US820468A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

BATBNTED MAY 15. 1906.

c. w. max.- AGBTYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 23, 1900.

INVENTOR -E\/VITNESSIES 35 once being "UNITED STAllhl S PA'llfiNT orrron.

CHARLES W-. BECK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY

ME'NTS, TO ELECTROLITE GAS LAMP COMPANY, OF NEW MnsivE ASSIGN- YORK, N. Y.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batentecl May 15, 1906.

To aZZ whom it 1110, concern.-

Be it known that citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Generators, of-

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene-generators, and refers more spe- IO cifically to an improved carbid-feeding mechinsm for feeding pulverulent or broken car- The object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism of the character referred to so constructed and arranged that the liability of its becoming clogged by reason of incrustation of carbid thereon or becoming jammed by lumps of carbid, so as to interfere with its free and regular operation, will be reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the parts as to protect the carbid passing through the feeding mechanism from damp air and steam until it has been delivered to 'the generating-chamber, thereby preventing the generation of gas during its transit through the feeding mechanism, and also obviating ..aftergeneration in case the feeding operation be interrupted.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the same will be readily underj stood from the following description, referhad to the accompanying drawings, in whichigure 1 is an axial vertical sectional view of a generator and accompanying gasometer equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a .0 fragmentary side elevation of the side of the gasometer adjacent to the generator, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the carbid-feeding mechanism proper, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and looking downwardly. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a modified. form of feed-table. Referring to said drawings, 1 designates as a whole a generator, which may be of any suitable or preferred construction, comprising an upper carbid-hopper'2 and a lower waterchamber 3, the hopper being arranged at .some distance above the normal level of water within the reservoir, so asto provide an intervening space, which constitutes the 1, CHARLES W. BECK, a generator space or chamber 4 of the generator. The lower wall of the carbid-hopper extends laterally from the feed-opening and inclines outward and upward, it being adapted to direct the carbid toward. the feedopen- *ing and to sustain a greater part of the weight lower margin surrounds the feed mechanism,

of the carbid.

Describing now more particularly the feeding mechanism constituting the present invention, the lower part of the carbid-hopper is provided with a discharge-opening 5, the of which, 6, is arranged horizontally, as indicated clearly in Fig. 1. At a short distance below the discharge-opening of the hopper is arranged a horizontally-dis.- posed feedtable 7, suitably supported so as to be capable of being rotated intermittently and located at such distance below the end of the hopper that the carbid falling from the hopper upon said table will bank up so as to close the discharge-opening and not. flow over the edges of the table while the latter remains stationary. The diameter of the feed-table and its relation to the dischargeopening of the hopper are such that while the table remains stationary the carbid will not flow over the edges of the latter; but, as above described, when the table is rotated the movement of the table relatively to the fixed end of the hopper will cause the carbid to gradually move radially outward and be discharged from the table.

In order to positively discharge the carbid from the table. and at the same time insure its discharge at a particular point relatively to the stationary parts ofthe mechanism, 1. provide a wiper or deflector 8,,preferably and as shown herein consisting of a blade arranged vertically with its lower edge extend ing from the periphery of the table obliquely inward a distance somewhat less than one half of the diameter of the table and in a direction inclined forwardly and outwardly with reference to a'radius of the feed'table and its direction. of movement, so as to operate to brush the carbidresting near the periphery of the table outwardly and discharge it from the edge of the latter. cohv eniently and as shown herein supported by means of an arm 9, having one end attached to the interior of a housing 10, which Said wiper 1s and its oppo- ICC site end formed integrally with the outer end of the blade, as indicated clearly in the drawmgs.

' In order that the damp vapors and steam caused by generation may not reach the carbid passing through the feed mehanism or that within the hopper through the feedopening, I provide the housing 10, inclosing the feed mechanism, and provide said housing with a trap-door through which the carbid discharged from the feed-table is free to escape, Said housing preferably and as shown herein consists of a cylindric vertically-disposed inclosing wall 10, having its upper end suitably united with the conical lower end of the carbid-hopper concentric with the discharge-opening thereof and provided at its lower end at a point some distance below the feed-table with an inclined and conical end wall 1, through which is formed at its lowermost point and vertically beneath the Wiper 8 a discharge-opening 12. 14 designates a horizontally-arranged trap-door which is arran ed to control the discharge-opening 12. Said trap-door is pivotally mounted so as to be free to open downwardly, being conveniently provided with a supporting-arm 15, pivotally connected at a point between its ends, as at 16, with a suitable bracket or support 17 upon the side wall of the housing and provided with a sliding weight 18, whereby the quantity of carbid necessary to open said door may .be regulated.

