US643486A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

No. 643,486. Patented Feb. I3, |900. H. J. ENNIS. ACETVLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. a, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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(Application filed Aug. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ITerres HENRY J. ENNIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE MCGOVERN, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ACE-TYLENE-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFATION f orming part of Letters Patent No. 643,486, dated February 13, 1900. Application filed August 3, 1899. Serial No. 726,059. (No model.)

T0 all whom; it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. ENNIS, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Washington city, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap# pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combined acetylene-gas generator and holder; and the obj ect is to provide a simple, inexpensive, reliable, and efficient automatic machine of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective viewrof my improved combined acetylene-generator andgasholder. tion. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the discharge-chute connecting the generatortank and the magazine. Fig. 4 shows in section a modification of the ash discharge valves.

1 designates a cylindrical tank, open at the top and formed with a conical bottom 2, terminating in a discharge-pipe 3, in which is mounted a horizontal duplex valve 4, consisting of the parallel plates 4' and 42, provided with the non-alined oriiices 6 and 7, the orifice 6 being alined with the pipe 3 when the valve proper is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, whileL the orifice 7 extends beyond the pipe, as shown, and when the valve is open or drawn out the orifice 7 is alined with the pipe, while the plate 4 cuts off communication between the tank and the lower portion of the pipe.

8 denotes a receptacle which is inserted and removed through the orifice 7 in the plate 42 and when in use rests upon the plate, as shown. This vessel 8 may be used to receive the spent carbid or ash, or it may be used to Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sec-- receive a charge of active carbid and then in-l serted in the pipe and the valve 4 pushed in,- as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the water in the tank to have access to the carbid, and thus generate the acetylene gas.

9 designates a horizontal diaphragm rigidly fixed in the tank 1, and 10 denotes a tubular standard,`having its lower open end fixed in said diaphragm and opening into the generator-chamber 11, and it is further supported in its vertical position by an annular conical collar 12, connecting or bracing it with said diaphragm.

13 denotes a vertical inlet-pipe for filling the generator-chamber 11 with water, and this also acts as a safety relief-pipe to furnish an outlet should there at any time be an excess of pressure in either the generator or holder.

14 denotes the funnel-shaped spout for iilling the seal-chamber of the tankv 1, and 15 denotes the gas-holder, which forms a water seal between the tank 1 and the concentric cylinder 16, fixed to the diaphragm 9. This gas holder or bell 15 has a. sliding engagement with the tubular standard 10, a gastight joint being formed by the stuffing-box and packing-gland 17.

18 denotes an outlet-orifice in the tubular standard, above which is a solid partition 19, and above this a second orifice 20 to permit the gas to reenter the upper end 10 of the tubular standard, from which, through the regulating-valve 21, it is conducted through the service-pipe 22 to the point of consumption. The inlet-orifice 20 is surrounded by-a reticulated wire cage 23, in which is packed an absorbent-cotton or other suitable medium for drying and filtering the gas as it leaves the holder on its way to the point of consumption.

It will be noted thatthe inner face of the top of the gas-holder is concave, so that any water of condensation which may accumulate thereon will be conducted to the sides and into the water-tank 1.

24 denotes a cylindrical magazine fixed to the outside of the tank 1, and it is provided with a discharge-chute 25, which opens into the generator-chamber 11 below the waterline, as shown in Fig. 2, the water in the gen- IOO erator-chamber arising a sufficient distance in the chute to form a water seal between the magazine and generator-chamber. 25 denotes a series of spring knife-points fixed in the bottom of the chute and across the path of the carbid charge.

26 denotes an axial shaft journaled in the magazine, and on it is fixed a drum 27, formed with a series of transverse peripheral pockets 28 to receive the carbid charges 29, which are conveniently inserted through the open side of the magazine.

30 denotes a ratchet-wheel fixed on one end of the shaft 26, and 31 denotes a radial lever loosely mounted on the same end of said shaft, and it carries a spring-actuated pawl 32, engaging the ratchet-wheel, and its outer end is pivoted to a vertical rod 33, having a sliding engagement with the guide-brackets 34 34 and the friction-spring 35, fixed to the tank 1.

36 denotes a lateral arm fixed to the top of the gas-holder and loosely encompassing the rod 33, so as to play freely between the collars 37 and 3S, adjustably secured to the rod 33 by thumb-screws 39, as shown.

One manner of operating the machine is to prepare the charges of calcic carbid by sealing theln in a thin waterproof envelop, preferably made of paraffin or wax paper, to prevent slakiug, and these cartridges are preferably made in a cylindrical shape and of a predetermined size to correspond to the capacity of the machine. These cartridges are then charged into the drum 27, and the ratchetwheel is rotated by hand until the first cartridge drops from the drum and passes through the chute 25 into the generatorchamber, where it rolls down the conical bottom and passes through the valve-opening 6 and falls into the vessel 8, placed there to receive it. In its passage through the chute it comes into contact with the knife-points 25, which project a sufficient distance into its path to rupture its envelop, and thus permit the water to have access to the contents and generate the gas. Should the envelop be punctured ever so slightly, the water having access to the carbid within will generate the gas and complete the rupture.

