Apparatus Used in the Manufacture of Coal Gas.
Year: 1886

page_text: Apparatus Used in the Manufacture of Coal Gas.
I, ALEXANDER DEMPSTER of Elland in the county of York, Civil Engineer dó
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENT IN CENTRE VALVES
FOR WORKING PURIFIERS AND OTHER APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
COAL GAS to be as follows:-
The object and intention of this invention is to simplify and perfect the action
of Centre valves, in their relation to working purifiers and other apparatus to which
they may be applied, so that the gas may be guided to one, two, three or four
purifiers as may be required, and that the flow of gas will always be in one
direction, whatever number of purifiers may be used, and not as is the practice
with centre valves for working the whole four purifiers as now made, which have
to reverse the flow of gas when any number less than three purifiers are required
to be worked, and so deliver the gas through the outlet pipe of the purifier instead
of the inlet, again, in shutting off and putting on a purifier or purifiers in the.
present centre valves two motions of the valve are required thereby allowing an
amount of foul gas to pass by, this is minimised by my invention which shuts off
and puts in action the apparatus by one motion of either valve.
For the purpose of my invention I use the bottom tank and body of an ordinary
centre valve and upon that place a valve having eight divisions or chambers with
central passage or inlet, one of these divisions being open to the central passage or
inlet, but covered on its upper side so as to guide the flow of gas into the inlet
chamber of body underneath, above this, I place another valve having a central
chamber and five division plates. The central chamber is open at top and bottoni
and the shaft actuating the lower valve passes through it, and is attached to the
lower valve.
The chambers of the upper are five in number and are composed of one blank
chamber, three pass-over chambers for guiding the passage of the gas from purifier

page_text: to purifier and the outlet chamber, which is in direct communication with the main
outlet.
In working the purifiers, the inlet chamber of bottom valve is placed directly
over the chamber of inlet to purifiers required, and the outlet chamber of the upper
or top valve over the outlet chamber of the purifier which may be required.
In putting a purifier out of action for cleaning or other purposes, the lower or
bottom valve is made to pass on to the next inlet chamber of body, by means of
suitable gearing, thus throwing it out of action.-When required to be put in
action again, the upper or top valve is made to pass on to the next outlet chamber.
The gearing for actuating both top and bottom valves are provided with num-
bered slots and pawls for indicating the first and last purifiers in action.
My invention has also the advantage over other centre valves, of allowing one or
more vessels being worked during the erection of the others, for example, if a set of
four purifiers are being erected and the valve is fixed in position, immediately one
purifier is erected and the inlet and outlet pipes connected to the centre valve and
purifier erected, it may be put to work at once, and as the others are completed
they can be put in use, and thereby obviate to a great extent the inconvenience
occasioned by the erection of purifiers with ordinary centre valves, where the
whole set have to be erected and finished before the gas can be let in or any of
them worked, occasioning great loss and trouble.
There is also the great convenience of being able to throw out of action one
or more of the purifiers if required for repairs, or other purposes, the remaining
purifiers working as usual.
Although in this description of my invention I have described it as working four
purifiers, it must be clearly understood that it equally applies to the working of
three purifiers, or any number above four, the conditions and action being the same,
only the division chambers and divisions in valves being more or less according to
the number of purifiers used.

page_text: Apparatus Used in the Manufacture of Coal Gas.
I ALEXANDER DEMPSTER Civil Engineer of Elland in the County of York do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRE VALVES
FOR WORKING PURIFIERS &C and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object and intention of this invention is to simplify and perfect the action
of centre valves, in their relation to working purifiers, and other apparatus to
which they may be applied, so that the gas may be guided to one; two; three; or
four purifiers as may be required, and in so doing, that the gas will always flow
in one direction, whatever number of purifiers are in action or use-and not as is
the usual practice in centre valves as now made for working the whole four
purifiers, which have to reverse the flow of gas when any number less than three
purifiers are required to be worked, and so deliver the gas through the outlet pipe
of the purifier instead of the inlet.
Also in shutting off; and in putting a purifier in action, two movements of the
valves are necessary, in centre valves as now made, thereby allowing a large amount
of foul gas to pass by-this is greatly minimised by my invention which shuts off
and puts in action the apparatus by one motion of either valve.
For the purpose of my invention I use the bottom tank and body of an ordinary
centre valve, and upon that: place a valve (which forms the inlet valve) having
eight divisions or chambers, with central passage or inlet, one of the eight chambers
being open to the central chamber or inlet but covered on its upper side, so as to
guide the flow of gas into the inlet chamber of body underneath; above this
I place another valve having a central chamber and five division plates. The
central chamber is open at top and bottom and the shaft actuating the lower valve
passes through it, and is attached to the upper part of lower valve.
The chambers of the upper valve are five in number, and are composed of one
blank chamber, three passover chambers, for guiding the passage of the gas from
purifier to purifier, and the outlet chamber, which is open at top and in direct
communication with the main outlet.
The whole of the chambers, excepting the central and outlet chambers, are
covered at top and at underside the concentric rings and radial partitions are
widened in the usual manner to form the facings for working.
In working the purifiers the inlet chamber of bottom valve is placed directly
over the inlet chamber of the purifier required to be worked first, and the outlet
chamber of the upper or top valve is placed over the outlet chamber of the purifier
which it may be required to take the gas from.
In putting a purifier out of action, for cleaning or other purposes, the lower or
bottom valve is made to make a quarter revolution, and the inlet chamber passes
on to the inlet chamber of the next purifier; this is performed by means of suitable
gearing fitted to the top cover.