As a preferred means of rotatably supporting thefeed-table and imparting an intermittent motion thereto I provide a supportingshaft 19, arranged I to extend upwardly through the bottom wall of the water-reservoir and engaged at its upper end with the lower side of the carbid-table at the center of the latter, such connection being convenientlyformed by means of a socket 21, for-med on the under side of the table, within which the u per end of the shaft extends a'nd is's'ecure by' means of a cross-pin 22. In'order tQ-form a suitable seal around the shaft 19 and at the same time provide a suitable hearing within which the shaft is supported in its vertical position, I provide a sleeve 23, having its lower end threaded within the opening in the bottom wall 20 of the reservoir and within a reinforcing casting 24, mounted upon the lower side of saidwall concentric with said I opening and arranged to extend thence upwardly to a point well above the normal level of the liquid within said reservoir.

Upon the shaft 19 ismounted. a bell w hich is arranged to telescope over .the

. sleeve 23, the lower end of the bell terminatabo e reservom,v 7 I In order to afford access to the feed mech-,

anis'm, the upper member of the generator. or

but adjacent to the bottom of the 'hopperismade to separate from\the lower member .on' a line J extending thfqughzthe employed for-imparting to the feed-table an housing 10, as indicated at 26, the parts being conveniently united by means of screws or bolts 26, as shown clearly in the drawings.

Any suitable or preferred means may be intermittent rotary movementas, for example, in the case of comparatively large generators, from which the gas is conveyed to a suitable gasonieter or reservoir, the feedtable may be rotated from time to time manually by means of any suitable mechanism. Preferably and as shown herein, however, means are provided whereby said table is rotated intermittently and automatically, the frequency of movement being determined by the consumption of gas generated. To this end the lower end of the shaft 19 is provided with a bevel-gear 27, with which intermeshes a second bevel-gear 28, mounted upon a shaft 29, arranged to extend outwardly through a suitable bearing 30 and through the side wall of the generator and engaging a second bearing 31, mounted upon the-exterior of a gasometer, (designated as awhole 32.) Said gasometer 32 is of a usual type, comprising a lower receptacle or member 33 and an upper member or bell 34, telescoping within said lower member and having its lower end immersed in liquid, as usual, a gas-pipe 35 afford' ing communication between the upper part of the generating-chamber of the generator and the interior of the bell, as indicated clearly in the drawings. Upon the shaft 29, adjacent to the gasometer, is mounted a sprocketwheel 36, and at a point some distance abovesaid sprocket is mounted a second sprocket 37. 38 designates a sprocket-belt arranged upon said sprockets, and 39 designates a ratchet-plungermounted to reciprocate vertically in suitable guides or supports 40 41, adjacent to and arallel with one side of said belt, as best indicated in Fig. 2.

Upon said plunger is mounted a pawl or hook 42, which" wardly to permit the pawl to slide over thechain-links as the gasometer is raised, while its under surface 1s horizontal, so that when the gasometer descends the end of the pawl will engage'one of the chain-links and carry the en aged part of the chain downward.

43 esignates a bar mounted rigidly upon the bell of theg'asometer and having its lower end arranged to extend in alinement with'the upper end of the plunger 39 and so located with reference to the bell that when the latter is approaching the lower limit of its movement said bar will engage the plunger and-force the latter downwardly, thereby-- rotating the shaft 29 and, through the connections hereinbefore described, rotating the feed-table. The plunger 39 is returned and The hopper 2 is provided with a suitable inlet-aperture 45, closed by a screw-block 46,

