US606315A

US606315A - Smoke-generator

Info

Publication number: US606315A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1915-06-28

Description

(No Model.)

T. THOMSON. SMOKE GENERATOR.

No. 606,315. Patented June 28,1898.

' noem/hoz (MMM/VM @Hof/mm3 said casing.

llNrTnn STATES PATENT rnrcn.

THOMAS THOMSON, OF SOR-ANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SMOKE-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,315, dated June as, 189s. i Application filed January 5, 189'7. Serial Noi 618,047. (No model.) i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS THOMSON, a citi-` zen of the United States, residing at Scranton in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smoke-Generators;

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. j

My invention relates to what may be termed smoke-generators for use in testing drainpipes, water seals of traps in plumbing systems, and the like, my object being to provide a construction in which the smoke can be easily generated and forced into the drain.

Further objects are to provide a device for testing for leaks in drains and means for creating the pressure required in a continuous steady manner, so as not to set the water in the house-traps to wavin g and incidentally breaking the seals.

To these ends the invention consists of the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the present apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.- Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing `the bell of the smokechamber removed; Fig. 4, detail section showing valves and taken 'on the line 4 4 of Fig. l2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A represents a casing open at the top and having a lining a of copper or similar material. The lower end of the casing is closed by a bottom piece a2, While at one side of the ease an opening ct is made in saidbottom. Depending from said bottom a2 is a tube or water-leg a, whose upper end is open and secured within the opening ain said bottom, while its lower end is closed. The casing-"A is supported upon a bascas by upright side pieces CL4, secured at their lower ends to said base and whose upper ends form side pieces of Situated within the tube or water-leg o is a pipe B, curved at its lower end and projecting through the said tube or watcrdeg, as at b, said projecting portion being screw-threaded for the attachment of a coupling. Vithin the casing A and rising 'from the bottom thereof is an upright circular partition co5, which has an inwardlyfcurved p0rtion a7 above the opening ct in the bottom ai. A chamber orv compartment VC is thus formed within said partition or` wall a5. The space between the partition or wall ai and the walls of the casing forms a jacket as, adapted to receive water or other suitablefiuid to produce a seal for the bell c, which fits over the chamber C and the open end of the pipe B. Across Vthe chamber O, at a suitable distance from its bottom,`is a grate c', adapted to receive comn bustible matter. v i

In the compartment C below the chamber O is located means for causing the material placed upon the grate c to smoke and to force the smoke thus generated through the pipe B into the drain or other inclosure to be tested.

`In the present instance thismeans comprises a double-acting bellows D, to which atten tion is now to be given. This bellows comprises end plates d, suitably secured, as in the manner shown, to the walls of the casin g, the usual covering d extending between the said end plates. In the center of this covering is a central plate d2 which has in its bottom an inlet d3, said inlet being at its upper end T-v shaped, as at d, to provide openings into each of the chambers d5 d of the bellows. inlet-ports in the chambers are closed by suitM able valves d?. The end plates CZ are near their upper edgesprovided with outlet-ports d8, said ports having openings upon the inner faces of the end plates, while from the plates d, above the ports d8, project tubes d, which enter the chamber O through `the bottom thereof. These tubes are at their upper ends providedwith suitable valves dw. The gate valves du are also provided in each of the tubes d in order that the chamber C can be positively cut off from the bellows D.

The bellows is operated by means of a crank mechanism E'. In this mechanism a shaft c extends across the Vbase of the casing and is journaled in suitable bearings c, the outer end of said shaft e being turned at an angle to its body portion to form an upright e', which has its outer end formed into a handle e2. *'-Stritable arms c3 project from the shaft e, said arms being connected tothe.. central plate of the bellows by means ofp'ins e". L

The

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Referring now to the operation of the present apparatus, it will be seen that if combustible material is placed upon the grate c movement of the handle c2, and consequently of the shaft e, produces an oscillation of the central plate of the bellows, thus creating a steady draft through the bottom of the chamber C, the operation of the valves d7 and dw in this connection being so apparent that it is not thought necessary to describe the same in detail. The end of the pipe B being attached tothe drain-pipe or other inclosure to be tested as to leaks, the continued supply of air from the bellows will not only produce a volume of smoke and direct the same into the drain-pi pe, but will also serve to store a quantity of air in the chamber G and thus raise the bell c. After a sufficient quantity of air has been pumped into the chamber C the valves d are closed, if so desired, and the chamber C thus positively cut off from the bellows. The water seal for the bell prevents the egress of the smoke-laden air from the chamber C in any manner other than by the pipe B, and it will thus be seen that should the bell remain after the valves are closed at the same height which it occupied before the closing of the said valves it can be safely said that there is no leak in the drains. Should the bell fall, however, after the closing of the valves, it will conclusively show that the smoke-laden air is escaping` from some portion of the drain, and upon investigation the leak can be detected by the egress of smoke from the drain in the usual manner. The pipe l being located in the'water-compartment a', the smoke-charged air is thoroughly cooled before it reaches the drain or other article.

