US637164A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

No. 637,!64. Patented N ov. l4, I899. A. v. SANFORD..

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 30, 189.8.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets$heel l,

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No* 637,|64. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

A. V. SANFORD.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

. (Application filed Nov. 30, 1898.) PANEL) 4 Sheets-She 2.

No. 637,!64. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

A. v. SANFORD. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

I (Application filed Nov. 30, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M w f TNE nonms PETERS c0. wnoruumon WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 637,|64. Patented Nov. |4 I899. A. V.-SANFORD. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 80, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 $haats8heet 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEiOE.

ADDISON v. SANFORD, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To THE DRAKE AOETYLENE GAS GENERATOR COMPANY, OF GORNING, NEW YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 637,164, dated November 14, 1899. Application filed November 30, 189 8- Serial No. 697,862. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I 7

Be it known that I, ADDIsoN V. SANFORD,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene- Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of acetylene-gas machines in which calcium carbid is deposited, in measured quantities and at intervals determined by the supply of gas in the gasometer, into a body of water, in which gas is generated and evolved in a generatingchamber, from whence it escapes to the gasometer. The main difficulties encountered in operating machines upon this plan are the slaking or deteriorating of the carbid while standing in the feeding device, the mixing of air with the gas produced in the generator when charging the machines with carbid or when drawing off the residuum and refilling with Water, by which the character of the latter is deteriorated, the escape of gas from the machine to the surrounding atmosphere during such recharging or cleaning, with consequent danger of explosion, from loss of gas, and imposing upon the gasometer too much work and inconstant work in driving the feeding device, whereby the pressure of the float is reduced and the force of gas rendered fluctuated.

My invention obviates these various difficulties, first, by improved feeding mechanism located entirely outside the generator or inclosed in a separate compartment having a casing with a door of sufficient size through which the buckets or carbid-holders may be removed when filling is necessary, said car- 40 bid-holders being thereby protected against deterioration of their contained carbid or each holder being individually kept hermetically closed, so'as to avoid deterioration of the carbid second, the utilization of a sealed chute by which to introduce the carbid into the generating-chamber without admitting air to the latter; third, the provision of a waste-chamber above the generating-chamber in which any escaping gas or all odor 5o arising from the body of water below is collected and from which it is discharged by an burners at all times.

Myinvention consists in certain novel details of construction hereinafter particularly pointed out in the claims, and which will be fully understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of an acetylenegas-generating machine having applied thereto various features of my invention, part of the body of thegenerating-chamber being broken away for the purpose of exposing the chute, which is shown in section. Figs. 2 and 3 are top plan views of the generator, the

feeding mechanism being omitted in the latter view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper portion of the generator and feeding mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of an automatically-closing door which admits carbid to the generator by yielding to the weight of the carbid when deposited upon the door. Fig. 6 isadetail perspective of one of the detachably-mounted inverted carbid-holders, showing also the trippinglatch for the hinging bottom thereof. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the actuating lever or arm of the feeding mechanism looking at the inner side of the arm.

Referring to Fig. 1, the general plan of the machine comprises, for purposes of illustration, a generator 1., having a generatingchamber l a purifier 2, a gasometer 3, having a float 4, and a feeding mechanism 5, controlled by said float. The control of the feeding mechanism by the float is effected through 5 a shaft 6, controlled by a lever or arm 7, to which is attached a cord 8, passing over pul-' leys 9 and 10, and having its other end secured to the gasometer-float at 11. These connections are so proportioned that the feed- 10o ing mechanism is moved continuously by the downward movement of the float, and the load imposed upon the latter and the pressure of gas in the service-pipes are thereby rendered constant.

The generator has a supply-pipe 12 and a discharge-port 13, and may also be provided with a suitable agitator 14 for stirring up the precipitate when the generator is cleansed. In order to keep the supply-of water in the generator constant when drawing oit the residuum and refilling with water, I provide a tank 15, connected with the pipe 12, the effect of which is to deliver to the generator as much water as is discharged from the generator in the act of cleansing, and thereby prevent lowering of the level to such an extent as would unseal the generator and admit air to the gaschamber. The generator is further provided with a top 16 and a horizontal partition 17, which together form above the gas-chain her a waste-chamber 18, which communicates with a pipe 19, through which may be discharged to a fine or chimney any waste gases or odor which collects in the chamber l8,aud thus prevent escape of said gases orodor into the room surrounding the machine.

The safety-valve employed for my machine for the purpose of permitting escape of overproduction of gas, should such occur, is represented at 20, and consists of any suitable form of Valve of known construction suitably loaded by spring or weight to resist normal pressure developed in the generator. I have represented the valve 20 a cup-shaped clapvalve, in the hollow of which may be placed weights 20 for imposing additional weight upon the valve.

