US665019A - Acetylene-gas generator. - Google Patents

Description

No. 665,0l9. Patented Ian. I, l90l.

T. H. J. LECKBAND.

A-[IE'I'YLENE- GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed-Juno 6, 1898. Bonawed Nov. 28, 1900.) (No ludal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patanted lam l, mu.

No. 665,0I9.

T. n. J. EcKBAun, AGETYLENE fiAS GENERATOR. (Application filed June 6, 18. Runeied Nov. 98, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shoot 2,

(No Model.)

THE uonms Perms cu. wow-urns" WASNINOTON. n c.

UNITE STATES 'ATENT Fries.

THEODOR H. J. LECKBAND, OF ADAIR, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEOKBAND GENERATOR COMPANY,

OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 665,019, dated January 1, 190i.

Application filed June 6, 1.898- Renewed November 23, 1900. Serial No. 87,458. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, THEODOR H. J. LECK- BAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adair, in the county of Adair and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Acetylone-Gas Generator, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide a simple, strong, durable, and efficient apparatus for generro ating acetylene gas in which the following novel features are greatly advantageous: first, improved means for water-sealing in a retort a plurality of pans adapted to contain calcium carbid in such a manner that water :5 will be admitted to flow from one pan to the adjacent pan as required to exhaust the charge of the carbid in the pans successively and to facilitate cleansing and refilling the pans with carbid; second, pivotally and de- .20 tachably connecting the retort with a Watertank and also pivotally and detachably connecting the retort with water-pipes and gasconveying tubes fixed to the Watertank; third, providing a water-tank with a conical 2 5 bottom to strengthen it,and to provide a chamber under the tank and a water-trap in the chamber for catching drip-water, and watersealing gas-tubes and water-pipes connected with the retort, the water-tank, and the gasholder; fourth, providing an open basin on I the outside of the water-tank and connecting it with the retort in such a manner that water in the basin will coact with gas in the gasholder in regulating the flow of water to the carbid in the retort, and, fifth, providing improved means for arresting the flow of water to the retort while gas continues to flow to burners and as required to open the retort to refill the pans with carbid.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whi'ch Figure 1 is a side view of the complete portable generator adapted to be connected with gas-distributing tubes and burners in a buildingas required for practical use. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the watertank, water-basin, Water-trap, and the gastubes and water-pipes connected as required to coact with each other and also coact witli the Water-pipes and gas-tubes on the outside of the water-tank. Fig. 3 is an enlarged ver tical central sectional view of the retort, showing the manner of forming and combining a plurality of pans adapted to retain calcium carbid and Water. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of one of the pans removed from the retort. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line a; a: in Fig. 1, showing the swinging bracket that supports and carries the retort and the relative positions of the water-pipes and gas-tubes connected with the water-trap under the elevated fixed bottom of the tank. Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line y y in Fig. 1, showing the positions of the waterpipes and gas-tubes relative to each other and the water-tank and water-basin.

The letter A designates a water-tank that has an open top and a conical fixed bottom A and a downward extension A to'produce an enlarged base and a chamber underthe fixed bottom. p A is an open-topped annular basin fixed around the outside and top portion of the tank A.

B is an open-topped double-walled vessel and portion of the retort.

B is the inner wall fixed to the bottom of the vessel in concentric position with the outer wall.

B is an open-ended cylinder telescopically and revolubly connected with the doublewalled vessel and provided with a fixed airtight top B and handholds B thereon to facilitate handling the cylinder. An open-ended screw-threaded tube 1-? is fixed in the center of the top B by means of nuts or screwseats fixed to the top, as shown in Fig. 3, or in any suitable way so that the cylinder and tube can be jointly rotated as required in connecting the retort with a T-pipe coupling B and as required to open the generator and to 95 empty dregs from the pans therein and refill them with carbid.

O is a pan that has a larger diameter at its top than at its bottom and is provided with a plurality of vents d near its top circumference to allow water to flow outward in to a pan in a lower plane. 61 represents wires fixed in parallel position across the top to support a pan. A plurality of pans C are thus providedto be placed removably and interchangeably within the double-walled vessel B, as shown in Fig. 3, to be filled with calcium carbid whenever desired.

C is a water-trap in the chamber under the tank A.

C is an open-bottomed gas-holder telescopically connected with the water-tank A.

C is an open-bottomed tube fixed to the top and center of the gas-holder C fis a gas-tube telescopically connected with the lower open end of the fixed tube O.

f is a T-coupling connected with the lower end of the tube f and the top of the watertrap (3*.

f is a tube connected with the coupling f and passes outside of the water-tank to be extended outside of a building to carry ott' any surplus of gas that may gather in the gasholder to produce undue pressure.

is a T-coupling at the top portion of the tube 0 and f is a safetytube connected with said coupling to extend downward into water in the tank A in such a manner that it will be water-sealed at all times excepting when undue pressure of gas in the gas-holder C lifts said holder and elevates the lower end of said safety-tube above the water-line in the tank A. It is obvious that whenever a surplus quantity is admitted into the gas holder it will be thus automatically relieved therefrom as required to prevent undue pressure and to assure safety in the operation of my invention.

