IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HYDRAULIC MAINS USED IN GAS WORKS
Year: 1885

page_text: "
«
We FRANK LIVESEY, Civil Engineer, and CHARLES TANNER, Chief Foreman,
both of the South Metropolitan Gas Works, Old Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
HYDRAULIC MAINS USED IN GAS WORKS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:
This invention has for its object the construction of appliances to be attached
to and form part of the hydraulic mains of gas works, for the purpose of ensuring
the dip-pipes being sealed with liquor instead of tar, to prevent the accumulation
of thick tar and salts, and undue oscillation of the said liquor.
In order that the invention may be more easily understood, drawings are
attached hereto, Fig 1 being a front elevation of part of the hydraulic main with
its appliance attached, Fig 2 a sectional plan through UV of Fig 3, and Fig 3 a
transverse sectional elevation of the hydraulic main through W X of Fig 2, with
the appliance shown partly in elevation and partly in section. In each of the views
similar letters refer to the same parts.
The invention consists of a casting A, A, A, bolted to the hydraulic main B and
covering three holes cut in it near to each other and ranging from about three
inches above to four inches below the liquor level. Through the first of these
holes and through a sliding plate I, a pipe D forming the tar outlet is passed into
the main B, and is connected to a tee F looking up and down, the upper portion
of the tee being above the liquor level and the lower part reaching to near the
bottom of the main. This leg of the tee which dips into the liquid can be
lengthened or shortened by screwing in either direction a nipple inserted at
the lower end of the leg, and this can be effected by the application of a suitable
instrument through the hole H at the top of the main immediately over the tee,
the said hole being closed by a screwed plug when the main is in use. The position
of the tee itself can also be raised or lowered by sliding the plate I either up or
down, the said plate when adjusted being fixed in proper position by the cross-
bars J J and screws K, K.-Through the second bole a pipe L, which forms the
liquor outlet, is passed into the main, and to it is attached two elbows M and N,
the entry N being raised or depressed by a nipple O which may be adjusted in the

page_text: same manner as described with regard to the lower part of the tee. The third
hole is covered with a plate of glass P through which the top of N and the liquor
level can be seen. This is important because it enables the attendant to see if the
apparatus is suitably adjusted and if the plate R is effective. This plate R consists
of a sheet of perforated metal, supported by brackets fixed to the dip pipes, but not
shown in the drawing, or in any other suitable manner, the perforations being say
about one eighth of an inch more or less in diameter, and placed horizontally a
little below the surface of the liquor level, the object of the plate being to prevent
undue oscillation of the liquor.
As tar is of greater specific gravity than gas liquor, the tar outlet is fixed at a
lower level than the liquor level, varying according to the depth of the main, the
deeper the main the greater the difference between the tar and liquor outlets. By
means of the sliding plate I and the nipple G the height of the tar level can thus
be adjusted with precision and by means of the nipple O the liquor level and
consequently the depth of seal to the dip-pipes can be regulated with nicety, and
varied at pleasure, while the plate R prevents the oscillation which would take
place in consequence of the dip-pipes being sealed with liquor alone.
The advantages upon the use of this apparatus are, First the prevention of thick
tar or salts accumulating in the main; Secondly, the quality of the gas is improved;
Thirdly, reduced liability to "stopped pipes;" Fourthly, less liability to draw air
and consequently a reduction in the depth of seal; Fifthly, the cleaning of the
main when the retorts are let down is unnecessary; Sixthly, the tar being lifted
for its discharge from the main in the centre between the dip-pipes and therefore
at the hottest part, is kept in a fluid state and in the best condition for delivery,
and; Seventhly, its applicability to mains of any section, although those of a shallow
form are preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The casting A with its sliding plate I and its attendant cross bars J and
screws K together with the glass plate P as herein described and shown on the
drawings.
2. The pipes D and L with the tee F and elbows M and N and the nipples G
and O, as herein described and shown on the drawings.
3. The perforated metal plate R arranged as herein described and shown on the
drawings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of March 1905