US1244399A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

D. ZiMMERMAN.

' ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-9.1946.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

amuamtoz Wihwnocs D. ZIMMERMAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 9. 19's.

1,244,399. Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

w y I WH-meoocs oasis DANIEL ZIMMERMAN, OF MAGLEY, INDIANA.

ACETYLilNE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

Application filed February 9, 1916. Serial No. 77,210.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL ZIMMERMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Magley, in the county of Adams and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a generator ofthe character indicated which is of simple and cheap structural arrangement and which is automatic in its action to supply water at desired times and in desired quantities to the body of the carbid which is retained within the generator.

With this object in view the generator includes a casing having a detachable cover fitting closely and snugly thereon said casing being provided with an interiorly located partition the upper and lower edges of which are spaced from the cover and bottom respectively of the casing. A pipe leads into the lower portion of the casing and may be used for admitting water into the same or drawing water therefrom. Bells are movably mounted in the casing at the opposite sides of said partition. These said bells are arranged to move vertically over the compartments detachably mounted in the lower portion of the casing. Water tanks are supported at the upper end of the said compartments and are provided at their bottoms with valves which are adapted to be closed when the said bells are at their lowermost position. Springs are connected with the said valves similarly holding them open when the bells are elevated. Carbid receptacles are placed in the lower portions of the compartment and are adapted to receive the water which is permitted to flow or gravitate from the tank. Gas pipes pass through the sides of the casing and extend up under the bells above the .level of the surface of the water and the said pipes are provided with suitable valves and connections for attachment with the surface pipes of a building and for attachment with overflow pipes and with the upper portion of the casing.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the acetylene gas generator.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same cut on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of one of the valves.

The acetylene gas generator comprises a casing 1 preferably of sheet metal and which is provided with a close fitting cover 2. A partition 3 is located intcriorly of the casing 1 and the upper and lower edges of the said partition are spaced from the cover 2 and the bottom of the casing 1. A pipe 4 leads into the lower portion of the casing 1 and may be used for the purpose of supplying water to the interior of the Said casing or draining water therefrom as desired. Bells 5 are movably mounted in the casing 1 at the opposite sides of the partition 3 and the said bells are provided at their top sides with handles 6. Compartments 7 are located in the casing 1 under the bells 5 and the said compartments are provided at their sides with outstanding eyes 8 adapt ed to receive rods 9 which may be screw threaded or otherwise secured with the bottom of the casing 1. The rods 9 are provided at their upper edge with heads 10 which bear against the upper surfaces of the uppermost'eyes 8 which serve as means for holding the compartments 7 in lowered position in the casing 1 after a quantity of water has been supplied to the said casing. Water tanks 11 are supported at the upper ends of the compartments 7 and the said tanks are provided at their top sides with inlet openings 12. The said tanks are further provided at their top sides with handles 13. The tanks 11. are provided at their loottoms with water outlet openings 14 which are surrounded by depending funnels 15.

'Valves are provided and adapted to cociperate with the outlet opening 14 for the purpose of permitting water to flow from the tanks 11 at desired times or intervals and as the valves are of the same structural arrangement a description of one will suffice. Each valve comprises a stem 16 which passes through the top of the tank 11 and also through the outlet opening 14 thereof. The stem 16 at that portion thereof which lies within the outlet opening 14 is reduced as at 17 so that there is space between the sides of the stem and the edges of the said opening. Disks 18 and 19 are mounted upon the stem 16 at the opposite sides of the bottom of the tank 11 and at the opposite ends of the reduced portion 17 of the said stem. The said disks are spaced from each other for a distance greater than the transverse thickness of the bottom of the tank 11 consequently one disk may only at one time be in contact with the bottom of the tank. The disk 18 is located above the bottom of the tank while the disk 19 is located below the same. A cross pin 20 passes transversely through the upper end of the stem 16 at a point above the top of the tank 11 and a flat spring 21 is mounted upon the top of the tank and engages under the said pin 20. The spring 21 is under tension with a tendency to hold the stem 16 in an elevated position whereby the disk 19 is held against the lower surface of the bottom of the tank 11. The-upper end of the stem 16 is in the path of movement of the top of the bell 5 over the said stem and when the said bell descends to its lowermost position in the casing 1 the top of the said bell encounters the upper end of the stem 16 and moves the same down against the tension of the spring 21. As soon as the bell 5 moves in an upward direction the tension of the spring 21 comes into play whereby the stem 16 is moved in an upward direction and the disk 19 is returned to its normal position against the lower surface of the bottom of the tank 11.

