Improvements in the Means or Appliances for Guiding and Controlling Gas Holders or for Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means or Appliances for Guiding and
Controlling Gas Holders or for Analogous Purposes.
I, EDWARD LLOYD PEASE, of Pierremont, Darlington, in the County of Durham,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to means or appliances for guiding and controlling gas holders
so as to support them in the working position with the requisite stability, which said
means or appliances can also be used for regulating and adjusting the pressure exerted
by the gas holder upon the gas within, or may be similarly employed for analogous
purposes.
The means generally employed to guide a gas holder up and down and to keep it in
the vertical position without sideward movement consist of columns or standards fixed
at suitable distances in a ring round the gas holder, cach of which columns or
standards is fixed rigidly in position and is provided on the side towards the gas
holder with a runner upon the face of which a pulley supported on brackets extending
from the gas holder travel up and down the columns or standards as the gas holder
risos and falls.
The object of my invention is to afford the requisite means to similarly guide and
control the gas holder, that is, to keep it in the working position with the requisite
stability by wire ropes or their equivalents applied in tension and operated automatically
by suitably constructed mechanism as a substitute for fixed columns or standards; the
mechanism employed being also available for regulating and adjusting the pressure
exerted by the gas holder upon the gas within according to the amount of tension
applied to the wire ropes.
Apparatus constructed according to my invention consists as follows:-An iron or
steel bar of any suitable section such as a channel bar, tee bar, or the like, or wire
ropes or their equivalents, forming a circle or segment of a circle of greater diameter
than the gas holder tank is mounted on rollers, pulleys, or other means of support to
enable it to traverse a certain distance backwards and forwards along the circumference
of its own circle at a suitable distance from the tank edge. This bar may be termed
the coupling bar to which two wire ropes, chains, or the like aro secured at a distance
apart not less than the length of the track of the bar from its extreme position in one
direction to its extreme position in the other direction; the other ends of the wire
ropes or chains are secured one to the top and the other to the bottom curb of the
gas holder; these wire ropes or chains guide and support the gas holder in a working
position with the requisite stability by being applied thereto in a state of tension in
the following manner:-supported on a bracket overhanging the tank is a pulley
capable of revolving in a vertical plane which is also preferably radial in its other
direction with reference to the circular path of the coupling bar, corresponding to
this pulley is another pulley capable of revolving in a horizontal plane close to the
coupling bar. The wire ropes or chains are brought from the coupling bar in opposite
directions round this horizontal pulley to the vertical overhanging pulley, the one
connected to the bottom curb of the gas holder passing over the overhanging pulley,
the other connected to the top curb of the gas holder passing under the overhanging
pulley being suitably led from the horizontal pulley to the overhanging pulley over
an intermediate pulley.
The particular positions of these pulleys and the number employed may bo varied
according to circumstances so long as the wire ropes or chains work in the following
manner the wire ropes or chains are first adjusted to a state of tension sufficient
to give the requisite stability to the gas holder, when the gas holder is in its lowest
position, that is, has not commenced to rise, the coupling bar is at the extreme limit

page_text: of its track in one direction: as the gas holder rises to its highest position, the
coupling bar travels to the extreme limit at the other end of its track and takes up
the rope or chain secured to the bottom curb which is drawn by it in a horizontal
direction whilst it gives out the same length of the rope or chain secured to the top
curb. When the gas holder again falls the operation is reversed, the coupling bar
and ropes or chains going back to their original positions. To apply the requisite
tension to the ropes or chains the coupling bar is resisted in its motion by friction
gear, weights or the like, or if necessary is assisted in its motion by other suitable
means, the amount of tension in the ropes or chains varying with and depending
upon the amount of resistance to be overcome in imparting motion to the
coupling bar.
It is obvious that the above described mode of guiding and controlling gas holders
could be readily modified in the arrangement of its parts so as to be worked from and
applied to the interior of the gas holler, the principal changes in the mochanism
involved being the smaller diameter of the circular track traversed by the coupling
bar so as to provide the requisite space for the pulleys and wire ropes or chains
between the coupling bar and the inside of the gas holder.
