proved Apparatus for Transporting Guncotton or similar Nitrated Substances Freed from the Surplus of Acid in Nitrating or Acid- ☐ centrifugals.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improved Apparatus for Transporting Guncotton or similar Nitrated
Substances Freed from the Surplus of Acid in Nitrating or Acid-
☐ centrifugals.
JOHANNES SELWIG, Engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at
Braunschweig, Germany, Petrithorpromenade 24, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for transporting gun-cutton
or similar nitrated substances freed from the surplus of acid in nitrating- or
acid-centrifugals to the washing house or any other desired place, and that
without employing workmen for the transport, and without plunging the gun-
cotton before into stagnant water.
In this invention the transport of the gun-cotton is effected by water running
in an inclined pipe or an open channel, combined with an apparatus in which the
gun-cotton is brought together with the water in such a way that the preceding
plunging into stagnant water can be dispensed with. This apparatus into which
the gun-cotton is thrown and which is therefore put up close by the centrifugal,
consists of a vertical hollow funnel of cylindrical, conico-cylindrical or any
other suitable shape, which is at its lower end connected by a knee pipe with
the transport-pipe or channel leading to the place to which the gun cotton is to
be transported.
The water is admitted into the funnel under its upper mouth through a number
of orifices disposed at its inner side in such a way, that it enters the funnel
from all sides equally distributed and thus totally envelops the gun-cotton.
thrown into the funnel.
One and the other fall then down through the knee-pipe into the transport-
pipe or channel, to the end of which the gun-cotton is driven by the water-
current. Here it is collected in baskets or suitable wooden vessels. Experience
proves that it is allowed to connect the transport-pipe with the funnel by a
pipe curved upwards in the shape of a lying S, in which the gun-cotton is at
first raised to a certain height, before it enters the transport-pipe, and that by the
hydrostatic pressure of the column of water filling the lower part of the funnel.
The transport-pipe has a diameter of 8 to 12 inches and a fall of to of an
inch per foot. Over the funnel there is arranged a fume-hood connected with a
fan for sucking off the nitric acid-fumes as well as the aqueous vapours. The
apparatus employed in this invention differs from other apparatus formerly used
for the same purpose in powder-factories by the improved manner in which the
water is brought together with the gun-cotton in the funnel. It is constructed
throughout of earthen-ware or cast-iron, enamelled on the inner side.
Dated this 7th day of June 1899.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Transporting Guncotton or similar Nitrated
Substances Freed from the Surplus of Acid in Nitrating or Acid-
centrifugals.
JOHANNES SELWIG, Engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at
Braunschweig, Germany, Petrithorpromenade 24, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
My invention relates to improvements in the apparatus hitherto employed and
the arrangements made for transporting gun-cotton or similar nitrated sub-
stances freed from the surplus of acid in nitrating- or acid-centrifugal machines
to the washing-house or any other place. Usually the guncotton was taken out
of the centrifugals by means of tongs and put into boxes, which were conveyed
to the washing-house.
Then the guncotton was plunged into water contained in large washing-
basins, or it was plunged directly from the centrifugals into water contained in
movable wooden tubs standing close-by, which were then rolled to the washing-
house. Both kinds of transport require much work. Moreover, the transport
of the guncotton is not free from danger, as the workmen are often severely hurt
by a spontaneous ignition of the guncotton during its transport. On the other
hand, open tubs filled with water should be avoided in the nitrating-house,
as the nitrating-acid is diluted by the aqueous vapors, developed by it.
The object of my invention is to do away with the periodical transport of the
guncotton by workmen, rendering it at the same time perfectly safe, automatic,
and continuous. I attain this end by combining the immersing of the gun-
cotton in the water with its transport by water which is running in an inclined
pipe or channel, employing at the same time a new and continually-acting
apparatus. This apparatus consists of a vertical funnel of cylindrical, conical,
or any other shape suiting the purpose, which is at its lower open end connected
by an elbow-pipe or an S-shaped pipe with an inclined pipe or open channel
leading to the place to which the guncotton is to be transported. The funnel,
which is put up close by the centrifugal machine, is enveloped near its upper open
end by an annular hollow room communicating with the water-admission pipe
and fitted at its inner side with water discharge openings arranged in such a
way that the water running out of them envelops the guncotton thrown into
the funnel and is aquably distributed. Over the funnel there is arranged a fume-
hood, which is connected with a fan for drawing off the nitric-acid fumes as well
as the aqueous vapors.
