IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM AND OTHER VOLATILE LIQUIDS. AND FOR MAKING GAS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM AND
OTHER VOLATILE LIQUIDS. AND FOR MAKING GAS."-A communication from
abroad by George Hughes Sinclair Duffus, of the City and State of New
York Linited States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th February 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETRO-
LEUM AND OTHER VOLATILE LIQUIDS, AND FOR MAKING GAS." to be as follows:-
In this improved apparatus the bottom plate of the retort rests upon the
brick base of the furnace, the outer edge taking the form of a gutter to receive
Price d

page_text: and retain any residuum of the distillation and any foreign substances that
may make their way into the retort. The sides rise with an ascending curve
for a distance of about two-thirds or one-half the length of its radius, when
they suddenly rise into a dome of conical or other shape, reaching about two-
thirds the height of the retort. The object in constructing the bottom of the
retort in this way is to create more heating surface, and to cause the charge in
the retort to surround a combustion chamber in which the unconsumed gases
of the fire will collect, and where they will be ignited before they can escape
therefrom, thereby exposing the charge to the action of heat, not only about
the circumference, but also high up in the centre of the retort. The outer
wall of the retort joins the bottom plate at its outer edge, and extends thence
upwards in a cylindrical form, and is then domed over so as to complete the
retort. Another wall of some suitable metal is secured either to the base of
the furnace, or to the outer wall, and surrounds the retort, leaving a flue space
between the retort and the wall about 6 inches in depth in a still of the
capacity of 500 gallons. The outer wall of the envelope is secured to the
base of the furnace, and the space enclosed between it and the inner wall
is filled with any suitable non-conducting substance or composition. A
composition has been used for this purpose consisting of one part of plaster of
paris, and two parts of wood ashes, by measure, mixed to a proper consistency
by means of water. The inner and outer walls of the envelope are secured
together by bolts, and properly packed apertures are made through them to
receive the pyrometer tube and the steam pipe. The pipe of the worm fits in
an open collar or discharge pipe, which springs from the crown of the retort.
This collar passes up through the flue space and through an opening in the
outer walls larger than the collar to a height above the top or crown of the
outer wall. The annular space left around the collar is covered at pleasure by
dampers which swing on hinges, so as to close the flue opening more or less
'completely. A steam pipe is conducted through the outer envelope across the
flue space, through the shell of the retort, and is carried downwards until it
reaches a perforated horizontal pipe with which it is connected. This pipe
lies over the trough or gutter of the bottom plate of the retort, and is supported
over it upon rods which lie across the gutter. In one side of the still a collar
is passed from within the retort through all the walls to receive a stop-cock
and its pipe. The furnace is to be supplied with gas or its equivalent for
fuel through a gas pipe which is carried through a water packing to prevent
the escape of the gas. The gas pipe enters the burner or furnace from below
and it is secured in any suitable way to its lower plate. This gas pipe should
have a cock fitted in it so as to control the supply admitted to the furnace.

page_text: The burner is supported on. the inner end of a balance lever hinged to a
hanger which depends from the central part of the plate of the furnace; this
lever has its fulcrum within or beneath the base of the furnace, and carries a
weight at its outer end to counteract the weight of the burner or furnace. The
furnace is an annular hollow box, whose top and bottom plates are perforated.
The plates are firmly bolted together by bolts, and are perforated with holes.
which occur opposite to each other and are connected by mineral tubes of a
conical shape. These tubes form air passages through the furnace or burner,
and are constructed to be pervious to gas admitted within the burner, the
operation being that the gas makes its way through the walls of the tubes
which are fitted about the holes of the plates, and mixes with the currents of
air as they ascend, and the mingled air and gas are ignited as they issue through
the upper part of the tubes. By means of the movable furnace the attendant
can increase or diminish the heat at which the charge stands according to the
exigency of the work by raising or lowering the burner or furnace nearer to or
away from the retort. The furnace is to be supplied with air in a regulated
manner by means of air courses, which may be closed and opened by means of
doors. Sliding doors are hung upon the supporting lever and also on the gas
pipe for the purpose of closing the openings in the base through which the
lever and pipe move. These doors are of such size that they will cover the
openings in all positions of the lever or pipe, which can therefore he moved to
various positions according to the elevation or depression to be given to the
furnace without admitting air to the furnace through the openings. The steam
pipe in the retort is perforated at its bottom with holes for the purpose of
cleansing the bottom of the retort. The steam being admitted into the pipe
under pressure escapes through the holes in the pipe and dissolves and removes
impurities and foreign matters and tar, if any is present, which may be
deposited in the gutter of the retort, or adhere to it and the adjacent parts.
The steam is then allowed to blow off. The discharge pipe of the retort is
placed vertically above the top of the heating and combustion chamber, and
therefore the vapours are subjected to the heat arising from the chamber at the
instant they leave the retort and enter the discharge pipe, and their vaporiza-
tion is made more perfect. The conical tubes of the burner are made of a
composition made by mixing pulverized burnt fire-clay with powdered glass,
carbonate of soda, or some other flux or substance of similar character, which
may be baked with fire-clay at a low red or white heat, and by its fusion at
such heat will serve to unite the particles of fire-clay, but yet make with it a
composition of a very porous character, which is sufficiently refractory to enable
the gas to be burnt on its surface and to bear the repeated heating and

