AN IMPROVED VALVED DIP-PIPE FOR HYDRAULIC MAINS IN GAS WORKS OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Lyon Gas Engineer of Cosbam in the
County of Hants and formerly of Macclesfield and Manchester for an
Invention of AN IMPROVED VALVED DIP-PIPE FOR HYDRAULIC MAINS IN
GAS WORKS OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Lyon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th September 1883.
JOHN HENRY LYON, Gas Engineer of Cosham in the County of Hants and
formerly of Macclesfield and Manchester AN IMPROVED VALVED DIP-PIPE FOR
HYDRAULIC MAINS IN GAS WORKS OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
The object of my invention is to produce a dip-pipe that can easily and quickly
be sealed or unsealed while it can at the same time be manufactured very cheaply
as no glands or stuffing boxes are required in the apparatus though it is very safe
and sure in its action.
With this object I construct at the junction of the ascension pipe with the
hydraulic main a valve box in the lower part of which is a bevelled seating. The
dip-pipe moves freely in this box and on its upper end is a bevelled flange
corresponding with the seating in the box. This valve box is firmly and tightly
secured on the top of the hydraulic main. A bracket which may be cast in one
piece with the dip-pipe extends a suitable distance below the bottom of the same
to which the rod that actuates the dip-pipe is secured. Round this rod is a
wrought iron or other tube of sufficient diameter to allow the rod to move freely
within the same and of sufficient length to cause the lower end thereof to be deeply
sealed in the liquid in the hydraulic main. The upper end of this tube is tightly
secured to the top flange of H pipe. The rod passing freely up this tube may be
actuated in any convenient manner and as the surrounding tube is always deeply
sealed no gas can escape and no stuffing box is required. The rod lifts the dip.pipe
out of the liquid when the gas is to be allowed to pass freely into the main and
lowers the saine into the liquid when the gas is to be passed through the said
liquid but as the tube which surrounds the rod is made to dip deeper into the
liquid than the dip-pipe no gas can escape through the tube.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Lyon in the Patent Office on the 7th March 1884.
JOHN HENRY LYON Gas Engineer of Cosham in the county of Hants and
formerly of Macclesfield and Manchester AN IMPROVED VALVED DIP-PIPE FOR
HYDRAULIC MAINS IN GAS-WORKS OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
The object of my invention is to produce a dip-pipe that can easily and quickly
be sealed and unsealed while it can at the same time be manufactured very cheaply
as no glands or stuffing boxes are required in the apparatus though it is very safe
and sure in its action.
In order to explain my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed I refer to the accompanying drawing shewing my dip-pipe in the sealed
and in the unsealed positions and also two methods of fitting the actuating
arrangement of the said dip-pipe. The letters refer to the same or corresponding
parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a cross section of an hydraulic main and my valved dip-pipe as
applied thereto also partly in section. A is the hydraulic main and at the junction
of the branch pipe B therewith I interpose between the said pipe B and the said
main A a valve box C in the lower part of which box C is formed a bevelled or
other valve seating D. The dip-pipe E moves vertically in this valve box C and
on the upper end of the said dip-pipe E is formed a bevelled or other flange F
corresponding with the seating D whereby a tight joint can be formed. Connected
to or formed in one piece with the dip-pipe E is a bracket G which extends a
suitable distance below the lower end of the said dip-pipe E for the purpose
hereinafter explained. Instead of this bracket G I can also prolong the dip-pipe E
to the same extent and cut away or remove parts of the said dip-pipe at or near
the lower end thereof so as to leave or create a passage through the said dip-pipe
otherwise than through the said lower end thereof across which lower end a piece of
metal would then be titted or formed in one piece with the said dip-pipe. The
lower edges of the dip-pipe E may be serrated or formned of any shape that I may
deem desirable or suitable. To the centre of the bracket G or to the centre of the
piece of metal across the lower end of the dip-pipe E herein before described is
secured the rod H by which the said dip-pipe E is raised or lowered which rod H
passes up centrally through the dip-pipe E and the branch pipe B and out through
the flange or cap K of the said branch pipe B and the said rod H is actuated by
an horizontal lever or by any other method as may be most convenient in each
To obviate the necessity of fitting a gland or stuffing box in the flange or
cap K round the rod H in order to prevent the escape of the gas I place round the
aid rod H a wrought iron or other tube L of a sufficient diameter to allow the
said rod H to move freely therein. The upper end of the tube L passes through
the flange or cap K and is tightly secured thereto in any convenient manner
leaving the said upper end open to the atmosphere while the lower end of the said
tube L dips deeply into the liquid M in the hydraulic main A and is thereby
always sealed. Thus according to this my method the rod H works freely in the
surrounding tube L but though no gland or stuffing box is used an escape of gas
cannot take place and is entirely prevented as the upper end of the said tube L is
tightly secured to the flange or cap K while the lower end of the said tube Lis
deeply sealed in the liquid M. When the dip-pipe is lowered into the liquid in
the hydraulic main as shewn in this Figure 1 the gas is made to pass through the
said liquid on its way into the said hydraulic main but it will not escape up the
tube as the said tube L is made to dip deeper into the liquid M than the
case.

