Improvements in Apparatus for Generating, Storing, and Supplying Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating, Storing, and Supplying
Acetylene Gas.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL BOND, of 48, Crocketts Road, Handsworth, in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
This invention relates to apparatus used in the production of acetylene gas
(CH2) from carbide of calcium or like chemical compound by the addition of
water or moisture.
Apparatus according to this invention is compact, efficient, and reliable and
by its use the gas can be produced at a low temperature, stored in a purified
condition, and supplied cool and dry to the point at which it is consumed.
It consists of a vessel preferably rectangular in plan and made of mild steel
or other suitable sheet metal. This vessel is divided at about half its height
by a horizontal or approximately horizontal diaphragm or partition; the upper
part of the vessel being opened at the top and serving as a reservoir for water
while the lower half forms a compartment which may be termed a displace-
ment gas holder. The details of construction may be varied but in a simple
form of my invention a rectangular chamber passes from front to back of this
gas holder being preferably slightly inclined and so constructed as to be her-
matically sealed from the gas holder except through a supply pipe to be herein-
after described. Into this rectangular chamber one or more trays are inserted
through the side of the gas holder and the whole is then sealed by a gas-tight
door. The tray or trays are divided by vertical partitions into a number of
chambers or compartments and each of these partitions is perforated in such
manner that when water has nearly filled the lower compartment it rises to
the level of the first perforation and flows into the second chamber. Similarly
when the second chamber is nearly filled with water it flows through a second
perforation into the third chamber and so on.
The chamber being inclined and the perforations arranged at different levels
gradually increasing it is obvious that if the whole of the compartments be
filled with carbide of calcium and water admitted to the lowest compartment,
that the re-action will be set up and acetylene gas produced: also that as soon
as the carbide of calcium in this lower compartment is exhausted the water
will rise therein and flow into the next compartment. A successive action of
all the chambers is thus secured which ensures the generation and supply of
the gas under the most favourable circumstances.
The gas as soon as formed passes from the upper end of the inclined rec-
tangular chamber up through a pipe which is then bent downwards, carried
through the water chamber and thence into the gas holder, the issue orifices
being so arranged that the gas in rising to the upper end of the holder is
forced to pass through the water thus washing and purifying it.
In order to ensure that this washing shall be carried out even when the level
of the water in the holder is low, I arrange that the issuing orifices are formed
in a ring of pipe and this is disposed inside a shallow tank; thus ensuring a
supply of gas washing water even when the gas holder is fully charged with
gas.
The water is admitted to the gas holder through a device (which is equiva-

page_text: lent to a syphon) consisting of two concentric tubes so arranged that the orifices
in the upper end of the internal tube have their level varied at will.
The gas passes off from the holder through a pipe into a chamber in which
may be disposed lime, or other suitable drying or purifying agent.
I arrange a guage glass on the exterior of the gas holder and mark on or
near the same, lines which indicate exactly the height of each of the perfora-
tions by which the compartments containing the carbide communicate one with
another. By this means one can ascertain by mere inspection of the guage
which particular compartment is in operation.
In a modified form the carbide chambers are preferably cylindrical and
disposed vertically on one side of the holder. In this case I use liners instead
of a tray which contain two or more pockets or compartments the one beside
the other and perforated at different levels so as to ensure successive action.
It will be seen that in either case the apparatus is automatically governed as
when gas is generated quicker than it is consumed the water is by the pressure
of the gas in the holder forced below the level of the orifice of the supply per-
foration and is thus prevented from coming into contact with the carbide.
It will be seen that in this apparatus, whichever pocket or charge is active
the level of the water in the gas holder and cistern above does not effect the
pressure of the gas, as the water supply to the carbide is taken from a fixed
level.
Dated this 91st day of To 1000
W. H. MURCH,
Claremont Street, Old Hill, Staffs., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating, Storing, and Supplying
Acetylene Gas.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL BOND, of 48. Crocketts Road, Handsworth, in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, 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 apparatus used in the production of acetylene gas
(CH) from carbide of calcium or like chemical compound by the addition of
water or moisture.
