Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for discharging containers of solubilized gas, e.g. acetylene, in which the gas is initially drawn as a preference stream from one container or group of containers (e.g. conventional acetylene bottles or tanks) and is fed to the consumer. When the pressure in the tank or tanks falls below a predetermined set point value, thereby indicating that the volume flow rate is less than the mean or average flow requirement, a second tank or group of tanks is connected to provide a complementary flow. The second tank or group of tanks supply the total requirement during replacement of the first tank or group and then forms the preference stream while the replacement tank or tanks of the first group provides the complementary stream.