IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND BOILERS, OR HEATING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, AND FITTINGS FOR BURNING AND UTILISING HYDRO-CARBON OILS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE LIQUID FUEL FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Neil, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND BOILERS,
OR HEATING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, AND FITTINGS FOR BURNING AND
UTILISING HYDRO-CARBON OILS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE LIQUID FUEL FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Neil at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th October 1880.
JOHN NEIL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACES AND BOILERS, OR HEATING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS,
AND FITTINGS FOR BURNING AND UTILISING HYDRO-CARBON OILS, AND OTHER
SUCH LIKE LIQUID FUEL FOR PRODUCING HEAT, AND ALSO LIGHT IN CERTAIN
CASES."
This said Invention has reference to certain constructions and arrangement of
fittings, or apparatus, or combination of the parts thereof, for the feeding, heating,
and combustion (in the form of gas) of crude or refined mineral oils, petroleum, or
other hydro-carbon oils, or the residuary oils or tars of these, after the lighter and
more valuable spirits, oils, and paraffin have been distilled off or removed, specially
for the production of heat in the furnaces of steam boilers, suitable preferably for
yachts or other small ships, and road and railway locomotives, and stationary land
engines; and also for water and air heating furnaces or stoves, and for cooking
and heating ranges, ovens, and fireplaces; suitable also in certain cases for lighting,
as on board ship, or in dwelling houses; and, further, in a special construction or
combination of the parts of the steam boiler or generator, suitable for the said
improved furnace and fittings on board of ship, or for small portable or stationary
steam engines on land, which Invention or improvements would save much time
and trouble in the storage and disposal of this liquid fuel compared with coal or
other solid carbon fuels, and make its use and management for the said furnaces
and fittings almost automatic, giving increased cleanliness and freedom from dust,
only requiring the adjusting of taps for the proper regulating of the oil, and the
required air for its combustion.

page_text: Referring to the first part or improvements of the Invention, these consist of a
special close supply feeding vessel erected at a considerable distance above the
furnace, and kept supplied with the oil to a proper level or height through a pipe
from the supply stowage tanks by a pump or air pressure within the tanks. This
vessel would be fitted with a sight or gauge glass at one side to show the height
or level of the oil within, and be formed with a siphon feeding cup or tubes, rising
to near the top of the vessel and fitted with as many capillary cotton or other wicks
as required, leading into one common discharge feeding tube through the bottom,
controlled by a tap outside as well as the inlet or supply tube. The said discharge
tube from all the wicks feeds or drops the oil within and through a close filler
shaped glass vessel into a tube led from its lower end direct to the one side or end
of a shallow close flat and nearly level oil heating or boiling vessel, or retort for
converting the oil into gas as it flows in a thin layer along the inner bottom
surface, placed near the lower part of the furnace or combustion chamber, and
heated, as will hereinafter be described. For starting the action and working of this
oil gas furnace, the under surface of the close oil retort or converter would be first
heated by a low flat oil, paraffin, or spirit lamp, or other equivalent, with as many
rows of wick lights as would heat it up to working pitch, and form the oil into
gas; each row of wicks being controlled by a single long spindle and pinion to each
light, and a hand wheel at one end, so as to extinguish the lights at once, or raise
all the wicks again when they were to be lighted. The converter would be fitted
with a row, or as many gas conveying tubes, led off from a little above the bottom
to prevent the admission of oil, and which would be led or turned under and up
towards the under surface of the converter, with an outer air admitting and
conducting tube surrounding it to admit the gas and air to burn, at the outer
turned up ends or sides on the tubes, on the Bunsen principle, so as to impinge and
automatically heat the under side of the converter, when lighted by the starting
portable lamp below, which would then be extinguished.
By one arrangement for producing the heat in the combustion chamber of the
furnace, the top upper shell of the converter would be fitted with as many rows of
vertical Bunsen tubes or burners as found suitable for the size of vessel and quantity
of oil turned into gas; which would pass a little way up the centre of each outer
tube and burner and draw in its required supply of air through the usual air holes
near the bottom of the tube, and burn in a hot blue flame at the top of each,
making a body of hot flame.