Apparatus according to this invention is compact, efficient and reliable and
by its use the gas can be produced at a low temperature, stored in a purified
condition, and supplied cool and dry to the point at which it is consumed.
It consists of a vessel preferably rectangular in plan and made of mild steel
or other suitable sheet metal. This vessel is divided at about half its height
by a horizontal or approximately horizontal diaphragm or partition; the upper
part of the vessel being open at the top and serving as a reservoir for the water,
while the lower half forms a compartment which may be termed a displace-
ment gas holder. The details of construction may be varied but in a simple
form of my invention a rectangular chamber passes from front to back of this
gas holder being preferably slightly inclined and so constructed as to be her-
metically sealed from the gas holder except through a supply pipe to be herein-
after described. Into this rectangular chamber one or more trays are inserted
through the side of the gas holder, and the whole is then sealed by a gas tight
door. The tray or trays are divided by vertical partitions into a number of
chambers or compartments, and each of these partitions, is perforated in such
manner that when the water has nearly filled the lowest compartment, it rises to
the level of the first perforation and flows into the second chamber. Similarly

page_text: when the second chamber is nearly filled with water it flows through a second
perforation into the third chamber and so on.
The chamber being inclined and the perforations arranged at different levels
gradually increasing it is obvious that if the whole of the compartments be
filled with calcium carbide, and water be admitted to the lowest compartment,
that the re-action will be set up and acetylene gas produced; also that as soon
as the carbide of calcium in this lower compartment is exhausted the water
will rise therein and flow into the next compartment. A successive action of
all the chambers is thus secured which ensures the generation and supply of
the gas under the most favorable circumstances, the chambers in practice being
surrounded with a vapour or moist gas.
The gas as soon as formed passes from the upper end of the inclined rec-
tangular chamber up through a pipe which is then bent downwards, carried
through the water chamber, and thence into the gas holder, the issue orifices
being so arranged that the gas in rising to the upper end of the holder is
forced to pass through the water thus washing and purifying it.
In order to ensure that this washing shall be carried out even when the level
of the water in the holder is low I arrange that the issuing orifices are formed
in a ring of pipe and this is disposed inside a shallow tank; thus ensuring a
supply of gas washing water even when the gas holder is fully charged with
gas.
The water is admitted to the gas holder through a device (which is equiva-
lent to a syphon) consisting of two concentric tubes so arranged that the orifices
in the upper end of the internal tube can have their level varied at will.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and
Fig. 2 a plan of an apparatus according to my invention.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of same taken on line X--X of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the carbide trays.
A indicates the vessel which is shewn of rectangular section, but may be of
any convenient shape. It is divided by the horizontal diaphragm B into_two
compartments; the upper C serving as a water reservoir, and the lower D as
a displacement gas holder. The vessel and diaphragm are formed of sheet steel
or other similar suitable material being open at the top, and having a bottom a
which closes the lower end, and makes it gas and water tight.
The water passes from the reservoir C to a point near the bottom of the
gas-holder D, through two pipes, E an exterior, and F an interior pipe. The
upper end of the pipe E is closed, and its lower end e open: this lower end
being arranged near the diaphragm B. The interior pipe F is open at both
top and bottom, its lower end being in close proximity to the bottom a of the
vessel; and it is preferably fitted in such manner that the height of its upper
end can be varied at will. It will be seen that this arrangement of the
pipes E. and F form a syphon, and consequently the water in the gas-holder D
is unaffected by alterations in the level of the water in the reservoir C. The
pipes E and F are preferably disposed inside the vessel as shewn, but they
may be arranged outside.
Passing across the interior of the gas-holder D is a rectangular chamber G
which is so constructed and attached to the vessel that it is hermetically sealed
from the gas-holder D, except at the point where the water enters and the
point where the gas leaves it. This chamber G is inclined and is closed so as
to be gas and water-tight by means of a flap or door H, which is fastened by
any suitable and convenient device, preferably by means of a hinged lever I
and screw as shewn. The door H and the end of the chamber G preferably
project slightly from the front of the vessel.
Any convenient number of trays K for containing the calcium carbide, may
be inserted into the chamber G, these being either joined as shewn in Fig. 4,
or made separately, and inserted one after the other. Each tray has a perfora-
tion formed in it, and each of these is at a different level as shewn.

