Improved Method of and Means for Deadening the Sound of Exhaust in Gas Engines and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Deadening the Sound of Exhaust
in Gas Engines and the like.
I, HERBERT TOM MELLING, of 145, Crown Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to so called silencers for use with gas engines or the
like, of the kind that comprise a vessel containing gravel into which the exhaust
gases are led, and among which the solid products of combustion are deposited
and the vapourous products condensed.
Hitherto the gravel has usually been altogether enclosed by the surrounding
vessel, portions of which are made in the form of grids, and when it has been
necessary to clean, break up, or renew the gravel it has been customary to remove
the vessel for that purpose.
According to my invention my vessel is divided into two (or in some cases
more) compartments by a midway horizontal grid through which the end of the
exhaust pipe dips, and a portion of the gravel is supported above this grid
The bottom of the vessel is also a grid and this in turn supports the remainder of
the gravel. A space is left between the top of the lower portion of gravel and
the midway grid above mentioned, and it is into this space that the exhaust
discharges.
The mode of action is as follows.
When the engine exhausts, the products eject into this space and this cushions
and graduates the impact. The gases etcetera being cooled by expansion and the
vapours condensed, the pressure is reduced and this favours the next exhaust.
A portion of the gases rise through the top layer of gravel and the remainder
descend through the lower layer. The top layer may be stirred up or broken or
renewed without stopping tic engine or uncoupling any part of the apparatus
whilst, when the gravel, is fouled so much as to require complete renewal the
bottom chamber may be unbolted for that purpose. By the use of my device a
greater latitude in the time of re-charging is allowed. My invention may also
be very cheaply put into practice and allows the state of foulness of the gravel to
be examined with un-shipping any part of it.
I believe that as a large portion of the gravel is supported above the exhaust
pipe exit, the condensed water will by falling onto the bottom be kept away
from said top layer and the latter will thus keep clean a very considerably longer
time than is usual heretofore.
בד
1
011
1900
CHARLES COVENTRY,
Patent Expert,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Method of and Means for Deadening the Sound of Exhaust
in Gas Engines and the like.
I, HERBERT TOM MELLING, of 145, Crown Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, 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:-
My invention relates to so called silencers for gas engines of the kind that
comprise a vessel containing gravel into which the exhaust gases are led, and
among which the solid products of combustion are deposited and the vapourous
products condensed. Hitherto the gravel has been altogether enclosed by the
surrounding vessel, portions of which are made in the form of grids, and when it
has been necessary to clean, break up, or renew the gravel it has been customary
to remove the vessel for the purpose.
The drawing shows my apparatus in vertical section.
According to my invention my vessel is divided into two (or in some cases
more) compartments, A and B, by a midway horizontal grid C through which the
end of the exhaust pipe D dips, and a portion of the gravel is supported above
this grid C. The bottom of the vessel is also formed of a grid E, and this in
turn supports the remainder of the gravel. A space Z is left between the top
of the lower portion of gravel and the grid C, and it is into this space that the
exhaust discharges. The top of the gravel in the upper and lower compartments is
respectively covered by grids F and J. The former is cast in two halves so that
it may be readily removed or replaced without uncoupling the exhaust pipe. A
cowl or cover G is used to keep out rain etcetera when the device is used out of
doors. It may be conveniently clamped on the pipe D as by set screw H. Lugs
or pins I serve to maintain the distance between grids F and cowl G, and to
prevent the former from rising or the gravel beneath being disturbed by the
exhaust. K are lugs by which the device hangs on grid C, and L are lugs to
support the gravel in the compartment B. 1 prefer the central portion of grid J
beneath the exhaust pipe to be imperforate, as it is that portion which receives
the direct impact of the exhaust.
The dotted lines M indicate where other pairs of grids with space between
each of a pair may if desired, be placed, to further subdivide the gravel.
The mode of action is as follows.
When the engine exhausts the products eject into the space Z, and this cushions
and graduates the impact. The gases etcetera being cooled by expansion and the
vapours condensed, the pressure is reduced and this favours the next exhaust. A.
portion of the gases rise through the gravel in the upper compartment A, and
the remainder descend through the lower layer. The top layer may be stirred
up broken or renewed without stopping the engine or uncoupling any part of the
apparatus, while when the gravel is so fouled as to require complete renewal
the bottom chamber B may be unbolted for that purpose. By the use of my
device a greater latitude in the time of recharging is allowed. My invention may
also be very cheaply put into practice and allows the state of foulness of the
gravel to be readily ascertained.
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 improved method of deadening the sound of "exhaust" which consists

page_text: in directing it into an enclosed space wherein it expands, and after such expan-
sion into bodies of gravel in two directions, substantially as described.
2. An improved exhaust silencer comprising a pair of chambers containing
gravel, and so coupled together and provided with grids that a space is left between
their contents, into which space the exhaust pipe leads, substantially as described.
3. The improved method of and means for deadening the sound of exhaust in
gas engines and the like, substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of August 1899.
CHARLES COVENTRY,
Patent Expert,
Agent for the Applicant.