IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GAS APPARATUS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Webster Allsopp, of Castle Donington, in the
County of Leicester, Gas Lamp & Chandelier Manufacturer, Bell &
Brass Founder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GAS
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 28th February 1860, and dated the 8th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Webster Allsopp
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th September 1859.
I, THOMAS WEBSTER ALLSOPP, of Castle Donington, in the County of
Leicester, Gas Lamp & Chandelier Manufacturer, Bell & Brass Founder,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE GAS APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
Fig. 1 represents an external view of an improved portable gas apparatus
complete, and Fig. 2 a section of part of the same, having in one vessel the
hydraulic main condensers & washer with a degree of compactness not
attainable in disconnected apparatus. The gas is supplied to this apparatus by
the dip pipe a, which proceeds directly from the ascension pipe of the retort,
from thence it passes into the condensers d, which consist of a number of
small pipes into which the gas disperses itself, thereby causing a degree of
coolness not attainable by any other kind; from thence it passes through a

page_text: number of small dip pipes into the washer e, whence it passes off at the outlet
pipe f; c is a reservoir for tar from the hydraulic, which flows over the
partition i; g is also the reservoir for the overflow of the washer; h is the pipe
by which water is supplied to the washer; j,j, are the syphon taps, one towards
each end of F for the hydraulic and washer.
The action of the apparatus will be as follows, viz. :-When a charge of
coal is thrown into the retort D, which retort is entirely surrounded by brick-
work in the furnace A, this is supplied with fuel through the door B, and
furnished with the metal chimney C; the gas passes through the ascension
pipe E, Fig. 1, into the combined apparatus F as before described, from thence
into the dry lime purifier G, and then into the gasholder H.
The above apparatus is portable, standing independant of any walls, and
requiring nothing more than a level floor to stand upon; it can be taken to
pieces, removed, and gas obtained in a few hours after fixing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Webster Allsopp in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WEBSTER ALLSOPP; of Castle Donington, in the County of Leicester, Gas Lamp
& Chandelier Manufacturer, Bell & Brass Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Webster Allsopp, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Webster
Allsopp, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Webster Allsopp, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTABLE GAS APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Webster Allsopp, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument 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

page_text: 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 Thomas Webster Allsopp, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts consti-
tuting an apparatus for the production of gas, efficient, and at the same time
portable, and readily fixed and adapted for the purpose. In this apparatus I
arrange the "hydraulic main," "washer," and "condensers" in one part of the
apparatus, while the retort and purifier and gas holder are in separate parts,
and suitably connected with the former for the purpose required, and so as to
be readily connected or disconnected for fixing or removal. This improved
apparatus, which is represented in the annexed Drawings, stands without
fixing to walls, and simply requires a suitable level floor for its erection; this
erection may be quickly effected, and gas obtained in a few hours.
Fig. 1 represents an external view of an improved portable gas apparatus
complete; Fig. 2 is a side view of part of the same, having in one vessel the
hydraulic main, condensers, and washer, with a degree of compactness and
portability not attainable in other apparatus; while Fig. 8 is a longitudinal
section of Fig. 2.
A is the retort suitably set in brickwork lining the cast-iron casing B, B,
and surrounding the retort, as will be readily understood; below is the furnace
supplied with fuel at door C; D is the chimney of the furnace; E is the
combined hydraulic main washer and condensers; F the dry lime purifier,
and G the gasholder. The retort is filled by removing the end cover in the
ordinary manner, being fitted with the bridge piece a and screw 6 to hold it
tight; c is the ascension pipe, by which the gas ascends from the retort, and is
carried over by pipe d, d, to the hydraulic main e, which is the first part of E
that it enters, as seen in the section, Fig. 8, the pipe d dips into the water of
the hydraulic main e. The vessel and base E is completely divided into two
compartments by the partition f which separates the hydraulic main e from the
washer 95 there are also two other partitions h and i partially dividing the
compartments of the hydraulic main and washer; the water in these vessels is
maintained at the height of these partitions h and i, so that any tar separated
from the gas in the hydraulic main floats in e, and passes over partition h, and
is deposited in compartment k, provided for its reception, while a like result
takes place in g, any tar deposited therein passing over partition i into com-

page_text: partment; the condensers consist of two groups of small tubes m, m, the
one group rising from the hydraulic main e, the other from the washer 9, the
latter dipping into the water thereof as seen in the section; each group of
small tubes m is surmounted by a dome top n, into which the whole number
of each group of tubes open; the two domes are connected by a tube p. The
course of the gas may be readily traced; on emerging from the water in e it
is dispersed in and ascends the first group of small pipes, and thus becomes
much diffused and exposed to the cooling action of a large amount of surface,
and again so in descending the second group of pipes m, from which it enters
the water in the washer, in which it is extensively distributed; on emerging
from the water therein the gas ascends pipe 7, and is conducted thence to the
dry-lime purifier, through which it passes and is purified as in ordinary; from
this it is conducted to the gasholder, where it is stored for use.
The gas-
holder will require no description, being the same as used in ordinary, but on
a suitable scale for the purpose required; s is the tube by which water is
supplied to the washer 9, and t the tap for the cleansing thereof; u, u, are
syphon taps for drawing off the contents of the other compartments of E.
Suitable stop valves or taps are introduced in the ascension pipe c and other
pipes of communication to interrupt and stop such channels of communication
when required, and as well understood.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patont is the arrangement and
combination of parts herein-before described, constituting a portable gas
generating apparatus, and in particular the combination and arrangements of
parts constituting the hydraulic main condensers and washer, as described and
represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Webster Allsopp, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
THOMAS W. ALLSOPT. (L.B.)