Although I havo described the coupling bar travelling with resisted or assisted
motion to the right and left in a circular track as the means employed for imparting
the requisite tension to the wire ropes or chains which guide and support the gas
holder, other means may be substituted for this so long as the wire ropes or chains
are given out and taken up in the above described manner. My improved appliances
are applied to the gas holder at different parts in the same manner as fixed columns
are now provided, and where desirable the two systems can be applied to the same
gas holder.
In gas holders of two or more lifts my improved appliances are applied independently
to each lift, being supported on and worked from the upper part or "dip" of the lift
below.
Dated this 13th day of December 1000
G. J. CLARKSON,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means or Appliances for Guiding and
Controlling Gas Holders or for Analogous Purposes.
I, EDWARD LLOYD PEASE, of Pierremont, Darlington, in the county of Durham
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 means or appliances for guiding and controlling gasholders
so as to support them in the working or level position with the requisite stability
which said means or appliances can also be used for regulating and adjusting the
pressure exerted by the gas holder upon the gas within or may be similarly employed
for analogous purposes such as similarly guiding and controlling the rise and fall of
a vessel or structure floating in tidal waters or resting upon a supporting body or
material of variable sustaining power but as my invention is more especially applicable
to gasholders I will describe how it may be carried into effect entirely with reference
to them. The means generally employed to guide a gasholder up and down and to
keep it in the vertical position without sideward movement are well known to consist
of columns or standards fixed at suitable distances apart in a ring round the gasholder
each of which columns or standards is fixed rigidly in position and is provided on
the side towards the gasholder with a runner upon the face of which a pulley
supported in brackets extending from the gasholder travels up and down the column
or standard as the gasholder rises and falls, the pressure to be exerted by the holder
on the gas inside being adjusted and regulated when necessary by balance weights

page_text: suspended from chains connected to the holder and carried over the tops of the columns
or standards.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the employment of ropes preferably
of wire chains or the like applied to keep the gasholder in the working position with
the requisite stability and serving also when required to regulate and adjust the
pressure exerted by the gas holder upon the gas within. I will for the sake of
simplicity of description refer to ropes but it is to be understood that I include in that
expression chains, or the equivalents thereof, which operate for the purposes of my
invention as herein explained. It will be obvious from the following description that
the arrangements according to my invention may be considerably varied without
departing from its nature. The arrangement may consist of upper check ropes
secured at their upper ends to the top curb of tho gas holder and of lower check
ropes with their lower ends secured to the lower part of the lift or of one of the lifts
which check ropes are controlled in working by means of any suitably constructed
mechanisin or appliances to serve as a substitute for fixed columns or standards, or if
preferred to be used in combination with them. For instance, where a gasholder
provided with the usual guide framing is telescoped for enlargement my improved
system can be applied to the additional lifts without removing the guide framing
erected for the original lifts.
