US654069A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

No. 654,069. Patented July l7, I900. E. S. MARTINDALE.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Nr'rnn TATES ATENT rricn.

EDWVARD S. MARTINDALE, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KIN NEAR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-GAQS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,069, dated J'uly1'7, 1900.

Application filed February 28, 1899 To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. MARTIN- DALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Varren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-generators, and more particularly to improvements in that form of generating apparatus described and claimed in my application, Serial No. 698,759, filed December 9, 1898.

One of the principalobjects of the present invention relates to improvements in the means for discharging the carbid into the Water of the generator. In my said applica tion I have shown and described a revoluble circular frame carrying a series of pivoted buckets designed to be upset in the revolution of the frame to discharge the carbid. In the present case I support a number of pivoted buckets in a stationary frame and successively upset said buckets by mechanism operated by the movements of the gasholder.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of means for determining the number of buckets that have been dumped.

A further object of the invention relates to an improved liquid-seal device through which the gas passes from the generator to the gas-holder.

Other objects of. the invention relate to details of construction and operations of parts, which will more clearly appear from the detailed description of the invention hereinafter given.

I hawe illustrated my invention in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a generating apparatus constructed according to my invention, a portion of a gas-holder being indicated. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carbid-container and the means for dumping the buckets. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a safety escape device. Fig. dis a sectional view on the line at 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the buckets.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates a cylindrical casing forming the body of the gener- 'Serial No. 707,179. (No model.)

ator. Secured in the upper end of this cas ing is a short cylinder 2, and secured on the upper end of the casing 1 and surrounding V the same and the short cylinder 2 ina manner to altord an annular chamber 3 is a cylindrical extension or top 4. The annular chamber 3 is designed to hold water and to' receive a telescoping portion of the cover 5 in a manner to aiford a water seal, as will be understood. Formed integral with the short cylinder 2 and depending from the same is a funnel 6, having an inclined spout 7, terminating in an inclined chute 8.

The numeral 9 indicates the generating compartment or chamber proper, which comprises a flaring portion 10, secured at its edge to the side wall of the casing 1 in any suitable manner, and a relatively-long cylindrical portion 11. About midway of the cylindrical 7o portion 11 is secured a grate or screen 12, on which the carbid rests. The lower part of the cylindrical portion 11 affords an ash-receptacle 13 for the lime or residuum dropping through the grate 12, and which matter may be removed from the receptacle 13 by means of a pipe 14, extending from the bottom thereof through the casing 1. V

The numeral 15 indicates a slide projecting from the bottom of chute 8 and formed by wires spaced about a half-inch apart.

The purpose of this slide is to insure that the carbid shall be discharged in the center of grate 12.

' The numeral 16 indicates a circular flat metal ring, which is surrounded bya similar but much larger ring 17, concentric with the ring 16. The rings 16 and 17 are rigidly connected by means of brace-plates 18, extending between the rings and located a suitable 9o distance apart in a manner todivide the annular space between the rings into a series of compartments, in each one of which is pivotally mounted a bucket 19in the manner described in my application referred to, the 5 pivots, however, in the present case being located near the top edge of the bucket, as shown at 20 in Fig. 5. At one outer corner of each bucket is located an outwardly-curved hook 21, the purpose of which will be pres- 10o ently explained. On the end of each bucket, adjacent to the hook 21, I provide a stop 22,

which is adapted to engage the upper edge of -ring 17-and hold the bucket in an upright poingplate is a short vertical shaft 25, having a squared upper end 26 and carrying at its lower end a bevel-gear 27. Secured on the side wall of the funnel 6 are two bearings 28 29, which are diametrically opposite each other.

The numeral 30 indicates a workshaft which extends through the casin g and through the bearing 29 and at its inner end is supported in the bearing 28. Secured on said workshaft is a bevel-gear 31, which meshes with the bevel-gear 27. A stufiing-box 32 is provided for the work-shaft 30, and near its outer end said work-shaft carries a ratchet-wheel 33.

The numeral 34 indicates the bell of a gasholder. Said bell carries at its upper end an arm 35,, upon which is pivotally mounted at its upper end a lever-arm or pawl 36, the lower end of said lever-arm or pawl being designed to engage the teeth of the ratchetwheel 33 to turn the same in the descending movement of the bell. On the squared end 26 of shaft is mounted at one end an arm 37. Pivotally secured on the outer end of this arm, as shown at 38, is a curved arm 39, which at its free end is provided with a hook 40, which is designed to successively engage the hooks '21 of the buckets 19 to upset the latter.