The apparatus, which is constructed throughout of earthenware or cast-iron
enameled on the inner side, is used in the following manner:
The water having been admitted into the funnel by opening the waterinlet
valve, the guncotton is taken out of the centrifugal with tongs and thrown into
the funnel. There it is instantly enveloped by the water continually rushing in
from all sides and falls down into the transport-pipe, to the end of which it is
driven by the water current. Here it is collected in baskets or suitable wooden
vessels. Experience proves that if sufficient quantities of water-say two hun-
dred to two hundred and fifty gallons per minute-are running through the
apparatus the plunging of the guncotton into basins filled with water can be
completely dispensed with.
The transport-pipe may have a diameter of eight to twelve inches and a fall
of one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch per foot. It is allowed for saving height

page_text: to employ a transport-pipe rising at first at any angle to a certain height and
then falling. I have ascertained that if such a rising pipe is employed the
guncotton when it is in the rising part of the pipe is pushed forward by the
hydrostatic pressure of the column of water filling the lower part of the funnel.
even if the transport-pipe rises rather steeply.
Figure 1 of the drawings represents in front-elevation two transport apparatuses
of the above-described kind fitted up on the right and left side of the centri-
fugal N. In the. former the the transport-pipe R, which is connected with the
funnel S by the elbow-pipe K, falls continually. In the latter a transport pipe
is employed that rises in the S-shaped pipe L, attached to the funnel S.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show, on a larger scale, three funnels $ of a different con-
struction in vertical cross-section, the middle one with the pipes K and R.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4ª show them in horizontal cross-section following the line.
Fig. 3b is a horizontal cross-section, following the line y z, through the fume-
hood H, covering the upper mouth E of the funnels into which the guncotton is
thrown, and which may be closed by a light cover when the apparatus is not used
as it may be seen in Fig. 4.
The fume-suction pipe O, arranged at the top of the fume-heal, is fitted with
a shutter. In the funnel represented by Figs. 2 and 2ª the water admitted into
the annular room 1) enters the widened part of the funnel S through a large
number of small holes a in single vertical jets, which, after rebounding from the
conical inner side of the funnel are diverted in good distribution to its center.
In the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 and 3ª a narrow circular slit in the inner
circumference of the annular room D forms the inlet-opening through which the
water enters the funnel, at the same time converging from all sides in an oblique
direction.
In the apparatus represented by Figs. 4 and 4* the water enters the funnel
through eight discharge-openings b, forming eight inclined water-jets directed to
the center of the funnel.
the
The three above-described funnels are only specimens of such funnels as serve
purpose well, for it is clear that the necessary good distribution of the water
entering the funnel may be obtained otherwise.
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) In a hydraulic-transport apparatus for guncotton or similar nitrated sub-
stances freed from the surplus of acid the combination of the receiving-funnel S
with an annular water-chamber I communicating with it through a series of
openings or slits a, b, or adapted to throw a converging mass of water well
distributed into the funnel and the transport pipe R connected with it for forcing
the substance through the same, substantially as set forth.
2) In a hydraulic-transport apparatus for guncotton or similar nitrated sub-
stances freed from the surplus of acid the combination of the receiving-funnel S
with the hood H and an acid-fume exhausting pipe 0 connected with the hood
substantially as set forth.
3) In a hydraulic-transport apparatus for guncotton or similar nitrated sub-
stances freed from the surplus of acid the combination of a receiving-funnel S,
with the transport-pipe R by means of an elbow-pipe K or an S shaped-pipe L,
all substantially as and for the purpose described.
OHANNES SELWIG.