9 is an open-topped water-pipe on the outside of the gas-holder G 'and telescopically connected with an open-topped water-pipe g, fixed to the outside of the tank A by means of a sheet-metal cover g, soldered thereto or in any suitable way.

g is a pipe connected with the pipe g and the basin A by means of a flexible tube 9 in such a manner that water can flow from the basin into the pipe 9 and the gas-holder C allowed to ascend and descend.

g is a pipe connected with the lower end of the pipe g and the T- coupling B in such a manner that water will be conveyed thereby from the pipe g to the retort as required to conduct water from the basin A into the upper pan 0 whenever the supply of gas in the gas-holder is reduced sufiiciently to allow the pipe 9 to be lowered so as to bring the top of the pipe 9 below the level of water in the basin A and to start the generation of gas in the retort by wetting the carbid confined therein. The open-topped pipe g will always remain water-sealed at its lower end, and the air that enters its open top will aid in pressing water from the pipe g into the retort.

h is an arched gas-tube connected with the retort by means of the tube 13 and the coupling B and extended into the tank A and connected with the lower end of a tube it, that is fixed to the trap C by means of a T-coupling h". h is a tube fixed to said coupling and extended into the trap and bent double at its lower end portion to increase in length, so as to retain a sufficient quantity of water to resist gas-pressure downward in the tube 7:. and to discharge water from the pipe h that may be conveyed thereby.

h is a screen connected with a tube 1;, that extends downward from the top of the tube h in such a manner that the screen will be submerged in the water in the tank and gas filtered therethrough, so as to be cooled in the water before it ascends through the water into the gas-holder (J and the tube water-sealed at all times when the retort is disconnected from the tube 72, so that no gas whatever can return from the gas-holder into the tubes "6 and h to escape.

J is a sleeve on the pipe h, and J is a bracket fixed to the lower end of the sleeve to rotate therewith and to support and carry the retort that is designed to be placed thereon, as shown in Fig. 1.

It is a gas-tube fixed to the bottom A of the tank A and extended up into the gasholder 0 and downward below said bottom and connected with the top of the trap O by means of T- coupling 70' is a tube that extends from said coupling through the wall of the chamber and is designed to be connect-ed with burners in a building.

70" is a tube extended from the coupling 70 into the trap C to Water-seal the tube 76 to receive any water of condensation in the tube 00.

m is a prop hinged to the basin A in such a manner that its free end can be turned downward, as shown in Fig. 1, and also turned upward to engage the T- coupling on the pipe g as required to retain the pipe 9 elevated and the How of waterdiscontinued through the tubes g", g, g, and g to the retort, while the retort is opened by rotating the part B'*, (the bell of the generatolg) so that the parts can be separated as required to clean and refill the pans C with carbid.

n is an elbow-shaped tube fixed in the top of the trap C and extended out through the wall A of the chamber under the tank A to carry off any surplus of Water that may collect in the trap.

The tubes 7i,f, and 7c are fixed to the bottom A of the tank by means of nu ts 0' and r, soldered thereto or in any suitable way so as to produce water-tight joints.

3 is a vent in the top portion of the tank A, that will allow surplus water to flow from the tank into the basin A whenever necessary.

It is obvious that when there is a suflicient quantity of gas stored in the gas-holder to elevate it and the pipes g and g, carried therewith, above the water in the tank the flow of water from the basin A to the retort will be automatically cut oil and the wetting of carbid and generating of gas stopped, and, vice versa, when the gas-supply is sufficiently diminished in the gas-holder it'will descend and lower the pipes g and g, so that water will be again automatically turned on to flow from the basin A through the pipes that connect the basin with the retort as required to wet the carbid and start the generation of gas again. By the alternate pressure of water and gas the flow of Water and generation of gas are automatically regulated. It is also obvious that when enough waterhas been admitted into the upper pan 0 to exhaust all of the carbid therein and the flow of water through the pipes g, g,g,g, and g"" continued from the basin A to the retort the water admitted into the upper pan will then overflow therefrom through the vents 01 into the pan next below it and that thus all the pans will be successively and gradually supplied with water to wet the carbid therein as required to exhaust all the carbid in the retort and to generate gas therefrom continuously for any given time it may be desired to operate the generator.

To clean and refill the pans, revolve the openbottomed cylinder B as required to lowerit in the open-topped and double-Walled vessel B to disconnect the screw B from the T-coupling 13. Then swing the bracket J to carry the vessel B and its contents from under the coupling 13 so that the cylinder B can he lifted out of the vessel to gain access to the pans O, and when the pans are cleaned and refilled with carbid the cylinder can be replaced and the vessel carried back to its place under the coupling, by means of the swinging bracket, and the cylinder B then lifted and rotated as required to connect the fixed tube in its top with the coupling B From the foregoing description of the construction and function of each element and subcombination of my invention its operation, utility, and advantages will be obvious to persons familiar with the-art to which it pertains.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent therefor, is

l. A retort for making gas comprising a double-walled open-topped vesse1,0ne or more receptacles for calcium carbid placed in the vessel, an open-bottomed revoluble cylinder having a fixed open-ended tube in its top, a fixed pipe for conveying water into said tube and retort and conveying gas from the retort, andascrew-coupling for connecting said tube and pipe arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth.

2. In a gas-generator, a water-tank having a basin fixed around the outside of its top and provided with a vent to discharge water into said basin, a gas-holder telescopically connected with the tank, telescopic tubes connected with the bottom of the tank and the top of the gas-holder, a tube connected with the lower end of said telescopic tube and also connected with a retort, a telescopic pipe connected with the outside of the tank and extended up on the outside of the gas-holder, a flexible tube connected with the said waterbasin on the outside of the tank and also connected with said telescopic water-pipe, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

3. In a gas-generator, a water-tank having a basin fixed around the outside of its top and provided with a vent to discharge water into said basin, a gas-holder telescopically connected with the tank, telescopic tubes connected with the bottom of the tank and the top of the gas-holder, a tube connected with the lower end of said telescopic tube and ex-' tended to the outside of the tank, a telescopic pipe connected with the outside of the tank and extended up on the outside of the gasholder, a flexible tube connected with the said water-basin on the outside of the tank and also connected with said telescopic Water-pipe, and a retort connected with the telescopic water-pipe, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

4. In a gas-generator, a water-tank having a basin fixed around the outside of its top and provided with a vent to discharge water into said basin, a gas holder telescopically connected with the tank, telescopic tubes connected with the bottom of the tank and the top of the gas-holder, a tube connected with the lower end of said telescopic tube and extended to the outside of the tank, a telescopic pipe connected with the outside of the tank and extended up on the outside of the gasholder, a flexible'tube connected with the said Water-basin on the outside of the tank and also connected with said telescopic water pipe, and a retort connected with the said telescopic water-pipe and means connected with said telescopic water-pipe to support the gas-holder in an elevated position, all arranged and combined to operate 'in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

5. In a gas-generator, a water-tank having a'basin fixed around the outside of its top and provided with a vent to discharge water into said basin, a gas-holder telescopically connected with the tank, telescopic tubes connected with the bottom of the tank and the top of the gas-holder, a tube connected with the lower end of said telescopic tube and extended outside of the tank, a telescopic pipe connected with the outside of the tank and 6. In a gas-generator, a Water-tank having a basin fixed around the outside of its top and provided with a vent to discharge water into said basin, a gas-holder telescopically connected with the tank, telescopic tubes connected with the bottom of the tank and the top of the gas-holder, a tube connected with the lower end of said telescopic tube and extended outside of the tank, a telescopic pipe connected with the outside of the tank and extended up on the outside of the gas-holder, a flexible tube connected with the said Waterbasin on the outside of the tank and also connected with said telescopic Water-pipe, and a retort connected with the lower end of said telescopic waterpipe and means connected with said telescopic water-pipe to support the gas-holder in an elevated position, and a tube connected with the retortto convey gas from the retort into the gas-holder, all arranged and combined to operate in. the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

'7. The double-walled vessel B, the cylinder B having a fixed top, fixed handholds B and a fixed tube B in combination with the co upling B", the pipe g' and the tube h, and the swinging bracket d pivotally connected With a Water-tank, as and for the purposes stated.

8. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a Water-tank having a chamber under its bottom, a Water-trap in said chamber, and a Water-basin at its top and outside and a vent communicating with said basin, a gas-holder telescopically connected with the tank, a telescopic water-pipe fixed to the tank and extended up outside of the gas-holder, a flexible tube connected with said Water-basin and said telescopic pipe, a retort connected with said telescopic pipe, a telescopic gas-tube fixed to the bottom of the tank and to the top of the gas-holder and connected with the said trap and provided with a tube extending downward from its top portion and a tube extending outward from its lower end, a tube fixed to the bottom of the tank and connected With said trap and said retort to convey gas into the gas-holder, a tube fixed to the bottom of the tank and connected With said trap and extended outside of the tank to convey gas to burners, a bracket pivotally connected with the telescopic Water-pipe fixed to the outside of the tank and the gas-holder for supporting and carrying the retort and means for detachably connecting the retort With the pipe that conveys water from the Water-basin to the retort and gas from the retort to the gasholder, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

THEODOR H. J. LECKBAND.

Witnesses:

JAS. BARELS, THOMAS G. ORWIG.

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