page_text: cooling to which the tubes are subjected. A man-hole is to be provided in the
top of the still for charging the retort, and the furnace or burner is to be
adjusted at such a distance below the bottom of the retort as to produce the
requisite degree of heat in the operations of the still. As it is suspended
against the weight it is evident that if the latter is moved toward the end of
the lever the heater or furnace will be brought nearer to the retort and vice
versa.
These improvements are also applicable to apparatus for making gas and oils.
from coal and carboniferous shale or other solid substances, the retort being in
such cases made of sufficient strength and the steam pipe protected or com-
bined with the walls of the retort so as not to be liable to injury from contact
with the coal, and it is intended to use these improvements in the manufacture
of gas and oils from these materials. This furnace can be used with great
advantage in all processes where liquids are to be evaporated, and wherever
regulated heat is to be applied.
The combustion chamber may be made of various shapes without departing
from the principle of this part of the Invention, which consists essentially in
conducting the hot gases of the fire up within the centre of the charge, and
consuming some of them in the centre of the retort, and also high up within
it for the purpose of distributing the heat more equally through the charge
therein, and this result may be reached also by conducting the products of
combustion through a pipe, which may traverse the interior of the retort, or
ascend and descend within it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING
PETROLEUM AND OTHER VOLATILE LIQUIDS. AND FOR MAKING GAS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their. or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Edward Newton, 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):-
By
Many attempts have been made to improve the processes and the apparatus
used in rectifying crude oils. The best attempts have not succeeded in
reducing the time of vaporizing below an average of four hours, nor in reducing
the tar residuum below an average of twelve per cent. of the charge.
means of the present Invention the contents of the still begin to vaporize in
about half an hour, and the amount of tar left in the still is reduced to less
than three per cent. of the charge.
The several Figures in the accompanying Drawing shew so much of a still
and furnace as illustrates this Invention.
Fig. 1 is an elevation in vertical section taken in the line x of Fig. 3 of a
still for rectifying petroleum and other hydrocarbons, and other liquids made
according to the present Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the furnace and
of the foundation which supports the still and its walls; Fig. 3 is a plan view
of the apparatus taken on the line y of Fig 1; Fig. 4 is an inverted view of
the apparatus, shewing the furnace from beneath; Fig. 5 is an inverted view
of the perforated steam pipe g2; Fig. 6 is a detailed view shewing a portion
of the upper and lower plates of the furnace, and a section of one of the
mineral tubes P, which are fixed between said plates as herein-after
described.
A is the supporting base of the still. The front of the furnace is provided
with a door (not shewn in the Drawing) to allow access to be had to its