A fine wire gauze screen would be mounted a little distance above the set of
Bunsen burners to spread the blue flame over the whole surface, and have fitted over
this a fire-clay block, preferably hollow, a few inches thick and pierced with holes
right up through its lower and upper faces or thickness so as to retain a store
of heat and give off a more regular or uniform current from its upper surface to the
steam generator, water boiler, or other heat receiver for utilization. Otherwise,
when it is not convenient or found desirable to use vertical Bunsen burners, the
gas may be led off from the upper edge or side of the converter by lateral tubes to
longitudinal tubes along the sides, from which horizontal gas supply tubes may be
led into the outer horizontal, or gas and air combustion tubes set in rows
horizontally over the converter, and perforated along the upper surface or sides to
burn in a blue flame and give off the heat to the fire-clay perforated stove block,
or blocks above, all as described in referenco to the vertical burners. In either
case the gas tubes would, preferably, be fitted with controlling taps, and the air
would be admitted to the Bunsen tubes in a heated state down or along a flue
heated by the upward current of the products of combustion, or the sides of the
boiler or flue heated by these, and controlled or not by regulating taps, apertures,
or other equivalent, to the requirements of the gas admitted to and burned by each
tube; and the air might be forced in by a fan, or other equivalent, when desired.
The oil boiler or converter for producing the gas to be burned from the oil fed or
trickled into it, would be formed with a narrow recess or pocket below, near one
front edge, closed in by a screwed on close front cover, through which scrapers

page_text: could be inserted or removed, having rods or spindles passed out through stuffing
boxes in the said cover, and worked on the outside by suitable screws, or rack and
pinion gear, so as to scrape the tough or pitchy residues left on the bottom of the
converter into the said recess formed along the front for the purpose, ready for
removal through the front door at intervals of some days or so, as required.
The improved construction and arrangement of the steam generator or boiler of
this Invention for being heated over the said improved oil gas furnace for motive
power purposes consists of rectangular or box-like sections erected over each other,
and over the heated fire clay block above the furnaces. These sectional boxes are
fitted with rows of vertical flue tubes through them, and the lower sections would
contain the water to be heated and the top one or the upper half or part of it
would form the water and stean receiver, or this might be formed of a special
section for the purpose of holding the steam separated from the flue tubular section,
and either heated by the hot products of combustion passing off or not as desired.
The lower water sections would all be connected by short vertical flanged or screw
coupling branch pipes at the corners or other parts for the upward currents of
water as heated, and steam as generated by the ascending heated gases and vapours,
and for the returning currents of cold water from above, to maintain a good circu-
lation within the boiler. The upper and lower adjacent ends of these sectional
boxes would be formed with flues between them, and be connected by equivalent
short lateral branch pipes to maintain equal levels of the water, and equal pressure
within and throughout the whole boiler so built of sections. The upper sections
would be fitted with the usual safety valve, and steam and water gauges, alarm
whistles, surface blow-off cocks, and steam valve or cock to engine, while the
lower sections would be fitted with the usual blow-off and feed cocks, preferably to
each section. And in some cases, to give still greater heating surface for the gaseous
products of combustion to act on and circulate the water to carry up the steam and
heat conducted to the water within, a series of three, four, or more horizontal frames
of longitudinal sets of pipes coupled, screwed, or jointed into end cross pipes, would
be erected over each other between the upper improved box sections, and connected
and secured to each other and to these sections by short vertical circulating branch
pipes at their corners, so as to allow the water to circulate freely through these
from the lower to the upper sections. The whole furnace and steam boiler or
generator so formed would be surrounded by a flue space and an outer sheet metal
or other casing, which might have an intervening air or other fire proof jacket space
between, the outer one being formed of an incombustible conducting and low
radiating material, all to prevent the risk of fire; the whole combination and
arrangement giving a simple and automatic production of an intensely hot flame or
heating currents from oil liquid fuel formed into gas in its own retort by its own
heat, radiated to and taken up by a boiler with an immense heating or conducting
surface, composed of chambered sections with flue pipes, and sets of water pipes
with outer heating surface, all simple and open, and not liable to derangement, and
easily got at for repair or replacement, in cases of such.
"
In some cases, as for use on board of steam vessels, the oil gas furnace and steam
boiler arrangement might also, by a further improvement of this combination or
adaptation, have the upper part of the outer flue chamber or case formed as a
cooking stove, or close cooking range or 'galley" above the boiler; by fitting a
water boiler with open lid at top, and oven, cooking, or baking and heating chambers
with suitable front and top doors for the putting in and removal of the food and
articles or cooking vessels to be heated and treated, and a part with the usual
removable loose round covers on top for the insertion of pots
and pans for broiling
and stewing, as in other cooking stoves, all heated by leading the heated products
of combustion after passing from the upper part of the steam boiler flues into flues
surrounding the heating and baking chambers, or boiling flues of this cooking
arrangement or stove part, before they finally pass into the escaping and ventilating
flue or chimney for carrying off the carbonic acid gas and vapours to the side or

page_text: stern of the ship, but which would not require to be large, as there would practically
be no offensive black smoke from this improved fuel furnace.
