IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED TO BE USED IN MAKING GAS FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Hodge, of Hatton Garden, and Robert Chris-
topher Witty, of Laurel Street, Dalston, both in the County of Middlesex,
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
Sealed the 24th December 1867, and dated the 29th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Hodge and Robert
Christopher Witty at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 29th July 1867.
We, DAVID HODGE, of Hatton Garden, and ROBERT CHRISTOPHER WITTY,
of Laurel Street, Dalston, both in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MAKING GAS FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in
making gas from petroleum and other liquids. For this purpose we employ
a cylindrical retort of cast iron filled with fragments of fire-brick or similar
material; this retort is set in a furnace so that it may be heated uniformly all
Near one end of the retort is a nozzle, through which the petroleum
or liquid is introduced from a cistern above; the quantity a Imitted is regulated
by means herein-after described. The petroleum or liquid passing in amongst
the heated fire-brick in the retort becomes converted into permanent gas,

page_text: which is led off at the other end of the retort into a washing vessel, which is
a cistern closed at the top, and having in it partitions dipping down into the
water. The gas entering at one end of the washing vessel has to force itself
down under these partitions, and through the water to get to the other end of
the washing vessel, from whence it is led away. In this manner any petroleum
which escapes conversion into gas is separated and re-collected. From the
washing vessel the gas is conducted into a small gasometer, into which also
the gas service pipe opens. On the top of the gasometer a small wheel bears,
the axis of which is in connection with a lever on the plug of a stop-cock.
which regulates the flow of petroleum or liquid to the retort, so that as the
gasometer fills and rises it moves this lever, and with it the plug of the stop-
cock, and so diminishes and gradually shnts off the supply of the liquid. The
regulating lever may also be used to apply the necessary pressure to the
gasometer, it has a weight hung upon it which can be traversed along the lever
to and from the fulcrum according to the pressure required. Should there be
any accumulation of carbon within the retort it may be burnt off from time to
time by opening the retort at both ends, and applying a moveable flue pipe to
one extremity so as to set up a rapid air draft through the retort. If desired, a
large storage gas holder may also be used in connection with the service pipe.
Should it at any time become necessary the same apparatus may also be
used with solid gas-making materials.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Hodge and Robert Christopher Witty in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 29th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
HODGE, of Hatton Garden, and ROBERT CHRISTOPHER WITTY, of Laurel Street,
Dalston, both in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said David Hodge and Robert Christopher Witty, Her special licence
that we, the said David Hodge and Robert Christopher Witty, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said David Hodge and
Robert Christopher Witty, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 APPARATUS TO BE USED IN MAKING GAS FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER
LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said David Hodge
and Robert Christopher Witty, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them, 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 Robert Christopher Witty, on behalf of
myself and the said David Hodge, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that
is to say:-
over.
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in
making gas from petroleum and other liquids. For this purpose we employ
a cylindrical retort of cast iron filled with fragments of fire-brick or similar
material; this retort is set in a furnace so that it may be heated uniformly all
Near one end of the retort is a nozzle through which the petroleum or
liquid is introduced from a cistern above; the quantity admitted is regulated
by means herein-after described. The petroleum or liquid passing in amongst
the heated fire-brick in the retort becomes converted into permanent gas,
which is led off at the other end of the retort into a washing vessel, which is
a cistern closed at the top, and having in it partitions dipping down into
water. The gas entering at one end of the washing vessel has to force itself
down under these partitions and through the water to get to the other end
of the washing vessel, from whence it is led away; in this manner any
petroleum which escapes conversion into gas is separated and re-collected.
From the washing vessel the gas is conducted into a small gasometer, into
which also the gas service pipe opens; on the top of the gasometer a small
wheel bears, the axis of which is in connection with a lever on the plug of a
stop-cock which regulates the flow of petroleum or liquid to the retort, so
that as the gasometer fills and rises it moves this lever and with it the plug
of the stop-cock, and so diminishes and gradually shuts off the supply o
liquid. The regulating lever may also be used to apply the necessary
pressure to the gasometer, it has a weight hung upon it which can be traversed

page_text: Figure is a side elevation of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a pian of the
same; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal
and vertical section of the furnace and retort; Figure 5 is a plan of the
retort, and Figure 6 a plan of the fire-grate.
a, a, is the retort set in a furnace with the fire-bars 6 beneath it. The
retort is made by preference of cast iron, and is fitted with cover plates at
each end. The retort is charged conveniently with broken pieces of brick
of a size, say, of about two inches cube. 6¹ is a nozzle formed on the retort,
to which a pipe is attached leading from the reservoir c in which the petroleum,
oil, or other liquid gas-making material is stored; d is a stop-cock on this
pipe by which the liquid passes and trickles down on to the broken brick or
similar material in the heated retort, and is so converted into
gas; 6º is a
nozzle on the portion of the retort which projects out from the furnace, to
it is connected the pipe which leads the gas into the purifier f, which is a
close rectangular vessel of sheet iron having an aperture near the top through
which water may be poured into it, and this aperture is closed when at work
by a screw plug. Attached to the top and sides of the vessel f are six, or
eight, or other number of partitions; they descend down several inches, and
dip into the water in the vessel; by means of a stop-cock the water is drawn
off at such a level that the lower edge of each partition is immersed about
one-quarter of an inch. As the Drawing shows the pipe e which conducts
the
gas from the retort, and the pipe 9 which leads it away therefrom are
connected to the purifier at opposite ends so that the gas has to force itself
under each of the partitions through the water before it can get away. Any
undecomposed vapour of the gas-making material which comes over with
the gas is condensed and retained in the purifier f, and it is drawn off from
time to time by a stop-cock placed just over the water level. The pipe g

page_text: conducts the gas into the small gasometer h, which works in a water tank
moving up or down between guides. The gas passes away from the
gasometer by a main service pipe i rising up within it as is usual. On the
top of the gasometer a pulley k¹ bears; it is carried by the lever k mounted
on the plug of the stop-cock d by which the petroleum, oil, or other liquid
passes into this retort, so that when the gasometer is nearly full it places the
lever k in such a position that the supply of oil or liquid to the retort is shut
off, but as the gasometer empties it opens the stop-cock more and more,
and so increases the quantity of gas-making material let down into the
retort, and consequently the quantity of gas produced, until an equilibrium is
established between the quantity of gas coming into the gasometer from the
retort and that going out from it by the main surface pipe to supply the
burners, or it may be in some cases to fill a larger gasometer. The pressure
under which the gas is supplied may be regulated by applying more or less
weight to the lever k; a portion of the weight of the gasometer may be
counterpoised if desired.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we would have it understood that what we claim is,
the general arrangement of the apparatus to be used in making gas from
petroleum and other liquids herein-before described; we also claim the con-
necting the gasometer which receives the gas from the retort with the cock
or valve by which the gas-making liquid is supplied to the retort, so that the
supply of such liquid may as herein described be dependent on the quantity
of gas passing away from the apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Christopher Witty, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ROBT. C. WITTY. (L.S.)