Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892

page_text: small pipe K+ connected with the main from the exhauster discharges a continuous
stream of gas which is alternately non-combustible while heating up and combustible
while making gas. To test the character of the gas and to determine when to
change the outlet valves a burner K' supplied with gas from the gas holder furnishes
a continuous test flame.
The operation of the apparatus is preferably as follows: The fuel chambers A,
A' A² A³ G, G, are first filled with coke or hard coal through the tight feeding
apparatus H, H, and the openings at the top are then tightly closed. The
fuel is ignited in the base of chambers A. A' and in the receptacles G, G, for
incandescent fuel in the coking chambers. Air is supplied preferably from a
fan blower through pipes and air ports D, d d to raise the fuel to incandescence.
At the same time the exhauster is put in operation, valves o o¹ in outlet
pipes and outlet K³ for example being open. The primary products of
combustion pass through flues L, L' into the regenerators E, E¹. Heated air
to burn the gases is supplied through pipes F F and the final burned products
of combustion pass down through the regenerators E E' through outlet pipes O O'
condenser P and washer P and exhauster Q and are discharged into the open
air through outlet K³.
This operation raises to incandescence the fuel in the steam decomposing
chambers A A' and in the combustion chambers G G located in the bases of the
coking chambers.
The heat generated by burning the primary products of combustion is stored in
the generators. When the apparatus is properly heated the air supply pipes are
closed and steam is simultaneously admitted to the base of one of the regenerators,
by opening the valve in pipe J which is connected with outlet pipe O, for example.
The valve o in outlet pipe O is then closed which directs the steam upwards
through regenerator E and through the flue L, highly heated, into and down
through the incandescent fuel in chamber A, in which it is partially decomposed.
The resulting water gas and undecomposed steam then pass through the flue C
into and up through the incandescent fuel in chamber A, and the resulting water
gas (the steam being thus completely decomposed) passes into the heated
regenerator E¹.
At the same time the valve in pipe A* connecting the tops of the coking
chambers A³ A' is wholly or partially opened to permit the passage of the coal
gas generated in the coking chamber A through said pipe into chamber A³
and thence through space A into the regenerator E' without passing through the
incandescent fuel.
A mixture of water gas and volatile hydro-carbons distilled from soft coal are
thus mingled and passed into the regenerator E which are converted into a fixed
illuminating gas, consisting of carbonic oxide and light carburetted hydrogen, by
passing down through the heated refractory material. The gas is drawn from the
base of the chamber E¹ through pipe O¹, condenser P and washer P¹ and
exhauster Q, and when it passes the exhauster the gas issuing from pipe K is
ignited by the burning gas from pipe K'. The valve K controlling the outlet pipe
for the final burned products is then closed and the valve K' to the gas holder N
is simultaneously opened, by operating the lever K' connected with both valves,
thus directing the combustible gas into its proper holder. When the heat in the
apparatus has been reduced by the superheating and decomposition of the steam
and by the fixing of the gases, the steam is shut off and the air is again admitted
to the combustion and coking chambers for heating up and the valve in outlet
pipe O is opened. When the non-combustible gases generated while heating up
pass the exhauster the gas burning at the outlet test pipe K is immediately
extinguished and the valves K K³ are again changed so as to close the valve to the
gas holder and direct the final products into the open air as in the beginning. It
is thus seen that the operations of heating up and of making gas are alternate, the
exhauster being kept steadily in operation. A. holder N is shown into which the
final burned products of combustion may be directed if desired. As these gases

page_text: will instantly extinguish fires and also are composed of the same elements as the
finest fertilizers (viz.: carbonic acid, nitrogen and sulphurous acid) means may be
found to convert them to valuable uses. In case it is desired to increase the candle
power of the combustible gas, oil is admitted to the upper chamber in the
regenerator E through pipe M while making such gas, and while it is flowing
down through the loose brick work and heated arch through the perforations it is
vaporized and is then mingled with the volume of water gas and coal gas generated
in the combustion and coking chambers and all are combined into a fixed homo-
geneous gas by passing down through the heated brick work. As the steam
inlets and gas outlets to the regenerators E E' are similar the operation of gas
making can be reversed at will according to the condition of the fuel and
regenerative chambers. For instance after heating up the apparatus, steam may
be admitted to the base of regenerator E' and the resulting gases generated in the
combustion and coking chambers may be enriched and fixed by passing through the
regenerator E.
