Improvements in Apparatus for Testing and Detecting the Presence of Gases or Gaseous Mixtures.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Testing and Detecting the Presence
of Gases or Gaseous Mixtures.
I, THOMAS SHAW M.E. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
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 follow-
ing statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in automatic apparatus for Testing Mine
Gases and detecting in an expeditious manner the presence of small per cent. of
ignitible or non-ignitible gas in the air. Said apparatus being designed, primarily,
for testing mine gases (but is useful in determining other gases), for the use of
Inspectors and Superintendents of Mines, Colleges, etc.
One of the principal features of my said invention is set forth in my prior patent
No. 3531 Mar. 8 A.D. 1887. and it has for its object to provide means which may be
used in connection with the apparatus, set forth in said patent, or independently.
thereof, whereby dangerous gases or mixtures of air and gas, known as Fire-Damp,
White-Damp and Choke-Damp, compounds of air with light Carbureted Hydrogen,
or air with C.02 Carbonic Acid Gas, or compounds of both gases with air, in various
proportions, may readily be detected, with the various percentage of each gas present
in a quick and automatic manner, that shortens the time and cheapens the cost, in a
wonderful degree, in comparison with the regular Cheinical method of determining the¨
per cents. of the gases referred to.
:
'
The said instrument is competent to analyze and determine compounds of gas
in a few minutes without skilled labor, that would ordinarily take a Chemist a long
period of time.
The prime feature of my invention may be generally stated as consisting in pro-
viding means whereby the ignitible gases, or compounds of air and gas, are compounded
with some suitable Standard ignitible gas, in such a manner that the mixture is
brought to the inflammable line, or point of ignition, which line is so sharp in my

page_text: Referring to the drawings that form part of this Specification, Fig. 1, is a top
view of the Apparatus in perspective.
Fig. 2, is a side view of the same.
Fig. 3, is a top view of the valve face, showing uncovered valve ports, of an
automatic valve.
Fig. 4, a vertical section through the centre of the same.
Fig. 5, a side view of the same.
Fig. 6, a vertical section of hand valve.
Fig. 7, the uncovered ports of said valve.
Fig. 8, the mechanism for operating the automatic valve, shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5.
Fig. 9, the Testing Cylinder for ignitible gases, in part section.
Fig. 10, a cross section of the same.
Fig. 11, a test tube used in conjunction with the Test Apparatus, for determining
per cents. of Carbonic Acid Gas.
Fig. 12, shows tester for mixed gases and Choke-Damp.
Fig. 13, shows method of collecting gases for test purposes.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, F represents two standards which are supported on
an ordinary metal bed plate, and G represents a beam lever which is mounted on
bearings at the top of said standards; the short end of the lever is connected by
connecting rod V, with crank disc E; the long end of the lever is connected by rod I,
with the plunger head of pump cylinder A, and the intermediate section of long end
of said lever is connected in an adjustable manner with plunger in pump cylinder B,
through connecting rod H. The said lever is vibrated in a vertical direction, a pre-
determined distance, by said crank disc E actuated through gearing P. by hand
crank N. The full stroke of cylinder A equals 800 c. c., and that of cylinder B
equals 266 c. c.
The plunger of cylinder A is given a full stroke at each revolution of the said
crank disc E, whilst the position of cylinder B, is made adjustable upon the supporting
bars S, and secured in position by ordinary screw nut beneath the bars S. The
cross head of connecting rod H is arranged to slide upon the two projecting ribs of
the vibrating beam G, and secured in place by clamping screw C; the beam and bars
are marked with figures, of the exact per cent. of the relation of the two cylinders
to each other in Cubical contents. The pumping cylinders are free from all ordinary
check valves, the valve duties for both cylinders are performed by one single dise
valve L, shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5; said valve consisting of 'two discs, u' and 8¹, with
ground faces; the upper disc s¹, vibrating upon the face of the lower disc, within
the limits of the stop piece o¹, Fig. 5; a projecting stop t¹, on discs, strikes the stop
piece of the lower disc at the extremes of the stroke. The vibrating faces are held
with moderate tension of springs p', by ordinary jam nuts, and is operated auto-
matically by mechanism shown in Fig. 8; a connecting rod W, has a projecting
wrist pin that enters aperture in valve s¹, of Fig. 5, and is connected by screw pivot
with the lower end of lever 11, of Fig. 8, which lever is vibrated at the top on ordinary
screw pin, and the connecting lever 12, is vibrated on a similar pin at the bottom,
and both levers are connected by a screw and slot joint at the middle part 13. Both
levers are provided with ordinary spring stops 9 and 10, that are brought in contact
with a projecting pin on crank pin 8, Figs. 1 and 8, when disc rotates in direction
of arrow the combined effect of which is to vibrate the connecting rod W, and the
valves, Fig. 5, within the limits of said stop piece o', which vibration occurs
at the dead centre or extreme limits of the stroke of the pump plungers.
