Improvements, in Apparatus for Enriching Illuminating Gas..
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1856
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements, in Apparatus for Enriching Illuminating Gas..
We, WILLIAM EWING, of the Gas. Works, Hamilton, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Gas Engineer, and JAMES MEIKLE, of 342, Gairbraid Street, in
the County of Glasgow, North Britain, Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is
to say:-
Our said invention has for its object the construction of improved apparatus for
enriching illuminating gas, our apparatus being specially adapted for convenient
application in houses, works, or other buildings. whore the gas is to be consumed,
provision boing made for safely renewing the supplies of enriching,material.
A modification of apparatus embodying r improvements is shown on an
accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, Figure, 1,.of which is a sectional
elevation and Figure, 2, a horizontal, section.
In these, drawings the same reference lettors are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
The enricher or carburetter is a vessel, A, which is cylindrical in plan, but
which may be of a rectangular or other simple form. The vessel, A, has fixed to
it gas-inlet tan,or valve, B, to, ho, permanently fixed to the gas supply pipe, and
a gas-outlet tap or valve, C, to be permanently fixed to the pipe for leading the
enriched gas to the burners. Within the vessel, A, there is formed a lower
compartment by a disk or diaphragm, D, which has fixed to its underside vertical
partitions, E, forming a circuitous passage as shown in Figure, 2, which is a
horizontal section as taken through the lower compartment. A pipe, F, connects
the inlet tap, B, with the space under the diaphragm, D, and the entering gas has
to go through the circuitous passage formed by the partitions, E. The enriching
material, which may be benzene or other suitable liquid and comparatively volatile
hydrocarbon, is contained in a vessel, G, having a neck which is fitted with a tap
or valve, H, and is adapted for being connected by a screw coupling, J, to a tap or
valve, K, fixed at the upper end of a pipe, L, which extends down through the top
of the vessel, A, and through the diaphragm, D. When connected, as shown, the
vessel, G, serves, like a bird-fountain, to maintain the benzene at a uniform level in
the bottom compartment of the vessel, A, the bottom of the pipe, L, being formed
with a notch to allow bubbles of gas to ascend into the vessel aud the benzene to
descend as required. The pipe, L, is fixed to the top of the vessel, A, preferably
so as to be adjustable, a screw thread being formed on it to receive nuts, M, N,
inside and outside of the vessel, A. When the benzene in the vessel, G, is
exhausted the taps, K, and H, are to be closed, and then the vessel, G+, can be
detached by loosening the screw coupling nut, J. The vessel, G, may be refilled
and again attached; it is however preferred to provide a number of benzene
vessels (G) and to fill thein at gas works or other suitable establishment, and to
replace each empty vessel, G, at once by a filled_one.
vessel, G, may be provided with a slip or rod, P, of glass or other suitable
translucent material to show at any time how full the vessel is.
If desired the benzene
A central part of the space surrounding the dipping pipe, L, under the
diaphragm, D, is enclosed by a circular purtition, Q, which does not extend down
to the bottom of the vessel, A, but dips just below the level of the benzene, its
lower edge being serrated. An opening, R, is formed through the diaphragm, D,

page_text: within the space enclosed by the partition, Q, and the gas, to reach the opening, R,
and thence pass to the outlet tap, C, has to pass under the partition, Q, and in
doing so has to pass through a slight depth, say to or inch, of the benzene. This
arrangement insures the taking up by the gas of an effectual proportion of hydro-
carbon and of its absorbing some of the less volatile constituents when the hydro-
carbon is a mixture comprising portions of different volatilities.
If found
preferable the gas may be made to pass first under a serrated partition and
afterwards through a circuitous course over the surface of the hydrocarbon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :—
1. The combination of parts constituting as a whole the improved gas-enriching
apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In apparatus for enriching illuminating gas by means of hydrocarbons
providing detachable vessels for supplying hydrocarbon with taps or valves and
coupling substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The hereinbefore described construction of parts of apparatus for enriching
illuminating gas whereby the gas is made to pass over the surface of the hydro-
carbon and may also dip below that surface to a slight extent.
Dated this Twenty-second day of October 1895.
EDMUND HUNT,:
Applicants' Agent.