US674812A - Carbureter. - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 2l, 190|.

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TIIOMAS MCCORMIOK, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FIFTHS TO ANANIAS D. MILLER, OF SAME PLAGE; SAMUEL J. MILLER, OF BISBEE, ARIZONA TERRITORY; E. .,T. KENT AND JOSEPH J. VESLING, OF PI'lVlSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ADAM G. INNIS, OF

COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,812, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed May 18, 1900, Serial No. 17,131. (No modch) To all LU/tom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS McOoRMIcK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Gas-Generator, of which the following is a speciiication.

My presentinvention relates to a novel gasgenerator of that type designated by the term carbu reters,77 which type is distinguished by a receiver or chamber containing a hydrocar bon through which air is led for the purpose of obtainingan inflammable gas or carbureted air. In gas-machines of this type great difliculty is encountered in securing precisely such proportions of the air and hydrocarbon as will be productive ot' the best results; and the object of my invention is to embody in an apparatus of this character certain novel features which will not only enable me to 0btain the proper degree of enrichment of the air, but which will insure the constant maintenance of the proper proportions while the machine is in operation.

To the accomplishment of this end and others subordinate thereto theinvention consists in providing a plurality of carbu reting-cham bers, preferably two in number, Within the first of which the air is carbureted and is passed as a gas to a second carbureting-cham ber for further enrichment, but designed to be saturated or carbureted to a very high degree within a carbureting-injector located within t-he gas-induction pipe at a point ine tei-mediate of the two chambers.

The invention further consists in providing heating-drums within the carburetingchambers and a su perheater located beyond the last chamber and designed to completely gasify any liquid which may pass from the last carbureting-chamber on its Way to the point of use. l

The invention consists still further in certain features of construction and arrangement, allot' which will hereinafter more fully appear,will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and succinctly defined in the appended claimsr ,above the bottom of the chamber and being controlled adjacent to the receiver 3 by an air-supply valve 5. The lower end ofthe airinduction pipe 4 is submerged in a suitable hydrocarbon 6, supplied to the chamber 1 in suitable quantity through a filling-opening?, closed by a screwcap 8. rlhe air let into the chamber 1 from the air-receiver 2 through the pipe 1 is liberated below the surface of` the hydrocarbon and ascends in a more or less gasified condition to the gas-space 9, defined above the liquid-level. The gas thus formed passes from the chamber 1 through a gas-eduction pipe l0, controlled by a gaseduction valve l1, to the interior of the injector-coupling 12, and thence into the gasinduction pipe 13,y screwed into the ooupling 12 and extended through the top of the chamber 2 to a point adjacent to the bottom of the chamber, the lower or inner end of the pipe 13 being closed and provided above the closure with a series of diminutive lateral openings 14, which render the lower end of the pipe foraminous and cause the gas to be projected in fine jets into the body of the hydrocarbon l5 Within the second carburetingchamber 2. From the last chamber of the series-that is to say, from the chamber 2 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention-the carbureted air or gas passes through a gas-eduction pipe 16 to a super-` heater 17 of any approved construction arranged to supply the gas generated bythe machine to the service-pipe 1S, which leads to the burners, explosion-chambers, or other forms of converting devices designed for the utiliof the gas and to volatilize any liquid which 1 may have been suspended by the gas, and which were it not for the superheater would be passed into the system of service-pipes.

I prefer, however, to insure the more or less complete saturation of the air by arranging a hydrocarbon-injector in the gas-conduit through which the carbureted air orgas passes from the chamber l to the chamber 2. I therefore extend a liquid-eduction pipe 19 through the top vof the chamber 1 from a point below the level of the hydrocarbon 6 and screw the extremity of its horizontal branch 2O into the end of the coupling 12 opposite to and in axial alinement with the gas-induction pipe 13 and communicating with an elongated injectornozzle 21, screwed at one end into a transverse diaphragm 22 of the coupling, and provided at its opposite extremity, which is located within the pipe 13, considerably in advance of the pipe 10, with a screw-cap 23, having a diminutive axle-jet opening 24,through which the hydrocarbon is projected in a tine spray under the pressure of the gas within the chamber 1, and under the injective action or suction produced by the passage around the nozzle of the gas flowing under pressure from the chamber 1 to the chamber 2, through the gasinduction pipe or conduit 13. The horizontal branch 22 is provided with a valve 25, controlling the supply of uid to the injector, it being understood that the valves 11 and 25 constitute the gas and liquid valves of the hydrocarbon-injector for the purpose of regulating the proportiousof gas and liquid passing into the injector, and thereby determining the extent of the carbureting action at this point in accordance with the uses for which the gas is intended, it being well understood in the art that gases of diiferent tensions are required for lighting, heating, and explosive purposes.

It is well understood that the volatilization of the hydrocarbon is necessary to effect its union with the air, and I therefore employ a= heating-drum within each of the chambers and preferably extending the entire length of the chambers, as illustrated in the drawings. The primary heating drum, located in the chamber 1, is indicated by the numeral 26, and the secondary drum, located in the chamber 2, is indicated by the numeral 27. The particular vheating agent employed in these heating devices is not essential to their effective utilization; ybut I prefer to supply them with either steam or vhot water, and for this reason ltheir lower ends are connected, through supply-pipes 26 and 27', with the opposite ends of a primary heater 28, located outside of and preferablyimmediately below the chambers 1 and-2 and comprising a wall or casing having a combustion-cavity 29 in its under wall, from which extend vertically through the chamber a number of flues 30, which permit the ready escape of the products of combustion from a burner 31 and also increase the effective heating area of the heater. The burner 31 of the primary heater and the burner 32 of the superheater may be arranged and supplied with fuel in any suitable manner; but I prefer to feed them from a gassupply or burner pipe 33, which leads from the superheater, and thereby utilizes the advance gas circulation for the purpose of heating itself at several points between the gasinlet and that point of the circulation which is tapped for the supply of the burners. In other words, by utilizing the gas from the superheater for supplying the burners the entire device is rendered self-contained and entirely automatic in its operation* It will now be seen that the arrangement of the heatingdrums within the carbureting-chambers will cause more or less expansion of the carbureted air or gas above the huid-levels and will increase to a greater or less extent the pressure exerted by the gas upon the hydrocarbons and also within the injector, thereby tending to increase the circulation of the gas and liquid and the eficiency of the apparatus.

It is sometimes difficult to obtain such fine adjustments of the valves 1l and 25 as will insure the constant equalization of pressures and liquid-levels in the two carbu retingchambers, particularly when the machine is taxed to its utmost capacity by the converting devices which it supplies with fuel. I have therefore provided what I will term equalizing- pipes 34 and 35, which extend downwardly through the top wall of each tank and terminate below the level of the hydrocarbon therein, the upper ends of these pipes being normally connected by a suitable pipe or conduit, which for convenience is a flexible hose 36, permanently attached to the upper end of the pipe 35 and designed to be detachably connected to the upper end of the Ipipe 34 or to a nipple 37, projecting from the receiver, the upper end of the pipe 34 being closed by a screw-cap 3S when the hose 36 is disconnected therefrom. The lower end of the -pipe 35'is preferably closed and provided, like the pipe 13, with a foraminous portion 39.

The operat-ion of my device is as follows: Assuming the several valves to be open and the burners 3l and 32 to be in action, air is supplied under pressure from the receiver or reservoir 3 through the air-induction pipe 4L and is liberated below the surface of the hydrocarbon within the carbureting-chamber l. The more or less carbureted air arising from the body of hydrocarbon to the upper end ot' the chamber escapes under more or less pressure through the gas-eduction pipe 10 to the IOO IIO

interior of the injector-coupling 12, from whence it passes into the gas-induction pipe of the chamber 2 and around the injectionnozzle 2l of the hydrocarbon-injector. Under the pressure of the gas within the chamber l, which pressure is somewhat increased by the expansive influence exerted by the presence of the heater 26, hydrocarbon is forced from the bottom of the chamber l through the liquid-eduction pipe 19 into the hydrocarbon-injector nozzle 21, the raising of the hydrocarbon into the injector being assisted, and in some instances actually produced, by the injective action of air passing around the nozzle and into the chamber 2 through the liquid-induction pipe 13. As the hydrocarbon is projected from the minute opening 24 in a line spray it is taken up by the partially-carbureted air or gas, which is thus carbnreted to a still further degree and in this enriched condition is projected laterally in the body of hydrocarbon l5 through the openings la in the lower end of the gasinduction pipe. It may be noted in passing that the air is first carbureted in the chamber l, then circulates through a conduit intermediate of the chambers, where it is subjected to the injection of a tine spray of liquid and is then itself in a more or less enriched condition projected in a iinely-commi- .nuted state into a body of hydrocarbon, the peculiarity to which attention is especially called being the successive projection of the fluid into the gas and next of the gas into the iiuid. Returning` now to the operation, the gas rising into the upper portion of the chamber 2 escapes through the eduction-pipe 16 into the superheater, Where its tension is raised and where the complete volatilization of any suspended i'luid is effected to prevent the usual accumulation ot' oil Within the service-pipes of a gas-supply system.

If desired, a suitable indicator 4() may be mounted upon the superheater for the purpose of indicating the pressure and the enrichment ot' the gas.

It has heretofore been stated that the hose 36 is under some circumstances detached and is connected to the nipple 37 upon the air reservoir or receiver 3. This is only done when under comparatively extraordinary conditions it is necessary to obtain a greater predominance of air within the chamber 2, the proper proportions of air and hydrocarbon being ordinarily obtained by the adjustment of the valves ll and 25 and by the automatic equalization maintained by the equalizingpipes 34 and 35, connected by the conduit or hose 86.

From the foregoing it will be observed that l have produced a simple, ingenious, and et'- ticient gas-making apparatus or generator of that type known in the art as carbureters, but while the present embodiment of the invention is belived to be preferable, I desire to reserve the right to effect such structural changes and variations as' may be suggested by experience and experiment and which may come properly within the scope of the appended claims.

l. A gas-making machine of the character specified comprising a plurality of carbureting-chambers adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, means tor leading air through said chambers, a separate and independent secondary heater located in each chamber and extending from end to end thereof, and a primary heater having direct connection with each of the secondary heaters at a point exterior to the chambers.

2. A gas-making machine of the character specified comprising a plurality of carbureting-chambers adapted to contain a hyd rocarbon, means for leading air through said chambers, a separate and independent secondary heater located in each chamber and extending from end to end thereof, a primary heater having direct'connection with each of the secondary heaters at a point exterior to thc chambers, a burner located below the primary heater, and means for leading gas from the machine for consumption at said burner.

3. A gas-making machine ot' the character -specified comprising a plurality of carbureting-chambers adapted to con tain a hydrocarbon, means for leading air through the several chambers successively, a supcrheater arranged to receive the gas 'from the last chamber, a secondary heater for each of the chambers, a primary heater common to the several secondary heaters, burners arranged in eective proximity to the primary heater and superheater, respectively, and means for supplying said burners with gas from the superhcater.

4. A gas-making machine of the character specified comprising a plurality of chambers each ada-pted to contain a hydrocarbon, a conduit leading from one chamber at a point above the hydrocarbon and discharging into the body of hydrocarbon contained in the other chamber, and means for injecting a hydrocarbon in comminuted form into the conduit at a point intermediate of the chainbers, whereby the air or passed through the chambers for successive enrichment, is subjected to an enriching jet of hydrocarbon at a point intermediate of the chambers.

5. A gas-making machine of the character specified comprising a chamber adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, a conduit leading to said chamber and provided at its lower end with means for discharging a gas in a finelycomminuted li'orm into the body of hydrocarbon, means for supplying air or gas to the conduit, and means for projecting a jet of hydrocarbon into the conduit, whereby the air or gas passing to the carbureting-chamber receives an injection of hydrocarbon and is subsequently itself injected into a body of hydrocarbon.

6. In a gas-making machine of the character specified, the combination With a plural- IOS IIO

ity of carbureting-chambers each adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, of a gas-conduit leading from one chamber at a point above the hydrocarbon and having a foraminous extremity located below the surface of the hydrocarbon in the other chamber, a liquideduction pipe extending from a point below the surface of the hydrocarbon in one receptacle, and a reduced nozzle communicating with the liquid-eduction pipe and extending into the gas-conduit to permit the injection of a spray of hydrocarbon into the more or less carbureted air passing through the conduit from upper part of the lirst chamber and designed to be projected in minute jets through the foraminous end of the conduit located below the hydrocarbon in the other chamber.

7. In a gas-making machine of the character specified, the combination with a plurality of carbureting-chambers each adapted to contain a body of hydrocarbon, of means for leading air through said chambers for enrichment, and intercommunicating equalizingpipes opening into said chambers below the surface of the hydrocarbon, whereby approximately identical liquid-levels will be maintained in the several chambers.

8. Inva gas-making machine of the character specied, the combination with a pair of carbureting-chanibers adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, of a heater located within each chamber, a gas-conduit leading from the upper part of one chamber and discharging below the surface of the hydrocarbon in another chamber, a hydrocarbon-injector located in said conduit, means for leading air under i pressure to the first chamber, and means for obtainingidenticalliquid-levels and gas-pressures inthe several chambers.

9. In a gas-machine of the character specified, the combination with a plurality of carbureting-chambers adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, and means for discharging airl into the body of hydrocarbon in one chamber, of a valve-controlled gas-conduit leading from said chamber and discharging below the level of the hydrocarbon in the next chamber of the series, a hydrocarbon -injector located within the gas-conduit and supplied with hydrocarbon from the first chamber, a heatingdrum located Within each carbureting-chamber, a primary heater exterior to the chambers and arranged to supply a heating agent to the several drums, and a burner located below the primary heater and supplied with gas from the machine.

10. In a gas-machine of the character speciiied, the combination with a pair of carbureting-chambers adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, an air-reservoir, and a valve-controlled air-induction pipe extending from the reservoir and discharging below the surface of the hydrocarbon in one of the chambers, a valvecontrolled gas-conduit leading from the upper part of said chamber and discharging into the body of hydrocarbon in the other chamber, a liquid-eduction pipe extended into the body of hydrocarbon i-n the first chamber and having an injector-nozzle `extending into the conduit intermediate of the chambers, intercommunicating equalizi-ng-pipes located within the chambers and opening below the surfaces of the hydrocarbons therein, a heatingdrum located within each chamber, a primary heater exterior to the chambers and common to both drums, a superheater communicating with the gas-space of the last chamber, burners for the primary heater and superheater, respectively, and means for supplying gas to said burners from the superheater.

l1. In a gas-making machine,`the combination with a pair of chambers each adapted to contain a hydrocarbon, of means for liberating air within one chamber below the liquidlevel, a conduit leading from said chamber above the liquid-level and extended into the other chamber below the liquid-level therein and provided with means for injecting the enriched air in comminuted form into the body of liquid hydrocarbon in the last-named chamber, and means tor injecting liquid hydrocarbon in comminuted form into the enriched air passing through the conduit.

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

THOMAS MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SieeERs, FLORENCE E. WALTER.

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