US2457894A - Carbide feed mechanism for batteries of acetylene generators - Google Patents

Description

4, 1949. 1 HQQPER 2,457,894

CARBIDE FEED MECHANISM FOR BATTERIES OF ACETYLENE GENERATORS Filed April 12, 1945 q L19 44 32 a 32 [5 V ,5 42 a 1:? I 7 1 .12

v 14* "/2 if 7 w 7 7 E J0- i Z 32 f E a E HARRY HOOPER M'AITORNEYS,

Patented Jan. 4, 1949 CARBIDE FEED MECHANISM FOR BAT- TERIES OF ACETYLENE GENERATORS Harry Hooper, New York, N. Y., assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application April 12, 1945, Serial No. 588,019

14 Claims. 48-38) 1 This invention relates to acetylene generators. Certain type of acetylene generators of the carbide to water type have motor-operated means for feeding carbide into the water controlled by the pressure of the generated acetylene gas so that when the gas pressure reaches a predetermined high level the feeding of carbide ceases and is resumed when the gas pressure drops a small amount. In a well-known type of genof another generator. Moreover a pressure reduction in the gas line sufllcient to start the carbide 'feed mechanisms of the generators, and which theoretically should start them all at the same time, may not actually start them simultaneously, due either to the above mentioned unavoidable variation in their constructional and erator the carbide feed motor is a motor of the weight-operated type having an adjustable centrifugal governor to control the speed of the motor and cause it to feed the carbide at a predetermined substantially uniform rate.

Acetylene generators are frequently used in groups or batteries to feed one gas line. When so used it is desirable that their charges of carbide become exhausted in regular sequence so that one generator at a time can be shut off from erators back in service as soon as possible. For

instance, for fear that the load on the other generators may become too great, or that another one of the generators might become exhausted too closely on the heels of the exhausted generator or generators then being serviced, the attendant may try to save time by omitting some operation which should be performed if time allowed, such as changing the water in the exhausted generator or generators.

While exhaustion of the generators in succession and at substantially regular intervals is highly desirable, for the reasons above given, nevertheless this does not necessarily occur, or continue to occur, even when the generators'are originally charged and connected to the gas line successively and at regular intervals. This is due to the fact that it is dimcult to make the carbide feed mechanisms of all the generators exactly alike in construction and operation, due among other things to the fact that they necessarily operate between narrow pressure limits, and therefore the variation in constructional and operational characteristics may permit the carbide feed mechanism of one generator to operatev at a somewhat slower or faster speed than that operational characteristics or to the fact that the pressure reduction in the gas line is not felt simultaneously in all of the generators. These things singly or in combination tend to disrupt the synchonism or coordination with which the several carbide feed mechanisms must necessarily operate if the charges of carbide in the generators are to be continuously, exhausted in regular sequence.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide meansfor controlling the carbide feed mechanisms of a battery of generators in such a way that their charges of carbide are exhausted in succession and rotation and at substantially regular intervals.

A further object is to provide controlling means for the purpose stated which is particularly adapted for use in connection with a battery of generators of the type in which the carbide feed mechanism has a motor of the weight-operated type.

According to the invention there is combined with a battery of acetylene generators master control mechanism which is itself controlled by the pressure in the acetylene gas line for causing the carbide feed mechanisms of all of the generators to start simultaneously when the pressure in the gas line is reduced to a predetermined value and to simultaneously stop when the pressure. in the gas line again builds up to a predetermined maximum, and for causing all of the feed mechanisms when once simultaneously started to oper ate at substantially the same speed and feed carbide at substantially the same rate, whereby the generators will continue to become exhausted of their carbide charges in the intended successive manner at substantially regular intervals.

The invention will be described as applied to a battery of generators of the type having carbide feed mechanism operated by a weight-motor whose speed is controlled by a centrifugal governor and whose starting and stopping is controlled by the pressure of the generated acetylene, since this is probably the most common type of generator, but the, invention in its broader aspects is not limited in its use to generators of this particular type. Y

larged scale to show more of the details of construction, the showing however still being more or less diagrammatic, l

' Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line3-3of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken onthelinel-lofFigure2.

