Improvements in Apparatus for the Production and Storage of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production and Storage of
Acetylene Gas.
I, GUSTAVE TROUVÉ, of 14, Rue Vivienne, Paris, France, Electrician, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the production and
storage of acetylene gas, comprising a generator in which the gas is produced
by the action of water upon calcium carbide and a holder for the storage of the
gas.
The object of my improvements is to render the action of the apparatus com
pletely automatic, that is to say to cause the production to be regulated by the
consumption and render any excess of pressure impossible when the apparatus
is out of action.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which represent
different views of an apparatus with the improvements applied. Figure 1 is a
front elevation of the apparatus with the generator in vertical section and
Figure 2 a side elevation of the same. Figures 3 and 4 are cross sections shewing
in its open and closed positions the cock by which the generator and gas holder
are placed in communication with each other. Figures 5 and 6 are an external
view and longitudinal section of an extensible connecting rod for actuating the
cock. The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the Figures.
a is the generating vessel in which is introduced from below the cage b con-
taining the calcium carbide. The container a is placed in a vessel c containing
water which may enter at orifice d in the bottom of the container a in order to
decompose the carbide in b. The acetylene gas generated in a passes out through
a pipe e and flexible tubing f connected to an admission pipe 9 leading down-
wards and entering beneath the bell h of the gas-holder i. The bell h is guided
in its ascensional movement by a central rod m upon which slides a tube fixed
centrally in the bell, the latter being also provided with two handles k which slide
on guide rods and thus ensure perfect guidance of the bell and prevent its
turning. The gas stored in the holder may be supplied to the service pipes by
means of a pipe n provided with a stop-cock o. P. p¹ are purge-cocks for the
gas pipes and p is a cock for emptying the gas-holder vessel. M is a pressure
gauge for indicating the pressure in the gas-holder. Upon the pipe which con-
nects the generator a with the gas holder is a cock r which is operated by a lever
arms and extensible connecting rod t attached to an arm u on the bell of the gas-
holder.
When the cock is in the open position shewn in Figures 1 and 3 it allows the
gas produced in the generator to pass to the gas-holder but when it is in the
closed position shewn in Figure 4 it shuts off the direct passage of the gas. This
closed position of the cock corresponds to the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2
which shew the bell h and arm in the raised position h¹ u¹. At this moment
the cock being closed the pressure of gas in the generator drives out the water

page_text: into the container c and immediately the water uncovers the lower orifice of a
syphon placed at one side of vessel a the gas remaining in the generator passes
up through said syphon and through the bye-pass passage w around cock ŕ into
the bell of the gas-holder. A pipe within the syphon v facilitates the ascent
of the gas and the descent of the water which filled the apparatus. This residua
gas from the generator raises the bell still farther and to permit of this movement
the rod t is made extensible for which purpose it is formed of a tube t connected
by a slotted link y with the lever s of the cock and of a rod z connected to the
arm on the gas-holder, a spiral spring j being confined between the head of
the rod and the end of the tube t through which the rod slides, the rod being
drawn out of the tube t and the spring being compressed by the farther rise of
the bell, shewn by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 where h² and u² represent
the extreme positions of bell h and arm u. This farther ascent of the bell from
un² may be of any extent necessary for the storage after the cock r is closed, of
the whole of the residual gas formed so that no excess of any pressure when the
apparatus is out of action can occur.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the consumption increases
and the bell of the gas-holder descends until rod t opens cock r, the gas produced
enters the bell which begins to rise and on reaching the position the cock r
is closed and the production of gas diminishes and is arrested, to be again renewed
when the bell again descends, and so on. Thus successive oscillations occur ac-
cording to the fluctuations in the consumption, the extent of these oscillations
depending upon the length of the slot in the rod t in which plays the stud 7 at
the end of lever s of cock r.
It should be understood that the mechanical arrangements employed for con-
necting the bell of the gas holder with the generator cock may be varied without
departing from the invention.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production and Storage of
Acetylene Gas.
I, GUSTAVE TROUVÉ, of 14, Rue Vivienne, Paris, France, Electrician, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the production and
storage of acetylene gas, the apparatus comprising a generator in which the gas
is produced by the action of water upon calcium carbide and a holder for the
storage of the gas.
The object of my improvements is to render the action of the apparatus com-
pletely automatic, that is to say to cause the rate of production of the gas to be
regulated by, and commensurate with, the rate of consumption and consequently
to render the generation of any excess of pressure impossible when the apparatus
is out of action.
The invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying my Provisional
Specification which represent different views of an apparatus with the improve-
ments applied. Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus with the generator

