IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING AND STORING ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Capron Tiffany, of Portsmouth, in the
County of Rockingham, and State of New Hampshire, in the
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING AND STORING ILLUMINATING
GAS."
Sealed the 8th August 1873, and dated the 5th March 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joseph Capron Tiffany
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 5th March 1873, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
CAPRON TIFFANY, of Portsmouth, in the County of Rockingham, and
State of New Hampshire, in the United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
4
nd han
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page_text: Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Capron Tiffany, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and 5
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification, that is to say :-
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in the arrangement 1
and construction of furnaces and retorts for manufacturing illuminating
gas from oils, hydrocarbons, and other similar substances, whereby the
heat of the furnaces shall be most economically employed, and the gases
evolved may be subjected more thoroughly to the action of the heat
of the retorts, more thoroughly purified, and at the same time economy 1
is effected in the wear and tear of the retorts.
Secondly. My Invention relates to improvements in gasometers or
gasholders for the storage of illuminating gas.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention a furnace is so arranged
as to contain in its interior a fire chamber constructed of fire-brick, 2
between which and the walls or shell of the furnace a non-conducting
material is placed, also a peculiar arrangement of heated air chamber
and means of supporting the retort.
Dat that my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to

page_text: oblong rectangular slabs of iron placed vertically upon ono of their
shorter sides respectively upon a thick hexagonal shaped slab of metal
which forms the bottom of my furnace, the slabs forming in horizontal
section the figure of a hexagon. One of these slabs is provided with
3 a furnace door made in the usual manner, and also an aperture below
closed at pleasure by the iron casting G, seen in Figure 1, which
represents a damper such as ordinarily used in stoves.
B is a ring called the grate ring which supports the grate C, which
is mado as seen in Figure 3 of a ring (fitting into a corner groove of the
O ring B) having cast upon it all the cross bars C', (with the exception
of the two middle ones C³, O³, which are separate and removable. Dis
the fire chamber made of fire-brick and cylindrical in shapo, with
neither top cover nor bottom piece. This fire chamber is placed with
its axis perpendicular upon the grato ring B, and the ring of the
5 grate C, which supports it, and it reaches up to within a short distance
of the top of the shell A. E represents an oblong perforation in the
front of the fire chamber, which is, as will be seen by Figure 1, opposite
the door of the furnace shed. The object of this perforation E is to
admit the passage of fuel through the door F into the body of the
fire-chamber. H is the air chamber ring, which is double, being
formed by one flat ring joined by being cast together at its periphery
with an upright cylindrical ring. The flat ring lies, when in position,
upon the top or upper edge of the fire-brick cylinder or fire chamber D,
and its central aperture is of larger radius (for say one hundred and
5 twenty degrees of a circle) than the rest of the circular hole (see H,
Figure 4) at that point which comes at the front side of the apparatus.
At the opposite side H, Figure 4, the flat ring is widened, forming a
sheaf which passes into an oblong shaped holed of a box-like device, see
Figure 1, which is cast upon the top portion of tho back slab of the
shell A, and is the flue or chimney of my apparatus. The cylindrical
ring of the double ring H reaches up to the same height with the top of
the six slabs which form the outer shell A of the furnace. Upon the
top edges of the air chamber ring H, and of the shell A, the cover J
rests. This cover J is a flat piece of metal, hexagonal in shape, as
5 seen in Fig. 1, which has cast upon it and extending downward from its
outer edge a projection of such form as would be made by pressing
- up a short cylinder into shape, hexagonal, as viewed in the line of its

