IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FOR LIGHTING, HEATING, AND COOKING
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gaukroger, of Todmorden, in the County
of York, Samuel Fielden, of Walsden, and Adam Aitchison, of
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FOR LIGHTING, HEATING, AND
COOKING."
Sealed the 18th September 1874, and dated the 27th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gaukroger,
Samuel Fielden, and Adam Aitchison at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 27th July 1874.
We, John Gaukroger, of Todmorden, in the County of York,.
SAMUEL FIELDEN, of Walsden, and Adam ArtcHISON, of Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FOR LIGHTING,
HEATING, AND COOKING," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to the construction of a self-generating gas
stove for heating, cooking, and lighting purposes. We have a stove of
a square, round, or other convenient form, and of a suitable size, the

page_text: said stove being made of cast or wrought iron or other suitable material.
Inside this stove in a horizontal position we place three or more retorts
made of copper, wrought or cast iron, fire-clay, or other material, the
said retorts being attached to the outside casing of the stove, and being
furnished with doors for convenience of access for charging, discharging,
or cleaning:
'
The top of the stove forms a hot plate, having several holes or openings
for the reception of cooking utensils, and in the front of the stove there is
also an opening for roasting or other similar purposes. At one end of
the stove is a wheel or fan enclosed in a box or chamber, through which]
the gas passes, and in doing so turns the said wheel or fan, which is
connected to and turns a spit in front of the roasting aperture.
Beneath the retorts are placed perforated tubes for supplying the gas
for heating the retorts. There are tubes leading from the retorts to a
gasometer, and other tubes leading again from the gasometer to the 1
perforated tubes under the retorts, so that when once the retorts aro
heated, and the gas flows into the gasometer tho latter supplies gas to
the perforated tubes which heat the retorts, and the apparatus is then
self-generating and self-acting, no more fuel being required. The retorts
are heated in the first instance with ignited shavings, straw, or other 2
inflammable material, and when once the gasometer is filled it goes on
making and consuming its own gas, and can be used both for heating
and cooking, at the same time that the gas in the gasometer can be used
for ordinary illuminating purposes.....
There is an elevated funnel connected by a long pipo of small diameter 2
with one or moro of the retorts, whereby the petroleum, shale oil, or
other liquid hydrocarbon is supplied to the retorts, the pressure duo
to the height of the funnel forcing the liquid into the retort against the
pressure of the gas.
The stove is specially adapted for burning petroleum spirit, shale oil, 3
or other similar liquid hydrocarbon, but it will burn any oil or liquid
which can be converted by heat into inflammable gas. It may also with
slight variations be adapted for using coal, pent, or other similar solid.
fuel in the retorts:.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John John Gaukroger, Samuel Fielden, and Adam
Aitchison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
GAUKROGER, of Todmorden, in the County of York, SAMUEL FIELDEN, of
Walsden, and ADAM AITCHESON, of Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said John Gaukroger, Samuel
Fielden, and Adam Aitcheson, Her special license that we, the said
John Gaukroger, Samuel Fielden, and Adam Aitcheson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
Gaukroger, Samuel Fielden, and Adam Aitcheson, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, .and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
for Generating GaS FOR LIGHTING, HEATING, AND COOKING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Gaukroger, Samuel Fielden,
and Adam Aitcheson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or one of our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Samuel Fielden (on behalf of
myself and the said John Gaukroger and Adam Aitcheson), do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to

page_text: This Invention relates to the construction of a self-acting apparatus
for generating gas for lighting, heating, and cooking purposes.
The construction of our improved apparatus will bo readily under-
stood on reference to the accompanying Drawings and the following
description thereof :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the feeding end of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is
an elevation of the delivering end; and Fig. 3, a. side elevation of the
apparatus.
a, a, is a stove of a square, round, or other convenient form, and of a
suitable size, the said stove being made of cast or wrought iron, fire-clay,
or other suitable material. Inside this stove in a horizontal position we
place two or more retorts b, b, (nine are shown in the Drawings), made
of copper, wrought or cast iron, fire-clay, or other material, the said
retorts passing through the outside casing of the stove at each end, and
being furnished with screw caps c, c, at the front for convenience of 1
access for charging, discharging, or cleaning.
The top of the stove may be made to form a hot plato, having several
holes or openings for the reception of cooking utensils, and (if required)
in the front of the stove thero may also be an opening for roasting or
other similar purposes. At one end of the stove a wheel or fan may be
enclosed in a box or chamber, through which the gas passes, and in
doing so turns the said wheel or fan, which may be connected to and
turn a spit in front of the roasting aperture.
Beneath the retorts is placed a perforated tube d, d, provided with
Bunsen or other burners e, e, for supplying the gas for heating the
retorts. The rear ends of the retorts are screwed into a terminal end or
chamber ff. The lower end of the chamber f, f, is open, and is
immersed in a "water scal" in a receiver-g, g,-provided with a syphon
pipe h, h. The tube d, d, which supplies the gas to the burners under
the retorts, also leads from the gasometer, so that when once the retorts
are heated, and the gas flows into the gasometer, the latter supplies gas
to the perforated tube and burners, which heat the retorts, and the
apparatus is then self-generating and self-acting, no-more fuel being
required. The retorts are heated in the first instance with ignited
shavings, straw, or other inflammable material, and when once the
gasometer is filled it goes on making and consuming its own gas, and

page_text: can be used for both heating and cooking, at the same time that the gas
in the gasometer can be used for ordinary illuminating purposes.
There are elevated funnels k, k, connected by long syphon pipes of
small with the retorts, whereby the petroleum, shale oil, or other
liquid hydrocarbon is supplied to the retorts, the pressure due to
the height of the funnel forcing the liquid into the retort against the
pressure of the gas. 1, 2, are chimneys for the escape of the products of
combustion.
The stove or apparatus is specially adapted for burning petroleum
spirit, shale oil, or other similar liquid hydrocarbon, but it will burn any
oil or liquid which can be converted by heat into inflammable gas. It
may also with slight variation be adapted for using coal, peat, or other
similar solid fuel in the retorts.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that
we claim as our Invention, the improved construction of apparatus
for generating gas for lighting, heating, and cooking, substantially as
herein-before particularly described and represented by the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Fielden (on behalf of myself
and the said John Gaukroger and Adam Aitcheson), have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.