IMPROVED METHODS AND PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURING ILLUMINATING GAS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN AND THEREFOR, AND IN TREATING THE PRODUCTS OF SUCH PROCESSES TO IMPROVE AND INCREASE THEIR COMMERCIAL VALUE
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Browne at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
December 1868.-A communication from abroad by George Bligh
Capel, of Halifax, Nova Scotia..
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent
Agents, of 49, King William Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED METHODS AND
PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURING ILLUMINATING GAS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN AND THEREFOR, AND IN TREATING THE PRODUCTS OF SUCH PROCESSES TO
IMPROVE AND INCREASE THEIR COMMERCIAL VALUE," a communication from
abroad by George Bligh Capel, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in operating upon petroleum or other hydro-..
carbon, and some of the products derived therefrom in novel and
improved apparatus for the purpose of producing illuminating gas by one-
or other or all of the following three methods or processes :-
The first method or process is as follows:- In two closed tanks I
place crude petroleum and benzole separately. The tank containing the
petroleum I place above the ground, and that containing the benzole

page_text: below the ground, and surround this latter tank with water. In tank 1
I place a worm or steam coil to heat the liquid in the tank; I also
connect an air pump with the bottom of this tank for forcing air
thereinto. I also convey the warm vapour and carburetted air from
tank 1 into tank 2 by a pipe reaching nearly to the bottom of tank 2,
and from the top of this tank I lead a pipe to deliver the non-condensable
or permanent gas into the gas holder or gasometer,
Mode of Operation.-I fill tank 1 with crude petroleum or any other
hydrocarbon that is too heavy for carburetting air by a cold process;
tank 2 is then filled about half full with benzole of a specific gravity,
light enough to carburet the air by cold process; steam is then allowed
to pass through the worm or coil in tank 1 until the crude petroleum is
warm air is then forced into this tank and distributed through the
warın petroleum in small streams, and as the air passes upwards it will
be partially carburetted, and will have absorbed the warm vapours of
benzine which then pass into tank 2; and as this tank is half filled with
cold benzine and surrounded with cold water, the vapours as they pass
upwards are condensed by the cold benzole, and nothing but the
thoroughly carburetted air passes into the gas holder; and while the
above process is going on gasoline or benzole of very light gravity is
being constantly made, the air acting as a vehicle for conducting it
into tank 2.
I now proceed to describe the second method or process as follows:-
Observing that this process consists in providing the tank or vessel
containing the hydrocarbon with compartments connected with pipes
and stop-cocks for the purpose of incorporating with the air a uniform
or proper proportion of carbon to make it a good illuminator irrespective
of the specific gravity of the hydrocarbon used. Secondly, in the
employment of connecting pipes and cocks used to connect the com-
partments, and maintain a uniform depth of hydrocarbon in each
compartment. Thirdly, in having the outlet of the pipe used to deliver
the carburetted air into the gas holder on the bottom of the water tank
that the carburetted air may be made to pass through the water, and by
this means prevent any condensation in the pipes leading to the burners,
as any condensation of the vapours would take place in the water before
they reached or entered into the gas holder. The tank employed to
contain the hydrocarbon I form with four compartments or generators
of the same capacity, and connect them with each other and with a

page_text: central chamber by suitable passages, cocks being employed for esta-
blishing and shutting off the communication between the compartments
and also with the central chamber as may be desired; this chamber is
connected by a pipe to an ordinary gas holder or gasometer,
Mode of Operation.-Air is forced into one of the aforesaid compart.
ments, thence it passes upwards through the liquid down to the bottom
of the adjoining compartment and again upwards and into the other
compartments in the same manner until it reaches the last compartment,
whence it escapes into the chamber before mentioned, and passes from
there into the lower part of the basin that surrounds the gas holder,
and then passes up through the water into the gas holder, thus con-
densing any vapours the air may contain, and thereby preventing
condensation taking place in the pipes leading to the burners.
I now proceed to describe the third process above referred to as
follows:-Observing that in this process I employ a tank fixed inside
an ordinary gasometer, the said tank being almost filled with the hydro-
carbon from which the gas is to be made. A perforated false bottom is
arranged within the tank, so that a jet of air forced into the lower
chamber of the tank will be divided into a number of sinall streams of
air which pass up through the benzine into the meter, whence the air
may be drawn off at will. By passing through the liquid the air will
have become sufficiently carburetted to be used as illuminating gas; but
if that is not the case it may be either passed through the same tank
again or through another such apparatus until it is sufficiently charged
with carbon to answer the aforesaid purposes. The said air may be
forced into the tank by means of pumps or other apparatus which may
be so arranged that the air may after having once passed through the
hydrocarbon be conveyed through the said pump or other apparatus to
the tank once more. It may also for certain kinds of hydrocarbon
liquids be found desirable to pass a current of heated air into the tank. I
propose to place the tank that is to contain the hydrocarbon in the earth
below the frost point, so that the vapours shall be generated at a low
temperature, thereby preventing condensation thereof in the pipes
leading to the burners,