IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING OR SPREADING LIQUIDS OVER SURFACES
Year: 1885

page_text: I CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS, of South Wimbledon, in the County of Surrey,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING OR SPREADING LIQUIDS OVER SURFACES" to be as
follows
The object of my invention is to provide means for distributing or spreading
liquids over surfaces in a uniform and regular manner. There are at present a
great number of appliances of different designs in practical use for distributing
water or other liquids, for instance, over the top of muriatic acid towers, Gay
Lussac apparatus, Glovertomers, Gas scrubbers and other similar apparatus
employed in various manufactures. Some of these however require motive power,
others do not distribute the liquids uniformly, others again are owing to their
construction out of sight and so that their proper working cannot be watched at
all times.
By my invention I accomplish the distribution of liquids by a number of small
intermittent syphons fixed in a plate or in the bottom of a shallow tray which is
placed above the surface requiring to be moistened. These syphons are fed by one
large intermittent syphon, which will discharge a much larger quantity of liquid,
than the whole of the smaller syphons together can pass in the same interval of
time. Or instead of the large single intermittent syphon a so called "Tumbling
box" or "oscillating trough" may be employed.
Various forms may be adopted for the smaller intermittent syphons, such as
represented by sketch fig. 1, but I prefer to use the form as shewn in section by
sketch fig. 2 and by fig. 3 in plan.
In fig. 1 the syphon consists simply in a pipe or tube of small diameter which
is open at both ends and bent as shewn and which is screwed in two pieces into the
plate d. d.
Fig. 2, represents the syphon as made by screwing a straight tube a. a. open at
both ends through the plate d. d. covered over on the top by a cup shaped vessel b. b.
The vessel b. is closed at the top but open or partly open at the bottom. To fix the
cup b. on the pipe a. a. a bar inay be inserted in the open end of the cup with a
tapped hole in it to admit the pipe a. a. see fig. 4.
The bottom end of the pipe a dips into another cup c. open at the top but closed
at the bottom into which is fixed the lower end of pipe a in the manner shewn
in fig. 4.
A number of these syphons I fix on the plate forming the bottom of the tank
from which the liquid is to be distributed.
They may be placed as closely together or as far apart as it is thought desirable,
but of course the closer they are placed together the more evenly will the liquid be
spread over the surfaces underneath the syphon tank.

page_text: The whole number of these syphons may be placed on the bottom of one single
large tank as shewn in sketch fig. 5.
Or what is better, within the principal tank e each individual syphon may be
enclosed by a small tank.
In the case of the principal tank e being square each small tank may be square
too, but if the principal tank is round then the individual small tanks should be
of sexagon shape like the section of honeycombs.
All the pipes a. a. must be of as uniform a length as is practicable,―The pieces
of the pipes a. standing above the plate d. should also be of a uniform length so
also should the pieces of the pipes a. below the plate d. be of a uniform length with
one another.
The distance between the top of the pipe a and the closed end of the cup b.
should be not much less than the diameter of the pipe a and the same should be
the case between the bottom end of pipe a and the closed end of cup c.
The quantity of liquid to be discharged from tank e at one time is regulated by
the distance kept between the top and bottom of the pipe a from the open ends of
the cups b. and c.
The height of the sides o. o. of the small tanks surrounding the individual
syphons should only be slightly greater than the top surface of the cups b. b. so that
the level of the liquid runs well over the top edges of all the small tanks before
the syphons start to run:
By enclosing each individual syphon in a small tank open at the top, it is
possible to observe whether all syphons work alike or whether any have got
stopped up.
By running liquid slowly from a pipe into the tank e until it overflows the top-
most ends of the cups b. b. to more than the extent of the immersion of pipe a. in
the cup c. all the syphons would be started simultaneously, if all adjustments
mentioned were perfect and the tops of all the pipes a. a. were on a perfect level.
As this is almost impossible and as in practice some of the syphons would start
sooner than the others I prefer not to fill the tank by means of a pipe, but supply
the liquid intermittently as already stated, by means of a "tumbling box"
better by means of a large intermittent syphon.
or
Either of these contrivances must be so constructed, that it can discharge a much
larger quantity of liquid than all the small syphons together can discharge in a
given time; so that after one or the last discharge of the large syphon, the tank e
is filled to a higher level than is required to start all the small syphons to run.
