Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of
Illuminating Gas.
I, WALTER HEBDEN WILSON, of 5, Chapel Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Owner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas from coal, or
analogous material, in closed retorts or vessels, with the object of increasing the
illuminating power of gas made from a given kind of coal or material, and also
to increase the volume from a given quantity or weight.
According to this invention, gas is made from coal or analogous material, in
closed retorts or chambers, heated externally within a suitable bench or chamber,
and the mouth pieces, pipes, or other parts or conduits by which the gas is.
conveyed away to the purifiers are heated externally, or maintained, artificially, at
such a temperature above that at which they would normally be in ordinary
practice, as to obtain the ends effected by this invention; or, the gas coming from
retorts, heated ducts, or other apparatus, is otherwise suitably or equivalently
heated or maintained at the required temperature. This heating may be carried
or maintained as far on towards the condensers or purifiers as may be deemed
suitable or desirable, and the temperatures may be graduated in some cases.
In carrying out this invention, the nature of which is above described, the
ordinary ascension pipes and mouth pieces of the ordinary kind of beds of retorts
may be heated by enclosing same, and allowing a portion of the heat of the retort
furnace to radiate onto, or to be conducted to, (or both), the said mouth pieces and
pipes; or they may be otherwise suitably heated.
In carrying out the invention in connection with systems other than the ordinary
illuminating-gas making system, the means of heating the different parts or conduits
would necessarily be arranged and adapted to operate so as to meet such cases, and
hence, in applying the invention to different systems of gas making, and different
forms of apparatus, the means or mode by which the application would be carried
out would be so modified in different ways as to meet the varying conditions of
its use.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with
Illuminating Gas.
the
Manufacture of
I, WALTER HEBDEN WILSON, of 5, Chapel Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Owner, 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:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas from coal, or
analogous material, in closed retorts or vessels, with the object of increasing the
illuminating power of gas made from a given kind of coal or material, and also to
increase the volume from a given quantity or weight.
According to this invention, gas is made from coal or analogous material, in
-

page_text: closed retorts or chambers, heated externally within a suitable bench or chamber,
and the mouth pieces, pipes or other parts or conduits by which the gas is
conveyed away to the purifiers are heated externally, or maintained, artificially,
at such a temperature above that at which they would normally be in ordinary
practice, as to obtain the ends effected by this invention; or, the gas coming from
retorts, heated ducts, or other apparatus, is otherwise suitably or equivalently
heated or maintained at the required temperature. This heating may be carried or
maintained as far on towards the condensers or purifiers as may be deemed suitable
or desirable, and the temperature may be graduated in some cases.
In carrying out this invention, the nature of which is above described, the
ordinary ascension pipes and mouth pieces of the ordinary kinds of beds of retorts
may be heated by enclosing same, and allowing a portion of the heat of the retort
furnace to radiate onto, or to be conducted to, (or both), the said mouth pieces and
pipes or they may be otherwise suitably heated.
In carrying out the invention in connection with systems other than the ordinary
illuminating-gas making system, the means of heating the different parts or conduits
would necessarily be arranged and adapted to operate so as to meet such cases, and
hence, in applying the invention to different systems of gas making, and different forms
of apparatus, the means or mode by which this application would be carried out
would be so modified in different ways as to meet the varying conditions of
its use.
The drawings hereto appended illustrate three modifications or arrangements
according to this invention, Figures 1 and 2 being front elevation and cross section,
respectively, of one arrangement; Figure 3 sectional elevation of the second; and
Figure 4, also a sectional elevation, of the third arrangement.
With reference in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2, a designates brickwork
of an ordinary retort bench; b are the retorts; c are the mouthpieces; d are the
ascension pipes; and e is the hydraulic main. In addition to these parts, which
may be taken to represent those which exist in an ordinary gas-work, there is
provided a front wall ƒ, and walls f¹at the back of the ascension pipes; and a
cover. These, as will be seen, enclose the mouth pieces and ascension pipes
which are subjected to the heat radiated or conducted from the brickwork a.
In some cases the space enclosed within the walls ff and cover f³, may be filled
with sand or other suitable material, so as to cover the surfaces of the metallic
parts with a non-conducting material.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 3, the waste hot products of combustion
from within the bed is admitted therefrom into the space between the front wall of
the bed and the wall, an arch or division f³ being provided to convey such products
to the main flue after heating up the mouth pieces or ascension pipes. The gases
pass from the bed by apertures in the front wall, and pass away from the space
enclosed by the walls f and f³ to the main flue by the passage '. In this case also,
walls are also provided for enclosing the upper part of the ascension pipes, which
part, however, would be heated by radiant heat; or, the gases after heating the
lower part of such pipes and mouth pieces, may pass into the space in which the
upper part of the pipes are enclosed.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 4, the ascension pipes are carried up to the
upper part of the bench, and then along through a space or spaces in the roof of
the bench towards the other end of the bed, and then up into the hydraulic main.
The space, in this case, between the front wall a and the wall f, may be heated by
radiation and conduction, or by the waste products of combustion, as above
described. Such space and the space within which the horizontal portion d' of the
pipes d lie, are in communication with each other. Suitable caps d³ are preferably
provided on the pipes d d¹ for the purpose of gaining access to such pipes, for the
purpose of cleaning or scraping or examination. In lieu of disposing the hydraulic
main at the back of the bed, it may be arranged in front.
The effect of the apparatus described or shewn is, that the mode or process of
making gas herein specified, is carried out, that is to say, the coal is distilled in the

