US692891A - Acetylene-gas apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 692,89l.

(No Model.)

J. ST. L. MGGINN.

AGETYLENE GAS APPARATUS.

(Application led Jan. 20, 1899.)

Patented reu. n, |902.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Feb. Il, |902.

.1. sT.` L. mecum. AGETYLENE GAS APPARATUS.

(Application Bled Jan. 20, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Tn: wams PErEns co.. Puorouwo., wAsNmaYaN. o, c.

UNITED STATES 'n PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN ST. LEGER MCGINN, OF VINNIPEG, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES CUSHING HOLLAND, TRUSTEE, OF MONTREAL', CANADA.

ACETYLENE-GAS APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 692,891, dated February 1 1, 1 902.

y Application filed January Z0, 1899. Serial No. 702,830. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ST. LEGER Mc- GINN, of the city of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to acetylene-gas apparatus generally, but particularly to that illustrated and described inmy applications, Serial No. 676,083, filed April 1, 1898, and allowed August 27,1898, and Serial No. 688,593, tiled August 15, 1898.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of acetylene-gas apparatus with a view to greater efficiency and increased safety.

To these ends the invention may be said, brieliy, to consist inl sealing all the passages to or from the decomposing or gas-generating chamber with a seal that must of necessity be rendered effective before the first drop of water can be supplied to the said chamber, said seal being further adapted to remain effective notwithstanding the separation of said chamber from the gas-containing chamber.

More specifically speaking, the apparatus consists of a main generating-chamber divided into a number of compartments and closed at its top by a removable cover, having a pair of short tubes extending upwardly therethrough, one ofV which is adapted to be connected to the gas-pipe leading to the gasholder, while the other is adapted at times to communicate with the atmosphere and at other times to be closed and sealed. These tubes are located in what may be termed a sealing chamber. An overflow-port is formed near the upper edge of the sealingchamber to communicate with a water seal surrounding and sealing the adjoining edges of the generating-chamber and its cover, a

communicating channel being formed between said seal and the interior of the generator, while a series of communicating channels connect the compartments of the generating-chamber to one another. The sealing-chamber, surrounding seal, and various channels are so arranged relatively to one an= other that the .water in its circuit to the generating-chamber will first till and overflow both the sealing-chamber and the surrounding seal. before reaching said ,f ,renerati11g-cham-` ber, and in so doing will effectively seal the outlet to the atmosphere through either of the beforementioned tubes from said generating-chamber. Means'are provided whereby water will be supplied automatically through the action of an improved gas-holder (illus- 6o trated, described, and claimed by me in an application for Letters Patent filed, under Serial No. 702,831, on January 30, 1899) to the sealing-chamber and thence to the generating-chamber through its water seal, as before 6 5 mentioned, the calcium carbid being supported in measured quantities above the water in the generating-chamber and caused by the rise of the water to be precipitated and completely submerged in a novel manner therein.

For full comprehension, however, of my i11- vention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols indicate the same parts, and wherein- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional View 0f my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectio-nal View of my improved generator, taken 8o on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the means for supporting the carbid-containing cups. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view lof one of the cups; Fig.

6, a detail vertical sectional view of the means V for operating the valve of the water-supplying device, and Fig. 7a detail plan view of the star-wheel forming a part of said water-supplying device. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of one of the standards of the'removable 9o frame, taken on line 8 8, Fig. 4. l

My generator consists of a circular casing divided diametrically into a number of compartments. Thischambercommunicates with the gas-holder through a novel sealing-chamber and' other connections. Each of these compartments contains mechanism for automatically immersing a fresh supply of calcium carbid in water automatically supplied to said compartment when the pressure of gas roo in the holder is decreased below what is required to serve the consumption. This casing 5 rests upon the floor of the building and is constructed with a pocket 9 at its upper end, which receives the pendent peripheral flange 10 of a cover. This cover consists of a circular plate 12, having besides said flange 10 a vertically-projecting flange 13, having a segment thereof increased in height, asat 14. A pair of vertical tubes 15 and 16, equal in length to one another and to the segment 14, project upwardly from a pair of openings in said cover. A cylindrical cap 17 fits over each of these tubes, the cap fitting over tube 16 being weighted, and the tube 15 and its cap 17 are inclosed by a pipe 18, soldered at its lower end to the cover, while the upper end thereof projects upwardly above the tube 15 and has an encircling pipe 20, secured at its lower end thereto a short distance above the lower end thereof andl with its upper end on a level with the upper end of the pipe 18, thus forming an elongated pocket 19. A pipe 2l, about equal in length to said pipe 18, is supported rigidly by and communicates with the gas-conducting pipe 22, with its lower end taking downwardly into the pocket 19 a sufficient distance to provide an effective water seal, as will be presently described, while a water-conducting tube 23, having a flared upper end, is soldered to the side of the pipe 21.

