461,165. Controlling distribution of liquids. SOC. ANON. POUR TOUS APPAREILLAGES MECANIQUES. April 27, 1936, Nos. 12002 and 12003. Convention dates, April 26, 1935 and Oct. 25, 1935. [Class 21] An apparatus for establishing connection between any one of n conduits n1, n2 .. Fig. 1, with any other one of these n conduits or with any one of p conduits p1, p2 . . . comprises a p + 1 way cock r1, r2 .. at the end of each conduit of group n connecting this conduit with each of group p. Any conduit of n may be connected to any other conduit of n through one of the conduits p. Also, independent circuits may be established, e.g., n1, p1, n3 ; n2, p2, n3 and n4, p3. An apparatus for establishing connections between n conduits and in pumping liquid or gas through the conduits comprises n conduits 5, 5<1> . . . Fig. 2 connected to vessels 4, 4<1> ... and terminating in n 3-way cocks 6, 6<1> . . . through which connection may be established with two ducts 2, 3 connected respectively to the suction and delivery sides of a pump 1. By this apparatus, e.g. container 4 can be emptied into container 4<11> by connecting container 4 by its cock 6 with the suction duct 2 through conduit 8, and connecting cock 6<11> of container 4<11> with the delivery duct 3 through conduit 9<11>, the remaining containers being shut off. The ducts 2, 3 may be constituted as in Fig. 3, by tubing 11 with a partition 12 ; conduits 8 ... 9 ... carrying cocks 6 ... as shown in Fig. 2, are secured in alternate apertures 13, the conduits 5... passing through the axes of the cocks 6 ... A control panel shown in Fig. 6, may be arranged so that when pointer 15 points upwards the corresponding container is being emptied when pointing downwards the container is being filled, and when horizontal the container is cut out. The arrangement shown corresponds to the emptying of container 4 into container 4<11>. In Fig. 8 the ducts 2, 3 are constituted by similar elements 11 partitioned at 12 and recessed at 16 for the body of the cock 6. Handles 17 permit manipulation of the cocks. Fig. 9 is a diagram of connections permitting the distribution described with reference to Fig. 2 and also permitting flow from a container 4 ... to any one of the flexible pipes 10, 10<1>, 21, 21<1> either under gravity, or under pump actuation from pump 1 or 1<1>, with measuring or without measuring. Cocks 6 .., 7 .., 36 .. have filling, discharging and closing positions and cock 23 has positions for gravity delivery, measuring delivery and non- measuring delivery. For example, to deliver without measuring from container 4 to flexible pipe 10 the liquid traverses the path 5, 6, 8, 2, 1, 3, 7, 10 or 5, 6, 8, 2, 22, 2<1>, 1<1>, 3<1>, 23, 25, 3, 7, 10. In the first case cock 6 is put in discharging position and cock 7 in filling position. In the second case cock 23 is also put into the position marked " not measuring." To delivery with measuring from 4<1> out through 10<1> liquid passes through 5<1>, 6<1>, 8<1>, 2, 22, 2<1>, 1<1>, 3<1>, 23, 26, 27, 32, 28, 29, 3, 7<1>, 10<1>. The element 22 is a filter, 28 is a measuring device, and 27 is a separator. Cock 6<1> must be in discharging position, cock 7 in filling position and cock 23 in measuring position. For gravity flow from 4<11> to 10 the path is 5<11>, 6<11>, 8<11>, 2, 24, 23, 25, 3, 7, 10. Cock 6<11> is in discharging position, cock 7 in filling position and cock 23 in position marked "gravity." For filling 4 with liquid entering through a pipe 21 the path is 2, 36, 2, 1, 3, 9, 6, 5, 4. Cock 36 is in discharging position and cock 6 in filling position. To pass fluid from an external container through 21 and out through 21<1> to another external container the path is 21, 36, 2, 1, 3, 36<1>, 21<1>. If motoroperated pump 1<1> is used the path is 21, 36, 2, 22, 2<1>, 1<1>, 3<1>, 23, 25, 3, 36<1>, 211. Cock 36 is in discharge position, cock 36<1> in filling position, and in the second case, cock 23 is in " not measuring " position. Fig. 10 is a diagram of connections permitting the circuits of Fig. 9 and also other circuits of which the following are examples :-to fill into two external containers by pipes 10, 10<1>, liquid supplied from 4, the path is 5, 6, 8, 2, 31, 22, 31, 2<1>, 1 or 1<1>, 3<1>, 23, 26, 27, 32. At this point two paths are taken viz. 28, 33, 38, 10 and 25<1>, 33<1>, 35<1>, 10<1>. Cock 6 is in discharging position, cock 23 in measuring position and cocks 33, 33<1> in the position for filling with measuring. Cock 31 is in the position which cuts out filter 22<1> ; for cleaning filter 22, cock 31 is closed and cock 31<1> opened; for filling 4 with liquid from an external container through pipe 10, the path is 10, 35, 33, 34, 2, 31, 22, 31, 2, 1 or 1<1>, 3<1>, 23, 25, 3, 9, 6, 5, 4. Cock 33 is in position for discharging, cock 6 in filling position, and cock 23 is " not measuring " position. Fig. 11 shows connection permitting the main circuits of Fig. 10, but with two measuring devices 28, 281 and two containers 4, 41 controlled by one 4-way cock 6.