US716419A - Safety-lock for acetylene-generators. - Google Patents

Description

No. 716,4!9. Patented Doc. 23, I902.

W. 0. HUMAN.

SAFETY LOCK FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS.

Application filed m). 19, 1902.1 4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNEEEEE: INVENTEIR "m: nonms PETERS cc. wuo'ruu'ruu. WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 7I6,4l9. I Patented Dan. 23. I902.

W. 0. HUMAN.

SAFETY LOCK FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS.

:Application filed Feb. 19, 1902.1

v I I 1 ATTORNEY Mir 49 N545 PETER; an, Pnovauma, WASMNGTDN or c.

wine 'ra'rns PATENT ()F-FICE.

WILLIAM C. IIOMAN, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR ACETYLEN E-G EN ERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 716,419, dated December 23, 1902. Application filed February 19, 1902. fierial No. 94,740. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. 110mm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locks for Acetylene-Generators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to acetylene-generators,particularly to a safety appliance therefor.

Theinventionis usefulchieflyin connection with portable generators and lamps; and its purpose is to provide a simple and effective locking means to prevent a continued generation of gas in case the generator is tipped over.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section and elevation of part of a lamp with the safety device attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of a lamp with the valves and attached parts locked. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the locking mechanism, showing the manner in which the lock is operated.

A is a carbid-chamber.

B is a water-reservoir.

C C are valves in the passage leading from the carbid-chamber to the water-reservoir and by which the feed of the carbid is controlled. The valve C is operated by means of a collapsible gas-reservoir R, which expands under pressure and is contracted by means of a spring S or the like. The particular construction and mode of operation of the collapsible reservoir R is immaterial to this invention; but in the particular form of generator shown I use such a collapsible chamber as is shown in my former patent, No. 688,951, of December 17, 1901.

D is a valve-stem.

E is a sleeve carried by the valve-stem and having the annular flanges F F, the lower one,F', being preferably cupped to form a ball' race to receive a ball G.

H is a tube-like member surrounding the valve-stem D and its associated parts and having perforations H therein, around which a suitable felt packing H may be carried, which packing acts as a filter for the gas passinginto the perforations and thence up through the tube H into the collapsible gasreceiver R, by which the valve is controlled.

The tube H is provided at a. suitable point in its length with an offset annular cavity I, which is at approximately the elevation of the space between the flanges F F when the valve-stem D is raised to its uppermost position. In this position the valve C completely closes the passage from the carbidchamber to the liquid-reservoir. If the generator is tipped over when the valve is closed thus, it will be seen that the ball G will roll partially out of the space between the flanges F F and will project partly into the annular cavity 1. In this position,of course, the gas generating elements cannot be brought together until the valve has been moved back away from the valve-seat. As this would be extremely dangerous, since it might allow the water to run into the carbid-chamber and continue the generation of gas, possibly in undue quantities, the ball G aforesaid serves as a key to lock the'sleeve E. Consequently the valve-stem isheld in the fixed position in which the flange F lies adjacent to the annular cavity I, the ball assuming approximately the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The gas contained within the collapsible gas-chamber can be consumed by the burner or may flow off; but this will not permit the valve to move as in the normal use of the generator, because of the position of the ball. l/Vhen the operator observes the unnatural condition of affairs, he restores the generator to its proper upright position, as in Fig. 2, and then by means of the controlling-handle J, operating through a suitable lever L, he may manually cause a sufficient expansion of the collapsible receiver to slightly elevate the valve-stem, whereupon the ball is released andby gravity drops into the channel of the flange F, in which position it ceases to perform the function of a key ora lock between the valve-stem and the stationary tube H. The lamp may then resume its normal func: tions. This safety feature may be applied in a variety of ways, and it should therefore be understood that I contemplate that a variety of modifications and changes may be made by the mechanic skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, which is, broadly, to provide a locking device to prevent the further bringing together of the gas-generating elements in the event the generator is tipped over or inclined at too great an angle. If the generator is overturned when the carbid-valve is open, and consequently the flange F some distance below the cavity I, then the collapsible chamber on the next expansion will lift the valve and allow the ball to fall into the locking position.

What I claim is- 1. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambers for holding the gas-generating elements, a passage from one to the other, a valve therefor, means for operating said valve and a gravity-controlled means to lock said valve when the generator is tipped from the desired operative position.

2. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambers for holding the gas-generating elements, a passage from one to the other, a valve therefor, means for operating said valve and means to lock said valve when the generator is tipped from the desired operative position, said locking means comprising ball-retaining flanges, a stationary tube and a ball adapted to coact therewith.

3. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambers for holding the gas-generating elements a-passage from one to the other, an automatic valve therefor, means for operating said valve and a gravitycontrolled means to lock said valve when the generator-is tipped from its desired operative position.

4. In an acetylenegenerator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambers forholding the gas-generating elements, a passage from one to the other, a valve therefor, means for operating said valve and means to lock said valve when the generator is tipped from the desired operative position, said locking means comprising ball-retaining flanges, a stationary tube and a ball adapted to coact therewith, said flanges being carried by said valve so that when said ball is thrown into a groove in said tube said valve is locked.

5. A locking device for avalve comprising a valve-rod, a pair of flanges carried by said rod, a stationary tube having an enlargement therein in diameter, one of said flanges being adapted to form a ball-race, a ball therefor, the other of said flanges being adapted to coact With said ball when it is in the enlarged part of said stationary tube and lock the valve.

6. A locking device for a valve comprising an automatically-operated valve-rod, a pair of flanges carried by said rod, a stationary tube having an enlargement therein in diameter, one of said flanges being adapted to form aball-race, a ball therefor, the other of said flanges being adapted to coact with said ball when it is in the enlarged part of vsaid stationary tube and lock the valve and thus prevent its automatic action.

7. In an acetylene generator, separate chambers for holding the gas-generating ele-. ments, a passage from one to the other, a valve therefor,and means operated by gravity to lock said valve.

8. In an acetylene-generator, a casing, a plurality of separate chambers for holding the gas-generating elements, a passage between them, a valve therefor, and means operated by gravity to lock said valve against movement when the generatoris tipped from the desired operative position in combination with manually-controlled means projecting outside of the casing and coacting with said WILLIAM C. HOMAN.

Witnesses:

W. L. BABCOOK, F. S. PARKER.

Images