IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Holland, of Birmingham, Tool Maker,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR
ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 14th August 1874, and dated the 19th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Holland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th February 1874.
I, HENRY HOLLand, of Birmingham, Tool Maker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
op Gas for Illuminating and HeatiNG PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas
for illuminating and heating purposes.
According to my Invention I combine atmospheric air with any
suitable bituminous or hydrocarbon liquid (by preference shale oil or
benzoline, or the two combined), or with, the vapour thereof, and submit

page_text: such combination to a high degree of heat with or without the aid of
lime, chalk, burnt clay, pumicestone, coke, or other suitable substance.
By this means a highly illuminating gas is formed which will burn
through any kind of burner.
One method of carrying my Invention into effect is to allow the
said liquid to flow sparingly into a heated retort provided with entrance
for the liquid and the necessary quantity of atmospheric air, and with
an outlet for the combined gas or vapour. As the liquid flows into
the retort it is vaporized, and air being introduced therein combines
with the vapour of the liquid and forms the gas which is then conveyed:
from the retort either by means of an exhaust or otherwise through
condensing apparatus to a holder for storage and use.
The retort may be simply heated or may be charged with lime or
other suitable substance, as above set forth; but I prefer to have it
charged with lime.
A second method is to saturate the lime or other substance with
the said liquid and then place the same in the heated retort, air being
introduced therein and the combined gas led away for use as above
described.
A third method, and when a light hydrocarbon liquid such as
benzoline is used, is to carburet the air by charging it with the vapour
of the said liquid by any suitable and well-known means of carburetting
air, and to pass the air so carburetted through the heated retort either
charged as before described or simply heated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 25
filed by the said Henry Holland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
HOLLAND, of Birmingham, Tool Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 30
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Holland, Her special
license that I, the said Henry Holland, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Holland, 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Holland, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, 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 Honry Holland, 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 thereof (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas
for illuminating and heating purposes.
For the purpose of manufacturing gas according to my Invention.
I use any suitable bituminous or lydrocarbon liquid. I prefer however
to use shale oil as being cheapest and very effective, and when the
same is not sufficiently liquid to run freely I thin it down with a
littlo benzoline or analogous liquid hydrocarbon. The shale oil when
thus ready for use I vaporize by causing the same to flow sparingly
into a retort heated to redness, and at the same time I introduce into
the heated retort a regulated quantity of atmospheric air. The air
and vapour of the oil combine under the influence of the heat to
which they are subjected, and pass out of the retort as inflammable
gas or vapour, whence it is conducted through suitable condensing
apparatus either to a holder for storage and future use, or direct to
burners for immediate combustion. When desired also the gas on its
way to the holder or burners may be conducted through the ordinary
purifying apparatus of a gas works.
i

page_text: gas for illuminating and heating purposes, substantially as herein-before
set forth and described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof; I, the said Henry Holland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- 5
four.
1
HENRY HOLLAND. (L.S.)