In water gas apparatus as at present operated, the final burned products of
combustion are either forced out into the open air by the pressure of the air blasts
or are exhausted by chimneys.
By this method all the ammonia contained in those gases and the gases them- ·
selves are lost. By this improved method of heating up the apparatus the ammonia
contained in all of the gases generated is washed from the gas and provision is
made for storing both combustible and non-combustible gases a result not before
attained in the art.
My correspondent is aware that gas generating apparatus for bituminous conl
have been heretofore proposed having a lower air blast for raising the coke to
incandescence and an upper air blast supply pipe to admit air above the coke for
the purpose of producing a low or "sinothered" combustion in the overlying coal,
thus attempting to cause it to throw off its volatile gases, but such apparatus and
methods are not of my invention and are defective in that the upper air blast is
principally absorbed in burning the primary products of combustion produced by
the lower air blast and therefore does not raise the coal to the temperature that
my correspondent has found necessary to thoroughly coke it.
Moreover all the ashes and clinker produced in such apparatus by the upper air
blast fall into and clog the lower combustion chamber and interfere seriously
with the raising of the fuel to an incandescence in the lower combustion chamber
and with the decomposition of the steam. These evils are avoided entirely by
inclining the coking chamber and placing the upper air supplies therein entirely
out of range of the primary products of combustion generated by the lower air
supply. Also the ashes and clinker produced by the upper air supply pipes do
not fall into the lower combustion and steam decomposing chambers but are
removed by separate outlets, as indicated in Figure 1.
The combustion chambers A A' are supplied with additional hot fuel as fast as
it is consumed by the coal or coke in the upper chambers, A* A* descending by
gravity. Clinker bars or rods can be introduced through openings a, a, to brenk
up adhering fuel and hasten its descent, if desired. As the coke or hard fuel
first supplied sinks down in the upper chambers A' A³, fresh bituminous coal
is supplied through the openings at the tops of the chambers after each run of
gas, or as required. Preferably these openings or fuel chutes are provided each
with a valve at the top, and also at the bottom, in a well known form, in order to
prevent the escape of gas while charging coal into the furnace. As the coal enters
the chambers AA³ it is exposed to heat radiated directly and continuously from
the combustion chambers and regenerators, and its volatile hydrocarbons are thrown
off during its descent through the said chambers.
While heating up the apparatus in the manner above described, the rich gases
evolved in the coking chambers may pass into the regenerators, whereby they will
mingle with the products of combustion passing through flues L L' and with the
air entering the upper parts of the regenerators through ports connected with the

page_text: vertical flues F F¹ and be burned, and thus aid in quickly heating the regenerative
chambers previous to making gas.
By this improved method coal is quickly coked without retorts, by fires and heat
directly applied to it; the primary products of combustion produced while heating
up are burned while hot and the heat so generated is stored in regenerators and
utilized for super-heating steam and for fixing the water gas, coal gas and oil
vapors into a homogeneous gas; the oil being vaporized before entering the current
of water-gas and coal-gas; a pressure of air and steam is applied at one end of the
apparatus and an exhaust at the other, thus removing the products as fast as they
are generated, causing the complete combustion of the carbonic oxide within the
apparatus while heating up and the minimum production of deleterious carbonic
acid while making gas.
The ammonia is washed froin all the gases generated both when heating up and
when making gas and means are provided for storing all of the gases produced that
they may be converted to valuable uses. All of these advantages are secured in
one operation and in a cheaply constructed apparatus that can be rapidly operated
with a small amount of labor, thus converting bituminous and other coals (including
the coke and tar) completely into an entirely combustible fixed, illuminating gas
consisting of carbonic oxide and carburetted hydrogen and leaving no residuals but
the ash.