The battery of generators shown .in Figure 1 comprises four generators I, 2, 3 and 4, but, of course, anydesired number may be included in the battery. All of the generators are connected brake arm it engages-'- lene is withdrawn from the generator faster'than it is generated, the pressure will continue .to drop until a lower arm 25 on the brake lever engages the brake drum l1 and stops the feed motor, thus preventing the further feeding of carbide.

This occurs when the generator is being operated in excess of its rated capacity, or when the carbide charge has become exhausted.

The generated acetylene leaves the generator through a pipe section on which connects with a check valve 26. After passing the check valve the gas flows through a flash arrester 21, then to a common gas line represented at 5. 1 'Each generator feeds the gas line through a branch pipe 6 controlled by a valve 1 by means of which that particular generator can be disconnected from the gas line when itis desired to recharge it with carbide.

The generators illustrated are of the type shown in the patent to George M. Deming No. 2,085,084 issued June 29, 1937. It is. sufficient for an understanding of the present invention to know that each generator has a feed hopper 8 for the carbide (Fig. 2) which is fed into the water in the generator by slow rotation of a feed disc 9. The disc is connected to a shaft in which is rotated by a weight-motor in the housing II and supported on the generator by a bridge or frame l2. The motor includes mechanism in the housing I lfor rotating the shaft in, which mechanism, in turn, is operated by a weight [3 moving in a cage i3 and hung at the through a pipe section 8b to the gas line 5. The pipe sections 80 and 6b correspond to the singlebranch pipe 3 of Fig. l, the above described shutoff valve I in the branch pipe being. shown in Fig. 2 in the pipe section 6b just above the flash arrester.

The carbide charge of a generator of the' above described type usually becomes exhausted, or nearly so, at about the time the weight l3 reaches the lower limit of its travel. Fig. 1 shows the weights or the four generators in such relative positions that the generators will become exhausted successively at substantially regular intervals. Generator No. l is about ready to be recharged because its weight has nearly reached the lower limit of its traveland generators 2, 3 and 4 will become successively exhausted in the order named. In recharging an exhausted generator the operator closes its shut-off valve I to disconnect the generator from the gas line 5, changes the water, refills the hopper with carbide, winds up the weight-motor until the weight is at the upper limit of its travel, and he is supposedv to attend to various other things before connecting the generator back to the gas line, such as purging air, etc. If the generators conend of a flexible cable II which passes over a tinued to become exhausted one at a time and sheave i5 rotatably supported on the frame l2. Since the motor itself is of a well-known type it is shown only diagrammatically, it being sufllcient to note that the motor is not only geared to the feed shaft I 0 to rotate it, but is also geared to a governor shaft one end of which is shown at IS in Fig. 2. This shaft has an adjustable centrifugal governor as shown in the above-mentioned Deming patent to cause the weight-motor to turn the feed shaft III at a predetermined uniform speed. The governor shaft l6 also has a brake drum l1 adapted to be engaged by an arm l8 of a brake lever pivotally supported at l9. Another arm 20 of the brake lever is pivotally connected to the upper end of a rod 2| whose lower end is operatively connected to a pivoted lever 22 actuated by a pressure responsive device or regulator 23. The regulator is of conventional design and contains diaphragms or other pressure operated means which move a rod 24 pivotally connected to the lever 22. The regulator is in communication with the interior of the generator and therefore subject to the pressure of the generated acetylene gas. When the pressure of the gas reaches a predetermined high level, say 14 p. s. i., the regulator operates to move the lever 22 upwardly and through the rod 2| to swing the brake lever about its pivot and press its arm 18 against the brake drum II. This stops the feed motor and the feeding of carbide ceases. When the generator pressure drops a small amount due to withdrawal of gas from the enerator the brake is released and the feeding of carbide is resumed and continues as long as the gas pressure is less thanthat at which the at substantially regular intervals, in the order shown in Fig. 1, or in any other order, the operator could devote his entire attention to the one exhausted generator and take sufiicient time to perform all the steps which he should rightfully perform before connecting it back to the gas line, but as above explained, this may ordinarily not happen and the carbide feed mechanisms therefore may lose their desired synchronous or coordinated operation so that two or even more of the generators may become exhausted at one time.

