Method of and apparatus for mixing combustible gases

Claim 1

IN A MULTIPLE-RATE GAS MIXING PLANT, IN COMBINATION, A MULTIPLICITY OF GAS MIXING UNITS OF DIFFERENT SIZES RESPECTIVELY, THE SIZES OF SAID UNITS BEING RELATED TO EACH OTHER IN THE MANNER OF A GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION WITH A RATIO OF TWO, WHEREBY THE SAME MAY BE OPERATED EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR JOINTLY TO PROVIDE A MULTIPLICITY OF EQUAL INCREMENTS OR DECREMENTS IN THE RATE OF GAS MIXING THROUGHOUT THE TOTAL RANGE OR CAPACITY OF THE PLANT, A DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD INTO WHICH EACH OF SAID UNITS WHEN ACTIVE IS ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE, A SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS TO BE SUPPLIED TO EACH UNIT WHEN ACTIVE AT A PRESSURE A PREDETERMINED DEGREE ABOVE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, AN ATMOSPHERIC AIR MANIFOLD COMMON TO ALL OF SAID UNITS WHEN ACTIVE, EACH UNIT HAVING A CHECK VALVE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SAME AND SAID AIR MANIFOLD, A SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED AIR, A PAIR OF PILOT REGULATORS, ONE OF SAID PILOT REGULATORS BEING SUBJECT TO CONTROL IN ACCORDANCE WITH VARIATIONS IN THE PRESSURE OF THE COMBUSTIBLE GASEOUS MIXTURE IN SAID DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD, THE OTHER PILOT REGULATOR BEING SUBJECT TO CONTROL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL VALUE OF THE PRESSURE CONDITIONS WITHIN SAID DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD AND SAID AIR MANIFOLD RESPECTIVELY, A DIAPHRAGM MOTOR SUBJECT TO CONTROL BY THE RATE OF SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED AIR FROM SAID PILOT REGULATOR FIRST MENTIONED, DIAPHRAGM MOTORS INDIVIDUAL TO EACH GAS MIXING UNIT FOR CONTROLLING INITIATION AND DISCONTINUANCE OF OPERATION OF EACH OF THE LATTER, MEANS OPERATED BY SAID FIRST MENTIONED DIAPHRAGM MOTOR FOR EFFECTING CONTROL OF THE SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED AIR TO SAID DIAPHRAGM MOTORS SECOND MENTIONED TO EFFECT INITIATION OR DISCONTINUANCE OF OPERATION OF THE RESPECTIVE UNITS IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE IN RESPONSE TO VARIATIONS OF PRESSURE IN THE DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD AS AN INCIDENT TO VARIATION IN THE RATE OF DEMAND FOR THE COMBUSTIBLE GASEOUS MIXTURE, A VALVE IN SAID AIR MANIFOLD, AND A DIAPHRAGM MOTOR SUBJECT TO CONTROL BY SAID SECOND PILOT REGULATOR TO EFFECT OPERATION OF SAID VALVE TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT THE DIFFERENTIAL VALUE OF SAID PRESSURE CONDITIONS WITHIN SAID AIR MANIFOLD AND SAID DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD.