Improvements in Safety Appliances for Gasometers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Appliances for Gasometers.
I, LEONARD ARTHUR HACKING, of 19, Azalea Road, Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improved safety devices to be used in connection with
gasometers, and is specially applicable for use in combination with small gasometers
used for storing acetylene gas, or for other gasometers which are kept inside or
near to buildings. The object of the invention is to provide means whereby when
the gasometer becomes overcharged with gas the surplus instead of escaping
through the water joint and into or near adjoining premises, is conveyed to some
distance or place of safety or to another gasometer for storage.
According to this invention, in the bell or dome of the gasometer I fix a vertical
pipe or tube, one end of which protrudes from the top of the bell or dome, and the
lower end dips into the water in the lower part of the gasometer.
When the
gasometer contains an ordinary charge of gas the lower end of the pipe dips into
the water and is thereby closed or sealed, but when the bell or dome is overcharged
with gas it rises until the lower end of the pipe is above the water level and the
gas can escape by way of the pipe from which it can be conveyed to any point.
Instead of the long pipe I in some cases prefer to use a valve fixed in the top of
the bell or dome, and when the latter rises to beyond a given point the valve is
opened by coming into contact with a stop piece or finger whereby the valve is
opened and the surplus gas escapes and is conveyed by pipe to a point of safety
or storage.
Th
JT..1.. 1007
Improvements in safety Appliances for Gasometers.
I, LEONARD ARTHUR HACKING, of 19, Azalea Road, Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to improved safety devices to be used in connection with
gasometers and is specially applicable for use in combination with small gasometers
used for storing acetylene gas or for other gasometers which are kept inside or

page_text: near to buildings. The object of the invention is to provide means whereby when
the gasometer becomes overcharged with gas, the surplus instead of escaping
through the water joint and into or near adjoining premises, is conveyed to some
distance or place of safety, or to another gasometer for storage, thus preventing
liability of explosion.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a
in which Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent sectional elevations of gasometers with my
complete description of same reference being made to the accompanying drawings
invention applied thereto.
According to this invention, in the bell or dome 1, of the gasometer I fix a
vertical pipe or tube 2 one end of which protrudes from the top of the bell or
dome 1, and the lower end dips into the water 3 in the lower part of the gasometer.
When the gasometer contains an ordinary charge of gas the lower end of the pipe 2
dips into the water and is thereby closed or sealed, but when the bell or dome is
overcharged with gas it rises until the lower end of the pipe 2 is above the water
level and the gas can escape by way of the pipe 2 from which it can be conveyed
by pipe to any point (see Fig. 1).
Instead of the long pipe, I in some cases prefer to use a valve 4 fixed in the top
of the bell or dome 1, or to a short pipe in same, and when the latter or the dome
rises to beyond a given point, the valve 4 is opened by coming into contact with a
stop piece or finger 5 whereby the valve 4 is opened and the surplus gas escapes and
may be conveyed by pipe to a point of safety or storage (see Fig. 2).
The escape pipe can be attached to the floating bell 1 at such a height that the
opening 2 into the bell, under an ordinary charge of gas, is below the level of the
water, 3, but when a surplus of gas is driven into the holder, the opening 2 rises
above the level of the water 3 and allows the gas to escape. The pipe 1 can be
attached to the outside of the bell and between the latter and the water container
(see Fig. 3).
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 gasometers and in combination therewith a pipe or tube so arranged that
the inner end of the pipe is hermatically sealed until the pressure of the gas exceeds
a given point, when the pipe is automatically opened and the gas escapes, as and
for the purpose herein described.
(2) In gasometers and in combination therewith a valve closed until the
gasometer owing to the pressure of gas, rises beyond a given point whereon the
valve is opened by coming into contact with a fixed point, as and for the purpose
herein described.
Dated this 21st day of April 1898.
LEONARD ARTHUR HACKING,
By his Agents, Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.