Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Air under Pressure to Benzine Burners and the like
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Air under Pressure to
Benzine Burners and the like."
I, LEOPOLD HEINRICH VON GEHLEN, House Agent, of 78, Lubeckerstrasse, Wandsbek,
Nr. Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany. do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to that class of apparatus where air is compressed to a slight
pressure above atmosphere, and supplied in a uniform current, without further
regulation to be used in lighting with Benzine gas and similar purposes.
This invention consists in the provision of two gasometer holders having two gas-
meter bells therein which are reciprocated alternately by the action of moving
weights, the gas-meters thus acting as compressers, and blowing the air at one steady
pressure to the source of consumption; the pressure being absolutely determined by
the weights employed.
This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing where an elevation in
perspective of the whole apparatus is shown.
Two gasometer holders, A, B, have placed within them the bells a, b, made tight
by the usual water seal, and these bells are attached at their upper ends to a cord or
rope c running over pulleys d, d, fastened upon the holder framework D in the
manner shown, so that if one bell travels upwards, the other one travels a corresponding
distance downwards.
Fastened to the framework D a distance slightly above the farthest travel of the
bell holders, is a ball receptacle. This receptacle is constructed in such a manner
that when filled with balls these all tend to run in grooves towards small gates or
traps h, h, situated near the cords c, c, of the balls a, b. Fastened to the top of the
holder 6 is a channel piece k sloped in a downward direction, and of such a dimension
that it will just hold one of the balls from the receptacle L. The side of this channel
piece has a lever e pivotted to it in such a manner that in one position a ball is pre-
vented from leaving the channel piece k, but in another position the lever swings out
of the path of the ball and allows it to run out of the channel piece into any suitable
receptacle placed on the ground. A channel piece similarly constructed is fixed upon
the bell a and both these channel pieces with their respective hell holders are in the
topmost position exactly opposite to their respective gates or traps h in the
receptacle L.
The operation of the hereinbefore described mechanism is as follows,-When the
bell holder a reaches the top of its stroke a catch piece g raises the trap door h in
the receptacle L and a ball runs into the empty channel and is held there by the
lever e, while, simultaneously with this operation the channel piece f on the opposing
bell holder 6 reaches the bottom of its stroke, and the lever e coming coming into
contact with a suitable catch on the framework D releases the ball contained in the
channel. It is evident that as long as there are sufficient balls in the top receptacle L
the bell holders a, b, will reciprocate to and fro and steadily compress or blow air at
one pressure to the source of supply, and in the accompanying drawings there are
shown the pipes l, l, leading from the gasometer holders A, B, to the benzine gas

page_text: apparatus B, and from thence to a row of Argand burners m, m, m, placed upon
a suitable pipe. By the herein before described construction large volumes of air at
low and steady pressures may be supplied, and the pressures may be suitably varied
by altering the size of the weights used in the receptacle L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,―
1. In air compressers for the generation of large volumes of air at low pressures of
regular amount, the provision of two gasometers with their respective bell holders
coupled together by and suspended from cords or their equivalents running in pulleys
attached to the gasometer framework; in combination with a ball receptacle, which
feeds alternately ball weights into suitable channels on either holder as it reaches the
top of the framework, while the balls are automatically released on the descent of
their holder to the bottom of the framework thus actuating the compressor.
2. The improvements in and relating to air compressors substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 6th, day of October 1897.
MARKS & CLERK:
18, Southampton Buildings. London, W.C. and
13, Temple Street Birmingham. Agents.