Apparatus for Automatically Changing the Direction of Flow of Currents of Fluids through Pipes or Passages.
Year: 1891

page_text: Improvements in
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Changing the
Direction of Flow of Currents of Fluids through Pipes or
Passages.
We, THE BRINS OXYGEN COMPANY, LIMITED, of Connaught Mansions, in the
City of Westminster, and KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY, of 21, Redbourne
Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 apparatus such as that described in the Specification
to Letters Patent granted to us and bearing date the 21st March 1889 No. 4955
for changing the direction of the flow of fluids, intended more particularly for
use in the Brin process for obtaining ogygen from air but not restricted thereto.
In obtaining ogygen from atmospheric air by the Brin process air is caused to
pass through heated retorts containing barium oxide but before entering the
retorts it is passed through a purifier containing quicklime and caustic soda
to remove from the air, water and carbonic oxide which would be injurious to
the barium oxide. The oxygen is absorbed by the barium oxide and the nitrogen
is allowed to escape.
When the peroxidation has continued for a certain time
the valves or cocks are reversed the admission of air to the retorts being
thereby cut off and the oxygen drawn from the retorts and conducted into a gas
holder. After the deoxidation has continued for about the same period as for
the peroxidation the cocks are again reversed to admit a fresh supply of air to
the retorts. The gear for effecting the automatic reversal of the cocks may be
similar to that described in the Specification hereinbefore referred to but this
invention consists of an arrangement for automatically changing by the pressure
of the fluid in the pipes or passages the direction of the air current between the
retorts and the compound and distributing valve boxes as hereinafter described
with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which is a diagram shewing by arrows X and 1 the different
directions or courses of the currents to and from the valve box Q and
Figures 2 and 3 are sectional elevations of the distributing and compound valve
boxes.
Referring to Figure 1. A is a three way cock which is always in communication
with the suction end of an air pump Z and with either the atmosphere or with the
retorts;
B is also a three way cock which is always open to the delivery end of
the air pump and with the purifiers Y or with a cock D hereinafter referred to.
C is a two way cock in a pipe or passage between the purifier and the retorts the
cock C being used for cutting off the communication between the purifier and the
retorts when required. D is a three way cock which is capable of being operated
independently of the cocks A. B and C and is for the purpose of establishing com-
munication between the delivery end of the air pump and the atmosphere or with
the gasholder X when drawing the oxygen from the retorts. Q is a compound
valve box and R is a distributing valve box to which the present invention has
more particular reference. The valve box R contains two compound valves a b
and c d the rods e and of which valves are connected to a lever 9 which is also
connected at one end to the rod h of a piston B' working in a cylinder A¹ on top
of the box R.
The piston B' is also connected by a rod i to one arm of a bell crank k the other
arm of which bell crank is connected by a rod to one end of a rocking lever E
fulcrumed to the valve box G of the cylinder A'. The valve box G contains two
piston valves K and K controlling ports or passages e e¹ communicating with the