page_text: When
The purifier is then out of action ready for cleaning and other purposes.
required to be put in action again, the upper or top valve is made to take a quarter-
turn or revolution, the open outlet chamber being placed directly over the outlet
chamber of the purifier.
The gearing for actuating both top and bottom valves are provided with num-
bered slots and pawls for indicating the first and last purifiers or other apparatus
to which the centre valve may be applied.
My invention has also the advantage over other centre valves, of allowing one or
more vessels being worked during the erection of the others for example, if a set
of four purifiers are being erected, and the valve is fixed in position, directly one
purifier is erected and the inlet and outlet pipes connected to the centre valve, it
may be put to work at once, and as the others are completed, they can be put in
use directly, and it thereby obviates to a great extent the inconvenience occasioned
by the erection of purifiers with ordinary centre valves, where the whole set have
to be erected and finished before the gas can be let in, or any of them worked,
occasioning great loss and inconvenience.
There is also the great convenience of being able to throw out of action one or
more of the purifiers if required for repairs or other purposes, the remaining
purifiers working as usual.
Although in this description of my invention I have described it as working
four purifiers, it must be clearly understood, it equally applies to the working of
three purifiers, or any number above four, the conditions and action being the
same, only the division chambers, in body and valves, being more or less, according
to the number of purifiers used.
My invention can also be applied to existing centre valves, by fitting them with
the upper and lower valves and cover; in those centre valves where the outlet
chamber is either the centre or an annular chamber around the central chamber,
the divisions in the valves will be made to correspond with those in valve, and the
gas will be taken away through the annular or central chamber as the case
may be.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same figures of reference
indicating the corresponding parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a general plan of top of centre valve shewing the gearing for actuating
the inlet and outlet valves.
Fig. 2 is a general section of centre valve.
Fig. 3 is a plan of upper or outer valve.
Fig. 4 is a plan of lower or inlet valve.
Fig. 5 is a plan of body of centre valve.
Fig. 6 is a sectional plan of lower or outlet valve.
1 is the usual syphon pan the gas entering therein at 2 as shewn by the arrow,
the gas then passes up through central chamber of body, into the covered inlet
chamber of lower or inlet valve 4, and by means of this valve the gas is guided
into the purifier required to be used in the direction shown by the arrows, the gas
then passes through the purifiers, and its exit is controlled by the upper or outlet
valve 5, which is shewn in section in Fig. 6, this valve has five chambers, one of
them being open to the outer cover of valve 6, which forms the main outlet, and
the gas leaves the valve at the branch 7.
When the whole number of purifiers are required to be in action the covered
chamber of inlet valve is placed over the chamber 8 in body, and the outlet over
the chamber 15 the gas then passes through the purifiers and chambers of body in
the usual manner, the inlet valve having merely guiding chambers, the flow and
exit of gas is controlled by the valve 5, and when any less number of purifiers
are required to be worked it requires but one movement of either valve as the case
may be.

page_text: The inlet valve 4 is actuated by means of a spur wheel 16, and pinion 17, on
the inner rim of spur wheel I cast on or attach at right angles to each other,
plates 18 18 18 18° having the number of purifier plainly cast on them, so that
any one using the valve can readily see which purifier the gas is entering first, the
spur wheel is provided with the usual slotted rim 19, on the underside, into which
the hinged pawl 20 drops by means of the weight 21. The shaft 22 is attached
to the top of cover by means of a tee head and cross irons 23 or in any other
suitable manner.
The outlet valve 5 is actuated by a spur wheel 24 fixed to top casing of valve
and a pinion 25, the shaft 26 of pinion passes through the outer casing 6, and is
fitted with stuffing box and gland 27, fixed above the gland is a collar 28 having
a slot in it for the pawl 29 to drop into at each revolution, the proportion of the
spur wheel to the pinion is 4 to 1 so that one revolution of the pinion moves the
outlet valve a quarter revolution and so moves the outlet valve onto the outlet
chamber of the next purifier.
As the valve 5 is hidden under the cover 6, its position is indicated by the four
toothed wheel 29.
I enlarge the gland 28 at one end, and on it cast the words "Gas leaves at " with
a pointer, and a four toothed wheel 29, which wheel has each of its teeth marked 1,
2, 3, 4, respectively and represents the purifiers according to the number of such
purifiers. This toothed wheel is actuated by means of a pin or projection 30 on
the collar 28.
By means of the toothed wheel 29 and the slots in rim 19 the purifier or other
vessels may be easily indicated and the number of vessels working at the time,
be seen.
Having now described the nature of this invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood, that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein before described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
the said invention but I claim
Firstly. The use and employment of the inlet valve 4 with its covered inlet
chamber, and the seven guiding chambers.
Secondly. The use and employment of the outlet valve 5 with its open central
chamber, and the passover chambers.
Thirdly. The use and employment of the inlet valve 4 and outlet valve 5 in
combination with each other for the purposes herein shewn and described.
Fourthly. The use and employment of the four toothed wheel 29, and the slotted
ring 28, and pawl 29, for the purpose of indicating the position of valve and the
number of purifiers working.
Dated this 15th day of October 1886.