Improvements in and connected with Gas Producers,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Gas Producers,
I, MAURICE TAYLOR, of 16, Rue de la Grange, Batelière, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
1
The object of this invention is to provide a gas producer which is of small
weight and is without any scrubber requiring a current of water; and which
will supply richer gas than the ordinary poor gas producers, and which can
easily be regulated and kept in repair. The producer is applicable for use in
all cases where a cleanly and simple installation, requiring little attendance is
desired; and in particular it will be found serviceable for auto-car light loco-
motive and like traction.
It will feed a gas engine drawing in gas direct by means of its working piston.
With this object this invention consists in certain special arrangements which
form a novel apparatus which I will proceed to describe.
The apparatus consists of a gas producer wherein the fuel is placed; such fuel
being admitted through a door and a charging slide so that the producer contains
a supply of fuel sufficient for a number of hours operation, and a further supply
is charged in through a sliding door as required.
The fuel is supported by a grate formed with, or secured to, the cleaning door,
which can be quickly opened and closed by means of a pivotted lever and a set
screw.
The gas issues from the producer through an orifice and pipe; and passes
through tubes surrounded by the water which is contained in a tank; which
communicates with another tank having a float whereby the water therein is
maintained at a constant level.
Under the action of the heat of the gases passing through the tubes the water
in the first mentioned tank, becomes converted into steam, and when the pressure
of such steam is sufficient it will pass through a pipe which opens into the
atmosphere, and as hereinafter described this steam will when requisite be
carried into the furnace along with the air in proper proportion.
Upon leaving the before mentioned tubes, the gas passes by a pipe into tubes
which are cooled by contact with the air or other cooling medium, the cooling
surfaces of such tubes being sufficient to effect the complete cooling of the gas
as it passes through them.
On leaving the tubes the gas passes by a pipe into a chamber containing water
the said pipe terminating a little above the surface of the water, so that the
gas, owing to the speed of its motion, impinges on such water and ashes and
dust contained in the gas are retained upon or in the water, while the cooled
and cleansed gas passes to the engine through a suitable pipe.
As the gas is cold when admitted into the chamber containing the water, the
said water is not evaporated and will serve its purpose for a considerable time.
say all day. Before setting the apparatus in operation the water charged with
ashes and dust should be drawn off and a fresh charge of clean water be sub-
stituted.
An air and steam supply pipe at one end opens into a jacket which envelopes,

page_text: or partly envelopes, the lower part of the gas producer and opens under the grate
at the base of the furnace. The said pipe is contracted at its upper end. The
steam under constant pressure is conveyed from the vapourizer through the
before mentioned pipe the end of which is directed towards the orifice of con-
tracted pipe so that when the engine does not draw in gas from the gas producer
the steam escapes into the atmosphere through the said orifice.
Upon the contracted pipe, between the furnace of the gas producer and the
point where the steam pipe opens, there is an air-inlet pipe; the admission of air
being controlled by means of a cock.
In the apparatus described the pressure of the steam is constant, it being
precisely the pressure which is required to cause such steam to circulate through
the system of pipes and to escape in proportion as it is produced. If it were
necessary that the pressure of such steam while constant, should be higher
than the pressure attained in the manner just stated, it will suffice to provide
ordinary constant-pressure feeders in the vapourizer.,
When the fire has been lighted, and covered over with charcoal, so as to fill
the gas producer, the engine is set in operation, the pipe of such engine which
serves to draw in gas, having first been connected with the gas pipe.
I will suppose the air and steam to have been mixed in the requisite pro-
portions in the manner hereinafter described. As a result of the suction exer-
cised by the engine, such air and steam will pass from the contracted ended pipe
to beneath the grate and through the fuel in the furnace, where, in consequence
of the oxygen, contained in the air, and of the steam, coming into contact with
the red-hot charge, they will become converted into a gas consisting of carbonic
oxide hydrogen and nitrogen. The gas thus formed is conveyed to the engine
through the passages and chambers herein before described. Whilst passing
through the tubes in the tank containing water it will heat the water, which,
as it becomes vaporized, supplies the steam required for the production of gas.
In passing from these tubes through the passages herein before referred to the
gas is cooled and on passing into the chamber containing cold water the gas gets
rid of its impurities by coming in contact with the water, and lastly the said.
gas proceeding to the engine in a cooled and cleansed condition.
The arrangement for regulating the proportions of the air and steam drawn
in to produce gas operates as follows:-
As the engine operates to draw in a charge if the air-inlet cock be closed, all
the steam is carried into the gas producer by the air entering through the orifice
contracted pipe, so that a mixture, as rich as possible in steam, is drawn in.
