US595658A - Nathaniel z - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

N. Z. SEITZ. vGARBUMTER Patented Deo. 14,1897.

UNrrnD STATES Enron.

PATENT CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,658, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed September Z9, 1896. Serial No. 607,306.' (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL Z. SEITZ, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbureters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of devices known as carbureters or gas-enrichers.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a carbureter or gas-enricher that will be simple in construction, easy of manufacture, and efficient in its operation.

One of the important objects of my inven-` tion is to provide a carbureter or gas-enricher that will at all times be under perfect control of the operator, so as to produce gas of Various degrees of enrichment. This becomes a very desirable feature in this class of devices when it is taken into consideration that for lighting purposes a certain peculiar degree of enrichment is desirable. For heating purposes another degree of enrichment is required, and when preparing or enriching gas for use upon or in connection with the well-known Welsbach burner a very ne degree of enrichment is necessary in order that the frail mantle used upon this lamp will not be destroyed by smoke and soot which would arise from gas too highly carbonized. With my invention the gas entering the apparatus is under the absolute control of the person using the machine, and its ingress, as well as its egress, can be regulated to suit either of the above conditions.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a carbureter or gas-enricher with automatic means for regulating the quantity of hydrocarbon entering the enriching-chamber, and,nally,the inwention provides means for adjusting the gas-inlet pipe or passage, so that the entering gas may be discharged at various depths into the hydrocarbon.

Brieiy, my invention consists of a tank or chamber preferably rectangular in shape and divided into three compartments having communication with each other, and which for convenience I will term the enrichingforth in the claims which follow this specication.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make, use, and operate my invention, I will now proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of a gas-enricher constructed in accordance with my invention, the gas and oil inlet and outlet pipes being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a portion of the iioatvalve. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the adjustable pipe extension and showing also the absorbent wick in position within the same. Fig. iis a detail view of a modified form of absorbent wick, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the wick-holding rings as used in connection with the form of wick shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference-numeral l indicates the gas-enricher, which consists of a metal tank or chamber of any desired shape or size and which is provided on its interior with two partitions 2 and 3. The partition 2 is located about midway of the chamber and extends from the bottom thereof to near the top, and the partition 3 is located between the partition 2 and one end of the chamber and extends from the top thereof to near the bottom, but not directly in contact therewith. j

The reference-numeral 4 indicates the main gas-inlet pipe, which conducts the ordinary unenriched city gas into the enriching-chamber, said gas entering the chamber through the pipe extension 5, which is adj ustably coni IOO nected to the lower end of the inlet-pipe 4 by means of screw-threads or otherwise. The lower end of the extension-pipe 5 is provided around its edge with a series of V -shaped cuts, so that the gas may pass therethrough in a lateral direction.

Connected to the main gas-inlet pipe 4 is a branch pipe 6, which enters the upper part of the enriching-chamber and conducts gas thereinto, but on a plane somewhat higher than that of the pipe extension 5. The main gas-inlet pipe is provided with cut-off valves 7 and S both above and below the branch pipe, and the branch pipe is provided with a similar cut-off valve 9. By means of these valves the infiowing gas can be closely regulated, as will hereinafter appear.

The oil is supplied to the gas-enricher from a suitable tank l0, which is preferably located above and at any suitable distance from the enricher and connected thereto by means of a suitable pipe. The said pipe is provided with a detachable coupling 1l, whereby the tank when empty may be detached and a full one connected, thus overcoming the disadvant-ages arising from the filling of the tank on the premises where it is being used. Upon either side of the coupling 11 the oil-pipe is provided with valves l2 and 13, so as to entirely cut off the supply of oil when the tanks are being changed', or for any other purpose desired.

Leading from the oil-tank lO to or near the bottom of the en riching-chamber is an oil-conducting pipe or passage 14, which is provided at its end within said chamber with a valve l5, of ordinary construction, said valve being controlled by a fioat 16. By these latternamed devices a regulated quantity of hydrocarbon is at all times kept within the enriching-chamber. This is an important feature of my invention, for I have found from practical experience that it is very desirable and, in fact, necessary, in order to obtain good results from a gas-enricher, that fresh oil or hydrocarbon be gradually fed to the machine as it is consumed, as distinguished from feeding the oil at certainperiods-for instance, each week or two. I have also found from experience that much better results are obtained by placing a certain small quantity of oil in the enriching-chamber and adding fresh oil thereto continually and gradually rather than to provide a considerable body of oil which will last for some time and when the same has all, or nearly all, been consumed to then recharge the chamber, for it is obvious from the last-named method that the oil after standing in the enriching-chamber for a short time and being brought into constant contact with the unenriched city gas will soon be deprived of a greater part of its carbon and the gas last passed through the chamber before it is recharged with fresh oil will receive a very inconsiderable degree of enrichment. lVith my improvement, however, fresh oil is constantly l'cd to the enriching-chamber as fast as it is consumed, and a gradual and regulated degree of enrichment is the result.

