Gas from Volatile Liquid Hydro-carbons.
Year: 1885

page_text: Gas from Volatile Liquid Hydro-carbons.
I, HENRY HOWELL of Wrexham in the County of Denbigh, Gas Fitter do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus such as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent N° 3863 of 1872 in which an inflammable and
illuminating gas is produced by combining oxygen or atmospheric air with a
volatile hydrocarbon such as the petroleum products, naphtha and gasoline.
It consists chiefly in forming the apparatus with one or more "towers" or tubes
filled with an obstructing material through which the volatile liquid descends
against a rising current of air forced through by mechanical means a reservoir
being placed at the bottom to hold the liquid, from which it is raised by an
elevator or pump to the top of the towers. The air is forced through the tubes in
succession passing alternately through one of the tubes and then through the
reservoir containing the liquid.
In carrying out the invention I form a reservoir or chamber capable of holding a
given quantity of liquid and above this chamber I fit a series of upright towers or
tubes which are connected to a cistern placed above them, and are open at the
bottom to the main reservoir. They are connected to the upper cistern by means
of pipes which are suitably trapped to control the flow of the liquid.. The towers
are also connected together by a pipe attached to them at the top, and which
passes down and enters the top of the main reservoir. The pipe entering the first
tower of the series is in direct communication with a fan or other mechanical
arrangement for forcing air. These pipes are further connected to a small
gasometer or receiver from which the supply for use is taken. The cistern from
which the towers are supplied is kept refilled with the liquid by means of an
elevator or pump worked by the same motive power which drives the fan. The
fan and elevator may be driven by means of a drum and weight as shown and
described in the aforementioned Specification.
When the apparatus is in operation the main reservoir is filled to a certain
height regulated by a tap or other means with the volatile liquid, and on its being
set in motion the liquid is raised therefrom into the upper cistern from whence it
passes through an aperture preferably perforated or rose shaped down the aforesaid

page_text: towers or tubes. In these towers is placed an obstructing material preferably
horse-hair against which the falling liquid strikes and is subdivided adhering to
the hairs like drops of dew on blades of grass.
The fan forces a current of dry air through the pipes attached to the towers,
which rising through the towers impinges on the drops of liquid. The liquid
volatilizes and is obsorbed by the current of air which becomes intimately mixed
with it forming a gas of high illuminating power. After passing up each tower
the current of air and vapour is led down into the main reservoir, which is divided
into several compartments by division plates or partitions before ascending the
next tower. After passing through the series of towers the air combined with the
vapour of the liquid is collected in a small receiver for use.
By increasing the number of the towers or tubes, before mentioned, the
illuminating power of the gas can be raised to almost any desired standard
required.
By the use of my improved apparatus I consider that a more thorough or
complete combination of the air and volatile liquid will be effected, and that a
more permanent and powerful illuminating gas will be obtained from a less
quantity of the hydro carbon than has hitherto been obtained.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Illuminating
Gas from Volatile Liquid Hydrocarbons.
I HENRY HOWELL of Wrexham in the County of Denbigh do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
ILLUMINATING GAS FROM VOLATILE LIQUID HYDROCARBONS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus such as described in the
specification of Letters Patent Number 3863 of 1872 in which an illuminating gas
is produced by charging atmospheric air with a volatile liquid hydrocarbon. My
said improvements consist in forming the apparatus with one or more towers or
tubes filled with a suitable obstracting medium through which a suitable volatile
liquid hydrocarbon (such as petroleum naptha or gasoline) descends against a rising
current of air forced through by mechanical means a reservoir or cistern being
placed at the bottom to hold the liquid hydrocarbon employed from which
reservoir or cistern it is raised by an elevator or pump to a second reservoir or
cistern above the towers or tubes. The air is forced through the towers or tubes in
succession passing alternately through one of the towers or tubes and then through
one of the chambers in the reservoir containing the liquid.
In carrying out the invention I form a reservoir or cistern and upon this I fix a
series of upright towers or tubes which are connected to a reservoir or cistern
placed above them by means of pipes suitably trapped to control the flow of the
liquid and to prevent air passing from the towers into the cistern. The towers or
tubes are open at the bottom to chambers in the lower reservoir or cistern and are
connected together by means of pipes one of which is attached to the top of each
tower or tube and passing down enters that part of the lower reservoir or cistern
which forms the chamber of the next tower or tube.
The pipe entering the chamber of the first tower or tube of the series is in direct
communication with a fan or other mechanical arrangement for forcing air. The
outlet pipe of the last tower or tube in the series passes into a chamber of the
lower reservoir or cistern over which is placed a gas receiver gasometer or regulator
of ordinary construction from which the supply of gas for use is taken. The
upper reservoir or cistern is kept supplied with the hydrocarbon employed by
means of an elevator or pump driven by the same motive power which drives the
fan or other mechanical arrangement for forcing air. In the towers or tubes are
fixed shelves of perforated zinc (usually about four in number) placed a few inches
apart and the spaces between each shelf are filled loosely with curled horsehair-
Inside at the top of each tower or tube I place a sieve to distribute the hydro-
carbon passing from the upper reservoir or cistern into the towers or tubes.
Partitions are fixed in the lower reservoir or cistern so as to form a chamber
below each tower or tube which chambers are so arranged that the air from the fan'

