On all those grounds, therefore, it is highly desirable
that every manipulation connected with a generator shall be effected
during the daytime, and that the apparatus-house shall be locked up
before nightfall. But owing to the irregular habits engendered by modern
life it is often difficult to know, during any given day, how much gas
will be required in the ensuing evening; and it therefore becomes
necessary always to have, as ready-made acetylene, or as carbide in a
proper position for instant decomposition, a patent or latent store of
gas more than sufficient in quantity to meet all possible requirements.
Now, as already stated, a non-automatic apparatus has its store of
material in the form of gas in a holder; and since this is preferably
constructed on the rising or telescopic principle, a mere inspection of
the height of the bell--on which, if preferred, a scale indicating its
contents in cubic feet or in burner-hours may be marked--suffices to show
how near the plant is to the point of exhaustion. In many types of
automatic apparatus the amount of carbide remaining undecomposed at any
moment is quite unknown, or at best can only be deduced by a tedious and
inexact calculation; although in some generators, where the store of
carbide is subdivided into small quantities, or placed in several
different receptacles, an inspection of certain levers or indicators
gives an approximate idea as to the capacity of the apparatus for further
gas production.
Pages:
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155