US2651434A - Liquid seal trap - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1953 K. M. ADAIR LIQUID SEAL TRAP Filed June 5, 1950 ZZZ IN VE NTOR BY ZE' QM ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1`953 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE LIQUID lSEAL TRAP Keith M. Adair, Eugene, Oreg.

Application June 5, 1950, Serial No. 166,163

2 Claims. (Cl. 2211-85) This invention relates to liquid traps and seals, and is an improvement over the construction embodied in my co-pending application Serial No. 57,304, filed October 29, 1948, for Two Way Seal Liquid Trap, now Patent No. 2,605,015.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved seal by employing baffles, a sump, drain plugs, lightening holes, and an outside vent and an outside overflow tube, all of which will be described in the following objects and in the description and attached drawings.

Another object of this invention is to provide vertical and horizontal baffles in the several chambers of a container venting a tank, which baliies will effectively obstruct the free movement of the sealing liquid in the several chambers, thereby eliminating excessive surging and bubbling of the seal liuid during the venting operation or otherwise.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sump into which the overflow leveling tube from the bottom chamber of my invention extends. This sump may be attached to either the bottom wall of the seal unit itself, or to the overflow leveling tube. Excessive seal fluid or excessive tank contents, where the tank to which the seal unit is attached has been overfilled causing the contents thereof to run through the vent and then through the seal unit, will be discharged into this sump.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sump which will contain a seal fluid into which fluid the overow leveling tube from the bottom chamber of the unit will extend downwardly, thereby sealing this tube from the atmosphere.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sump equipped with an overflow means through which means excess liuid and excess tank contents discharged into the sump may be in turn discharged from the sump either into the atmosphere, or into a tank separate and distinct from the tank being vented. The discharge of such fluid from the sump will in no way aiiect the operation of the unit to which it is attached.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means through the use of lightening holes whereby the outside air would have free access to the interior of the entire unit, with the exception of the Vacuum-pressure chamber, and the circulation of such air would eliminate any possibility of an explosion within the unit, though it might be possible for combustion to take place within the unit. Also such holes may be covered with wire screen to keep out insects, foreign particles or the like.

Another object is to provide an air vent tube and an overow leveling tube that might be used on the outside of the unit to connect the upper chamber with the lower chamber thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide adequate drains and flushing plugs for the several chambers and for the sump. And an object of this invention is to provide a device that has .no

moving parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and is easy to maintain.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specifications, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

The single figure is a vertical section of a liquid trap and seal constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is disclosed one form of this invention. A housing generally designated as is provided in the top wall |46 thereof with a nipple or intake connection |41 whereby the housing |45 may be connected to a tank, reservoir, or the like. The housing |45 includes a cylindrical side wall |48 and a bottom wall |49. An inner horizontal bottom wall |50 is disposed between the top and bottom walls |46 and |49, respectively, and divides the interior of the housing |45 into upper and lower chambers generally designated as |5| and |52, respectively. The upper chamber I5! is divided into a pair of outer chambers |53 and l5!!l by means of a cylindrical partition |55 which is formed adjacent the lower portion thereof with openings |56 and is formed at the bottom thereof with lugs |51 providing spaces |51a communicating chamber |53 with chamber |54. Lugs |58 are carried by the upper end of the partition |55, engage against the inner side of the top wall |46, and form spaces |5811 for communicating the upper portions of chambers |53 and |55. Openings |56 in wall |55 may be in rows or series of rows.

A cylindrical member |60 is secured partly within the housing |45 and projects thereabove being formed of a cylindrical side wall |6| which extends through the top wall |46 and engages at its lower end on the inner wall |50. The side wall I 6| is formed with lugs |62 at its lower end which engage on the upper side of the inner wall |50 and providing spaces |62a communicating chamber |54 with chamber |66.

That portion of cylindrical side wall |6| which is contained within housing |45 forms the inner wall of a vacuum pressure chamber, which vacuum pressure chamber includes chambers |53 and |54; said vacuum pressure chamber communicates with inner chamber 166 through openings 163e in the lower portion of cylindrical side wall |61 and through the spaces |62a, between the legs or lugs |62 in the bottom of cylindrical side wall |6|.

An inner cylindrical member |63 is disposed within the cylindrical member |61 and is formed at its lower end with lugs |64 forming spaces |64a whereby communication will be had between the inner chamber |65 disposed within the cylindrical member i63, and the outer inner chamber |66 which is formed between the cylindrical. member |53 and the cylindrical side wall |6|. Openings 163e are formed in the lowery portion of cylindrical member |61 for communicating the lower portion of chamber |54 with chamber 166.

Openings |63a, may be in rows or series of rows.

