Improvements relating to the Purification of Gas and the Impreg- nation of the same with Hydrocarbon or other Vapour, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements relating to the Purification of Gas and the Impreg-
nation of the same with Hydrocarbon or other Vapour, and to
Apparatus therefor.
I GEORGE SYMES, of 36 Locksley Street, Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the purification of gas and the impregnation of the same
with hydrocarbon or other vapour, and to apparatus therefor.
One object of my said invention is to provide for the camphoration of coal gas or
the impregnation thereof with some vapour that will be diffused in the room or other
place in which the gas is consumed, and will act as a disinfectant, that is to say, will.
produce an effect similar to that produced by a quantity of camphor or similar material
exposed to the atmosphere in the said room."
I accomplish this result by passing the gas, preferably after it has been freed from
its impurities as hereinafter described, through, or in contact with, camphor or other
suitable material so that it becomes impregnated with the vapour therefrom. When
I use camphor or other hydrocarbon vapour for this purpose, it also serves to enrich
the gas and increase the illuminating power thereof.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I may employ any suitable apparatus,
but I prefer to use apparatus constructed as hereinafter described, that is to say ;-
The gas supply or inlet pipe is connected with a chamber or vessel in which are
arranged plates of oxidized iron pivotted in bearings in the said chamber, the pivots
of each plate being farther from one edge of the said plate than from the opposite
edge thereof, so that they can be turned on their pivots by the pressure of the gas
upon them. The said plates are slotted or perforated in such a manner as to ensure
the contact of the gas with the plates in passing through the slots or apertures. These
oxidized plates take up the sulphur contained in the gas. By reason of the said plates
being pivotted as above described, they do not interfere with the passage of the gas
through the apparatus, as either of the said plates will yield should the pressure above
it be greater than that beneath it.

page_text: The gas, after passing through the oxidized plates, is passed through a series of
perforated plates, gratings or screens, and through cotton waste or similar absorbent
material packed in the spaces between the said, plates, gratings or screens. This
material retains or intercepts any ammonia, moisture or impurities that may be present
in the gas. A cock is provided at the lower part of the apparatus for drawing off the
impurities thus intercepted.
Between these filtering layers of cotton waste or the like and the outlet pipe for the
gas, I arrange a perforated box or chamber in which I place a suitable quantity of
camphor or other disinfecting material. The said box or chamber is provided with a
lid cover or valve through which the said material may be introduced therein. The
gas passes through this material into another chamber in which is arranged a gas
regulator or governor.
The regulator or governor which I prefer to employ in my purifying and impreg-
nating apparatus is constructed as follows, that is to say-The gas outlet pipe is
provided with a slide face or seating having a triangular aperture on which is fitted
to slide a triangular valve. On the back of this valve are formed rack teeth with
which gears a toothed segment. One end of this segment is connected with a flexible
diaphraghm arranged to be moved upward by the gas to close the said valve when the
pressure of the gas is greater than is required to supply the burners in use. A weight
is attached to the said segment to open the valve when the pressure beneath the
diaphragm decreases or is insufficient to raise or support the said weight. In some
instances I arrange a spiral spring in combination with the diaphragm to regulate the
opening of the valve according to the pressure and consumption of the gas. By
employing a triangular valve or slide, I ensure a very efficient regulation or control
of the supply of gas to the burners.
The vapour of the camphor or other material passes with the gas through the pipes
to the burners and is diffused throughout the room or rooms in which the gas is
consumed.
Dated this 28th day of Inne 1886
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to the Purification of Gas and the Impreg-
nation of the same with Hydrocarbon or other Vapour, and to
Apparatus therefor.
I, GEORGE SYMES, of 36 Locksley Street, Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex,
Gas 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 :-
My invention relates to the purification of gas and the impregnation of the same
with hydrocarbon or other vapor, and to apparatus therefor.
One object of my said invention is to provide for the camphoration of coal-gas or
the impregnation thereof with some vapor which will be diffused in the room or other
place wherein the gas is consumed, and will act as a disinfectant, that is to say, will
produce an effect such as would be produced by the exposure to the atmosphere in the
said room or other place of a quantity of camphor or similar material.
I accomplish this result by causing the gas, preferably after it has been freed from
its impurities as hereinafter described, to pass through or in contact with camphor or
similar substance so that it will become impregnated with the vapor evolved
therefrom.
When I use camphor for this purpose, it also serves to enrich the gas and increase
the illuminating power thereof.
My said invention, moreover, comprises various improvements hereinafter described.
In the camphoration of gas according to my said invention, I can employ any
suitable apparatus, but I prefer to use apparatus constructed as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
.
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan, and
Figure 3 a vertical longitudinal central section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing
an improved valve hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
:
a is the casing of the apparatus, which is divided by a vertical partition a¹ into two
chambers or compartments a², a³. is the gas supply or inlet pipe. c, care plates
or screens of oxidized iron, which are arranged one above another in the chamber or
compartment a², and each of which is provided with pivots or trunnions c¹, whereby
it is supported in bearings formed in the sides of the casing a. The said pivots are
excentric, that is to say, they are farther from one edge of the plate or screen than
from the opposite edge thereof. The shorter side of the plate is weighted so that it
will counterbalance or slightly more than counterbalance the longer side thereof.
Therefore when pressure is exerted on the plate by the gas, the said plate will be