The syphons may be constructed according to the nature of the liquid to be
distributed of iron, lead, or stoneware or other suitable materials and the tank e
may be made of iron lead or stoneslabs.
The smaller tanks enclosing the individual syphons may either form one piece
that is to say be attached to each;-or each small tank with its syphon may be
made removeable, so that it may be taken out of the series and cleaned.
The tank e can either be open at the top or closed by waterluted cover or covers.
If it is covered and if there should be any gas pressure below the plate d. a
communicating pipe between the space below and the space above the plate d. will
establish an equilibrium. And if open and there is a gas pressure below plate d.
to be overcome the part of the pipes a. below the plate d. dipping into the cups c.
should dip far enough into the liquid in cup c to form a perfect seal against the gas
pressure.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing or Spreading
Liquids over Surfaces.
I, CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS, of South Wimbledon, in the County of Surrey,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
The object of my invention is to provide means for distributing liquids over
surfaces in a uniform manner. There are at present a great number of appliances
of different designs in practical use for distributing water or other liquids, for
instance over the top of muriatic acid towers, gas-lussac apparatus, glover-towers,
gas scrubbers and other similar apparatus employed in various manufactures.
Some of these require motive power, others do not distribute the liquids
uniformly, others again are liable to get stopped up and being out of sight their
proper working cannot be watched at all times and if out of order are inaccessible.
By my invention I accomplish the distribution of liquids by a number of small
intermittent syphons or sealed pipes fixed in a plate or in the bottom of a shallow
tank, which is placed above the surface requiring to be moistened. These syphon--
or sealed pipes are fed by one large intermittent syphon, which will dis
much larger quantity of liquid, than the whole of the smaller syphons tog can
pass in the same interval of time. Or instead of the large single intermittent
syphon a so called tumbling box or tumbling bucket or oscillating trough may be
employed.
<.
Various forms may be adapted for the smaller intermittent syphons. I use for
instance the form as shewn in section by sketch fig. 1 and by fig. 2, in plan.
Fig. 1 represents the syphon as made by screwing or otherwise fixing a straight"
tube a. a. open at both ends through the plate da covered over on the top by a
cup shaped vessel b. The vessel b is closed at the top but open at the bottom.
The cup may be fixed on the pipe a a by screwing or otherwise securing it into
a bar p placed inside the cup a little above the open end as shewn in sketch fig. 3.
The bar being provided with a screwed hole for the purpose. I prefer however to
leave the said cup loose instead of screwing it into the bar as described. In order
to place the same loose over the pipe a. a. and (so as to leave the required space
between its open end and the surface of the plate the said cup is provided with
legs to stand upon as shewn in fig. 5.
The bottom end of the pipe a. a. (i.e. the end below the plate) dips into another
cup c open at the top but closed at the bottom into which is fixed the lower end of
pipe a in the manner shewn in fig. 6.
Instead of the form shewn in fig. 6 given to the seal cup c below the plate
I prefer to use the form shewn in fig. 6, that is to say, I make the shape bell
mouthed and the outer surface fluted. By adapting this form each groove forms a
separate jet of water during the overflow from the cup.
A number of these syphons or sealed tubes I fix on the plate forming the bottom
of the tank from which the liquid is to be distributed. They may be placed close
together or as far apart as is thought desirable.

page_text: The whole number of these syphons may be placed on the bottom of one single
large tank as shewn in fig. 7 or what is better, within the principal tank e. Each
individual syphon may be enclosed by a smaller tank or cell as shewn by dotted
lines. In the case the principal tank e being square each small tank should be
square too, but if the principal is round then the individual small tanks should be
of hexagon shape.
Various modifications may be adapted in fixing or otherwise arranging the
syphons sealed pipes or in the bottom of the tank, for instance they may be placed
below the bottom of the tank as shewn in fig. 8 or they may be placed as has been
shewn previously, but the spaces between the syphons or sealed pipes filled up by
blocks of solid material m m of suitable kind as shewn in sketch fig. 9.
