Improvements in and relating to Method of and Apparatus for Carbonating Water or other Liquids.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
CUBIT LEIDDI MULTICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Method of and Apparatus for
Carbonating Water or other Liquids.
1, EDWARD EMANUEL MURPHY, Chemical Engineer, of No. 11, India Square, in
the City of Boston, County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, 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 following statement;-
-
This invention relates to method of and apparatus for carbonating water or
other liquids. The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient
automatic apparatus which shall produce a thorough mechanical combination of
the liquid and the carbonic acid or other gas, and in which the carbonating opera-
tion is controlled directly by the accumulation of the carbonated liquid, auto-
matically ceasing when a pre-determined quantity has been accumulated, and
automatically starting when the accumulation is reduced.
The invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and par-
ticularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my
invention
Figure 1 is a side elevation;
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying my invention.
Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the outlet for the carbonated liquid
and the valve controlling said outlet.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.
A represents a reservoir or receptacle for the carbonated liquid produced
by the apparatus to be described. A suitable outlet distributing pipe B extends
down into said reservoir and is connected at its upper end to the outlet passage ]
in the coupling C which is screwed into the top of the reservoir A, with a
suitable bushing between the top of the reservoir and the annular
flange Con said coupling. This passage B communicates with the passage 12
of the chamber B3 which is screwed into the coupling Cat C. The passage B2
communicates with the outlet 13 of said chamber and communication between
said passage B2 and the outlet B is controlled by the valve 13+ having a suitable
handle 13 Into the top of the coupling C is screwed the valve casing E having
a passage I controlled by the valve E having a suitable operating handle E. This
passage communicates with the passage D₁ in the coupling C, and through said
passage the liquid and gas mixed in the mixing chamber pass to the storage
reservoir A. In the upper end of the valve casing E is secured the lower end of
the liquid and gas mixing tube F and within said tube is a metallic sponge G
composed of layers of wire cloth by means of which the liquid and gas are minutely
subdivided in order to facilitate their mechanical combination. This sponge at
its lower end rests on the annular flange F' and is held in a compact body by the
annular flange H¹, of the spray head H which is screwed onto the upper end of the
mixing tube F. In the upper part of said spray head is located the detachable
spray nozzle, I, having a series of diverting perforations J, and said nozzle is

page_text: supported in said head by resting on the annular shoulder K of said head and sup-
ported in said nozzle is a strainer L. On the upper ends of said spray head and
nozzle is an annular packing M of any suitable material and against which rests
the head N held on the spray head H by the union N. In the head N is the
inlet water passage N2 controlled by the check valve N³. Located on one side of
the spray head is the nose O communicating with the interior of said head and
having an inlet passage O for the gas supply and controlled by the valve (2
having a flexible face to adapt itself readily to its seat, and acting against said
valve is a coiled spring 03 adapted to assist in operating the valve 02 to close
the passage 01 as the apparatus fills with water. The cap O is screwed into the
top of the nose O and has an opening in which the upper end of the stem of the
valve moves, and against said cap also rests the upper end of said spring 03.
The valve E is for the purpose of shutting off communication between the mixing
chamber F and the reservoir A at any time when desired without interfering with
the distribution of the carbonated liquid.
In operation, the liquid supply pipe is connected to a high pressure pipe under
from 175 to 200 pounds pressure and the gas supply is connected to a gas supply
tank of say 125 to 150 pounds pressure. To prepare the apparatus for actual use,
gas is first supplied through the passage 01 and drives out all the air from the
apparatus through the pipe B and the outlet 13, after which the valve B4 is shut
off to close the outlet and the gas is allowed to reach the pressure required. Water
or other liquid is then admitted through the water inlet N under the pressure
above stated, which is above the gas pressure, and the liquid being cut up by the
sponge, at once causes the absorption of the gas in the tube on the passage of the
liquid to the reservoir until the apparatus is entirely filled with the carbonated
liquid up to the perforations J in the nozzle I, when all the admitted gas is absorbed,
and at which time the entire apparatus is under the initial water pressure and
the valve O2 controlling the gas supply is closed by the gradually increasing gas
and water pressure, due to the operation of filling the apparatus with carbonated
water. Now, when the carbonated liquid is drawn off through the pipe B, the
spray nozzle I being so constructed as to retard the admission of water, the car-
bonated liquid is drawn off faster than the same amount of water can be supplied
in the same period of time through said nozzle, thereby providing room for the
entrance of more new gas, which enters by the opening of the valve 02, which
valve is opened on account of the gas pressure behind it, which is then greater
than the pressure within the tube F, which pressure at that instant has been
reduced by the drawing off of the carbonated liquid. Now the water continuing
to flow in through the nozzle I, produces a greater pressure than the pressure
of the gas admitted to the mixing chamber by the drawing off of the carbonated
water and closes the valve 02 before the water level has reached said valve which
remains closed as the water rises and fills the tube, and the valve is maintained in
its closed position by means of the spring 03 and the rising water and consequent
pressure in the tube F as said tube fills. The mixing tube F is of much less
diameter than the reservoir A, so that by partially or entirely emptying said tube
the reduction of pressure, owing to the reduction of volume, will cause the admission
of new gas by reason of the gas pressure being sufficiently great to open the
valve and pass into the tube F. As the water continues to flow in through
the nozzle it passes down into the tube F and mixes with the gas previously
admitted to said tube, and as the volume of water increases the pressure increases
and closes the gas valve 02. As the tube F gradually fills, the increase in volume
increases the pressure and thereby closes the valve 03 as soon as the pressure
exceeds the gas pressure. The admission of the gas to the tube F is not due to
the flow of water into the mixing chamber, but its admission is controlled by the
withdrawal of a certain volume of carbonated liquid, which causes a reduction
of pressure in the mixing tube below the initial gas pressure, so that the gas 5
under its own pressure passes into the mixing tube at that instant, where it

