Improvement in Means for Transmitting Fluid under Pressure.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Means for Transmitting Fluid under Pressure.
I, WILLIAM SMILEY HALSEY, Mechanical Engineer, residing at No. 5072, Forbes
Street, in the City of Pittsburgh, County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,
and United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for Improvement in Means for Transmitting Fluid under Pressure, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: ---
My present invention relates to and is an improvement in means for trans-
mitting fluid under pressure from a supply reservoir to a device or mechanism
in which it is to be utilized, an instance of the general class or type of construction
in which it is specially designed for application being exeníplified in the Specifica-
tion of a former Patent No. 974, granted and issued to me under date of
January 15, 1895. The object of my invention is to provide simple, effective,
and inexpensive means for suspending a fluid pressure feed pipe or reservoir, pre-
venting wear of parts in frictional contact and interference with the free traverse
of a receiver on the pipe by protecting the pipe from the access of dirt and
grit, and automatically lubricating the contact surfaces of the pipe and
receiver.
To this end, my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination of
a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding the same and movable longi-
tudinally thereon, a longitudinally divided casing surrounding and suspending
the reservoir and connected to a fixed support, and a fluid pressure exhaust pipe
leading into the casing.
The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.
In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view, in elevation, illustrat-
ing an application of my invention in connection with a pneumatic trolley and
hoist; Fig. 2, a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, at the line a, b, c, m, n, d,
of Fig. 5; Fig. 3, a similar section at the line g, h, of Fig. 5; Fig. 4, a similar
section, at the line a, b, e, f, n, d, of Fig. 5; Fig. 5, a horizontal section.
at the line i, k, of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a side view in elevation, of the central
portion of the receiver, with the exhaust passage in transverse section; Fig. 7,
a side view, in elevation, of the trolley; and, Fig. 8, an end view of the same.
In the practice of my invention, I provide, as in my Specification No. 97495 afore-
said, a feed pipe or reservoir, 1, which extends throughout the distance within
which the apparatus is desired to operate, and a receiver, 2, which surrounds
and is movable longitudinally on the feed pipe, and is provided with packing, 3,
near its ends, forming fluid tight joints therewith, and tapered or inclined end
faces, 4, for actuating the supply valves, 5, of the reservoir. Said valves control
openings which, when uncovered, establish communication between the reservoir
and the receiver, and they are located at such distances apart in the length of
the reservoir that one or more of them will always be within the receiver. The
supply valves are actuated by the contact of the end faces, 4. of the receiver.
with tappets, 6, which project through properly packed openings in the wall

page_text: of the reservoir, and support valve levers, 7, which are connected with the supply
valves. The supply valves are held unseated, during the periods in which they
are surrounded by the receiver, by a longitudinal rib or bearing face, 8, on the
inner surface of the receiver, against which the outer ends of the tappets 6, abut,
during the traverse of said rib longitudinally past them. In the particulars above
stated, the construction herein set forth accords substantially with that of Speci-
fication No. 97495 aforesaid, and said structural features are not, in and of them-
selves, claimed as of my present invention.
The feed pipe or reservoir, 1, is supported upon a runway, 9, which is prefer-
ably, as shown, composed of I beams, connected by suspension bolts, 10, to the
roof trusses, 11, of a building or to any other suitable support. The feed pipe
is suspended upon the runway and supported by a casing 12, the sections of which
are each formed of two sheets of steel or other metal of sufficient strength to act
as suspension members for the pipe, and sufficiently flexible to spring together
below it on their lower sides, which are preferably bent over to present double
thicknesses thereat, as indicated in Fig. 3. The upper ends of the casing sheets
are turned over on the lower flanges of the runway beams, and the opposite sheets
are connected and held in position thereon by transverse bolts, 13. The casing
is open at its opposite ends, and is closed at top by the lower flanges of the
runway beams, and at bottom by the contact of the opposite sheets along the
line of longitudinal division, except at and adjacent to the point where a trolley
arm, to be presently described, passes between the opposite sheets, which pro-
gressively spring apart sufficiently far to permit the passage of the trolley arm,
and close together into their normal condition of contact, in the rear of the
trolley arm, as the same traverses longitudinally on the feed pipe.
A tubular trolley arm, 14, is formed integral with, or otherwise fixed to the
receiver, 2, and projects downwardly from the feed pipe or reservoir, 1, passing
between the opposite sheets of the casing 12, which, as above stated, spring apart
to admit of its traverse, and terminates, at bottom, in a horizontal connecting
tube, 15. The arm, 14, is of flattened or elliptical transverse section, its greater
dimension being in line with the feed pipe or reservoir 1, and it is divided, by a
vertical partition, into a supply passage, 16, and an exhaust passage 17.
The supply passage, 16, communicates, at its upper end, with the
interior of the receiver, 2, and extends through about one half the
connecting tube, 15, to one end thereof, at which it is open for connection to a
supply pipe leading to a motor, hoist or other device in which fluid pressure is
desired to be exerted, as shown in Fig. 4. The exhaust passage, 17, is branched
or divided, so as to partially surround the receiver at and adjacent to its upper
end, at which it is provided with outlets, 18, 18, opening into the casing, 12,
said outlets being turned in opposite directions on the opposite sides of the
receiver, and the exhaust passage extends through the portion of the connecting
tube, 15, not occupied by the supply passage, to the opposite end of the tube, at
which it is open for connection to an exhaust pipe leading from a fluid pressure
device, as shown in Fig. 2.
pressure
The connecting tube, 15, is connected to a trolley or travelling frame 19, which
is provided with wheels, 20, adapted to run on the lower flanges of the runway
beams, 9. A motor or motors of any suitable construction (a three cylinder
engine 21, being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7) and a hoisting cylinder, 22,
Imay be mounted upon the trolley, the supply and exhaust of fluid under
to and from the same being effected through the passages in the trolley arm and
connecting tube above described. The construction of the motor and the gearing
through which it imparts longitudinal movement to the trolley, and that of the
hoisting mechanism, do not form part of my present invention and are not there-
fore herein fully and at length set forth.
It will be obvious that in the successful operation of an apparatus of the
character of those to which my invention relates, it is of substantial importance
that the feed pipe or reservoir, should be properly supported, and that the contact

page_text: surfaces of the feed pipe or reservoir, and of the receiver which traverses thereon,
should be made as smooth and true as practicable, to minimize friction, and
should be maintained in such normal operative condition by being protected
from the access of dust and gritty foreign matter, which is present in considerable
quantity in foundries and many other locations in which the apparatus may
be installed. It is also desirable that these surfaces should be sufficiently lubri-
cated, and that such lubrication should be effected with economy of the lubricant
and of manipulation in its application.
The essential features of my invention, as herein before described, enable the
ends above stated to be fully and effectively attained in practice. The longi-
tudinally divided casing performs the functions both of a suspension member
for the feed pipe or reservoir and an enclosing case for the same and for the
receiver, whereby the reservoir and receiver are completely protected from the
access of foreign matter, and the maintenance of their surfaces in
proper working condition, and of fluid tight joints between them, is
assured. By discharging the exhaust fluid from the motor into the casing, from
which it can escape only at the sprung open portion adjoining the trolley arm
and at the ends, an outward current of fluid is maintained at these points, which
are the only ones at which the contact surfaces are not wholly enclosed, and
the exclusion of dirt and grit is thereby made complete. Lubricating material
which is supplied to the cylinder and valve of the motor is discharged there-
from with the exhaust motive fluid, and instead of being wasted, as would other-
wise be the case, is sprayed in opposite directions into the casing, thereby lubri-
cating the contact surfaces automatically, and without any cost either for material
or labor.
The invention, while chiefly designed for use in pneumatic apparatus is partly
applicable to other fluid pressure as hydraulic apparatus but if applied to hydraulic
apparatus the exhaust would not be led into the casing.
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. The combination of a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding and
movable longitudinally on said reservoir, a fixed support, a longitudinally divided
casing surrounding and suspending the reservoir and connected to the fixed support,
and a fluid pressure exhaust pipe or passage leading into the casing.
2. The combination of a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding and
movable longitudinally on said reservoir, a fixed support, a casing composed of
opposite plates of flexible metal sprung together so as to abut in a longitudinal
line of division below the reservoir and connected at top to the fixed support,
and a fluid pressure exhaust pipe or passage leading into the casing.
3. The combination of a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding and
movable longitudinally on said reservoir, a fixed support, a casing composed of
opposite plates of flexible metal sprung together so as to abut on a longitudinal
line of division below the reservoir and connected at top to the fixed support,
an arm fixed to the receiver and passing between the opposite plates of the
casing, and a fluid pressure exhaust pipe or passage extending through said arm
and opening into the casing.
4. The combination of a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding and
movable longitudinally on said reservoir, means for delivering fluid from the reser-
voir to the receiver, a fixed support, a casing composed of opposite plates of
flexible metal sprung together so as to abut on a longitudinal line of division
below the reservoir and connected at top to the fixed support, an arm fixed to
the receiver and passing between the opposite plates of the casing, a fluid pressure
motor connected to said arm, and fluid pressure supply and exhaust pipes or
passages extending through the arm, from the receiver to the motor and from
the motor to a point of discharge within the casing, respectively.

page_text: 5. The combination of a fluid pressure reservoir, a receiver surrounding and
movable longitudinally on said reservoir, means for delivering fluid from the
reservoir to the receiver, a fixed support, a casing composed of opposite plates of
flexible metal sprung together so as to abut on a longitudinal line of division
below the reservoir and connected at top to the fixed support, an arm fixed to
the receiver and passing between the opposite plates of the casing, a fluid pressure
motor connected to said arm, a fluid pressure supply pipe or passage extending
through the arm, from the receiver to the motor, and a fluid pressure exhaust
pipe or passage extending through the arm, from the motor to outlets adapted to
discharge fluid in opposite directions in the casing.
6. The combination of a fixed metal beam runway, a casing composed of opposite
plates of flexible metal, connected at top to the runway and sprung together so
as to abut at bottom on a longitudinal line of division, a fluid pressure reservoir
supported in and suspended by the casing, a receiver surrounding and movable
longitudinally on the reservoir, means for delivering fluid from the reservoir to
the receiver, a trolley adapted to traverse on the runway, a fluid pressure motor
mounted on the trolley, an arm connecting the receiver and the trolley and
passing between the opposite plates of the casing, and fluid pressure supply and
exhaust pipes or passages extending through the arm, from the receiver to the
motor and from the motor to a point of discharge within the casing, respectively.
Dated at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., this 10th day of June A.D.
1899.
Witnesses:
J. SNOWDEN BELL,
JAMES C. HERRON,
WILLIAM SMILEY HALSEY,