page_text: It will be
opposite ends of the cylinder A', and surrounding the spindles of these valves are
springs L which tend to maintain the valves in this normal position against an annular
stop D' in the box G, in which position the valves close the ports leading to the cylinder.
Between the valves K and K¹ there is in the valve box G à port or passage k
communicating by a pipe H with the upper part of the valve box and at
the opposite ends of the valve box G are ports communicating by pipes J and J'
with the opposite ends of the cylinder A that is to say the pipe J connects the
right hand end of the box G with the left hand end of the cylinder and the pipe J¹
connects the left hand end of the box with the right hand end of the cylinder.
The lever E is provided at each end with a spring bolt II' the object of which
is explained in the following description of the operation of the apparatus.
Suppose the plugs of the cocks A. B. C. D in the following positions viz. the
cock A open to the atmosphere and closed to the retorts, the cock B open to the
purifiers and closed to cock D, the cock C open to give a clear passage from
the purifiers to the retorts, and the cock D open to the atmosphere and closed to
the gas holder, also suppose the valves a bed in the valve box R in the positions
shewn in Figure 3. Air is diawn by the pump Z through the cock A, and delivered
under any desired pressure through the cock B to the purifiers whence it passes
through the cock C and enters the valve box Q by the passage 29 and passes
therefrom as shewn by arrows 2 through the passage 32 into chamber 33 of the
valve box R and then passing the valve a leaves the box R by the passage 35 and
is conducted by the pipe 36 (Figure 1) to the retorts. Having passed through
the retorts in which the oxygen has been absorbed the air returns through
the pipe 37 and enters the box R by the passage 40 into the chamber 45
and passing the valve d enters the chamber 38 thence through the passage 41
into the valve box Q and escapes past the valve and a regulated release
valve in the upper end of the valve box into the atmosphere.
understood that the top of the valve box Q, where the pipe H is attached,
is subject to pressure when air is pumped through the retorts, but being between
the top valve 1 and the relief valve (which when closed cuts off communication with
the atmosphere) it is not subject to a vacuum formed elsewhere in the apparatus.
Let it be supposed that air is passing through the retorts under pressure (regulated
as described by means of the release valve) pressure will be created in the valve
box G, between the piston valves K and K and assuming the piston B₁ to be at the
opposite end of its stroke and the valves a bed in the reversed position to those
shewn in the drawing, then the spring stopper I on the lever E will be in such a
position opposite the end of the spindle of the valve K as to prevent the valve K
being forced outwards by the pressure of the air entering the valve box by the
pipe H. The valve K' however being free to act will be forced outwards, thereby
uncovering the port and admitting pressure to the end of the cylinder A¹ under
its control. Pressure will thence be conveyed through the small pipe .J' to the
back of piston valve K thereby placing that valve in equilibrium and forcing the
piston B¹ to the other end of the cylinder, that is into the position shewn, thereby
reversing the double acting valves bed bringing them into the position shewn
and changing the position of the extremities of the lever E so as to remove the
stopper from the front of the rod of valve K (which, having the pressure of the
air on either side of it, remains stationary) and bring the stopper I down onto
the spindle of the piston valve K' thereby compressing the spring by which the
said stopper is actuated. Whilst therefore air is being passed under pressure
through the retorts this pressure will be maintained against the piston B and the
apparatus will remain in the position shewn. When the automatic reversal of the
cocks A B C D takes place as described in the before mentioned Specification to
draw the oxygen from the retorts and force it into the gas holder the rest of the
plant is under vacuum. The supply of pressure being thus stopped, what pressure
remains in the cylinder A and valve box G leaks away through a small hole f
provided for that purpose at each end of the cylinder A¹. The pressure in this way
being removed from the valve chamber G the spring L of piston valve K¹ brings

page_text: that valve back against the stop D' thus freeing the stopper I which is then forced
down by its spring in front of valve spindle K', so that when pressure is again
applied, the valve K will be the one to open and admit pressure to its end of the
cylinder A thus again causing the reversal of the valves a bed. It will be seen
that the position of these valves is reversed each time the pressure in the retorts is
renewed and that when they are in the reverse position to that shewn in the draw-
ing the air will enter as before the valve box Q (as shewn by arrows 3) through
the passage 29 and pass through the passage 32 into the chamber 33 of the
distributing valve box R and out therefrom through by the valve b the passage 40
into pipe 37 by which it is conducted to the retorts. Having passed through the
retorts the air re-enters the distributing valve box through pipe 36 by the
passage 35 and passes by the valve c into the chamber 38 and away as before
through the passage 41 of the valve box Q and past the valve 1 and release valve
into the atmosphere. The gear for automatically reversing the cocks A B C D is
substantially the same as that described in the Specification herein before referred
to and consists of adjustable cams working in such a manner as to operate the valves
at fixed periods which in their turn admit pressure to cylinders for imparting the
desired motions to the plugs of the cocks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1st. In apparatus wherein it is required to divert or vary the direction or course
of currents of fluid through pipes or passages means whereby the pressure of
the fluid itself is caused to operate valves so as to alter their position and thereby
automatically divert the direction or course of the fluid substantially as herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In apparatus for automatically altering the position of valves for the purpose
of varying the course or direction of fluids through pipes or passages the combination
of a cylinder and piston operated by the pressure of the fluid admitted to the
cylinder by valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid so as to admit the pressure
alternately to opposite sides of the piston substantially as herein before described.
3rd. In apparatus for automatically varying the course or direction of fluids
through pipes or passages the combination of valves a b c d in the valve box R
operated by the piston B' in the cylinder A'; and the valve K K' for admitting
pressure to the cylinder A' the lever E operated by the piston B¹ and provided
with spring bolts or stoppers II' to govern the motions of the valves K K'
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accom-
panying drawings.
4th. The combination with means for automatically operating the cocks A, B, C, D
to reverse the course of fluids through pipes or passages of the valve boxes Q and R,
with their contained valves, arranged in the pipes or passages through which the
fluid is caused to pass and means for automatically changing the direction or course
of the fluid through the box R and the pipes connected therewith substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting means for auto-
matically changing the direction or course of fluids through pipes or passages
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.