IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY CENTRE VALVES FOR WORKING GAS PURIFIERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Marsh Simpson, of Queen's Park, in the county
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY
CENTRE VALVES FOR WORKING GAS PURIFIERS". Communicated to him from
abroad by Friedrich Weck, of Berlin in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Marsh Simpson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1882.
EDWARD MARSH SIMPSON of Queen's Park, in the county of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY CENTRE VALVES FOR WORKING GAS PURIFIERS.”
[Communicated to him from abroad by Friedrich Weck, of Berlin in the Empire of
Germany.]
This invention relates to the construction of an improved dry centre valve for
working gas purifiers whereby the purifiers can be handily changed without
turning one main portion of the apparatus on the other as hitherto and which
shall at the same time be free from the liability to leakage which attends the
present form of centre valves.
In carrying out the invention I construct in a common case a central arrangement
of a number of disc valves, the number of which will depend upon that of the
purifiers which are to be connected therewith. These valves in a certain manner
partly communicate with one another and are partly shut off from each other.
For the purpose of illustration I will describe the valve as applied for working
four purifiers
The lower chamber of the valve is divided into two compartments one for the
main inlet and one for the main outlet and each compartment has four valve
openings upwards. There is also in each compartment a small socket which serves
to abstract the condensation.
The middle part into which the above named valve openings lead has again in
its upper wall corresponding openings, which can be blocked by one and the same
valve disc which blocks the lower one.
This said middle part is divided into eight chambers by radial walls and each
D

page_text: chamber has thus a valve opening above, and one below, and also the socket
opening outwards for connection with the purifier.
The top portion is divided by means of a radial wall into four portions, each of
which has two of the valve openings in its bottom. The valve discs are pulled up
or pressed down by screws. When they are up they block the upper opening and
when down the lower one, and their position can be seen from the outside by the
position of the projecting screw, or if internal screws are used a suitable index is
employed.
In addition to the main inlet socket by which the main pipe of the gas-works is
connected with the valve and the main outlet socket there are eight other sockets
lying at one level for connections to the purifiers and they are so connected that
four of the sockets connected with the chambers that lead into the inlet compart-
ments in the lower chamber lead to the inlet to the purifiers, and the other four
alternate sockets which lead below into the outlet compartment lead to the outlet
from the purifiers.
The upper chamber has four divisions which serve to make the communication
(when the valve discs are down) between the outlet pipe of the purifiers, and the
inlet pipe of the next following ones, while the inlet and outlet of one and the
same purifier is separated by a radial wall. When one of the lower valve openings
is closed up, the upper one is open, and vice versa when the upper one is shut the
lower one is open.
If the valve be now set to work the gas enters through the socket into the inlet
compartment of the lower chamber and thence through any of the four valve
openings which happens to be open. Up to this time supposing the whole eight
lower openings are shut and ono be now opened the gas will pass to, say, the first!
purifier. Returning thence it enters the valve again and if the lower opening of
the next valve be opened by pulling the disc up the gas passes down into the outlet
compartment of the lower chamber and leaves the valve through its socket. In
this manner only one purifier has been worked.
If it be desired to add the second purifier another valve is let down, that is, the
lower opening is closed (and at the same time the upper opening opened) then the
gas rises into the communicating portion (after return from the first purifier) and
passes into the second purifier. If the next disc be pulled up the gas on its return
from the second purifier will pass down into the outlet compartment and out of
the valve as before.
The same takes place when putting on the third and fourth purifiers.
It will be clear that by leaving out one pair of valves and sockets, the same
apparatus will be applicable to three purifiers, and by leaving out two pairs to two
purifiers. A bye-pass valve may be employed by means of which the compartments
of the lower chambers can be made to communicate and the gas can go right 4
through the valve without having first to pass through any of the purifiers, a
proceeding which would be impossible without this valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Marsh Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th December 1882.
EDWARD MARSH SIMPSON of Queen's Park in the county of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. * IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY CENTRE VALVES FOR WORKING GAS PURIFIERS.”
(A communication to me from abroad by Friedrich Weck of Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany)
This invention relates to the construction of an improved dry centre valve for
working gas purifiers whereby the purifiers can be handily changed without
turning one main portion of the apparatus on the other as hitherto and which
shall at the same time be free from the liability to leakage which attends the
present form of centre valves.
In carrying out the invention I construct in a common case a central arrange-
ment of a number of disc valves, the number of which will depend upon that of
the purifiers which are to be connected therewith. These valves in a certain
manner partly communicate with one another and are partly shut off from each
other.
In order to enable the invention communicated to me to be better understood I
will proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in
which figure 1 is an elevation half in section of the apparatus, as used for four
purifiers. Figure 2, shews at a, a quarter plan; at b, a quarter horizontal section
on line y, z, of figure 1; at c, a quarter plan of the lower part with the upper
part removed, and at d, a quarter section of the lower part on the line W,X, of
figure 1. Figure 3 is a section of the lower part on the line U, V, of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a valve for two purifiers, which has however an
additional bye-pass valve v, d. Figure 5, is a horizontal section of the same on the
line e, t, of figure 4. Figure 6, horizontal section of the same on the line q, r, of
figure 4. Figure 7, shews at e, a half horizontal section of the same on the line
o, p, of figure 4, and at f, a half horizontal section of the same on the line m, n, of
figure 4.
For the purpose of illustration I will describe the valve as applied for working
four purifiers, figures 1, 2 and 3.
The lower chamber of the valve is divided into two compartments, videlicet, one
E, R, for the main inlet and one A, R, for the main outlet and each of these com-
partments has upwards, four valve openings. The compartment E, R, has also the
socket E for the main inlet pipe and the compartment AR has the socket A for
the main outlet pipe. There is also in each compartment the small socket K
which serves to abstract the condensation.
The middle part into which the above named valve openings lead has again in
its upper wall exactly similar or corresponding openings, which can be blocked by
one and the same valve dise which blocks the lower one.
The middle part is divided into eight chambers by radial walls, and each chamber
has thus a valve opening above, and one below, and also the socket opening
outwards for connection with the purifier e¹, e, e, eʻ, and a¹, a³, a³, a². The top
portion is divided by means of a radial wall into four portions, each of which has
two of the valve openings in its bottom. The valve discs are pulled up or pressed
down by screws; when they are up they block the upper opening and when down
the lower one and their position can be seen from the outside by the position of
the projecting screw, or if internal screws are used, a suitable index f, as shewn in
figure 4, is employed. E, is the main inlet socket through which the main pipe

