Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I. Mech. E., of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
of 6, Bank Street, Manchester, Liverpool and London, in the Counties of Lancaster
and Middlesex, respectively, Patent Agents, (a communication from Etienne Marie
Boule, of Versailles, in the Republic of France, Religieux Capucin), 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:-
The improvements which form the subject of the present invention relate to
apparatus for producing acetylene gas in which the gas is generated by the drop-
ping or deposit of a carbide into water. These have for their object to furnish a
simple appliance inexpensive and very easy to regulate which controls auto-
matically the distribution of the carbide according to the consumption of the gas.
It is generally difficult in apparatus of this kind to obtain a measured fall or
deposit of the carbide avoiding over production and to obtain also a constant
pressure in the apparatus for displacing the water.
The first of these objections is obviated by the use of a special form of piston
distributor for the carbide, and a more constant pressure is obtained by means of a
float of flattened shape and a specially extended chamber or mouth in which the
liquid will spread out in width but not in depth.
The invention will be fully described in detail with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings.
Fig. 1. Sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2. Sectional plan on line ay Fig. 1.
The apparatus is constructed with a cylindrical receptacle B of sheet iron pro-
vided at the top with an enlarged part B and closed by a moveable cover a upon the
under side of which is affixed a second cylindrical receiver A of less diameter and
depth which is open at the bottom forming an hydraulic joint or seal by. means of
the water contained in the receiver B.
Upon the cover a is fixed a closed funnel shaped hopper C into which is intro-
duced the crushed carbide through an opening in the top provided with an hermetic
stopper C.
The admission of the carbide to the water is regulated by means of a piston.
valve H which acts as distributor and measurer of the carbide being of the form of
a cone surmounted by a cylindrical part capable of moving vertically in the
throat i of the funnel C. The piston valve is fixed to a vertical rod J at its upper
end sliding in a guide h and connected by means of cross bars and vertical
connecting rods with a flat annular float D placed round the receiver A in the
enlarged part B¹ of the outer receiver B.
The bottom of this part is divided into two concentric compartments by a low
circular partition or division plate & which forms in this way an annular reservoir Bl
the function of which will be seen later on, and which communicates with the part
where the float D is situated by means of a syphon e.
The rigid structure formed by the piston, Hoat and the rods which connect them
one to another may be raised (or left to act of itself) by means of a bent rod m

page_text: provided with a plate or ring 9 which projects above the cover a passing through
the annular space between the receivers A and B. This rod is moreover guided by
means of an arrangement such as g which has for its object to maintain the part g
in the axis of the apparatus and provided at its upper end n with a spring catch r
or with any other arrangement allowing it to be maintained in such a position that 5
the piston valve H is held against the sides of the orifice i.
It is evident that the rods indicated above can pass into the annular space
between the sides of the receivers A and B, but it is preferred to place them into
the cylindrical slots b arranged for this purpose.
Although the bottom of the receiver may be horizontal, I prefer, in order to
facilitate the cleaning, to incline it towards a lower point provided with an open-
ing screw plug v or to give it the form of a reversed cone furnished at its apex
with a screw plug or tap for emptying.
The action of the apparatus is quite simple.
The spring catch r being held or fastened and the valve H closed, crushed carbide 1
is filled into the funnel C and the stopper c is closed water is then put in the
vessel B through the opening O to a suitable level regulated by an overflow tap t.
On the lowering of the rod m the float being no longer supported rests upon the
bottom of the enlarged cylindrical part B₁. The pressure of the acetylene
generated in A by the deposit of the carbide into the water will cause the water
level in B to rise, and the float being lifted closes the orifice i. Gradually the gas
escaping through the tap s, the pressure in A will diminish, the level of water in B
will sink and the float acting on the valve H, will allow a fresh charge of carbide
to drop into the water. The same cycle of operations will be repeated continuously
and establish a condition corresponding with a required or determined pressure for 2
which the apparatus has been constructed.
It may occur that the pressure from some cause or other increases in abnormal
proportions, in this case the water level in the enlarged part B₁ will overflow the
upper edge of the division plate d. The water will then flow into the annular
chamber B¹ without the pressure of the gas in the inverted or cell-shaped receiver A
suffering any sensible augmentation. The syphone now allows the automatic
emptying of the dam B.
Finally if for any reason the pressure should rise sufficiently to force a quantity
of the water out of the vessel it is evident that the normal action of the valve й
would be interrupted.
To obviate this objection a float D¹ is used fixed to a rod k pivoted to a hinge k¹
held in its normal position by a rest and fitted with a fork which engages a
cross piece n¹ on the operating rod m.
It is evident that if the water should rise sufficiently high to escape from the
vessel B the float would begin to act and close the piston valve H this would do
with every chance of an accident.
away
The apparatus is supported by a frame E which may be of angle iron, bar-
iron, etcetera, and of any form suitable to adopt.
It is evident that the right is reserved also to vary the outer form and the sizes
of the various parts according to the strength or requirements of the apparatus or
for the purpose of obtaining an artistic or decorative effect.
On the same principle may be constructed either a gas generator intended to
feed a certain number of burners, or a small one to feed one to serve as a hand
lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Apparatus for generating acetylene gas by dropping carbide into water and
displacement of water constructed with a vessel in the shape of a bellglass, dipping
into a cylindrical receiver and surmounted by a hopper to hold the carbide the
distribution of the carbide being regulated by a conical valve controlled by a flat

page_text: annular float which rises or falls according to the pressure
described.
substantially as
2. A bent rod arranged to lift the float and valve which distributes the carbide
when it is desired to arrest the generation of the gas.
3. The special system of annular float connected by rods conveniently bent to a
central upright rod supporting a distributing piston valve and carbide measurer of
conical form surmounted by a cylinder substantially as described.
4. The special arrangement of the enlarged part B¹ constructed with two con-
centric annular chambers the inner chamber receiving an annular float regulating
the distribution of the carbide the outer one serving as a reservoir and com-
municating with the first by means of an emptying syphon.
Dated this 7th day of December, 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.