The inner member 163 is formed with a plurality of openings i6? extending for a substantial portion of the length of member 163 and is formed at its upper end with lugs 220 forming spaces 22| communicating the upper ends of chambers |65 and |66. The side wall |6| has secured to the upper end thereof a top wall |66 and an upwardly projecting nipple |69 is disposed centrally of the top wall |68. The side wall |61 is provided adjacent the upper end thereof with openings 110, so that atmospheric air mayA freely circulate through the upper portion of housing |66, and a screen or iiitering member 11| is disposed across each opening |16 so as to prevent foreign matter or other material from entering the interior of the inner chamber member 160. Chambers |53 and |55' form the vacuum pressure chamber,

A downwardly flared or conical shield i12 is secured to the upper portion of side wall |61 and engages over the openings so that water or the like will not be blown or drained into the openings |10. A pipe |13 is connected at one end to the vent nipple |60 and extends downwardly and is connected to the side wall 168 of the housing |45 at a point slightly below the inner wall 150. An overflow pipe 114 extends through the inner wall |56 being positioned centrally oi the inner wall |63 and denes a liquid level 115 in chambers |65 and 166. The pipe |14 extends downwardly into the lower chamber |52 and terminates at a point closely adjacent the bottom wall 143 of housing |45. A liquid leveling pipe |16 is disposed exteriorly of the side wall 48 of housing |45 and communicates with chamber |51 at a point coplanar with the liquid level |11 dened by the dot and dash line in chamber 15|.

The pipe |16 is formed with a U-shaped lower end |16 having the inner side |16 thereof extending upwardly and through the bottom wall |49. Liquids overflowing from chamber 15| will flow downwardly through pipe |16 and then upwardly into the lower portion of chamber |52. An overflow or liquid level determining pipe |30 extends through bottom wall |49 into chamber |52 and is secured to a sump generally designated as |81` The pipe |80 extends through the top wall |32 of sump |81 and terminates at its lower end at a point closely adjacent the bottom wall |33 of sump IBI;

The cylindrical side wall |164 of sump |8| is formed with a vent oroutlet openingfl which determines the liquid level 166' indicated by the dot. and dash line 166 in sump 1,81. The upper end of pipe |80 determines the liquid level in lower chamber |52 which is indicated by the dot and dash line |81, A drain plug |88 is secured in bottom wall |46, and a second plug |65 is secured in side wall |48 in the lower portion oi chamber |53 for flushing the chambers above wall |50. A drain plug |60 is secured in bottom wall |83, and a drain plug |91 is mounted in the bight of U-shaped member |18.

Outer chamber |53 has disposed therein a pair of spaced perforate baffles |92 and |93 which are secured about the partition |55, and chamber |54 has disposed therein a pair of spaced perforate baiiles |64 and |95 which are coplanar with baiiies |92 and |93, respectively. An upper pair of perforate baiiies |66 and |91 are disposed within chamber 154 ata point above the liquid level |11 and a iiltering medium 198 such as steel wool or the like is disposed between the upper pair of baiiies |96 and |91. A lower perforate baffle |99 is disposed within chamber |66 being fixed to outer side wall 16| and positioned closely adjacent the liquid level |11. A second perforate baie 200 is fixed to side wall |61 above baie |99 at a point substantially coplanar with top wall |46. A perforate baffle 20| is fixed within side wall 16| above baille 200, and another perforate baille 202 is fixed within side wall |61 above baffle 20|. An upper pair of perforate baiiles or plates 203 and 204 are disposed in the upper portion of chamberl |66, and a filtering medium 205 such as steel wool or the like is disposed between the two bales or plates 203 and 204.

Inner cylindrical wall |63' is formed with openings 206 at a point above the upper baiiie 204 so that the atmospheric air can circulate through the upper portion of housing |60.

The side wall 148 is formed with openings 201 at a point above the liquid level |81 and a screen 208 is secured across each opening 201. A conical or flared member 209 is secured to the outer side wall |46 extending partly across the openings 201 so as to prevent water from flowing into the lower chamber |52 through the screened openings 201. The sump |8| is provided with openings 2|0 at points above the liquid level |86 which are covered by screens 2 |0a, and a conical deflector 2| is secured to the sump |81 about the openings 210. Openings 201 allow free circulation of atmospheric air through the upper portion of lower chamber |52. Openings 2|0 allow free circulation of atmospheric air through the upper portion of sump 18|.

The housing |45 has a plug 212 threaded thereinto at a point above the liquid level in chamber |52 so that the chamber |52 can be flushed or separately iilled. A pair of perforate baies 213 and 2 i4 are disposed in spaced apart relation in lower chamber |52 below the liquid level |81, and a pair of perforate baiiles 2 I5 and 2 I 6 are disposed in the sump |B| below the liquid level |86.

The inner cylindrical wall |63 has secured therein a lower periorate baille 2 1, an upper perforate baie 2&8, and an intermediate perforate baiile 2 I9. The baiies in the several chambers of this liquidseal are provided so as to disperse or iilter any bubbles which may occur in the liquid seal, and thereby prevent undue rise or fall of the sealing liquid.

Housing |60 has a filler plug 222 in the top wall 168 so that a sealingv or flushing liquid may be discharged into housings |45 and |60, and sump 18| has a plug 223 threaded into the top wall |82 thereof so that a flushing liquid may be discharged into the sump.

