IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBURETTED HYDROGEN GAS
Year: 1855

page_text: Sealed the 28th December 1855, and dated the 3rd September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Armand Gilbee
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1855.
I, WILLIAM ARMAND GILBEE, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBURETTED HYDROGEN GAS" to be as follows, that is
to say:
My Invention consists in improved apparatus for manufacturing economi-
cally coke, carburetted hydrogen gas & its products.
Figure 1, elevation of my improved apparatus; Figure 2, section through
A, B; Figure 8, plan in section; Figure 4, section through C, D.
a, a, a, three coke ovens; b, b, b, spaces left between the ovens for the
discharge of the upper retort ovens; c, c, c, doors, for the discharge of the
lower coke ovens; d, d, cap of the retort ovens; e, e, tube by which the coal
is introduced into the retort ovens; f.f, ascending pipes through which the
is conveyed into the barrel; g, g, condensation barrel; h, h, pipes conveying
the gas to the condensers, the purifier, & the gasometer; i, i, lower door, in
gas

page_text: cast iron or fire earth, of the retort oven; j,j, pressure screw to keep the door
in its place; k, k, k, k, k, k, k, k, k, retorts in communication with the box o,
receiving tar from the barrel; 1, 1, 1, barrels of the retorts; m, m, ascending
pipes from the retorts to the barrels; n, n, n, junction pipes of the barrels com-
municating with the principal pipe which conveys the gas to the condensers;
o, gas box; p, p, tubes from the barrels to the tar box; 9, 9, 9, pipes corre-
sponding with the back of the three retorts, in order to put them in communi-
cation with the tar box; r, r,r, cocks to put the retorts in communication or to
close them; 8, 8, section of upper coke ovens for making coke; t, t, vent holes
conveying the heat from the lower coke ovens into the worm which surrounds
the upper coke ovens, in order to heat them; u, u, vent holes of the worm;
the chimney
Specificat
represent
three coke ovens, 11 ft. 5 in. long by 4 ft. 11 in. wide. On these ovens are
placed 9 retorts, in cast iron or in earthenware; between each of them is lef a
space of 4 ft. 4 in., to facilitate the discharge of the upper ovens, which equally
serve for distillers & producers of coke.
The lower coke ovens are charged with coal & lighted; the heat which is
disengaged first heats the retorts placed above, & afterwards passes by the
lateral vent holes into a pipe which winds round the upper oven, placed
between the coke ovens at a height of 8 ft. 2 in., to facilitate the discharge of
the coke, which is effected by removing the lower plate, which is attached by a
screw (Figure 1). The charging of the upper ovens is effected by a door made
in the cap of the oven, the lower plate being placed before the charge; this is
done without any difficulty; the door of the cap is closed & the distillation
takes place, the produce passes into the barrels, & immediately afterwards
into the condensers, the purifiers, & gasometer.
When the distillation is terminated, it is only necessary to open the upper
door for 3 hours before drawing out the oven, in order to allow the escape the
volatile & sulphurous matters which the pressure of the apparatus has kept
in the coke. The latter, when completely cleared by this means, takes the
silvery tint, the hardness & the sonorousness of the coke produced by the
ovens in the coal mines. These upper ovens are made in moulded earth, or
in cast iron, covered with a coat of refractory earth both inside & outside, in
order to prevent the cast iron from wearing out too quickly.
The section A, B, Figure 2, represents the line of upper ovens, as well as the
back section of the retorts. The three retorts placed in the centre are con-

