Improvements in or connected with the Production of Oxygen from Atmospheric Air, and Apparatus to be employed therein.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Production of Oxygen from
Atmospheric Air, and Apparatus to be employed therein.
We, BRIN'S OXYGEN COMPANY LIMITED, of Connaught Mansions in the City
of Westminster, and KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY, of 21 Redbourne Street,
Chelsea in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of oxygen where the oxygen is withdrawn from an absorbent
material under a vacuum or reduced pressure air is at first drawn off and thereafter
when the oxygen first commences to come over it is so largely contaminated with
air or nitrogen that it cannot be passed into the oxygen holder as it is not sufficiently
pure and it has hitherto consequently been wasted. It is the object of this
invention to prevent or in a great measure prevent this waste. With this object
the retort or retorts or vessel or vessels containing the oxygen-absorbent material
is or are provided, preferably at its or their lowermost part with a communication
with the oxygen holder which is opened at or shortly after the commencement of
the creation of the vacuum or reduction of pressure and is maintained open for a
time sufficient to enable oxygen from the holder to pass into the retort or retorts
and expel before it the air or nitrogen therein and in the pipes or passages leading
therefrom. At or about the time that this has been effected (which is indicated by
sufficiently pure oxygen appearing at the snifting or test valve) the communication
with the oxygen holder is closed and the withdrawal of the oxygen and its passage
to the oxygen holder may proceed in the ordinary way. It is preferable to
effect the operations described automatically during the working of the apparatus
and the following is an apparatus well adapted for the purpose.
In the passage which leads from the oxygen holder to the retort or retorts (or
vessel or vessels) as aforesaid there are two valves which are capable of operating
to open and close the said passage. One of these valves is kept closed during per-
oxidizing by the pressure in the retort or retorts acting thereon or on a connection
therewith. The other of the said valves is opened by the pressure from the retort
or retorts or from the apparatus which passes the air therethrough the pressure
acting on a fluid in a vessel so as to cause the said fluid to pass into a cylinder con-
taining a piston to which the valve is connected so that as the piston moves under
the action of the fluid the valve is opened. When the pressure on the first named valve
is relieved (which takes place in deoxidizing) the said valve opens and the oxygen
passes from the holder to expel the air or nitrogen from the retort or retorts and its
or their connections as described. The pressure also being relieved from the fluid
which opened the second valve as described the piston of that valve forces back the
fluid into the vessel and the second valve closes after a time which can be regulated
by a valve in the passage between the said cylinder and the said vessel and so the
passage from the oxygen holder to the retort or retorts is closed.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1893.

page_text: t
COME LELE SLUITICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Production of Oxygen from
Atmospheric Air, and Apparatus to be employed therein.
.
We BRIN'S OXYGEN COMPANY LIMITED of Connaught Mansions in the City
of Westminster and KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY of 21 Redbourne Street,
Chelsea in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
In the manufacture of oxygen where the oxygen is withdrawn from an absorbent
material under a vacuum or reduced pressure air is at first, drawn off and thereafter
when the oxygen first commences to come over it is so largely contaminated with
air or nitrogen that it cannot be passed into the oxygen holder as it is not
sufficiently pure and it has hitherto consequently been wasted. It is the object of
this invention to prevent or in a great measure prevent this waste. With this
object the retort or retorts or vessel or vessels containing the oxygen absorbent
material is or are provided, preferably at its or their lowermost part with a com-
munication with the oxygen holder which is opened at or shortly after the
commencement of the creation of the vacuum or reduction of pressure and is
maintained open for a time sufficient to enable oxygen from the holder to pass into
the retort or retorts and expel before it the air or nitrogen therein and in the pipes
or passages leading therefrom. At or about the time that this has been effected
(which is indicated by sufficiently pure oxygen appearing at the snifting or test
valve) the communication with the oxygen holder is closed and the withdrawal of
the oxygen and its passage to the oxygen holder may proceed in the ordinary way.
It is preferable to effect the operations described automatically during the working
of the apparatus and the following is an apparatus well adapted for the purpose.
In the passage which leads from the oxygen holder to the retort or retorts (or
vessel or vessels) as aforesaid there are two valves which are capable of operating
to open and close the said passage. One of these valves is kept closed during
'peroxidizing by the pressure from the retort or retorts acting thereon or on a
connection therewith. The other of the said valves is opened by the pressure
from the retort or retorts or from the apparatus which passes the air therethrough
the pressure acting on a fluid in a vessel so as to cause the said fluid to pass into
a cylinder containing a piston to which the valve is connected so that as the piston
-moves under the action of the fluid the valve is opened. When the pressure on
the first named valve is relieved (which takes place in deoxidizing) the said valve
opens and the oxygen passes from the holder to expel the air' or nitrogen from the
retort or retorts and its or their connections as described. The pressure also being
relieved from the fluid which opened the second valve as described the piston of
that valve forces back the fluid into the vessel and the second valve closes after a
time which can be regulated by a valve in the passage between the said cylinder
and the said. vessel and so the passage from' the oxygen holder to the retort or
retorts is closed.
The accompanying drawing shews in longitudinal section an arrangement of
apparatus for the purpose described. A and A³, are pipes which are connected
by the castings as shewn and form therewith the passage between the oxygen
holder and the retort or retorts (or vessel or vessels) as aforesaid. B and B are
valves which are capable of operating to open and close the communication
through the said passage. The valve B' is kept closed during peroxidation by
the pressure created in the retort or retorts (or the apparatus which passes the air
therethrough) passing by the pipe A into the chamber C and acting on a
diaphragm d to which the spindle of the valve B' is attached.

page_text: The valve B is opened by the same pressure created in the retort or retorts, or
the apparatus which passes the air therethrough, the pressure acting through the
pipe p on a fluid contained in a vessel E so as to cause the said fluid to pass by
the pipe into the cylinder F containing a piston f the rod f³ of which actuates
the valve B, so that as the piston moves in the cylinder F under the action of the
fluid the said valve B is opened.
When in deoxidation the pressure is relieved and vacuum formed the diaphragm d
is actuated in the opposite sense so that the valve B is moved off its seat and as
the valve B is also off its seat (having been raised in the manner already described)
a communication is established by the pipes A and A' and their connection between
the oxygen holder and the retort or retorts and oxygen passes from the holder to
the retort or retorts thus displacing air or nitrogen from the retort or retorts.
As however the pressure is also relieved from the vessel E the pressure of the
piston (which may be specially weighted) in the cylinder F drives the fluid back
into the vessel E and thus gradually closes the valve B; thus cutting off the
communication with the oxygen holder and allowing the full vacuum to be formed
in the retorts, which is necessary in the working of the ordinary process.
V is a
fine adjustment valve by means of which the flow of the liquid back to the
vessel E and consequently the rate of closing of the valve B may be regulated.
When deoxidation is completed as in the ordinary process and pressure again
created the action is again reversed and the parts assume their original positions
and so on whilst the apparatus is in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. In the production of oxygen from atmospheric air passing oxygen into the
retort or vessel or retorts or vessels containing the absorbent material at, or shortly
after, the commencement of the creation of the vacuum or reduction of pressure,
so as to expel the air or nitrogen from the retort or vessel or retorts or vessels
and the pipes or passages leading therefrom substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for the production of oxygen from atmospheric air the
combination with the retort or vessel or retorts or vessels containing the absorbent
material of a pipe or passage leading from the oxygen holder to the lower part
of the said retort or vessel or retorts or vessels and means for opening and closing
the said pipe or passage substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
3. In apparatus for the production of oxygen from atmospheric air the
combination with the retort or vessel or retorts or vessels containing the absorbent
material of a pipe or passage leading from the oxygen holder to the said retort or
vessel or retorts or vessels and valves situated in the said pipe or passage and
operated by the pressure and relief of pressure in the said retort or vessel or
retorts or vessels (or the apparatus which passes the air therethrough) substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
4. In combination with apparatus for producing oxygen from atmospheric air a
device constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing to act automatically to allow
oxygen to pass into the said retort or vessel or retorts or vessels and to cut it off
therefrom for the purpose herein before explained.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.