Where this arrangement of oil gas furnace is used, as in small ships, or in steam
tramways, and such like circumstances, a portion of the gas generated in the retort
or converter would be led off by a special pipe for lighting purposes, which might
be surrounded by non-conducting material; or in cold weather, or when desired,
could be encased in an outer pipe covered outside, and have a current of hot water
or a little of the bot gases from the furnace passed through the outer pipe to keep
the inner gas pipe warm, and prevent the condensation of the gases within it on its
way to the burners, where it could be used for lighting the engine room and other
apartments near the furnace, as ordinary hydro-carbon gas is used for lighting.
It will be understood that the oil feeding fittings and retorts or automatic gas
converter, with the arrangements of Bunsen combustion tubes or burner, are capable
of being used in and for heating present constructions of furnaces, and steam or
water boilers for motive power purposes; also for heating ordinary forms and
constructions of heating or cooking stoves and open fires, such as those heretofore
heated by ordinary hydro-carbon lighting gas supplied from public gas works. The
gas produced by these improved means for heating purposes in dwelling houses
may also be conveyed in flexible tubes to be burned on the Bunsen principle in
smoothing irons, for heating these for the ironing of clothes, or in ordinary pipes
or lighting the apartments of houses as ordinary lighting is used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Neil in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th April 1881.
"IMPROVE-
JOHN NEIL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
MENTS IN FURNACES AND BOILERS, OR HEATING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS,
AND FITTINGS FOR BURNING AND UTILIZING HYDRO-CARBON OILS, AND OTHER
SUCH LIKE LIQUID FUEL FOR PRODUCING HEAT, AND ALSO LIGHT IN CERTAIN
CASES."
My said Invention has reference to the construction and arrangement of fittings
or apparatus, or the combination of the parts of apparatus, for feeding or supplying
and heating crude or refined mineral oils, for the production of gas for combustion
in the furnaces of steam boilers, instead of coal or other solid fuel. This apparatus
is also designed for producing heat by combustion of gas derived from the treatment
of such oils, and for other purposes than the generation of steam, such as for water
and air heating furnaces or stoves, and for cooking and heating ranges, ovens, and
fire-places; also in certain cases for lighting, as on board ship, or in dwelling
houses.
The improvements also comprise a novel and peculiar construction of steam
boiler or generator fitted with my improved oil-gas furnace and fittings, which are
particularly designed for use on board ship, or for small portable or stationary
steam engines on land.
The improved apparatus comprises a special close supply feeding vessel, erected
at some distance above the furnace, and kept supplied with the oil to a suitable
level or height through a pipe from the supply stowage tanks by air pressure within
the tanks, or by a pump. This vessel may be fitted with a sight or gauge glass at
one side to show the height or level of the oil within, and may be formed with a
syphon feeding cup or tubes rising to near the top of the vessel, fitted with as many
capillary cotton or other wicks as required, leading into one common discharge
feeding tube through the bottom, controlled by a tap outside, as well as the inlet or
supply tube.
The said discharge tube from all the wicks feeds or drops the oil
within and through a close filler shaped glass vessel into a tube led from its lower
end direct to the one side or end of a shallow, close, flat, and nearly level oil heating
or boiling vessel or retort, for converting the oil into gas as it flows in a thin layer
along the inner bottom surface, placed near the lower part of the furnace or com-
bustion chamber, and heated as will hereinafter be described.
For starting the action and working of this oil gas furnace, the under surface of
the close oil retort or converter would be first heated by a low flat oil, paraffin, or
spirit lamp or other equivalent, with as many rows of wick lights as would heat it
up to working pitch, and form the oil into gas, each row of wicks being controlled
by a single long spindle and pinion to each light, and a hand wheel at one end, so
as to extinguish the lights at once, or raise all the wicks again when they were to
be lighted.