Fig. 3, shows the uncovered ports of the valve face, and Fig. 4, shows tlie valve s¹,
in position on said face with ports of valve located properly for the up stroke of the
pumps, at which time air enters tube y, to the port shown in connection with "said
tube, and led through ports of valve s1, Fig. 4, to the tube n', in connection with port
shown; said tube n, runs beneath the bed plate of Fig. 1, and is connected with

page_text: cylinder A, at the base of the same. While this operation is going on, gas from any
source of supply is led to pipe q, and the ports connecting the same, through ports
shown in valve s¹, to tube m¹, that connects with pump cylinder B, Figs. 1 and 2, by
a flexible tube M, which operation is continued until both cylinders have completed
their upward stroke, the one filled with gas, and the other with air, when the
mechanism Fig. 8, is shifted by said crank pin. in the manner afore described, moving
the valve to the position for down stroke of the pumps when the opposite ports in
valve face Fig. 3, conduct the expelled air through tube, to the ejector 5,
marked mixer in Fig. 3; and the gas is expelled through tube m', to said mixer
where both the gas and air are thoroughly mixed with each other for the purpose
hereinafter explained.
This operation is continued to the completion of the down stroke when the afore
described valve mechanism is operated by said crank pin, shifting the valve to its
first described position, when the operation can be repeated at the will of the operator,
who can operate the hand crank N, Fig. 1, by hand or by power as desired: The
resulting product of mixed gases are led by tube a', to the central port shown on face
of hand valve Fig. 7; Fig. 6, is a vertical section of Fig. 7, and shows a disc valve
similar to the one afore described, operated by 'hand lever e¹, within the limits of
ports and, determined by stop piece . An arrow head 6, indicates the position
of valve by the markings C. D. atz, Fig. 7, meaning Choke-Damp which shows that.
the ports are connected with tube, Fig. 6 and Fig. 12, leading to Test Instrument X,
Fig. 1 whilst when turned in the opposite direction it points to F. D. meaning
Fire-Damp, Fig. 7, establishing communication through tube, Fig. 9, with Tester Z,
Fig. 1, shown in part section in Figs. 9 and 10, all of these tube.connections are made
beneath the bed plate Fig. 1. 2 and 3 of Fig. 1, represent igniting Gas Jets, con-
nected by tubes beneath the bed plate, with ordinary stop valve 4 which is connected
with any source of gas pressure.
The Tester Z, Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10, used for test of ignitible gases is the same as described
in the Letters Patent heretofore granted to me, but improved for greater sensitiveness,
in the provision of a balance, weight and lever y¹, Fig. 9, and in the provision of a
small gas escape aperture; in the end of cylinder cap 61, for the better clearance of
gases resulting from combustion. This Tester is of the highest importance and the
foundation of the entire structure, and the Instrument that solved the problem of
giving quick and positive tests for all per cents.. of ignitible gases in the air, and for
determining values of pure or mixed ignitible gases, to the smallest desirable
fraction.
.
It performs as important an office, in comparison for measuring proportions of
mixed ignitible gases; as the standard Liter does in measuring liquids; and, not-
withstanding the invisible character of gaseous material, the one test is now
rendered as prominent as the other, the lines of demarcation are brought to a
sharpness representing the robo part, in a manner almost completely automatic,
and the Tester Z, is the one prominent feature that renders this exactness possible,
in the combined Test Apparatus.
