IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF COAL GAS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hansor, of No. 2, Portland Place, Wands-
worth Road, in the Borough of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Practical Chymist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF COAL GAS."
Sealed the 13th November 1860, and dated the 17th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hansor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th September 1860.
I, JAMES HANSOR, of No. 2, Portland Place, Wandsworth Road, in the
Borough of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Practical Chymist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF COAL GAS," to be as follows:-
The objects of this Invention are, firstly, to obtain the largest quantity of
gas from any quantity of coal, or mixtures of coals ordinarily used for the
manufacture of gas, such gas having a higher illuminating power than that
which has been heretofore obtained by other modes or methods of manufacture,
and being also more free from noxious impurities; secondly, to avoid the
formation and deposit in the retorts of any carbonaceous matter, such as that
which has hitherto been found so destructive of retorts, and which has deprived
the gas of much of its chief illuminating power or element; thirdly, to obviate
the necessity of the operators enduring so much heat as they have been
hitherto compelled to endure in charging and in discharging retorts, and
generally in conducting the process of the manufacture of coal gas; fourthly,

page_text: to diminish the amount of labor usually required in the manufacture of coal
gas, to render the process more cleanly, and to ensure exactness and certainty
in every part of the operation, and of the results of every process.
In working with three retorts two of them are to be charged with coals
placed in separate vessels, which I call cradles, in such manner that the coals
do not come in contact with the retorts in which the cradles charged with
coals are placed. I propose that such two retorts, which for convenience
I will call radiators, being heated to a proper degree, shall impart sufficient
heat to the cradles placed within them to cause the vapours of the coals within
the cradles to be evolved and to pass with moderate rapidity into the third
retort, which must be of larger dimensions than the radiators. Within the
third retort, (heated to a proper degree for converting vapour into gas,) are to be
placed metal plates or other substances arranged in such wise that the vapours
evolved from the coals in the cradles must impinge upon and pass over every
part of the incandescent surfaces of such plates or other substances while
passing through the third retort, so that such vapours must be converted into
permanently elastic gas.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hansor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HANSOR, of No. 2, Portland Place, Wandsworth Road, in the Borough of
Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Practical Chymist, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Hansor, Her special license that I, the said James
Hansor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Hansor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Hansor, by an instrument in writing under my

page_text: hand and seal should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hansor, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
The objects of this my Invention are, firstly, to obtain the largest quantity
of gas from any quantity of coals or mixtures of coals ordinarily used for the
manufacture of gas, such gas having a higher illuminating power than that
which has been heretofore obtained by other modes or methods of manufacture,
and being also more free from noxious impurities; secondly, to avoid the
formation and deposit in the retorts of any carbonaceous matter, such as that
which has hitherto been found so destructive of retorts, and which has deprived
the gas of much of its chief illuminating power or element; thirdly, to obviate
the necessity of the operators enduring so much heat as they have been
hitherto compelled to endure in charging and discharging retorts, and generally
in conducting the process of the manufacture of coal gas; fourthly, to diminish
the amount of labour usually required in the manufacture of coal gas, to
render the process more cleanly, and to ensure exactness and certainty in every
part of the operation, and of the results of every process.
In working with three retorts two of them are to be charged with coals,
placed in separate vessels, which I call cradles, in such manner that the coals
do not come in contact with the retorts in which the cradles charged with
coals are placed; I propose that such two retorts, which for convenience I will
call radiators, being heated to a proper degree, shall impart sufficient heat to
the cradles placed within them to cause the vapours of the coals within the
cradles to be evolved and to pass with moderate rapidity into the third retort,
which must be of larger dimensions than the radiators. Within the third
retort (heated to a proper degree for converting vapour into gas) are to be
placed metal plates or other substances, arranged in such wise that the vapours
evolved from the coals in the cradles must impinge upon and pass over every
part of the incandescent surfaces of such plates or other substances while
passing through the third retort, so that such vapours must be converted into
permanently elastic gas.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
the manner of performing the same:

