US1182460A - Apparatus for discharging dangerous liquids and gases. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. CRUGER. APPARATUS FOR UISCHARGING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS AND GASES.

APPLI CATION FILED JULY8, l9l5- 1,182,460.

Patented May 9, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST B. CRUGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND JOSEPH BRADLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR DISCHARG-ING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS AND GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May-9, 1916.

Application filed July 8, 1915. Serial No. 38,813.

To all iuhom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST B. CRUGER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Bronx,

in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus. for Dis uids or gases are stored or are performing duties, as for example in the system of pipes and tanks or receivers constituting an ammonia refrigerating plant, and thus prevent the uncontrolled liberation of such liquids and gases to the atmosphere with the consequent danger to life and-property.

A further object is to provide means for facilitating and accelerating the flow of such liquids and ases to such place of safety, and another lmportant object is to provide means for initiating such flow from a safety station located at a distance from the system or container, or so situated and condi tioned relatively to the latter as to be safely accessible at all times.

These objects are attained by utilizing and directing the kinetic energy and the absorbent and dissolving properties of water, steam, air, or other fluid or gas, acting potentially from a head or'pressure through a suitable apparatus, to meet and mingle or combine with the dangerous liquid or gas and impel the latter thus mixed'or absorbed to trawl through a closed duct to a place of harmless disposal.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show a preferred form of apparatus by which the inventio maybe successfully carried out.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a refrigerating plant of the compression type, equipped with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale and partly in vertical section, showing the safety apparatus and connections therefrom. Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in vertical section,

uid receiver A showing one form of operating device adapted to actuate the apparatus from a d stant station. Fig. 4 is vertical longitudinal section through the ihain portions of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a corresponding horizontal section, taken on the line 55 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, on a still larger scale, showing one of the controlling valves in detail.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures,

The invention will be described as applied to a. refrigerating plant in which ammonia is employed.

A is the compressor, A the main dis-' charge pipe therefrom leading to the oiltrap A and thence to the condenser A in which the ammonia gas is liquefied and flows to the liquid receiver A. The liquid ammonia passes the expansion valve B in the expansion line B and by its change from the liquid to the gaseous form absorbs heat from the cooling coils B as usual.

C is the return pipe to the compressor. A break in the ammonia system immediately releases large volumes of ammonia gas extremely dangerous to life and property in the neighborhood; it is the purpose of this invention to provide means operable from stations located at a distance or otherwise -safely protected, by which the ammonia may be immediately drained from the systemand led harmlessly away.

is the body of a cored casting or valve casing having a bonnet D secured thereto by bolts D extending through lugs D havmg a passage E connected to a pipe E leading from a supply of water .under pressure, which may be the usual street main, not shown, and a passage F connected to a pipe F leadingfrom the under side of the liqor other convenient low point in the ammonia system.

G is a chamber formed in the body D, preferably shaped to coact with a tapered nozzle D on the bonnet D, projecting into .bonnet at the point K and having its upper receptacle in which ammonia may be allowed to escape safely.

Each passage E and F terminates in the body portion D in an annular valve seat e, f, and the supply passage E is in communication with the chamber G through a recess E in the bonnet and through the nozzle D", while the relief passage F communicates with the chamber. G exterior "to the nozzle, through a recess F in the bonnet. Thus water under pressure is projected into the chamber in a strong jet and acting by the well-known'ejector principle, draws ammonia in liquid or gaseous form through the passage F and recess F and combined with Or absorbed by such water is forcibly ejected through the duct G and pipe G to the drain or other receptacle. The several passages, ducts, recesses and nozzle are of sufficient area andso arranged and proportioned as to permit the ammonia to be drawn rapidly from the liquid receiver A when the apparatus is in operation.

The passage E is controlled by a circular valve H suitably packed on both faces and has an axial valve stem H extending through the bonnet D terminating in a hollowed head H serving as an abutment for one end of an expand ng helical spring H encircling the stein and abutting at the opposite end against the outer face of the bonnet and exerting its expansive force to move the valve from its seat and open the passage E to the nozzle D. The passage F is provided with a similar valve J having a stem J and head. J and equipped with a spring J acting in the direction to move the valve J from its seat I and permit am monia to enter the chamber G through the passage F. Both passages are held closed and the apparatus normally inactive by a yoke K pivotally attached at one end to the free end shaped to receive the hook or nose L of a latch L pivotally connected to the bonnet at the point L opposite to the hinge K of the yoke. The latter is drilled and tapped in axial alinement with the.

valve stems H J and receives screws K K adapted to contact with the heads H J 2 and hold the valves to their seats in oppo, sition to the force of the springs H J 3 when the yoke is engagedby its latch L and thu hold the passages normally closed.