page_text: ment of the non-conducting wall between the fire-chamber and the
shell I obviate these disadvantages.
I do not claim placing a non-conductor outside of the shell, nor do
I claim the flat ring of the double ring H, as supporting the retort,
unless the said ring be in combination with the cylindrical ring, which
I have described as being connected with it.
Figure 5 represents an external view, and Fig. O a vertical section of
a slight modification of the gas retort K, represented in Fig. 1
and 2.
K is the body or containing part of the retort; M is the top of the
pipe which conducts the liquid substances to be acted on to the bottom
of the retort; N is a continuous shoulder formed round the inside and
on the upper surface of the bottom ring R, which is formed flot with
its inner half horizontally thickened on the upper surface in such
manner that in vertical section the addition is triangular in shape and
bevels towards the outside of the retort, so that with the ring T, herein-
after described, a circular groove on the upper surface of the bottom
ring is formed. This ring H in the arrangement shown fits on the
bottom of the rotort but sometimes I make the shoulder on the inside
of the retort itself. At the periphery of this bottom ring is another
ring T called the protector ring cast upon it, which latter projects
upward and envelops the lower end of the sides of the retort, and for
that purpose fits into a recess formed round the lower end of the retort,
and is flush with the outside of the same. I do not however confine
myself to a circular shape of the protecting wall T, as other forms may
be employed, as for instance, when the retort is horizontal. This ring
T is fastened to the retort in any convenient manner.
An important
end subserved by this protector T, whether round or of other shape, is
that being carried up high above the bottom the retort is protected
from damage by the overheating of its sides. N is the movable bottom
which is circular, as seen from above, and as seen in vertical section
is hollowed on its upper surface and has a continuous lip forming its
periphery, which lip when the bottom is to be fixed to the retort by
being passed downward through the mouth of the same projects over
tho shoulder M and holds the bottom N in position in the retort.
A suitable cement of silicate of soda or other material is placed in the
groove M', which is formed by the shoulder M being cut away beveled

page_text: towards the retort side, which when hard attaches the bottom K' firmly
to the shoulder of the rotort, and is broken away when the bottom K'is
removed. L is a spout which proceeds from the top of the retort
perpendicularly downward to a short distance above the bottom K',
and at its lower end is connected and firmly fastened to an aperture
in the bottom of a cup or bowl P, Fig. 2. This bowl P called the
"roaster bowl" lies when in use upon the bottom K³, and its periphery
is a trifle less in diameter than the diameter of the retort at that part.
On the bottom of this receiving bowl flanges K* are formed, which
radiate from the centre to the periphery of the bowl. These flanges K*
are deeper nearer the centre of the bowl than at the periphery. The
bottom of the roaster bowl (instead of using flanges) may be
corrugated. The retort K being duly placed in position, as shown by
Fig. 1 and 2, with the top luted on and the oil or other substance in
process of being fed in through the spout L, falls upon the heated
bottom K' and being there decomposed by the heat the evolved gases
ascend. Encountering the bottom of the bowl P in their ascent they
proceed between the flanges K³ and radiate outward to the periphery
of the bowl P, where the channels formed by the respective flanges
and the bottom of the bowl becoming shallower the gases will pass
upward and outward in the respective channels in a thin sheet between
the outer portion or side of the bowl P and the intensely heated sides
of the retort, and are thus more thoroughly than otherwise roasted,
the result of this action being that all the gases are utilised. When
by the action of the heat upon the bottom K³ of the retort the same is
burnt, cracked, fused, or otherwise damaged, it is not necessary to
discard the retort but simply remove it from the furnace, and after
reversing it and applying percussion to the bottom the cement is broken
and the bottom K' will leave the retort through its mouth and another
bottom may be placed upon the ring R, and the process of the produc-
tion of gas is continued as before. I do not confine myself to a circular

