IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING OR IMPREGNATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH THE VAPOUR OF HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Weightman Harrison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1873.
I, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING OR IMPREGNATING
ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH THE VAPOUR OF HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS," to be as
follows:-
-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for charging or
impregnating atmospheric air with the vapour of hydrocarbon liquids for
the purpose of producing inflammable gas or vapour adapted for lighting
and heating purposes.
According to this Invention I conduct the air to be charged with the
vapour of the hydrocarbon liquid over a greatly extended surface of the
liquid in order that it may thus be thoroughly impregnated with the
vapour thereof, and also provide a means of diluting the inflammable
gas or vapour thus produced, when from any reason it may become
overcharged. This I accomplish as follows:-In an enclosed vessel or

page_text: generator containing the hydrocarbon liquid I place a float made buoyant
by any suitable means, and so as to remain immersed to any given
depth in the liquid, whatever be the height of the liquid in the vessel.
This float has formed on its under surface a series of ring grooves
communicating with one another at or near the same radial line in such
manner as to form a continuous channel from the centre to the circum-
ference. This float is made just sufficiently buoyant to keep the said
conutinous channel wholly or partly immersed in the hydrocarbon liquid,
and communication between the said channel (at its inner end) and the
outer atmosphere is established by means of a vertical tube extending up
the centre of the said vessel or generator from the bottom nearly to the
top thereof. This tube passes out at the bottom of the vessel, and is
connected at its lower end with any suitable and well-known air forcing
apparatus, whilst at its upper end it communicates with the interior of
an enveloping chamber attached to and forming part of the said float,
which chamber is closed at the top and communicates at its lower end
with the said continuous channel. It follows that any air forced into
the said tube will enter the chamber above, pass down the annular space
between it and the ascending tube, and thus enter the said continuous
channel at its inner end, and will thus impart additional buoyancy to
the float, which will consequently rise just sufficiently to allow the air
introduced to travel under pressure along the said continuous chamnel,
such air escaping into the said vessel or generator through an aperture
provided for that purpose near the periphery of the float. The air in
traversing this channel comes in contact with the surface of the hydro-
carbon liquid, and combining with the vapour thereof, collects in the
upper part of the said vessel or generator as inflammable gas or vapour,
whence it is led away for use to where required.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that the air to be charged with
the vapour of the hydrocarbon liquid may be either forced or drawn
through the said continuous channel, and either in the direction above-
described or in the contrary direction, that is, it may be made to enter
the said continuous channel at its outer end, and be conveyed away as
inflammable gas or vapour from its inner end.
It will also be obvious that the said continuous channel may be other-
wise formed than as described. For example, it may wind spirally from
the centre to the circumference, or be carried backwards and forwards
across the face of the float.

page_text: For diluting the inflammable gas or vapour produced, as above-
described, when from any reason it may be too freely charged with
hydrocarbon vapour, I mix pure air therewith previous to its leaving the
generator for consumption. A convenient method of accomplishing this
is by carrying a small supplimentary pipe from the blowing apparatus
direct to the upper part of the generator, such pipe being provided with
a cock to regulate the amount of pure air thus allowed to pass into the
generator. By this means any desired quantity of pure air may be
introduced into the holder, thus reducing the proportion of hydrocarbon
in the inflammable gas or vapour to any desired extent.