21 represents a chute depending from the partition 17, dipping beneath the water in the generator and terminating in a discharge-passage 22, guarded by a deflector 23, and thereby providing means for delivering carbid into the generating-chamber without admitting air thereto or permitting generated gas to escape therefrom. Carbid gains access to the generator through an opening 24 normally guarded by an automatically-closing door 25, hinged at 26, Fig. 5, and closing againsta packing 27 to hermetically close the chamber 18. The door is held normally closed by a lever 28, fulcrumed at 29 and carrying at its inner end a roller 28, which bears beneath a block 30, fixed to the under side of the door and journaled to the inner end of the lever 28, said lever being counterbalanced by a weight 31, rendered adjustable by a set-screw 32. The counterbalance is snfiicient to hold the door closed, but readily yields to the weight of carbid deposited upon the door and permits the same to pass into the chute 21, by which it is directed to the generating-chamber.

The feeding mechanism consists of a spider 33, mounted upon the vertical shaft 33, supported in a ball-bearing step 16 and steadied at top by the frame 1 of the generator, which spider has radiatingarms 34 34, of which the arms 34 extend outward and support an outer circular series of removable carbid-holders 36, while the arms 34 are shorter and in alternating radial position with the arms 34, and

extend to an inner circular series of removable carbid-holders 36. I thus provide two concentric circular series of carbid-holders, the individual holders of each of which series discharge through the opening 24 upon the door 25, as will appear from Figs. 2 and 3, and which holders of the respective series are staggered or alternated in radial position, so that each may be independently discharged by a common device and the discharge of the respective holders will be successive. This arrangement of holders is very advantageous in that it permits the use of a greatly-increased number of charges by amere multiplication of holders without additional complication of cooperating parts of the machine. Each holder, whether for the inner or the outerseries, consists of an inverted can or cup detachably mounted upon an arm of the spider, the spider-arms being provided with fiattened ends for this purpose and the holders being provided with straps or sockets 35. Each holder is further provided with ahinging bottom or closure 37, pivoted at 38, closing against a rubber gasket or packing 39 and held closed by an adjustable trippingdetent 40, which is swiveled at 41 upon the holder and carries a shoulder 42, which engages the closure or bottom. The tripping-detent is adjustable relatively to the swinging bottom by reason of the shoulder 42 being attached through the medium of screw 42, which passes through slot 42" and enters the shoulder 42, so that the wear between the parts 42 and 37 can be compensated for by adjusting said shoulder and the bottom always held hermetically closed. The swivel is so located that the detent 40 will swing in the direction opposite to that in which the holder travels, and the detents of the inner and outer series of holders are arranged on opposite sides of the circular dividing-line between the holders. It therefore becomes necessary to employ but a single device for tripping the holders of both the inner and outer series, and for this purpose I provide a cam 43, located in the path in which the detent travels and of sufficient width to engage the detents of both the outer and inner series. The cam 43 being located over the opening 24 insures the discharge of each holder upon the trap-door 25; but holders of the inner and outer series are not tripped simultaneously, for the reason that they occupy difierent radial positions. Moreover, as the holders are radially alternated or staggered the individual holders of the outer and inner serics will be alternately discharged. In order that the feeding device may be rotated when setting up the holders without discharging the contents thereof, cam 43 is mounted on a shaft 44 and may be turned down by the crank 45, Figs. 2 and 3, out of the path of the detents. An important advantage is attained by having the holders removable. -By this means I am enabled to have them opened at one end only and to invert them for filling. A further advantage arises from the fact that the holders can be entirely removed from the machine to a place of safety and convenience for filling, and thus avoid waste and the dangerous effects from dropping particles of the carbid about the machine. Gas-machines are usually located in cellars or other places where dampness will cause slaking of the carbid. Hence the desirability of preventing Waste of the material about the machine and of keeping the holders tightly closed. The machines are likewise usually located where an illuminant is necessary in handling the machines. Hence the desirability of being able to detach the carbid-holders or buckets from the spider 33 and permitting their removal to a more desirable and convenient place for filling.

In order that the actuating lever or arm 7 of the feeding device may impart constant movement to the latter, it is preferably constructed, as shown in Fig. 6, with a pawl 46 impinging the wheel 47 on the shaft 6. Said arm is likewise provided with perforations 48 for attachment of the cord 8, as hereinbefore explained.

An acetylene-gas machine constructed as herein shown and described affords a practical embodiment of the essential features of a successful machine and accomplishes the various objects first herein mentioned.

If by reason of the adhering of small particles of carbid an odor is given off from the buckets after their contents are discharged, this may be avoided and the charging of the machine may be made more convenient by inclosing each charge of carbid in a sack or envelop which will be sufficient to cause all of the carbid to discharge and'prevent adherence of any particles to the feeding mechanism outside the generator, the sacks or envelops being of some material which is readily perishable in water and which would free the carbid promptly after the sack or envelop became saturated. The use of such a sack or envelop would involve the further advantage of permitting the charges of carbid to be made up in measured quantities at convenient places and introduced into the machine at the place of use without danger of scatteringthe carbid about.

