Improvements in the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898 1
Complete Specification Leit, 19th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DARGUE, Electrical Engineer, of 72, Grey Street, in the
City and County of Newcastle-on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the production of acetylene gas
and to the method of regulating the pressure and generation of gas in same
and has for its object to provide an apparatus of simple construction so arranged
that the generation of gas is automatically regulated by its own pressure without
the intervention of cocks, valves and the hike, although a valve niay be employed
for regulating the size of the water feeding tube or aperture. The said apparatus
is specially applicable for cycle lamps, carriage lamps, table lamps and the like of
a portable nature although it may be employed with efficiency for generating
large quantities of gas.
According to my invention I provide a casing or receptacle formed of or
divided into three compartments, superposed or lineable two of which chambers
are adapted to contain respectively the carbide of calcium and the water supply for
decomposing the same, the third chamber intervening between the two being
provided with one or more pipes or divided parts communicating with the water
supply and projecting towards the base of the chamber, and a tube or tubes
with or without wicks, cocks, valves, capillary devices or the like communicat-
ing with the carbide chamber and rising for a suitable height in the said inter-
mediate chamber. The chamber containing the carbide is in communication
with the burner, lamp, gasholder or the like to be supplied with gas, by a pipe
or pipes of such dimensions or provided with a suitable burner or other regulator
so as to regulate the flow of gas therein to the desired quantity of pressure,
such pipe
also in communication with the upper part of the said intermediate
chamber. The carbide chaniber or other part may be detachable for charging
purposes or suitable gas tight doors may be provided.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The upper chamber is charged with water in any convenient manner from an
aperture in its top or side, the said aperture being always open. The carbide of
calcium is placed in the lower chamber referred to. The water passes by the
depending pipe into the intermediate chamber wherein it rises to and
above the level of the tube or tubes communicating with the car-
bide chamber through which tube or tubes or the wick or the like contained
therein the water passes to the carbide chamber generating gas therein, which
gas passes out by the discharge pipe to the burner or other destination; part
also passes by the connecting pipe before mentioned to the upper part of the
intermediate chamber so that should a large quantity of gas be generated exceed-
ing the amount being consumed or passing through the regulator the pressure
rises and acts upon and drives back some of the water in the said intermediate
chamber until the level is lower than the upwardly projecting feed pipe, the
supply of water to the carbide is therefore cut off until the pressure of gas is

page_text: lowered. The same action takes place when the burner or lamp is shut off, the
rising pressure lowering and sealing the water supply and any excessive increase
of pressure will only result in the gas blowing through into and out by the
water reservoir.
atad this 19th of t
1000
PRYOR & HARVEY,
Agents.
Improvements in the Generation of Acetylene Gas,
I, WILLIAM HENRY DARGUE, Electrical Engineer, of 72, Grey Street, in the
City and County of Newcastle-on-Tyne, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the production of acetylene gas
and has for its object to provide an apparatus of simple construction so arranged
that the generation of gas is automatically regulated by its own pressure without
the intervention of cocks, valves and the like. The said apparatus is specially
applicable for cycle lamps, carriage lamps, table lamps and the like 'of
a portable nature although it may be employed with efficiency for generating
large quantities of gas.
..
I will describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings in
which Fig 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus constructed and arranged
in accordance with my invention and adapted for use as a cycle lamp. Fig: 2
is a detail
''
26***
t
The apparatus consists of a casing or receptacle A formed of or divided into
three superposed compartments b; c; d two of these chambers d and bare adapted
to.contain respectively the carbide of calcium and the water supply for deconi pós-
ing the same, the third chamber c; intervenes between the two others b; 'd and is
provided with one or more pipes e communicating with the water supply
chamber band projecting downwards towards the base of the chamber. The
chamber also has a-tube or tubes" provided with a wick such as g'or other
capillary device communicating with the carbide chamber d and rising for a
suitable height in the intermediate chamber c. The chamber d containing the
carbide is in communication with the burner or lamp h by a pipe or pipes-i
of such dimensions or provided with a suitable burner or other regulator so as
to regulate the flow of gas therein to the desired quantity or pressure, the pipe
is or-may be also-in communication with the upper part of the said intermediate
chamber c, or as shown in the drawing, a separate pipe may connect the carbide
chamber with the upper part of the chamber c. The carbide chamber dis
detachable as shown at for charging purposes or suitable gas tight doors may
be provided. The other chambers b, c may also be detachable if required.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The upper chamber bis charged with water in any convenient manner from
an aperture in its top or side, the said aperture being always open or having a
cap such as with a through aperture to allow of the inflow of air as the
water level falls. The carbide of calcium is placed in the lower chamber d
referred to. The water passes by the depending pipe e into the intermediate
chamber c wherein it rises to and above the level of the tube or tubes f com-
municating with the carbide-chamber d through which tube or tubes for the
wick or the like g contained therein the water passes in small
.

page_text: quantities to the carbide in the chamber d generating gas therein,
which gas passes out by the discharge pipe i to the burner h or other destination;
part also passes by the connecting pipe before mentioned to the upper part of
the intermediate chamber c so that should a large quantity of gas be generated
exceeding the amount being consumed or passing through the regulator or pipe i
the pressure rises in the carbide chamber d and upper part of chamber cand
acts upon and drives back some of the water in the latter until the level is lower
that the upwardly projecting feed pipe f, the supply of water to the carbide is
therefore cut off until the pressure of gas is lowered. The same action takes place
when the burner or lamp is shut off by the cock ¹, the rising pressure lowering
the water level in chamber c and sealing the water supply and any excessive
increase of pressure will only result in the gas blowing through by the pipe e
into and out by the water reservoir.
Fig. 2 shows a capillary device in which a wire gl is used fitting loosely in
the pipe for so loosely as to only allow of the water passing through slowly
into the carbide chamber d. It will be obvious that the pipe f may be increased
in size and several wires gl placed therein, the capacity of such capillary device
being varied to suit the dimensions of the apparatus to which it is fitted. In
a large apparatus a number of these water feeding tubes with wicks or capillary
devices are employed. When a tube f of small diameter is used without a wick
the connecting pipe may be dispensed with, the increased pressure in chamber d
causing the gas to pass up through the tube f to the chamber c and so reduce
the water level therein with the result described.
By the use of the wick g or a capillary device in the feed pipe f of the above
apparatus the quantity of water passing can be reduced to a very small quantity
and the regulation of the water supply by the gas pressure is very simple
rendering the pressure in the discharge pipe very constant, consequently the
apparatus is especially applicable for use with lamps of small dimensions such
as those described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The use in combination with an acetylene gas generating apparatus con-
sisting of chambers and pipes constructed and arranged as herein described of
a wick or capillary water feeding device or devices adapted to feed the water from
the intermediate chamber to the carbide chamber substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
◉
2. The combination of the various parts forming my improved apparatus
for the generation of acetylene gas substantially as herein set forth and with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus such as described the combination with an intermediate
chamber e constructed and arranged with pipes and connections from the water
supply and to the carbide chamber as described of a wick or capillary water
feeding device or devices arranged to feed water from the said chamber to the
carbide chamber substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dotad this 18th day of January 1899
Dotadi this 18th day of January 1899
For the Applicant,
PRYOR & HARVEY,
Agents, 3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne.