IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Porri and Ebenezer Leigh, both of
Blackrod, near Chorley, in the County of Lancaster, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS,"
Sealed the 10th July 1874, and dated the 14th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Porri and Ebenezer
Leigh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 14th April 1874.
We, JOHN PORRI and EBENEZER LEIGH, both of Blackrod, near
Chorley, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to the construction of apparatus whereby
the retorts may be relieved from unnecessary pressure during the process
of distillation, and consists in introducing the ascension or inlet pipe for
gas through the bottom of the hydraulic main, and extending it upwards

page_text: to such a height, that the top of it may be above the level of the liquid
contained in the hydraulic. Over the top of the inlet is placed a cap or
cover supported by a rod which passes through a plate bolted to the
inlet pipe, which for the sake of convenience for cleaning it out is made
somewhat in the shape of a cross.
In order to make a gas-tight joint where the rod passes through the
plate a water seal is made by attaching an annular casting, and fixing
to the rod a tube closed at top and open at bottom, and of such a size
that it may pass over the inner ring of the annulus and be free to slide
up and down within the casting. At the bottom of the annular casting
is inserted a small pipe which is bent, and rises on the outside of the
inlet pipe to a height corresponding to that of the inner ring of the
annulus which is somewhat higher than that of the outer one. To the
bottom of the rod is fastened a sheave or pulley, and to a clip or other
contrivance fixed to the ascension or inlet pipe is another sheave.
A chain fastened to some convenient part of the inlet pipe passes under
the sheave attached to the rod, and over the sheave supported by the
clip and depends therefrom.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Water or other suitable
liquid being first supplied to the hydraulic and to the annular seal,
when the mouth of the retort is open and no gas passing to the
hydraulic, the bottom edges of the cap or cover resting upon the top of
the inlet pipo will be immersed in the liquid in the hydraulic, thus
forming a perfect seal against the emission of gas from the hydraulic, or
the admission of air into the same. But on the retort being charged and
closed the attendant will pull down the chain, which operating through'
the intervention of the sheaves upon the rod will raise the same, and
with it the cap or cover thereby unsealing the inlet pipe and allowing a
free way for the gas, and this will be maintained so long as the chain
remains fastened below. When the retort is again about to be opened
the attendant will unhook the chain, whereupon the cap or cover to the
inlet will lose its previous support, and descend until its edges are again
immersed in the liquid in the hydraulic as before, a perfect seal being
the result.

page_text: :
The water seal surrounding the rod may instead of an annular casting
be made of suitable sized pipes screwed or otherwise fastened to the plate
of the inlet before-mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Porri and Ebenezer Leigh in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Joun
PORRI and EBENEZER LEIGH, both of Blackrod, near Chorley, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her leirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said John Porri and Ebenezer
Leigh, Her special license that we, the said John Porri and Ebenezer
Leigh, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said John Porri and Ebenezer Leigh, our executors, administrators,
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, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Porri and Ebenezer Leigh, our executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Porri and Ebenezer Leigh,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to tho

page_text: annular casting E which is filled with water through the small pipe F;
G is the hydraulic main; H is the sheave or pulley fixed to the bottom
of the rod C, and I is the sheave or pulley attached to the ascension
pipe; J, being the chain which passes over cach, the one end being
fastened at or near the point K, while the other is secured to a hook L
fixed to the ascension pipe. The blank flanges or plates M, M, arc mado
removable so as to get access to the interior of the pipes for the purpose
of cleansing them if required.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Water or other suitable
liquid being first supplied to the hydraulic and to the annular scal,
when the mouth of the retort is open and no gas passing to the
hydraulic, the bottom edges of the cap or cover resting upon the top of
the inlet pipe will be immersed in the liquid in the hydraulic, thus
forming a perfect seal against the emission of gas from the hydraulic, or
the admission of air into the same. But on the retort being charged
and closed the attendant will pull down the chain, which operating
through the intervention of the sheaves upon the rod will raise the same,
and with it the cap or cover, thereby unsealing the inlet pipe and
allowing a free way for the gas, and this will be maintained so long as
the chain remains fastened below. When the retort is again about to be
opened the attendant will unhook the chain, whereupon the cap or cover
to the inlet will lose its previous support and descend until its edges are
again immersed in the liquid in the hydraulic as before, a perfect scal
being the result.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that we do not confine
or restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which wo
have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom with-
out deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but
what we consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
And, secondly. The arrangement of tube D and annular casting E, as

page_text: herein described and shown on the Drawing for ensuring a gas-tight
joint and freedom from friction to the rod C.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer Leigh, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Ε