IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR, AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES, ALSO IN. APPARATUS USED FOR THE SAME
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by William Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th March
1865. A communication from abroad by Auguste de Peyronny, of 29,
Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
FOR, AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES, ALSO IN.
APPARATUS USED FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:―
Lighting and heating by means of gaseous combustible matters possess
advantages as regards economy only when the latter are produced on a large
scale in special apparatus, the gas being distributed chiefly in two ways, either
through pipes or in a portable condition. The gas after it is manufactured is
ordinarily collected in large receptacles, and thence conducted in pipes for con-
sumption at a sufficient pressure to produce the flow, but this pressure should
increase according to the length of the pipe, which is limited thereby, as also
the radius supplied from the gasometer. This disadvantage is obviated by
the use of portable gas, which is kept at a high pressure by means of pumps
in portable reservoirs placed on vehicles which may be conveyed to the con-
sumer, and the gas emptied into the reservoirs serving to hold it for use. This
system possesses the advantage of obviating the use of pipes, but at same
time these portable reservoirs require to be very large and heavy to afford the
necessary strength for resisting high pressures.

page_text: This Invention relates to a means of supplying a combustible gas to
consumers for lighting and heating purposes, which may be contained in very
light receptacles relatively to the quantity of gas contained, and thus suitable
for conveyance the longest distances at much less cost.
The Invention consists in the manufacture of gaseous products extracted
by the ordinary methods from mineral, vegetable, and animal matters either
separately or combined in various proportions, and also in the condensation of
said gaseous products by the aid of pressure so as to liquify the one part and
dissolve the others. With those liquids in which the gases may be held in
solution so as to form an entirely new combustible matter, which I term liquid
gas, the distinctive feature consists in the condensation in a small volume of a
Jarge quantity of gas, which reassumes its original condition when the pressure
ceases, forming a liquid product burning like gas. The processes of manufac-
ture are based on the faculty of absorbtion or dissolution of the gas possessed
by coal and oils, especially mineral or essential oils. The carburetted or other
gases extracted from various matters by known means are conveyed into a
gasometer; if the gas is of poor quality, that is to say, but slightly carburetted,
I cause it to pass through a succession of cylinders containing charcoal in
fragments, said. cylinders communicating with each other by means of pipes
furnished with taps for opening or cutting off the communication as desired,
the circulation of the gas being effected by pressure from the gasometor con-
taining it. The charcoal partially absorbs the gases and essential vapours
constituting the gas, but its effect is more especially apparent with lighting
gases and oily vapors in such manner that on leaving the last of the series
of cylinders the gas is sensibly diminished in volume, and burns with but a
dim light. This first operation effects the concentration of the gas in the
cylinder, and that which escapes deprived of its lighting properties is collected
and utilized as a combustible in the manufacture of liquid gas. When the
quantity of matters absorbed by one cylinder is considered sufficient, I separate
this cylinder from the rest in order to subject it to the action of heat, when
the charcoal will disengage the gaseous essences and essential oils which it had
absorbed, they being conveyed by means of pipes to a reservoir or gas meter,
which receives the gases after they have thus become enriched by the separa-
tion of that portion possessing but little lighting power. It will be understood
that the duration of the operation, and the number and dimensions of the
cylinders will vary according to the nature of the gases under treatment. The
gas may also be enriched if desired by collecting it by means of heat, and
causing it to pass through another series of cylinders filled with charcoal as
many times as necessary. The gas obtained, thus enriched, is then compressed

page_text: by the aid of a powerful pump, and after being raised by the elevated pressure
requisite, it passes into a series of cylinders and pipes furnished with taps, and
containing mineral or essential oils, especially those produced in the manu-
facture of gas. The gas under pressure deposits the greater part of the
essential vapours with which it is charged, that possessing lighting properties
being dissolved in the oils, while the gas which is deprived of a greater part
of its lighting gaseous properties is allowed to escape for further treatment.
By opening a tap I allow the gas to escape when sufficiently charged, and to
flow under pressure into a reservoir where the pressure ceases, in which the
gas may be disengaged from the oil; thence it passes into a gasometer in a
highly enriched condition, but also containing some small quantity of gas
insoluble, or but slightly soluble in oils. The reservoir into which the oil
passes after it has become charged is slightly heated by a curent of steam so
as to completely eliminate the gases. I then cause it to enter vessels in which
its dissolution is effected either by means of a small pump, or by utilizing the
pressure, which may be varied in one or other of the cylinders. The gas
obtained, which is thus enriched, has yet to be saturated with essential vapours.
I effect this by means of a carburator in which the gas passes before passing
to the pump to be liquefied. This pump, which is similar to the one before
mentioned, compresses the gases saturated with essence, and causes it to pass
into pipes, vessels, or worms with the oils in which it is cooled, and deposits its
essence, and the greater portion liquefied, leaving only in a gaseous state a gas
having but inferior qualities; this latter leaves the worm tube by a suitable
opening, and is conveyed into one of the first gasometers for receiving the
gases, said tube opening into a reservoir, where the liquid gas is accu-
mulated. The liquid gas manufactured in the manner described is collected
in reservoirs of the most suitable form and material for withstanding pressure,
and furnished with the necessary induction and eduction cocks. Before entering
the pipes the gas is expanded, and its flow regulated in proportion to the rate
of consumption. I obtain this result by the aid of the apparatus herein-after
described. The liquid gas possesses so very considerable a lighting power,
that the burners should have a very small opening, which is consequently easily
obstructed. To remedy this I add air to the gas in a certain proportion so as
to increase its volume; the air however is not in sufficient amount to cause any
fear of explosion, and permits of the use of much larger burners. The intro-
duction of the air is effected by the gas itself in its passage to an apparatus
intended for this purpose, and which I term a distributor.
The annexed Drawing represents the apparatus employed for containing the
liquid gas, viz., an apparatus for maintaining a constant pressure in the pipes,

page_text: also a self-acting arrangement for cutting off the supply when the consumption
ceases; also a burner for burning the gas expansively. The same letters
apply to all the Figures.
.
In the apparatus Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the gas enters by a pipe screwed on
at A through channel a, at the end of which it meets with a cone B serving
to open or close the orifice, the gas thence passes through channel d. The
cone B is mounted on the end of a rod E, traversing an india-rubber tube G,
serving to prevent the passage of the gas, at same time permitting of the
to-and-fro motion of the stem, which is further connected at b to a lever arm H
fixed perpendicularly to an axis I, furnished with a plate K. Between this
plate and the bottom of plate L is placed a chamber M consisting of a kind
of bag formed of two sheets of india-rubber united at the edges.. This bag
receives the pressure of the gas by means of an india-rubber pipe M on its
passing cone B. Under this pressure due to the flow the bag m easily
expands on plate K, and closes the cone valve by the action of the spring N,
which is regulated by means of screw n in such manner that the cone cuts
off the inlet of the gas only when the pressure has reached the necessary.
degree. The cone B, represented on an enlarged scale at Fig. 4, is made of
hollow metal, and with flexible edges in order to effect the hermetic closure of
orifice C; a lever and counterpoise may be substituted for the spring N. It
may happen that the tension of the gas on passing cone B will increase above
that necessary for the proper action of the apparatus. I obviate this by the
use of the apparatus represented in Fig. 5, placed in a gas-tight chamber O,
the lower part of which is filled with water or other liquid. A chamber or
case P open at the bottom is also fitted to oscillate on a horizontal axis p
in such manner that its lower edge shall be constantly immersed in the liquid.
In order to equilibrate its weight, which tends to keep it immersed, it is
further furnished with an air chamber R; communication between the chamber
P and the outer air is effected by means of pipe S. The chamber P is also
furnished at one end with a compartment U. The gas enters by pipe T into
compartment U, thence between it and the water if the chamber be in the
position shown, in dotted lines in the Drawing, afterwards flowing through
pipe to the distributor. But if the consumption of the gas ceases, and the
pressure increases in part O, it being more powerful in its action, then the air
entering by pipe S, and through the displacement of the liquid in chamber R,
the equilibrium will be destroyed, and the inverted chamber falls by turning on
axis
P the edges of chamber U, thus dipping into the liquid, and so cutting off
the communication. The distributor which I have not shown in the Drawing
consists of a combination of parts serving to furnish in regulated proportions

page_text: the quantity of air to be introduced into the gas as above mentioned. This
apparatus is based on the employment of two drums similar to the meters used
for measuring supplies of gas enclosed in a single casing, the one for containing
gas and the other air, and connected together by toothed gearing. The gas
and air are admitted into the cylinders in the same manner as for gas meters.
The same result may be obtained by varying the dimensions of the drums,
and mounting them on the same axis. The gas on entering causes the first
drum to turn, and with it the second one for taking in the air, and cause it to
enter the casing, where it is mixed with the gas. The pressure in the first
drum should be greater than that in the pipe, which is also above that of the
the axis of the first drum is placed below the second one when they are
connected by toothed gearing. This apparatus which acts at same time for
producing the pressure and as a distributor may also serve, by modifying the
relative sizes of the drums, to regulate the flow of two currents of gas produced
from separate sources or gasometers, whether at the same or different pres-
sures. As I obtain a better combustion of the gas at a low pressure, while at
same time a certain pressure is necessary for producing the flow through
the pipes, I employ the form of burner represented at Fig. 6, furnished with
a hole X, intended to resist the pressure of the gas which expands in V before
reaching the orifice' of the burner.
air;
The Invention thus consists in the manufacture of an improved product or
combustible, which I term liquid gas, suitable for lighting and heating purposes,
extracted from various matters condensed and enriched by the separation of the
poor gases, and by the carburation, liquifaction, or solution in oils of rich gases
by the aid of pressure in a series of operations as herein-before described. Also,
the means and apparatus suited to the application of this improved product,
and for supplying it to the consumer under the most favorable conditions
for use, consisting chiefly of an apparatus for producing a constant pressure,
a self-acting means for cutting off the supply, also in a method of supplying
air to the gas by means of two drums or meters coupled together, and an
improved expansion burner, all as before described.