Improvements in and connected with Hydraulic Mains for Gas Making Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Hydraulic Mains for
Gas Making Apparatus.
I, ULYSSE ANDRÉ, of Cale Princesa, Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say —
In the manufacture of gas as at present practised, the lower part of the dip-pipe
is immersed in the liquid contained in the hydraulic main, so that to enable the gas
to force its way into the hydraulic main it must have a pressure in the retort
sufficient to overcome the resistance offered to its passage by this liquid. It is
well known that this pressure in the retort is objectionable for various reasons, and
the object of my invention is to do away with the immersion of the end of the dip-
pipe, that is to say, with what is known as the hydraulic seal, while the distillation
is going on. For this purpose I employ the arrangements shown in the drawings.
The hydraulic main shown in Figure 1 is divided longitudinally into two parts a
and 6 of the same width by a partition c, which extends downwards to within about
six inches of the bottom of the main.
In the part a are placed the dip-pipes t, and the hydraulic main is divided
transversely by partitions placed between every two consecutive dip-pipes, so that
the hydraulic main is thus divided into as many sections of two compartments each
as there are dip-pipes.
In the compartments a, the transverse partitions stop at a certain distance below
the cover of the hydraulic main, to allow sufficient room for the passage of the gas
which passes from one section to the other on its way to the main outlet pipe. The
upper edges of these partitions are all at the same level for a purpose which will be
hereinafter described.
Gas at a constant pressure is brought by a pipe d from a regulator which receives
its supply from the outlet of the exhauster, or from a gasholder. The use of a
special gasholder is preferable in gas works where an exhauster is used in case of
the accidental or other stoppage of that apparatus; and such a gasholder is indis-
pensable for the proper working of my apparatus in gas works where an exhauster
is not used.
Another pipe e communicates with the gas enclosed in the hydraulic main, and
each of the compartments 6 can be put into communication with the two pipes de
by means of a three-way cock r or its equivalent.
Each of the cocks r is operated by a chain f, provided at one of its ends with a
counterweight f¹ and connected at its other end (see Figure 2) with the stop catch
of the closing lever of the retort lid on the mouthpiece X; so that when the said
lid is opened, the cock is turned so as to admit gas from the pipe d into the com-
partment b, which corresponds with that retort, pressure is thereby brought upon
the liquid contained in b, driving such liquid partly out of b. into the division a,
where it rises and closes the end of the dip-pipe t, thus preventing communication
between the retort and the hydraulic main. On the other hand, when the retort-
lid is closed the cock is turned so as to shut off communication with the gas pipe d
and to establish communication between the compartment 6 and the pipe e, the
pressure thereby becoming the same in both a and b allowing the liquid to return
to the same level in both compartments; the end of the dip-pipe is then opened
again, that is, it ceases to be immersed in the liquid and the communication is
re-established between the retort and the hydraulic main.
T
Each of the divisions of the compartments is furnished with a syphon S of

page_text: constant level by which any excess of liquid produced while the corresponding
retort is distilling is carried off so that during that period the level of the liquid is
prevented from rising higher than will leave a certain pre-arranged distance between
it and the lower end of the dip-pipe.
The level is arranged in such manner that when pressure is introduced into one
of the compartments b, the liquid rises in the corresponding compartment a to such
a height that part of it passes over the top of the transverse partitions and is
distributed through the neighbouring compartments.
The result of this novel arrangement is to avoid a deficiency of liquid which
might arise through evaporation in the compartments of which the corresponding
retorts are stopped from any cause.
In gas works where an exhauster is used, the difference of levels of the liquid
should be arranged with due regard to a possible stoppage of that apparatus.
Generally speaking the arrangements above described may be applied to any
existing hydraulic main, but for new apparatuses I prefer to adopt the arrangement
shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 1-2 of Figure 5. Figure 4 is
a side view, Figure 5 is a front view, and Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on
the broken line 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of Figure 5.
The hydraulic main consists of a rectangular box a¹, the ends of which are
adapted to be connected to other similar boxes so as to form a series or battery.
This box is provided with as many receivers a b of U-shape as there are retorts
to be worked into the hydraulic main and is divided into two parts or branches ab
by a partition c.
The two branches or legs of the U are of unequal lengths. In the longer one a
which is connected with the box a¹ is introduced the dip-pipe t. The dimensions
should be such that the space left between this dip-pipe and the sides of the receiver
is sufficient to allow the gas issuing from the dip-pipe to flow away round the latter
into the box a¹. The shorter leg b may have a cleaning opening o at the upper
part provided with a suitable gas-tight cover.
The partition c ends at a short distance from the bottom of the receiver in order
to leave a communication between the two compartments a and b.
It will now be understood that with the apparatus above described when a retort
is closed, that is to say, during the time the distillation is going on in it, the two
corresponding compartments a b are in communication with each other through the
cock, the liquid contained in those compartments stands at the same level in both,
and the end of the dip-pipe in the compartment a stands above and is not immersed
in the liquid in that compartment. But when a retort is open, that is to say,
during the time it is being charged or discharged, or is open for any other
purpose, the gas under pressure is admitted from the pipe d through the cock r
into the compartment b and forces the liquid to rise in the compartment a above
the end of the dip-pipe so as to make a hydraulic seal.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawing.
The constructive details may be varied without departing from the nature of
my invention, for example, instead of the three-way cock r, any other suitable
means of opening and closing communication between the two compartments a
and b, and between the compartment 6 and the pressure gas piped, may be
employed.
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
First. The improvements in and connected with hydraulic mains for gas making
apparatus, which consist in dividing the hydraulic main into a number of sections
corresponding to the number of retorts to be worked into the main, each section
being divided into two compartiments ab communicating with each other at the
bottom, the compartments a of all the sections communicating with one another at

page_text: their upper ends, and each containing the dip-pipe of its corresponding retort;
each section being also provided with connections and a three-way cock r, or its
equivalent device, whereby the two compartments a and b can be placed in com-
munication with each other at their upper ends, when gas is being produced in the
retort, and the said communication between the compartments a and b closed, and
that between the compartment 6 and a supply of gas under pressure opened, when
the retort is being charged or discharged or is otherwise out of action, all
substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in the drawings, and for the
purpose specified.
Second. In hydraulic mains, constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described,
and as claimed in the first claiming clause hereof, connecting the three-way cock or
its equivalent device with the retort-lid-closing or locking device in such manner
that the said cock or its equivalent operated automatically when the retort-lid is
opened or closed, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this 10th day of February 1891.
Per W. H. Beck,
U. ANDRÉ.
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.