page_text: The gas when formed escapes through a pipe L (opening to the chamber (
at the point d) which passes up outside the vessel, and has a concentric pipe M
surrounding it which is closed at the top. The inner pipe L is open at its upper
end so that the gas passing up through it can enter and pass down through
the annular space inside the pipe M, from the lower end of which it passes
through a pipe N disposed inside the vessel, to a gas-washer. This consists of
a coil of pipe disposed inside a shallow tank P, which ensures a supply of
gas-washing water, even when the water level in the gas-holder D is below the
tank P.
Immediately above the gas-washer is the open end n of the pipe R which
conveys the gas to the point of consumption, and this is preferably connected
to the chamber S which contains lime or other purifying or drying agent.
The operation is as follows:-The reservoir Ċ being filled with water, the
syphon action is set up, and the water passes to the gas-holder D, and thence
by a pipe W to the interior of the chamber K. As soon as it rises to the level
of the lowest of the perforations it enters (through this) the corresponding
compartment and comes into contact with the carbide therein. Gas is generated
and passes through the pipes L, M and N and the washer 0 into the upper
part of the gas-holder D. A portion passes off through the pipe R and is
consumed but any excess remains in the gas holder D and creates a pressure
which prevents the water rising further, and reaching the other perforations k.
When however the carbide in the lowest compartment is exhausted, this pressure
diminishes, and consequently the water rises until it reaches the next higher
perforation through which it enters, and brings the contents of the second
pocket or compartment into contact with the water, producing a fresh supply
of gas.
This is repeated until the whole of the carbide in all the pockets or
compartments is consumed.
V is a water gauge which indicates the level of the water and gas in the
holder.
I arrange a gauge glass T on the exterior of the gas holder and mark on or
near the same, lines which indicate exactly the height of each of the perforations
by which the calcium compartments communicate one with another. By this
means one can ascertain by mere inspection of water level in the gauge which
particular compartment is in operation.
In a modified form the carbide chambers, are cylindrical and disposed ver-
tically on one or both sides of the holder. In this case I use a liner instead
of a drawer which contains two or more pockets or compartments the one super-
posed upon the other and perforated at different levels so as to ensure successive
action.
In either case the apparatus is automatically governed as when gas is
generated quicker than it is consumed the water is by the pressure of the gas
in the holder forced below the orifice of the water supply pipe W communicating
with the chamber K and perforations k, and thus arresting further generation
of the gas by preventing water from coming into contact with the carbide.
It will be seen that in this apparatus whichever pocket or charge is active,
the level of the water in the gas-holder and cistern above does not affect the
pressure of the gas, as the water supply to the carbide is taken from a fixed
level.
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. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination of the water
reservoir C, the gas holder D, the chamber G, the trays K each having a per-
foration which serves to admit water, and means. for carrying off the gas,
substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination of the water

page_text: reservoir C, the gas-holder D, the chamber G having a door H, the trays K
having perforations each disposed at a different level from the others, the
syphon water supply, pipes E and F, the concentric gas supply pipes M and L.
the gas-washer 0, the tank P, and the supply pipe R, substantially as described
and shewn.
3. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination of the water
reservoir C, the gas-holder D), the chamber G having a door H, the trays K
having perforations each disposed at a different level from the others, the
syphon water supply pipes E and F, the concentric gas supply pipes M and L,
the gas washer 0, the tank P, the supply pipe R and the carbide gauge T,
substantially as described and shewn.
4. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination of the water
reservoir C, the gas holder D, the chamber G having a door H, the trays K
having perforations each disposed at a different level from the others, the
syphon water supply pipes E and F, the concentric gas supply pipes M and L,
the gas washer O, the tank P, the supply pipe R, and the purifier S, substan-
tially as described and shewn.
5. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas, a water reservoir arranged above
a gas holder in which is disposed, a gas-tight chamber for containing the
carbide trays, the perforations which
arranged at different levels so that the water reaches each tray in succession,
serve to admit water to these being
substantially as described and shewn.
6. Apparatus for generating, storing and supplying acetylene gas constructed
and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and
shewn.
Datel
-