IMPROVEMENTS IN CARBURETTING GAS AND AIR
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joshua Kidd and James Kidd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1877.
JOSHUA KIDD and JAMES KIDD, of Eglantine Road, Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARBURETTING GAS AND AIR."
Our Invention relates to apparatus for charging gas or air with the hot vapors
of liquid hydro-carbons, and our improvements in carburetting gas consist in
heating the pipes through which the carburetted gas passes, and in the method
of regulating and applying the heat to the carburetting vessel.
For applying heat to the gas carburetting vessel we prefer to use a flame of un-
carburetted gas taken from the pipes before entering the carburettor; by this means
an invariable heat can be obtained.
When the construction of the carburettor necessitates its being heated by a cluster
of carburetted jets burning underneath, we use a deflector of metal so constructed
that when placed in a certain position all or nearly all of the heat from the burners
can be deflected or caused to pass around the sides of the carburettor without heat-
ing it; on slightly turning this deflector more heat may be applied, and on placing
it in another position the whole or nearly the whole of the bottom of the carburet-
ting vessel is exposed to the action of the heat.
When carburetting sun-lights or clusters of jets, or where a number of gas jets
are fixed in a row on one pipe, we find it necessary to heat the gas pipes by placing
one or more gas jets under the pipes, so arranged that the heat given off from the
jet or jets will impinge on the pipes. We sometimes cover the pipes with a curved
piece of sheet iron to better retain the heat.
In places where it is not practicable to use gas for heating the pipes, we place the
gas pipe inside a hot-air flue or pipe, so arranged that a constant current of hot air
can be carried through it; or steam may be substituted for hot air by placing the
pipe containing the carburetted gas inside a steam pipe. We sometimes use steam
for heating the carburetting vessel when it has to be placed in a situation where a
light burning under it would be objectionable.
We form the oil vessel
Horizontal arms fitted
One form of apparatus we make as a pendant light.
circular, with inlet at the top and outlet at the bottom.
with gas jets are fixed to the outlet, and radiate in the form of a star under the oil
vessel, and the auxiliary light is arranged to heat both the gas pipes and oil vessel.

page_text: When carburetting air with heavy oil vapor, we conduct the vapor in a pipe
externally heated to the place where it has to be burned, and allow it there to
escape with force from a small jet through a short tube against a disc constructed
after the manner of the ordinary, street naptha burner. Dead oil vapor burned in
this naked manner gives an intense light, which is not readily blown out, and is
suitable for all purposes of out-door illumination. The vapor may be generated in
any ordinary boiler by a fire; and the flue for carrying off the products from the
fire may be utilized for keeping the outlet pipe hot. This apparatus may be fixed
on wheels, and moved from place to place..
Our improvements in carburetting air with the vapor of light petroleum spirit
relates to apparatus where the spirit is confined in a tank under pressure. From
the tank the spirit is conveyed to a coil or worm surrounded by hot water or steam,
where it is evaporated. The vapor escapes from a small jet fixed into the top of the
coil, into a large gas pipe, and carries with it an adjustable current of air. A coni-
cal pointed needle actuated by a flexible diaphram or small gas holder moves in the
orifice of this jet, and automatically regulates the amount of vapor and air to the
number of burners in use. The weight placed on the flexible diaphram should be
so arranged that the weight will increase as the number of burners are increased,
and vice versa.