IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Prince, of the Office for Patents, 4,
Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by
Messieurs Schaeffer and Walcker, residents at Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia.
Sealed the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 4th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th June 1861.
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," (a,communication from abroad by Messieurs
Schaeffer and Walcker, residents at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia,)
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of gas,
and in the apparatus to be used for generating the same.
These improvements are founded on the fact that steam in the presence of
carburetted bydrogen substances conducted over glowing coals decomposes
itself, so that it produces a clear luminous gas, and that in larger quantity and

page_text: better quality than the hydro-carburetted substances would produce if alone
decomposed. The steam thus decomposed with the red-hot coal forms
hydrogen and carbonic oxyde gas, which being likewise in a glowing condition
decomposes the present hydro-carburet, and combines with it; this is not done
by a mere mechanical gas mixture, but by the thus formed hydrogen, which
dissolves and absorbes the great excess of coal that the hydro-carburetted
substances lose at the time of decomposition; this decomposition produces the
above luminous gas.
The preparation and apparatus for effecting the above objects are simple
and efficient, and consist as follows:-
It is proposed to use the following carburet of hydrogen substances for the
suke of economy, although others may be used with equally good results, yet
on account of their price are found objectionable. Those above alluded to are
wood, pitch, resin (American), oil of resin, coal-tar, brown coal tar, oil of pine,
and any other carburet of hydrogen substances.
The apparatus for the manufacture of this gas consists of a furnace of
suitable construction, in which is placed a retort, round, oval, or otherwise;
into this retort are inserted three or more pipes or tubes, having a U-shaped
pipe or water closing attached near each of their upper ends, and having a
funnel at top of each. A chest or cistern is placed above and is divided into
partitions, and filled. partly with tar and partly with water; these partitions
are supplied with taps or cocks to regulate the supply of the liquids into the
funnels and through the pipes into the retort, which is filled with charcoal
(solid or powdered), or any other suitable substance capable of being heated
to a red heat by the fire in the furnace. The material being now red hot, the
liquids are allowed to fall over the top thereof; the gas now generating passes
through a pipe in the end of the retort into the condenser and gasometer.
In order to produce 1,000 cubic feet of gas with double the intensity of light
than has been hitherto obtained from coal gas, there must be applied from 30
to 40 pounds of tar or other material containing hydrogen, 50 to 60 pounds of
water, and 4 to 6 pounds of charcoal or other suitable substance, which will be
found sufficient for the working of some weeks, and so on in proportion to the
quantity to be manufactured..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Alexander Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Alexander Prince, 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 night
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 THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH," a communication to me from abroad by Messieurs Schaeffer and
Walcker, residents at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Prince, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 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 Alexander Prince, do hereby declare
the nature of the said 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 certain improvements in the manufacture of gas,
and in the apparatus to be used for generating the same..
These improvements are founded on the fact that steam in the presence of
carburetted bydrogen substances conducted over glowing coals decomposes
itself, so that it produces a clear luminous gas in larger quantity and better
quality than the hydro-carburetted substances would produce if alone
decomposed. The steam thus decomposed with the red-hot coal forms
hydrogen and carbonic oxyde gas, which being likewise in a glowing condition

page_text: decomposes the present bydro-carburet, and combines with it; this is not done
by a mere mechanical gas mixture, but by the thus formed hydrogen, which
dissolves and absorbs the great excess of coal that the hydro-carburetted
substances lose at the time of decomposition, and this combination produces
the above luminous gas.
The preparation and apparatus for effecting the above objects are simplo
and efficient, and consist as follows:-
I use the following carburet of hydrogen substances for the sake of economy,
although others may be used with equally good results, yet on account of their
price are found objectionable. Those above alluded to are wood, pitch, resin
(American), oil of resin, coal tar, brown coal tar, oil of pine, and any other
carburet of hydrogen substances.
The apparatus for the manufacture of this gas consists of a furnace of
suitable construction, in which is placed a retort, round, oval, or otherwise;
into this retort are inserted three or more pipes or tubes, having an U-shaped
pipe or water closing attached near each of their upper ends, and having a
funnel at top of each. A chest or cistern is placed above, and is divided into
partitions, and filled partly with tar and partly with water; these partitions
are supplied with taps or cocks to regulate the supply of the liquids into the
funnels, and through the pipes into the retort, which is filled with charcoal
(solid or powdered), or any other suitable substance capable of being heated to
a red leat by the fire in the furnace. The material being now red hot, the
liquids are allowed to fall over the top thereof; the gas now generating passes
through a pipe in the end of the retort into the condenser and gasometer.
In order to produce 1,000 cubic feet of gas with double the intensity of light
than has been hitherto obtained from coal gas, there must be applied from 30
to 40 pounds of tar or other material containing bydrogen, 50 to 60 pounds of
water, and 4 to 6 pounds of charcoal or other suitable substance, which will
be found sufficient for the working of some weeks, and so on in proportion to
the quantity to be manufactured.
I will now proceed to describe the best means and form of apparatus that
I am acquainted with for carrying out the foregoing objects, reference being
had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereto annexed, Fig. 1 of which
represents a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 2 à transverse section, the
same letters of reference denoting similar parts in each Drawing.
A retort B in the furnace A is supplied with an iron mouth-piece C; which
communicates through the ascending pipe D, and the pipe E connected with it;
with the vessel F. From the vessel F, which serves as a tar reservoir, anil
at the same time as a tar or water closing for the pipes and retorts, the

page_text: retort.
produced gas is led to the condenser and gasometer. At the side of the retort
across the flue is placed an iron pipe G, which in its lengthening is connected
by the cock H with the pipe J, which reaches almost to the bottom of the
The
Besides the pipe J two similar pipes L are led into the retort.
same carry above the furnace vessels K, through the bottom of which the
Into these vessels bell-shaped
pipes are now lengthened 4 or 6 inches:
covers M are put; they have at their lower circumference openings N. By
the projections O and P, the cover M is held. The projections are so arrange l
that in turning the cover they can be taken away at pleasure. In this manner
if the vessel K contains liquids, the pipes L are closed by a pressure which
corresponds with the height of the pipes L, projecting into K; the direct
access to the pipes L for cleaning, &c., is open, notwithstanding the removal
of the cover M. Upon the wall of the furnace, so that it can be warmed at
the same time, stands the reservoir R for the reception of the materials
applied for gas making. These materials are conducted to the vessels K by
the pipe S and the cocks T. In making gas a stream of tar or other material
is continually led into the glowing retort, being filled with coal by means of
cocks T, the vessel K, and pipes L, whilst through the cock H and pipe G
steam of water enters, which is obtained and superheated by allowing water to
drop into the front end of the pipe G. The produced gases are led through
C, D, E, and F.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention of "Improvements
in the Manufacture of Gas, and in the Apparatus connected therewith," and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do
not restrict or limit myself to the precise details herein specified, as many
modifications of the same may be devised without in any way departing from
the principle of the Invention; but what I claim is, the method of manu-
facturing gas, and the apparatus connected therewith, as herein described, or
any modifications thereof substantially the same to all intents as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Prince, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
ALEXR, PRINCE. (L.S.)