K K are check-nuts serving v to retain the screws K and K position when the latter are properly adjusted. It will be seen that thus conditioned the passages E and F remain closed until the latch L is lifted and the yoke K released, when by the stems project, are valve seats 03 adapted to receive the outer faces of the valves when the latter are released, and prevent leakage of water or ammonia through such aper' vM in which the yoke and latch are inclosed for prntection against accidental release, having passages therein connected'to conduits N which extend to locations or stations remote from the ammonia system or so protected as to be safely approached, and contain each a light cable or flexible cord attached at one end to the latch and terminating in any suitable device for exerting a strong pull on the latch, as for example, the winding-drum N inclosed in a casing N and rotated by a lever N through a. slot n in the casing. &

In the event of fire in cold storage warehouses onrefrigerating plants, the possibility of a break in the ammonia system and consequent liberation of ammonia gas constitutes a serious menace to the firemen and others in and about the building. This invention permits the ammonia to be drawn off safely and quickly before such break occurs, or in the event of a break the latch may be tripped from any of a number of applied to an ammonia plant, it will be understood that it will serve successfully in controlling other dangerous, noxious, explo-. sive, or inflammable liquids and gases; and

other fluids having the property of absorb-- ing, dissolving, neutralizing, or combining with such liquids or gases, may be substit ed for water as a vehicle for inducing the ow and carrying away the dangerous liquids orgases.

Other means than that shown may be'employed for lifting the latch and releasing the yoke, and the arrangement of passages, pipes and conduits may be varied as circumstances .may dlctate.

E and F are check-valves in the pipes E and F serving to prevent back flow through such pipes due to excess pressure in either. Y

I claim g 1. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a. valve casing having a chamber therein, a relief passage leadingto said:

chamber and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage leading to said chamber and arranged to deliverfluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages and held normally closed, and means operable from a safety station for opening said valves.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a valve casing having a chamber therein, a relief passage leading to said chamber and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage leading to said chamber and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages, means for holding said valves normally closed, and means operable from a safety station for releasing said valves.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a valve casing having a chamber, an ejector nozzle in said chamber, a relief passage leading to said chamber exterior to said nozzle and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passa e leading to said chamber through said nozzle and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages, and means operable from a safety station for releasing said valves.

4. A valve casing having a chamber therein, a relief passage leading to said chamber and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage leading to said chamber and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages, springs tending to open said valves, a yoke adapted to hold said valves closed in opposition to said springs, and a latch for holding said yoke in the closed position.

5. A valve casing having a chamber therein, a relief passage leading to said chamber and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage leading to said chamber and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages, springs tending to open said valves, a yoke adapted to hold said valves closed in opposition to said springs, a latch for holding said yoke in the closed position, and means operable from a safety station for moving said latch to release said yoke.

6. A valve casing having a chamber therein, a relief passage leading to said chamber and connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage leading to said chamber and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure thereto, a discharge duct from said chamber, valves controlling said passages, springs tending to open said valves, a yoke adapted to hold said valves closed in opposition to said springs, a latch for holding said yoke in the closed position, a plurality of winding-drums each located in separate safety stations, and connections from said drums to said latch, whereby the rotation of either drum moves said latch to release said yoke.

7. A valve casing comprising a body and bonnet, a chamber in said body, a relief passage in said body communicating through said bonnet with said chamber and arranged to be connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage in said body communicating through said bonnet with said chamber and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure to said chamber, a discharge duct from the latter, a relief valve seat and a supply valve seat on said body, axially movable doublefaced valves coacting with said valve seats to close said passages, axial valve stems on said valves extending through apertures in said bonnet, springs tending to move said valves to open said passages, and valve seats on said bonnet surrounding said apertures and stems, adapted to coact with said valves and close said apertures by the action of said springs in moving said valves to open said passages.

8. A valve casing comprising a body and bonnet, a chamber in said body, an ejector nozzle on said bonnet extending into said chamber, a relief passage in said body communicating through said bonnet with said chamber exterior to said nozzle and arranged to be connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage in said body communicating through said bonnet With said chamber through the interior of said nozzle and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure to said chamber, a discharge duct from the latter, axially movable valves controlling said passages and having stems extending through said bonnet, heads on said stems, and springs between said heads and bonnet tending to move said valves to open said passages, a yoke hinged at one end to said bonnet, means on said yoke for engaging said heads, and a movable latch ar-v ranged to engage the free end of said yoke and hold said valves closed in opposition to said s rings.

9. g valve casing comprising a body and bonnet, a chamber in said body, an ejector.

nozzle on said bonnet extending into said chamber, a relief passage in said body communicating through said bonnet with said chamber exterior to said nozzle and arranged to be connected to the system to be emptied, a supply passage in said body communicating through said bonnet with said chamber through the interior of said nozzle and arranged to deliver fluid under pressure to said chamber, a discharge duct from the latter, axially movable valves controlling said passages and having stems extending through said bonnet, heads on said stems and springs between said heads and bonnet tending to move said valves to open said passages, a yoke hinged at one end to said bonnet, means on said yoke for engaging In testimony that I claim the invention said heads, a movable latch arranged to enabove set forth I aflix my signature, in gage the free end of said yoke and hold said presence of two witnessse.

valves closed in opposition to saidsprings, ERNEST B. CRUGER. and means operable from a safety station Witnesses: for moving said latch and releasing said F.'P. THOMPSON,

yoke and valves. JOHN BURKE;

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