Process and Appliances for Automatically Closing and Emptying a Water Conduit by the Influence of Temperature on a Liquid, and for Re-opening such Conduit from any of the Discharge Places.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Process and Appliances for Automatically Closing and Emptying a
Water Conduit by the Influence of Temperature on a Liquid,
and for Re-opening such Conduit from any of the Discharge
Places.
I, AUGUST WOLFSHOLZ of Elberfeld, in the Empire of Germany, Manu-
facturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
This invention relates to the method and appliances for the automatic closing
and emptying of a water conduit through frost and the automatic re-opening of
the conduit when the temperature of the air rises above 0°, in combination with a
contrivance for allowing water to be discharged from any of the taps also when
the temperature is below 0° that is to say when the conduit is disengaged, after
the taking of which water, the conduit re-closes and is emptied automatically.
The improved apparatus is in the main constructed as follows:
A suitably shaped receptacle is provided with a float tube containing a float
which is connected by a two-armed lever with a valve, said lever having a drawing
chain attached thereto behind the working point of the float. The receptacle is
filled with a frost-free liquid, which contracts with the falling, and expands with
the rising of the temperature.
At its upper part the receptacle forms the float tube which allows but little play
at the sides for the float moving freely therein.
The valve referred to allows the water to enter from above. When the valve
is closed the valve rod which is perforated from below allows the water contained
in the closed pipe to flow off through lateral openings.
The lever arm connected with the valve is shorter than the arm connected with
the float.
When the temperature falls to 0° the liquid contained in the receptacle contracts
to such an extent that the weight of the float comes into operation and, increased
by the lever, closes the valve, whereby at the same time the pipe is emptied.
When the conduit. is thus closed the valve can be opened and water discharged by
pulling the drawing chain mentioned above which is in connection with the single
discharge places, the float being thereby lifted and the valve yielding to the
pressure of the water. On the chain being released, the weight of the float causes
the conduit to be reclosed and emptied.
When the temperature rises again, the weight of the float is suspended in its
action on the lever and on the valve by the expansion of the liquid, and the water
pressure overcomes the resistance of the valve and causes the latter to open.
Dated this 28th day of April 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process and Appliances for Automatically Closing and Emptying a
Water Conduit by the Influence of Temperature on a Liquid,
and for Re-opening such Conduit from any of the Discharge
.Places.
I, AUGUST WOLFSHOLZ of Grünstrasse, Elberfeld, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer and Merchant, 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 :-
The object of this invention is a device and process for automatically regulating
in channels of any kind, therefore also in pipes, the movement, i.e. the admission
and discharge of elastic or non-elastic fluids, that is to say, of gases or ordinary
liquids, especially of water. The temperature of the air, for instance, is to be
regulated automatically in a space to be heated, while in a water conduit a certain
length of pipe is to be automatically closed when a certain noxious temperature,
for instance frost, occurs.
This purpose is accomplished in the hereafter described manner illustrated by
the accompanying drawing, in which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the regulation of an elastic fluid (air).
Figs. 4 and 5 of a non-elastic fluid (water),
like or analogous parts being in both constructions designated with like
letters.
In the improved process-in lieu of the float constructions, in which a float rises
with a rising liquid-an effect is to be produced on a closing body, i.e. slide, valve
or the like by the loss in weight of a body which is surrounded by a rising liquid
with variations of temperature. The specific weight of the liquid and the volume
of the weight-body in contact therewith are therefore of importance.
The improved apparatus consists of a vessel a which is filled with a liquid highly
susceptible to changes of temperature, for instance oil. This vessel terminates at
the top in a tube & containing a weight-body c of like or greater specific weight
than the liquid surrounding it, said body leaving as little play as possible for the
liquid between itself and the sides of the tube.
This weight body is connected by a lever which is in the drawing a double
lever turning about pivot g-with the closing body, whether this be a slide d Figs. 1
to 3 or a valve e Figs. 4 and 5 or the like.
The apparatus operates as follows:
Provided the apparatus is to close, when the temperature has risen to a certain
point, a closing device and to open the latter again on a falling of temperature, the
expansive filling liquid, when a certain temperature is attained, has ascended in
tube b so far around the weight body, i.e. has deprived the same of so much of its
weight, as the product of its specific weight multiplied with the volume of the body
part in contact with the liquid amounts to, so that the closing device provided at
the other lever arm descends and is closed by its own weight or by means of a
suitable counter weight.
By means of a draw chain or chains or similar device connected with lever fin
any suitable manner, the valve, in the case of a water conduit, can be temporarily
opened from any of the discharge places connected to said chain or chains.
At a falling of temperature the filling liquid contracts again and the weight
body becomes so much heavier, as the specific weight multiplied with the contents
of its freed volume amounts to. It gains gradually overweight and opens the closing
device. Thus, with a decrease of temperature to the freezing point, it may open a
valve and empty a water conduit.
If the apparatus is to close, at a sinking of temperature, a closing device and
re-open the same at an increase of temperature, its construction and mode of
operation are self-evident.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
The method of effecting the automatic action of a closing or temperature-
regulating device for gases or liquids with changing temperature by utilizing the
specific weight of a quantity of liquid, which rises or falls at a body (weight) which
is at first stationary (balanced), until said body assumes novement by its alteration
of weight produced thereby and acts on the closing or regulating device,
substantially as set forth.
2). A device for the process referred to in Claim 1, for shutting off liquids at the
commencement of frost, consisting of a vessel a with narrower upper part b, said
vessel being filled with a liquid (oil etc.), and a weight c in combination with a
lever fand a closing device (valve e or the like) substantially as set forth.
3). A device for the process referred to in Claim 1 for regulating the admission
and the temperature of gases or liquids, consisting of a vessel with narrower upper
portion mentioned in Claim 2 and of a weight with lever and a closing device (slide
or the like) substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th of January 1892.
AUGUST WOLFSHOLZ,
By Huelser & Co.,
His Agents.