page_text: dip-pipe E and the pressure in the main also will force the liquid to rise to a
higher level in the said tube L than in the main A thus rendering the seal of the
said tube L still more secure. To prevent any danger of deposit in the valve box
I prefer to make the dip-pipe of the same diameter as the branch pipe as shewn in
the drawing.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of an hydraulic main and my valved dip-pipe
as applied thereto the valve box of which is also in section. In this Figure the
valve is open that is the dip-pipe E is raised out of the liquid M and the gas has a
free passage direct from the retorts through the ascension pipe into the hydraulic
main. The bracket G or the piece of metal across the lower end of the dip-pipe E-
hereinbefore described must extend such a distance below the lower end of the
said dip-pipe E or below the apertures formed in the said dip-pipe E as herein-
before described that the said dip-pipe E or the said apertures therein can be raised:
by the rod H to such an elevation above the liquid M as to leave a sufficient space
for the free passage of the gas above the said liquid M and I preferably also form
all the several parts of this apparatus of such proportions in respect of each other
that when the dip-pipe E is in this its highest position the flange F thereof shall
engage another seating N formed in the upper part of the valve box C or on the
bottom of the branch pipe B as shewn in the drawing. When this apparatus is:
made in this manner as shewn there is the less possibility of any deposit forming
in the valve box.
In Figures 3 and 4 I shew a different method of fitting the actuating arrangement
of the dip-pipe to obviate any objection that may be made to decreasing the area
of the branch pipe and the dip-pipe by the tube that passes through them.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of an hydraulic main and my valved dip-pipe.
as applied thereto also partly in section with the valve closed that is the dip-pipe
lowered into the liquid in the main. Figure 4 is a cross section of an hydraulic
main and my valved dip-pipe as applied thereto with the valve open that is the
dip-pipe raised out of the liquid in the main. According to this method I fit two
or more rods H¹ and H2 to raise and lower the dip-pipe E which rods H¹ and H'
are secured to feet or lugs P projecting outwardly from the lower end of the
dip-pipe E or from the bracket G and the said rods H and H are surrounded by
the tubes L' and L2 in manner as herein before described and pass up vertically on
the outside of the dip-pipe E through the cover R of the hydraulic main A and
are actuated by horizontal levers or by any other method as may be most convenient
in each case. The tubes L' and La dip into the liquid M in the manner herein-
before described and the upper ends of the said tubes L1 and L2 pass through and
are tightly secured to the cover R in any convenient manner. A suitable method
is shewn in the drawing according to which method light flanges are formed on
the upper ends of the tubes Land L³ which engage suitable recesses formed
therefor in the cover R and in the flange of the valve box C as shewn at S S in
Figure 3 and are made gas tight with the valve box joint. In this case an
aperture is made through the lower flange of the valve box C for each of the
rods Hand Hº.
It is obvious that this valved dip-pipe and the method of actuating the same
without glands or stuffing boxes can be used and applied in many other operations
and to many other apparatus in addition to hydraulic mains in gas works and in
each and every case I can lead the actuating rod or rods out from the interior of
the apparatus in and through any convenient part of the same as may be necessary
or desirable surrounding each rod in every case with the sealing tube as hereinbefore
described.
Having thus particularly described and clearly ascertained my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I would state in conclusion that I have
shewn in the drawing what I consider to be the best methods of carrying out my
invention as bereinbefore declared but I would also have it clearly understood
that I do in no wise limit myself to the exact shapes and details of construction
of the various parts of my apparatus or to the precise methods of fitting the

page_text: actuating arrangement as shewn in the drawing for the same may be altered as
may be suitable or desirable or convenient in each particular case without
departing from my invention but what I do claim as my invention which is
protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
1. The valved dip-pipe substantially as herein before described and set forth.
2. The method of and apparatus for actuating a valved dip-pipe without the use
of a gland or stuffing box the said method and apparatus consisting of the use of
a rod or rods secured to the lower end of the said dip-pipe or to a bracket or to
feet thereon which rod or rods actuate the said dip-pipe and move freely in a tube
or tubes which tube or tubes is or are tightly secured to the flange or cap of the
branch pipe or to the cover of the hydraulic main or elsewhere while the lower end
or ends of the said tube or tubes is or are deeply sealed in the liquid substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described and declared.
3. The combination of the dip-pipe E with its flange F and the valve box C
with the seating D and with or without the seating N substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. The combination of the rod H and the surrounding tube L in which tube L
the said rod H moves freely the said tube L being tightly secured to the cap or
cover or casing while the lower end of the said tube L is deeply sealed substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described and set forth.
5. The combination of the dip-pipe E the valve box C the actuating rod or
rods H and the surrounding tube or tubes L the whole combined and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Lyon have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
HA