AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY REPLENISHING AND MAINTAINING AIR IN AIR VESSELS OF WATER MAINS AND PIPES; AND HYDRAULIC MACHINES AND SYSTEMS; AND MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1885

page_text: I GEORGE FREDERICK DEACON, of 4 Gavendish Road, Birkenhead in the County
of Chester, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY REPLENISHING AND MAINTAINING AIR IN
AIR VESSELS OF WATER MAINS AND PIPES; AND HYDRAULIC MACHINES AND
SYSTEMS; AND MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, to be as follows:-
Air vessels as generally arranged and fitted for equalizing the flow of water, or
preventing shocks due to the sudden flow, or stoppage or change of velocity of
water in water mains and pipes and hydraulic machines and systems require
recharging from time to time owing to the absorption or carrying away in
suspension of the air they contain by the water with which it is in contact.
This absorption, or carrying away in suspension is chiefly due to mixing of the
air and water at their touching surfaces.
It may not be possible in all cases to prevent this action entirely; but some air
is contained in the water, which when the water is sufficiently quiescent rises to
the highest point and I arrange and connect the air vessel with the water mains,
or pipes or hydraulic machine, or system, in such a manner (hereinafter described)
that the loss of air by absorption will not exceed the supply from the water and
the vessel will remain permanently charged.
To this end the method I employ consists in so arranging the air vessel and parts
in connection with it, that the whole, or as much as possible of the flowing water
will pass beneath it as slowly and as undisturbedly as possible; this I effect by
the employment of what I term a quiescent chamber, but nevertheless so arranged
that the surface of contact between the air and the water will be as small as
possible. In cases where it is practicable, or convenient, I cause the water to flow
upwards towards the vessel in which it is to move slowly and in which the minute
air bubbles will rise to the free surface and thus enter the air vessel.

page_text: Where changes of velocity of the water are sudden, I employ a floating perforated
diaphragm, or a layer of oil, covering the water in the quiescent chamber. Such
a diaphragm, or layer has the effect of steadying the surface of the water and
of collecting the minute air bubbles, which finally disengage themselves and rise
into the air vessel.
An Improved Method of Automatically Replenishing and
Maintaining Air in Air Vessels of Water Mains and Pipes,
and Hydraulic Machines and Systems, and Means and
Apparatus Employed therein.
I GEORGE FREDERICK DEACON of 4 Cavendish Road, Birkenhead in the County
of Chester, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY REPLENISHING AND MAINTAINING AIR IN
AIR VESSELS, OF WATER MAINS AND PIPES; AND HYDRAULIC MACHINES AND
SYSTEMS AND MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
Air vessels as generally arranged and fitted for equalizing the flow of water, or
preventing shocks due to the sudden flow, or stoppage, or change of velocity of
water in water mains and pipes and hydraulic machines and systems usually
require recharging from time to time owing to the absorption, or carrying away in
suspension of the air they contain by the water with which it is in contact.
This absorption, or carrying away in suspension is chiefly due to mixing of the
air and water at their touching surfaces.
It may not be possible in all cases to prevent this action entirely; but some air
is contained in the water, which when the water is sufficiently quiescent rises to
the highest point and I arrange and connect the air vessel with the water mains,
or pipes, or hydraulic machine, or system in such a manner (hereinafter described)
that the loss of air by absorption will not exceed the supply from the water and
the vessel will remain permanently charged.
To this end the method I employ consists in so arranging the air vessel and parts
in connection with it that the whole, or as much as possible of the flowing water
will pass beneath it as slowly and as undisturbedly as possible: this I effect by
the employment of what I term a quiescent chamber, but nevertheless so arranged
that the surface of contact between the air and the water will be as small as

