US772037A - Gas-purifier. - Google Patents

Description

'PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904. J; B. HARRIS. 'GAS PURIPIER. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1903.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES Patented October 1 1, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BAXTER HARRIS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. P. ELLSWORTH AND MADISON BELL.

GAS-PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,037, dated October 11 ,1904.

Application filed September 18, 1903. Serial No. 173,642. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BAXTER HARRIS, of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Purifiers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, Which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improved device for removing water from traps or depressions in gas-mains, and is designed to automatically drain these traps or depressions of water without permitting loss or waste of gas in so doing.

It is known that illuminating-gas frequently contains a considerable percentage of moisture, which is chilled and deposited on the walls of the gas mains and pipes and gradually collects therein at the lowest points of the system or in the bends of the mains where they pass over uneven country. The water frequently collects in these depressions or bends in such quantities that the flow of gas is retarded and sometimes Wholly stopped thereby. Water pockets or traps have been placed inthe mains at the bends, and such traps have been emptied periodically or whenever the accumulation of Water noticeably retarded the flow of gas by manual pumping or by draw-off pipes, the clearance of the pockets being ascertained when gas follows the water at the outlet. These known apparatus therefore are wasteful of gas, uncertain in operation, and cause frequent annoyances by becoming choked before the retardation of gas is noted. v

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic self-draining water-separator and gas-seal combined whereby the water will automatically escape without loss of gas, the latter being retained by a constantly-maintained water seal.

The invention therefore consists in the simple novel apparatus hereinafter claimed and described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective plan of the apparatus as attached to a gas-main, and Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the apparatus detached.

Referring to said drawings by letters of reference marked thereon, A designates a can or tank within which is a cylinder B of lesser diameter, said cylinder resting upon and preferably water-tightly secured to the bottom of the tank. Cylinder B is of less height than the tank, and the annular channel between the cylinder and wall of tank forms a trap for water, &c. To the tank A, slightly below the level of the upper end of cylinder B, is at- 'tached a drain-pipe H, through which surplus water escapes.

Telescoping within the cylinder B, but of less diameter than the latter, is a bell or cylinder C, open at bottom but closed at top. Saidbell projects considerably above the tank, but is supported thereon by an annular flange or .head D, surrounding the bell and fitted closely to the top of tank A, as shown, so as to close the space between the bell and tank, but leaving a free passage between the top of cylinder B and the annulus. This annulus centers the bell in the cylinder B, and the bell may be provided on its lower end with lateral lugs cto assist in maintaining the bell in central position. It will be noted that the bell is supported within the cylinder so as not to contact with the bottom thereof, leaving a end of bell and up into the annular channel K, between the bell, and cylinder. The upper portion of the bell C is connected by one or more drain-pipes F G with the' gas-main I, the separator or trap being located below the bend or dip in the main, so that water of condensation will pass through pipe F or G into thebell. As shown, both pipes F and G connect with the same gas-main; but obviously they could be connected to two mains if the dips of the latter were adjacent, and, in fact, any number of gas mains or pipes may be connected to a single separator, provided that the corking capacity of the latter is not exceeded.

In practice the separator is located beneath or below the level of the trap or bend in the gas main or pipe which it is desired to drain.

The cylinder B should be filled with water before the bell G is put in position, so that the mouth of the bell will be sealed by a water seal in the channel K. The drain-pipe H must lead to a point of discharge below its connection with the tank-as to an adjacent sewer, for instance. This water seal is sulficient to prevent the gas blowing out through the separator and keeps the gas within chamber J in the upper part of bell C, while water which enters the bell passes down and as it accumulates therein overflows through channel K into the channel a and eventually finds its way out through pipe H. The gas entering with the water and escaping therefrom in the bell can pass back into the main I through pipe F or G.

It is not necessary that the annulus D be permanently attached to the tank, as the weight of the bell and its connections when the apparatus is properly located will maintain a sufficiently close joint, (no gas passing over the cylinder 13,) and even under unusual pressures the bell will be held down, and the depth of the column of water in channel K is suifieient to seal the separator against escape of gas even though the pressure forces the water-level down in the bell. The separators, however, should be so proportioned as to size and depth of channel K that the water seal cannot be blown out by any pressure permissible in the gas-mains.

It will be observed that the apparatus is not used as a part of the gas-main-7. a, the gas is not passed therethrough, but the water of condensation is drained thereinto and such small amount of gas as might pass into the bell is returned to the main. The separators are small and compact. For an ordinary-sized gas-main they need not be over a foot high, and consequently they can be readily placed beneath the dips on the mains. It is intended in practice to place such a separator or trap at every point in the system of gas mains or pipes where water collects in annoying quan' tities, and it will be obvious that the separator will automatically discharge surplus water without permitting escape of gas at any time, and the separator in no way obstructs or retards the flow of gas.

The cylinder B affords a protection to the water seal in that should'the outer wall of the tank be punctured below the water-line the seal would be maintained or should the water in the space a freeze the effective working of the apparatus would not be stopped. As the apparatus is designed to be buried, there is liability of the walls of the tank being dented or punctured and of ice forming on the walls thereof in severe cold weather. Hence I prefer to use the cylinder B in my traps.

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

1. A water trap or separator for gas-mains, comprising a tank, a cylinder therein, a draine pipe connected with the tank, a bell supported within the cylinder and extending above the tank, an annulus encircling .the bell below its upper end and supporting the bell and resting upon and closing the upper end of the tank, and a drain-pipe connected to the upper part of the bell above the water-level in the separator, said pipe being connected with a gasmain so that water can flow from the main into the bell by gravity, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described water trap or separator for gas-mains, comprising a tank, a cylinder therein, a drain-pipe connected with the tank below the top of the cylinder; a bell depending into the cylinder and extending above the tank, an annulus encircling the bell and supporting the same, said annulus resting upon and closing the upper end of the tank, but above the cylinder, and a water-inlet pipe connecting the upper part of the bell with a gas-main, said separator being located below a dip or trap in the gas-main so that water will flow thereinto by gravity to maintain a water seal between the bell and cylinder, all substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BAXTER HARRIS.

In presencebf- J. CALEB CLARKE, O. R. STRAUs.

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