Receptacles 22 are located in the lower portions of the compartments 7 and are adapted to hold the calcium carbid. The said receptacles are provided with bail handles 23 and the said receptacles are adapted to receive the water which may flow or gravit-ate from the superimposed tanks 11 through the funnels 15 when both of the disks 18 and 19 are out of contact with the bottoms of the tanks 11.

Pipes 24 pass through the sides of the easing 1 and the inner portions of the said pipes are extended up along the bells 5 and terminate under the top portions of the bells at points above the levelof the water contained within the casing 1. The said pipes 24. are provided with connections 25 whereby they may be attached with the service pipes of a building and the said connections are provided with suitable valves 26. The pipes 24: are further provided at points above the connection 25 with valves 27. The upper ends of the pipes 24. are connected with the upper portions of the casing 1 and the upper ends of the said pipes are also provided with fittings 28 which may serve as overflow pipes for leading any excess of gas from the machine and to the exterior of the building.

The operation of the generator is as follows: Assuming that a suitable quantity of water has been led into the casing 1 through the pipe 4: and the receptacle 22 containing the calcium carbid has been positioned in the compartment 7 and also quantities of water have been poured into the tank 11 through the inlet opening 12 thereof. Be-

naeaaee fore placing the cover 2 in the position upon the upper end of the casing 1 an operator grasps one of the handles and elevates the bell 5 to which it is attached. This ermits the spring 21 under said bell to lift the stem 16 with which it is connected whereby the disk 18 is pulled away from the bottom of the tank and the disk 19 is pulled toward the bottom of the tank. During this movement some of the water will gravitate or flow from the tank to the opening 14 and is 1 directed by the funnels 15 into the receptacle 22 below. hen the water comes in contact with the calcium carbid gas is generated whereby pressure is created under the hell 5 and the gas may enter the pipe 24. It is to be understood that prior to this operation or manipulation the valves 26 and 27 have been closed. After gas is generated and confined under one of the bells 5 the machine needs no further personal attention on the part of an operator or attendant. The cover 2 is placed in position upon the upper end of the casing 1. The valves 26 and 27 are then opened and the gas may flow from the pipe 2 1 through the connections to the service pipes of the building and the excess of gas will pass along the upper portions of the pipe 24 and enter the upper portion of the casing 1. excess of gas become abnormal it may pass through the fittings 28 which are provided with suitable check valves (not shown) and to the exterior of the building.

Should the As soon as the bells 5 rise in the casing 1 I to position whereas their tops are carried beyond the upper end of the stem 16 and out of contact with the same, the springs 21 which bear against the said stem moves the disk 19 up into closed position against the bottoms of the tanks 11 whereby the outlet openings 14 are closed and the flow of water from the tanks 11 to the receptacle 22 is interrupted. As the gas is consumed the bells 5 descend and when their tops come in contact with the upper ends of the stems 16 the said stems are moved in a downward direction against the tension of the springs 21 whereby the disks 19 are moved away from the bottoms of the tanks 11. and the said stems 16 descend, until. the disks 18 come in contact with the upper surfaces of the bottoms of the said tanks. ll? at any time during the operation of machine the springs 20 should break or become disarranged the stems 16 connected with the said springs will be turned by gravity whereby the disks 18 are seated upon the bottoms of the tanks 11 over the openings 14: thereof and the generation of the gas under the said tanks is temporarily suspended until the said broken or disarranged parts have been repaired or replaced.