Within the receiving-chamber I have placed a number of screens ab c of varying degrees of mesh, the screen d being of one size mesh, the screen b being of a closer mesh, and the screen c being of still finer mesh. These screens serve to whip and break up the gas, so as to thoroughly mix the same in its passage. Between the lower portion or edge of the partition 3 and the bottom of the tank I place auother screen d, and within the refining-chamber I arrange a second series of screens e f g 7L of varying degrees of fineness. I prefer to arrange thesel screens alternately, one of fine and one of coarse mesh. It will thus be seen that as the gas passes from the enrichingchamber through the screens within the receiving and refining chambers it is thoroughly whipped and mixed before being delivered to the burner.

In the top of the tank or chamber l I provide one, two, 0r more openings through which access may be had to the interior and working parts of the machine, said openings being closed by tight-fitting covers 20.

In order to more completely charge the entering gas with hydrocarbon, I have arranged an absorbent'wick 2l within the lower portion of the tank, so that it will extend upward within the pipe extension 5.

The manner of supporting the wick is as follows: I secure three, four, or more rods 22 to the bottom of the tank immediately below the pipe extension, so that they will extend upward some distance within the latter. At the top the rods 22 are soldered or otherwise connected to a conical cap 23. In practice I prefer to use an ordinary tubular lamp-wick, which is drawn together at its top and then placed over the cap 23 and rods 22 and extended downward within the body of oil, so

that the latter by capillary attraction will travel up the wick and remain saturated as long as there is any oil within the tank. It will be understood that the diameter of the wick is somewhat smaller than that of the pipe extension, so as to leave an annular space between said wick and pipe extension for the free passage of gas.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of wick and means of supporting the same. lVith this construction I provide a wire ring 24 with a series of wires or rods 25, secured transversely across the same, and to each rod or wire I attach in any suitable manner a fiat wick 26. The ring, with its attached wicks, is then placed within the upper conical portion of the pipe extension and soldered or otherwise secured thereto. The lower ends of the wicks will ordinarily hang down into the oil without weighting them but,if desired, a second ring 27, similar to the one 2G, may be secured to the lower ends of the wicks in order to hold them in the oil. Owing to the fact that the wicks are secured to the pipe extension and the latter being made adjust- IOO IIO

pipe extension.

able to and fromthe body of oil, it will be readily understood that the wicks may at all times be confined within the oil. In this arrangement of wicks the entering gas will come in contact with the entire surface of all the wicks and be fully enriched before passing out of the pipe extension.

In the drawings I have shown the pipe eX- tension 5 as being round; but I do not wish to conne myself to such shape, for obviously it may be made of other form. By preference the pipe extension is made considerably larger in diameter than the diameter of the gas-inlet pipe, so that a considerable-quantity of gas may be retained therein and enriched before passing out.

In Fig. 3 I have shown in detail the means for adjusting the pipe extension up or down to different positions with respect to the oil. In this instance the pipe extension 5 is telescopically connected to the pipe 4 and provided at its upper portion with a laterally-.

extending lip or flange 28, having a threaded orifice 29. Passing through a stufng-box 30 in the top of the tank 1 is a threaded rod or spindle 31, which passes through the threaded` stood that by turning the rod or spindle 31 one way or the other the pipe extension will be raised or lowered, as the case may be.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific means here shown for adjusting the pipe extension, as various other simple means of accomplishing the same end will readily suggest themselves.

The operation of myimproved machine may be brieiiy stated as follows: Gas from the ordinary city main will be conducted lthrough the main inlet-pipe 4 and pipe extension 5 directly into or upon the surface of the hydrocarbon and in contact with the saturated wicks, according to the position of the said If a high degree of enrichmentis desired, the pipe extension will be lowered so that its end will be submerged in the body of oil, and the gas being conducted through the pipe will then rise in the form of bubbles or globules and highly enriched and pass upward over the partition 2 into the receiving-chamber 28a through the screens, thence downward under the partition 3 and upward through the screens in the reiiningchamber 17, and out by way of outlet-pipe 19.