It will be readily seen that the bell forms an important part of the present apparatus. Preferably the weight of this bell will be such that the pressure required to raise it will not be suflicient to blow through the seal of a good trap in the plumbing system to be tested,

while the same pressure will blow out a poor trap. The bell also acts as a species of safetyvalve, the weight of the bell being such that it will be raised from the generating-chamber,

iid thus relieve the pressure in the drains rather than the house-traps being blown out. Ot' course, however, the weight of this bell can be easily regulated by placing weights upon the same. Furthermore, this bell also gives instant relief in case of an explosion in the generator, thus preventing a miniature explosion from blowing out the seals of the house-traps.

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

l. A drain-testing apparatus of the kind described comprising a casing, a chamber in said casing, said chamber having its outer walls placed a distance from the inneizfaces of the walls of the casin g, an outlet from said chamber 5 means in the chamber for supporting a combustible material, and bellows forsupplying a current of air to the chamber on the side of the combustible material opposite the outlet and a bell fitting over the chamber, said bell having its sides depending in the space between the walls oi' the chamber and the inner faces of the casing and there immersed in a sealin g iiuid so as to adapt it to be raised by the pressure of the air created by the operation of the bellows aforesaid and provide a steady pressure on the drain to be tested, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with a drain-testing device a casing and chamber within said casing and means within the chamber for supporting a combustible material, means for supplying a current of air into the chamber and an outlet opposite the combustible material from that in which the air is supplied, and a bell fitting over the chamber having its sides immersed in a sealing fluid between the walls of the chamber to the inner faces of an outer casing, and the said bell adapted to be raised or lowered by the pressure of the air which maybe pumped into it, and means for pumping the air into said chamber, substantially as specified.

3. An apparatus of the character indicated, comprising a casing, a chamber in said casing, an outlet from saidv chamber, means in the chamber for supporting a combustible material, and a bellows, said bellows comprising stationary end plates, said end plates being provided with ports leading into the above` mentioned chamber, a central plate between the Walls of the bellows, said central plate having an inlet-port leading, to each of the chambers of the bellows, valves upon said inlet-ports, and means for reciprocating the central plate of the bellows; substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the characterindicated, comprising a casing, a chamber in said casing, means in said chamber for supporting a combustible material, an outlet from said chamber, means for su pplying a current of air to said chamber on the side of the combustible material opposite theA outlet, and means for closing the passage into the chamber from the member for supplying the air thereto; substantially as described.

5. An apparatus of the characterindicated,

comprising a casing, a chamber in said cas? ing, means in said chamber for supporting a combustible material, an outlet from said chamber, means for supplying a current of air to said chamber on the side of the combustible material opposite the outlet, and a positively-operative Valve in the passage between the chamber and the member for supplying air thereto.

G. An apparatus of the characterindicated, comprising a casing, a chamber in said casing, means for supporting a combustible material in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, a bellows communicating with said chamber, said bellows comprising stationaryT IOO IIO

endn plates, said end plates being provided with valved ports leading into the chamber, a central plate attached to the walls of said bellows, said central plate having an inletport leading into each of the chambers of the bellows, valves upon said inlet-ports, a transverse rock-shaft, arms upon said shaft, pivots securing said arms to the central plate of the bellows, and an operating-lever upon said shaft; substantially as fescribed.

7. An apparatus of thecharacterindicated, comprising a casing, an upright partition or wall within said casing,a downwardly-extending tube or water-leg situated between said upright partition or wall and the wall of the casing, an outlet-pipe in said tube or waterleg and casing, said outlet-pipe having its upper end open, a bell covering the chamber C and the open end of the outlet-pipe, a grate across said chamber adapted to supporting combustible material, a bellows in the cornpartinent below said chamber, said bellows comprising stationary end plates, said end plates having valved ports leading into the chamber, a central plate attached to the walls of said bellows, said central plate having an inlet-port with openings into the two chambers of the bellows, valves upon said inletports into the bellows-chambers, positivelyoperative valves in the outlet-ports from the bellows to the iirst-mentioned chamber, a shaft mounted below the bellows, arms extending from said shaft; pivots upon said arms securing the same to the central plate of the bellows, and a crank-arm upon' said shaft adapted to reciprocate the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib `ing witnesses.

THOMAS THOMSON. Witnesses:

' W. S. DIEHL,

F. FIELD.