US1992358A

US1992358A - Acetylene generator

Info

Publication number: US1992358A
Application number: US572408A
Authority: US
Inventors: Motte Maurice P De
Original assignee: Oxweld Acetylene Co
Current assignee: Oxweld Acetylene Co
Priority date: 1931-10-31
Filing date: 1931-10-31
Publication date: 1935-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1952-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1935. M, Pl DE MOTTE 1,992,358

ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Oct. 31, 1931 INVENTORQ Weam moRNEYs Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Oxweld Acetylene Company, a

of West. Virginia Application October 31,

15Claims.

The invention is a carbide/feed for acetylene generators of the carbide-to-water type.

The more important objects of the invention are to provide an acetylene generator with the following features:

A feed that will maintain more uniform pressure within the generator regardless of the rate of gas consumption.

A feed that willoperate only while gas is being drawn from the generator.

A feed that will operate only when the gas pressure in the generator is below that for which the feed is adjusted.

A feed that will operate only when the gas pressure in the generator is below that for which the feed is adjusted and gas is also being drawn from the generator.

A feed that will not operate from a reduction of pressure alone.

A feed. that will vary the carbide feeding rate according to the amount of gas being drawn from the generator.

A feed that will vary the carbide feeding rate according to the gas pressure within the generator.

Other aims, objects, and novel features will appear in the following specification and the accompanying illustration, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section of an acetylene generator showing my improved feed, and V Fig. 2 is an elevation of a generator partially in section showing my improved feed therein.

The feed comprises means for moving the carbide valve at a rate varying with the amount of gas being drawn from the generator and means for further varying the rate by the amount of gas within the generator.

The means for moving the carbide valve is a motor driven by the gas drawn from the generator, and the means for varying the rate of movement is a diaphragm responsive to the pressure within the generator.

The motor has a shaft that is driven by gas drawn from the generator, and consequently, its rate of movement is proportional to the rate at which gas is drawn from the generator.

The motor shaft is connected with the carbide valve by a variable transmission comprising a lever having an arm of variable length, and the diaphragm is mechanically connected with this transmission to vary the length of this arm inversely to the pressure in the generator. Therefore, the carbide valve is moved only while gas is being drawn from the generator, and the rate of corporation 1931, Serial No. 572,408

movement is varied both by the amount of gas being drawn from the generator and the amount of gas within the generator, and either means for varying the rate of movement may stop it altogether.

One example of my feed comprises a fluid pressure motor 10 firmly secured within a generator casing 11 by suitable means not shown. This motor 10, has a reciprocating motor shaft 12 connected by a motor link 13 to the driven arm of a motor lever 14 of the first order that is carried by a motor lever fulcrum 15 mounted on a motor lever fulcrum support 16 that is carried by motor 10. The driving arm of lever 14 is provided with a drive link adjusting slot 17 in which a drive link adjusting pivot 18 is carried. A drive link 19 connects this drive link adjusting pivot 18 with the outer end of a carbide valve arm 20 carried by a carbide feed valve 21.

A pressure regulator 22 of a type well known in the art is attached to the outside of casing 11 by conduit 23 extending therethrough. A pressure responsive diaphragm 24 within the regulator is connected by a regulator rod 25 with the driven arm of a regulator lever 26 of the first order carrled by a regulator lever fulcrum 27 on a regulator lever fulcrum support 28 rigidly secured to conduit 23 within casing 11. The driving arm of lever 26 is connected by a control link 29 with the central portion of drive link 19.

The carbide feed valve 21 is located in the outlet of a carbide hopper in the upper portion of a generator casing 11. The valve is carried by the upper end of a vertical carbide valve shaft 31 that is journalled in a carbide feed valve support 32 carried by hopper 30, and a carbide valve arm 20 is-rigidly attached to the lower end of shaft 31.

The upper surface of carbide feed valve 21 has the form of a truncated cone and this surface is roughened by suitable means such as flutes 33. This valve 21 is located in outlet 34 of hopper in such a manner that no carbide will feed. past the valve when it is stationary, and hopper 30 is provided with a shield 35 to relieve valve 21 of part of the weight of the carbide in hopper 30.