page_text: possible.
cases where it is practicable, or convenient, I cause the water to How
upwards towards the vessel in which it is to move, slowly, and in which the minute
air bubbles will rise to the surface and thus enter the air vessel.
Where changes of velocity of the water are sudden and the water is very little
charged with air, I employ a floating perforated diaphragm, or a layer of oil
covering the water in the quiescent chamber. Such a diaphragm, or layer has the
effect of steadying the surface of the water and of collecting the minute air bubbles
which finally disengage themselves and rise into the air vessel.
The beforegoing being the nature, object and purposes of my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe how the same may be carried out into practical effect,
reference being had to the annexed sheet of Drawings which make a part of this
Specification and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, like letters
and figures being used to denote the same, or corresponding parts throughout the
Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the ordinary means of fitting air vessels on
water mains.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a stand pipe fountain, provided with an air
vessel on the service pipe fitted according to my Invention.
Figure 3 is an end view of the lower part of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of another form of air vessel and water main
connections according to my Invention.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of another form of air vessel and water main
connections according to my Invention.
The Drawings Figures 2 to 5 inclusive show some examples of the way in which
according to my Invention I connect air vessels to water service pipes and mains
so as to compensate for the loss of air by absorption, and to replenish any air that
may be carried away or drawn from the air vessel by the water in its passage
through the service pipe, or main.
"
In Figure 1 of the Drawings I have shown an ordinary arrangement of air
vessel connected to a water main. In the large majority of instances this air
vessel A will require frequent replenishing as the absorption of air by the water
passing through the main pipe B will exceed the emission of air from the water
into the air vessel A and in time, or at times the air vessel A will be exhausted
and the cushioning function of the air vessel A to lessen shocks attendant upon
sudden excessive flows, or sudden stopping of the water flow, through the shutting
of valves, cocks, or taps will be nil. by reason of the air vessel A having become
charged with water instead of air. To overcome this defect I arrange the air
vessel A and the pipe B in connection with it in such a manner that the whole, or
as much as possible of the flowing water will pass beneath, or through the lower
part of the vessel A as slowly as possible, for example in fitting an air vessel to a
Stand Pipe Fountain" I connect the service pipe B to the bottom of the enlarge-
ment a of the air vessel A. as shown at Figure 2 and I connect the draw off pipe b
to the side of the enlargement a of the air vessel A with a descending loop, or
bend such as shown in the Drawing, the connection to the enlargement of the air
vessel A being above the junction of the pipe B but below the water level of the
air vessel A the pipe b being then continued up to the service tap, or cock C. By
this method of connection the lower part a of the air vessel A forms a quiescent
chamber in which air is given off from the water to replenish air in the air vessel A.
The water flows upwards through the pipe B into the air vessel A and the air
bubbles rise to the free surface of the water level in the air vessel A. and cuter the
air vessel A and the loss of air by absorption will not exceed the supply from the
water, which would be the case if the air vessel A was fitted to the pipe B as shown
in Figure 1.
In the arrangement of my Invention shown at Figure 4, the emission of air from
the passing water, will be considerable, but the absorption of air by the water will

page_text: be much less because the quiescent chamber a is of greater sectional area than the
air vessel A by reason of its increased diameter, but the air vessel A will be of less
sectional area by reason of its reduced diameter and the upper part of the air
vessel A must be lengthened so as to have the same capacity as if its diameter had
not been reduced.
In Figure 5 I have shown another arrangement of an air vessel according to my
Invention. In this example the quiescent chamber a is of spherical form and the
water both enters and leaves the chamber a at the bottom. The air vessel A is
placed on the top of the chamber a and is of capacity equal to the air vessel shown
at Figure 4. This spherical form affords a large surface for the emission of air
bubbles which will pass up through the chamber a and into the air vessel A and
leaves but small surface for the absorption of air from the vessel A.
As before stated where changes in the velocity of the water passing through the
pipe B are sudden, or where owing to the small quantity of air in the water the
emission is very small, I provide the quiescent chamber a with a floating perforated
diaphragm, or with a layer of oil covering the water in the quiescent chamber a
which has the effect of steadying the surface of the water in the air vesse! A and
of collecting minute bubbles of air from the water which then find their way into
the air vessel A.
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
First. The method substantially herein described of automatically replenishing
and maintaining air in air vessels of water mains pipes and systems, which method
consists of so passing the water into and through the air vessel that the portion of
the air vessel through which the water passes forms a quiescent chamber in which
more, or as much air will be given off by emission from the water than will be
drawn off from the air vessel by absorption, as set forth.
Second. In connection with air vessels of the type such as A herein described
the use of a quiescent chamber such as a in which air from the water is given off
by emission to compensate for air which may be drawn from the vessel A by
absorption as set forth.
Third. In connection with air vessels of the type such as herein described the
use of a quiescent chamber having a larger sectional area than the sectional arca
of the air vessel and wherein the air is given off by emission from the water to
keep the air vessel charged and to compensate for air that may have been drawn
off from the air vessel by absorption, as set forth and as shown with reference
to Figures 23 4 and 5 of the Drawings.
Fourth. In connection with air vessels of the type such as A herein described
the used of a float, or perforated diaphragm to steady the surface of the water and
to reduce the surface contact between the water and the air, as herein described
for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. In air vessels of the type herein described the use of a layer of oil covering
the water level and preventing contact between the water and the air in the vessel,
as herein described for the purposes set forth.
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