Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Manufacture
of Acetylene Gas.*
I, OSCAR MUNSTERBERG, Ph. D., of 67, Lothringerstrasse, Berlin, in the Ger-
man Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene
gas and to the arrangement of parts whereby certain advantages over previous
forms of apparatus are secured, all as hereinafter more clearly indicated.
It is frequently desirable particularly in small installations such as for private
house lighting that there should be an automatic feed of water to the .carbide
or generating chambers, and according to this invention this result is attained
by placing upon the water supply pipes to say two generating chambers suitable
valves, the movements of which are governed by the position of the movable gas
dome. When such dome is full of gas and in its highest position both valves
are closed automatically by the action of weighted levers. As the gas dome
sinks a projection thereon strikes one end of the valve lever and opens the valve
and permits water to flow into the first generator, when if further gas be pro-
duced the dome at once rises and the valve closes. This operation is repeated
until the carbide in the first generator is exhausted, whereupon the dome sinks
still lower cutting off the supply of water to the first generator and opening
the valves to the second generator, the operation of the dome and second valve
being repeated as with the first valve until the carbide in the second generator
is exhausted, when the dome will sink to its lowest point and the end of the
lever of the second valve will be brought in contact with the lever of the first
valve opening the valve to the first generator which by that time may have
been cleaned and refilled, the dome then rising to its highest point and both
valves automatically closing.
For large installations it is preferable that the carbide be automatically fed
to the generating chambers, and for this purpose a feed belt provided with cross
ribs may be employed, the space between the ribs being adapted to hold a
given quantity of carbide and such belt may be fed forward at regular intervals
either by hand, clock work or other motive power, or by the movement of the
gas dome; a convenient arrangement being that as the dome falls it pulls over
a ratchet lever which feeds the belt forward a given distance. The belt delivers
its carbide through a suitable valve or chute to the generator, the portion of the
generator to which the carbide is fed being separated from the main body of
the generator by a partition extending from the top well into the water of the
generator, the feed side of which is inclined so that the carbide will fall into
and the gas rise from the main body of the generator and not up the feed parti-
tion. A grid or grating is provided for the carbide to rest upon and below such
T

page_text: grid the chamber tapers to a short pipe connection with the mud or lime box,
a valve being provided so that when it is desired to cleanse the mud box the
valve may be closed and the box removed if necessary, after which it would be
filled with water and replaced, the valve of course being reopened. Where two
mud boxes are employed the space beneath the grid is divided by a partition so
as to direct the flow of lime to the two valves, while rising from the fixed parti-
tion is a pivotted plate adapted to be turned or inclined when either of the
valves are closed so as to direct all the lime or mud to the other box and to auto-
matically return to its central position when both valves are open.
When it is desired to open the generator it is extremely desirable that the
pipe between it and the gas holder should be closed, and to secure this end one
of the screws or clamps holding down the lid or manhole of the generator is
connected to the lever arm of a valve in said pipe, the arrangement being such
that when the lid is loose the valve is closed as between the generator and gas
holder and open as between such generator and the. air, and vice versa.
As a safeguard against damage, if too great a quantity of gas should be
generated a normally closed valve may be so placed in a pipe to or from the gaso-
meter that should the dome attempt to rise above a predetermined limit it will
open such valve and permit the excess gas to pass off to a second gasometer or
to waste.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Manufacture
of Acetylene Gas.
I, OSCAR MUNSTERBERG, Ph. D., . of 67, Lothringerstrasse, Berlin, in the Ger-
man Empire, 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 improved apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene
gas and to the arrangement of parts whereby certain advantages over previous
forms of apparatus are secured all as hereinafter more fully indicated."
It is frequently desirable particularly in small installations such as for private
house lighting that there should be an automatic supply of water to the carbide
or generating chambers and according to this invention this result is attained
by placing upon the water supply. pipes to say two generating chambers suitable
valves the movements of which are governed by the position of the moveable
bell of the gas holder.
One form of this arrangement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the arrangement of pipes, valves and operating
device.
Fig. 2 is a plan and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation.
