Improvements in Gasholder Guiding Apparatus.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th May, 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gasholder Guiding Apparatus.
I, GEORGE THOMAS LIVESEY of the South Metropolitan Gas Works, Old Kent Road
in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to secure vertical stability in the ascent and descent
of gasholders when the guide framing is wholly or partially dispensed with.
Under ordinary conditions the guide framing is necessary mainly because the
vessel when in action is floating and consequently very liable to tilt on one side.
To avoid this defect, I use an arrangement whereby the rollers on the bottom curb
are compelled to rise or fall uniformly and thus prevent some of the rollers rising,
or falling while others are either stationary or moving in an opposite direction. By
adopting this plan gasholders may be safely guided and kept upright by rollers or
their equivalent attached to the bottom curb only.
In ordinary gasholders the rollers on the bottom curb work on plain guides usually
of channel iron, fixed to the wall of the tank. These may either act radially as is
the universal practice in England or tangentially as in France, or both radial and*
tangential rollers may be combined.
To effect the object of this invention I place around the interior of the tank a
number of either channeled or solid guides. If channeled, the two interior opposite
sides of the channel are formed with alternate hollows and projections, the curve of
each hollow being epicycloidal, or that of a revolving and rolling cylinder of the
same diameter as the roller to be used in conjunction with it. If the solid form of
guide be employed then the two outer opposite sides have alternate hollows and
projections of the same curvature as those just described.
To the bottom curb of the gasholder I fix rollers tangentially, either working
singly between the two cheeks of each channeled guide, or with rollers in pairs
working on the outside of a solid guide. When the rollers work singly the curved
or zigzag channel is made just wide enough to allow the roller to pass upwards or
downwards freely with no play, and when they work in pairs they are placed just
far enough apart to pass freely up and down, outside the solid guide without looseness
or play.
The projections on the guides are preferably made equal to one fourth of the
diameter of the roller, as this answers the purpose and leaves a clear path in the
centre of the channeled guides equal to half the diameter of the roller which will
permit the use of an ordinary radial roller in the same channeled guide, but the
projections may vary both in size and form to suit special circumstances.
I do not confine myself to the application of these guides to the tank aloue, but
use them also in the case of telescopic gasholders on the guide framing where that is
adopted, to the height of at least one-lift. They can also be fixed to the inner sides
of telescopic gasholders for the purpose of guiding the inner lifts. The usual guides
in an ordinary gasholder may therefore be dispensed with.
Dated this 10th day of September 1888.
W. H. BENNETT,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gasholder Guiding Apparatus.
1, GEORGE THOMAS LIVESEY of the South Metropolitan Gas Works, Old Kent Road,
in the County of Surrey, Civil 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 :-
The object of this invention is to secure vertical stability in the ascent and descent
of gasholders when the guide framing is wholly or partially dispensed with.
Under ordinary conditions the guide framing is necessary, mainly because the
vessel when in action is floating and consequently very liable to tilt on one side. To
avoid this defect I use an arrangement whereby the rollers on the bottom curb are
compelled to rise or fall uniformly and thus prevent some of the rollers rising or
falling while others. are either stationary, or moving in an opposite direction. By
adopting this plan gasholders may be safely guided and kept upright by rollers or
their equivalent attached to the bottom curb only.
In ordinary gasholders the rollers on the bottom curb work on plain guides
usually of channel iron fixed to the wall of the tank. These may either act radially
as is the universal practice in England, or tangentially as in France, or both radial
and tangential rollers may be combined.
In order that the invention may be easily understood drawings are attached. hereto,
Figs. 1 to 5 being sectional plans of Figs. 6 to 10 respectively. Fig. 6 is an
elevation of part of a guide A having alternately projecting and hollow or curved
cheeks B, B. Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 with the projections C somewhat. rounded
off. Fig. 8 is also similar in practical use to Fig. 6, but in this case the curves
are increased in radius and the projections are also much more rounded than in the
previous Figs. In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 there is shown a tangential roller D which is
fixed to the bottom curb of the gasholder. Fig. 9 is an elevation of part of what is
herein called a solid guide E with its flanges F, F, Fig. 10 is similar to Fig. 9 but
having the projections C rounded. In both Figs. 9 and 10 H, H, represent the
tangential rollers which are fixed to the bottom curb of the gasholder. The guides
may be attached to the sides of the the tank by any suitable means.
To effect the object of this invention I place around the interior of the tank. a
number of either channeled A, or solid guides E. If channeled as shown in Figs. 1,
2 and 3 and 6, 7 and 8 the two interior opposite sides of the channel are formed
with alternate hollows and projections, the curve of each hollow being epicycloidal,
or that of a revolving and rolling cylinder of the same diameter as the roller to be
used in conjunction with it. If the solid form of guide be employed then the two
outer opposite sides have alternate hollows and projections of the same curvature as
those just described, but whether channeled or solid guides are used they are not
necessarily limited to the exact curves herein mentioned and shown on the drawings.
To the bottom curb of the gasholder I fix rollers D tangentially, either working
singly between the two cheeks. B, B, of each channeled guide, or with, the
rollers H, H, in pairs working, on the outside of a solid guide E. When the rollers
work singly the curved or zig-zag channel is made just wide enough to allow the
roller D to pass upwards or downwards freely with. no. play, and when they work
in pairs as H, H they are placed just far enough. apart.to, pass.freely, up and down
outside the solid guide without looseness or play..
The projections Con. the guides are preferably made equal to one fourth of the
diameter of the roller, as this. answers the purpose and leaves a clear path in the
centre of the channeled' għides equal to half the diameter of the roller, which will
permit the use of an ordinary radial roller in the same chauneled guide, but the
projections C in either channeled or solid guides may vary both in size and form to
suit special circumstances.
I do not confine myself to the application of these guides to the tank alone, but
use them also in the case of telescopic gasholders on the guide framing where that

page_text: is adopted, to the height of at least one lift. They can also be fixed to the inner
sides of telescopic gasholders for the purpose of guiding the inner lifts.-The usual
guides in an ordinary gasholder may therefore be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
1. The making of channeled gasholder guides having alternate hollows and
projections as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and as herein
described, and
2. The making of solid gasholder guides with, hollows and projections as shown in
Figs. 4 and 5 and 9 and 10 and as herein described.
Dated this 24th day of Mov 1800
W. H. BENNETT,
Agent for the Applicant.