page_text: nected by pipes to a box placed in the upper part of the ovens, in order to
receive the products condensed in the barrel; this box is put in communi-
cation with the three retorts by means of three pipes furnished with a cock..
In the box is placed three or four large pieces of rosin, in the proportion
of 13 lbs. 2 oz. for every two hundredweight of tar. These pieces of rosin melt
insensibly & mix with the tar. When the distillation of the coal is terminated
in these three retorts, the cocks of the three pipes connected with them are
opened, & the tar mixed with tho resin introduces itself slowly by the pipes
into the retorts, volatilises, & produces gas in abundance. In this manner all.
the accessory products are turned to account & lessen the cost price of the
gas.
Figure 4, section C, D, represents a retort on the coke oven, & kept in
place by an arch at its flat part in such a manner that the heat of the oven.
cannot make it give way.
Three vertical ovens placed on these retorts receive the heat from the lower
oven, in order to maintain the temperature of the upper oven at the degree of
heat suitable for the distillation of the coal. The lower retort is arranged in
such a manner as to receive, by a pipe connected with the barrel, the tar
produced by the distillation which has just mixed itself with a part of the
resinous matters in the box through which the conducting pipe passes.
The retorts are in cast iron, or cast iron lined with refractory earth, in order
to lessen the wear & tear, or in refractory earth only, as may be thought
proper. The upper ovens are also made in the same way & with the same
material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Armand Gilbee in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ARMAND GILBEE, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Armand Gilbee, Her special license that I, the said William
Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBURETTED HYDROGEN GAS," being a com-
munication from Monsieur Salmon, of Paris, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Armand Gilbee, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 William Armand Gilbee, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in the construction of improved apparatus for the
production of carburetted and bicarburetted hydrogen gas, in the manner
herein-after described, and referred to in the annexed Drawing; in which,
Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the lower ovens. A, A, A, three coke ovens,
of about eleven feet in depth and about five feet in breadth; B, B, two spaces
formed between the ovens for discharging the contents of the upper ovens ;
C, C, C, doors of the lower coke ovens.
Figure 2, section through A, B, Figure 4. D, D, domes of the upper ovens ;
E, E, tube by which the coal is introduced into the upper ovens; F, F, upright
tubes by which the gas is conducted to the upper condensers; G, G, h, h, tubes
for conducting the gas to the purifier and gasometer; I, I, doors of the upper
oven, composed of iron or fire clay; J, J, screw for securing the door;
K, K, retorts placed over the coke ovens; L, L, lower condensers; M, M, tubes
connecting the retorts with the lower condenser; N, N, junction tubes, com-
municating with the main tube H, conducting the gas to the condenser.
Figure 3, back view, in section, through A, B. The three retorts K', K', K',
communicate with the tar reservoir O, receiving tar from the condenser by
means of the pipes Q, Q, Q. P, P, tubes connected with the condenser and the
tar reservoir; P', P', tubes placed at the back of the three retorts and com-
municating with the tar reservoir; R, R, R, stop-cocks for opening or closing
communication with the retorts; S, S, the upper ovens, in which are manu-
factured the coke and carburetted hydrogen gas; T, T, iuclined flues, carrying
the heat of the lower coke ovens to the spiral flues U, U, which surround the
upper ovens; V, V, chimnies; A, lower coke ovens.

page_text: Figure 4, section through C, D. S, S, S, three upper coke ovens; at their
lower part is seen in section the retort K, communicating by means of a tube
Q, with the tar reservoir O connected with the condensers G, by means of the
tubes P. A, lower coke ovens.
On the three coke ovens are placed nine cast-iron or earthenware retorts;
between each of the ovens a space of about four feet wide is left to facilitate
the emptying of the upper ovens, which serve for the distillation and production
of coke. The lower ovens are filled with coal, and when fire is applied the
heat disengaged first heats the retorts, and afterwards passes through the
inclined flues into the spiral flues which surrounds the upper ovens, placed
between the coke ovens, and at an elevation of about eight feet. The coke is
discharged by removing the lower plate retained by a screw, as seen in
Figure 1. The feeding of the upper ovens is effected by means of a door
formed in the dome, the lower plate being previously placed in position. The
door in the dome is then closed, and the distillation proceeds, the products pass
into the cylinders, and thence to the purifier and gasometer. The distillation
being completed, it is necessary to leave the upper door open for about three
hours before emptying the ovens, so as to allow the escape of the volatile and
sulphurous matters contained in the coke.
The upper ovens are made of moulded earthenware, or of cast iron coated
inside and outside with fire clay. Into this reservoir resin is introduced in the
proportion of fourteen pounds to every two hundredweight of tar. The resin
melts and becomes mixed with the tar. When the distillation of the coal is
completed in the three central retorts, the stop-cocks of the corresponding
tubes are opened, the tar mixed with resin passes slowly through these tubes
into the retorts, where it volatilises and forms bicarburetted hydrogen gas.
By this means the accessary products are economised, thus diminishing the
cost of the gas.
In Figure 4 a retort is represented placed on the arch of the coke ovens.
The heat of the lower oven serves to maintain the upper ovens at a tem-
perature suitable for the distillation of the coal. The side retorts receive, by
means of tubes communicating with the condenser, the tar produced by the
distillation. The retorts and upper ovens may be composed of cast iron coated
with fire clay, or fire clay only.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise details of construction herein laid down; but what
I claim as the Invention communicated to me is, the improved construction
of apparatus for distilling coal and the products of such distillation for the

page_text: production of carburetted and bicarburetted hydrogen gas, as herein-before
described, and referred to in the Figures of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Armand Gilbee, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
W. A. GILBEE. (L.S.)