A pair of walls 25, equal in height to lthe segmental wall 14, are soldered at their radially outer edges to the lside edges thereof, at their bottom edges to lthe cover 12, and at their radially inner edges to the tube 21 and the lower end of the pipe 18, thus constituting a sealing-chamber 26, while said lower end of the said pipe 18 and the upper end of the segmental wall 14 are perforated, respectively, as at 27 and 28, and the upper end of the pipe 2O is perforated, as at 29.

A series-of radial partitions 30, 31, 32, and 33 (constituting the diametrical divisions of the generator before referred to) extend from the bottom of the casing 5 to within a short distance of the top thereof, thus forming centrolineal subcharnbers 34, 35, 36, and 37, respectivel y, and said three flrstmention ed partitions are provided, respectively, with overow- openings 38, 39, and 40, respectively, near the upper ends lthereof, while the segmental wall of the subchamber 37 has a corresponding opening 41 near its upper end. A series of tubular conductors 42, 43, 44, and 45 are formed in the interior of said subchambers and extend from the said respective openings to within a short distance of the iioor of the casing. Within each subchainber a removable cup-supporting frame is located, andV consists of a pair of standards 46, semicylindrical in cross section, supported between top and bottom rectangular framepieces 47 and 48, respectively, and arevertically slotted longitudinally thereof, as at 49, from one frame-piece to the other. The edges of each standard are diagonally slotted, as at 50, and a lever 51 is fulcrumed, as at 52, to the standard, and supported by a stop 53 upon said standard tonormally extend horizontally on a line about midway of the upper end of each adjacent pair of slots, and with one end projecting toward the center of the casing and the other end intersecting the said slot 49.

y My improved carbid-containing cup consists of an inclosing cup portion 54, in which is secured concentrically thereof a cylindrical section 55, constituting the carbid carrier proper and having its upper edge notched, as at 56, the inclosing cap having a series of perforations 57 about midway of the height of the inside section 55, which is greater in height than the inclosing cup 53, while the space between said inner and outer portions receives the lower end of a cover in the form of an inverted cup 58, equal in depth to said inner portion 55 and having a series of notches 59 at its lower edge. A pair of rigid pins 60 project from each side of the inclosing cup 54 and take into vthe diagonal slots 50, and a vertically-arranged staple-like pro jection 61 takes into the vertical slot 49 and receives the short end of the lever 5l, which retains the cup against displacement. The upward movement of the cover relatively to the cup-,body is restricted by a link rigidly connected to the said cover and having a sliding connection with the body. This link consists of a piece of wire 160, soldered at its upper end to the top of the cover and having its lower end bent to form a loop 161, adapted to take over the uppermost of the pins 60.

A float 62, triangular in plan view, is located in the inside corner of each subchamber, where it is localized, and guided in guideways formed by vertically-arranged angular strips 63, secured to the sides of the partitions, during an upward movement imparted thereto by water supplied to the said cham ber, as will be presently described.

