Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
Fig.
from Fig. 1.
ection
опе
пошегу 160 umerent stage
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a third stage.
Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a fourth stage.
I employ preferably two gas holders, one of which receives the gas from the
generator, and which I term the primary gas holder, while the other, which I
term the secondary or service gas holder, receives the gas from the first and
delivers it to the service systern.
The primary holder comprises the fixed cylinder A and the movable cylinder or
cover B telescoped therein. The secondary holder comprises the fixed cylinder M
and the movable cylinder or cover N telescoped therein. The generator or holder
for the calcium carbide or other substance by the decomposition of which gas is to
be evolved, comprises a box or tank C, and a cover C telescoped within it, and an
ipner receptacle C for the calcium carbide. Both the holder and the generator
Bre water-sealed. The moving element or cover B of the primary holder requires
weighting. A cone B¹ protruding from the cover down within the holder serves
the purpose by being upwardly open and constituting an exterior pocket for weighting
material. The generator is fixed in relation to the holder, and a gas duct D,
open above the water level of the holder, extends out through its bottom, and
thence leads to and opens in the upper part of the generator. A water duct E
leads from the holder into the generator, discharging therein above the receptacle C³,
having its highest point immediately above the plane of the low water level of the
holder. G is a gas outlet pipe which, in case a secondary holder is used, leads to
such holder, and otherwise to the service system.
A pipe F, connected with water under pressure sufficient to raise it to said low
water level, has a valve F¹ to control such supply, and extends into the holder, a
check valve being interposed between the holder and a stand-pipe F, which is
connected to the pipe F. Within said pipe is an overflow pipe F open at a proper
level to maintain the water in holder at low water level. When the valve F' is
open sufficiently to admit a supply equal to or greater than the requirement of the
generator, such level will be maintained, and any excess of supply will run off
through the overflow pipe F. The generation of gas being dependent upon the
admission of water to the generator by way of the water duct E, no gas will be
generated unless the water for that purpose is raised above the highest point of
the duct E, which is the low water level of the holder; and I therefore provide
that the descent of the cover B of the holder shall elevate water to cause it to
pass into the generator. This may be done by the raising of the water above the
low water level by the intrusion into the water of the cone B' as the cover B

page_text: descends. The inlet to the pipe E is controlled by a valve E', whose stem has a
lever arm E, which carries a buoy E, adapted to hold the valve closed. The
cone B', which, from the function of raising the water level by displacement, I
term the "displacer," has a stem B10, preferably terminating in an anti-friction
roll 10, which encounters the buoy E' as the cover B' descends and opens the valve
a little after the displacer enters the water. The amount of water thus displaced
is forced over into the generator, the check valve F preventing it from passing
out through the overflow pipe F30 The gas thereupon generated passes from the
generator by the gas duct G into the holder, the cover B continuing to descend
and force water over into the generator until the generation of gas equals the
consumption, when the descent of the cover will cease. Usually, the slight
interval between the delivery of the water into the generator, and the resultant
discharge of gas into the holder, causes discharge of water enough to generate gas
in excess of consumption, and the holder cover is lifted and the displacer with-
drawn from the water whose discharge is thereby stopped until the consumption
again overtakes and exceeds the supply, when the process is repeated. The
displacer is thus alternately thrust into and withdrawn from the water whose level
is restored through the supply pipe as often as the displacer withdraws. As the
calcium carbide decreases in strength and responds less and less slowly upon each
discharge of water upon it, the range of oscillation of the displacer increases
somewhat, and ultimately the calcium carbide being substantially exhausted, and the
receptacle C being now nearly full of the residuum dissolved in water, the generation
of gas does not overtake the consumption, and the displacer continues to descend:
and forces water over into the generator until the latter is flooded, and all gas therein
is driven out through the pipe D into the holder. When this occurs, the holder
cover B is at a lower point than it has reached before, and at this point may sound
an electric alarm X, warning the attendant to recharge the generator. When the
secondary holder is used, this alarm is comparatively unnecessary.
