Improvements in Air and Gas Compressors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air and Gas Compressors.
I, FRANCIS MARION GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States of America, located
at No. 55, North Second Street, in the City of San Jose, County of Santa Clara,
State of California, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:--
The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive compressing
apparatus, which shall be so constructed as to be operated by a body of water
flowing through a stand-pipe.
In order fully to comprehend my invention, reference must be had to the ac-
companying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this application; wherein-
Figure 1 is a front view in elevation, partly broken away;
Figure 2 is a side view in elevation; and
Figure 3 is a top plan view, showing the elevator for the cups and the upper
end of the inlet and outlet pipes.
In the drawings, the letter A is used to indicate the main vertical stand-pipe;
which pipe is of any suitable length-say one hundred (100) or more feet-
depending upon the compression desired, and about ten (10) inches, more or less,
in diameter. The lower end of the main vertical stand-pipe is outwardly flanged,
as shown at a; and said end is connected to the flanged end a¹ of the curved
joint A by means of the coupling B. The coupling B is slightly larger in dia-
meter than the diameter of the pipe A. To the opposite flanged end of the
joint A is connected, by means of the coupling B', the lower flanged end b¹ of
the vertical pipe B². This pipe, while running parallel with the main vertical
pipe A, is considerably less in length; extending upwardly about two-thirds of
the height of the said main pipe. The coupling B, like the coupling B, is slightly
larger in diameter than the vertical pipe B2; although said pipe is equal in
diameter to that of the main pipe A. This pipe B constitutes the outlet pipe
and hereafter shall be so designated; the main pipe A being termed the inlet
pipe.
Within the siphonic passage way, thus formed by the inlet pipe A, the outlet
pipe B, and the connected joint A' are fitted, so as to move freely therein, the
cups B3, one end of which is opened. These cups are of such a size as to move
easily within the passageway, and in length they are about ten inches long. The
size of the cups, it will be understood, will vary in accordance with the diameter
of the pipes A and B².
Within the upper face of the curved joint A¹ is cut a series of slots d, which
are covered by the chambers d'.
These chambers each communicate by pipes with the receiver D, located
a short distance above the curved joint A¹ and between the pipes A and B³, as
shown.
As the cups B3 enter the inlet or main pipe, A, the pressure of the body of
water flowing therethrough forces the cups downward within the main pipe,

page_text: through the curved joint, and up the outlet pipe, until forced therefrom;—which
it does, as the outlet end of this pipe is considerably below the inlet end of the
pipe A. The cups B3 as discharged from within the outlet pipe fall into a taper-
ing open bottoni receptacle d', secured at the upper end of the outlet pipe.
Below this receptacle runs the endless conveyor D2, which travels over
the rolls E, E, located respectively a short distance below the re-
ceptacle D and a short distance above the inlet pipe a. As the cups fall
to the bottom of the receptacle they rest horizontally upon the endless carrier or
conveyor D2, and are removed from within the receptacle D¹ as they are engaged
by one of the teeth or projections f carried by the conveyor. The cups as carried
over the upper roll E are discharged into the inclined chute or runway E² secured
to the upper end of the inlet pipe A; by means of which inclined chute or runway,
the cups are turned from a horizontal to a vertical position with the open end
downward; in which position they enter the inlet pipe A.
These cups contain the air or gas, which is to be compressed. As carried
downward within the inlet pipe, the pressure of the water therein—the cups being
in a vertical position with the open end downward-serves to prevent the air or
gas escaping from within the cups. However, as the cups are tilted over as forced
into and through the curved joint, the air or gas gradually escapes from within
the cups and, being lighter than the water, finds an outlet from within the curved
joint through the slots d, into the chamber d'; from which chamber it escapes
into the receiver, through the pipes d².
The compressed air or gas is led from the receiver to any convenient or desired
place, by means of the outlet pipe F.
The position of the cups as discharged through the curved joint is gradually
reversed; for they enter therein with the open end downward and are discharged
therefrom into the outlet pipe with the open end upward, the cups being thus com-
pletely turned over so that all gas or air discharged thereby will be completely
expelled therefrom.
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 compressing apparatus, the combination with the vertical water-inlet
pipe, of the vertical water-outlet pipe of less length than the inlet pipe, the
curved joint united to the lower ends of the inlet and outlet pipes, of air-escape
openings formed in said joint, a receiver located above the said joint, air-pipe con-
nection between the receiver and the escape openings of the joint, and the cups
fitted to move within the passageway formed by the pipes and curved joint.
2. In a compressing apparatus, the combination with the vertical water-inlet
pipe, of the vertical water-outlet pipe of less length than the water-inlet pipe,
the curved joint united to the lower ends of the inlet and outlet pipes, of air-
escape openings formed in the curved joint, a receiver located above the said joint,
air-pipe connection between the receiver and the escape openings of the joint, the
cups fitted to move within the passageway formed by the pipes and the curved
joint, and of the elevator or conveyor which receives the cups as discharged from the
water-outlet pipe and delivers the same to the water-inlet pipe.
3. In a compressor, the combination with the vertical water-inlet pipe, of the
vertical water-outlet pipe, the curved joint connecting the lower end of the pipes,
the air-escape openings formed in the curved joint, air chambers with which said
openings communicate, a receiver located above the curved joint, air-pipe connec-
tion between the receiver and the said air chambers, the cups fitted to move within
the passageway formed by the water-inlet and water-outlet pipes and the curved
joint, the open hopper secured to the upper end of the water-outlet pipe, an end-
less traveling carrier or conveyor arranged to receive the cups as discharged from
the water-outlet pipe into the hopper and convey the same to the water-inlet pipe,

page_text: and of the chute secured to the water-inlet pipe into which the cups are discharged
from the endless carrier.
4. In an air or fluid compressing apparatus, the combination with the water-
inlet and water-outlet pipes, a pipe connection between the inlet and outlet pipes,
said connection having escape openings formed therein, and of a receiver
connected with the escape openings of the pipe connection between the inlet and
outlet pipes.
Dotad this I'menty fourth dose of Santamber 1807
FRANCIS M. GRAHAM,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.