If however the cock in this contracted pipe, be fully opened, whilst the engine
is performing its exhausting stroke, air enters through such cock and fills the
vacuum formed by the gas producer; while the steam, owing to its pressure,
escapes through the contracted orifice, so that air only is drawn into the gas
producer.
If the air-inlet passage for air to the contracted pipe be throttled by means
of the cock, a draft of air through the contracted orifice will form in proportion
as such air-inlet contracts; and the current of air thus created will carry a pro-
portionate quantity of steam along with it into the producer, such quantity being
in all cases equal, given the same aperture of the cock.
When the exhausting action of the engine does not take place, either in
consequence of the action of the regulator, or because the piston is going through
the other phases of the cycle, the whole of the steam will escape through the
contracted orifice, and none will enter the gas producer.
It will be understood that, owing to this arrangement, a mixture of air and
steam in any desired proportions can be drawn into the gas producer, and that
no steam can enter the gas producer unless it be mixed with air in suitable
proportion, this being an indispensable condition for maintaining, in the furnace,
a temperature sufficiently high to ensure a satisfactory decomposition of the
air and steam.

page_text: From the time of drawing in the air and steam, until the gas generated enters
the engine, the current meets with no resistance calculated to interfere with its
circulation, except that offered by the friction in the passages and that which
results from the passing of the gas through the charcoal. As charcoal forms no
slag, the grate never becomes clogged, and its sectional area, together with that
of the spaces remaining free between the pieces of charcoal, are in all cases
larger than the sectional area of the pipes through which the gas is conducted..
The resistance offered to the gas, as it is drawn into the engine, is therefore not
greater than that encountered in petroleum carburizers; and, inasmuch as a gas
engine operates perfectly well where its working piston draws in gas into a
carburizer, its operation will be quite as satisfactory where it is made to draw
in a gaseous mixture through the apparatus herein before described.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W., Agents.
Improvements in and connected with Gas Producers.
I, MAURICE TAYLOR, of 16, Rue de la Grange, Batelière, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, 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;
The object of this invention is to provide a gas producer which is of small
weight and is without any scrubber requiring a current of water; and which
will supply richer gas than the ordinary poor gas producers, and which can
easily be regulated and kept in repair. The producer is applicable for use in
all cases where a cleanly and simple installation, requiring little attendance is
desired; and in particular it will be found serviceable for auto-car light loco-
motive and like traction. It will feed a gas engine drawing in gas direct by
means of its working piston.
With this object this invention consists in certain special arrangements which
form a novel apparatus which I will describe with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus, Fig. 2 on the
line A B and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on the line CD Fig. 1.
The apparatus consists of a gas producer a wherein the fuel is placed; such
fuel being admitted through a door b and a charging slide c, so that the producer
contains a supply of fuel sufficient for a number of hours' operation and a further
supply is charged in through the charging slide as required.
The fuel is supported by a grate formed with, or secured to, the cleaning
door d, which can be quickly opened and closed by means of a pivotted lever e
and a set screw f.
The gas issues from the producer through the orifice and pipe : and passes
through tubes h surrounded by the water which is contained in a tank i, which
communicates with another tank having a float whereby the water therein
is maintained at a constant level.
Under the action of the heat of the gases passing through the tubes h, the
water in the tank i becomes converted into steam, and when the pressure of
such steam is sufficient it will pass through a pipe j, which opens into the
atmosphere, and as hereinafter described this steam will when requisite be
carried into the furnace, along with the air in proper proportion.
Upon leaving the tubes h, the gas passes by a pipe k, into tubes., which are

page_text: cooled by contact with the air or other cooling medium the cooling surfaces of
such tubes being sufficient to effect the complete cooling of the gas as it passes
through them.
On leaving the tubes the gas passes by a pipe n into a cleansing chamber m
containing water the said pipe n terminating a little above the surface of the
water so that the gas, owing to the speed of its motion, impinges on such water
and ashes and dust contained in the gas are retained upon or in the water,
while the cooled and cleansed gas passes to the engine through a suitable pipe v.
As the gas is cold when admitted into the chamber m, the water in the said
chamber is not evaporated and will serve its purpose for a considerable time,
say all day. Before setting the apparatus in operation the water charged with
ashes and dust should be drawn off and a fresh charge of clean water be sub-
stituted.
An air-and-steam supply pipe at one end opens into a jacket which
envelopes, or partly envelopes, the lower part of the gas producer and opens
under the grate at the base of the furnace. The said pipe p is contracted at
its upper end r. The steam under constant pressure is conveyed from the
vaporizer through the pipe j, the end of which is directed towards the orifice r,
so that, when the engine does not draw in gas from the gas producer, the steam
escapes into the atmosphere through the said orifice r.