As stated, if desirable the feeding mechanism may be incased in any suitable mannersueh, for instance, as by havinga sheetmetal covering or housing set over the-same and resting on the plate 16 of the machine. The feeding mechanism would still be entirely outside of the generator and the manipulation and operation of the machine would remain unchanged, a door of sufficient dimensions being formed in the casing for the feeding mechanism to give ready access to the carbid-holders or buckets and permit their being removed and replaced at will.

Having thus described my invention, the

following is What I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a generating-chamber, a closed top for said chamber having an eccentric feedvopening, a horizontally-rotating spider for carbid-holders concentrically mounted upon the top of the generator, holders mounted upon the spider at a radial distance which brings them successively over the feed-opening in the top of the generator, and movable radially into and out of engagement with the spider-arms, swinging closures for the lower 'ends of said holders, detents for said closures mounted upon pivots radially disposed to the spider on the sides of the holders next to the center of the spider, and means mounted upon the generator at a radial distance which brings it within the path of the holders for engaging and releasing said detents as each holder comes vertically above the dischargeopening; substantially as herein explained.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a generating-chamber having a feed-opening in its top, a horizontally-rotating spider centrally mounted above said generator and having radial arms, inverted carbid-holders having sockets on their upper closed ends engaging with the spider-arms, and having downwardly-swinging closures for their lower ends with detents releasable by movement in the direction in which the holders travel with the spider, and means on the generator for engaging the detents as the holders move past the feed-opening of the generator and thereby cause the discharge of the contents of the holders successively into said feed-opening, as herein explained.

3. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a generating-chamber having a closed top provided with a door-opening, a partition providing a waste-cham ber above the generatingchamber and having a sealed communication therewith, a discharge-outlet from the wastechamber, an automatically-closing door for the opening in the top, and means for supplying carbid upon the door, substantially as described.

4. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a generating-chamber having a closed top provided with a door-opening, a partition providing a'waste-chamber located above and having a passage communicating with said generating-chamber, and a door admitting carbid to the waste-chamber above the passage from said Waste-chamber to the generating-chamber; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a generating-chamber having a closed top provided with a door-opening, a partition providing a waste-chamber located above and communicating with said generating-chamher, and an automatic door afiording communication from the outside into said wastechamber; substantially as set forth.

6. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a generating-chamber, a waste-chamber located above and communicating through a sealed passage with said gen eratin g-cha mber, an escape-outlet for gas from said waste-chamber, and a safety-valve communicating between the generating-chamber and the wastechamber, whereby surplus of generated gas maybe discharged through a determined outlet and prevented from entering the room in which the generator is located; substantially as herein explained.

'7. A feeding mechanism for acetylene-gas generators, comprising a rotating support and inner and outer series of carbid-holders mounted upon said rotating support in position to bring the outer series at greater radial distance from the center of rotation than the inner series, and suitable means for controlling the discharge of carbid from the holders of both series, by the rotation of the support; substantially as herein set forth.

8. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a feeding mechanism, a rotating support, and a plurality of circular series of carbid-holders mounted thereon, the holders of one series alternating in radial position with those of an adjacent series; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A feeding mechanism for acetylene-gas generators, comprising a rotating spider having two series of radial arms differing in length and alternating in position, and earbid-holders removably mounted upon the ends of said radial arms so as to arrange them in two series of holders at different radial distances from the center of rotation of the spider, and thereby adapting them for separate manipulation; substantially as herein explained.

10. In combination with an acetylene-gas generator,a horizontally-rotatable spider having arms adapted to receive carbid-holders,

, and carbid-holders mounted upon the ends of 11. A feeding mechanism for acetylene-gas generators comprising a rotating support, carbid-holders mounted upon said support in two concentric series at difierent distances from the center of rotation, closures for the discharging ends of the respective carbidholders, and latches for holding said closures in closed position and projecting into engagement with a fixed tripping device, whereby said latches are successively tripped by the movement of the holders with the rotating support; substantially as herein explained.

12. An acetylene-gas generator comprising feeding mechanism, a rotating support and two circular series of holders mounted upon said support, and each provided with an independently-tripping closure, and with latches adjacent to the dividing=line between the two series, means for imparting rotation to the support, and a tripping device located upon a fixed part in the path of the latches of the closures; substantially as and for the'purpose set forth.

13. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a feeding mechanism, a horizontally rotating support having radial arms, and carbid-holders provided with sockets fitting upon said radial arms and placed in position or removed by radial movement on the arms, and tripping devices for keeping the holders closed, engaged and released by the circumferential movement of the holders; substantially as herein explained.

14. In combination with a moving part of a carbid-feeding mechanism, a holder mounted upon said moving part and provided with a swinging closure for its discharging end, a swinging latch-arm mounted upon the holder, and a shoulder carried by said latch-arm, engaging beneath the swinging closure and adj ustable to and from the latter; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ADDISON v. SANFORD.

Witnesses:

O. M. HYDE, R. S. HEERMANS.

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