It will be seen that if it were not for the maintenance of the water supply
through the pipe F, by which the water level in the holder is restored as often as
it is lowered by the intrusion and withdrawal of the displacer, the latter would
descend lower at each successive oscillation, and could cause to pass over into the
generator only a total amount of water equal to its own bulk intruded into the
water. This would require an excessively large displacer, or unduly limit
the generator in size. To meet the emergency which would therefore arise upon
any deficiency of the water supply,-as by the breaking of a main or the exhausting
of the house supply through other pipes, or to be used independently as the case
may require, provide a supplemental device for raising water so that it shall
flow over into the generator as required. To the pipe E above the valve E¹, a
tubular arm E is connected by a gas pipe.swivel or swing joiut, and carries
a dipper E, into which the arm E opens, so that if properly elevated, any liquid
contents of the dipper will flow out through the arm E into the pipe E. A lever
arin E extends in the opposite direction from the dipper arm, but does not prevent
the dipper from dropping considerably below the low water level. At this position,
the lever arm E" is not encountered by the cover B₁ in its ordinary oscillation
when the water level is maintained through the pipe F. When employed to
supplement the displacer, the dipper is, therefore not actuated at all under the
ordinary conditions (except when the displacer descends the last time to flood the
generator). But if employed alone, or if, when the displacer is also employed,
the water supply fails, so that the level in the holder is permanently lowered of
the successive deliveries of water into the generator, the cover B will descend far
enough to encounter and depress the arm E, and lift the dipper until it pours
water through the pipe E into the generator. The dipper will now fluctuate as
the supply and consumption alternately exceed each other. The ratio of the
dipper arm E and the lever arm E¹ may be such that the fluctuation of the dipper
shall ordinarily be sufficient to cause it each time to descend into the water and

page_text: become refilled, or the dipper may be equal in capacity to the generator, so that
being once elevated, the fluctuation being sufficient to intermit the deliveries of
water to the generator, but not to cause the dipper to descend and be refilled, it
shall each time be raised enough higher than the last to compensate for the partial
emptying of its contents, which, when fully discharged, will fill and flood the
generator. It will be seen that while the dipper is being thus operated, the
displacer is inoperative for any purpose except to open the valve. It will be
observed also, that the valve is not a necessity to either mode of action,-by the
displacer or by the dipper, its only value being that in case of an accidental
over-supply of water to the gas holder,-which might happen, for example, if the
overflow pipe F30 should be stopped up,-there would not occur an over supply of
water to the generator. Such over supply is especially undesirable, because, in
case a fresh charge of carbide were in the generator, a deluge of water might
generate gas at an explosive rate, or at least, at such a rate as to overcharge the
holder and force the water-seal of both the holder and generator, or burst the one
or the other.
The second holder M N, when employed, receives the gas through the pipe G
from the first holder, and delivers it through the service pipe L. The cover N of
the secondary holder is weighted to a less amount than the cover B of the primary
holder, but from its under side a chain K¹ extends to a weight K, lying on the
bottom of the holder M. The chain is long enough to permit the cover N to rise
without lifting the weight K to within a few inches of its upper limit of movement;
and when it has thus taken up the slack of the chain, the pressure thus exerted
upon the contents of the holder MN, being the weight of the cover N, and of the
chain less the buoyancy of the water in which the chain is partly immersed, is
slightly less per square inch of gas surface in the holder M N than that
exerted in the holder A B by its weighted cover B. From this it results
that as the gas passes from the generator first into the primary holder and then
into the secondary holder, both having their covers depressed at the commence-
ment of the operation, the cover of the secondary holder will be lifted first until
all the slack of the chain is taken up and enough pull exerted on the weight to
make the total pressure equal to that of the primary holder. The primary holder
will then fill to some extent, and as gas is withdrawn for consumption, it will pass
through the secondary holder without permitting the cover of the latter to descend,
whereby the contents of the secondary holder remains as a constant reserve supply,
the cover of the primary holder rising and falling as already described, and
maintaining the generation of gas according to the rate of consumption. When,
however, the carbide in the generator becomes weakened so far that the gas supply
is not equal to the consumption, the cover B is not lifted, but, on the contrary, the
cover N is, the secondary holder being thus fed into the service pipes. Connected
with the cover N of the secondary holder is an alarm device consisting of a rod O,
extending upward and having a trip dog O or other means of sounding an
alarm O after the cover has descended a very short distance, say, two or three
inches. The sounding of this alarm gives notice of the failure of the generator,
and the attendant has opportunity to replenish the latter while consumption is
supplied from the reserve gas in the secondary holder as the cover N descends and
deposits first the weight and then the slack chain, the pressure being diminished,
the cover of the primary gas holder will descend farther than at any time during
its ordinary oscillation while the generator was active, and in such final descent
will cause the displacer to be intruded into the water deeply enough to flood the
generator, as above described.
Any convenient check may be employed to limit the expansion of both holders.
As illustrated, this is accomplished by extending the gas inlet pipe up within a
pipe rigid with the cover, and having. an aperture q near the top of the cover
for the admission of gas to the holder, the exterior pipe having an interior
bushing Q at the lower end, and the interior pipe having a corresponding exterior
collar Qat the upper end, the collar and bushing stopping against each other at a

page_text: point to properly limit the expansion of the holder. Whenever, from any cause,
the amount of gas generated exceeds the ordinary capacity of the primary holder
added to the capacity of the secondary holder when expanded to a point at which
all the slack of the chain is taken up, further generation of gas lifts the cover of
the secondary holder, causing it to lift the weight K, which is carried up by the
cover as it rises to the limit determined by the check device. The rod O mis
have a second trip dog 03, adapted t sound a second alar.n O' as the cover rises
beyond the point at which it commences to carry up the weight. This second
alarm indicating an excessive generation of gas, affords time for the attendant to
correct the difficulty before the limit of capacity of both receivers is reached and
danger of forcing their water seals arises. The two signals should be of different
character that the attendant may distinguish them.
The intrusion of the displacer in the water diminishes the down pressure exertel
by the cover B to the extent of the weight of the water displaced. This is
prevented from diminishing the pressure per square inch on the gas delivered from
the holder by the tapering form of the displacer, the area of gas exposed to the
weight being diminished in the same ratio as the weight; and whether the cone B¹
is employed for displacement, or only as a pocket for the weighting material, the
same compensation is needed and obtained by virtue of its tapering form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :---
1. A gas machine comprising a generator and a holder and communications for
gas and liquid extending between them characterized by devices which cause the
collapse of the holder to force liquid into the generator, and the generation of gas
to expand the holder and stop the liquid discharge.
2. A gas machine comprising a gas generator and an expansible holder, and
liquid and gas passages connecting them characterized by the presence of devices
which, upon the collapse of the holder, elevate liquid therein to cause it to flow
into the generator.
3. A gas machine comprising a gas generator and a holder and liquid and gas
communications between them, characterized by the presence in the holder of a
displacer which is intruded in the liquid therein as the holder collapses and thereby.
forces liquid into the generator.
4. An expansible gas holder whose movable element decreases in interior cross
section toward the top.
5. An expansible gas holder, whose movable element has an interior hollow
tapering projection constituting a water displacer within the holder, and exteriorly
a pocket for weighting material.
6. A gas machine comprising an expansible gas holder, a generator which
supplies it with gas, a dipper movable into and out of a body of liquid by the
movement of the gas holder and a liquid conduit from the dipper to the
generator.
7. A gas machine comprising a gas generator, a gas bolder, and liquid and gas
communications between them, and a dipper which is depressed in the liquid
contents of the holder as the latter expands and lifted out of it as it collapses, the
dipper being connected to the liquid passage leading to the generator and adapted,
when it is elevated, to pour liquid into said passage.
8. In combination with a gas holder and a generator from which it is supplied
with gas; a water passage between the two, and a displacer in the holder which
raises the water level as the holder collapser, and a valve in the water passage
which is normally closed and is opened by the collapsing of the holder.
9. In combination, a gas holder and a generator which supplies it with gas, a
water passage between the two; a stand-pipe communicating with the holder
having an overflow at a level adapted to maintain the water in the holder
immediately below the highest point of the water passage; and means for supplying

page_text: water to the stand-pipe; a displacer which is intruded into the water of the holder
by the collapse of the latter, and a check-valve in the stand-pipe preventing
outflow therethrough from the holder.
10. In combination, a gas holder and a generator which supplies it with gas, a
liquid passage between the two, a dipper having the hollow stem pivotally
connected to the liquid passage and having a lever arm adapted to be encountered
by the moving element of the latter, whereby the movement of the latter oscillates
the dipper to cause it to turn liquid into the passage to the generator.
11. In a gas holder, in combination with the moving element thereof, an alarm
device operated by an inward movement of the moving element at a predetermined
point to indicate the deficiency of the gas supply.
12. In combination, a gas holder and a generator which supplies it, a water
passage between the two; a displacer which is intruded into the water in the
holder by the collapse of the latter to cause water to pass into the generator, and
a dipper communicating with such water passage and adapted to be elevated above
the highest point in the latter by the collapse of the holder beyond a predetermined
point, whereby such dipper causes water to pass into the generator after the water
level has been too far lowered for the displacer to do so.
13. In combination with a gas generator, a gas holder which receives the gas
from the generator, and a second holder which receives it from the first, the second
holder being normally weighted to loss pressure than the first and supplemental
weight arranged to be lifted by the second holder as it expands.
14. In combination with the gas generator, a primary and a secondary holder
communicating in order therewith, the secondary holder being normally weighted
to less pressure than the first and a supplemental weight arranged to be lifted as
the secondary holder expands, to increase its pressure beyond that of the first, and
an alarm adapted to be actuated as said secondary holder descends.
15. In combination with a gas generator, a primary and a secondary holder
communicating in order therewith, the second holder being normally weighted to
less pressure than the first, and a supplemental weight which the second holder
encounters as it expands past a predetermined limit, and which weights it to a
pressure greater than the first holder, and an alarm adapted to be sounded by the
second holder as it expands after encountering said weight.
Dated this 21st day of December 1896.
DELBERT JOHNSTON REYNOLDS,
By Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to the Applicant.