page_text: mixes with the water passing down through the sponge contained in said mixing
tube.
The check valve N³ is for the purpose of preventing the loss of gas in the
event of a break in the liquid supply pipe.
The valve Phaving a suitable handle P¹ controls the air inlet P2 through which
air is allowed to escape from time to time by operating the valve P.
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 carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, and a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure.
2. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the
gas and to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure, and means for subdividing and combining the gas and liquid.
3. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of the
gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure, and means through which the liquid and gas are forced under
pressure for subdividing and combining the same.
4. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure, and a wire sponge through which the liquid and gas are forced
for subdividing and combining the same.
5. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure, and means for retarding the flow of the liquid from the liquid
inlet into the mixing chamber.
6. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure and means for retarding the flow of the liquid from the liquid inlet
into the mixing chamber, and means in said mixing chamber for subdividing
and combining the gas and liquid.
7. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below

page_text: the gas pressure, and a nozzle having a restricted outlet to retard the flow of the
liquid from the liquid inlet into the mixing chamber.
8. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in the said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure
of the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber
below the gas pressure, a nozzle having a restricted outlet to retard the flow of
the liquid from the liquid inlet into the mixing chamber, and a strainer located
in said nozzle.
9. In a carbonating apparatus, a liquid inlet for supplying liquid under pressure,
a gas inlet for supplying gas under less pressure than that on the liquid, a mixing
chamber for the gas and liquid, a valve normally closing said gas inlet by the
pressure in said chamber and adapted to open automatically by the pressure of
the gas to admit the gas upon a reduction of the pressure in said chamber below
the gas pressure, means in said chamber for subdividing and combining the gas
and liquid, a storage reservoir for holding the carbonated. liquid, a passage
establishing communication between the mixing chamber and the storage reservoir,
a valve controlling said passage, an outlet for the carbonated liquid from the
storage reservoir, and a valve controlling said outlet.
10. The method of charging liquids with gas, which consists, first, in supplying
liquid under pressure, second, in supplying gas under a less pressure than that
on the liquid, third, in bringing the gas and liquid into the presence of each
other in a mixing chamber upon a reduction of the pressure in said mixing chamber
below the gas pressure by the withdrawal of carbonated liquid, whereby the gas
is caused by its own pressure to enter said mixing chamber, and, lastly, in mingling
the gas and liquid in said mixing chamber.
1000