The operation of the device as thus far described is as follows: As gas is consumed the bell 34 will drop gradually until the pawl 36 engages the teeth of ratchet-wheel 33 and turns same. This will revolve shaft andthrough the medium of gears 31 and 27 the short vertical shaft 25. As this latter shaft revolves it carries the arm 37 around with it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and in this movement of arm 37 the hook 40 on the pivoted arm 39 will successively engage the hook 21 of each bucket 19, and thereby cause each bucket in turn to turn on its bearings and discharge its contents into the funnel 6. It

will be understood, of course, that the arm 37 is only moved sufiiciently to dump one bucket in each downward movement of the bell of the gas-holder. As the carbid is discharged from each bucket it falls into the funnel 6, thence through spout 7 to chute 8, and over the slide 15 into the generating-chamber 9, where the main generation ensues. By arranging the spout '7 and chute 8 as described it will be seen that while the carbid is discharged in the center of the generating-chamber the construction ofiers no resistance to the free up ward passage of the gas through the water in the cylinder or casing 1. In order to determine the number of buckets which have been dumped, I secure to the casing in any suitable manner a dial 41, through the center of which the shaft 30 extends. Arranged around said dial in the manner of a clock-face are numbers corresponding to the number of buckets mounted in the frame. Thus if ten buckets are mounted in the frame the numbers on the dial 41 will be arranged in numerical order from l to 10. Secured on the shaft 30 to turn therewith in operative relation with said dial is a pointer or indicator 42. It will thus be seen that as shaft 30 is only revolved in one direction the pointer 42, traveling therewith, will serve to indicate on the dial the number of buckets which have been dumped.

The numeral 43 indicates a pipe communicating at its lower end with the interior of the generator and having a globe-valve 44 and at its upper end a funnel 45. By means of this pipe water can be supplied to the interior of the generator.

The numerals 45 45" indicate petcocks located at different heights on the casing 1 and communicating with pipes 46 46, extending downward below the normal water-level in the generator. By means of this construction the height of the water in the generator can be ascertained without any liability of gas escaping through the cock, which is opened.

In case of any unslaked carbid remaining on the grate 12 or of any foreign substance resting on the grate which it is desirable to removeI provide the casing of the generatingcompartment 9 with an opening closed by a suitable cover 47, and from the outside of the casing 1 to said opening leads a clean-out duct 48.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated my improved safety device. The numeral 49 indicates a cylindrical upright vessel containing water and having a supply-opening 50 and a discharge-opening 51, which openings are normally closed. A petcock 52, having a pipe 53, extending below the normal water-level, is also employed in this device. Communicating at one end with the'interior of the funnel 6, above the water-level therein and extending through the casing 1, is a pipe 54, which at its opposite end communicates with the interior of the vessel 49, near the bottom thereof, and within said vessel has a depending end 55. The numeral 56 indicates the escape-pipe.

It will be noted that the pipe 8 communicates with the interior of the funnel 6 and not with the interior of the generating-chamber proper.

The operation of the device will now be ex plained. As a bucket is dumped the carbid in its passage through the water in funnel 6, spout 7, and chute 8 sets up a slight generation of gas, whichbubbles up through the water in the spout and funnel and is trapped ICC or held in that part of the generator in which the carbid-containeris located. The amount of gas stored in this part of the apparatus will never be very great; but should the pressure by any chance become excessive the gas will'pass through pipe 54 and force the water out of the bent tube 55 and up in the vessel 49, thus breaking the seal, when the gas will bubble up through the water and escape to the air through pipe 56. Should the pressure of the gas in the upper part of the generating-chamber beneath the funnel 6 become too great, it will force the waterin the generator proper up through spout 7 and through pipes 54 and 55 into the chamber 49 and out through pipe 56, and the gas following can escape to the outer air.

The numeral 57 indicates the pipe leading the gas from the upper part of the generator into the cylinder 58 of my improved combined liquid seal and gas-purifier device. The pipe 57 has a vertical arrangement, its upper end being about on a level with the top of the cylinder 58, and communicates with the interior of the generator through the upper part of easing 1 and above the water-level therein by means of a horizontally-arranged pipe 59. At its lower end the pipe 57 communicates with the interior of cylinder 58 by means of a horizontal branch pipe 60. \Vithin the cylinder 58 the pipe 60 has a vertical upwardlyextending pipe 61, the upper end of which is open. The water-level in the cylinder 58 is indicated by the line 00 x, and a petcock 62, having a pipe 63, extending downward a considerable distance below the normal waterlevel in the cylinder 58, is provided in this device to test the height of the water without any liability of permitting gas to escape. Loosely inclosing the pipe 61 is a sleeve or drum 6%, the lower open end of which is always submerged in the water.

The numeral 65 indicates a float which is connected to the lower end of drum 64 by means of rods or hangers (56. A pipe 67 leads from the upper end of the cylinder 58 to the gasometer, and a pipe 68 leads into the lower part of cylinder 58 to supply water thereto. An out-let from cylinder 58 is provided at 69.