If in this adjustment of the parts it is found that the gas is excessively rich, the pipe eX- tension may be raised so that the iniiowing gas will` merely come in contact with the surface of the oil instead of being made to enter :a the same, or, instead of changing the position of the pipe extension, the valves 8 and 9, controlling the entrance of unenriched gas, may each be partially or entirely opened, whereupon part of the gas will be brought into contact with the oil and part will enter the chamber near the top through the branch pipe 6 and will then mix with the enriched gas. It is to be observed thatthe Valves can be adjusted as desired to suit the conditions required and to produce any degree ofenrichment that may be necessary to the work at hand. It will thus be seen that by employing the two gas-inlet pipes and providing a separate controlling-valve for eachI am able to have absolute control over the machine and gas produced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a gas-enricher, the combination with a suitable tank provided with vertical partitions on its interior to divide the same into a number of communicating compartments, the communicating passages between said compartments being on diierent planes, a series of horizontal screens of varying degrees of iineness arranged between said vertical partitions, an inlet-pipe leading into the first one of said compartments, and an outlet pipe leading from the last compartment, substantiallyl as described.

2'. In a gas-enricher, the combination with a tank having vertical partitions therein dividing the same into a series of communicating compartments, the communicating passages between the latter being on different planes, a main gas-inlet pipe leading into the first compartment in the tank, a branch pipe leading from said main pipe and.opening into the said same compartment, separate cocks for each of said pipes, an independent pipe extension telescoped on the main gaspipe and adjustable thereon to and from the bottom of the tank, a series of horizontallyarranged screens of varying degrees of fineness placed between the vertical partitions in the tank, and an outlet-pipe leading from the last compartment, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-enricher, the combination with the tank provided with two partitions dividing the tank into an independent enrichingchamber, a receiving-chamber and a refiningchamber, and covered apertures in the top of the tank whereby access may be had to said chambers, an oil-supply tank arranged above the enricher and having a communicating pipe or passage with the lower portion of the enriching-chamber, means for conducting a uniform iiow of oil to said enriching-chamber, a main gas-supply pipe leading into the enriching-chamber, an independent adjustable pipe extension telescoped on the end of the main gas-pipe, a branch pipe leading from the main gas-pipe and adapted to conduct gas into the upper portion of the enriching-cham- ICO IIO

"ber, valves for each gaspipe, a series or screens arranged within the receiving and rening chambers, and an outlet-pipe for enriched gas leading from the reIining-chainber, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-enricher or carbureter, the combination with a suitable tank, of a gas-inlet pipe leading into said tank, a pipe extension telescopically connected to said inlet-pipe and adjustable to and from the bottom of the tank, a laterally-extending lip on the pipe extension, a threaded rod having its lower end portion passed through a threaded hole in said lip, and its upper end passed through a stuffing-box in the top of the tank, and a removable cap screwed to the tank and covering the projecting end of the threaded rod, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-enricher, the combination with a suitable tank divided into compartments and provided with a pipe for conveying oil to one of said compartments, a main gas-inlet pipe entering the oil-compartment, an adj ustable pipe extension upon the end of the main gas-inlet pipe, a branch pipe leading from the main gaspipe and delivering gas into the tank, an independent valve for each gas-inlet pipe, a body of absorbent material secured to the bottom of the tank and extending upward within the pipe extension, and a gas-outlet pipe for conducting the enriched gas from the tank after it has passed through all the compartments in the tank, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-enricher, the combination with a suitable tank, of a gas-inlet pipe leading to the interior of said tank, a pipe extension telescoped on the end of said inlet-pipe and adjustable to and from the bottom of the tank, a series of Wick-supporting wires or rods secured to the bottom of the tank and extending upward within the pipe extension, a cap to which the upper ends of said wires are secured, and an absorbent wick placed over and supported by said wires, substantially as described.

7. In a gas-enricher, the combination with the tank or chamber having two partitions therein dividing the enricher into three compartments each of which communicates with the other, said communicating passages being on diierent planes, of an oil-supply pipe leading to one of said compartments, a main gas-inlet pipe leading to said oil-compartmen t, a branch pipe leading also to said chamber, an adjustable pipe extension connected to the main gas-inlet pipe, an absorbent wick or wicks leading from the lower portion of the tank upward within the pipe extension, a series of screens of different mesh placed within two other compartments of the tank, and a gas-outlet pipe for conducting the enriched gas from the tank after it has passed through all the compartments in the tank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL Z. SEITZ.

Witnesses:

GEORGE KENT, JOSEPH S. MACWILLIAMs.

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