In applying ropes for this purpose in accordance with my invention I usually
connect the said ropes which I term check ropes, to the gasholder and so train them
over pulleys or guides and connect them to other appliances that the rise and fall of
the holder automatically draws the said check ropes into position to apply such a
check to any tendency of the holder to get out of the level that any variation from
the level position becomes impossible, and the points of attachment of the check ropes
to the holder all rise and fall together, the effect being that any external influences
fending to raise or depress the holder at some particular part are resisted by check
ropes on the other side of the holder, which meet a tilting force on one side of the
holder by a lifting force on the other side, or a depressing force on one side by a
restraining force on the other side, so that no movement but a vertical one can take
place. In order that the check ropes may be always at a suitable tension whatever he
the position of the gasholder or any lift thereof, it is necessary that the check ropes
should be capable of extending their length in the vertical direction to an extent
equal to at least the full travel of the gasholder the upper check ropes being drawn
out from some position below the lowest level ever reached by the parts to which
they are connected and the lower check ropes being similarly drawn out from some
position above the highest level ever reached by the parts at which they are secured
to the bottom lift or brought round the pulleys pivotally attached thereto. Pulleys
provided at these positions can be employed to divert the check ropes from the
vertical direction to be connected to and controlled by any suitable constructed
mechanism or appliances by which they are given out or taken up as their upwardly
and downwardly extending portions are lengthened or shortened with the rise or fall
of the gasholder. It is preferable that the check ropes so employed be applied in
equal numbers, as upper and lower check ropes, and the combination or arrangement
of mechanical parts or appliances by which they are kept in tension and otherwise
controlled and brought into action will generally be simplified by arranging the said
check ropes in pairs or couples an upper and lower check rope together forming a
pair or couple these pairs or couples are preferably connected to the gasholder at
points equi-distant from oach other the number of such pairs or couples required to
prevent the gasholder from getting out of the level position being obviously not less
than three, but they may be any greater number desired.
Although the above described mode of carrying ont my invention in which separate
sets of check ropes are employed as the upper and lower check ropes is generally
applicable for both single or multiple lift gas holders yet the mode of applying my
invention may be modified especially for single lift gasholders in the following
manner: The same check rope which serves as the upper check rope on one side of
the gasholder, may be brought across the tank bottom and otherwise adjusted by

page_text: means of pulleys to serve as the lower check rope at the other side, so that as the
check rope which may be termed a compound check rope, is drawn up on one side of
the gasholder; it is correspondingly given out on the side, three such compound check
ropes provided at equi-distant parts of the gusholder will generally servo to prevent
the lift from getting out of the level position. A further modification of my
invention, also more especially applicable to a single lift gas holder consists in
carrying the check ropes over the top or done of the gasholder on pulleys provided
thereon, each check rope, which may also be termed a compound check rope, being
secured at one end to the tank side or other part sufficiently low to clear the said
pulleys at their lowest positions and in like manner at the other end after being taken
round a pulley fixed to the bottom curb of the gasholder, the parts secured directly
to the tank side serving as the upper check ropes whilst the parts secured in the like
manner after being brought round the bottom curb pulleys, serving as the lower
check rope three such compound check ropes arranged triangular fashion will
generally serve to prevent the lift from getting out of the level position and to
otherwise control and regulate its rise and fall.
In the drawings hereunto annexed in which the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts wherever they occur in all the figures, the arrangement or
construction of parts similar in principle but modified in detail in the various figures
to suit the requirements of differently constructed or different sized gasholders,
illustrate what I believe to be the most advantageous manner of carrying my invention
into effect.
In Figures 1 and 2 an elevation and corresponding balf plan illustrate a single lift
gasholder supported in a position midway between its highest level and the tank
bottom by four upper and four lower check ropes a¹ a² arranged in couples at equal