page_text: interior, and the walls of the base a may be perforated on every side, and
te perforations fitted with dampers for the admission of air to support com-
bustion. The bottom plate a of the retort rests upon the base A, and its
contour is shewn in Fig. 1, the outer edge taking the form of a gutter to
receive and retain any residuum of the distillation, and any foreign substances
that may make their way into the retort. The central part of the still rises
with an ascending curve for a distance of about two-thirds or one-half the
length of its radius, when it suddenly rises into a dome a' of conical or other
shape, reaching about two-thirds the height of the retort. The object in con-
structing the bottom of the retort in this way is to create more heating surface,
and to cause the charge in the retort to surround a combustion chamber, in
which the unconsumed gases of the fire will collect, and where they will be
liable to be ignited before they can escape therefrom, thereby exposing the
charge to the action of heat, not only about the circumference; but also high
up in the centre of the retort. The outer wall b of the retort joins the bottom
plate a at its outer edge, and extends thence upwards in a circular form as
shewn. Another wall c, of some suitable metal, secured either to the base A
or to the outer wall d, surrounds the retort, leaving a flue space C between the
retort and the wall c about six inches in depth in a still of the capacity of
five hundred gallons. The outer wall d is secured to the base A, and the
space enclosed between it and the wall C is filled with any suitable non-
conducting substance or composition D. A composition has been used for
this purpose consisting of one part of plaster of Paris and two parts of wood
ashes by measure mixed to a proper consistency in water. The walls d and c
are secured together by means of bolts, and the apertures through them to
receive the tube of the usual pyrometer or gauge U, and the steam pipe g are
properly fitted with collars, and are packed air-tight. The pipe of the worm
fits in an open collar or discharge pipe G, which springs from the crown of
the retort. This collar passes up through the flue space C and through an
opening in the outer walls larger than the collar to a height above the top
or crown of the outer wall d. The annular space left around the collar is
covered at pleasure by dampers O, which swing on hinges so as to close the
flue, opening more or less completely. The pyrometer tube passes through
all the walls into the retort, and down almost to its floor. It is a tight or close
tube except at its upper end where the expansion rod emerges from the tube.
This expansion rod is made in any of the usual forms, and any kind of
pyrometer may be used instead of the one shewn. An expansion rod composed
of two-thirds zinc and one-third copper is found to give satisfaction. A steam
pipe is conducted through the outer walls d, c, across the flue space C

page_text: through the shell of the retort, and is carried downwards until it reaches the
perforated horizontal pipe g. with which it is conducted. The pipe g lies over
the trough or gutter of the bottom plate of the retort, and is supported over it
upon rods which lie across the gutter. The joint made by the passage of the
steam pipe through the shell of the retort should be securely packed, so that
air shall not be admitted within the retort. In one side of the still a collar g
is passed from within the retort through all the walls to receive a stop cock
and its pipe g'. The furnace is to be supplied with gas. or its equivalent, for
fuel through a gas pipe h, which is carried through the water-packing or other
box II (as shewn in the Drawing) to prevent the escape of gas. The gas
pipe enters the burner or furnace from below, and it is secured in any.
suitable way to its lower plate j; this gas pipe h should have a cock fitted in
it so as to control the supply admitted to the furnace 1. The inner end of a
balance lever L is hinged to a hanger which depends from the central part of
the plate J of the furnace. This lever has its fulcrum at /, within or beneath
the base A, and carries a weight at its outer end to counteract the weight of
the burner or furnace 1, which is wholly sustained upon the inner end of the
lever. The furnace is an annular hollow box whose top and bottom plates i
and are perforated as seen in the Drawing. The plates are firmly bolted
together by bolts, and are perforated with holes n which occur opposite to each
other, and are connected by mineral or earthen tubes P of a conical shape,
one of which is shown in Fig. 6 enlarged. These tubes form air passages
through the furnace or burner 1, and are made of such materials and so con-
structed as to be pervious to gas admitted within the burner I through the
pipe h, the operation being that the gas makes its way through the walls of
the tubes P which are fitted about the holes # of the plates, and mixes with
the currents of air as they ascend, and the mingled air and gas are ignited
as they issue through the upper part of the tubes. By means of the moveable
furnace the attendant can increase or diminish the heat at which the charge
stands, according to the exigency of the work, by raising or lowering the
burner or furnace nearer to or away from the retort. The furnace is to be
supplied with air in a regulated manner by means of air courses V, two or
more, which may be closed and opened by means of doors t. 8, s, are sliding
doors hanging upon the lever L and also on the gas pipe h, for the purpose of
closing the openings in the base through which the lever and pipe move,
These doors are of such size that they will cover the openings in all positions
of the lever or pipe, which can therefore be moved to various positions accord-
ing to the elevation or depression to be given to the furnace without admitting
air to the furnace through the-openings. The steam pipe is perforated at