The said Tester consists of a square metal valve box, Figs. 9 and 10, supported
upon metal pillar all; said valve box is provided with screw threads for the reception
of brass cylinder 21, with perforated cap end 11, and brass cylinder 11, with a
piston valve 6, held under slight compression, by bow springs 7, and wire thread a¹,
and an adjustable lever and weight y, for regulating the tension.
The mixed ignitible gases for test are led to the Tester by tube z¹, under slight.
pressure, and blown by the inner end of tube 21, against the piston valve 6, from
which point it flows backward expelling any previous air or gas out of the
aperture, and out of the igniting nozzle 1, in the presence of a jet flame 2. The
mixed gases blowing through the flame causes their union at the lowest ignitible
point, and about 4 per cent. below the explosive line, at which point there is
sufficient expansive effect of the combined gases in the test cylinder Fig. 9, to propel
the said piston valve against a gong J, causing an audible and unmistakable sound,
which occurs always at a certain definite fraction of per cent. of the gas tested,

page_text: and which point is made a standard for comparison for all other per cents. of the
same gas, and the cylinders A and B, Fig. 2, operating in the manner described,
perform the important office of combining and thoroughly mixing gases in any
desired proportion; as for example, if it be desired to test the gas from a blower in
a mines, of light Carburetted Hydrogen Gas the gas is first secured in an ordinary
rubber gas bag, in the manner shown in Fig. 13, where the operator works a light
diaphragm pump of disc configurature with his fingers, compressing a flexible
diaphragm, which in turn is expanded by an ordinary spring, and is provided with
ordinary inlet and outlet valves, top and bottom. The rubber bag shown is forced
with moderate pressure on the lower nozzle, whilst the upper nozzle is provided with
a light metal tube shown, that enables the operator to reach and pump in gases from
the upper levels of the mines, and fill said bag with the same; when the bag is
removed, compressing the neck of the bag by the fingers, until a cork is inserted in
the bag, when it is ready to be carried to the Inspector's Office for Test purposes,
at which time a cork with ordinary stop cock is substituted for the ordinary cork,
and a rubber tube is connected with the same and with the tube Q, Fig. 1, which
places it in direct communication with gas cylinder B, in the manner afore explained,
and the gas cylinder B; is located at the point marked 6 per cent. on the Beams
for the first test of gas of unknown quality. The crank handle N, is operated by
hand, giving two or three strokes of the pumping cylinders, the combined action of
which is in this case to force 6 Cubic inches of the gas from said bag with 94 Cubic
inches of air entering from the atmosphere at tuhe Y, that are thoroughly mixed at
point 5 Fig. 1, in the manner afore explained, and delivered to the said Tester; and
if the expansive effect of the lowest point of ignition is sufficient to cause the said
ringing sound by the expulsion of said piston valve, this would, determine the
presence of pure light Carburetted Hydrogen Gas, of rich quality.
I will now proceed to give the description and mode of operating the several
tests of ignitible gases, mixed in various per cents., combined with air. Water gas
for example, manufactured for light purposes of fair quality, tested in this same
manner, indicates its presence at the 7 per cent. line, whilst good quality of coal
gas, indicates its presence at the 5 per cent. line, and oil gas as delivered for house
use varies from the 4 to the 4 per cent. line; and each particular quality of gas
will always come to exactly the same line, with an accuracy of the soy to robo part,
which renders the instrument competent for quick and accurate tests of Carbonic
Oxide and Hydrogen known as producing gas for Metallurgical purposes, and heavy
Carburetted Hydrogen for light purposes, etc., all the tests above referred to; are for
what is generally termed pure or nearly pure gas.
