US557534A - Pressure-alarm for gas-pipes - Google Patents

Description

(No M0de1.).

@HAM

PRESSURE ALARM FUR GA3 L VHA/Essais'.

' cago, in the Unirse STATES FRANCIS S.

PATENT @Friet-z.

imitan, or cursado, rLLiNois.

`PRESSURE-ALRIVI FOR GAS-PilES.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,584, dated April 7, 189.

Application filed January 17, 1895. Serial No.

To all whomv it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS S. BAKER, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Chicounty of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented a neilv and" useful Improvement in Pressure-Alarms for Gas-Pipes and other Pipes or Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for prevent-v ing explosions or otherinjury from abnormal variations in pressure of natural gas and other iiuids supplied io houses 'and other build-ings.

'Iereto'iorethe supplying oi` natural gas to the heating-'furnaces of privatehouses,which are ordinarily left burning 'itil night, and wherein all the inmates are, ordinarily, of course, asleep during the night, has been attended with more or less danger to life and property, owing to the possibility of the gaspr'essnre, on the one hand, rising to al dan- `gerous degree, and thus so increase the fire as to melt down the i urnace, burner, or heater,

or set the house on fire, or falling so low, on

'liquid conductor the other hand, as ifo permit the lire to become extinguished momentarily, so that the house iill with gas when the pressure returns, thus 'rendering possible an explosion. l

The object ot' my invention is to provide Va device ol a simple construction, and which can he relied upon with certainty and safety, 'by means of which an alarm `will oe automaticall y vgiven the moment the pressure either rises or falls to a dangerous degree, the alarm continuing until some person gives attention to the apparatus.

iii y invention consists, in connection with a supply-pipe for natural gas or other fluid, the furnace, heater, or other apparatus to which the gas or other iiuidis supplied, andan electric alarm-hell, battery, and circuit, of an inverted siphon, heut tube, or two-limhcd vessel connected at one endA or limb to the s'up'- ply pipe and containing mercury or other of electricity, so ,that the level ol the mercury in the siphonvcssel will vary with the pressure, the terminals of the electric circuit being located within both limlis ot the mercurycontaining vessel, thus lio circuiti to he closed and the alarm f oiilior a riseior i'nll of pressure teun r-oiisdei-ed dangerous, or ioaugovlr-iii exi ont that may be predetermined upon and at which the apparatus may be set. In order that the alarm may continue to ring until the furnaceE heater, or other apparatus receives the necessary attention, I provide' thecircuitwith an annunciator-drop or other like device by means of which .the/alarm-bell circuit is kept even though the circuit should only be moof the gas or other iluid against ther mercury inthe inverted Siphon or vessel.

IV-hile my invention is specially designed lfor use in giving alarms of dangerous variations of pressure of natural gas supplied to heating apparatus or other furnaces, it may however, be' used for giving alarm oi-"notice hof variation in the pressure of other fluids, liquids as Well' as gases.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a pai-tof this specification, Figure 1 is a diagram view of an apparatus embodying lmy invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central Vertical section through the mercury-containing vessel or device for automatically closingthe alarm-hell circuit by the rise or fall of pressure of the fluid in the supply-pipe. a vertical section on line 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 shows a modification.;

Like letters of Areference indicate like parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, gas or other fluid supply pipe; ,13, a furnace, iiuid isv supplied; C, an electric gas or other source of electric energy;

battery' or other to forni a light joint with the coupling D.

mentarily closedl by thevariation in pressure Fig. 3 is heater, stove, or lother apparatus to which the l Cl, an annunciator-drop; C2, a switch; E, an elcc-v j bent tube, or twoclosed until readjustment by the attendant, I 'i A represents a naturale The pressure of the gas or other fluid in the press against the liquid or pipe A will thus I) and hold 1 mercury d in one leg oi the vifs-sel ille mercury or liquitl et different levele 'in thc two legs of the veesel. The electric cir- `cuit l1 has tivo terminale ff extending into one .leg oi the vessel cr bent tube l), and preferably, elec, tive similar termina-ls fgf eX- tenfling into the other leg of the vessel, the terminals in the one being at u different lcvell'rom those in the other leg, so that the circuit fr muy be eloeetl by the mercury or other conducting liquid (7, between the termiuulS or contuc't-piecesf or f when the prefsuu re of the or other il uid. eeesee entirely or frills below' the desired degree, und, also, so that Seial circuit muy be closed by seid liquid between the terminale f2 f3 when the pressure of the rises above the desired pointor to e (lungeroue degree. The terminals or concret-pieces ff ure ettueliell to screws or binding-postsj't j" secured in :i vulcanite or other iusulnting-plugd, which closes the upper end ol' the coupling.;n l", and in like manner the terminals or eenmot-piecce f2 f3 are secured lo screws or l'liultling-poets f5 fitted in the plug or cup f", thieler; ot the bent lube l). The cnpf has openingfl throi ""i it, so 'that the mercury or other liquitl in thif leg ot' thebent tubenluy receive the atmospheric prcfisure.