The pipe 1 is connected to the water supply and to a carbide or generating
chamber at the other end. It has a branch 2 similarly connected to a second
carbide or generating chamber. On the pipe 1 is a¸ valve 3 and on the pipe
71

page_text: a valve 4. The valve 3 is operated by a lever 5ª having a counterweight and
an arm 5 carrying a roller, said arm is hinged or jointed or as to be capable
of being raised from beneath without altering the position of the valve. In the
position in which the lever is shown the valve is closed and no water is passing
to the carbide chamber connected to pipe 1. The valve 4 on pipe 2 has a similar
arm 5 provided with a roller and similarly hinged or jointed and it also has
a counterweighted lever 5° provided with a projection 6. In the position shewn
the valve also is closed and no water is passing to its carbide or generating cham-
ber. The bell of the gas holder carries a projection or rod 7 which is provided
with two striking surfaces 89 on opposite sides of same the surface 8 being hori-
zontal and the surface 9 inclined. The surface 8 is adapted to engage the roller
of arm 5 and the surface 9 the roller of arm 5b.
We will assume that the gas bell is at its highest point and is fully charged
with gas in which case the surface 8 is just in contact with roller of the arm 5".
As soon as the bell sinks the arm 5" is moved to open the valve 3 and allow water
to flow to the carbide causing an immediate generation of gas and consequently
causing the rod 7 to rise again when the valve will close by means of the
counter-weighted arm 5.
This operation is repeated the arm rising and falling until all the carbide is
exhausted when as the gas bell sinks the surface 8 will carry the arm 5 into
the position shewn in dotted lines at which point it will remain, the valve being
closed again when in this position if so arranged.
The continued fall of the arm 7 brings the surface 9 into contact with arm 5'
of valve 4 and now opens that valve the operation being the same as in the case
of the valve 3 until the arm 7 sinks to the point shewn in dotted lines when the
projection 6 will strike the end of arm 5" and throw it back into its original posi-
tion. The opportunity will have been taken to refill the carbide chamber con-
nected to pipe 1 and as the arm rises again it will be again in position to operate
the valve 3.
In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is shewn an arrangement of valve for use in generators
which, as the cover of the generator is opened, cuts off communication between
the latter and the gas holder and re-establishes communication as the cover
is closed.
In many apparatus for generating acetylene the feed of the water to the car-
bide is automatically regulated by the pressure in the gas holder the arrange-
ment being such that as the pressure falls a water valve or tap is opened. As
soon as the gas generator is opened, in order to be charged with fresh carbide
the pipe leading to the holder should be closed. Upon the introduction of the
carbide, gas is again instantly generated, but will have no effect upon the regu-
lator of the water feed valve or tap, if it should have been forgotten to re-establish
connection between the generator and the holder. The gas therefore is liable
to easily explode in the generator owing to over pressure. In order that this
may be avoided, a valve 10 is placed in pipe 11 connecting the generator 12 with
the gas holder; this valve 10 has a lever connected to a screw 13, by which the
cover 14 of the generator 12 is retained in position.
In order to open the generator, the screw must be loosened and thus the
valve 10 is closed automatically, in other words the connection between the
generator 12 and the bell of the gas holder is blocked and gas is prevented from
escaping from the holder, whilst inversely upon refastening the cover 14, the
screw 13 is moved down and the cock 10 automatically re-opened, that is to say,
the connection between the receptacle 12 and the gas holder is re-established.
The cock 10 may, as illustrated, be constructed as a three-way cock and may,
in addition to its establishing communication with the generator 12 and the gas-
holder, by means of the pipe 11, further communicate with the open by means of
the branch-pipe 15. In this case, as seen in Fig. 5, the way into the open remains
blocked as long as there is a communication between the generator-12 and the
gas holder but is open as in Fig. 6 as long as this communication is closed.

page_text: For large installations it is preferable that the carbide be automatically fed
to the generating chambers and for this purpose the arrangement illustrated in
Figs. 7 and 8 may be employed in which Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view shewing
a sectional elevation and Fig. 8 is a similar view shewing a sectional plan through
various parts of the apparatus.
In gas generators of this kind, the carbide should be stored so as to be pro-
tected from moisture arising from the air as well as from vapourized water from,
the generator; the feed movement should be regular and measured and so
arranged that the carbide will not be jammed or clogged.