In the use and operation of this trap, the housing |45 has the nipple |41 connected with the vent of the tank and housing |45 Will be disposed in a vertical position. Chambers |5| and |52 are filled with the desired liquid to the levels indicated at |11 and |81, respectively, the filling being accomplished by removing the ller plug 222 in housing |60. Liquid is discharged into housing |60 until the liquid flows out of opening |85 in' sump |8|.

Assuming that the tank is being filled, the air pressure in the tank will be relieved through vent |41, and at this time the level |11 of liquid in chamber |5| will be lowered by pressure in chamber |5|, and the liquid level in housing |60 will rise. The liquid level in housing |60 may rise to the level |15 and any further rise of liquid in housing |60 will cause the liquid to overflow into pipe and run down into lower chamber |52. The exhaust of air from housing |60 will occur through openings |10 and vent |69.

Inasmuch as the size or volume of the main tank is relatively large as compared to the trap, any rapid filling or draining of the main tank will cause a relatively large outflow or inflow of air through the trap. The baffles |92 and |93 in outer chamber |53 prevent undue surging of the sealing liquid in chamber, and the baffles |94 and |95 prevent surging of the liquid in chamber |54. In like manner the baifles in housing |60 and within perforate member |63 prevent surging of the liquid in housing |60. The air escaping from the tank will tend to cause bubbling in the seal liquid and the bailes will act to break up the bubbles.

Assuming that the main tank is being emptied or predetermined quantities of liquid are being taken therefrom, as the liquid level in the tank drops a partial vacuum will be created, and the liquid level |11 will rise in chambers |5| and |53 with air passing downwardly through housing |60, through openings |63a and |64a and bubbling up through baiies |92 and |93. As the liquid rises in chamber |53 above level |11, the liquid will drain downwardly through pipe |15 into lower chamber, and any overflow in chamber |52 will drain through pipe |80 to sump |8 The baiiies 2|3 and 2 I4 in chamber |52 prevent undue surging of the incoming liquid so that the liquid will not spill out through the screened openings 201.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A liquid sealing device for attachment to the vent of a tank comprising a housing having side, top and bottom walls, means carried by said top wall for connecting said housing to said vent, an inner horizontal wall dividing said housing into upper and lower chambers, an overilow pipe connecting said upper chamber with said lower chamber, a vacuum housing disposed partly in. said upper chamber and partly above said top wall, said vacuum housing communicating at its lower portion with said upper chamber. a vent nipple extending from the upper closed end of said vacuum housing, a pipe connecting the upper portion of said lower chamber with said nipple, a perforate cylindrical partition in said vacuum. housing, a centrally disposed vertical pipe projecting through said inner wall and terminating at its upper end adjacent the upper portion of said vacuum housing, said vertical pipe terminating at its lower end in the lower portion of said. lower chamber, a perforate cylindrical partition in said vacuum housing about said vertical pipe, vertically spaced apart baies about said partition, vertically spaced apart baiiies interiorly of said partition, a, cylindrical perforate partition in said upper chamber, a pair of perforate bailles about said second named partition, a second pair of perforate bales interiorly of said second partition, a third pair of perforate baiiles interiorly of said second partition and disposed above said second pair of baiiies, a filtering means between said third pair of bailles, a pair of perforate upper baies in the upper portion of said vacuum housing, a, filtering means between said upper pair of baffles, a sump below said first housing, a pipe connecting said lower chamber with said sump, said sump having an overflow opening in the side wall thereof, spaced perforate baffles in said sump, screened openings in the upper portion of said first housing, a conical shield carried by said first housing about said openings, screened openings in the upper portion of said vacuum housing, a second conical shield carried by said vacuum. housing about said latter named openings, screened openings in the upper portion of said sump, and a third conical shield carried by said sump about the screened openings in said sump.

2. A liquid sealing device for attachment to the vent of a tank comprising a housing having a cylindrical side Wall, top and bottom walls, means carried by said top wall for connecting said housing to said vent, an inner horizontal wall dividing said housing into upper and lower chambers, a vacuum housing disposed partly in said upper chamber and partly above said top wall, an overflow pipe extending from the upper portion of said vacuum housing into said lower chamber, a second overflow pipe communicating the upper portion of said upper chamber with said lower chamber, a sump below said rst-named housing, a third overflow pipe connected between said lower chamber and said sump, means venting said lower chamber and said vacuum housing, perforate baflies in said upper chamber, perforate baffles in said vacuum housing, and perforate baffles in said sump, said baies breaking up the surge of liquid in said first-named housing, said vacuum housing and said sump, said sump having a discharge opening.

KEITH M. ADAIR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,975,144 Gates Oct. 2, 1934 1,992,875 Mobley Feb. 26, 1935 2,037,731 Mobley Apr. 21, 1936 2,370,040 Jackson Feb. 20, 1945. 2,384,147 Wiggins Sept. 4. 1945.

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