IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING AND HEATING GAS, AND DISTRIBUTING THEREOF FOR USE BY MEANS OF APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR SAID PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Chapman Peacock, of Finsbury Park Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and Charles Wallace
Bradley, of Circus Place, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING AND
Sealed the 19th March 1875, and dated the 22nd September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Chapman Peacock
and Charles Wallace Bradley at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd September 1874.
We, JOHN CHAPMAN PEACOCK, of Finsbury Park Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, and CHARLES WALLACE BRADLEY, of Circus
Place, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING AND
HEATING GAS, AND DISTRIBUTING THEREOF FOR USE BY MEANS OF APPARATUS ADAPTED
FOR SAID PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of an clastic tube, which we call the generator

page_text: with a fibrous material, such as cotton, flax, wool, and such like material,
either woven or otherwise. This tube we place, in a spiral or other
form, in a chamber made of iron, tin, copper, or other suitable material,
of any shape, leaving the ends projecting from the inlet and outlet, but
leaving sufficient room in the middle of the vessel to allow of a reservoir
being placed there for the purpose of supplying the above-named
generator or generating tube with any suitable highly volatile oil or
spirit in such quantities as may be required for replacing the spirit
evaporated by means of the generator.
When it is desirable not to have any of the highly inflammable spirit
in a liquid shape, we combine the generator and spirit holder into one
porous block, which we call our block spirit holder, in the following
manner: We take our tubular generator and wind it round a tube of
wire, leaving its ends free. We then place this into a wire gauze or other
suitable mould made of a similar shape, but of as much larger size as
may be deemed necessary, and into this we pour liquid cotton, flax, or
paper pulp, or any other suitable light fibrous substance, but chiefly
preferring those substances that have the property of felting. When
properly and thoroughly dessicated this block forms our generator and
spirit holder combined, having the property of holding a large quantity
of spirit by the natural law of capillary attraction.
We also make the combined generator and porous holder of a com-
bination of substances, either in lumps or powder, having the power of
setting into a block, such as carbon mixed with plaster of Paris, lime, or
other cements.
We also make the combined generator and bolder in the form of a
long tube, having the tubular generator, either straight or waved, passing
entirely through it; or it may be made in any form suitable to the various
purposes the gas is applicable to.
Another form of our block spirit holder is made by perforating it, a
either by casting into it lengths of our tubular generator each length.
passing right through or communicating with each other, or we some-
times bore it after casting. In this case we pass the air through the
whole of the tubular spaces thus formed by any convenient and suitable.
method.
In the use of our tubular generator we do not limit ourselves to using

page_text: times we use it straight.
any form we may deem desirable, and some-
In all the forms of the block spirit holder where the perforations in
it, either continuous or otherwise, can be made without the aid or use of
the tubular generator, we sometimes use it as a generator alone by.
passing the air through the perforations as before described.
The action of this generator, either by itself or in combination with
the spirit holder, is as follows:--The air for mixing with the vapour from
the spirit flows into the tubular generator only when the gas formed
in the generator is being drawn off by its combustion at the burners, and,
as each particle of the air must pass through the whole length of the
generator the air becomes thoroughly saturated with the spirit vapour.
The gas thus formed is much heavier than the air, and descends by the
natural power of gravity, and is conducted by any suitable pipes to the
burners:
By the above arrangements we can dispense with any machinery for
forcing or drawing the air through the generator (excepting when
specially required), and obtain all the power required for any number of
burners by the force of gravity alone simply by increasing the size of:
the diameter and the length of the generating tube. But when the
power of gravity is not sufficient to conduct the gas to the burners, as
in carriage lamps, and such like, we aid it by the expanding and upward
force of the heated products of combustion. This we effect by con-
tinuing the chimney of the argand or other burners, or gathering the
products of combustion in any suitable manner into a chimney, and then.
causing the said heated products to pass into the generator, either-
instead of or mixed with the ordinary atmosphere. The products of
combustion through the generator not only increases its power of pro-
duction, but increases the heat and brilliancy of the light, and lessens
consumption, and also increases the coldness of the block spirit holder,
and therefore the density and weight of the gas, thus giving still further
force and power of sending the gas long distances in consequence of its
leaving the holder nearly at a freezing temperature, and expanding in
the conducting pipes as it passes to the burners.
When air or gases are heated up to a certain point and passed through
our generator it becomes a very efficient refrigerator, which we hứ