page_text: its bottom with holes for the purpose of cleansing the bottom of the retort by
blowing steam through. The steam is admitted into the pipe under pressure
and escapes through the holes in the pipe g, and dissolves and removes im-
purities and foreign matters and tar which may be deposited in the gutter of
the retort or adhere to it and the adjacent parts. The steam is then allowed
to blow off through the cock of the pipe g'. The discharge pipe of the retort
is placed vertically above the top of the heating and combustion chamber a',
and therefore the vapours are subjected to the heat arising from the chamber
at the instant they leave the retort and enter the discharge pipe G, and their
vaporization is made more perfect. In consequence of the position of the
dome or combustion chamber at directly beneath the discharge pipe of the
retort, solid matter is prevented from being carried out of the retort through
the worm, and the effect is to greatly hasten the distillation, as well as to carry
it on in a more perfect manner than has heretofore been effected by other
means. The conical tubes P are made of a composition made by mixing
pulverized burnt fire clay with powdered glass, carbonate of soda, or some other
flux or substance of similar character, which may be baked with fire clay at a
low red or white heat, and by its fusion at such heat will serve to unite the
particles of fire clay, but yet make with it a composition of a very porous
character which is sufficiently refractory to enable the gas to be burnt on its
surface, and to bear the repeated heating and cooling to which the tubes are
subjected. To make the composition for the tubes, the fire clay requires to be
first burnt as for fire bricks, and, to save trouble, the best Stourbridge fire
brick may be used. The burnt fire clay is then ground to about the fineness
of coarse sand, and when ground is mixed with finely powdered glass or
carbonate of soda, in the proportion of from one to one and a half parts (by
measure) of glass to six parts of the fire clay, or one part of carbonate of soda
to eight parts of fire clay. It is preferable, however, to use the glass in all
cases. To this mixture a little gum water is added as is necessary to make
the mass sufficiently cohesive to enable it to be moulded in proper moulds into
the required form for the tubes. The tubes after being moulded are baked in
a pottery or other kiln or suitable oven, in which they are heated so gradually
that they will be about seven or eight hours arriving at a white heat, and are
kept at that heat for about half an hour, after which they are allowed to cool.
The flux or fusible matter when fused runs over the particles of fire clay, and
shrinks in such a manner as to leave innumerable fine pores between them
for the issue of the gas, but yet causes the cohesion of the particles, and makes
a porous material having considerable tenacity. A manhole U¹ is to be pro-
vided in the top of the still for charging the retort; the furnace I is to be

page_text: adjusted at such a distance below the bottom of the retort as to produce the
requisite degree of heat in the operations of the still. As it is suspended
against the weight it is evident that if the latter is moved toward the end of
the latter, the heater or furnace will be brought nearer to the retort, and
vice versa. I can also moderate the heat by lessening the flow of gas
through the pipe in combination with the movement of the heater or
burner.
In making the still with the improvements I fill the retort with crude oil
so as to cover the top of the dome, say to a distance half way between its top
and the crown of the retort. The still then being made ready in other respects
gas or its equivalent is passed into the interior of the heater I, where it
becomes mixed with atmospheric air as a supporter of combustion, and issues
thence through the holes in the top plate i where it is ignited. The flames
and hot vapors and products of combustion strike against the bottom of the
retort, and have a tendency to move upwards along its rising walls towards the
interior of the dome a which will be always full of these vapours and gases
which are most highly heated, and therefore the lightest. As these gases
lose heat they fall and are replaced by hotter currents, and the cooler currents
will be forced through the channels goutwards into the flue space C, which
communicates around the whole or greater part of the circumference of the
still with the space beneath the retort, and they pass up around the retort, and
over it through the opening d', the dampers O being opened more or less to
permit them to pass away. The furnace is guided in its movements by
guides m fixed in the sides of the opening made in the centre of the base A to
receive the furnace, the guides projecting into recesses cut for them in the
circumference of the furnace. After the fire is started the heat is brought up
to one hundred and thirty degrees, or thereabouts, by the pyrometer, which in
this still takes about half an hour when the naphtha begins to come off. The
heat is afterwards gradually increased, it being allowed to run up to nearly
three hundred degrees, but not above that until all the naphtha has come off
and the oil begins to pass the worm. When the naptha has all passed off
the heat is increased gradually to five hundred and fifty degrees or thereabouts,
and is maintained at about that temperature until the charge in the still is
exhausted, during the whole of which stage oil fit for illuminating purposes
and of an excellent quality passes through the worm.
There is only a very.
small per-centage of residuum left in the retort, because the crude oil is kept
at the same temperature throughout its mass, and therefore it cannot be burnt
on the bottom and along the sides of this still as in other stills. When the
charge is heated beyond the point above stated the material is changed in