It will be understood that my correspondent does not limit himself to the precise
arrangements and details of the improved apparatus as hereinafter described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, as the construction may be variously
modified without departing from the nature of this invention. As, for instance,
the hot products of combustion and gases may be passed into the base of
regenerative chambers and out at their tops or sides, the apparatus may be con-
structed all in one or in two structures with suitable dividing gas-tight walls, and
the construction of the combined and coking chambers may be modified in various
ways that do not interfere with the operation of the apparatus substantially as set
forth.
Preferably the apparatus is constructed as indicated in Fig. 1 with each chamber
in cylindrical form and having its own separate iron shell riveted and caulked gas.
and steam tight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In an apparatus for the manufacture of gas, the combination of a main com-
bustion chamber provided with air supplying ports, and an ash-discharging door,
an inclined coking chamber at or near its upper part, said chamber having located
in its inclined bottom wall a combustion chamber provided with an air inlet and
with an outlet adapted for the removal of ashes, the space above the charge of coal
in said coking chamber being normally in free communication with the upper part
of the first named combustion chamber, whereby coal can be coked, its gases passed
over the fuel in the main combustion chamber, and its ashes separately removed
without passing through said main combustion chamber, substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for the manufacture of gas, the combination of the main
combustion chamber, the inclined coking chamber communicating therewith, said
chambers each having a distinct air supplying port in its inclined bottom the upper
parts of the chambers being normally in free communication with each other and
with a common exit for gases located near the upper part of said combustion
chamber and leading to a regenerator, substantially as set forth.
3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of gas, the combination of a main com-
bustion chamber, provided with air supplying ports and an ash-discharging door,
an inclined coking chamber at or near its upper part in open communication
therewith, said chambers each having in its inclined bottom wall a combustion
chamber provided with an air inlet, the upper part of said coking chamber being

page_text: normally in free communication with the upper part of the first named combustion
chamber, whereby coal can be raised to incandescence and coked and its gases
passed over the fuel in the coking and main combustion chambers, substantially as
set forth.
4. The combination of the combustion and generating chamber and the inclined
coking chamber, said latter chamber being provided with air inlets in its inclined
bottom and with a fuel charging inlet at or near one end and communicating at the
other with the gas generating chamber, whereby gas and products of combustion
can pass at all times above the coal in the coking chamber, in combination with
a regenerator in open communication with the gas generating chamber and
through it with the upper part of the coking chamber, substantially as shown
and described.
5. The combination of a gas generating chamber provided with means for
supplying air, steam and coke thereto, a regenerator in communication therewith
having a perforated arch near the level of the top of the chamber first named, the
air supply ports being below said arch and a chamber above said arch filled with
loose refractory material, like open brick work, and an oil pipe to supply oil to
said chamber, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a gas generating apparatus, a gas washer, suitable con-
necting pipes by which the said apparatus and devices communicate, two gas
holders, a pipe having two branches through which the exhauster can communicate
with the holders, valves, one in each of said branches, a lever or equivalent device
connecting the valves whereby either may be closed simultaneously with the
opening of the other, and a valved pipe connected to the branches between said
valves and adapted to discharge into the open air, substantially as shown and
described.
7. In combination a gas generating apparatus, a gas holder connected by a
communicating pipe with said apparatus, said pipe having a valve and having a
branch provided with a valve, said branch being adapted to discharge outside said
holder, a gas burner on the pipe leading to the holder and between it and the valve
in said latter discharge pipe, and a gas burner on the pipe leading from the
generator between the holder and the branch pipe for discharging gas outside said
holder, said latter burner extending to near the burner first named, whereby the
character of the gas being produced can be ascertained, and the gas either
conveyed to the holder or discharged elsewhere substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 19th day of April 1892.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.