IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING FLUIDS EMPLOYED FOR ILLUMINATING PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Denton Abel at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st April
1867. A communication from abroad by Hiram Baker Wellman, of
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING
FLUIDS EMPLOYED FOR ILLUMINATING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a preparation of alkali mixed with resinous gum
and gum camphor, or either of them, which is to be mixed with hydrocarbon
oils or their products known as benzine, naptha, and gasoline, when used as
burning fluids for illuminating purposes, for the purpose of increasing their
illuminating properties and decreasing their volatility, so as to overcome the
danger of explosion arising from the formation of hydrogen gas or gaseous
vapour which is evolved from these hydrocarbons at a low degree of heat.
In order to render petroleum or carbon oil safe for burning purposes it has
been heretofore the practice to cause the more volatile portions of the oil,
such as benzine, naptha, and gasoline to pass off, which is effected in various
ways, this is of course attended with great loss, as these highly volatile
carbons, even if saved by condensation after their separation from the oil, are
of little or no commercial value. Now my foreign correspondent has discovered.
a mode of rendering the benzine, naptha, and gasoline non-volatile at the degree
of heat ordinarily applied for their removal or combustion, thereby enabling

page_text: them as well as the heavier oils to stand what is called the "fire test." By
this means the ordinary refined carbon oil may be used for burning in lamps
without the loss of its benzine, naptha, and gasoline, and these latter hydro-
carbons may themselves be safely used for illuminating purposes. This
result is effected by means of a mixture of ingredients which is added to the
oil, benzine, or gasoline, and dissolved therein without the application of heat.
The preparation of ingredients to be used will vary with the specific gravity
of the hydrocarbon fluid to which it is to be applied. The use of the
distinguishing terms carbon oil, naptha, benzine, and gasoline, as applied to
petroleum and its products is somewhat uncertain, but depends upon the specific
gravity of these various substances as tested by Beaume's hydrometer as
follows: Carbon oil is of the density of 59° and downwards, benzine ranges
from 59° to 64°, naptha from 64° to 70°, gasoline from 70° upwards.
The mixture which is employed for the purposes stated consists principally
of a soluble alkali, and soluble resinous or camphogenous gum, or mixture of
those gums; and for oil of the gravity of 60° Beaume, or thereabouts, the
following ingredients are used in the proportions about as stated, the quantities
here given being such as are requisite for a barrel (40 gallons) of oil, 3 lbs.
sal soda or soda ash, 1 lb. gum arabic, b. gum camphor, to which may be
added any
suitable coloring matter to color the oil, as gamboge for yellow,
alkanet root for red, &c., and any essential oils to give a pleasant odour.
The colouring matter and scents form no essential parts of this Invention.
The ingredients stated above are mixed together and in the shape of coarse
powder are added to the oil, and allowed to stand from 24 to 40 hours, or so
long as may be necessary to effect their solution, for which purpose the
application of heat is not necessary. The object of the sal soda is to give
increased gravity to the oil, and prevent its volatilizing at a low temperature.
As a substitute for this may be used 1 lb. of concentrated soda lye (hydrate
of soda), or 2 lbs. of Epsom salts (sulphate of magnesia), or other similar
soluble alkali; to the above mixture 1 lb. of alum may also be added to
lessen the volatile properties of the hydrocarbon fluid, or may be used in lieu
of the sal soda. The object of the gum arabic, which is a mixture of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen in nearly equal parts, and of the camphor which is
composed of carbon, hydrogen, and water, is to increase the illuminating
properties of the oil without adding to its volatility; for either or both of
these may be substituted gum benzoin or other resinous gum soluble in
carbon oil or its products." It may also be found advisable to use chloride
of sodium (common salt) in addition to or in place of the sal soda. This
ingredient if mixed with carbon oil even without the other ingredients named

page_text: in the mixture will be found effective in preventing the flaring or uneven burning
of the oil, and the evolution of the solid carbon by restraining the formation
of permanent gas or inflammable vapour. If used for the lighter products of
carbon oil, such as benzine, naptha, or gasoline, the quantity of the mixture
to each barrel of fluid must be proportionately increased. The mixture will
also subserve the same important ends when applied to the mixture of tur-
pentine and alcohol, known as campbine, and other volatile burning fluids,
rendering them non-explosive and improving their illuminating properties.
The advantages of this Invention are that by the use of the mixture
carbon oil and its fluid products, as well as all other illuminating fluids, are
rendered non-explosive, their illuminating powers largely increased, the
light evolved being softer and more pleasent to the eye, giving out less smoke
when burned, and producing a more steady and uniform flame.