IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Birch-Paddon, Civil Engineer, of Hove, in
the County of Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
Sealed the 1st February 1870, and dated the 24th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Birch Paddon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th November 1869.
I, JOHN BIRCH PADDON, Civil Engineer, of Hove, in the County of
Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for scrubbing.
and washing gas for the purpose of removing the ammonia and other
impurities incidental to its manufacture, and consists in constructing
a chamber of cast or wrought iron or other suitable material, by pre-
ference of a rectangular form in plan and in elevation, flat at the bottom,
with vertical sides and semicircular top. Within this chamber and
projecting beyond at one or both ends a shaft is made to revolve by

page_text: steam or other suitable power. Attached to this shaft within the
chamber are a number of radial arms, each set of arms being connected
together by flat circular rims of metal, so arranged as to be concentric
with and approach very closely to the semicircular top. Between the
arms and extending slightly beyond the rims cocoa-nut matting or other
suitable material is stretched, so as to form a number of highly porous
discs, the matting beyond the rims being made with a fringe or brush-
like edge, which while it fills up the interstices between the rims and
the semicircular top offers but little impediment to the free revolution
of the discs. Water or other suitable liquid is admitted to the chamber
to such a height as to ensure the discs being thoroughly wetted at every
revolution.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The discs being set in
motion the gas is made to enter the chamber at one end, and in the
course of its progress to the other or outlet end it is compelled to
traverse and pass through each of the porous discs or screens.
The gas
is thus separated into innumerable finely divided streams, each of which
undergoes in the course of its passage a complete washing, and by virtue
of the material of which the discs are composed a thorough scrubbing
is also effected, the result being the almost if not entire removal of the
ammonia.
Although the discs are formed by preference as before described, they
may be constructed entirely of metal with numerous slits or apertures,
or they may be made of open woodwork, or grids, or they may be
composed partly of wood and partly of metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Birch Paddon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BIRCH PADDON, Civil Engineer, of Hove, in the County of Sussex, send 3
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in
the rear of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in

page_text: thio thirty-third year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, tho said John Birch Paddon, Her
special licenco that I, the said John Birch Paddon, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Birch
Paddon, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPABATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Birch Paddon,
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 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 John Birch Paddon, do hereby
declare the nature of tho said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to
say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for scrubbing
and washing coal or other illuminating gas for the purpose of removing
the ammonia and other impurities incidental to its manufacture, and
consists in constructing a chamber of cast or wrought iron or other
suitable material, by preference of a rectangular form in plan and in
clevation, flat at the bottom, with vertical sides and semicircular top..
Within this chamber and projecting beyond at one or both ends; or as
shown in the Drawing, a shaft is made to revolve by steam or other
suitable power. Attached to this shaft within the chamber are a number
of radial arms, each set of arms being connected together by flat circular
rims of metal, so arranged as to be concentric with and approach very
closely to the semicircular top. Between the arms and extending
slightly beyond the rims cocoa-nut matting or other suitable material:
is stretched so as to form a number of highly porous discs, the matting
beyond the rims being made with a fringe or brush-like edge, which

page_text: while it fills up the interstices between the rims and the semicircular
top offers but little impediment to the free revolution of the discs.
Water or other suitable liquid is admitted to the chamber to such
a height as to ensure the discs being thoroughly wetted at every
revolution.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings
are attached hereto, of which the following is a description:-
Fig. 1 represents a vertical and longitudinal section, the shaft discs
and gearing being in clevation; Fig. 2, a sectional plan through A, B,
Fig. 4; Fig. 3, a side elevation; Fig. 4, a transverse section exhibiting
the shaft in section and gearing in elevation; Fig. 5 is also a cross
section of the exterior case, but showing one of the discs in elevation;
Fig. 6 represents the front end in elevation.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Motion being imparted
to the driving pulley C, Fig. 1, it is communicated through a stuffing
box by means of a pinion E and spur wheel F to the shaft G, whereon
are fixed the discs H, the back end of the shaft being supported by the
bearing I. The shaft and discs being thus set rotating the gas is made
to enter through the pipe J into one end of the chamber K, and in the
course of its progress to the other or outlet end it is compelled to
traverse and pass through each of the porous discs or screens H. The
gas is consequently separated into innumerable finely divided streams,
each of which undergoes in the course of its passage a complete washing,
and by virtue of the material of which the discs are composed a thorough
scrubbing is also effected, the result being the almost if not entire
removal of the ammonia from the gas, which finally passes out by the
pipe L, the arrows indicating the direction which the gas pursues. Mis
a box wherein the tar collects and may be removed through the pipe N.
O is a pipe for supplying the apparatus with water or other liquid, and
P is an overflow pipe communicating with the pipe N before mentioned.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 represent the detailed construction of the discs and
the mode of attaching them to the shaft G. It will be seen that the
shaft, except at the bearings, is a square bar whereon short castings Q
having square holes through their centres, and of the shape shown, arc
made to slide, thus forming distance pieces between each of the iron
plates to which the radial arms R are fixed, the whole of the discs being
kept firmly in position by the application of a nut to a screw cut on
the back end of the shaft at S.

page_text: In Fig. 2 the inlet and outlet connections are shown and marked T,
and by the aid of the valves U, V, and W, they may be used as a
bye pass.
Although the discs are formed by preference as before described,
they may be constructed entirely of metal with numerous slits or aper-
tures, or they may be made of open woodwork or grids, or they may be
composed partly of wood and partly of metal.
Under some circumstances it may be found advantageous to connect
two, three, or more of these apparatus together, fixed on the same level,
or they may be placed at various elevations and supplied with different
kinds of liquid.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the construction of apparatus for washing and scrubbing gas,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Birch Paddon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.