page_text: of the gas works is connected with the valve, and A is the main outlet socket
The other eight sockets lying at one level are for connections to thepurifiers, and
they are so connected that the four sockets e', e³, e³, e, which are cnnected with
the chambers that lead below into the part ER, lead to the inlet to the purifiers,
and the other four alternate ones a¹, a², a³, aª, which lead below into the part A R
lead to the outlet from the purifiers.
The four divisions of the upper chamber v 1,2—v, 2, 3—v, 3, 4-v, 4, 1 serve to
make the communication (when the valve discs are down) between the outlet pipe of
the purifiers, and the inlet pipe of the next following one, while the inlet and outlet of
one and the same purifier is separated by the radial wall w. When one of the 1
lower valve openings is closed up, the upper one is open, and vice versa, when the
upper one is shut the lower one is open.
If the valve be now set to work, the gas enters through the socket E, into the inlet
compartment E R of the lower chamber and thence through any one of the four
valve openings which happens to be open. Up to this time supposing the whole 1
eight lower openings are shut, and one be now opened say v, e, 1 the gas will pass
to the first purifier; returning thence it enters the valve again through v, a, 1 and
if the lower opening of the next valve v, a, 1 be opened by pulling the disc up, the
gns passes down into the inlet compartment AR of the lower chamber and leaves
the valve through the socket A. In this manner only or purifier has been worked.
If it be desired to add the second purifier the valve v, a, 1 is let down, that is the
lower opening is closed (and at the same time the upper opening is opened) of va 1,
then the gas rises into the communicating portion v 12 (after return from the
first purifier) and goes down through ve 2 which is open above into the second
purifier. If the next disc va 2, be now pulled up the gas on its return from the
second purifier will pass down into the outlet compartment A R and out of the
valve as before.
The same takes place when putting on the third and fourth purifiers; to put on
the third purifier, the valve va 3, must be pulled up and the valve va 2 be let
down and to put on the fourth purifier the valvo va 4 must be pulled up and the
valve va 3 be let down.
It will be easily seen how a purifier may be shut off videlicet:-If it be required
to shut off No. 1 purifier the valve ve 2 must be pulled up and the valve vel be
let down and the gas will then pass through the purifiers 2, 3 and 4.
It will be clear that by leaving out one pair of valves and sockets, the same
apparatus will be applicable to three purifiers, and by leaving out two pairs I
obtain the construction for two purifiers. This latter is illustrated in figures 4, 5,
6 and 7 with the difference that in the drawing there is added a bye-pass
valve vd by means of which the compartments of the lower chambers E, R, and
AR can be made to communicato, and the gas can go right through the valve 4
without having first to pass through any one of the purifiers; a proceeding which
would be impossible without this valve, but the apparatus can be constructed
either with or without this bye-pass valve as may be desired, as it is not absolutely
necessary but desirable.
Among the advantages of the improved centre valve may be mentioned the 4
following. There is no fear of leakage through the surfaces springing, as the
joint is made with a soft metal, and is not large. The purifiers 1, 2, 3 or 4 can
always be worked in the same order. When adapted for three purifiers it almost
renders them as effective as four purifiers with the ordinary centre valve now in
use, as the dirty one, after having been fully charged, can be put on again without 5
turning the first one off and if with four purifiers it allows of a more thorough
using up of the foul lime or other material in the first purifier. During changing
no foul gas can pass directly into the main outlet as is now the case with the
ordinary centre valves without going through a purifier. There are no liquor
pipes inside to get stopped up. The top part can be made in four pieces. The 5
valve is a little larger in diameter than the ordinary centre valve, but shallower,
and should not cost any more to make. In working it is only necessary to bear in

page_text: mind that the inlet valve to the first purifier and the outlet valve from the last
purifier are up, all the rest being down. Care should also be taken that one valve
is opened before another is closed.
Having thus described the invention communicated to me and the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice I wish it to be
understood that What is claimed and intended to be protected by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
Firstly. The central arrangement of a number of disc valves in one apparatus.in
the manner herein described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Secondly. The division of the lower portion of the central apparatus into an
inlet and outlet compartment or chamber in such a manner that all the inlets to
the purifiers can be made to communicate with the inlet chamber, and all the
outlets from the purifiers with the outlet chamber, without making it necessary to
turn one main portion of the apparatus on the other as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
Thirdly. The division of the upper chamber into portions, of which each connects
the outlet from one purifier with the inlet to the next following one as hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Fourthly. The arrangement of disc valves between the upper and lower chambers
for shutting off the communications as hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
Fifthly. The arrangement of a bye-pass valve by means of which the two lower
chambers videlicet the inlet and outlet chambers can be made to communicate as
herein before described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Sixthly. The improved dry centre valve for working gas purifiers constructed
and operating as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
"
In Witness whereof. I the said Edward Marsh Simpson have hereto set
my hand and seal this sixteenth day of December in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness.
G. F. REDFERN
Patent Agent
4 South St.
Finsbury
ED. AL SIMPSON. (I.S.)