adapted to open lengthwise when the carbide is being charged in, so as to
facilitate its cleansing and the rapid removal of the lime which has been produced
therein by the reaction in the gas generator. For this purpose it is composed of
two semi-cylindrical parts connected together along one side by means of hinges
and on the other side by means of hooks. After having been cleaned it is closed
again for the purpose of charging and it is placed again into the cylinder V. The
charging with carbide is effected in super-posed layers separated by zinc plates for
the purpose, when the burners are extinguished, of preventing the carbide of the
upper layers from producing gas inopportunely by coming in contact with the
parts that are wet and already attacked by the water.
A pipe U immersed in the gas generator and almost to the bottom thereof,
effects communication between said gas generator and a water reservoir L placed
above the gas generator as indicated in the drawings. This reservoir is provided
with an overflow G2 and with a pipe E³ by means of which the reservoir L is fed
with water from the reservoir T above it.
The water in the tank L always retains the same level whether the said water
comes from the feeding tank T, or whether it comes from the gas generator, being
forced back as hereinafter described by the gas produced in the latter apparatus.
For this purpose a float. B³ floating on the water of the tank L has a rod a jointed
to a rocking beam e pivotted to the upper part of the wall of the tank L
and which is itself jointed with a rigid rod f that is connected to a second rod g_to
which there is attached as shown in the drawings a chain i that supports a valve D'
which closes the orifice of the feed tube E2. In the position shown in the drawings,
the floating plate B closes the hole of the overflow G2 placed at a suitable height
for the proper working of the apparatus.
When by the discharge of the water through the pipe U, the plate descends by
its own weight, it operates the arrangement of rods d, e, f, g in such a manner
that the chain i being raised, the valve D' will uncover the orifice of the feed
pipe and a certain quantity of water will flow from the tauk T into L. When
the floating plate raised by the water entering in L, reaches its initial level, the
operation of the rods depresses the rod g, the chain i moves down by its own
weight, and the valve D2 closes the orifice of E2 so as to interrupt the admission
of water from the tank T into L.
If water arrives from the gas generator being forced back by the pressure of
the gas produced, the float plate will move up beyond the overflow hole and the
water in excess will flow away through said overflow and the float will resume its
initial position, thus always maintaining the same level in the tank L. A cock Q
is provided on the pipe U.
At the commencement of the operation the carbide basket B which is charged is
drawn up to the top of the cylinder.
After having ascertained by means of water poured into the truncated conical
reservoir E that the cover D is perfectly tight, the carbide basket is moved down
slightly and the production of gas will be indicated at once at the checking
device q. To the tube union of the cock q there is fitted a rubber pipe leading to
a burner which will soon indicate the complete absence of air in the gas generator.
When this has been ascertained, the basket is gradually lowered. Gas is produced
in the generator, and the level of the water in this apparatus falls, a portion of
said water being forced back by the pipe U by the pressure of the gas produced.
A time then arrives when the water is no longer in contact with the carbide, and
the production of the gas ceases.

page_text: gas,
When it is desired to deliver the gas for consumption, the cock m is opened, the
gas passes into the washer G, passes through the water from the bottom to the top,
passes through the tube H into the purifier I where it first passes through the plug
of wadding in which it leaves any solid impurities which it may have carried over
with it, it then passes through the layer of sulphate of iron which frees the gas
from its contained sulphuretted hydrogen, and then through the chloride of calcium
which removes from the gas the whole of its moisture. On leaving the purifier the
gas passes through the cock k which has been left open at first, and then passes,
if it is desired to charge the reserve gas holder, into said gas holder through the
pipe J, the cock W having been opened to allow the gas to pass and being then
shut again after the gas holder is charged. When it is desired to lead the gas
issuing from the purifier to the burners, the cock W is closed and the cock k is left
open. It is also to be noticed that the gas stored in the gas holder K serves to
feed the burners during the operation of replacing the carbide basket by closing
the cock k and opening the cock W. As the consumption of the gas progresses,
the water rises in the gas generator and a time arrives when this water comes
again in contact with the carbide in the basket, thus causing a fresh production of
and a fresh discharge of a certain amount of water through the pipe U. This
difference of level is facilitated by the fact that the pressure in the gas generator
increases according to the production of the gas whilst the head of water in the
tank L opposing the pressure of the gas is always the same, the fixity of its level
in the tank L being insured by the arrangement of rods d, e, f, g above described.
The level of the water in the gas generator shown by the indicator S, guides the
operator as to the amount by which he ought to lower the rod of the carbide
basket at intervals of time determined by experience, the said rod being graduated
for this purpose and being capable of sliding with considerable friction in its
packing in the cover D in order that the weight of the carbide and of the basket
shall not cause the basket to descend too rapidly. For the purpose of replacing
the carbide basket when it is exhausted, the cover D is removed after having first
closed the cock Q of the pipe U in order that the water contained in the tanks L
and T shall not flow into the reservoir V of the gas generator. An aperture R
formed in the lower part of the gas generator serves for the removal of the lime
produced by the reaction and which has fallen from the basket, so as to avoid
obstructing the orifice of the pipe U. This aperture is closed by means of an
automatic closure. A discharge cock t is fitted to the lower part of the gas
generator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1.) An apparatus for the production of acetylene gas characterised by the
automatic regulation of the supply of water and of the production of the gas by
the pressure in the gas generator; by a cooling device applied to the latter
apparatus by apparatus for purifying and drying the gas, and by the use of a
gas holder in reserve which serves to feed the burners during the operation of
replacing the carbide basket when the same is exhausted, as set forth.
(2.) In an apparatus for producing acetylene gas according to Claim 1, the use
of a device for regulating the supply of water and the production of the gas,
consisting of a gas generator A which is hermetically closed during its operation
at its upper part and which communicates by means of a pipe U with a tank L
placed on a higher level than the gas generator, so as to supply the latter with
its feed water, said water passing down through the tube Û for feeding, and a
portion of said water being forced back through the same tube towards the tank L
by the pressure of the gas produced, thus producing a difference of level of the
water in the gas generator which soon ceases to be in contact with the carbide
and thus stops the production when the desired quantity of gas has been produced,
said difference of level being facilitated by the fact that the head of water in

page_text: the feed tank L acting in opposition to the pressure of the gas produced in the
_gas generator is constant, whilst the pressure of the gas increasing with the
production forces back the water through the pipe U; the uniformity of the head
of water in the tank L that is to say the fixity of its level in said tank, being
insured by means of the arrangement of rods d, e, f, g, and the overflow pipe G³ as
set forth.
(3.) In the apparatus specified in Claim 1, the use of a cooling reservoir Z
surrounding the gas generator and having pipes a a for the circulation of cold
water passing inside the gas generator for the purpose of condensing the steam
produced by the heat evolved by the reaction, as set forth.
(4.) In the apparatus specified in Claim 1, the use of a washing apparatus G
filled with water through which the gas passes so as to reach a purifier I containing
a packing of wadding, a layer of sulphate of iron which frees the gas from its
sulphuretted hydrogen, and a layer of chloride of calcium which removes its
moisture before the gas passes to the burners, as set forth.
(5.) In the apparatus specified in Claim 1, the use of a gas holder in reserve K
connected to a supply pipe and serving to supply the gas to the burners during
the operation of replacing the carbide basket when exhausted, this taking place
after having cut off communication between the gas purifier and the main service
pipe and having effected communication between said main service pipe and the
gas holder in reserve, as set forth.
(6.) Apparatus for the production of acetylene gas constructed arranged and
adapted to operate substantially as herein described and shown on the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1997.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.