US579822A - Hydraulic air-compressor - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

F. A. ERBE. HYDRAULIC AIR COMPRESSOR.

No. 579,822. Patented Mar.- 30. 1897.

lllll //v VENTOR $016M A rmmve YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FREDERICK A. FREE, OF NORTH BEACH, NEW YORK.

HYDRAULIC AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,822, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed February 1, 1897- Serial No. 621,499. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. ERBE, of North Beach, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Hydraulic Air-Compressor, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description. 7

My invention relates to an improvement in hydraulic air-compressors, and which, while adapted to compress air for many purposes, is intended more particularly for compressing air to be used in forcing beer to faucets, or as a substitute for the ordinary beer-pump.

The invention also consists of certain peculiar combinations of floats and weights within a tank with which water connection has been made. These floats and weights act to automatically open and close the water inlet and exit valves, as well as to control the air-inlet valve, so that the tank is alternately filled and emptied of water and air, the latter being compressed in the tank before it is discharged.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a central sectional elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken through the upper end of the tank. Fig. 3 is a central sectional elevation with the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is an end view of the rubber-tube check-valve used with my device, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the manner in which the water-supply pipe is connected to the tube containing the water-inlet valve.

The object of my invention is to provide an air-compressing device which shall be automatic and silent in its operation and shall compress air for any purpose desired. I have provided a tank formed by placing a short section of a cylinder or tube A between the heads B and B, which latter are connected by tie-rods b. The lower head B is provided with openings to which are attached the waste or exit pipe I and the water-inlet pipe J. The pipe I is connected with any suitable wastepipe for carrying away' the water after being used. The pipe J is connected with a pipe K, leading from any source of water under pressure. The pipe J is of two different inner diameters, the smaller being next to the tank. Within the outer or larger portion of this pipe is a piston L, which acts as a valve to close the water-inlet. The outer end of this tube is closed by a plug J, and the cavity in the outer end and above the plug J is connected by a small passage j with the wastepipe I, in order that any water collecting behind the piston may have the opportunity to freely flow away when the piston moves downward.

The connection between the two parts of the tube J is by a conical surface which. acts as a seat for the valve L which is formed upon one end of the piston L. The watersupply tube K is connected to the tube J by being screwed into a boss formed upon one side of the tube J. The connection is made through the tube J by means of two small holes It, which enter the tube in the conical portion, connecting the two parts thereof. The stem L of the piston is made smaller than the bore in the inner end of the tube J, so that the water. may flow around the same into the tank A.

Mounted upon a standard H, rising from the head B within the cylinder, is a lever H, which upon one end carries the float O. The lower end of this float is provided with a series of short tubes, over which are stretched short sections of rubber tubes or nipples G which at their outer ends are flattened, forming a flat opening 0 which will be closed by pressure from the outside, but easily opened by pressure from the inside. The tubes 0 thus act as check-valves, preventing any flow of water through them into the float O, and permitting a ready outflow of the water when the pressure within the float is greater than that without. The stem L of the piston forming the water-inlet valve is connected to the lever II at one side of the fulcrum of the lever. Upon the same side of the fulcrum is connected the weight D and also the valve I, closing the water-exit pipe I. The weight D consists of a hollow cylinder having an opening in its upper end, through which shot D or any other suitable heavy substance may be inserted to give the weight any heft desired.

To the upper end of the weight D is conneeted a tube F, which forms an air-inlet. This tube passes through a hole in the upper head B, which it fits closely, but so that it may slide easily thereon. Surrounding the upper end of this hole is a washer W, of rubber or other suitable material, which will form a good' valve-seat. The upper end F of the tube F is made conical to act as a valve. Just below this conical head and at the lower end of the tube within the tank are made holes f and f, the hole f admitting air into the tube when the latter is raised from its seat, and the hole f admitting air from the tube to the interior of the tank. hen the tube is drawn down by the sinking of the weight D, the hole f will be beneath the valve-seat F and consequently no air may enter the tube. To protect this device, it is surrounded by a cap G, fixed to the head and provided with one or more openings 9 for admission of air. Then the weight D is raised, the air is free to enter the interior of the tank, while when it is lowered communication is cut off between the interior of the tank and the outer free air.

lVithin the space lying between the float O and the tank A are placed a series of floats E, four being shown, and which may be made of cork, metal tubing or any substance which has great flotation. These floats are mounted to slide upon rods 6, which extend between the heads B and B and are free to rise and fall with the rise and fall of the water in the tank. A series of lovers P, pivoted to the upper head, are arranged so that their outer ends project over the floats E, and their inner ends 19 are bent downward, so as to engage the upper end of the float C. The float C and floats E thus act against each other. Then the float O is empty, its lifting power is s'uflicient to overcome the lifting power of the floats E, and this power is assisted by the heft of the weight D.

The air-discharge opening for the tank is shown at R. The tube containing this airdischarge opening is surrounded by a rubber nipple C similar to those 0 used for the check-valves at the bottom of the float C. This nipple C is in turn surrounded by a pipe R, leading to the point where the compressed air is to be used. A cap A is also attached to the upper head and receives a pin 0 attached to the upper end of the float O and acting as a guide therefor.