page_text: or other mechanical arrangement for forcing air, and from the several towers or
tubes must pass into a chamber before ascending the tower or tube above it. The
lower reservoir or cistern is provided with a false bottom and the partitions which
are fixed air tight at the top of the reservoir or cistern reach to within about a
quarter of an inch of this false bottom. There are also two or more overflow pipes
provided as indicated in the drawinga.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I proceed to describe the
same by reference to drawings.
Sheet N° 1 shews an external view of the apparatus with four towers' or tubes.
Sheet No 2 shews the same apparatus in section and
Sheet No 3 shows the lower reservoir or cistern of the same apparatus with its
A is the lower reservoir or cistern B. B' are the towers and tubes (two of which
only can be seen) C the upper reservoir or cistern connected with the towers or
tubes B. B by the trapped tubes and d³ E. E¹ & are the partitions dividing
the reservoir or cistern A into the chamber F. F¹ & The towers or tubes are
connected together by the tubes G₁ G³ through the chambers F. F' &° The pipe G
is in direct communication with the fan H in the drum H¹ and enters the
chamber F. The pipe G enters chamber F3 over which is placed a gas receiver
gasometer or regulator of ordinary construction I. K is an elevator driven by the
same motive power which drives the fan H. The shelves L. L¹ & and sieves M. M*
are shewn in sheet 2. N is the false bottom in the lower reservoir or cistern with
the overflow pipes at O. O¹. The action of the machine is as follows:-Petroleum
naptha gasoline or other suitable hydrocarbon is introduced into the upper reservoir
or cistern through an opening provided with a suitable plug and flows down the
trapped tubes d. d and through the sieves M. M into the lower reservoir or
cistern A. When the apparatus is brought into action the hydrocarbon is pumped
up from the reservoir or cistern A to the upper reservoir or cistern C and then
flows down the trapped tubes d. d³ upon the sieves M. M' from which it descends
as a shower on the horsehair, hanging on to it like dew on grass, any excess of
hydrocarbon falling into the lower reservoir or cistern A and through the overflow
pipes O. O¹ into the portion of the reservoir or cistern below the false bottom to be
again pumped up into the upper reservoir or cistern C by the elevator K. It can
be ascertained by means of the glass gauge Q fixed in the elevator K when the
apparatus has been sufficiently charged. Water is then run into the funnel of the
gas receiver gasometer or regulator I until it overflows at the opening R. Water
is next placed in the drum H¹ (which is similar in construction to an ordinary wet
gas meter drum) until it overflows at the opening S. Plugs in cistern C at V in
the gasometer I at R and in the drum H¹ at T and S are then replaced firmly
and the weight P wound up. On opening the taps of the machine at W and X the
gas may be lighted at the burners when however the taps are closed the machine is
at rest. The fan H is constructed so as to revolve by means of the cord pulley and
weight and acts as an exhauster drawing in the air and forcing it through the
apparatus.
On the taps being opened a current of air is forced by the fan H down the
pipe G through chamber F and up the tower or tube B. The current of air is
broken up by the perforated zinc shelves into small streams which pass through
the horsehair and become impregnated with the hydrocarbon employed. The
impregnated air then passes down the tube G₁ through chamber Fi and up the
tower or tube B* becoming still further impregnated with hydrocarbon. The air
then passes in a similar way through any required number of towers or tubes
charged in a similar manner until sufficiently impregnated with hydrocarbon for
the purpose required. I usually employ a series of four towers or tubes but a less

page_text: or greater number may be employed according to the illuminating power required
in the gas. The impregnated air after leaving the last tower or tube B' passes
down the tube G³ through chamber F³ into the gas receiver gasometer or regulator I
and then by exit pipe Y to the burners. Any ordinary gas burners may be used
but I prefer to use an argand burner as it gives the best results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do
not claim as part of my invention the production of illuminating gas by impreg-
nating air with hydrocarbons nor do I claim the several parts of the apparatus
herein before described but what I do claim is
(1.) The apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings for the purpose of manufacturing illuminating gas from volatile liquid
hydrocarbons.
(2.) The use of horsehair substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before set forth.
Dated thi dannih
T 000