To prevent this and to insure that the generators continue to become exhausted singly and at substantially regular intervals, there is provided a control shaft 28 extending along the series of generators and having a series of sprockets 29, one for each of the generators.

Each sprocket is loosely mounted on the shaft and carries a pawl 30 (Fig. 3) which is spring pressed into engagement with aratchet wheel 3i keyed to the shaft. A chain 32 passes over each sprocket. One end of each chain is coning generator is wound up to lift its weight 13;

but if the control shaft is stationary, the sprockets cannot turn in a clockwise direction, and hence all of the motor weights l3 are held against downward movement. If the control shaft is ts brakedrum; If-acetyrotatingin a clcokwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 3) it is obvious that each sprocket can rotate clockwise and allow the corresponding motor weight It to descend.

The shaft 28 may be rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 3) by its own weightmotor 34 which may be similar to theweightmotor in each of the generators that operates its carbide feeding disc. The weight-motor 24 may rotate the control shaft 28 through suitable gearing represented at 85 and may be wound up by applying a handle to the squared end of a shaft 38 which when turned will wind the cable 21 on its drum and lift the weight ll of.the motor,

suitable ratchet mechanism being employed to permit this without imparting reverse rotation to the control shaft 28.

The weight-motor 34 is also geared to-a governor shaft 29 on which there is an adjustable centrifugal governor 4| which may be similar to movement of the weights by the centrifugal action. The governor may therefore be adjusted by adjusting the position of the collar d to vary the tension of .the spring. The governor shaft 38 also carries a brake drum ll. A pressure re-' sponsive device or regulator 42, which maybe similar to the regulator 23 on each generator, communicates with the gas line i and through brake mechanism 13-44-45 similar to that already described for stopping the carbide feed motor of each generator, (see Fig. 4) brakes the drum ll and holds the control shaft from rotating until the pressure in the gasline falls below a predetermined value and then the brake is released topermit the weight-motor 34 to rotate the control shaft at a predetermined uniform speed which depends upon the adjustment of the centrifugal governor 40.

The regulator 42 is so adjusted that, through the brake mechanism which it actuates, it holds the control shaft 28 from rotating until the pressure in the gas line falls to a value a little lower than the gas pressure at which the carbide feed motors on the generators are supposed to go into operation. For instance, if the regulator 23 on .each generator is set to cause the carbide feed motor to start feeding carbide when the gas pressure in the generator falls slightly below 14 lbs., then the regulator 42 is set to permit the control shaft to start rotating when the pressure in the gas line falls to say 13 lbs.

It will now be seen that when the pressure in the gas line is about 13 lbs. or more, the control shaft is stationary and since the sprockets 29 can then not rotate clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 3) none of the motor weights on the generators can descend and hence none of the carbide feed motors will operate. Even though the pressure in the gas line falls to a value at which the indi'- vidual feed mechanisms are set to start operating, and even though the feed mechanisms under usual conditions would then start (but probably not simultaneously for the reasons already given), no one of them can start operating until the pressure in the gas line falls to the still lower 'value of around 13 lbs. and then the control shaft will. start rotating to permit all of the motor weights to start descending at one and the sametime. Thus all of the feed mechanisms must start simultaneously when the pressure in the gas line falls to the value at which the control shaft starts rotating. The centrifugal governor associated with the control shaft causes the control shaft to rotate at a substantially constant speed, which determines the speed of descent of the motor weights on the generators and therefore the rate at which carbide is fed into all the generators. Since no motor weight can descend any faster .than permitted by the rotation of the control shaft, all of the motor weights descend at the same speed and therefore all of the carbide feed mechanisms are operated at the same speed once they have been simultaneously started. In order that no motor weight will tend to descend slower than another the centrifugal governors of the control shaft and the carbide feed motors are preferably so adjusted that each motor weight is permitted by its own motor governor to descend as fast as the control shaft will permit.