The gas-holder,which, as before mentioned, forms the subject-matter of au application of even date herewith filed by me on January 20, 1899, under Serial No. 702,831, consists of an inclosing casing V70, in which a gas-receiving drum 7l is located, this drum being of the usual dome form and fits over a second domelike structure 72, the lower edges whereof are connected by an annular diaphragm 73 to the lower edge of the inclosing casing. A vertical tubular section 74 is formed centrally of the innermost dome and communicates by a horizontal pipe 75 with the lower end of the space between said inner dome and the outer casing. The drum has a tube 76, extending from a central opening in the top thereof downwardly into the tubular passage formed by said tubularsection 74, to which it approximately corresponds in length, while the outer casing also has a tube 78, extending from a central opening in the top thereof downwardly into the last before-mentioned tube to a point a short distance below the top of the before-mentioned vertical tubular passage. The gas-conducting pipe 22 from the generating-chamber is taken into the inclosing cas- IIO in gnearv the bottom thereof, and upwardly through the innermost dome-like ystructure and through thetop thereof to communicate with the space between said structure and the drum, and the second gas-cond uctin g pipe 180 leads from said space between the structure and drum to a point where the gas is to be distributed for consumption. At the top of the inclosing casing a blow-od pipe 181 is taken from the interior thereof to the openV air. The water for sealin g purposes is 'supplied to thespace between the saidstructure and the outer casing through a pipe 80, formed on the exterior of the casing and leading from the lower end of said space upwardly to a point above the level at which it may be desired to keep the water seal. vThe water for generating purposes is supplied to the generator through a feeder of novel construction and illustrated and claimed by me in application Serial No. 688,593, filed August 15, 1898.

In order to better understand the working of my apparatus, I will now describe the supplying device.

Water is received into a feeder 82 (see Figs. 1, 6, and 7) through a pipe 83, that extends to any suitable source of supply. Within the feeder or box 82 is a horizontal partition 81, having an opening 84. A rotary valve 85, having an opening therein, rests on said partition 81 and is provided with a stem 86, that extends through a tube 87 and out of the lower end of the feeder 82. On the flanged end of this tube 87 is loosely mounted a four-armed or star wheel 88, Fig. 7, which has pendent bifurcated arms 89, that enga-ge a rod 90, passing through the stern 86. The arms of this wheel are formed of metal rods bent to present somewhat of a pear shape equal at its greatest widthto the diameter of the hub of the wheel. It is apparent that as the star-wheel rotates the valve 85 must be rotated also. Such rotation is effected by contact with the arms of the wheel of one arm of a bell-crank lever 95, fulcrumed to a bracket 9G, mounted upon the gas-holder and actuated by a lever 97, fulcrumed upon the upper end of a standard 98 upon the top of the holder. This latter lever is formed with a forked end 99, adapted to be engaged by a cross-piece 100 uponV the upper end of a rod 101, secured at its lower end within the tube 76. also embodied in above-mentioned application of even date herewith. It is further apparent that a part revolution of the wheel will-permit the fiow of water from the upper to the lower compartmentv of the feeder 82, whence it will flow through a pipe 104 into a chute 105, automatically tilted into position by the act-ion of the before-mentioned lever 97 through a slot 106 in the lower end of a rod107, through which the before-mentioned bell-crank lever 95 is also actuated. This chute guides the water into a water-distributer 108,-whence it flows either by the pipe 109 to the first water seal of the generator illustratedor by the pipe 110 to another genera- This latter lever is toi-. (Not shown.) This distributer is'also illustrated and 'described in my'pendingapplication, Serial No. 688,593, filed'Aug'ust 15,' 1898, and consists of a receptacle`108, having a transverse angular partition 112, upon whichja tiltable chute rides. VThis latter chute consists of a long central plate 111, having parallel wings 113 on each sideand two short bottom plates 114, th'at'stand at an obtuse angle to the central and longer plate. By tilting this chute the water can be caused to run through either one of the pipes .'109 or 110.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows, it being supposed that the cups are charged with carbid, but no gas yet generated, the lever for actuating the water-supply being under such circumstances in the position'indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The water will fiow into the distributor, as before mentioned, and thence through the water-conductor 23 until the sealing-space between the pipes 18 and 21 is filled, when it will overfiow through opening 29' into the sealing-chamber 26 and fill vit up to its overfiow-opening 28, through which it will'tlow into the pocket 9, which is inturn filled to overflow-opening 41, through which it finally finds it way to the chamber V3a. The water will continue to fiow into this chamber until `a sufficient depth is provided to cause the float to impinge uponthe lever of the lowermost cup, thereby releasing said cup,7 and ,causing same to be precipitated into the water, where the air naturally contained beneath the cap 58 will cause said cap to rise from its seat and sufficiently to allow the water to'flow into the cups and Vattack the carbid therein, the wire loops 161 restricting the upward movement of the cap and still retaining same inr sucha position that it will 'when the carbid has been exhausted fall back to its seat. Meanwhile gas will have been generated and will have passed through pipe 15 (raising the cap 17) to the drum ofthe gas-holder, which will inrising tilt the lever for actuating the water-supply device and the chute to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus turning off the water. When the gashas been to a certain extent exhausted by consumption, the above will be repeated again and again and cup after cup dropped until all the calcium carbid in the first subchamber has been exhausted and the water has flooded that chamber and fiows through the overflow-opening to the adjoining subchamber, wherein a similar action takes place, and from that subchamber to the next in a similar manner until every cup in all four subchambers has been dropped and the carbid therein exhausted.

