Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1898--Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
I, ALBERT SCHWASS, Banker, Proprietor of the Firm of Albert Schwass and Co.,
of 1, Kaiser Wilhelin Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, 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 present invention consists of improvements in acetylene generators according
to which the calcium carbide is confined in a series of practically air tight
receptacles, which are consecutively opened automatically according to the amount
of gas required. The advantage of the present device is that the whole of the
carbide released is under water at the time of the release, whilst the same is
practically air tightly enclosed and as soon as the generation commences after the
opening of a cartridge or receptacle, the cover rises to make room for the gas
generated. This arrangement obviates the necessity of leaving an air space
within the carbide receptacle as has hitherto been the case.
As soon as the
gasometer bell has reached a certain height the generation of gas is automatically eut
off in the manner hereinafter particularly set forth.
And in order to render the present specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference denote
similar parts throughout the several views :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the plant showing the generator, generator bell and
gasometer tank and hell in section,
1
Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the water reservoir and the generator and
generator bell in vertical section.
The generator A is provided with a bell E having dome F from which the pipe G
to the gasometer bell B leads. The bell E of the generator is pivotted between
bearings X and Y at one end of the generator, the pipe G from the
dome F leading to the said pivot, or trunnion, one half of which the part
leading to the bearing X-is hollow, the trunnion in X being formed as a valve,
so that when the bell is turned upwardly on its trunnions, the through way to
the continuation of pipe G and to the interior of the gasometer bell will be
closed. When the bell E is in position in the apparatus A the through way at
X is open and the gas generated in the generator A may pass to the gasometer
bell. The trunnion Y is also formed as a cock plug or valve, and the bearing
at this part is in communication with the water reservoir C by means of a
pipe u, the lower end of which, coming from the under part of the trunnion
bearing Y, is in connection with flexible tubes to the various carbide chambers,
as hereinafter described. Thus when the bell E is thrown round on its pivot or
trunnions the water supply to the carbide chambers will also be cut off through
the action of the plug-like trunnion in the bearing Y. Within the generator A are
arranged a series of carbide receptacles D. These receptacles are advantageously
cylindrical in form, the carbide being confined in the lower part of the same.
cover H is formed as a drum, having a downwardly turned upper brim, adapted to
loosely enclose the upper edge of the cylinder D. The upper part of the cylindrical
receptacle I) is provided with a channel around the same, said channel being open at
| Paving B21
The

page_text: the top and containing oil into which an annular downwardly extending ring fast on
the inside of the cover H extends forming an oil seal. The oil or fat in the annular
channel should be of suitable consistency to keep the receptacle properly sealed.
Inside the cover is provided a valve M adapted to close on to a suitable opening in
the bottom of the said drum, said valve being suspended by means of a suitable link
to one arm of a pivoted lever N mounted in a suitable standard on the bottom of the
drum. The opposite arm of the said lever is provided with a receptacle which is
in open communication with two flexible tubular connections P. The drum is
normally filled with water and at the upper part of the same above the water level
are a series of orifices R, R, for a purpose hereinafter set forth. One of the flexible
pipes P extends to the end of the receptacle A and is in communication with the end
of the water tube which supplies water through the same from the reservoir ()
through the hollow trunnion bearing y. The second pipe communicates with one of
the pipes P of the next receptacle D, the two pipes having a connecting nozzle V
arranged between the same so that each carbide chamber may be readily disconnected
from the other. The reservoir C is provided with an outlet valve T which is connected
by a cord S to the gasometer bell B and closes automatically when the bell has been
raised by the gas generated to a certain height.
The carbide receptacle covers are each filled with water to the desired height by
means of an opening in the cover which is closed by means of a seal L which prevents
small particles of carbide from being blown up into the cover on the energetic
generation of gas taking place in the carbide chamber after the said valve M has
been opened.
The device operates in the following manuer:-
When the carbide receptacles D have been placed in the generator A and the bell E
closed down into its operative position, the water valve T is opened and water is
allowed to flow along the pipe through the hollow trunnion bearing y and pipe P
to the first carbide receptacle. Entering the receiver () the water will fill the same
weighting the lever N and throwing the same over thus opening the valve M. The
receiver must be large enough to hold enough water to overcome the pressure on
the body of water on the valve M and also the weight and friction of the lever N.
As soon as this has taken place the water in the cover flows through the valve
opening . M on to the carbide in the carbide chamber and the generation
of gas commences. At the commencement the gas passes up in the cylinder D and
passing through the openings R, R, of the cover enters the same above the water
therein, thus helping to force the water out through the valve M and simultaneously
decreasing the weight of the drum and filling the same with gas instead of water. The
druin consequently begins to rise, thus providing a gas generating space within
the cylinder D below the cover and finally attaining the position shown at Fig. 1.
The gas now begins to bubble up, through the water in the generator A and collects
in the dome F, passing from the same to the gasometer bell B through the pipe G
and the hollow end of the trunnion W. The gasometer bell thus rises and allows the
valve T to close by gravity the water supply from Cowing to the fact that as the
bell rises the cord S is slackened. Thus as soon as the bell has attained a certain
height, the valve T will be closed and the generation gradually ceases. When the
gas in the bell has been exhausted the latter sinks and the valve is again opened.
This time the water passes through the chamber or receiver 0 of the exhausted
carbide receptacle, along another similar pipe to the next and the operation is repeated
and so on until all the receivers or carbide receptacles have been exhausted. If it is
desired to replace or renew the carbide receptacle during the working of the apparatus
this may be accomplished in the following manner :-It should be first ascertained
whether any gas is bubbling up under the bell E and if not the same may be thrown
back on its trunnions, thus cutting off the gas outlet to and from the bell B of the
gasometer and shutting off the water supply from C. The flexible connection P
from the first exhausted carbide chamber D to the pipe u is then disconnected at V
and also the same connection from the last exhausted receptacle to the first charged
receptacle broken in the same manner and the intermediate exhausted receptacle

page_text: removed. The pipe u is placed in communication with the last unexhausted receptacle
whilst the other receptacles are being renewed, the bell E being closed down for the
time being. As soon as the required number of fresh receptacles has been connected
up the bell is again thrown back and the series of fresh receptacles are connected up
to the last unexhausted carbide chamber as will be readily understood on reference to
the drawings.
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 acetylene gas generator having closed calcium carbide receptacles in which
the generator is completely filled with water whilst the carbide receptacles are pro-
vided with covers in the form of drums, which suitably weighted may be rendered
capable of floating from the exterior of the apparatus in order to produce acetylene
entirely free of air substantially as described.
(2) In the device covered by Claim 1, the arrangement of a drum fast to the cover
of the carbide receptacle, and extending into the latter, said drum having water inlet
and outlet and gas inlet openings as specified in order to render the cover of the
receptacle capable of floating or being rendered buoyant, and to keep the air away
from the calcium carbide substantially as described.
(3) In a calcium carbide receptacle having a cover as specified in Claims 1 and 2
the combination of a pivoted lever mounted within said cover and having one arm
linked to a conical or other valve, serving to permit communication between the
interior of the drum and the carbide chamber and having the opposite arm provided
with a water receptacle and closed communication to the same to effect the
opening of the valve to the carbide in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as described.
(4) An acetylene gas generator substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention " Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.