page_text: placing it in a suitable cupboard, box, or safe, use as a preservative for
food and such like.
We also arrange our tubular generator in a spiral form, similar to the
mainspring of a clock, and float it by any suitable means on the surface
of the spirit, so as to keep it constantly charged with the spirit by
means of capillary attraction.
When air is necessary to be forced through the generator we use an
ordinary gas meter, either wet or dry, by attaching power to the drum
or bellows that will draw the gas from or force air through the
generator, the index of the meter registering the amount of gas drawn or
air forced through.
We also, for the purpose of drawing or forcing the air through the
generator use the principle of displacement by. water or other fluid.
We take two vessels made of glass, tin, copper, or any suitable material,
connected together in any way, one of which is filled with water or other
fluid. By emptying one into the other air or gas is drawn in to supply
the place of the water or other fluid, while in the other vessel the water
entering displaces the air or gas that may be there. The degree of
pressure varies in accordance with the fall of water. For one of the
applications of this principle we make the two chambers one above
another to turn on a centre, so that when the top chamber is empty it
may be inverted to receive the contents of the full chamber. For the
purpose of regulating and conducting the gas or air out or in suitable
valves are constructed, so that it can be used for a portable lamp, or of
such a size as to supply any number of lights. In carrying out this
principle we either turn the chambers by hand or by any suitable
machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Chapman Peacock and Charles Wallace
Bradley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CHAPMAN PEACOCK, of Finsbury Park Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and CHARLES WALLACE BRADLEY, of Circus Place, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, 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
successors, give and grant unto us, the said John Chapman Peacock and
Charles Wallace Bradley, Her special license that we, the said John'
Chapman Peacock and Charles Wallace Bradley, our executors, adminis-*
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Chapman Peacock
and Charles Wallace Bradley, 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMI-
NATING AND HEATING GAS, AND DISTRIBUTING THEREOF FOR USE BY MEANS OF
APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR SAID PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Chapman Peacock and Charles Wallace
Bradley, our executors or administrators, by an instrument 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 we, the said John Chapman Peacock and Charles
Wallace Bradley, 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,
that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
illuminating and heating gas, and distributing thereof for use by means
of apparatus adapted for said purposes. For these purposes we form a
flexible and porous tube by winding a wire into an open coil, and covering.
it with a woven fabric or gauze. This tube we call the " generating
tube." We arrange the generating. tube in a coil of convenient form,.
and mould around it a porous block. The material we employ to form-
the block is bamboo or light wood pulp. The block when thoroughly.
dry is enclosed in a case of sheet metal or other material. When required.

page_text: We make it about one
These dimensions will
Figure 1 is a side view of the generating tube.
inch diameter, and twenty to thirty feet long.
suffice for the production of about twenty or thirty cubic feet of gas per
hour; if more be required wee mploy two or more generators. The coil is
of light brass or tinned iron wire, and a thin gauze is sewn around it. The
generating tube we coil around a light wire frame, and place it within a
mould formed of wire gauze. We then pour the fibrous pulp carefully
into the mould and allow it to drain, filling up the mould from time to
time as the material sinks. The mould should not be shaken, as this
would tend to render the block too close and dense, and for the same
reason the fibrous pulp should not be too fine.
The bamboo pulp
imported into this country for making paper is a very suitable material;
it requires simply opening, so as to leave no pieces or lumps, and mixing
thoroughly with water, so as to form a semi-fluid pulp which will pour

page_text: readily from a jug. As soon as the block is set it is placed in a stove
and dried. A block thus made is very strong, so that a man may stand
upon it without crushing it, but is yet so porous that it will absorb and
hold by cappilary action three-quarters of its own bulk of hydrocarbon
spirit. Figure 2 shows a section of such a block. We enclose the block
in a case of tin plate, with suitable sockets to receive the ends of the
generating tube. The upper socket is left open to allow the requisite
flow of air. The lower socket is connected with the service pipe
descending to the burners. At the top of the case a screw plug is fitted;
it is removed in order to pour into the case around the block the hydro-
carbon spirit with which the apparatus is charged.
In order to supply warmed air to the generating tube and around the
porous block we enclose the first case in a second or outer case, which
at the bottom is attached to a metal chimney placed over the nearest
gas burner. The arrangement is shewn in section at Figure 3. There
is a valve in the chimney to regulate the temperature of the air
passing through the block. This temperature should not be too high; it
is sufficient when the gas is delivered at a few degrees above the freezing
point.
There are, as will be seen, lateral openings in the chimney for the
escape of the heated products and air from the chimney, especially when
the valve is partially closed. The descent of gas to the burners is
regulated by a stop-cock. The valve in the chimney may be coupled
with the stop-cock, so that when the flow of gas is checked a corre-
sponding reduction shall be made in the quantity of hot air entering the
outer case.
Where sufficient fall for the gas is not readily obtainable we employ
clockwork forcing apparatus in the nature of a dry gas meter driven by
clockwork; such apparatus is well understood. The block may con-
veniently be formed hollow to receive the forcing apparatus in the centre,
as is shewn in Figure 4, which is a section of the arrangement. The
foot of the block is here shewn standing in a bath of the liquid hydro-
carbon, which it absorbs as quickly as it is carried off by evaporation.
When this arrangement is adopted care must be taken that the liquid
be kept well below the level of the outlet pipe; to insure this an over-
flow or draw-off plug may be provided. The outer case is provided.
with a plug at the bottom to draw off any moisture which may condense
within it.

page_text: JOHN CHAPMAN PEACOCK.
(L.S.)
CHARLES WALLACE BRADLEY. (L.S.)