distances round the lift and connected to the endless wire rope b which I term the
coupling rope the rope a' being connected to the top of the lift and the rope a being
connected to the bottom of the lift. Corresponding to Figures 1 and 2 Figures 5
and 6 illustrate in detail and to an enlarged scale, the relative positions of the check
ropes a¹ a² when worked in couples and the manner in which they are diverted from
the vertical direction to connect them to the coupling rope b. The coupling rope b
is an endless rope following a track round the lift and is free to move a cortain
distance in a direction either to the right or left round the pulleys and upon the
rollers. In this case in which there are four couples of check ropes a² a² applied at
equal distances apart by setting out the coupling rope in the form of a square of
the proper dimensions the track of the coupling rope is brought so as to pass in a
right line between the pulleys c¹³ in each of the twin brackets c. by which arrange-
ment the upper check ropes a¹ are brought round the pulleys c¹ in one direction, and
the lower check ropes a round the pulleys in the opposite direction, to their points
of connection with the coupling rope so that whichever way the coupling rope bis
drawn in giving out one set of check ropes, it takes up corresponding lengths of the
other set of check ropes. In this manner by properly connecting the check ropes to
the coupling rope, that is with right hand connections for the upper check ropes, and
left hand connections for the lower ones, or the reverse of this as the case may be,
when the gasholder rises the check ropes a¹ all draw the coupling rope 6 in the
direction required to take up the check ropes a² and when the gasholder falls the
ropes a similarly draw the coupling rope & in the opposite direction in which it takes
up the check ropes a'. The points of connection of the check ropes a¹ a² with the
coupling rope should be at such parts of the coupling rope that the said points of
connection will clear the pulleys c¹³ in any position of the gasholder the full distance
they are drawn in either direction with the coupling rope being of course the same
as the distance between the highest and lowest position of the highest left under
control. The pressure exerted by the gasholder upon the gas within is adjusted and
regulated by the strain required to draw up the upper check ropes a¹ as the lift is
rising, the tension on which is sustained by the coupling rope b consequently the
strain can be increased by retarding the motion of the coupling rope bor be reduced
by accelerating its motion either of which results can be affected in various ways,

page_text: such for instance as the means illustrated by way of example in Figures 1. 2 3 and 4
in which a system of weights suspended from the coupling rope 6 travel up and down
with the gasholder. In Figures 1 and 2 the weight w acts as a retarding force to
the rise of the gasholder, and an accelerating force to its fall, thus causing the gas-
holder to exert a correspondingly increased pressure upon the gas within, the weight
being so suspended from its connection with the coupling rope 6 as to be an ascending
weight with the rise of the gasholder and a descending weight with its fall. In
Figures 3 and 4 the weight w acts as an accelerating force to the rise of the gasholder
and as a retarding force to its fall, thus diminishing the pressure upon the gas within
the weight being so suspended from its connection with the coupling bar bas to be a
descending weight with the rise of the gasholders and an ascending weight with its
fall. Where a flexible coupling rope is not desirable I substitute thorefor a suitable
section of iron or steel bar such as a channel or H bar. Referring to Figures 3. 4. 7
and 8 which illustrate the application of my invention to a single lift gasholder when
an H bar is employed as a coupling bar. Figure 3 is an elevation and Figure 4 a
half plan of a gasholder with the lift partially raised. Figures 7 and 8 again
illustrating in detail and to an enlarged scale the relative positions of the check
ropes a¹ a when worked in couples, and the manner in which they are connected to
the coupling bar b. This coupling bar, which forms a circular girder of larger
diameter then and concentric with the gasholder is supported on rollers upon which
it can move a certain distance in either direction concentrically round the holder the
pulleys which are indispensable in the case of a flexible coupling rope, are dispensed
with in the case of a rigid coupling bar. In all other respects the description of the
mechanical details and the mode of operating them with reference to Figures 1-2 5
and is equally applicable in the case of the rigid coupling bar illustrated in
Figures 3, 4, 7, 8.
The above described modes of applying my invention to a single lift gasholder
whether by the employment of a flexible coupling rope or a rigid iron or steel
coupling bar is equally applicable to the bottom or outside lift of multiple lift
gasholders.