Pressure regulator 22 is provided with a conventional regulator spring 36 to balance the gas pressure on the diaphragm, and an adjusting handle 3'7 by which the tension of the spring may be varied.

Gas in being drawn from the generator passes through motor 10 to generator outlet 38 and the movement of this gas causes motor shaft 12 to reciprocate. This movement is transmitted by link 13 to lever 14 causing it to rock on its fulcrum 15. The movement of lever 14 is transmitted to carbide valve 21 by drive link 19 and carbide valve arm 20, thereby imparting to the valve a reciprocal rotary motion. The rate or amplitude of this motion or movement will be proportional to the rate or amount of gas being drawn from the generator through motor 10 and obviously when no gas is being drawn from the generator the valve will not be moved.

The rate at which carbide feed valve 21 is moved is further controlled by the position of pivot 18 in drive link adjusting slot 17. This position is controlled by diaphragm 24 of pressure regulator 22 through regulator rod 25, regulator lever 26, and control link 29. Diaphragm 24 is controlled by the pressure within'the generator and this pressure is controlled by the tension of regulator spring 36 which is adjusted by handle 3'1.

When the gas within the generator rises to a pressure for which the regulator 22 is set, diaphragm 24 will have moved outward against the tension of spring 36 and moved adjusting drive link pivot 18 substantially in alinement with motor lever fulcrum 15. In this position although gas may be drawn from the generator, no movement of motor 10 will be transmitted to carbide valve 21; When gas pressure within the generator is reduced, regulator spring 36 will force diaphragm 24 inward and this will move drive link adjusting pivot 18 toward the outer end of drive link adjusting slot 1'/, and then when gas is drawn from the generator the movement of motor 10 will be transmitted to valve 21. The ratio of movement will bevaried by the pressure on diaphragm 24, and consequently by the position of pivot 18 in slot 17. The connection between diaphragm 24 and drive link 19 is arranged so that the lower the pressure in the generator the higher the ratio of movement between motor 10 and valve 21, and conversely, the higher the pressure within the generator, the lower the ratio of movement.

As my improved carbide feed is adapted to vary the rate of movement of the carbide feed valve 21 according to the amount of gas being drawn from the generator and also according to the pressure within the generator, it will maintain a more uniform pressure within the generator than feeds used heretofore.

As carbide outlet 34 of hopper 30 controlled by feed valve 21 is not variable in size all danger of the valve 21 being accidentally held open is obviated. This eliminates all possibility of fortuitous feed and dangerous or wasteful high pressures within the generator.

The preferred form of motor 10 is disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 570,929.

It is understood that the various joints of the mechanism are of conventional design. unless otherwise described. These joints may be of the type having a bolt or pin passing loosely through the connected parts and held in place by one or more nuts or cotter pins. Furthermore, similar and equivalent joint structures may be employed.

Where no specific material for the various ele- .ments has been described it will be understood that the material employed is that used in conventional structures and that the description has been omitted for the sake of simplicity. Also, whether a material has been described or not it is understood that other conventional or equivalent material may be substituted.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, with preferred means for transmit ting movement from the motor to the carbide valve, and preferred means of varying the rate of this movement, it is understood that other and equivalent means for transmitting the movement may be employed and that the component parts may be arranged in a manner different from that shown.

These and other changes, alterations, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:-

1. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having a reciprocating motor I shaft; a motor lever fulcrum carried by said motor; a motor lever of the first order carried by said fulcrum; means for connecting said motor shaft to the driven arm of said motor lever; a drive link adjusting slot in the driving arm of said motor lever; a vertical carbide valve shaft; a carbide hopper having an outlet; a carbide valve carried by the upper end of said carbide valve shaft in said outlet; a carbide valve arm carried by the lower end of said carbide valve shaft; a support for said carbide valve shaft carried by said carbide hopper; a drive link adjusting pivot in said drive link adjusting slot; a drive link connecting said drive link adjusting pivot with the outer end of said carbide valve arm; a pressure regulator having a diaphragm; a regulator lever fulcrum support carried by said regulator; a regulator lever fulcrum carried by said regulator lever fulcrum support; a regulator lever of the first order carried by said regulator. lever fulcrum; a regulator rod connecting said diaphragm with the driven arm of said regulator lever; and a control link connecting the driving arm of said regulator lever with the central portion of said drive link to control the position of said drive link adjusting pivot in said drive link adjusting slot.

2. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having a reciprocating motor shaft; a motor lever of the first order fulcrumed on said motor; means for connecting said motor shaft to the driven arm of said motor lever; a movable carbide valve; means for connecting the driving arm of said motor lever to said carbide valve comprising a slot in said driving arm having a portion thereof in axial alignment with said fulcrum; and means for varying the length of the driving arm of said motor lever from maximum to nothing comprising a drive link having a pivot movable in said slot into a position in alignment with said fulcrum. Y

3. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having a shaft; a motor lever carried by said motor; means for connecting said motor shaft to the driven arm of said motor lever; a carbide valve; means for connecting the driving and means comprising a pressure responsive diaphragm for increasing the length of the driving arm of said motor lever when the pressure in said generator is reduced. 1

4. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor; a motor lever having an arm of fixed length and an arm of variable length; means for connecting said motor to said arm of fixed length; a carbide feed valve; means for connecting said valve with said arm of variable length; and means responsive to the pressure within the generator for gradually increasing the length of such arm as the pressure in said generator is reduced.

5. In an acetlylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor; a motor lever having an arm of fixed length and an arm of variable length with a slot therein; means for connecting said motor to said am oi fixed length; a carbide valve; means comprising a drive link pivot operably secured in said slot for connecting said valve with said arm of variable length; and means responsive to the pressure in said generator auto-. matically varying the length of said arm by moving said pivot in said slot.

6. In an acetylene generator; a carbide teed comprising a motor having a variable speed that increases with the amount of gas drawn from said generator; a carbide teed valve; means having a variable ratio for moving said valve by said motor; and means comprising a diaphragm responsive to the pressure within said generator for gradually increasing said ratio as said pressure is reduced.

'7. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor operated by gas drawn from said generator at a variable speed that increases with the amount of gas drawn from said generator; a carbide feed valve; means comprising a lever provided with arms continuously variable in relative length for moving said valve by said motor at a variable ratio; and means for antomatically varying said ratio according to the Variations in pressure within said generator comprising pressure responsive mechanism for continuously varying the relative length oi. said arms.

8. In an acetylene generator; a carbide teed comprising a motor having a variable speed; a carbide teed valve; means for moving said valve by said motor at a variable rate; and means for increasing said rate with respect to said motor when the pressure in said generator is reduced.

9. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combination of a carbide teed valve having a fixed opening; a motor for moving said carbide valve according to the amount 01 gas drawn from said generator; and a diaphragm responsive to the pressure within said generator for increasing the rate or said movement with respect to said motor as the pressure in said generator is reduced.

10. In an acetylene generator; 9. carbide feed comprising the combination of a carbide feed valve having a fixed opening; means for moving said valve to feed carbide; and means for varying the rate of movement of said valve with respect to said moving means inversely with the pressure within said generator.

11. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combination of a feed valve having a fixed opening; and means for moving said valve by the gas drawn from said generator at a rate corresponding to the amount oi. gas drawn from said generator.

12. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combination oi. a carbide feed valve; means for moving said valve to feed canbide; and means responsive to the amount of gas in said generator for varying the rate of said movement with respect to said moving means.

13. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valve; a motor having a rate of speed proportional to the rate of gas flow from said generator; means for driving said valve by said motor; and means for varying the ratio of movement between said motor and said valve to automatically maintain a predetermined gas pressure in said generator.

14. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valve; a motor for moving said valve; and means for increasing the ratio of movement between said motor and said valve when the pressure in said generator is reduced.

15. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valve having a fixed opening; means for driving said valve comprising a motor having a rate of speed that varies with the rate that gas is drawn from said generator; and means for varying the ratio of movement between said motor and said valve by the pressure m said generator.

MAURICE P. DE MOTTE.