page_text: in vertical section and Figure 2 a side elevation of the same. Figures 3 and 4
are cross sections shewing in its open and closed positions the cock by which the
generator and gas holder are placed in communication with each other. Figures >
and 6 are an external view and longitudinal section of an extensible connecting
rod for actuating the cock. The same letters of reference denote like parts in
all the Figures.
(a) is the generating chamber into which is introduced from below the cage (b)
containing the calcium carbide. The chamber (a) is placed in a vessel (c) con-
taining water which may enter the chamber (a) at orifice (d) in the bottom thereof
in order to decompose the carbide in the cage (6). The acetylene gas generated
in chamber (a) passes out through a pipe (e) and flexible tubing (f) connected
to an admission pipe (g) leading downwards and entering beneath the bell (h)
of the gas holder (i). The bell (h) is guided in its ascensional movement by a
central rod (m) upon which slides a tube fixed centrally in the bell, the latter
being also provided with two handles (k) which slide on vertical guide rods (l)
to guide the bell and prevent it turning. The gas stored in the holder may be
supplied to the service pipes by means of a pipe (n) provided with a stop-cock (0).
(2, 2) are purge-cocks for the gas pipes and (2) is a cock for emptying the gas-
holder vessel. (M) is a pressure gauge for indicating the pressure in the gas-
holder. Upon the pipe which connects the generator (a) with the gas holder is
a cock (r) which is operated by a lever arm (s) and extensible connecting rod (t)
attached to an arm (u) on the ball of the gas holder.
When the cock is in the open position shewn in Figures 1 and 3 it allows the
gas produced in the generator to pass to the gas-holder but when it is in the
closed position shewn in Figure 4 it shuts off the direct passage of the gas. This
closed position of the cock corresponds to the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 which
shew the bell (h) and arm (u) in the raised position (h¹, u¹). At this moment
the cock (r) being closed, the pressure of the gas generated in the generator drives
out the water into the container (c) and immediately the water uncovers the lower
orifice of a syphon (v) placed at one side of chamber (a) the excess of gas generated
in the generator escapes through said syphon and through the bye-pass passage (10)
around cock (r) into the bell of the gas holder, the residual pressure in the
generator being sufficient to balance the column of water and so prevent any
further action on the carbide. A pipe (r) within the syphon (v) facilitates the
escape of the gas by permitting the descent of the water contained in the bulb
into which the syphon opens. The gas which thus escapes from the generator
raises the bell still further and to permit of this movement the rod (t) is made
extensible for which purpose it is formed of a tube (t) connected by a slotted
link (y) with the lever (s) of the cock and of a rod () connected to the arm (u)
on the gas-holder, a spiral spring () being confined between the head of the rod (2)
and the end of the tube (t) through which the rod slides, the rod (2) being drawn
out of the tube (t) and the spring being compressed by the farther rise of the
bell, shewn by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 where (2) and (u³) represent
the extreme positions of bell (h) and arm (u). This farther ascent of the bell
from (u, 2) may be of any extent necessary for the storage of the gas generated
after the cock (r) is closed, the residual pressure in the generator being sufficient
to balance the column of water and so prevent any further action on the carbide
so that no excess of pressure can be generated when the apparatus is out of
action.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the consumption increases
and the bell of the gas holder descends until rod (t) opens cock (r) the gas pro-
duced enters the bell which begins to rise and on reaching the position (h) the
cock (r) is closed and the production of gas diminishes and is arrested by the
driving of the water out of the generator as above described, to be again renewed
Thus successive
when the pressure falls and the bell again descends, and so on.
oscillations occur according to the fluctuations in the consumption, the extent

page_text: of these oscillations depending upon the length of the slot in the rod (t) in which
plays the stud (9) at the end of lever (s) of cock (r).
It should be understood that the mechanical arrangements employed for con-
necting the bell of the gas holder with the generator cock may be varied without
departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
The herein described apparatus for the production and storage of acetylenc
gas, comprising essentially the combination with the generator and gas holder,
of a cock controlling the connection between them and operated by the movement
of the gas holder substantially in the manner described, and of a safety syphon
permitting the escape of gas in excess from the generator to the gas holder when
the cock is closed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th dow of Wah 1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents,, 53, Chancery Lane, London.