when the pressure in the gas line rises a small amount to a predetermined maximum, the regulator 42 applies the brake to the control shaft and arrests its rotation to simultaneously stop all of the carbide feed motors. However, during rotation of the control shaft if the gas pressure in any generator should become excessive due to some unusual circumstance, that generators individual pressure responsive mechanism will stop its weight motor to discontinue the feeding of carbide.- The corresponding sprocket 28 on the control shaft will then remain stationary while the pawl and ratchet mechanism. 30-3! permits the control shaft to continue its rotation.

Thus when the carbide feed mechanisms of the generators are once synchronized, asillustrated in Fig. 1, they will continue to operate in the desired synchronism. The carbide charges in the generators will then continue to become exhausted in regular sequence and in rotation, thus. allowing the operator to devote sufficient time to recharging and otherwise reconditioning each exhausted generator and insuring that there will always be a suflicient number of generators in operation to meet the demand for acetylene and thereby avoid'overloading the generators. It will I be understood that before a recharged generator is connected back to the gas line the operator will have wound up its weight-motor and this lifts the weight from its low position (occupied by the weight of generator No. l in Fig. 1) to its high position (occupied by the weight of generator No.

.4). Of course the sequence in which the generators become successively exhausted and require recharging may be different from that illustrated in Fig. 1. That is, it makes no difference whether the generator that needs recharging next after 1 to rotate the shaft and can be utilized for this purpose. In this caseit would only be necessary to control the speed of rotation of the shaft, as

by means of its centrifugal governor 40, and to provide a master regulator, such as the regulator 42, for starting and stopping the shaft in accordance with the acetylene pressure in the gas line.

' While there has been shown and described a form of common control means thatis well suited for use with generator carbide feed mechanisms of the weight-motor operated type, the common and when once simultaneously started to operate at substantially the same speed.

I claim:

1. In a battery of acetylene generators all of which are connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed motor and pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in the generator intended to control the starting and stopping of the. feed motor, the improvement which comprises pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, and means controlled by said last-named pressure responsive means and adapted to effect simultaneous starting and stopping of the carbide feed motors of all of the generators.

2. In a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed motor, the improvement which comprisesrotary means coupled to all of theieed motors, means for causing said last-named means to rotate at a substantially constant speed, pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, and means controlled by said pressure responsive means for effecting starting and stopping of said rotary means.

3. In a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed motor and pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in the generator intended to cause the feed ,motor to start when the pressure of the gas in means on each generator is set for the purpose of causing its feed motor to start.

4. In abattery of acetylene generators each of which is connected to a common gas line by valve means which permits it to be either shut off from the gas line or placed in communication with it, and each of which generators has a weight operated carbide feed motor and pressure responsive meanssubject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in the generator intended to cause the feed motor to start when the pressure of the gas in the generator falls to a predetermined level, the improvement which comprises a rotary shaft extending over all the generators and operatively connected to all of the weights of the feed motors so that the weights tend to rotate the shaft and so that when the shaft is not rotating none of the weights can descend, and mechanism responsive to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line and adapted to permit said shaft to start rotating at a gas pressure which is lower than that for which the pressure responsive means on each generator is set for the purpose of causing its feed'motor to start.