page_text: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of gas apparatus suitably arranged for
carrying out my Invention. A is the ash-pit or lower air chamber; B is the
furnace, arranged to heat the radiators and the large retort at the same time,
the heat being conducted through flues, so placed that those vessels may be
properly heated without waste of fuel; C, C, are the radiators, which have
hinged covers, the upper ends of which are hollow and form part of the pipes
and connexions by which the vapour is conveyed from the cradles D, D;
through the pipes P, P, and their two cocks F, F, to the retort G, to be there
converted into permanently elastic gas; E, E. are the binged covers of the
radiators; E2, E2, are the flanges connecting those covers with the duct
pipes P, P; H is the pipe which conveys the gas from the retort G to the
hydraulic main. The pipe H must be of large diameter, in order that the gas
may pass away with extreme rapidity.
Figure 2 shows a section of the building on the line O, O, and a longi-
tudinal view of the retort G and the radiator C, with its hinged cover E in
position connecting the radiator C and the retort G at the flange E².
Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of a radiator C, with its hinged cover
pipe E in position, and also the portable cradle D, which contains the charge
of coal from which vapour is to be evolved by means of heat imparted by the
red hot radiator C, in which the cradle has been placed, and so arranged that
there is a thin space between the inside of the radiator and the outside of the
cradle; and above that, in Fig. 33, is shown a longitudinal section of the
retort G, with its thin inner plates J, J, dividing the length of the retort into
a number of partial partitions, in order to separate and more effectually heat.
and convert into permanently elastic gas the vapor as it passes away from the
cradle D to the outlet H.
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of a radiator C on the line L², and of
its hinged cover E, let down for the purpose of removing the cradle of
exhausted coal and replacing it by another cradle charged with fresh coal.
Figure 5 shows a cross section of the retort G on the line L, and the face.
of one of the portable partition plates J. The opening K admits the vapour.
into the retort G, so that passing over and impinging upon all the plates J,
when those plates are incandescent, the vapour is converted into gas.
Figure 6 shows a cross section of a radiator C on the line L, and of its
cradle D, as also of the loose division plates M, and the coals which form the
charge; N, N, (Fig. 1,) are pipes and stop-cocks, connected to the cover
pipes E, E, to admit jets of vapour to flow, and thus to show when vapour is.
"

page_text: generated in the cradles D, D: R (Fig. 1) is a pipe and stop-cock, connected
to the exit pipe H, to admit jets of crude gas to flow, and thus to show when
gas is generated in the retorts G. To show when vapour and not gas is
generated in the cradles D, D, I use a white porcelain slab, or some other.
material which has a white surface, by placing it by hand or otherwise behind
the jets which issue from the pipes N, N; and if the colour of these jets be
white like the steam which we occasionally see issuing from the mouths of
tea kettles, the cradles are properly heated, but if the colour of the jet is dark
and approaching to brown, the radiators are too hot and impart too much
heat to the cradles; in such cases the draft of the flues around the radiators
must be checked by means of the dampers, as herein-before described, and
which are shown S, S, S, in Figure 1. In like manner I ascertain the colour
of the jet which issues from the pipe R, and if it be of a clear nut brown
colour, the retort G and the plates J, J, within that retort are properly heated,
but if the issuing gas be of a chocolate colour, then the retort is too hot; in
such case the draft of the flue around that retort must be checked by means of
the damper which regulates that flue. I prefer coke for fuel, and that it
should be broken into small lumps and placed on the furnace bars to the
depth of from four to six inches or more, according to the size of the furnace
and of the vessels to be heated, and that it be raked and kept level on the bars
at all times. In order to obtain as nearly as possible perfect combustion of
the fuel I make the space between the surface of the fuel and the top of the
furnace of about equal area with the ash-pit or lower air chamber, and I admit
air into both those chambers or spaces by any convenient and effective means..
A convenient mode of admitting air into the lower and upper air chambers
simultaneously is shown by the slide U in Figure 1. Dampers conveniently
placed are employed to diminish the area of each flue when that is requisite,
by which means the heat of each radiator and of the retort G may be regulated
at pleasure. All the flues have an outlet to one chimney. The retorts and
radiators may be made either of cast iron or fire-clay. The shape, dimensions,
and numbers of those vessels may be varied, regard being had at all times to
the necessity and importance of having ample heating surface to convert the
vapours into gas.
And on purpose to show more fully the improvements effected, I will now
explain the mode of operation. Having let down one of the hinged doors or
covers E, I put a cradle D, which has previously been filled with coals broken
into small pieces, into the radiator C; these coals are kept in layers by the
introduction of some loose division plates, such as are shown in face view,
Fig. 6, M, M, and also in longitudinal section, Fig. 3, the object of this being

page_text: to give room for expansion of the coal, and in order that the vapour of such
coal may be evolved freely and rapidly. The flange of the hinged cover E is
then luted and put up into position, and made fast by the common door screw,
and a similar luting and fastening is used at the flange E³; the cock F on
that side is then to be opened, thus completing the connection between the
radiator C and the retort G. The cradle in the opposite radiator having been
previously charged with coal and exhausted, I now proceed to discharge it
by shutting its cock F; the cradle on that side may then be removed with its
residuum, the workmen having first put a loose cover on the mouth of the.
cradle to be withdrawn from that radiator. A spare cradle ready filled is
then put into the radiator so emptied, and the connection completed, as above
described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details so long as the peculiar character of my Invention
be retained, but I consider that any material departure from such details
would render the process less efficient and less valuable; but what I
claim is,
Firstly, the employment and use of vessels such as or similar to those which
I call cradles to contain the coals from which first vapour and then gas are to
be generated in the manner herein described, the vapour being generated and
evolved not by direct contact of the coals with incandescent surfaces of metal
or other substances, but by heat radiated from the radiators arranged as
described, and imparted to the cradles with such power as to cause all the
vapours which coals will yield to be freely evolved, and which vapours are to
be converted into illuminating gas by direct contact with incandescent surfaces
of metal or other substances, as herein described.
Secondly, the tests applied as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hansor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WM. G. WILSON,
8, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
J. HANSOR. (L.S.)