page_text: character.
When the charge is not heated equally, or the heat is not diffused
equally throughout its mass, some portions of the oil are at a higher tempera-
ture than is required to vaporize it, and such portions consequently are burnt
to tar, which falls to the bottom of the retort where it is heated again and
again, making a heavy vapour which mingles with the lighter vapours, and
the distilled products when afterwards heated on the agitator leave a greater
amount of tar in the refuse than in distillations which are conducted without
burning the oil. The oil run off from this still requires a less amount of acid
and takes a less time to settle than is ordinarily allotted to operations of this
sort. This furnace, and the method described for operating it, enable one to
regulate the temperature to suit the different gravities of the oil as it comes
over, while with an ordinary furnace the heat varies as the fire is renewed or
dies away.
In case of an accident the action of this furnace can be discon-
tinued instantaneously by shutting off the gas, thereby saving the labor of
hauling the fire or of extinguishing it. One man can attend ten or a dozen
stills of this construction. This still can be cooled off and ready for cleaning
within one hour after the charge is run off, whereas a still of the usual con-
struction requires with the best setting three to six hours before it is safe to
open it after the charge is run off. An ordinary result of this still is to obtain
about sixteen per cent. of naphtha, about eighty-one per cent. of illuminating
oil, and about three per cent. of tar, while it is common to find even a less per-
centage of tar in the retort. This per-centage of illuminating oil will stand
about one hundred and fifty-three degrees of heat before it will take fire.
These improvements are also applicable to apparatus for making gas and
oils from coal and carboniferous shale, or other solid substances, the retort
being in such cases made of sufficient strength, and the steam pipe so protected
or combined with the walls of the retort as not to be liable to injury from
contact with the coal, and it is intended to use these improvements in the
manufacture of gas and oils from these materials. This furnace can be used
with great advantage in all processes where liquids are to be evaporated, and
wherever regulated heat is to be applied.
The combustion chamber a' may be made of various shapes without depart-
ing from the principle of this part of the Invention, which consists essentially
in conducting the hot gases of the fire up within the centre of the charge, and
consuming some of them in the centre of the retort, and also high up within
it for the purpose of distributing the heat more equally through the charge
therein, and this result may be reached also by conducting the products of
combustion through a pipe which may traverse the interior of the retort, or
ascend and descend within it.

page_text: Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to micC
as aforesaid, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid,
First, constructing in stills for rectifying petroleum and other oils, or
producing illuminating or other oils or gases from any substance capable of
treatment by heat, a combustion chamber or its equivalent within the retort
as described.
Second, the use of the pervious cone P as above described.
Third, in reference to stills for rectifying petroleum, or in which oils, coals,
or other substances are treated by heat, I claim arranging the furnace or
burner by which the heat is communicated or created, so that it and the flames
or incandescent fuel can be moved nearer to and further away from the retort
according to the condition of the work as herein set forth.
Fourth, I claim the burner or furnace I constructed as described.
Fifth. I claim the combination of the pervious cones with the gas pipe h
and the perforated plates i and j, or their equivalents, as described.
Sixth, in reference to stills for rectifying petroleum and other oils, or pro-
ducing illuminating or other oils or gases from any substance capable of
treatment by heat, I claim covering the still with a jacket filled with non-
conducting materials as described.
Seventh, claim the use in stills for rectifying petroleum and other oils,
or for producing illuminating or other oils or gases from any substance
capable of treatment by heat of steam for the purpose of cleansing the retort
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newion, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness.
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)