Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas. for Domestic and other purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1888
Specification Accepted, 4th May. 1888
Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas. for Domestic
and other purposes.
1 JOSEPH ENOCH WREN of No. 15 Bond Street Sydney in the Colony of New South
Wales Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner.the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
:
This invention of improvements in the manufacture of illuminating gas for domestic
and other purposes relates, first, to the material from which the gas is produced, and,
second, to the apparatus in which such material is treated.
As to the material from which the gas is produced. It is perfectly well known that
numerous attempts have been made to produce illuminating gas from animal fats com-
bined with either air or steam or with both-now I find that such gas can be more
economically produced from animal fats alone without either air or steam. The
manufacture of illuminating gas from animal fats alone, therefore, constitutes the
first part of this invention.
As to the apparatus in which such material is treated for the production of
illuminating gas therefrom-the first novel feature lies in the special construction
of the feeding contrivance by which the melted animal fat is conveyed to the retort in
which it is converted into gas; and the second lies in the arrangement of such a retor
on an incline from its feed end downwards.
Referring now to the drawings hereto attached which illustrate this apparatus—
Figure 1 shews a front elevation of it.
Figure 2 a back elevation and

page_text: Figure 4 shews a central vertical section at line a, a, Figure 1, and
Figure 5 a plan looking down from the line b; b, in Figure 4.
and
Figure 6 is a central section of the contrivance for feeding the supply to the retort,
Figure 7 a section on line c, c, in Figure 6. These two figures being drawn to a
larger scale than the other figures.
Figure 8 is a part side elevation and a part central section of the condenser and
purifier, and
Figure 9 a plan looking down on the top with its dome-shaped cover removed.
Figures 1 to 7 shew the gas producer, and in them A is the metal range or furnace
having a stepped or other grate A' near its bottom. A is the furnace door and A³ a
perforated draught-regulating door. A is the chimney leading from the top of the
furnace. B is an inclined retort constructed of either metal or fire-clay and securely
bolted to the sides of the furnace as shewn. Leading into the upper supply end of
this retort is a pipe or nozzle. C¹ proceeding from a trapped chamber in the supply
contrivance C, the top end of which is open and bell-mouthed as shewn, such bell-
mouth leading to an inner pipe (2, the bottom end of which descends very nearly
to the bottom of the trapped chamber C3, which leads to the nozzle above
referred to. O is a screw plug in the front of the feeding contrivance as shewn.
D is the supply reservoir having a tap D' leading from it, while within it is a
perforated strainer plate D² to strain the melted animal fat before it drops into
the feed contrivance C. E is the retort mouth-piece bolted to the back of the
furnace at the lower end of the inclined retort B and furnished with a door E¹
which is held in position by the clamp and screw E³ as shewn. E³ is a pipe leading
from the top of such retort mouth-piece to the condenser and purifier F (see
Figures 8 and 9) through the wall of which it passes and then descends to near its
bottom. This combined condenser and purifier consists of a cylindrical vessel Fl in the
bottom of which is placed sufficient water to cover the end of the pipe E³; while vessel Fl
is arranged with an open top, around the outside of which is an annular water vessel
or water lute F2 F3 is a dome-shaped cover the lower edge of which passes into such
water lute so as to make the necessary joint. This cover F³ has three hinged clasps F*
secured on it, in the lower part of which are slots or holes which pass over the pins F
secured to the outer wall of the water lute. F is a trap pipe at the lower part of the
condenser into which the water from its bottom flows, so that in case of undue pressure
within the condenser this water is blown out through such pipe so as to relieve the
pressure. F is a tap for drawing off the water from the bottom of the condenser.
F8 is a circular dish having a perforated bottom and supported by its top flange on the
top end of the cylindrical vessel F¹. In this dish is placed charcoal or other material
suitable for purifying the gas. G is a central stand-pipe the top end of which is just
above the top of the cylindrical vessel F¹, while its lower end has a bend on it which
deads outwards from such vessel and is connected to a pipe leading to the gas-hokler
or reservoir..
The mode of operation is as follows:-The animal fat from which the gas is to
be produced is supplied to the cistern or reservoir D and a fire is kept up in the
furnace A sufficient to melt such fat and to keep the inclined retort B at the
requisite temperature. Then, when the tap D₁ is opened the melted fat falls into
the bell-mouthed top of the supply contrivance C and passes down the pipe C² therein
to the trapped chamber C3, from which it flows upward to and passes into the pipe or
nozzle C, which conducts it to the upper end of the inclined retort B into which it
falls and is there subjected to such a heat as to convert it into a gas. This is the
essential part of the invention but the gas thus produced then passes out of the retort
mouth piece E through the pipe E3 which discharges it under the water in the bottom
of the condenser F. The gas ascends through the water and into the chamber above
it, from which it still ascends through the purifying material in the dish s to the chamber
just below the dome-shaped cover F³, from whence it passes through the stand pipe G
to a gas reservoir or holder.
Although the furnace is described as being constructed of metal, it may be constructed

page_text: of brickwork, so long as the retort is arranged on an incline and fed at its upper end
from a supply contrivance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
is claimed is :-
First. The manufacture of illuminating gas from animal fat alone by melting
and then feeding such melted material to a retort sufficiently heated to convert
such melted material into a gas: substantially as herein described and explained.
Second. The contrivance for feeding the melted fat to the retort, such con-
trivance having a chamber in it to trap the lower end of the supply pipe and thus
prevent the outflow of the gas generated in the retort substantially as herein described
and explained and as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of my drawings.
Third. The retorts inclining downwards from their feed end and combined with
some suitable feed contrivance (preferably that described in the preceding claim)
and also combined with some suitable means for conveying away the gas thus
produced substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in my
drawings.
Dated this Second day of February One thousand eight hundred and eighty