page_text: turned upon the said pivots by reason of the greater area of the longer side thereof,
and the gas will pass between its edges and the casing a.
The said plates may, if
desired, be slotted or perforated or otherwise so constructed as to effectually ensure
the intimate contact of the gas with their oxidized surfaces.
These oxidized plates take up the sulphur contained in the gas. By arranging the
pivots of the said plates as above described, I provide for preventing interference with
or obstruction to the passage of the gas through the apparatus, as either of the said
plates will yield should the pressure above it be greater than that beneath it.
d, d are perforated plates, gratings or screens, which are arranged one above
another in the chamber or compartment a³, and between which is placcil as at e colton
waste or similar absorbent material.
This material retains or intercepts any ammonia or other impurities and also any
moisture that may be present in the gas. A cock is provided at the lower part of
the apparatus for drawing off the impurities thus intercepted.
ย
Above the upper filtering layer e of cotton waste or the like, I arrange a perforated
box or chamber in which I place a suitable quantity of camphor or similar disinfecting
material. A pipe or passage g¹ is provided through which the said material. may be
introduced into the said box or chamber. This pipe or passage is closed by a cap or
cover. I sometimes use for this purpose a suitable valve which may be-opened
when the disinfecting material is to be introduced, and will close automatically or
otherwise.
his a chamber, or dome, which is attached to the top. of the casing a, and in which
is arranged a gas regulator or governor. This regulator or governor is constructed
as follows, that is to say :-A slide face or seating having a triangular aperture is
attached to the top of the casing a within the chamber h, and a triangular valve is
fitted to slide upon the said face or seating. On the back of this valve are formed
teeth with which gears a toothed segment j pivotted at . This segment is
connected by a rod with a flexible diaphragm which is arranged to be moved
upward by the gas to close the said valve when the pressure of the gas is greater than
is required to supply the burners in use. A weight m is attached to the said rod to
open the valve when the pressure beneath the diaphragm decreases or is insufficient
to raise or support the said weight. n is a spiral spring arranged above the
diaphragm to regulate the opening of the valve according to the pressure and con-
sumption of the gas. o is an adjusting screw for regulating the pressure exerted by
the said spring as required. p is a pipe for the passage of the gas to the burners.
By employing a triangular valve or slide, I ensure a very efficient regulation or
control of thic supply of gas to the burners, the opening of the said valve taking place
very gradually and with great uniformity.
b
The gas enters the apparatus through the pipe & passes through or in contact with
the oxidized plates or screens c, and then through the perforated plates or screens d
and the cotton waste e, whereby it is freed from the sulphur, ammonia and other
impurities which it contains. It then passes in its purified state through the box y
containing the camphor.
The vapor evolved from the camphor passes with the gas through the regulating
valve and the pipe p to the burners and is diffused throughout the room or other place
in which the gas is consumed.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that my improved apparatus eliminates
from the gas any impurities which would be liable to blacken or otherwise injure
ceilings, decorations and the like, and also regulates the supply of gas to the burners
according to the consumption thereof; it also enriches the gas and increases its
illuminating power and disinfects the room or rooms in which the gas is consumed.
I can use any other suitable gas governor or regulator if desired. Moreover,
instead of employing a triangular valve, I can obtain the desired result by using a
diamond-shaped or lozenge-shaped valve, or a valve of other shape having a similar
pointed or angular portion, I sometimes use weights in place of the spring, and
provide a removable cap or cover so that additional weights may be introduced if
required.

page_text: 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 ¸what I claim is :—
First. The employment of camphor or similar material in an apparatus of the kind
or class above described, for the purposes specified.
Second. The employment, in an apparatus of the kind or class abovo described, of a
slide-valve of triangular form or having a pointed or angular portion, substantially as,
and for the purpose, above specified.
Third. The combination of parts comprising the seating i, the triangular valve ?,
the toothed segment ; and the diaphragm connected with the said segment,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The employment of pivotted oxidized plates or screens for the purpose
above specified.
Fifth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing, for the
purposes specified.