The apparatus consists of the generator A, the feed mechanism B, the gas
holder C, the purifying or drying chamber D.
The feeding is effected by means of an endless band a, adapted to pass around
two rollers bb within a casing B¹. The outer surface of this band is provided
with transverse ledges a¹, the intermediate spaces between which are arranged
to hold a given quantity of carbide. The casing B has a feed hopper E which
can be closed up practically airtight by a lid, and. through which the carbide is
passed onto the endless band. An intermittent periodical forward movement of
the band is effected either by a separate motor or apparatus or through a clock
work or the like, or by a transmission-gearing from the bell of the gas holder.
A simple means is that represented in the drawing where a pawl is used in con-
nection with a lever arm k, which latter is pulled by a cord or chain m attached
to the bell of the gas holder C as soon as said bell has descended to a certain
point. A weight m' attached to cord m brings the lever k and the pawl back,
as soon as the bell ascends. The pawl is thrown into gear with a ratchet wheel K,
on the axis of one of the rollers b. The contents of each compartment of the
belt a are successively discharged into the outlet A¹ of the casing B¹ as the
ratchet wheel K is rotated, this outlet being closed by a flap f provided with
counterweight f¹. This flap is forced open by the weight of the descending car-
bide which falls into the mouth A2 of the generator A2 which is as shown nearly
filled with water. The space in the generator above the water level, and in which
the gas is collected, is separated from the mouth A2 by a diaphragm e having an
opening therein. Through this the carbide falls upon a grate R, the gas gene-
rated rising and escaping through the pipe g into the gas holder C, from whence
it is then conveyed through the pipe n through suitable purifying or drying.
apparatus to a pipe n¹ from which it may be taken off at say n² to the burners.
When the bell rises to the highest point it may if desired be caused to move
a valve ³ so as to open the same and allow the excess gas to escape at the open-
end of the pipe either to waste or to a second gas holder so that a safeguard
is provided against damage from over pressure. The lime mud formed as the
carbide is decomposed, passes through the grid R and can be discharged either
through a large valve or collected in a receptacle J. Where two receptacles
or mud boxes are employed the space beneath the grid R is divided so as to form
two hoppers and rising from the centre of these is a pivoted plate which may be
tilted as desired so as to direct the lime mud into the receptacle desired. The
plate may be arranged to work in connection with the valves leading to the
receptacles so that when one valve is closed for the purpose of removing one
receptacle the pivoted plate is pushed over so as to direct the mud to the
other receptacle.
Instead of the carbide charges being placed in succession upon an endless band
as described, they may also be fed from a circular or other shaped moving or
rotating device. Such an arrangement is represented in Fig. 9 in plan and in
Fig. 10 in cross section. This arrangement consists of a closed circular casing B²
in which is a drum a² running upon rollers i. The drum a² is divided into a
number of radial chambers a³, and the bottoms of each chamber are hinged and
can drop downward when each one comes over a hinged and counter weighted
flap on the bottom of the casing 132 so as to discharge its contents into the
outlet A¹.

page_text: 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. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas means carried by the
gas holder adapted to operate a counterweighted valve on a water pipe leading
to a carbide holder and after such holder is exhausted to operate the counter-
weighted valve of a water pipe leading to a second carbide holder, the second
valve being provided with means for. striking or resetting the first substantially
as described.
2. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas a device for use in con-
nection with the carbide holder in which upon the opening of said holder the
passage for the gas between the latter and the gas holder is blocked and on
the closing of the carbide holder the passage is opened, the movement acting also
to open and close an escape pipe if desired substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas a moveable band or inter-
mittently operated measuring and feeding device for carrying the carbide con-
trolled by the movement of the gas holder substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas provided with means for
feeding the carbide to the water, the employment in the generating chamber of
a partition separating the part of the chamber into which the carbide is directly
fed from the part in which the main body of the gas generated substantially
as described.
5. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas the arrangement of parts
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
6. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas the arrangement of parts
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
7. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas the arrangement of parts
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs 7 and 8.
Dated the 25th dow of Nov 1908
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, 55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London.
For the Applicant.