Improvements in Capsules for Containing Compressed or Liquefied Gas, and Apparatus for Charging them.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
Improvements in Capsules for Containing Compressed or Liquefied
Gas, and Apparatus for Charging them.
I, YOUNG ALEXANDER CALDERWOOD, of 59 Grosvenor Road, Canonbury, in the
County of London, 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 :-
Capsules made by punch drawing steel or other suitable metal are charged with
highly compressed or liquefied carbonic acid or other gas through a small aperture,
which is then closed by compressing the metal, and the gas is afterwards liberated for
aërating liquids or other purposes by pricking a hole in the capsule. Now according
to this invention the capsule is made with a hole through which it is charged and
which is provided with a check valve which prevents the fluid from issuing unless the
valve is pushed open. As there is no bole pricked, a capsule thus arranged can be
repeatedly used. Also instead of reducing the mouth of the capsule till it becomes a
very small aperture, which is finally closed by compressing the metal surrounding it,
the mouth is reduced only to a moderate extent, and there is placed in the mouth a
tightly fitting plug of ebonite or other suitable material ensuring its hold by burring
over it the edge of the metal around it. In case of excessive internal pressure the
plug is blown out thus operating as a safety valve to prevent destruction of the
capsule. For charging a capsule of the kind described it is compressed lengthwise
between two dies, its valved hole being in the lower die in line with a duct in the die
which branches into two lateral ducts each provided with a valve. By one of these
ducts when its valve is opened the fluid flows from a receptacle in which it is stored
and passes the check valve into the capsule charging it. The charging valve being
then closed the other valve is opened allowing escape of the small quantity of fluid
remaining in the ducts, and thereupon the capsule is relieved of pressure and removed
in a charged condition.
Such being the nature of the capsule and charging process, the construction of the
capsule and charging apparatus will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 is a vertical section partly in elevation of the
charging apparatus.
Figure 3 is a magnified section of the capsule.
The capsule A is made in the known manner by punch drawing a disc of metal
into cup form, deepening the cup by successive operations, and then closing in the
mouth so that it terminates in a cylindrical portion to receive the plug a.
Before inserting the plug a small hole is punched through the bottom of the
capsule, and through this hole is passed from the inside the stem of the check valve
which has a head and under the head a deep caoutchouc washer a¹. After the stem
of the valve is passed through the hole of the capsule, the end of the stem is by
pinching or otherwise, widened out sufficiently to prevent it from passing up through
the hole.
In the apparatus for charging the capsule, B is a base and frame having bearings
for a shaft which is caused to revolve by hand or suitable power. On the shaft is
fixed a cam C below which is a guided plunger D carrying a roller c which is pressed
against the cam C by a spring d.
There are also fixed on the shaft & two wipers E E' which act on tappets fixed on

page_text: vertically guided rods e e¹. These rods are jointed to loaded levers F F' fixed on
spindles which are screwed with threads of quick pitch into bushes fixed in holes
⚫ of the base.
The parts of spindles ff beyond these screw threads pass through packing
washers gg and have fixed in their ends plugs G G¹ of ebonite or other suitable
material constituting shut off valves.
The plunger D has its lower end formed as a die to receive the upper part of the
capsule A, and the base has formed in it a die H to receive the lower part of the
capsule. From the bottom of the die there is a duct branching both ways to cavities
containing the valves G G¹, from which cavities lead other ducts K K', one of
them K connected to the holder of compressed or liquefied gas and the other K¹
leading to any suitable recipient. The wipers E E¹ being set on the shaft 6 in suitable
positions relatively to the cam C, the operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
-
Both valves GG being closed by the descent of the loaded levers F F¹, a capsule A
is placed in the die H and the shaft b is turned. Its cam C presses down the plunger D
and this holds the capsule A firmly pressed down for a time. The wiper E then raises
the rod e and the lever F turning the screw spindle and thereby withdrawing the
valve G from the duct which it covers. By the duct thus opened for a moment fluid
passes from K into the capsule charging it.
As soon as the wiper E passes the tappet on which it acted, the rod e and lever F
descend closing the valve G. Then by a like action the wiper El causes the opening
of the valve G which allows such fluid or gas as remains in the duct to escape and
then closes. The cam C continuing to revolve allows the plunger D to ascend
releasing the charged capsule which can be removed, another empty capsule being
put in its place to be charged in like manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I make no general claim to the construction of capsules or charging them with
highly compressed or liquefied gas, but what I claim is :-
1. A capsule for containing highly compressed or liquefied gas, made with a
cylindrical mouth closed by a plug at the one end and with a hole provided with a
check valve at the other end, substantially as described.
2. For charging a capsule such as is above referred to, apparatus constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of February 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.