The operation of the device is as follows: \Vhen the tank A is empty, the heft of the weight D will be sufficient to depress the end of thelever H, to which the weight is attached, and thus raise the float O. This action will also close the water-exit valve 1 and open the water-inlet valve L. It also closes the airinlet valve by drawing down the tube F. As the water flows in through the tube J it rises about the floatsE and O. The floating power of the float 0, added to the heft of the weight D, is sufficient to keep the weight D depressed even against the floating power of the floats E. The apparatus will thus retain the same position until the water has risen sufficiently to flow into the openings 0' about the upper end of the float G, and in doing this it will compress the air contained in the tank A. \Vhen the water has reached the openings C, it will begin to fill the float C, andif the contents within the weight D be properly adjusted the water will very nearly, if not quite, fill the float C before the position of the valves is changed. When this point is reached, the floating power of the float G has been dcstroyed by its being filled with water. The floats E will then have sufficient power to depress the float 0 through the connection of the levers P, and thus to raise the weight D. The air formerly contained in the float Chas at the same time been compressed and expelled from the tank. This will also result in lifting the valves 1 and L, thus opening the water-exit and closing the water-inlet. The water will then run out of the tank and the air flow in at the top, as the air-inlet has been opened by the raising of the weight I). The water contained in the float C will be free to escape therefrom through the check-valves (J in its bottom.

The check-valves C will retard the flow of the water from the float O sufficiently to permit the drawing of all the water from the tank before the cylinder 0 is entirely empty; that is, the water outside the cylinder 0 will fall more rapidly than the water within the cylinder. \Vhen the cylinder 0 has been emptied of its water, the weight D will be sufficient to raise the cylinder C, thus closing the valves 1 and F and opening the valve L, thus commencing the round'of the operations again. This device will continue in operation until the pressure of air has become such as to prevent the water rising sufflciently to flow into the openings 0. It will then be stopped until the air pressure has been slightly reduced, when it will commence working at once. Its operation is also silent, there being no parts about the device to create noise. It is also free from wear and not likely to get out of order. The parts are also of cheap and simple construction, thus reducing the cost of manufacture. It is evident that the arrangement and shape of the machine may be changed without altering the function and purpose. I consequently do not wish to be limited to the exact construction of the parts as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A hydraulic air-compressing device, comprising a tank having air and water inlets and exits and valves controlling the same, a weight tending to set said valves in position to fill the tank with water and discharge the air through the air-exits, a hollow float connected to move opposite the weight and having check exit-valves in its bottom and inlet-openings in its top, detached floats within the tank,

and connections by which when immersed by the rising water they are adapted to lift the weight and depress the first float, substantially as described.

2. A hydraulic air-compressing device,comprising a tank having air and water inlets and exits and controlling means therefor, comprising a hollow float adapted to be filled by overflow at its upper end so as to act as an overbalance-weight, and to be discharged by check-valves at its lower end, a weight moving oppositely thereto and disconnected floats acting to lift said weight when they are immersed by the rising water, substantially as described.

3. A hydraulic air-compressing device,comprising a tank having air and water inlets and exits and valves controlling the same, a weight tending to set said valves in position to fill the tank with water and discharge the air through the air-exits, a hollow float connected to move in opposition to the weight and having check exit-valves in its bottom and inlet-openings in its top, detached floats alongside the main float, vertical guides for said floats, and levers pivoted to the tank and adapted to engage at opposite ends the hollow float and the detached floats, substantially as described.

4. Ahydraulic air-compressing device,comprising a tank having air and water inlets and exits and valves controlling the same, the air-inlet valve consisting of a tube fitting and moving vertically in an opening in the upper end of the tank, said tube having holes at its upper and lower ends and a conical head above the upper opening, a valve-seat surrounding said. tube, a weight connected to said air-inlet tube and acting to set all the valves in position to fill the tank with water and discharge air through the air-exits, a hollow float connected to move in opposition to the weight and having check exit-valves in its bottom and inlet-openings in its top, detached floats within the tank, and connections by which when immersed by the rising water they are adapted to lift the weight and depress the main hollow float, substantially as described.

5. A water-inlet valve consisting of a tube having a bore of two diameters, the smaller bore being the inner one, and a conical surface connecting the two bores and forming a seat, a piston fitting the larger end of the tube and having a conical surface adapted to engage the valve-seat and close the same, a rod for said piston, occupying the smaller bore and permitting the water to flow around the same, an inlet-port opening into the tube where it is closed by the piston when the same is upon the seat, and a waste-water passage connected to the outer larger end of the tube, substantially as described.

. 6. A hydraulic air-compressing device,co1nprising a tank having air and water inlets and exits and valves controlling the same, a weight tending to set these valves in position to fill the tank with water and discharge the air through the air-exits, a hollow float connected to move in opposition to the weight and having inlet-openings in its top and checkvalves in its bottom, the latter valves consisting of tubes having a rubber nipple thereon, the outer end of which has a slot adapted to be closed by outside pressure, detached floats within the tank, and connections which when immersed by the rising water are adapted to lift the weight and depress the hollow float, substantially as described.

FREDERICK A. ERBE.

WVitnesses:

GUSTAV SOHMITT, J12, THEODOR STEIN.

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