I will now proceed to describe how I prefer to apply my invention to the inner lifts
of multiple lift gasholders by referring to Figures 9, 10 and 11 which illustrate in
detail the means or arrangements of mechanical parts employed in controlling the
second lift with the check ropes connected to a coupling bar provided at the tank side
as already described with reference to the first or outside lift. In Figure 9 which
illustrates the mechanism in question in transverse part sectional view, A is the tank
side B is the "dip" of the bottom or outside lift and C. the "gooseneck" of the next
inner lift. Figure 10 is a plan view and Figure 11 a view in front elevation corre-
sponding to the transverse part soctional view in Figure 9. In this case the coupling
bar 6 is not brought into fine with the check ropes aa but moves upon rollers &
placed to one side of the tank edge, this involves the employment of additional pulleys
check rope
a' the
for each check rope which I provide as follows:-for the upper
pulleys rotating in line in a vertical plane, and pulleys d rotating horizontally
in the plane of the coupling bar, are so placed relatively to the vertical line of motion
of the check rope a' and to position of the coupling bar b that the connection with
the coupling bar bis effected by passing the said check rope a¹ under pulley d¹ over
pulley and round pulley in the manner clearly shown more particularly in
Figure 10. In the case of the lower check rope a² which has to be carried over the
"dip" B of the outer lift to serve the inner lift pulleys e¹ e³ are mounted on the
"dip" B as illustrated more particularly in Figure 9 in any suitable manner; a
pulley is also pivotally attached to the lower part of the bottom or outside lift in
a line with the pulleys ee on the "dip" and three other pulleys d³ de are provided
to form a twin set with the pulleys d' d' d' as already described for transmitting the
upper check rope a'; by this system of pulleys the lower check rope a² is carried
from its point of connection with the inside lift over the "dip" B and pulleys e¹ e²
and is then led down under pulley e and again up to the pulleys d' d d on the
tank side passing over pulleys d' d' and round pulley de to its connection with the

page_text: coupling bar 6 as already described with reference to the upper check rope a¹. If the
coupling rope is brought into line with the check ropes as illustrated in Figure 15
the pulleys d' d³ ³ d d³ and d are not required. The connection of the upper check
ropes a with the coupling bar band their action is the same as already discribed for
a single lift gasholder except that a greater length is required in the check ropes and
a correspondingly greater distance is travelled by the coupling rope in giving out.
and taking them in. The action of the lower check ropes a³ is as follows: as the
gasholder rises the ropes are drawn up over pulleys ee and under pulley to the
coupling bar or rope until the two lifts are cupped" when both rise together and
the coupling bar or rope draws up the lower check rope a³ from pulleys only as it
rises with the outer lift, the rope behind pulley e remaining stationary. When the
gasholder falls again the reverse operation takes place.
The above described part of my invention for controlling and inside lift of a multiple
lift gasholder by leading the lower check ropes therefrom over the "dips" of the next
lower or outer lift involves the employment of additional pulleys and corresponding
sharp bends in the check ropes which check ropes are also increased in length for
every additional "dip" over which the same system of check ropes is trained. The
distance to be travelled in either direction by the coupling bar or rope is also corre-
spondingly increased.
I therefore prefer to employ this mode of applying my invention for controlling
the bottom and intermediate lifts of multiple gasholders and to substitute therefor an
independent system of check ropes and their operating mechanism for the top lift,
supported on and worked from the crown thereof as illustrated in Figures 12, 13
and 14 in which Figures 12 and 13 are part sectional views taken on lines XX
and YY respectively of Figure 14 which is the corresponding view in plan. In
these figures A is the tank side B B the "dips" of the first and second lifts,
and C. the upper part or curb of the top lift. The arrangement of parts or appliances
employed for operating the check ropes of the outer and intermediato lifts is precisely
similar in principal and mode of working to what has already been described with
referene to Figures 9. 10. and 11, and is only different therefrom by the substitution
of a flexible coupling rope drawn into line with the check ropes for a rigid coupling
bar which lies outside of the vertical line of motion of the check ropes.
The arrangement of parts or appliances for controlling the top lift by check ropes
worked from the crown of the lift is as follows: The coupling rope b is carried round
horizontally grooved pulleys 61 which are placed near enough to the side of the lift
to enable the check ropes al a² to be connected to the coupling rope by being led over
pulleys ff in the manner shown.
The check ropes are worked in couples in the manner herein before described, the
lugs g¹ g² are provided on the "dip" of the lift bolow the upper check ropes a¹ being
secured direct to lugs gl and the lower check ropes as to the Ings g² after passing 4
down under pulley which is pivotally attached to the lower part of the top lift, and
up again in the manner shown so that the same motion of the coupling rope which
takes up one set of check ropes gives out corresponding lengths of the other set of
check ropes in the manner herein before described.
