US1478405A - Carbide-feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

E. H. SMITH CARBIDE FEEDING APPARATUS Dec. 25 1923.

Filed March 29 m/vzf/vr oz flmerh. imifh Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

earn stare arrears ELMER H. SMITH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CARBIDE-FEEDING A'PPARATUS.

Application filed March 29, 1920. Serial No. 369,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. ELMER H. SMIT a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbide-Feeding Apparatus,'of which the following is a specification.

The objectof my invention is to provide means for feeding carbide to a generating tank wherein a gas is produced designed particularly for an oxyacetylene torch. though the apparatus may be employed for any other suitable purpose, if desired.

A further and particular object is to porvide a feeding means which will be automatic in operation, will not clog, and will deliver the carbide in a uniform stream to the water in the generating tank.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a carbide feeding means embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view, showing the means for checking the movement of the clock mechanism under pressure of the gas.

In the drawing, 2 represents the upper portion of the generating tank, having a suitable cover 3 secured to a flange at that is mounted on the upper walls of the tank. This cover supports on the underside a carbide hopper 5 adapted to receive a quantity of carbide delivered thereto through a feeding opening 6 in the cover. The bottom of the hopper is open and a disc 7 is suspended beneath the opening in the hopper and supported by suitable means, preferably a sleeve 8, which depends centrally in the hopper and is carried by a hub 9 that is mounted in the cover 8. The edge of the disc 7 extends outwardly beyond the discharge opening of the hopper and is spaced a sufiicient distance therefrom to allow the carbide to flow down from the hopper and spread out evenly over the upper surface of the disc. A shaft 10 has bearings in the hub 9 and extends down through the sleeve 8 and through a bearing 11 provided to receive the ends of a flexible member 15 and clamping screws 16 are mounted in said split ends for drawing them together and gripping the ends of the flexible 'member. This member is preferably made of a suit able fabric or of leather, and is adapted to sag between its supported ends to a point near the surface of the disc so that when the yoke 12 is revolved, the disc 7, being stationary, the member 15 will sweep over the upper surface of the disc and 'feed the carbide thereon outwardly over the edge of the disc into the water contained in the tank 2 be neath. By making this sweeping member flexible, I avoid any clogging or binding of the feeding devices of the surface of the disc, the yielding character of the member allowing it to adapt itself to the lumps of carbide and sweep them along or rise sufiiciently to allow the carbide to pass under it should occasion require. Any carbide that is overridden by the sweep member during one revolution will usually be gathered up when it comes around again and fed over the edge of the disc.

I prefer to operate this sweep device by means of a clock mechanism 17 supported on a bracket 18 at the top of the apparatus, the shaft of the clock mechanism having the usual winding crank 19 by means of which the spring 20 can be put under ten sion. The bracket 18 has a duct or passage 18 therein communicating with the gas chamber of the generator and this duct leads to the underside of a diaphragm 18 that is mounted between the bottom plate of the motor 17 and the upper portion of the bracket 18. A spring 18 is mounted at one end in the motor frame and a block 18 is interposed between the diaphragm and said spring so that when the diaphragm is raised by the pressure of the gas one end of the spring will contact with the shaft 18 of the motor and stop the train of gears, and consequently the further revolution of the feed device and the discharge of the carbide into the-tank. A compression spring 18 is provided for disengaging the spring 18 from the shaft when the pressure on the diaphragm is released.

I claim as my invention:

1. An acetylene generator comprising a tank and cover therefor, a hopper arranged within said tank and having a discharge opening, a feed plate suspended beneath said discharge opening and whereon the carbide is delivered by gravity, a yoke sup ported beneath said feed plate and mounted for revolution and means carried by said yoke for sweeping the surface of said plate to feed the carbide therefrom as said yoke revolves.

2. An acetylene generator comprising a tank and cover therefor, a hopper arranged within said tank and having a discharge opening, a feed plate suspended beneath said discharge opening and whereon the carbide is delivered by gravity, a yoke having upwardly turned ends mounted for revolution beneath said feed plate and flexibleplate carried by said sleeve beneath said discharge opening and whereon the carbide is delivered, a shaft depending through said sleeve below said feed plate, a yoke 'supported beneath said feed plate and mounted for revolution, and means mounted in said yoke to sweep the upper surface of said plate and feed the carbide therefrom.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of March, 1920.

ELMlER H. SMITH.

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