When tests are made to detect the presence of ignitible gas, where there is a small
per cent. of gas in a large per cent. of air, as occurs in Fire-Damp, etc., of mines,
then the above operation is modified to meet the emergency, in this wise, presuming
for example that it is desired to test air containing one per cent. of gas. The
Instrument in this case can be made to reverse itself so to speak, and pump air into
a gas bag containing one per cent. of gas; in order that we may have air, containing
a known and definite quantity of gas, in this case the gas cylinder B, is placed on the
beans at point marked one per cent., and valve K, Fig. 1, is placed in the position
shown, which leads the expelled air and gas to test instrument X, shown in enlarged
view in Fig. 12; the cap d is removed which enables attachment of rubber tube with
the inner end of tube i¹; the said rubber tube is connected with a rubber gas bag,
and the pump cylinders are operated as afore described. The cylinder A, pumping
99 Cubic inches of air for each one Cubic inch of gas.of the cylinder B, = one per
cent. of gas, all of which passes through the mixer 5, and to the bag, until said bag
is filled, when the rubber tube is detached and the stop cock at the mouth of the bag
is turned off and laid aside until the Instrument is adjusted for testing low per
cents. of gas, which is one of the important features of this Invention, and is done in
this wise any ignitible gas that is most accessible is taken to establish a standard
line for tests of low per cent.; this gas, can be pure Hydrogen, or heavy carburetted
the one
Hydrogen, or any gas used for house lighting is suitable for this purpose,

page_text: mportant.feature necessary is that it shall not alter in quality during the period of
any one test, and to insure this point, a small gas bag is filled with gas for test
purposes, and connected by rubber tube with the gas tube Q, Fig. 1, that connects
with gas cylinder B, and the cylinder is located on the described beams, at the
presumed per cent., at which point it will just sound the gong of the Fire-Damp
Tester Z, Fig. 1, when the Instrument is operated as afore described, and the cylinder
shifted in its position on the beams until it arrives at the exact per cent., at which
time it will be noted that the movement of the of an inch will make all the
difference between. ringing and not ringing the gong of the Tester; in which
condition the Instrument is ready for testing a small fraction of gas in the air, in
this wise the stop piece D, Fig. 2, is moved and fastened in contact with cross head
of plunger C, Fig: 2, when the cylinder B, and cross head C, is shifted one per cent.
towards the fulcrum of beam G, at which point the Instrument can be operated,
without any possible sound from the gong because of the decreased quantity of gas;
when the air containing the one per cent. of gas in the bag referred to,, is connected
with the air in the inlet tube Y, Fig. 1, when the Instrument is again operated as
afore described, with no other change in the operation other than the fact that
instead of pure air entering the cylinder A, the air from the said bag with its one
per cent. of gas is caused to enter the same, and because of the presence of this
fraction of gas, causes the gong to sound indicating its presence, thus proving in
the most positive manner the presence of one per cent. of gas in the air, and this
same process detects fractions of one per cent..
The only feature, that can interfere with the highest degree of accuracy of this
test, is the slight absorption of any Hydro-Carbon vapors present, by the rubber bag,
or by the process of endosmose or exosmose, through the material composing the bag,
which features have no material bearing in short tests, but in a period of twenty-four
hours will effect the same equal to the half of one per cent., and where gas is kept
in bags for a number of hours, allowance must be made accordingly for the finer tests;
but for mine gases, under ordinary circumstances, this slight change in the gases is of
no importance, as in six hours' duration the variation would not be more than the
one-eighth of one per cent. When air is tested from gas bag, for low per cents., as
afore described, containing an unknown quantity of gas, but of small per cent., then
in that case the operator will retreat in the movements of Cylinder B, in the manner
afore described, one-half per cent. at a time, until he reaches the point where the
Tester ceases to ring the gong, with a slight movement forward or backward, as the
case demands, until he reaches the line exactly to his satisfaction, when the measure.
of Per cent..of gas in the bag will be the per cent. measured on the beam G, Fig. 2,
The Instrument
between the cross head and the stop D, with surprising exactness.