page_text: retorts d in the ordinary way, and the gases produced are discharged into and
carried by relatively hot pipes and conduits into the hydraulic main, the
temperature being preferably graduated, falling as it travels further from the
mouth pieces c.
The temperature to which the mouth pieces and lower half or part of the
ascension pipes are heated may be in excess of the temperature of the gas as it
comes away from the retorts and enters the mouth pieces; or, it may be about the
same temperature. When an excess of temperature is maintained in the mouth
pieces and ascension pipes, they may be raised to and maintained at about 400
to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and as the gas rises and passes through the ascension
pipes, it becomes gradually cooler towards the hydraulic main, where it may be
diminished by say 200 to 400 degrees. These limits may be exceeded within
reason in either direction. They are, however, such as may be used with
advantage, since valuable results may be obtained by working with them.
Of course, if a hydraulic main is employed, the temperature of the liquor therein
should not be raised to its boiling point, but may be kept with advantage just under
it. This may be done by so graduating the reduction of temperature of the gas
from the retorts, that by the time it reaches the hydraulic main it is only sufficiently
hot to keep the liquor at a high temperature, but under boiling point. Or, if the
gas is discharged into the hydraulic main at a relatively high temperature, the main
may be supplied with a large quantity of water, or so maintained in a cool condition
as to prevent boiling.
By thus increasing the temperature of the gas, and graduating it as it passes to
the hydraulic or other suitable outlet main; or by retaining its heat and graduating
it, the illuminating power of the gas is increased; also stoppages of the ascension
pipes with pitch is absolutely avoided.
If the main by which the gas is carried away from the ascension pipes be a dry
one, the particulars just specified with reference to the hydraulic main, as regards
the maintenance of temperature,therein, do not obtain, and this main may itself be
graduated as regards temperature between the retort beds and the condensers.
It will be plain, that in lieu of the brickwork used for enclosing the ascension
pipes, these pipes and the mouth pieces may be enclosed by a metallic wall or
sheeting; or, they may be enclosed individually by providing annular sheeting of
iron or other material round each. Or, the same effect may be obtained by heating
the gas or maintaining and graduating it by passing steam or other heating fluid
through pipes disposed within them; and the heating or maintenance of heat may
be effected when using the annular or jacketted metbod just specified, by circulating
or passing a heating fluid, such as steam, hot air, or hot water, through the spaces
enclosed by such jackets or sheeting.
In another case the mouth pieces and pipes may be lagged with non-conducting
substance so as to retain the heat within them.
These proposed various modifications suffice to shew that the invention may be
carried out in various different ways or modifications, and applied to different kinds
of benches of retorts or gas making apparatus without departing from its essential
or controlling features.
In applying this invention to the method of making coal gas in which the coal
gas is passed through a secondary heated retort, or what is called double dis-
tillation, the pipe or pipes by which gas in such cases is led away from the second
retort or heated conduit, is treated substantially in the same manner as the mouth
pieces and ascension pipes of the apparatus above described are treated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, i declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of illuminating gas, wherein the gas made is conveyed
away from the retorts (or heated secondary conduits or retorts) by ascension or
other pipes, retaining said pipe or pipes and mouth pieces at the temperature of the

page_text: gas as it comes away from such retort or gas making apparatus; or, artificially
heating said gas as it comes away from said retorts or apparatus.
2. In the manufacture of illuminating gas in the manner or mode referred to or
specified in Claim 1, heating artificially, or maintaining the heat of the gas as it
comes away from the retort or other gas making apparatus, and graduating said
heat down as it approaches the hydraulic or other main or condensers; substantially
as described.
3. In the manufacture of illuminating gas, heating the gas or maintaining its
heat by enclosing mouth pieces and ascension pipes, or the ascension pipes or
equivalent conduits, whereby they are heated and the temperature of the gas made
in the retorts is retained or increased; substantially as herein set forth.
4. The construction as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings, for
retaining the heat of, or heating, the gas coming from the retorts; for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 1st day of November 1892
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.