Upon the pipe 2, between the furnace of the gas producer and the point where
the pipe opens, there is an air-inlet pipe s, the admission of air being controlled
by means of a cock t.
In the apparatus described the pressure of the steam is constant, it being
precisely the pressure which is required to cause such steam to circulate through
the system of pipes and to escape in proportion as it is produced. If it were
necessary that the pressure of such steam, while constant, should be higher
than the pressure attained in the manner just stated, it will suffice to provide
ordinary constant pressure feeders in the vapourizer.
When the fire has been lighted and covered over with charcoal, so as to fill
the gas producer, the engine is set in operation, the pipe of such engine which
serves to draw in gas, having first been connected with the pipe o.
I will suppose the air and steam to have been mixed in the requisite pro-
portions in the manner hereinafter described. As a result of the suction exercised
by the engine, such air and steam will pass from the pipe to beneath the
grate, and through the fuel in the furnace, where in consequence of the oxygen.
contained in the air, and of the steam, coming into contact with the red-hot
charge, they will become converted into a gas consisting of carbonic oxide
hydrogen and nitrogen. The gas thus formed is conveyed to the engine through
the passages and chambers g, h, k, l, n, m and o. Whilst passing through the
tubes it will heat the water in the tank i, which, as it becomes vapourized,
supplies the steam required for the production of gas. In passing through the
passages k, and n the gas is cooled and on passing from the pipe n into the
chamber m the gas gets rid of its impurities by coming in contact with the
water and lastly, the gas proceeds to the engine from the pipe o in a cooled
and cleansed condition.
The arrangement for regulating the proportions of the air and steam drawn
in to produce gas operates as follows:
-
As the engine operates to draw in a charge if the air-inlet cock be closed,
all the steam is carried into the gas producer by the air entering through the
orifice so that a mixture, as rich as possible in steam, is drawn in.
If, however, the cock t be fully opened, whilst the engine is performing its
exhausting stroke, air enters through such cock and fills the vacuum formed
by the gas producer; while the steam, owing to its pressure, escapes through the
orifice r, so that air only is drawn into the gas producer.
If the air-inlet s be throttled by means of the cock t, a draught of air through
the said orifice will form in proportion as such air-inlet contracts, and the

page_text: current of air thus created will carry a proportionate quantity of steam along
with it into the producer, such quantity being in all cases equal, given the same
aperture of the cock t.
When the exhausting action of the engine does not take place, either in
consequence of the action of the regulator, or because the piston is going through
the other phases of the cycle, the whole of the steam will escape through the
orifice r, and none will enter the gas producer.
It will be understood that, owing to this arrangement, a mixture of air and
steam in any desired proportions can be drawn into the gas producer, and that
no steam can enter the gas producer unless it be mixed with air in suitable
proportion, this being an indispensable condition for maintaining, in the furnace,
a temperature sufficiently high to ensure a satisfactory decomposition of the
air and steam.
From the time of drawing in the air and steam until the gas generated enters
the engine, the current meets with no resistance calculated to interfere with its
circulation, except that offered by the friction in the passages and that which
results from the passing of the gas through the charcoal. As charcoal forms no
slag, the grate never becomes clogged, and its sectional area, together with that
of the spaces remaining free between the pieces of charcoal, are in all cases
larger than the sectional area of the pipes through which the gas is conducted.
The resistance offered to the gas, as it is drawn into the engine, is therefore not
greater than that encountered in petroleum carburizers and, inasmuch as a gas
engine operates perfectly well where its working piston draws in gas into a
carburizer, its operation will be quite as satisfactory where it is made to draw
in a gaseous mixture through the apparatus herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. In gas producers for connection with a gas engine, the combination of
means substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated, for forming a
complete gas producer offering but a very slight resistance to the passage of
the gases substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. In gas producers for connection with a gas engine, means substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings whereby
the gases are cooled down by contact with cooled surfaces, such cooling being
effected before the said gases pass off to the cleanser.
3. The means hereinbefore described for controlling (or proportioning) the
mixture of steam and air, consisting of
a-The combination of constant pressure air and steam pipes, wherein
the steam pipe has its outlet turned in the direction opposite to that of the
entrance of the air, so that, whenever there is no suction, the steam escapes
into the atmosphere; and
The arrangement for introducing air into the above mentioned com-
bination of pipes in variable proportions, between the steam inlet and the
furnace of the gas producer: so as to admit steam and air into the gas
producer. mixed in pre-determined proportions, no matter what may be the
volume of steam issuing through the steam supply pipe: all substantially
as hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of September 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX.
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C..
Agents.