always proves itself in this regard, by first pumping known per cents, in the air, and
afterwards reversing the Instrument to detect the presence of a known quantity:
In testing mine gases where the air is heavily saturated with gas of unknown
quality, the test is made as follows: The cylinder B is placed at O, on beam G, Fig. 2,
at which point it is quiescent and non-operative, and the air in bag containing the
gas to be tested, is connected by rubber tube with tube Y, Fig. 1, and connected
with cylinder A. The valve K is adjusted to its present position, leading the air and
contained gases to Tester X, constructed of the configurature shown, of any suitable
metal and which is arranged and operates in this wise: referring to Fig. 12, numerous
small gas jets, h, are placed in quantity for heating purposes, and are supported on
ordinary pillar g, and receives its source of supply of gas from tube i, from any
ordinary gas burner; the jets are surrounded witli metal shield k, to ward off side
draughts, and to form a basis for heavy gases, and provided with small perforations
around the bottom rim m, and is located at the mouth of the cylinder c, which is
supported on a metal pillar a, and closed. at the rear end by cap d, when the said air
from cylinder A, containing gas of unknown kind, is expelled by operating the
Instrumentas afore described, the air is caused to enter cylinder c from tube i',
directly upon the breach of the cylinder, the effect of which is to gradually spread

page_text: itself to the full diameter of said cylinder, and expel all the contained air outward,
and thus fill the cylinder with air and gas now under test. If the said air is of the
ality known as Choke-Damp, we have the well-known quality of this gas exhibited
by the total or partial extinguishment of the jets h. But should it be of the quality
known as Fire-Damp, then in that case if the gas be present in the dangerous
quantity, it explodes within the cylinder c; but in case it be present in less per cent..
to as low as three per cent., the heat of the jets, combined with the non-luminous
character of the same, causes a luminous cloud to float over said jets, that gives
conclusive evidence of the presence of Firé-Damp, without, however, giving any
exact knowledge of the per cent. present in the air; fine dust particles in the air
under test become evident. This test is, however, a coarse preliminary one, to
determine in a quick manner the kind of gas we have to expect from said bag of
unknown kind, and after this fact is ascertained, the Fire-Damp is tested for accuracy
in the Fire-Damp Tester Z, as afore described.
In case Choke-Damp is the gas shown to be tested in the foregoing test, and it is
desired to know the per cent. present, and as this test will be confined exclusively to
mines, I have combined the use of an ordinary material of slight cost, accessible at
every mines to combine with the Carbonic Acid in the said air in a manner that
determines the per cent. present in the air with sufficient accuracy for all practical
purposes, and for this test the Instrument is combined and operated in the following
manner: The cylinder A, Fig. 2, has secured to the Plunger head a strip of metal W
that is laid off in markings, representing the whole stroke in one-tentli parts, with a
suitable indicator at the top of the said cylinder. A test tube, Fig. 11, is provided
with a metal tube el, perforated at the bottom end, and provided with perforated
guide discs g, to hold in a central, position, when said test tube is filled with One
Fluid Ounce of Transparent Lime Water. A rubber tube 1, connects the same
with exit tube i¹, of tester X, by removing cap d, Fig. 12; and the Choke-Damp to be
tested is connected with tube Y, Fig. 1, of cylinder A; and the cylinder B is placed
at O, in a quiescent position, when the Instrument is operated filling the cylinder A,
with said air under test. When said air is expelled on the down stroke, with a velocity
fast enough not to expel the fluid from the test tube, it brings the lime water to a
translucent condition, of a certain definite character, that becomes very marked and
distinct to an operator after a few observations.
=====
The standard of comparison in this test' is determined by mixing one per cent. of
Carbonic Acid Gas with pure air, in a bag in the same manner as afore described for
ignitible gas, which mixture produces the desired color condition of the lime water in
one single expulsion of cylinder A, 800 c. c., and therefore when any test. of
unknown quantity is made, this now evident color line is watched by the operator
during the slow descent of the plunger in cylinder A, and if he notice the color line
when the plunger has progressed only one-tenth of its stroke, we have evidence of the
presence of a ten per cent. mixture of Carbonic Acid Gas in the air, or a highly
dangerous amount whilst if the said plunger had progressed one-half stroke before
said color line was reached, it would be evident that a two per cent. mixture of the
said gas was present in the air; and this same rule applies to all other proportions of
stroke, including double strokes, as for example, two strokes would indicate under the
same rule, the presence of one-half of one per cent., etc.
