IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING HIGH TEMPERATURES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Lutschaunig, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Master of the Liverpool Assay Office, and John
Ricketts, of the same Place, Gentleman, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Lutschaunig and
John Ricketts at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th May 1873.
We, ALFRED LUTSCHAUNIG, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Master of the Liverpool Assay Office, and JOHN RICKETTS, of the same
Place, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING HIGH TEMPERATURES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates to appliances to be used by assayers, chemists
and others in operations requiring bigh temperatures, inflammable gas

page_text: or hydrocarbon vapour, and air being the agents employed in combustion,
and consists,―
First. As means for thoroughly and intimately mixing inflammable
gas or hydrocarbon vapour and air we construct a burner in the shape
of a tube with two layers of wire gauze or perforated material therein. &
The one layer of wire gauze is affixed between the gas or vapour and air
inlet, and the other layer over the top of the tube. The gas or vapour
is admitted into the tube through a pipe attached between the layers of
wire gauze and the air, at pressure, under the lower layer. The mixed
gas or vapour and air issue through the top layer of gauze where:
combustion takes place, either in a chamber or otherwise, as may be
required.
1 Second. As means for economizing heat, produced by combustion as
above mentioned in the burner described, we surround the object to be
heated by a jacket or cylinder of charcoal or refractory material, and in
this way prevent radiation.
Third. As means for supplying air at pressure to the burner above
described or to burners of any kind in which gases are employed to
yield high temperatures we employ a collapsible holder constructed with
a rigid top, to the edges of which india-rubber or other springs are
connected, the other ends of such springs being connected to a stationary
part or to a rigid bottom piece. The said collapsible holder may be
charged by bellows, pumps, or other mechanical appliance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Lutschaunig and John Ricketts in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
LUTSCHAUNIG, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Master of the
Liverpool Assay Office, and JOHN RICKETTS, of the same Place, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the

page_text: thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Alfred Lutschaunig and John
Ricketts, Her special licence that we, the said Alfred Lutschaunig and
John Ricketts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Alfred Lutschaunig and John Ricketts, our
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
" IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING HIGH TEMPERATURES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred Lutschaunig
and John Ricketts, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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 we, the said Alfred Lutschaunig and John
Ricketts, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to appliances to be used by assayers, chemists,
and others in operations requiring high temperatures, inflammable
gas, and hydrocarbon vapour, and air being the agents employed in com-
bustion, and consists,-
First. As means for thoroughly and intimately mixing inflammable
gas or hydrocarbon vapour and air we construct a burner in the shape
of a tube with two layers of wire gauze or perforated material therein.
The one layer of wire gauze is affixed between the gas or vapour and air
inlet, and the other layer over the top of the tube. The gas or vapour
is admitted into the tube through a pipe attached between the layers of
wire gauze and the air, at pressure, under the lower layer. The mixed
gas or vapour and air issue through the top layer of gauze where

page_text: 4
combustion takes place, either in a chamber or otherwise, as may be
required.
Second. As means for economising heat, produced by combustion as
above mentioned, in the burner described; we surround the object to be
heated by a jacket or cylinder of charcoal or refractory material, and in
this way prevent radiation.
Third. As means for supplying air at pressure to the burner above
described or to burners of any kind in which gases are employed to
yield high temperatures we employ a collapsible holder constructed with
a rigid top, to the edges of which india-rubber or other springs are
connected, the other ends of such springs being connected to a stationary
part or to a rigid bottom piece. The said collapsible holder may be
charged by bellows, pump, or other mechanical appliance.
Fig. 118 view 11 vertical section and civation of apparatus u
which the several novel features of our Invention are combined in one
portable piece.
Under the first part a is the burner; b, lower layer of wire gauze or
perforated material; c, upper layer of wire gauze or perforated material;
d, inlet for gas or the vapour of a hydrocarbon liquid; e, inlet for air.
In practice we prefer that openings in the lower layer of gauzo
should be smaller and more numerous than those in the upper layer.
In a tube of about one inch diameter the lower gauze should have about
two hundred and fifty openings, and the top gauze from one hundred
and fifty to two hundred openings, the pressure of common coal gas
being sufficient to support a column of water one inch high, and the
pressure of air sufficient to support a column of from six to eight
inches.
It will be evident however that the number and size of the openings
and the pressures of the gas and air may be varied, and that the one
would necessarily vary in relation to the other.
The matter of essential importance for the successful working of our
Invention is the proper admixture of air and gas, and thorough com-
bustion of these immediately over the top layer of gauze in the chamber
or upon a crucible or other object or vessel.

page_text: In practice we form a trough around the upper surface of the bottom
of the chamber g, so that should a crucible break the contents will not
fall into the burner; the chamber is here marked f. A cover is usually
placed over the chamber fand a movable flue or connection provided to
carry off the products of combustion.
Under the second head g is a jacket or cylinder of charcoal or other
refractory material to concentrate the heat on the crucible or object.
This is not indispensable except in smelting the most refractory
substances. In all cases however it is economical to use it.
Under the third head of our Invention, h is a collapsible holder fitted
with rigid top i, and combined with single acting charging bellows j;
k is a pipe leading to the air inlet e, above referred to; m, are india-
rubber or other springs attached to i and to the stationary portion 7.
These springs are used to ensure a continuous blast of air. Pumps, fans,
or other agents may be used to charge the said collapsible holder.
Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of apparatus fitted with double acting
bellows. a, burner; b and c, lower and upper gauzes; d, gas or vapour
supply; e, air inlet from bellows j; f, combustion or object chamber.
The collapsible holder is not illustrated in this view.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of apparatus with double action bellows, air
reservoir, and a chamber for chemicals or chemists' appliances. Here
f, combustion chamber; d, gas or vapour supply; e, air supply from
bellows j; h, air reservoir; " chamber for chemicals or chemical
appliances.
It will be obvious that the burner may be placed in a horizontal or
angular position without departing from our Invention. Doing so
however tends to prevent proper admixture of the gases, and we do
not recommend it without the interposition of mixing cones or deflectors.
We therefore in cases where it is desired to direct the flame in a
horizontal or angular position, usually apply an elbow or bent piece,
either to the upper end of the burner, such piece being rigidly secured
or made movable to slide to and fro at will or in the form of a cowl or
otherwise.
It will also be obvious that when hydrocarbon vapour is used instead
of coal gas the air may be passed over or through the liquid, and made
to carry forward its own supply of hydrogen and carbon in suspension,

page_text: or the lower gauze may be so arranged that it remains saturated, with
the liquid drawn there, say by capillary action.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and parti-
cularized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to make
our appliances and practically use them, we would have it understood
that we do not claim the whole of the appliances shown by the Drawings
and partially described, what we do claim is,-
First. The burner a with gauze layers b, c, gas or vapour inlet d, and
air inlet e, combined, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner
and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The parts a, b, c, and e, in combination with a combustion
chamber, as herein described.
Third. In combination with the parts mentioned in the above first
claim the cylinder or jacket g of charcoal or other material for the
purpose set forth.
And, Fourth. The collapsible holder / with rigid top i and springs m
for supplying air to heating furnaces, in which combustible gases or
vapours are used as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ricketts, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
In the
presence of
JOHN LING,
Clerk to J. T. King,
Liverpool.
`JOHN RICKETTS. (L.S.)