fu'j' ure biul'ling-poetrs for Supporting the circuit-Wilbe, and ACY ifa u boi; orlcuse inclusing; the bent tube or ventiel. p "fr,

`cution illuetrete'l in Fig. 4 the u I are 'merle of fflifllgirent lengths, so thut tue leingle terminal or eonttlct-picce f2 Will suffice in the other leg or branch of the heut Vt the. 'lhe terminals or contact-pieces rf j ure prclcruhly merle of platinum wire orothcr nietul not injuriouslyeffected by the mercury or gnu.

'l'he bent tube or veesel l) being itself open null in open conmiunicution with the fluideuxpnl; pipe A., the liquid ffl in Suid veusel from; a to (flow the opening through the veSSel il 9 nl prerent the escupe et the gas orluifl, nu well ne lo loe-e Lhe circuit lf when the presruirc varie. lror this rcuson I prefer to use mercury in the vessel l), us it is u @very heavy liquid. i

The .finniznriutor-drop l" may be of any or- (liner:v loi i. .le indicated iu the drawings, it compile ,sie umu'nct c in the circuit l, u pivocrl armuture-lcverf'y furnished with n catch c2, und :t pivotetl switch-lover "which closes the circuit .V ui c; when it is :Allowed to drop by henmg'nef. movingy its urxnm ure-lever c. rl`he bell ornlerru li in the circuit. l" will thus continue to riuge'ter the circuit is closed at ff' orfjs h v reufeon ci? the unnunciutor-rl rop l" keeping tlul circuit clbsed at ci c.

lt vuil heohservell that The two terminals ff lerul one lo the hiiulingpost f und the iermnlda j'gf in the other lng oi' the vessel il lcufl in the rame ny to the tivo opposite which. covers the upper end of pressure closes the circuit through the liuui-:l d coming in Contact with both the longer vrire f in one leg and the single Wire f2 in the other leg, and the fall of preesure closes the circuit between the Wires ff.

The smell aperture f7 et the free end o bent tube-thatv is to say, the enti that ie net connected to the gas-supply pipe-elec serve to prevent sudden fluctuations or .ilseticns of the pressure of the gas in the gee-supply pipe from causing the mercury to ,jump or act too quickly in the bent tube, uuu thus unnecessarily close the circuit and. set the alarm in operation when the variation in pressure is only e momentary one und not one Such as to produce danger. This small exper ture at the free end of the bent tube, byfurnishing a contracted escape or intel-re for the air in this end of the tube above the mercury, provides the apparatus with en effectual eircushion to guard against unneceesury moven ments of the mercury.

l. The combination with e furnace or gefburning device und its guesupplypipe, of un electric circuit, un alarm device incluflecl in the circuit, en annuneiutor-(lrop included ii the circuit, a bent tube containing; mercury orotlier electric conductingliquid, communieating; et one end with the gaseupplgf pipe, and the tree end of seid bent tube having e. Smell aperture to steady the movement ci." the mercury under fluctuations of prcsfnlrc in the gas-supply pipe, and electric terminale or contact-pieces connected with Suid circuit und between which the circuit is closed by tbc mercury in said bcnt tube when acted upon by e change of pressure in the gus-supply I pipe, substantially as specified.

The combination with e furnace orgasburning,r device and its gnu-supplypipe, of un electric circuit, mi alarm device included in the circuit, an innuneiutor-lrop included in f the circuit, e bent tube containing mercury or other electric eonductinglirpiid, ccrnniunieating et one end with the gee-supply pipe, and the free end ot' seid bent tube liuving e small fiperture to Steady the ineveu'icnt ol' the f legs or limbs so that the circuit muy be elcscfl either by un increasing or by e lecrceeing chungo of pressure ol the gus in the gne-Sup l p 1 V Il ply pipe, suhsturuiully ne iupecillefl. other lo the mnulngqumlj-,uiul thutthetu'o e y mercury under fluctuations ot pressure in the reg

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