This same character of test is made when Choke-Damp and Fire-Damp both are
present at the same time, Neither one of these gases interfere with the other in this
character of test, more than the half of one per cent., when the quantity present is as
high as ten per cent., and in the low per cents. is not noticeable. Mixed, gases, there-
fore, are tested first for per cent, of light Carburetted Hydrogen, and the per cent. of
Carbonic Acid, which entire tests can be made in a few moments by parties unskilled
in Chemistry, with an accuracy that cannot be excelled by skilled Chemists in a pro-
longed period of time, at a cost several hundred fold greater; all of which adapts this
Instrument to the one great purpose of giving quick positive tests of mine, gases, in
whatever kind.or proportion they may be present.

page_text: LG WILL De evident THE the UCVICES nere shown can be considerably moaned
without departing from the spirit of my Invention or producing any alteration in the
result.
I therefore do not wish to confine myself to the exact configurature of the several
parts shown.
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
1 claim is
1. The combination.with a gas tester, of two pumps, one communicating with a
chamber containing the gas to be tested, and the other with a supply of Standard
gas, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a gas tester, of two pumps, one communicating with a
chamber containing the gases to be, tested, and the other with a supply of Standard
gas and means for varying the pumping action to vary the proportions of the gases
forced to the tester, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a gas te ting apparatus, of two supply pumps connected
therewith, and with a mine chamber and Standard gas supply respectively, of adjustable
devices for varying the action of one of the pumps, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a gas testing apparatus, of pumps communicating therewith,
and one with a mine chamber and the other with a Standard gas supply, both pistons
connected to a single walking beam, and one of the pumps being adjustable in respect
to said beam, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of a gas tester, two pumps, communicating one with the
Standard gas supply, and the other with a nine chamber, means for varying the
pumping action, a communication between each pump and the tester and a valve in
said communication, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a gas tester, of two pumps communicating therewith, and
with a mine or gas chamber, and a Standard gas supply, and a graduated beam or
beams connected with the pistons of said pumps, for operating the same, substantially
as set forth.
7. The combination with a gas tester, of two pumps communicating therewith, and
with a mine chamber and a Standard gas supply, a graduated walking beam connected
to operate the piston of each pump, one of the said pumps and its connections being
adjustable to said beam, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of a gas tester, a pump communicating therewith, and with a
supply of Standard gas, another pump communicating with the tester and with a series
of mine chambers, and a valve whereby either of said chambers may be put in com-
munication with the latter pump, substantially as described.
9. The combination of the pumps A, B, a walking beam G, provided with a series
of connections for the rod of the pump B, a support upon which the latter pump is
adjustable, a valve device controlling the flow of gases from pumps connected with
the walking beam to be operated thereby, and a gas tester, substantially as set forth.
10. The test apparatus consisting of a cylinder uncovered at one end, and communi-
cating at the other end with a pipe for supplying the mixture to be tested; and a burner
adjacent to the open end of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination of a cylinder closed at one end and communicating with a
pipe for supplying the mixture to be tested and uncovered at the other end, and a
burner arranged adjacent to the open end of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.
12. The combination of the cylinder closed at one end and uncovered at the other;
a supply pipe, a burner, and a shield surrounding the burner, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
13. The combination with the cylinder uncovered at one end and closed at the other,
and with a burner adjacent to the open end, of a supply pipe extending into the cylinder
end, constructed and arranged to distribute the gas uniformly within the latter, sub-
stantially as set forth.

page_text: 14. The combination of a cylinder closed at one end and uncovered at the other and
arranged horizontally, a supply pipe communicating with the cylinder. near the closed
end, and a burner arranged opposite the open end and adjacent to the lower part of the
cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
15. In gas testers the balance weight and lever y', in combination with bow springs 7,
and bow thread X', operating as described and for the purpose set forth.
16. In gas testers the combination of test tube shown and described in Fig. 11, with
test pump cylinder A, graduated to deliver definite measured quantities of gas,
operating in the manner described and for the purpose set forth.
Datel this 11th love of Dacismbar 188s
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,.
Agents for the Applicant..