In order to have access to the generator after its contents have been exhausted, thel valvularrcap 27 of pipe 16 should be first removed Vand the cover then raised fromk the lbody portion until the lower edgeof the depending flange clears the upper edge of the IOO IIO

outer wall of the pocket 9,when the body portion can be withdrawn along the ioorfrom beneath the cover. In so raising the cover the pocket19 will be drawn up over the pipe 21, to accommodate whichasufficient distance between the lower ends of said pipe and pocket has been provided, thus constantly maintaining the seal of the point of connection between the parts of the gas-conductor constituted by said pipes 1S and 21. e

What I claim is as follows: 1. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a body portion and a cover, a tube extending upwardly from said cover and communicating with the interior of said body portion; a controlling-valve for said tube; means for sealing said valve while the generator is not operating; a vertical tubular section extending upwardly from the cover and encircling said tube; a gas-conducting pipe; and means for connecting one end of said pipe to said tubular section, for the purpose set forth.

2. An acetylenegas generator comprising a body portion and a cover, a pair of tubes extending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior of said generator; a sealingchamber formed to inclose said tubes and having an overfiow-openiug near its upper end; a controlling-Valve for each of said tubes; oneof said valves being operated by the rising gas-pressure in the generator, the liquid in said sealing-chamber sealing said valves a vertical tubular extension from the floor of said sealing-chamber and encircling said automatically-controlled tube, and commuuicating at its lower end with said sealingchamber; a gas-conducting pipe and means for connecting one end of said gas-conducting pipe to said tubular extension, for the purpose set forth.

3. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a body portion and a cover, a pair of tubes eX- tending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior of said generator; asealing-chamber formed to inclose said tubes and having an overflow-opening near its upper end; a controlling-Valve for each of said tubes; one of said valves being operated by the rising gas-pressure in the generator, the liquid in saidv sealing-chamber sealing said Valves; a vertical tubular extension from the door of said sealing-chamber and encircling said automatically valve-controlled tube, and communicating atits lower end with said sealing-chamber; a gas-conducting pipe and means comprising a watery seal for connecting one end of said gas-conducting pipe to said tubular extension, for the purpose set forth.

4. An acetylenegas generator comprising a body portion and a cover, a pair of tubes extending upwardly from said cover, and coinmunicating with the interior of said generator; a sealing-chamber formed to inelose said tubes and having an overiiow-opening near its upper end; a controlling-valve for each of said tubes; one of said valves being operated by the rising gas-pressure in the generator,

the liquid in said sealing-chamber sealing said Valves ;Y a vertical tubular extension from the floor of said sealing-chamber and encircling said automatically valve controlled tube, and communicating at its lower end with said sealing-chamber; an encircling pocket formed upon the upper end of said tubular extension and having an overliowopening near itsv upper end; a tubular section taking downwardly a short distance into said pocket, and communicating at its upper end with a gas-conducting pipe a depending peripheral flange upon said cover; the body of the generator having aY pocket formed at its upper end to receive said depending ange, the outer wall of said pocket being of greater height than the generating-chamber and the upper end of said generating-chamber being formed with an overflow-opening; means for supplying water to the pocket of said vertical tubular extension; means for holding calcium carbid located within said generator; and means actuated by the water as it rises in said generator for causing said calcium carbid and water to combine for the purpose set forth.

5. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a Y body portion and a cover, a pair of tubes extending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior of said generator; a sealing-chamber formed to inclose said tubes; and having an overow-opening near its upper end a controlling-valve for each of said tubes; one of said valves being operated by the rising gas-pressure in the generator, the liquid in said sealing-chamber sealing said valves, a Vertical tubular extension from the door of said sealing-chamber and encircling said automatically valve-controlled tube, and communicating at its lower lOO end with said sealing-chamber; an encircling pocket formed upon the upper end of said tubular extension and having an overflowopening near its upper end; a tubular section taking downwardly a short distance into said pocket, and communicating at its upper end with a gas-conducting pipe a depending peripheral flange upon said cover; the body of the generator having a pocket formed at its upper end to receive said depending flange, the outer wall of said pocket being of greater height than the generating-chamber and the upper end of said generating-chamber being formed with an overflow-opening; means for supplying water to the pocket of said vertical tubular extension; a series of holders for predetermined quantities of calcium carbid located within said generator; and means actuated by the water as it rises in said generator for successively submerging said holders in the water for the purpose set forth.

6. In a generator containing water, a frame comprising one or more Vertical standards each having a series of longitudinal slots; a series of cups; a staple-like projection upon each cup and taking into one of said longitudinal slots; a series of levers fulcrumed to IIO said standards and normally taking at one end into the portion of said staple-like projections protruding through said slots and means for successively moving said levers out ot' engagement with said staples, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a generator containing Water, a removable frame comprising one or more vertical standards semicircular in cross-section and each having a series of diagonal slots in the edges thereof, and a series of longitudinal slots; a series of cups; a series of lateral pin projections upon the sides of said cups and taking into said slots; a staple-like projection upon each cup and taking into one'of said longitudinal slots; a series of levers fulcrumed to said standards andnormally taking at one end into the portion of said staplelikeprojections protruding through said slots and means for successively moving said'levers out of engagement with said staples, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a generator containing water; means for supplying Water to said generator, a removable' frame comprising one or more vertical standards, and a series of vertical slots; a series of cups; a staple-like projection upon each cup and taking into one of said vertical slots; a series of levers fulcrumed to said standards and taking at one end into the portion of said staple-like projections protruding through said slots and a float for successively moving said levers substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a generator containing Water; means for supplying water to said generator, a removable frame comprising one or more vertical standards each having a series of diagonal slots in the edges thereof, and a series of longitudinal slots; a series of cups; a series of lateral pin projections upon the sides of said cups and taking into said slots; a staplelike projection upon each cup and taking into one of said longitudinal slots; a series of levers fulcrumed to said standards and taking at one end into the portion of saidstaple-like projections protruding through said slots and a float for successively moving said levers substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a generator a carbid-containing cupv consisting of an inside cuphaving its upper edge notched; an outside cup having a series of perforations about midway of the height of said inside cup; and a cover for said inside 1l. An acetylene-gas generator consisting of a circular casing having a pocket 9 at its upper end and an overilow-opening 41; a series of radial partitions 30, having overiioW- opening 88, 31 having overflow-opening 39, 32 having overiioW-opening 40 and 33 a removable frame located in each subchamber and comprising one or more vertical standards semicircular in cross-section and'each having a series of diagonal slots in the edges thereof, and a longitudinal slot; a series of cups; a series of lateral pin projections upon the sides of said cups and taking into said slots a staple-like projection upon each cup and taking into said longitudinal slot; a series of levers fulcrumed to said standards and taking at one end into the portion of said staple-like projections protruding through said slots and a float guided in the inner angle of each subchamber for successively moving said levers; a removable cover for said casing; a pair of tubes extending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior of said casing; a sealing-chamber formed to inclose said tubes and having an overfioW-opening to said pocket 9, a controlling-valve for each of said tubes; one of said valves being operated by the rising gas-pressure in the generator, the liquid in said sealing-chamber sealing said valves a vertical tubular extension from the floor of said sealing-chamber and encircling said automatically valve-controlled tube and communicating at its lower end with said sealing-chamber; an encircling pocket formed upon the upper end of said tubular extension and having an overflow-opening near its upper end; a tubular section taking downwardly a short distance into said pocket, and communicating at its upper end with a gas-conducting pipe; a depending peripheral liange upon said cover taking into said pocket 9; the outer wall'of said pocket 9 being of greater height than the generating-chamber and the upper end of said generating-chamber, and the upper end of said generating-chamber being formed with an overliow-opening; and means controlled by the exhaustion of the gas in said generator for supplying Water to the pocket of said vertical tubular extension, substantially as described and for the pur pose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN ST. LEGER MCGINN.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM P. MoFEAT, FRED. J. SEARS.

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