US1199459A - Dirt-collector for rectifiers. - Google Patents

Description

S. W. FARNSWORTH.

DIRT COLLECTOR FOR RECTIFIERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. m4.

1 1 99,459 Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

G C C C C Fay! WITNTELSSES m Q Q INVENTOR i V Mg W J ATTORNEY- SIDNEY W. FARNSWORTH, OF PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T wEsrINe- HOUSE ELECTRIC A ND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

X DIRT-COLLECTOR r'on RECTIFIERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed November 6, 1914. Serial No. 870,609.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, SIDNEY -W. FARNS- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dirt-Collectors for Rectifiers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to evacuated vapor' apparatus provided with reconstructing liquid electrodes, and it has. for its object to provide means whereby the surfaces of the liquid electrodes in apparatus of' the character specified, maybe maintained free from foreigncsubstances at allntimes.

In the manufacture of mercury vapor rectifiers, extreme care is used to have all por-' tions of theinterior of the container absolutely clean and free from foreign sub.- stances. This is, however, a very difficult task, especially with'rectifiersof large ca pacity provided with metal containers and with elaborate shielding'systems. Not only does dirt appear to lodge in minute recesses in the metal but also small portions of the metal itself are torn off by the arc. The mercury vapor, in apparatus of the character. specified, is continually condensing on the .outer walls of the container and dripping back to the cathode pool and this condensed mercury takes up dirt particles from all portions of the container and washes them back into the cathode where they dis turb the cathode surface, and, by their vaporization, destroy the homogeneous characterof the arc itself. By my invention, I am able to prevent the return of dirt particles to the active portion of the cathode spot in a simple and effective manner.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of a metal rectifier embodying my invention, partially insect tion and partially in elevation; and Fig. 2 isan enlarged view of a portion of the. rectifier shown in Fig. 1, showing my invention in greater detail.

A container 3 of refractory imperviousmaterial, such, for example, as steel, is providedwith a solid anode. 4 and with a liquid cathode; 5, preferably of mercury. -An anti-splash plate 4, of the type described and claimedin my application Serial No. 829,825, filed April 6, 1914, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing 85 Company, is preferably placed upon thebottom of thecontainer 3 and is submerged by the liquid-of the cathode 5, under normal conditions. A cathode ring ,6, of some refractory insulating material, such, for/example, as quartz, is mounted on the late 4 and serves to divide the cathode po 5 into vtwo'portions, a substantially circ a'rinner portion, upon which the arc is started and maintained byany suitable means, and an outer annular inactive portion. The mercury vapor of the arc condenses upon the side walls of the container 3 and drips into the annular inactive portion of the cathode I pool, carrying with it dirt freed from the walls. This dirt, in all instances, floats' upon the surface of the mercury because of the relatively high specific gravity of the latter. communication between the inner and outer portions of the pool 5 through small passages under the edge of the ring 6, clean mercury is permitted to pass from the lower portions of the inactive cathode 5 to the central active portion thereof in order to maintain the level of the latter The structure which has been described to this point is sufficient to maintain the active portion of the cathode clean when the rectifier is maintained in a stationary position as, for example, in a substation, but, when it is desired to mount rectifiers of the character-described upon electric locomotives, as

is frequently the case, it is found that the violent blows and vibrations to which they are subjected cause mercury to splash directly from the outer pool to the inner pool over the edge of the ring 6, carrying with it dirt particles. I accordingly mount two rings 8 and 9, preferably formed of metal, outside the ring 6 and attach them securely in place, as for example, by welding them to the plate 4,. as shown at 10. The rings 8 and 9'are provided with holes 7 and be-' low the surface of the mercury and staggered with respect to each other. A flat ring '11, preferably of metal, is attached to the ring 8, near its upper edge, in any suitable manner, such as byv welding, and supports a ring 12 by suitable brackets 13. Ad ditional support may be given to the refractory ring '6 and also to the rings 8 and 11 by the use 'of auxiliary braces 14 therebetween.

Consequently, by maintaining free By the use of the abovedescribed struc- J the container and may return to the central portion of the cathode by means of the holes 7 and and under thering 6, but it is extremely difiicult for any mercury to be splashed over the upper edge of the ring 6.

While I have shown my invention in its I preferred form, those skilled in the art will understand that it is susceptible of various minor changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof and I accordingly desire that only such restrictions vshall be placed thereupon as are imposedby the prior art or are specifically set fort in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1 1. The combination with an evacuated container, of a reconstructing liquid elec-- trode therein comprising an active arc-supporting pool and an inactive pool arranged.

to receive returning electrode material, a partition separating the surfaces of said pools and permitting communication therebetween below the surfaces thereof, and baflle plates arranged above said inactive pool to prevent slopping thereof over said partition and into said active pool when said electrode is agitated; Y

2. The combination with an evacuated container, of a reconstructing liquid electrode therein, a ring of refractory material outer pool, said ring providing passages between said pools beneath its lower edge, and baflle plates arranged above said inactive pool to prevent the slopping of electrode material from Said inactive pool to said active pool over the upper edge of said ring when said electrode is agitated.

3. The combination with an evacuated container, of a reconstructing liquid electrode therein, a ring of refractory material seated in said electrode, extending above the surface thereof and dividing said electrode into an active inner pool and an inactive outer pool, said ring permitting communication between said pools beneath its lower edge, and annular partition members mounted in said inactive pool and provided I with relatively staggered openings beneath the surface thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of Oct.,

SIDNEY W. FARNSWORTH. Witnesses:

JOHN BIRRELL, B. B. HINES.

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