In some instances it may be desirable to close up the magazine and render it air-tight with a door or hand-hole and plate, which also makes an air-tight joint with the magazine, so that the pockets 28 may be filled with charges of the loose carbid, the drum fitting snugly in the cylindrical magazine to retain the loose carbid in thepockets until they come in line with the mouth of the chute, whence the charge falls by gravit-y into the generator, as in the first instance.

The gas forming in the generator is first washed and cooled as it rises through the water in the generator-chamber 1l and as it comes in contact with the bottom face of the diaphragm 9 parts with a part of its moisture and passes up through the tubular standard 10 and escapes through the outlet 18 into the gas-holder, forcing the air contained therein out into the atmosphere through the petcock a, and as soon as the pure acetylene escapes at this point, which may be ascertained by igniting it, the cock a is closed and the gas allowed to accumulate in the holder, which rises under the gas-pressure,the upward movement of the holder being limited by the collar Z), fixed in the standard 10.

The size of the carbid-cartridge is such that the gas generated by it will fill the cylinder 16 and holder 15. When the latter is raised to its limit and should the generation of gas continue after this point has been reached,no particular harm will result, as the excess will escape through the relief-pipe 13.

When the gas is wanted for consumption, the valve 2l is opened and the gas in the holder passes through the packing medium in the cage 23 to purify and dry it, and the thus dried and purified gas passes through the upper portion 10' of the tubular standard to the burners.

rlhe gas holder or bell 15 in rising carries with it the arm 3G, which, coming in contact with the collar 37, raises the rod 33 and lever 31, causing the pawl 32 to slip backward over the ratchet-wheel 30 without moving the drum 27, but as the gas in the holder or bell is consumed the latter falls and the arm 3G coming in contact with the collar 3S forces the rod 33 and lever 31 down, the pawl 32 engaging the ratchet-wheel and rotating the drum to carry one of its-pockets into line with the mouth of the chute 25, and thereby drop a cartridge into the generator and replenish the supply of gas.

Should it be desirable for any reason to dis'- pense with the automatic feature for the continuous generation of the gas, the collars 37 and 38 may be moved out of the path of the arm 3G and the generator charged by filling the vessel 8 and replacing it through the me dium of the duplex valve 4.

In Fig. 4 I have dispensed with the duplex valve 4 and in lieu thereof provided the pipe 3 with two single gate-valves 43 and 4, the former being closed and the latter opened when the vessel 8 is being removed or replaced, and, vice versa, when the said vessel is in place the valve 4u1 is closed and the valve 43 opened.

When the automatically-operated magazine is in use, the vessel 8 is not essential, as the carbid will fall through the upper open valve and rest upon the lower closed one, and when exhausted may be conveniently removed by first closing the upper valve and opening the lower one, so that the ash, residue, or slaked carbid and water contained between the two valves will be flushed out.

It will be noted that the magazine can bc replenished or, if it is not in use, the vessel 8 may be recharged and in either case the ICO IIO

residue or exhausted carbid removed without affecting the lights or in any way interfering with the supply of gas in the holder.

Should the magazine be exhausted and the holder down to its limit, a warning of this condition will be given by the gradual dimming of the lights, in which event I provide an emergency-valve B, located in the lower end of the inner cylinder 16, with its stem eX- tending through the tank 1, and by opening this Valve B the water in the tank 1 will pass into the cylinder 16 and force the gas out to the service-pipe while the generator is being recharged. A similar valve (not shown) is located in the diaphragm 9 to permit the water to pass into the generator-chamber 11, there being no danger of an overiiow, as the mouth of the iillingtube 13 regulates the amount or level of the water in the generator.

The accompanying drawings show my acetylene-gas machine inthe best form now known to me; but many changes may be made in the details within the skill of a good mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In combination, the stationary tank formed with the conical bottom and dischargepipe, the duplex valve mounted in the discharge-pipe, the horizontal diaphragm, the tubular standard 10, arising from said standard and formed with the orifices 18 and 20, the partition 19 intermediate said orifices and the holder 15 having a sliding engagement with said standard,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination, the stationary tank, formed with the conical bottom, the diaphragm 9, the tubular standard fixed in said diaphragm, and provided with the orices 18 and 20, the partition 19 fixed intermediate said orifices, the wire cage surrounding the orifice 20 and a suitable absorbent material packed within said cage, and the holder having a sliding engagement with said standard, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, the stationary tank formed with the conical bottom terminating in the valved discharge-pipe, the diaphragm 9, the magazine communicating with the tank beneath the diaphragm, the tubular standard fixed in the diaphragm and opening into the space beneath the diaphragm and provided with the oriiices 18 and 20, the partition 19 xed in the tubular standard between said orifices, the holder having a sliding engagement with the standard, the pocketed drum 27 mounted in the magazine and means for rotating said drum through the medium of said holder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY J. ENNIS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. ENNIS, EMMA M. GILLETT.

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