page_text: Figure 7 is a vertical central section of the gasometer, its receiving
frame, false bottom, convex bottom, and a siphon or trap.
Figures 8 are detached sectional views of the solid and skeleton
movable crown or head, illustrating the manner of securing the flexible
curtain to the same.
Figure 9 is a modification representing the movable head composed
of a skeleton frame with its flexible fabric.
The frame for receiving and sustaining the gasometer is partially
composed of the base rims A, B, forming in connection with the arms C
a skeleton cradle for the reception of the bottom D of the gasometer :
or receiver. A series of vertical standards E with upper and lower
bifurcated ends for the reception of the short projecting arms F on the
peripheries of the lower rim A and upper rim G comprises the frame
proper, within which the gasometer is arranged to rise and fall by its
expansion when filling and contraction when delivering. The upper
rim G is combined with the central rim II and radiating arms I to form
a skeleton top, as shown. The bottom D of the gasometer is made of a
concave or corrugated form on its upper surface, and may in some
instances be correspondingly formed on its under surface to fit into the
cradle or stationary base A, B, C.
The curtain or body K of the gasometer is constructed of india-rubber
cloth, paper, or other suitable material rendered impervious to gas,
liquid, or air, and the lower and upper edges of the same are respectively
secured to the bottom D and movable solid or skeleton head or crown L
by means of clamping bands or rings M (made in one or more parts),
which firmly clamp and compress the fabric to form a tight joint. Tho
peripheries of the bottom and movable crown may be corrugated or
serrated, or grooved seats may be provided for receiving the edges of tho
fabric, and the clamping rings or bands may be correspondingly shaped
and formed to compress the fabric into said seats or corrugated
surfaces to produce an air-tight joint. The clamping bands or links are
preferably separated or divided, and are provided with cars or flanges N
for the passage of tightening bolts O or other suitable devices.
The body of the gasometer is generally of a cylindrical shape, but
when desired to suit special locations or compartments in which the
same is to be placed it is made cither of an oval, triangular, square, or

page_text: polygonal shape. In such instances it is obvious that the concave
bottom, crown or movable head, and clamping bands are correspondingly
shaped.
For strengthening the flexible curtain of the gasometer, and for
imparting the necessary rigidity to the same when in a distended 'state
and filled with gas, I apply to the interior or exterior surface of the
same a series of hoops or bands V, which may be of a rectangular,
cylindrical, oval, or T shaped form, as found most expedient' for the
purpose. The arrangement of the hoops within the flexible curtain also
prevents the same from falling inward or outward; and further, they
preserve the form of the gasometer as the same is being expanded by
the inflow of gas, and prevent a regular uniform crimping when 'con-
tracted by the discharge of the same. The strengthening hoops are
maintained in position by means of loops or bands, which are formed
with the curtain or body of the gasometer in the process of manu-
facture; or they may be separately attached thereto in any preferred.
manner. The supporting frame has attached to inner portion in
proper relation to the gasometer a series of vertical rods or stems P
adapted for the reception of loops or eyes Q secured to the fabric of the
gasometer in any suitable manner, but preferably by a surrounding band
of vulcanized rubber, which may itself be formed with the loops or eyes Q.
To the rim or elevated portion of the bottom D is attached a diaphragm
or false bottom R of wiro gauze. Perforated metal or parallel rods
may be resorted to for accomplishing the same result. Between said
diaphragm or plate and the concave or corrugated bottom D is formed a
receptacle or chamber for the reception of tar or other condensible
material, which by its gravity settles to the bottom of the gasometer,
and enters the receptacle through the perforated plate, wire gauze, or
rods. One or more discharge orifices are made in the bottom D, as
shown in the several Figures, to communicate with one or more siphon
tubes 8 to serve to convey the tar or condensed material into a suitable
reservoir, and said tube or tubes being always filled a liquid seal is
formed for preventing the admission of the external atmosphere into the
gasometer.
Instead of forming the top or head of the gasometer of a solid or rigid
plate of metal it may be made of a skeleton shape, as shown in Fig. 9,

page_text: Fourteenth. One or more hoops or bands' connected with the flexiblo
curtain of a gasometer, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Capron Tiffany, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
JOSEPH CAPRON TIFFANY. (L.S.)
Signed & sealed in presence of
witnesses or attestors,
W. H. H. ANDREWS,
Atty. at Law,
С. G. Сшок,
Boston,
Mass.
Atty. at Law,
Boston,
Mass.