' at the lower side as usual, and likewise the reservoir or generator body 3 is provided with a supply-pipe 47 and a discharge-pipe by a suitable stop-cock, as 49 and 50, respectively. herein the inlet-pipe 47 is arran ed to communicate with the lower part of t e reservoir and is made of relatively large diameter and extended vertically upward to a point well above the highest level of liquid within the reservoir, the object of this construction being to enable the operator to tell by inspection abouthow much liquid is contained in the reservoir. As a protection against overfilling the supply-pipe is provided with an overflowaperture 51, located. at a point coincident with the hi hest level to which the reservoir should be filled. The bottom of the reservoir 20 is inclined and the outlet-pipe 48 located thereof, so that the residue and sludge may be readily removed, and in this connection it is to be noted that should bottom,

the sludge have a tendency to accumulate on the floor of the reservoir it may be readily flushed off by leaving both inlet and outlet pipes open and running water through the reservoir, it being noted that the inlet-pipe discharges near the upper side of the inclined so that the course of the liquid would be directly across the bottom of the reservoir. The gasometer is provided with the usual outlet gas-pipe 52, conveniently ar'' ranged to extend up through the bottom wall, and terminates at its inner end at a point well above the level of the sealing liquid therein.

The operation of the apparatus constructedas thus described is probably entirely obvious, but may be briefly recapitulated as follows: The hopperand reservoir having been'suitably charged with carbid and water, respectively, the apparatus may be brought into operation initially by rotating the feed table in any suitable manner as, for example, manually-imtil a first supply of gas is formed. As the feed-table rotates c'arbid will be discharged therefrom bythe wiper and will fall upon the trap-door 14,.accumulating thereon until its weight overcomes the counterbalance-weight, whereupon the car bid 'will be dumped and the trap-door again closed. The carbid falling withinthe Water generates a supply of gas, which, filling the generatin chamber, passes through the pipe 35 to the ell of the gasometer and raises the latter. After the first supply of gas has been 48, each controlled In the preferred construction shown formed the generation becomes automatic. As the gas is consumed. and the bell falls the lower end of the plunger and operates that mechanism in the manner hereinbefore described, thus repeating the operation of feeding carbid to the liqui ,it being obvious that as soon as a second supply of carbid is dumped the fresh supply of gas generated will fill and lift the bell and permit the ratchet-plunger to rise in roadiness to repeat the-feeding operation.

It will of course be understood that there are numerous Well-known ways in which the feed mechanism proper may be operated, either automatically or intermittently, at will. In Fig. 4 I have shown an improved form of feed-table more particularly adapted for use in a feed mechanism constructed generally like that described, but in which the wiper is omitted. and in which the lower end wall of the feed-mechanism housing either omitted or provided with a suitable opening to permit the assage of the carbid flowing over the perip cry of the table throughout its entire circumference. Said. modification consists in providing the feed-table 53 with a conical upper side portion 54, provided with spirally-arran ed ribs 55, which are adapted to act upon tTie pulverulent carbid to force the latter gradually radially outward, so as to discharge it over. the periphery of the table at all points thereof. It will be obviousthat the weight of the accumulated carbid resting upon the table and held from rotation so far as its main body is concerned by reason of its continuity with the body of carbid within the hopper will be acted upon by the spirallyflanged upper surface of the table screw fashion, and the carbid thus discharged in an approximately positive manner. This construction has certain advantages over the previously-described construction, among which may be mentioned that by reason of the. omission of the wiper or deflecting-plate there is less liability of the feed mechanism becoming clogged'by the presence of a lump or several lumps forming a wedge of carbid. A feed-table of this type may obviously be employed in conjunction with .a generator like that herein described, it being obvious that the inclined lower wall 11 of the housing which surrounds the feed-table will act to di rect the carbid discharged. from the periphery of the feed-table to the dischargeaperture 12 thereof and: that the'operation will therefore be substantially the same as that of the first-described. construction.

VVhile I have herein shown and. described what I deem to be a preferred. embodiment of my invention, yet it will be obvious that the details thereof may be modified to. some extent without departing from the invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the precise details shown except as they are made the subject of specific claims.

bar 43 engages the ratchet- I claim as my invention 1. A carbid-feedin g mechanism for feedlng loose carbid, comprising a suitable hopper or 'source of carbid-supply formed with a distently, substantially as described.

