Improvements in Indicators for Montejus and similar Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indicators for Montejus and similar Apparatus.
I, JOHN MCCLURE CALDWELL PATON of Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham in
the County of Notts, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to montejus or sludge pans and similar apparatus for
forcing thick liquids or semi-liquid substances into filter presses or against
pressure for other purposes and consists in improved arrangements of indicators for
indicating the high and low level of the liquids in said apparatus, said improved
indicators being more particularly applicable to
apparatus worked with
compressed air.
In working ordinary montejus and similar apparatus it is convenient to have a
float so arranged that when filling the vessel the float comes into action and either
by means of a whistle or electric bell or some other kind of alarum gives notice
when the proper charge of liquid has been filled in. Similar arrangements are
used to indicate when the vessel is empty or nearly empty.
These floats as
ordinarily made work fairly well when the contents of the vessel are very liquid,
but if they are very thick or muddy or of a nature to adhere to or settle upon the
floats, the weight of the floats is altered and the indications become incorrect.
Where electric contacts are used the mud sticks to the surfaces and prevents contact
if these are arranged inside the vessel, while rods passing through stuffing boxes
are objectionable on account of being liable to stick. The indicators thus require
frequent cleansing which in many cases is difficult, for instance when the vessel is
set below the floor and only accessible from the top, and always troublesome, as
manholes have to be removed and the vessel emptied, while when the vessels are
made with handholes only it is practically impossible to apply the floats as hitherto
made to vessels not originally fitted with them.
I
The object of my invention is to remedy these defects by so arranging the
indicators that they can readily be applied to existing as well as to new montejus
and similar apparatus and the floats do not collect sediment and can easily be taken
out and cleaned, and that the electric contacts cannot become coated with mud.
effect these objects by arranging electric contacts at the top of closed pipes fixed
to the top of the vessels and making the floats of small diameter so that they can
be withdrawn through said pipes.
The manner in which my invention is to be carried out will be readily understood
from the following statement, reference being made to the drawing appended here-
unto which shows a montejus with my improved indicators in section.
A represents the vessel of the montejus B the cock with funnel and C the pipe
through which the vessel A is filled with liquid: D the pipe through which
compressed air or equivalent pressure fluid is admitted upon the top of the liquid;
E the delivery pipe through which the liquid is forced out of the vessel A; F the
low level and G the high level indicator. Upon the top of the vessel A. I fix pipes
a and by screwing them into sockets and d respectively, the scckets being
rivetted or bolted to the top of the vessel A, or fix the pipes in any other convenient
ordinary manner. The pipe a is fitted with a flange e at the top to which a cap f
is bolted so as to make an airtight joint. The cap contains the terminals
insulated in the usual way and connected to a battery by wires gl', an electric
bell or equivalent alarum being inserted into the circuit. A float of smaller
diameter than the bore of the pipe a is placed in the lower part of the vessel A and
connected to a light rod k with a suitable tip, bridge or contact piece m for making
electric contact between the terminals gh when the float sinks down in consequence
D
h

page_text: of the emptying of the vessel A. A guide for the rod k is bolted in between the
flanges, or otherwise so arranged that after removal of the cap fit can be taken
away and the float i drawn out of the vessel for cleansing or repair. A pipe o may
be arranged as a continuation of the pipe a for the protection of the rod k, and has
holes o at its upper end to allow the entry of compressed air or other pressure fluid
into the pipe in order to prevent the liquid from being forced up into the pipe a
when the pressure is turned on.
The indicator G for notifying the high level is arranged similarly to the low
level indicator F except that the terminals in cap u and the contact piece or
tipare so arranged that the circuit is closed by the latter when the floats and
rod rise, and the pipe o is naturally omitted.
The floats are preferably made conical or rounded on their top sides to prevent
the collection of sediment.
T
The improved indicators arranged as described can be readily applied to existing
montejus and similar apparatus as well as to new ones. The tips or contact pieces
(mr) and terminals (gh p q) can be readily examined by taking off the caps (fa)
and the latter for purposes of observation may be made partly of glass or with glass
windows so that the motion or position of the tips of the float rods can be seen.
The contacts cannot become coated with dirt because the pipes being closed and
filled with air the liquid even if the vessel is fed under pressure from a tank at a
higher level cannot rise up to the top, the air compressed in the pipes preventing
such rise. The floats can be taken out and cleaned without interfering with the
manhole or handhole joints and while the vessel A is filled with liquid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is
Firstly. The arrangement or construction of float indicators for montejus and
similar apparatus in such a manner that the floats can be withdrawn without
detaching the indicators from said apparatus or opening manholes or handholes
substantially as herein described.
Secondly. The arrangement or construction of indicators for montejus and similar
apparatus with pipes fixed to the top of said apparatus and closed airtight at their
upper ends by removable caps and containing at or near to the same terminals of a
battery connected to an electric bell or its equivalent, and floats that can be passed
through said pipes and carrying rods with tips or their equivalents for making
contact with said terminals, substantially as herein described and illustrated by the
-drawing.
Thirdly. The combination with a montejus or similar apparatus of a pipe fixed to
the top of the same, a cap closing said pipe airtight and containing terminals
connected to an electric battery and bell or its equivalent, a float capable of being
passed through said pipe, a rod attached to said float and a tip or contact piece
attached to the top of said rod, substantially as herein described and illustrated by
the drawing and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of March 1802
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer.