A Process for Making Spirit Burn with a Luminous Flame.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Process for Making Spirit Burn with a Luminous Flame.
I, FRIEDRICH WILHELM HEINRICH HEMPEL, Engineer, of No. 4 Waterloo
Ufer, Berlin, Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The object of the present invention is to render spirits luminous when burnt.
In order to attain this object it is necessary to add carbon to the spirit. The
carbon is added in the form of volatile oils rich in carbon those oils being
advantageously employed which possess little or no oxygen, or fluid hydrocarbons
may be employed, which dissolve entirely in the spirit. The spirit employed is
ordinary methylated spirit of from 85% and upwards.
In order to avoid certain disadvantages it is advantageous not to add too much
of the liquid containing the carbon, whilst on the other hand, if too little carbon is
added the illuminating power of the mixture will not be sufficient and in order to
meet both emergencies, the amount of carbon contained. in the liquid hydrocarbon
is increased by a process hereinafter described. In order to carry out the present
process solid hydrocarbons-very rich in carbon-are advantageously employed,
such for instance as naphthaline.
One part by weight of naphthaline is heated in a suitable receptacle with from
three to six parts by weight of turpentine oil, until the whole of the naphthaline is
dissolved, the mixture is stirred or agitated and then distilled in a still, connected
in suitable manner with a bulb until a slight residue of a brownish colour begins to
develop fumes. If cooled the residue will take the form of a hard mass. The
mixture should be boiled very sharply in order that the turpentine oil vapours may
take off the naphthaline vapour with them, otherwise the volatile turpentine will
pass off alone into the bulb, whilst the naphthaline will vaporise very slowly
and will partially bake on to the bottom of the still in the form of a dark
brown mass.
After the distillation has taken place the contents of the bulb are warmed in a
water bath, stirred or agitated and then added to the spirit in the proportion of
one part by weight of the product of distillation to from two to six parts by weight
of spirit, according to the strength of the latter, the mixture should then be again
agitated or stirred and the illuminating fluid, which is now as clear as water is
ready for use.
If now glycerine to the extent of from 5 to 10% by weight of the turpentine oil,
is added, the liquid will be rendered softer and more oily, so that the wick of a
lamp fed or filled with this liquid may be easily ignited, even when the lamp has
been out of use for some considerable time.
Other liquid hydrocarbons, which are soluble in spirit may be treated according
to the above described process, suitable proportions being chosen,―with
naphthaline in order to increase the amount of carbon contained in the same.
Instead of one volatile hydrocarbon, several of the same may be treated with
naphthaline in suitable proportions, care being taken that only the less volatile
hydrocarbons are distilled as specified with the naphthaline. Instead of naphthaline,
any other analogous solid hydrocarbon may be employed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of ny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For illuminating purposes, the employment of liquid hydrocarbons, soluble in
spirits, the carbon contents of said hydrocarbons being increased by distillation
with naphthaline or an analogous substance by means of the process substantially
as described.
2. In the process covered by Claim 1 for producing luminous spirits, the
addition of glycerine substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of March 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.