The converter would be fitted with a row, or as many gas conveying tubes, led off
from a little above the bottom to prevent the admission of oil, and which would be
led or turned under and up towards the under surface of the converter, with an
outer air admitting and conducting tube surrounding it, to admit the gas and air
to burn at the outer turned up ends or sides on the tubes on the "Bunsen" principle,
so as to impinge and automatically heat the under side of the converter, when
lighted by the starting portable lamp below, which would be then extinguished.
By oue arrangement for producing the heat in the combustion chamber of the
furnace, the top upper shell of the converter would be fitted with as many rows of
vertical "Bunsen" tubes or burners as found suitable for the size of vessel and quantity
of oil turned into gas, which would pass a little way up the centre of each outer
tube and burner, and draw in its required supply of air through the usual air holes
near the bottom of the tube, and burn in a hot blue flame at the top of each,
making a body of hot flame.

page_text: A fine wire gauze screen would be mounted a little distance above the set of
Bunsen burners to spread the blue flame over the whole surface, and have fitted
over this a fire-clay block, preferably hollow, a few inches thick, and pierced with
holes right up through its lower and upper faces or thickness, so as to retain a store
of heat, and give off a more regular or uniform current from its upper surface to
the steam generator, water boiler, or other heat receiver for utilization. Otherwise,
when it is not convenient or found desirable to use vertical Bunsen burners, the
gas may be led off from the upper edge or side of the converter by lateral tubes
to longitudinal tubes along the sides, from which horizontal gas supply tubes may
be led into the outer horizontal or gas and air combustion tubes set in rows hori-
zontally over the converter, and perforated along the upper surface or sides to burn
in a blue flame and give off the heat to the fire-clay perforated stove block or
blocks above, all as described in reference to the vertical burners. In either case
the gas tubes would preferably be fitted with controlling taps, and the air would
be admitted to the Bunsen tubes in a heated state, down or along a flue heated by
the upward current of the products of combustion, or the sides of the boiler or flue
heated by these, and controlled or not by regulating taps, apertures, or other
equivalent, to the requirements of the gas admitted to and burned by each tube,
and the air might be forced in by a fan or other equivalent when desired.
The oil boiler or converter for producing the gas to be burned from the oil fed
or trickled into it, would be formed with a narrow recess or pocket below, near one
front edge, closed in by a screwed on close front cover, through which scrapers
could be inserted or removed, having rods or spindles passed out through stuffing
boxes in the said cover, and worked on the outside by suitable screws or rack and
pinion gear, so as to scrape the tough or pitchy residues left on the bottom of the
converter into the said recess formed along the front for the purpose, ready for
removal through the front door at intervals of some days or so, as required.
The improved construction and arrangement of the steam generator or boiler of
this Invention, for being heated over the said improved oil gas furnace for
motive-power purposes, may consist of rectangular or box like sections erected
over each other, and over the heated fire-clay block above the furnaces. These
sectional boxes are fitted with rows of vertical flue tubes through them, and the
lower sections would contain the water to be heated, and the top one or the upper
half or part of it would form the water and steam receiver, or this might be formed
of a special section for the purpose of holding the steam, separated from the flue
tubular section, and either heated by the hot products of combustion passing off, or
not, as desired. The lower water sections would all be connected by short vertical
flanged or screw coupling branch pipes at the corners or other parts for the upward
currents of water as heated, and steam to pass up as generated by the ascending
heated gases and vapours, and for the returning currents of cold water from above
to maintain a good circulation within the boiler when so made in sections. The
upper and lower adjacent ends of these sectional parts would be formed with flues
between them, and be connected by equivalent short lateral branch pipes to
maintain equal levels of the water and equal pressure within and throughout the
whole boiler so built of sections.
In some cases,
to give still greater heating surface for the gaseous products of
combustion to act on and circulate the water to carry up the steam and heat
conducted to the water within, a series of three, four, or more horizontal frames of
longitudinal sets of pipes coupled, screwed, or jointed into end cross pipes might
be erected over each other between the upper improved box sections, and connected
and secured to each other and to these sections by short vertical circulating branch
pipes at their corners, so as to allow the water to circulate freely through these
from the lower to the upper sections. The whole furnace and steam boiler or
generator so formed would be surrounded by a flue space and an outer sheet metal
or other casing, which might have an intervening air or other fire-proof jacket t
space between, the outer one being formed of an incombustible conducting and low
radiating material, all to prevent the risk of fire; the whole combination and

page_text: arrangement giving a simple and automatic production of an intensely hot flame
or heating currents from oil liquid fuel formed into gas in its own retort and
burners by its own heat radiated to and taken up by a boiler with an immense
heating or conducting surface, composed of chambered sections with flue pipes and
sets of water pipes with outer heating surface, all simple and open and not liable
to derangement, and easily got at for repair or replacement in cases of such.
