US2050707A - Gas holder - Google Patents

Description

Au .11,193s. W.G.LAIRD 2,050,707

' GAS HOLDER Filed Jan. 12, 1953 30 Z8 11v VENTOR A TTORNEY ass. uoanaa Wilbur G, Laird, Pleasantvilie, N. Y to Doherty Research Comp; New York, N. Y.,- a corporation of Delaware Application .lanuary 12, 1933, Serial No. 651,275

' '2 Claims. (oi. 48-176) This invention relates to gas holders, and more particularly to an improvement in gas holders of the water-sealed type. The invention is an improvement on the gas holders described in my 0'. 8. Patent No.-1,894,536, granted January 17th,

' lower edge of the lift. As gas is introduced into and withdrawn from below the inverted bell of the water-sealed holder, the bell rlses and falls correspondingly and is supported by the gas pressure within the holder.

In my aforementioned prior patent, I have disclosed a single lift water-sealed gas holder, the bell of which is equipped with flexible guide cables mounted inside the holder which function to constrain the bell against both rotation and tipping during its movement up and down inside the surrounding tank or shell.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of flexible guide cables adapted to constrain the bells of water-sealed gas holders from tipping from a horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide cable guiding means for gas holders of the watersealed type that is simple and inexpensive to install, easy to keep in proper adjustment and repair, and wholly protected from climatic conditions involving atmospheric oxidation and corrosive reactions. I

with these and other objects and featuresin view, the invention consists in the improved gas holder construction hereinafter described and particularly defined in the accompanying claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section of a single lift water-sealed gas holder embodying the prev ferred cable guiding mechanism of the invention; and Fig. 2 is 'a plan view, with parts broken away, showing the gas holder illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the gas holder illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the inverted bell lift 24 moves vertically up and down in the surrounding roofless tank 28. Gas is introduced under thelift as through a pipe 23, and may be removed through a pipe 8%. lbs bottom of the lift is sealed eat the escape of gas from beneath the same by a body of water maintained in the tank 26, the level of the water being indicated by the dot-dash line 32. As the gas moves into and out of the space under the inverted bell 2d, the bell rises and falls,'the weight of the bell being supported'by the body of the gas thereunder. Spacing rollers 36 mounted on the inner rim of tank 2B between the tank and the bell serve to hold the outer periphery of the bell in properly spaced relation to the inner periphery of the tang.

An important feature of the present invention consists in the arrangement of internal guide cables for constraining the bell from tipping from a horizontal plane during its upward and downward movement in the shell. In the drawing, the bell is shown as equipped-with two pairs of guide cables, for the purpose of illustration. Inl'arge holders, however, a larger number of pairs of guide cables will normally be used to provide the means for constraining the movement of the bell to a fixed vertical path, and to prevent it from becoming tipped or wedged within the shell.

Each pair of cables is mounted in the holder in the same manner so that the description of the mounting and operation of one pair of cables only will be included herein.

- The inverted bell ofFlg. 1 is shown equipped with a cambered roof adapted to withstand pressures of gas stored below the bell. At the time that the bell moves down to the bottom of the surrounding shell or tank 28, it is preferred to support the bell upon a frame 38 which has a cambered upper surface adapted to coincide in contour with the cambere'd upper surface of the hell 2%; By means of the frame at the bell is supported over substantially its entire area, and is thereby protected against damage or collapse at the time it is lowered to the bottom of the holder.

One flexible guide cable 38 is attached by means of an eye-bolt 40 to the bottom edge of the bell, and passed upwardly in a vertical path and over a guide pulley or sheave 62 secured to the upper edge of the roof-supporting frame 88. From the sheave 42 the cable 38 extends diametrically across the shell and under the sheave 46. mounted on the opposite periphery of frame 88. From the sheave N the cable 38 extends upward vertically and is secured to a tension bolt 48 mounted on the outer periphery ofthe roof of hell 2%. dpring it is held under compression-by the bolt it to hoidthe cable at in taut position under normal strains imposed thereon. V

The other cable tit of the pair shown in Fig. i

is secured to an eye-bolt 52 mounted on the lower inner rim of the bell 24 in a position diametrically opposite the bolt- 40. From bolt II the cable passes upwardly over a sheave M which may be loosely iournaled on the same shaft as sheave 44:

thence diametrically across the tank and under a sheave 56 which may be loosely journaled on the same shaft as sheave 42; thence upwardly in a vertical path and secured to a tension bolt ll mounted on the lower edge of the roof of bell 24 diametrically opposite the position of bolt 48. A compression spring 60 is mounted on the bolt It to hold the cable 50 in taut position. It will be understood that the bell supporting frame 38 functions in the guiding mechanism as an integral part of the floor of tank 28.

As shown in the drawing, the guide cables are preferably mounted in pairs within the shell and move in substantially parallel paths. As the bell 24 moves upwardly and downwardly, each guide cable of a pair moves in a-directlon olllmite to that taken by the other guide cable of the pair. As these cables move in opposite directions. they tend to constrain the bell to a definite vertical path of movement parallel to the inner wall of the surrounding shell or tank, and if the lower edge of the bell is horizontal to begin with, this position will be maintained as the bell moves upparent that a gas holder of much lighter and cheaper construction for a given capacity, and more pleasing appearance, is afforded as compared to other types of holders available at present. The holder does not need to be as high as other known types of holders, because no guide frame-is necessary.

It is not necessary that the guide cables be disposed in pairs or that the cables be positioned adjacent the circumferential edge of the bell,

prising a plurality of flexible cables, each cable although this is the preferred construction. It is necessary that at least three guide cables be operatively connected at horizontally spaced points to the bell, in order that the bell movement may be constrained to a vertical path. 5

With the above described apparatus the guide cables are housed entirely within the tank and lift and are thus protected from atmospheric oxidation, rain, snow, the sun and other conditions which tend to corrode and interfere with the proper operation of the holder mechanism.

The preferred form of the invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new is:

1. In gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a body 0 sealing liquid, an inverted bell movably mounted in the tank with its side walls dipping into the sealing liquid so as to trap gas within the bell above the sealing liquid, a bell supporting frame secured to the floor of the tank and adapted to'support the bell against collapse when resting upon the floor, and guide means for the bell comprising a plurality of flexible cables each guidably connected to the bell at horizontally spaced points around its periphery, .each guide cable having its ends secured respectively to the 25 upper and lower edges of the bell at said horizontally spaced points thereon, and being movable intermediate its ends over pulleys mounted respectively on the bell supporting frame element of the tank at points vertically aligned with the nearest point of guidable connection of the cab to the bell.

2. In a gas holder, a tank arranged to provide a-body of sealing liquid, an inverted gas storage P bell movably mounted in the tank, a bell supporting frame attached to the floor of the tank, a

plurality of pulleys mounted at horizontally spaced points adjacent the periphery of the supporting frame, and guide means for the bell com-' being secured atits ends to the'top and bottom respectively of the bell at points vertically aligned with the nearest pulley on the frame, and' having its intermediateportion. movably engaging two of the pulleys nearest the ends of the cable. r

7 WlLBUR G. IAIRD.

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