' 2. A carbid-feeding mechanism for feeding loose carbid comprising a carbid-hopper pro videdwith. a conical lower end portion terminating in a circular horizontally-arranged deed-aperture, a circular horizontally-disposed feed-table su ported a short'distance below the lower en ofsaid aperture, a stationary wiper supported above said table so as to brush the carbid therefrom as the latter is rotated, a housing mounted upon the lower side of the hopper inclosin the feed mechanism and provided in its Iower side at a point vertically beneath the dischargepoint of the teed-table with an opening and a pivoted trap-door closing said opening, an

adjustable weight arranged to regulate theopening of said door, and means for rotating said feed-table intermittently, substantially as described. v

3. In an acetylenegenerator, the combination of an upper hopper provided with a feedopening, a horizontally-disposed feed-table mounted below said feed-opening and coopcrating with the latter to control the flow ing said shaft without, changing its angular of carbid from the hopper, a liquid-reservoir below said feed mechanism, and means for supporting and operating said feed-table;

comprising a shaft arranged to rise vertically through the bottom wall of said liquid-reservoir and engaging and supportin said table at its upper end, and aliquid sea surround.-

relation or position with res eat to the Wall of the feed-opening of the car id-holder, sub stantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-generator, thecombination of a suitable hopper or source of carbidsupply formed with a discharge-opening, a horizontal feed-table located at a short distance below said discharge-o ening, a wiper mounted above said feed-tab e in position'to brush the carbid therefrom as the table is rotated, a yieldably-mounted support upon which the carbid is'discharge d from the feed-- table and from which it is dumped in accumulated quantities, and mechanism operated automatically by the volume -of gas generated, operating to rotate said feed-table intermittently, substantially as described. 5. In an acetylene-generator, the combina tion ofa suitable hopper or source of carbiddumped in accumulated quantities, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a suitable hopper or source of carbidsupply formed with a dischar e-opening, a

short distancebelow said discharge-opening, a casing below said feed-table having'inclined side walls adapted to direct the carbid discharged from the feed-opening to the lowest art of said casing, a discharge-opening being ibrmed through said casing at its lowest point, and a downWardly-openin pivotallymounted, trap-door provided wit a counterbalance-arm, and a Weight adjustably mounted upon saidcounterbalance-arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In combination with anacetylene-gen erator, provided ,with' an intermittently-op- .hOI'lZOIltfil rotaryfeed-table ocated at a erated feed mechanism, means for actuating said feed mechanism controlled by the consumption of gas generated, comprising a gasometer provided with a rising and falling bell, an operating-arm carried by said 'bell, a

spring-returned plunger adapted to be en-' gaged by said operatin -arm during the descent of the bell, a sproc et-belt mounted ad-' jacent tosaid spring-returned plunger, having one of its laps parallel with the path of movement of the plunger, a pawl-hook upon and operate the elt during the descent of the plun er and to slide past the links of the belt, ratc et fashion, during its return movemerit, and a driving shaft actuated by -said sprocketbelt and operatively connected,

with the feed. mechanism, substantially as described' 1 I v 8. A carbid-feed mechanism for feeding lump-carbid comprising a carbidhopper prosaid plunger ada ted to positively engage vided with a downwardinclined lower portion adapted I to direct theca'rbid toward a feed-aperture and to sustain the greater. art of the weight of the carbid, a horizontal eedtable supported a short distance below'the feed-aperture, a wiper sup orted'above said table so as to brush the car id from the table, I H as the latter'is rotated, a gas-tight tank inclosing the table and the wiper and adapted to contain the liquid-supply,and means actuated by variations in gas-pressure to rotate said table.

9. An acetylenagene'rator comprising a liquid-holder, vafcarbic l holder having a'feed with a feed-opening, and a twoopening, a two-part feedmechanism located below the feed-opening so that a mass of carbid will extend from the feed mechanism to the feed-opening, the parts of the feed mechanism being a fixed distance from the feedopening, means actuated by variations in gas-pressure for operating the feed mechanism without varying the distance between the members of the feed mechanism and the feed-opening.

10. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a liquid-holder, a carbidholder above the liquid-holder and provided art feed mechanism consisting of a support slow the feed-opening and adapted to sustain a mass of carbid below the wall of the feed-opening, a stationary device between the support and thefeed-opening, and means operated by variations in the gas-pressure for actuating the feed mechanism without changing the angular position of said support with respect to the wall of the feed-opening.

, 11. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a liquid-holder, a carbidholder above the liquid-holder and provided with a feed-opening, and a two-part feed mechanism consisting feed-opening and adapted to sustain a mass of carbid below the Wall of the feed-opening, a device between the table and the feed-opengas-pressure for actuating one of the parts of the feed device to cause the carbid to be moved from the support.

12. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a liquid-holder, a carbid-holder above the liquid-holder and provided with a feed-opening, a rotatable feed-table below said feed-opening, a non-rotary feed device between the feed-table and the feed-opening, and means actuated by the variations in gaspressure for rotating the feed-table.

13. In an acet' lene-generator the combination, of a suitab e ho per or source ofcarbidsupply provided .wit a suitable discharge, a horizontal feed-table located at a short distance below said discharge, a yieldinglymounted support below the table and adapted to receive thecarbid therefrom and which is adapted to discharge the carbid in qffanti;

, ties into the generatingchamber, and a mech y whereby the weight of the anism operated automaticallyby gas-pressure to rotate said feed-table intermittently, and a wiper arranged between the feed-table and the carbid-discharge and adapted to en-.

gage the carbid and cause it to fall from the table.

14. In an acetylene-generator the combination', of a ho per formed with a contracted lower end and provided with a discharge-opening at the bottom of said contracted portion, mass of carbidwill not be sup ort d by the feed-table, a horizontal feed-ta 1e ,ocated a suitable distance beof a table below the and means operated by variations in the.

low said discharge, said feed-tablebeing larger in diameter than the discharge-opening, whereby the carbid will not flow while the table is stationary but will be discharged over the edge of the table when the same is rotated, and a mechanism operated by variations in gas-pressure to intermittently rotate said table without altering its distance from the discharge-opening, whereby the carbid-passage will be at all times open and unobstructed and of the same dimensions.

15. In an acetylene-generator the combination, of a hopper provided with a dischargeopening at its bottom, a horizontal feed-table located a suitable distance below said discharge, said feed-table being larger in diameter thanthe discharge-opening whereby the carbid will not flow when the table is stationary, but will be discharged over the edges of the table when the same is rotated, and a mechanism operated by variations in gas pressure to intermittently rotate said table without causing it to approach the dischargeopening, whereby the path of the carbid from the hopper to the generating-chamber will be at all times open and unobstructed and of the same dimensions.

1 16. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a gas-tight liquid-holder and generating-tank, a carbid-holder above the liquid-holder and provided with a feed-opening in its bottom adapted to discharge carbid into the liquidholder, a two-part feed mechanism consisting of a support directly below the feed-opening and adapted to sustain a mass of carbid below the wall of the feed-opening, and a feed device between the sup opening, a gas-holder, an means operated by variations in the volume of gas in the gasholder for operating one of the parts of the feed device to cause carbid to drop from thesupport into the liquid-holder to generate gas.

17. An acetylene-generator comprising a gas-holder, a gas-tight liquid-holder, a carbidholder above the liquidwholder and provided with a feed-opening, said carbid-holder being constructed to dischargethecarbid in a continuous stream, means below the dischargeopening for sustaining a loose mass of carbid below and outside the carbid-holder but in contact with the carbid in the carbid-holder,

and means forintermittently discharging a portionv of said loose mass into the liquidholder, said meansbeing operated automaticall by variations in volume of gas in the gasho der, wherebythe continuity of the streamof carbid from the carbid-holder is maintained.

ort and the feed- 18. An acetylene-generator comprising a gas-holder, a gas-tight liquidholder, a carbidholder above the liquid-holder with a feed-opening, said carbid-hol er being constructedto discharge the carbid in a continuous stream, a table below the discharge opening for sustaining a and rovided loose mass of carbid 1 o below and outside the carbid-holder but in contact with the means for disch carbid in the arging a portion of said loose oarbid-holder,

ally by Variations gas-holder for rotating said table, substant in the volume of gas in the tially as and for the purpose set forth.

19. A IO bid-holder above n acetylene-gas generator comprising a gas-holder, a gas-tight liquid-holder, a carthe liquid-holder and. pro- Vided with a feed-opening in its bottom and adapted to automatically discharge the carbid, feed mechanism consisting of two mem- I 5 bers, one member being a table supported below the feed-opening at a oint where it will sustain a loose mass of car id below the feedopening and the other member being a feed device located between the table and the feedopening and adapted to engage into the loose mass of carbid, and means f he members whereby the oarbid will be CHARLES W. BECK.

Witnesses (I. J. KINTNER, W. W. HARRIs.

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