Figure 15 illustrates how the check ropes of each inner lift can be worked 4
independently by providing the same arrangement of parts or appliances on each
'dip" for the lift above as are provided at the tank side for the bottom lift.
"
Figure 16 illustrates a modification of my invention as applied to a single lift
gasholder in which the coupling rope or bar which has been included in all the
previous figures is dispensed with. In Figure 16 a check rope a' a which may be 5
termed a compound check rope, is secured at one end to the lower part of the lift,
and at the other end to the upper part of the lift at the opposite side by being brought
across the underside of the gasometer by means of pulleys ³ ³ ³ similarly other
compound check ropes are brought across from the lower part on one side to the
upper part on the other side of the lift, the length of rope and the position of the 5
pulleys being adjusted to apply the requisite strain for controlling the lift.
As the lift rises the portion a¹ which serves as the upper check rope, is drawn

page_text: up, whilst the portion a³ which serves as the lower check rope, is given out; when
the lift falls again the reverse operation takes place such compound check ropes
applied to the lift at three equi-distant parts will generally serve to prevent the gas-
holder from getting out of the level position.
A further modification of my invention which is also especially applicable to a
single lift gasholder, is illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 in which Figure 17 is a part
section taken on line Z Z of Figure 18.
The check ropes which may also be termed compound check in this case are shown
arranged triangular fashion, and are carried by means of pulleys over the
crown or dome of the lift, and secured to holdfasts K' K' K at the tank side, the
portion a', which serves as the upper check rope, passes direct over its pulleys f¹ to
the holdfast K¹ whilst the portion a² at the other end of the check rope passes from
pulley down under pulley which is pivotally attached to the lower part of the lift
and up again to the holdfast K at another part of the tank side, so that as the holder
rises the portion a² of the check rope is drawn out whilst the portion a² is taken up :
three such compound check ropes arranged triangular fashion as illustrated in
Figure 18 will generally serve to provent the lift from getting out of the level
position. It will be understood that in Figure 17 a¹ is the upper check rope portion
of the rope having its lower check rope portion secured to holdfast K2, and a is the
lower check rope portion of the rope having its upper check rope portion secured
at K³ as before stated.
I do not restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described with reference to the accompanying drawings which are merely intended
to illustrate suitable means by which the essential features of my invention can he
applied to gasholders of the kind in ordinary use, as the arrangement or combination
of parts by which wire ropes chains or the like can be employed as check ropes to
be automatically given out and taken up with the rise and fall of the gasholder, and
kept in a suitable state of tension so as to operate to resist the tendency of the
moveable part or parts of the gasholder to get out of position and also if desired to
control the pressure put on the gas, may be varied in many ways without departing
from the essential feature of my invention, but what I claim is
Firstly. In combination with gasholders or the like, ropes, or their equivalents
connected to or arranged in connection with the said gasholders or the like so as to
operate substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Secondly. In combination with single lift gasholders, ropes, chains or the like
connected to the top and bottom curbs of the moveable part of the gasholder,
and arranged so as to be constantly operating as check ropes or the like substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
67 and 8.
Thirdly. The combination of parts as a whole constructed combined arranged and
operating together for applying wire ropes, chains or the like as check opes to
multiple lift gasholders, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 9. 10. 11. 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Fourthly. The arrangement and combination of parts by which ropes chains or the
like are applied as compound check ropes to the lift of a gas holder by being brought
under or across the tank bottom from one connection to the other substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 16.
Fifthly. The arrangement and combination of parts by which, ropes chains or the
like are applied as compound check ropes to the lift of a gasholder by being secured
to holdfasts at the tank side, and brought from one point of connection to the other
over the dome or crown of the gas holder, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinhefore described with reference to Figures 17 and 18.
Dated this 12th day of September 1009.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicant.