Patent GB-833423-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic operators for water gas and other cyclically operated plant
Inventor: PRICE CHARLES WILLIAM
IPC: C10J3/24
Filed: 1955-05-03
Abstract: 833,423. Locking levers. HUMPHREYS & GLASGOW Ltd. May 9, 1956 [May 3, 1955], No. 12851/55. Class 80 (3). [Also in Group XII] In a cyclically-operated plant wherein an automatic operator has a number of levers or other control members which are moved individually and automatically in a cyclic manner, such as by means of cams and linkages powered by a driving motor, each lever being connected to operating mechanism for a control member of the plant, for example a plant valve, whereby the valves are actuated in the required sequence, and each operating mechanism has over-travel means associated therewith so that each lever commences to move before it actuates the corresponding valve and finishes moving after the valve has closed, blocking members are so arranged that two valves cannot be opened together. As described in connection with a water gas plant a lever 10, Fig. 2, operates a generator blast valve 11 through linkage 15 and over-travel means 30 and lever 12 operates the back-run gas valve 13 through linkage 16 and over-travel means 31. Both levers 10, 12, which are of the same shape, are pivotally mounted on a horizontal shaft 14, Fig.À1. Two blocking members 17, 18 are in the form of quadrants pivotally mounted on an axis 19 parallel to the shaft 14. Each quadrant has a projection on each of its sides and each lever has two angularly-spaced projections on the side which faces the quadrant, and in the position shown wherein both valves 11, 13 are closed, each quadrant has a projection which is spaced from a projection on its corresponding lever so that a limited movement of either lever is permitted but a full movement thereof is prevented. As shown, projection 24 on quadrant 17 is in the path of projection 21 on lever 10 and projection 26 on quadrant 18 is in the path of projection 22 on lever 12. On moving lever 12 the over-travel means 31 operates and through mechanical linkage indicated at 28 the quadrant 18 is moved so that projection 26 moves clear of the path of the projection 22 to permit full movement of the lever 12 and full opening of valve 13. This brings projection 27 on quadrant 18 into the path of projection 20 on lever 10 and thus prevents all movement of lever 10 and consequent opening of valve 11. After valve 13 is closed, during the over-travel movement the quadrant 18 is moved back to its original position. If lever 10 is now actuated during the over-travel movement quadrant 17 is moved through connections 29, so that projection 24 on the quadrant is clear of the projection 21 on lever 10 and projection 25 on the quadrant is in the path of projection 23 on lever 12. The linkage between each valve operating mechanism and its quadrant may be mechanical, hydraulic or electrical. A visual or other warning may be given or the plant shut down automatically if the movement of a lever is prevented. As applied to an oil-gas plant in which a stack valve and an air-inlet valve are provided at each end of the plant an automatic operator may be provided having one pair of levers associated with the stack valve and another pair of levers associated with the airinlet valve, and blocking members so arranged that either lever or both levers of one pair is or are blocked by either lever or both levers of the other pair. Specification 317,815 is referred to.