"
In some cases, as for use on board of steam vessels, the oil gas furnace and steam
boiler arrangement might also, by a further improvement of this combination or
adaptation, have the upper part of the outer flue chamber or case formed as a
cooking stove, or close cooking-range or galley" above the boiler, by fitting a
water boiler with open lid at top, and oven, cooking, or baking and heating
chambers, with suitable front and top doors for the putting in and removal of the
food and articles or cooking vessels to be heated and treated, and a part with
the usual removable loose round covers on top for the insertion of pots and pans
for broiling and stewing, as in other cooking stoves, all heated by leading the
heated products of combustion after passing from the upper part of the steam
boiler flues into flues surrounding the heating and baking chambers or boiling
flues of this cooking arrangement or stove part before they finally pass into the
escaping and ventilating flue or chimney for carrying off the carbonic acid gas and
vapours to the side or stern of the ship, but which would not require to be large,
as there would practically be no offensive black smoke from this improved fuel
furnace.
Where this arrangement of oil gas furnace is used, as in small ships, or in steam
tramways, and such like circumstances, a portion of the gas generated in the
retort or converter would be led off by a special pipe for lighting purposes, which
might be surrounded by non-conducting material; or in cold weather, or when
desired, could be encased in an outer pipe covered outside, and have a current of
hot water or a little of the hot gases from the furnace passed through the outer
pipe to keep the inner gas pipe warm and prevent the condensation of the gases
within it on its way to the burners, where it could be used for lighting the engine
room and other apartments near the furnace, as ordinary hydro-carbon gas is used
for lighting.
It will be understood that the oil feeding fittings and retorts, or automatic gas
converter, with the arrangements of Bunsen combustion tubes or burners are
capable of being used in and for heating present constructions of furnaces, and
steam or water boilers for motive-power purposes; also for heating ordinary forms
and constructions of heating or cooking stoves and open fires, such as those
heretofore heated by ordinary hydro-carbon lighting gas supplied from public gas
works. The gas produced by these improved means for heating purposes in
dwelling houses may also be conveyed in flexible tubes to be burned on the Bunsen
principle in smoothing irons, for heating these for the ironing of clothes, or in
ordinary pipes for lighting the apartments of houses, as ordinary lighting gas is
used.
In order that the full nature of my said Invention and the mode and means of
putting the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory Drawings which I shall now describe,
the same reference letters or numerals indicating the same or like parts in the
in
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical section and a horizontal section taken
on the irregular line 1- -1, in the former, of a vertical tubular steam boiler or
generator (as suitable for the steam engine of a small launch or yacht) complete,
as fitted with one arrangement of my improved furnace and converting and
combustion fittings and burners, for burning and utilizing mineral or other hydro-
carbon oils or liquids therein, all in accordance with my said Invention.

page_text: Figures 3 to 7 are enlarged or detailed sections of the converters and burners
and other detached views of details, to show the separate improvements more
clearly than can be seen in Figures 1 and 2.
Referring to these Drawings the steam boiler or generator A is of a vertical
tubular type with a shallow cylindrical heating or combustion chamber B, in which
the oil gas converting and burning apparatus and accessary fittings are placed
under the lower tube plate b and tubes 61, through which the hot products of
combustion pass into a chamber or smoke box C over the top end tube plate b².
The chamber C is fitted with a cylindrical or tubular super-heater D, into which
the steam is led from the upper end of the boiler A by means of pipes d converging
towards a central tube D' open to the super-heater D, and through which a smaller
central steam supply pipe D leads the steam to the engines, a stop-valve E and
safety-valve E being provided as shown. The shell of the boiler is protected by
an outer casing A¹ of non-conducting substance, preferably silicate cotton, to
prevent or diminish radiation of heat, and a covering A2 of similar material is
titted over the top. This top cover A² may be made in sections or otherwise, so as
to be removable for the insertion within the smoke box or chamber C of water
vessels, such as are shown at D³, which are intended for evaporating sea water
to obtain fresh water for the boiler; and the cover A³ may also be made with
openings A for the insertion of cooking vessels, as also for the oulet of the
products of combustion.