The operation of the valves 17 and 27 is as follows: When the apparatus is being started and the hell 5 is placed in position in the casing 1 the adjacent valve 27 is opened whereby the air which is confined under the bell may pass out through the pipes 24 and 28. This permits the bell 5 to descend nd when it comes in contact tank rests loosely on the edge of the-compartment, and the gas begins to accumulate under the bell 5. The said valve 27 is then closed. As the gas accumulates under the bell it is raised out of contact with the stem 16 and the spring 21 raises the said stem whereby the disk 19 is closed against the lower end of the opening 14 and the valve 17 is closed, thus stopping the flow of water from the tank 11 into the receptacle 22 and also stopping the generation of gas. The valve 26 is then opened whereby the gas passes from the pipe 24: into the service pipe 25 and the bell 5 begins to descend. At this time air may enter the upper portion of the casing 1 through the pipe 28 and the bell may descend until it again strikes the upper end of the stem 16 and the valve 17 is opened, more gas is generated and the bell again elevated aS described.

The farther down the stem 16 is pushed by the bell 5 the greater distance is the disk 19 moved away from the opening 14 and the valve 17 is opened wider. Thus more water passes from the tank 11 into the receptacle 22 and a larger quantity of gas is generated. However the bell 5 will not depress the stem 16 to such an extent as to bring the disk 18 in contact With the upper end of the opening 14-. as the generation of gas is faster than the lowering of the bell 5.

Should the spring 21 break the stem 16 will descend by gravity until the disk 18 closes against the upper end of the opening 14 and thus the valve 17 is closed and the flow of water from the tank 11 into the receptacle 22 is interrupted, which stops the generation of gas and prevents waste of the carbid which would be caused by a large quantity of water passing from the tank 11 into the receptacle 22, in the event that the spring 21 should break. When the carbid in the receptacle 22 is exhausted the valve 27 of the exhausted side is opened which allows air to pass under the bell and then the cover 2 may be removed from the casing 1 and the said bell lifted out and the carbid replenished.

From the above description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that an acetylene gas generator of simple and durable structure is provided and that the same is automatic in its action in reducing the as and furthermore the apparatus is provi ed with means for interrupting the operation of any particular unit of the machine in the event that the parts become displaced or broken.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. An acetylene gas machine comprising a casing having a detachable cover, compartments located in the casing, means for holding the compartments in lowered position within the casing, means for introducing water into the casing, bells movably mounted over the compartments, tanks mounted in the compartments and provided at their bottoms with water outlets, valve stems movably mounted in the tanks and having disks adapted to move against the opposite sides of the bottoms of the tanks, said disks being spaced apart for a distance greater than the thickness of the bottoms of the tanks, the upper ends of the stems adapted to be encountered by the tops of the bells, springs mounted upon the tan s and engageable with the stems, to normally hold them in elevated position and a pipe for conducting the gas from under the bells and connected with the casing, at the upper portion thereof.

2. An acetylene gas generator comprising a casing, a partition located therein, a detachable cover for the casing, said partition having its edges spaced from the cover and the bottom of the casing, means for introducing water into the casing, compartments located in the casing at the opposite sides of the partition, rods detachably connected with the bottom of the easing, and connected with the compartments for holding the same in lowered position in the casing, water tanks positioned upon the compartments and having in their bottoms outlet openings, carbid receptacles located in the lower portions of the compartments, valves located in the tanks and having reduced portions passing through the outlet openings thereof, disks mounted upon the stems of the valves and spaced apart for a distance greater than the vertical thickness of the bottoms of the tanks, the upper ends of the stems of the valves positioned above the tops of the tanks, springs mounted upon the tanks and engaging the upper portions of the valve stems and adapted to normally hold the said stems in elevated position, bells movably mounted. over the com partment the upper ends of the valves stems lying in the path of movement of the said bells, and pipes leading from under the bells and connected with the upper portion of the casing.

3. In an acetylene gas generator a casing,

for introducing water in the casing, a compartment located in the casing, a bell movably mounted over the compartment, a Water tank located in the compartment and provided at its bottom with a water outlet, a valve having a stem passing through the outlet opening, the stem of the said valve projecting above the top of the tank and lying in the path of movement of the bell, a spring mounted upon the tank and connected with the stem for normally holding the same in an elevated position, disks mounted upon the valve stem and located one above and

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