5. In a battery of acetylene generators each of which is connected to a single gas line and each of which has a weight-operated carbide feed motor and pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in the generator intended to control the starting and stopping of the feed motor, the improvement which comprises a rotatable shaft extending along all of the generators, a plurality of sprockets loosely mounted on said shaft, there being one of such sprockets for each generator, a ratchet and pawl connection between each sprocket and said shaft, a chain passing over each sprocket and operatively connected to the weight of the feed motor of the corresponding generator, a governor for controlling the speed of rotation of said shaft, pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, and means controlled by said last-named pressure responsive means for controlling the starting and stopping of said shaft.

6. In a battery of acetylene generators each of which is connected to a single gas line and each of which has a weight-operated carbide feed motor provided with a centrifugal speed control governor and pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in the generator intended to control the starting and stopping of the feed motor, the improvement which comprises a rotatable shaft extending along all of the generators, a plurality of sprockets loosely mounted on said shaft, there being one of such sprocketsfor each generator, a ratchet andpawl connection between each sprocket and said shaft, a chain passing over each sprocket and operatively connected at one end to the weight of the feed motor of the corresponding generator, a tension weight connected to the other end of each chain, a centrifugal governor for controlling the speed of rotation of said shaft, pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, and brake mechanism controlled by said last-named pressure responsive means for controlling the starting and stopping of the shaft.

'7. The improvement as set forth in claim 5 in which said rotatable shaft is provided with its own weight motor for rotating it.

8. In a battery of acetylene generators connected to a single gas line and having weightoperated carbide feed motors whose weights are all at different levels, the improvement which comprises a rotary shaft extending over all of the generators and operatively connected to the weights of all of the motors so that the weights tend to rotate the shaft and so' that when the shaft is not rotating none of the weights can descend, meanszfor controlling the speed of rotation of the shaft to cause it to rotate at substantially constant speed which determines the speed of descent of all of the motor weights, and pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said gas line for holding said shaft against rotation when the pressure in said line is at a predetermined level and for permitting the shaft to rotate when the pressure in said line falls a predetermined amount, whereby the motor weights are caused to reach the low point of their descent in sequence. D

9. The combination with a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed means and dr ivass-mos ing means therefor, of means controlled by the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, said last-mentioned means being operatively connected to the driving means oi each of the carbide feed means for operatively controlling said driving means.

10. The combination with a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed motor and driving means therefor, of means controlled by the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, said last-mentioned means being operatlvely connected to the driving means of each of the carbide feed,

of the acetylene gas in said line and operatlvely controlling the driving means of the carbide feed means to eil'ect substantially simultaneous starting and stopping oi said carbide feed means in accordance with the magnitude of the gas pressure in the line.

12. The combination with a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed motor and driving means therefor, of common control means operatively connected to the driving means of each of the carbide feed motors, said common control means being controlled by the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line and operatively controlling the driving means of the carbide ieed motors to eflect substantially simultaneous starting and stopping oi said carbide teed motors in sure in the line and to cause all of the motors to operate at substantially the same speed.

18. The combination with a battery of acetylene generators all connected to a single gas line and each of which has a carbide feed, motor and driving means therefor, of pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said line, and means controlled by said pressure responsive means and operatively connected to the driving means of each of the carbide feed motors for operatively controlling said driving means of the carbide feed motors of all of the generators.

14. A battery of acetylene generators connected to a single gas line, carbide feed means for each of said generators, at weight-motor for operating each oi said carbide feed means, the weights of the motors for operating the feed means of the several generators being at different levels, pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the acetylene gas in said gas line, and means controlled by said pressure responsive means and operatively connected to the motor weights for substantially simultaneously starting and stopplug the descent of said motor weights to assure that they reach the low point of their descent in sequence.

HARRY HOOPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ilie 01' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,234,161 Harris July 24, 1917 1,505,706 Harris Apr. 19, 1924 1,880,225 Boley May 24, 1932 2,005,084 Deming June 29, 1937 40 .268.858 Tuel et al. Nov, 25, 1941 accordance with the magnitude of the gas pres- 2,402,523 Siver June 18, 1946

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