I also attach the seal cup c below the plate by means of an outer pipe fig. 8 i i
which is fastened to the plate but does not project through it. The pipe ii is
fastened in the bar p and dips far enough into the cup which it supports to ensure
the pipe to remain sealed against every probable pressure. Into this outer
pipe I then insert the inner pipe a. The space between the outer and the inner
pipe may be rendered watertight by means of a conical plug o for similar arrange-
ment as shewn in fig. 10.
When using an outer and an inner pipe I prefer to give the seal cup c the form
shewn in fig. 8.
All the pipes a a must be of as uniform a length as is practicable. The pieces
of the pipes a, standing above the plate d should also be of a uniform length so
also should the pieces of the pipes a below the plate d be of a uniform length with
one another. The distance between the top of the pipe a and the closed end of
the cup b should be not much less than the diameter of the pipe a and the same
should be the case between the bottom end of pipe a and the closed end of cup c.
The quantity of liquid to be discharged from tank e, at one time is regulated by
the distance kept between the top and bottom of the pipe a, from the open ends of
the cups b and c.
The height of the sides q. q. of the small tanks surrounding the individual
syphons should only be slightly greater than the top surface of the cups b. b. so
that the level of the liquid runs well over the top edges of all the small tanks
before the syphons start to run.
By enclosing each individual syphon in a small tank open at the top it is
possible to observe whether all syphons work alike or whether any have got
stopped up.
By running liquid slowly from a pipe into the tank e, until it overflows the
topmost ends of the cups b. b. to more than the extent of the immersion of pipe a
in the cup c. all the syphons would be started simultaneously if all adjustments
inentioned were perfect and the tops of all the pipes a. a. were on a perfect level.
As this is almost impossible and as has (in practice some of the syphons would
start sooner than the others, I prefer not to fill the tank by means of a pipe but
supply the liquid intermittently as already stated, by means of a "tumbling box
or by means of a large intermittent syphon.
Either of these contrivances must be so constructed, that it can discharge a
much larger quantity of liquid, than all the small syphons together can discharge
in a given time, so that after one or the last discharge of the large syphon or of
the tumbling box, the tank e, is fitted to a higher level than is required to start all
the small syphons to run.
The syphons may be constructed according to the nature of the liquid to be
distributed of iron, lead or stoneware or other suitable materials and the tank e
may be made of iron lead or stone slabs.
The tank e can either be open at the top or closed by waterluted cover or covers.
If there is a gas pressure below plate d to be overcome, the part of the pipes a
below the plate & dipping into the cups c should dip far enough into the liquid in
cup c to form a perfect seal against any gas pressure likely to occur.

page_text: An apparatus constructed as above described fixed on the top for instance of a
gas scrubber renders it possible to observe at all times whether it is working
properly or whether any of the pipes or syphons are stopped up or not-All
working parts are in sight.
If any of the pipes should get stopped, it is only necessary to lift up the cup or
cover of such pipe and to clear out the obstruction by means of a rod.
The apparatus may also be worked without any of the cups b. b. on the upper
end of the pipes a. a. being used. The water in that case thrown from a tumbling
box or bucket all at once into the tank e would then run down the pipes a and
overflow from the cup c and so spreading itself over the surface below whilst by
the pipe a being sealed by the liquid in cup e no gas can escape through it.
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
1. The use of a Water tank placed on the top of the apparatus in which the
distribution of the liquid is to be effected which tank forms at the same time the
cover of the apparatus (such as gas scrubbers etc).
2. The subdivision of such tanks into a number of smaller and shallower tanks
or cells.
3. The use of a number of pipes or tubes fixed into the bottom of the tank or
into the smaller tanks or cells such pipes dipping with their lower open end into
seal cups.
4. The use of cups placed over the upper ends of the pipes projecting upwards
through the bottom of the tank, so as to convert said pipes into intermittent
syphons.
5. The use of a tumbling box oscillating bucket or similar contrivance in con-
nection with the above described arrangement for supplying the liquid to the
syphons or sealed pipes at intervals.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.