IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE of GAS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Nesham Kirkham and Thomas Hersey, both of
Abingdon Street, in the City of Westminster, Gas Engineers, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE of
GAS"
Sealed the 23rd March 1880, and dated the 25th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham
and Thomas Hersey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th
November 1879.
"
THOMAS NESHAM KIRKHAM and THOMAS HERSEY, both of Abingdon Street, in
the City of Westminster, Gas Engineers. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
Our Invention relates to the dip pipes of hydraulic mains employed in the
manufacture of gas, and consists of an improved arrangement of mechanism for
relieving the retorts of pressure without interfering with the free passage of gas
through the said dip pipes.
In carrying out our Invention we construct the dip pipe in two parts, one of
which, namely, the upper part, is fixed to and depends inside the hydraulic main
to within a short distance of the surface of the liquid contained therein, a space
being left for the passage of the gas between the lower end of the said upper part
and the surface of the liquid. The lower part, which is separate from the upper
part, dips into the liquid, and is so arranged as to be capable of being raised and
brought into contact with the upper part so as to form a continuation thereof, or
lowered out of contact with the upper part when it is required to relieve the retorts
of undue pressure.
The arrangement of mechanism for effecting the raising and lowering of the
moveable portion of the dip pipe, and which constitutes the essential feature of our
Invention, is situated on the exterior of the dip pipe, whereby the passage of the
gas through the said pipe is unobstructed, whilst the said mechanism is so simple
that its proper working is not liable to be endangered by the deposit of any of the
corrosive substances produced in the manufacture of gas.

page_text: The moveable portion of the dip pipe is connected by means of rods, links, or
chains to arms carried on a rocking shaft, which is mounted in bearings outside the
hydraulic main, the said rods, links, or chains passing through suitable passages
formed in or arranged along the outside of the fixed portion of the dip pipe, and
extending downward below the surface of the liquid in the hydraulic main, whereby
the gas is prevented from escaping through the said passages without the employ-
ment of stuffing boxes. The rocking shaft is provided with a weighted lever, which
tends to maintain the movable portion of the dip pipe out of contact with the
fixed portion, so as to cause the gas to pass out of the lower end of the latter on to
the surface of the liquid in the hydraulic main, and thus relieve the retorts of
undue pressure.
When the retorts have been relieved, and the gases required
to pass through the liquid, the rocking shaft is turned in its bearings by depressing
the opposite end of the lever to that which carries the weight, thereby causing the
movable portion of the dip pipe to be elevated and brought into contact with the
fixed portion so as to form a continuation thereof; the gas will then pass through
the dip pipe into the liquid in the ordinary manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham and Thomas Hersey in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th May 1880.
THOMAS NESHAM KIRKHAM and THOMAS HERSEY, both of Abingdon Street, in
the City of Westminster, Gas Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
Our said Invention relates to the dip pipes of hydraulic mains employed in the
manufacture of gas, but more particularly to those which are constructed in two
parts, viz., an upper fixed part and a lower movable or adjustable part, and it
consists of an improved arrangement of the mechanism for operating the said lower
movable part (for the purpose of effecting the sealing and unsealing of the dip pipe
as required) without offering any obstruction to the passage of the gas through the
dip pipe, whilst at the same time the actuating mechanism is protected from any
injurious deposit or corrosive properties contained in the gas.
With the view of making our said Invention clearly understood we have annexed
to this our Specification an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same
letters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figs.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of an ordinary hydraulic gas main with our improve-
ments applied thereto, and representing the movable portion of the dip pipe in its
lowered or open position; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same; and Fig. 3 is a
vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1,
but representing the dip pipe sealed or with the movable portion in its elevated
position.
A is the hydraulic main; B, the dip pipe, the upper portion C of which is fixed
to the top or cover D of the bydraulic main, and descends in the interior to within
a short distance of the surface of the liquid contained therein, between which liquid
and the lower end of the portion C a space is left for the passage of the gas.
The lower movable portion E of the dip pipe extends to below the surface of the
liquid in the hydraulic main, and is connected to the lower ends of and supported
by two rods F passed through two tubes or passages G fitted to or formed ou
opposite sides of the fixed portion C of the dip pipe. These tubes or passages
extend to beneath the surface of the liquid in the hydraulic main, and thus prevent
the escape of gas through the said passages without the employment of stuffing
boxes.
The upper ends of the rods F are connected to arms H fast on a rocking shaft I,
upon which there is also mounted a weighted arm K. The outer extremity of the
arms H are connected together by a transverse piece L, having attached thereto a
rod or chain M, by means of which the arms H and K are actuated so as to raise
and lower the movable portion E of the dip pipe; N, N, are caps or covers con-
nected to the rods F, and fitted to slide over the top of the tubes or passages G for
the purpose of preventing dirt or extraneous matter from passing through them into
the hydraulic main.
The apparatus is operated in the following manner :-Assuming that the retort
in connection with the dip pipe has been charged and closed, and that it is required
to relieve the retort of the pressure of the gas being generated therein, the movable
portion E of the dip pipe is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1, by depressing
the arms H, H, by means of the rod or chain M, the weighted arm K being thereby
at the same time elevated and the parts retained in this position by connecting
the chain to any suitable fastening, the gas will then pass freely and without
resistance through the upper part C of the dip pipe on to the surface of the liquid
contained in the hydraulic nain, and thus relieve the retort of pressure. When
however it is required to seal the dip pipe (for example, when the retort is opened
for the purpose of discharging its contents) the rod or chain M is released, when

page_text: the preponderance of the weighted arm K will cause the movable portion of the dip
pipe to be elevated into the position shown in Fig. 4 so as to form a continuation
of the upper part C, and thus cause the gas passing through the dip pipe to enter
and pass through the liquid in the hydraulic main.
It will be obvious on refering to the Drawings that the rods which connect the
movable part E to the arms H, H, by being arranged outside the dip pipe do not
offer any obstruction to the free passage of the gas, whilst they are entirely pro-
tected from any injurious or corroding properties produced in the manufacture of
the gas by the tubes or passages G through which they pass.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the mode of carrying the
same practically into effect, we wish to observe that the details of construction may
be considerably varied without departing from the principle or main features of
our Invention; for example, a bifurcated lever or a simple double armed lever may
be employed instead of the arms Hand K hereinbefore described; also, instead of
raising the movable portion E and maintaining it in its elevated position by the
weighted arm K, as herein before described, it may be lowered and kept open by
the weighted arm, and elevated or closed by pulling the chain or rod M; but what
we consider to be novel and desire to claim as our Invention is,-
1st. Effecting the sealing and unsealing of dip pipes (when constructed in two
parts, as herein before described) by means of mechanism arranged on the exterior
of the dip pipe, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before
described and illustrated by our Drawings.
2ndly. Protecting the mechanism for effecting the sealing and unsealing of dip
pipes from the injurious and corrosive properties contained in the gas, substantially
in the manner herein before described and illustrated by our Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham and Thomas
Hersey, have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, this Third
day of May, One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
T. N. KIRKHAM, (LS.)
THOS. HERSEY. (L.S.)