The
The burners and converters F, G, which are combined in the examples shown in
Figures 3 and 4, are fitted radially through screwed tubes f fitted in the shells of
the boiler A to project into or partly into the furnace or combustion chamber B,
as particularly shown in Figure 2, each burner being separately connected to the
oil supply pipe G¹ so as to be capable of removal or adjustment within its con-
taining or holding tube f. The burner consists of a tube or nozzle F, F', into the
outer end of which is fitted the one end of a tube G, which in the shape of a spiral
forms the gas converter. The oil is forced by air pressure to form a mixture of
oil and air from a reservoir of the kind shown in Figure 6, passes through a tube
into the supply tube G¹ partly surrounding the boiler, and enters by small flexible
tubes g
into the spiral tube or converter G, within which it is heated by the
heat of the gas flame which proceeds from the nozzle F' of the burner. The
heating of the spiral G expands the fluid oil and air, and converts them into a heat
producing gas, which flows from the spiral into the outer end of the burner F, and
there returns towards the nozzle F¹ where it burns in a hot bluish flame.
passage of the gas to the nozzle F¹ is regulated by an opening pierced through a
small internal cap f¹ formed or screwed on the burner F, and the size of this passage
is further regulated by a small conical needle point f' projecting into the aperture,
and which may be inserted or withdrawn by means of a rod or handle F" screwed
into the outer end of the burner. This needle point f' also serves the purpose of
clearing the aperture in the cap f¹ when it becomes choked. At the point where
the gas escapes from the cap f the burner tube F is formed with air holes or
openings F2, which allow heated air to mingle with the gas and ensure its complete
combustion without the formation of smoke. This heated air is mainly derived
from that which passes with the hot products of combustion through the boiler
tubes to the smoke box or chamber C, which passes through lateral tubes C* at the
upper part of the boiler into a jacket space A between the boiler shell A and the
silicate cotton covering A', and returns to the openings F in the burners F. The oil
from which the burning gas is formed is also largely impregnated with air, and in
addition there is provided an air supply pipe H, which enters beneath the boiler
and terminates in a circular tube within the furnace. When the furnace is fully
heated up, this air pipe H may simply supply air to the furnace or combustion
chamber B through a series of Bunsen burners I fitted in connection with it; but
for starting the furnace and raising it to a temperature sufficient to enable the oil
fed to the burners to be converted into gas, I provide a subsidiary gas pipe or
tube I supplied with gas, either made from oil by a converter of the kind herein-

page_text: before described, heated by burning wick lamps, or made from coal dross, as
hereinafter referred to. This subsidiary gas pipe I' supplies the Bunsen burners I
with gas, and the air tube H supplies the requisite air to obtain a strong heat
producing flame from the burners I in the combustion chamber B. This heat may
either be utilized only for heating up the furnace to prevent the deposition of soot
or formation of smoke, which might occur if the burners were started to burn the
oil, or the subsidiary gas pipe It may supply the burners I, even while the oil gas
is being burned in the horizontal burners F to ensure more complete combustion of
the heavy oil gas.
The supply of gas through the supplementary gas pipe 1¹ is controlled outside
the furnace by a tap or cock I, and in like manner the supply of oil to be formed
into gas to be consumed by the burners F is regulated or controlled by separate
small cocks fs, on the branch tubes g supplying each burner F, and also by a cock
or valve G2 on the tube connected to the common supply pipe G¹.
The supply of water for the boiler is fed in by a tube J provided with a stop
valve J', and this tube is led in beneath the boiler to form a coil at the bottom of
the furnace C, where the water is partially heated by radiation of heat from the
burners. The pipe is thence led out below the boiler but within the silicate
cotton casing A¹ at J", and delivers the water in a heated state through the side of
the boiler. For the purpose of creating a partial circulation of the water through
the boiler A a circulating pipe J is fitted in the side of the boiler near the ordinary
water level, and is led down to join the inlet water pipe J at a T branch J³.
Openings formed by screwed tubes A³, passing through the shell A of the boiler
to the furnace C, are provided to allow of the furnace being examined at any time,
and these openings are fitted with panes of mica outside.
Figure 4 shows a modified form of the oil gas burner F described, in which
instead of the converter being formed of a spiral tube, it is made of an annular oil
vessel or tube G, fitted with a screw cap G, through the centre of which the gas
flame passes to heat the oil within the tube and convert it into the gaseous state.