The operation of the device is as follows: As gas is generated it passes through the pipe connection described into the drum 64, causing the same to rise until its lower end is within, say, one inch of the water-level in cylinder 58. The gas-pressure now operates to drive the water out of the drum to the level of its lower end, when the gas will pass out of the drum and bubble up through the water and pass through pipe 67 to the gas-holder. The lower end of drum 64 being always submerged in the water afiords a secure liquid seal which will hold any back pressure from the gas-holder, as will be readily understood.

The end of the branch pipe 60 extends be-.

tween the drum 64: and the float 65, and these parts respectively engage said pipe in their up-and-down movement, and the extent'of such movement is thereby controlled.

By the construction described it will be seen that the gas is not only purified by passing upward through the water in the generator, but is submitted to a further purification by being compelled to pass through the water on axes substantially radial of the said frame,

and rotary means operating to successively engage said buckets to rotate them in turn on their pivots and cause them to discharge their contents into the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gas-holder having a movable bell, of a generating-chamber, a carbid-container supported above the same comprising a circular stationary frame having a series of buckets circularly arranged and pivotally and rotatably mounted therein on axes substantially radial of the said frame, and rotary means operated by said bell to successively engage said buckets to rotate them in turn on their pivots and cause them to discharge their contents into the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with the generating-chamber, of a carbid-container supported above the same comprising a stationary frame having a series of buckets circularly arranged and pivotally and rotatably mounted therein, a rotary shaft having an arm traveling in a circular path above said buckets, and means carried by said arm to successively engage said buckets to revolve them in turn on their pivots and cause them to discharge their contents into the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with the generating-chamber, of a carbid-container supported above the same comprising a stationary frame having a series of buckets pivotally mounted therein, a hook on each of said buckets, an upright shaft supported in said frame having at its lower end a bevel-gear, a horizontal shaft having a bevel-gear meshing with that of the upright shaft, an arm mounted at one end on the opposite end. of said upright shaft, a curved arm pivotally mounted on the free end of said arm and having a hook adapted to successively engage the hooks of said buckets, and means for revolving said horizontal shaft, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gas-holder having a movable bell, of a generating-chamber, a carbid-container supported above the same comprising a stationary frame having a series of buckets pivotally mounted therein, a hook on each of said buckets, an upright shaft supported in said frame having at its lower end a bevelgear, a horiz'ontaljshaft having a bevel gear meshing with that of the upright shaft, an arm mounted at one end on the opposite end'of said upright shaft-,a curved arm pivotally mounted on the free end of said arm and having a hook adapted to successively engage the hooks of said buckets, and means operated by said bell for revolving said horizontal shaft, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a gas-holder having a movable bell, of a generating chamber, ajcarbid-container supported above the same comprising a stationary frame having a series of buckets pivotally mounted therein, a hook on each of said buckets, an upright shaft supported in said frame having at its lower end a bevelgear, a horizontal shaft having a bevel-gear meshing with that of the upright shaft and having one end projecting beyond the generator and provided with a ratchet-wheel, an arm mounted at one end on the opposite end of said upright shaft, a curved arm pivotally mounted on the free end of said arm and having a hook adapted to successively engage the hooks of said buckets, a pawl carried by said bell and engaging the teeth of said ratchet at a given point in the fall of said bell whereby to turn said horizontal shaft in one direction and through the mechanism described to successively dump said buckets, a dial having a series of numbers circularly arranged thereon and corresponding with the number of said buckets, and an indicator carried by said horizontal shaft and turning therewith in operativc relation with said dial, substantially as described.

7. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a cylinder supporting a generating-chamber in its lower portion, of a funnel secured in the upper end of said cylinder in a manner to securely close the same and having a spout extending down toward said generat ing-chamber, said funnel communicating at its upper end with a closedcompartment, a carbid-container supported in said closed com= partment, means for discharging carbid therefrom into said funnel, and a safety device comprising an upright vessel having water therein, a discharge-pipe leading from the top of said vessel and a pipe leading from said closed compartment and having within said vessel a depending end submerged in the water thereof, the combination operating as described.

8. The combination with a generator and a gas-holder, of a liquid-seal device comprising an upright vessel having water therein, a pipe aifording communication between said generator and said vessel and having within the latter an upright extension, a drum loosely inclosing said upright pipe and havinga lower open end-constantly submerged in the water of said vessel, a float rigidly supported from said drum and normally held by the weight thereof submerged in the water, and a pipe leading from the upper part of said vessel to said gas-holder, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a generator and a gas-holder, of a liquid-seal device comprising an upright vessel having water therein, a pipe affording communication between said generator and said vessel and having within the latter an upright extension, a drum loosely inclosing said upright pipe and havinga lower open end constantly submerged in the water of said vessel, a float rigidly supported from said drum, and normally held by the weight thereof submerged in the water, means for limiting the movements of said drum, and a pipe leading from the upper part of said vessel to said gas-holder, substantially as described.

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

EDWARD S.- MARTINDALE.

Witnesses:

H. W. NEILY, EDWARD LINDSEY.

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