The oil is led into the converter or vessel by a tube g³, and the gas is led out by
the small tube g*, which enters the burner F near its outer end. The tubular
converter G may be made in a number of forms, a convenient form being square or
rectangular, to admit of easy access of brushes or cleaners, which may be inserted
within the tube, to clean out residual matters of the crude oils, by screwed plug
openings. The burner may be made very similar to those shown in Figures 3 and 4,
or similar to that shown in Figure 5, which is an enlarged view of the Bunsen
burners I placed in the combustion chamber B.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the oil tank K from which the oil is supplied
to the converter tubes G and burners F, F¹. This tank is partially filled with
crude hydro-carbon oil, and is provided with an outlet pipe fitted with a stop-
cock and check valve. The oil is forced out through this pipe by the pressure of
the air within the tank over the surface of the oil. This pressure is maintained at
a little above the atmospheric pressure by pumping in air through a pipe K¹ fitted
in the top cover of the tank K, this pipe K¹ being connected to a tube K³, to which
there is coupled a form of bellows valve or collapsing rubber bag L, fitted with
small valves, which admit the air from the atmosphere, and when the bag is
collapsed, force it through the tube K2 into the tank K. An air pipe ², fitted with
a stop cock and check valve, is led from the compressed air space over the oil in
the tank, and terminates in a nozzle within an enlargement of the oil supply pipe,
which forms an injector k, in which the oil is impregnated with air, and also forced
forward along the pipe to the oil supply pipe G2, G', which supplies the
converters G of the burners F, F. A safety valve K³ is fitted over the tank K
and loaded to suit the pressure of air desired, and a gauge glass K* is also provided
to show the level of the oil within the tank; a pressure gauge may also be provided.
Instead of the air being pumped or forced into the tank K as described, a dome
shaped loaded piston might be fitted within the tank to force out the oil and
compress the air within by weights on it, or the oil and air may be separately

page_text: pumped and forced through a mixer or injector to the supply pipe G³, G¹. A small
tube may be coupled to the oil supply pipe G', or inserted in the outer end of the
burner F, for the admission of a small blast of live steam, which by uniting with
the oil, gas, and air would assist combustion, and this steam blast may also be
used for cleaning the tubes or burners when the oil and air supply is cut off, as
at k³.
Figure 7 is a section of a retort for producing gas from dross, to be used as a
supplementary gas supply in the sets of Bunsen burners I or F in the furnace of
the boiler. This retort consists of a spherical shell M with a hopper M' at the top,
with a closing door m through which dross is supplied, and a grating N is formed
at the bottom on which the dross rests, this grating N consisting of a set of inclined
radial air tubes n resting on the internal lower part of the retort open below
at M, and heated by the combustion of the fuel, so as to heat a current of air
passing up through these into the tube or pipe n' leading to the tube EI of the
burners I. This retort is preferably made with a jacketed space and outer
shell M², M³, and a water trough Mall round the lower part of the combustion
chamber, the steam from which ascends up into the jacketed space M³, and a small
portion also up through perforations o, through the open space M¹ up into the
combustion chamber M of the retort. One or more Bunsen burners, as I, may be
used for kindling the dross or fuel in the retort M, M¹, and the combustion of the
fuel may be further assisted by a blast of air from a pipe n¹¹. While the hot gases
raised from the fuel or dross are conveyed away by the pipe I¹¹ to that I of the
burners I, or it might be the pipe G₁ of the burners F, F', shown in Figures 1
and 2.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is performed, I desire it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to
the precise details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement or combination of the parts or fittings for the
use and conversion of mineral or other hydro-carbon oils in a furnace or the
combustion chamber of a steam boiler, for motive-power or other purposes, all
substantially as herein described or as shown in the accompanying Drawings, or
any mere modification thereof.
Second. The supplying of mineral or other hydro-carbon oils, or of these
oils and air mixed, from a pressure vessel (as K) to a converting chamber, or
arrangement of burners F, F, or I, I', for the production of a combustible gas, for
heating boilers or furnaces, or for temporary lighting purposes, all substantially as
herein described or as shown in the accomyanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
Third. The construction or arrangement of a gas converter or retort, in which
hydro-carbon oil is converted into combustible gas by the heat of a burner or
burners combined therewith, and burning the gas supplied from such converter, or
from a separate converter, within boiler furnaces for the purpose of generating
steam, and for other heating purposes, substantially as herein described, or as
shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Neil, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one