MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hansor, of the Wandsworth Road, in the
County of Surrey, Practical Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hansor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
March 1854.
I, JAMES HANSOR, of the Wandsworth Road, in the County of Surrey,
Practical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS," to be as follows:
It is well known that in manufacturing illuminating gas from resinous, oily,
and fatty matters that much of the same when distilled over condenses into a
liquid state. Now the object of my Invention is to subject the matters from
which illuminating gas is to be manufactured, first, to a comparatively. low
temperature, so as to distil over vapours, which are condensible, and con-
sequently not readily inflammable, and then to cause such vapors to be again
subjected to heat in a second retort more highly heated, so as to render the
vapours previously condensible into incondensible gas. For this purpose the
matters from which gas is to be manufactured are féd into a retort heated to a
comparatively low degree, and the vapours proceeding from such retort are
conducted into another retort, which is more highly heated, and it is filled with
coke or matters which cause the vapors to be distributed in the retort in such
manner as to ensure their being heated to a degree which will convert them
into permanent gas. The heat of the vapourizing and also of the carbonizing
retorts is regulated by suitable slides or dampers, the heat of the vapourizing
retorts being kept down to the degree desired for only producing condensible

page_text: vapours,
whilst the heat of the other is kept up to a degree to insure complete
conversion of the vapors into gas; and this may be tested from time to time to
ascertain whether the heat is proper, by having cocks on the pipes leading
from the different retorts, by which a jet of vapour from the first retort and
gas from the second retort may be allowed to flow, and thus to ascertain
whether vapour or gas is passing off. Between the first and second retort there
is a cock or valve to close the passage when charging the retort. In order to
ascertain when the retorts are at a proper temperature to commence working I
use fusible metals. The matters to be converted into gas I place by preference
in metal trays with perforated covers. Two or more vapourizing retorts may be
used to one carbonizing retort.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hansor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HANSOR, of the Wandsworth Road, in the County of Surrey, Practical Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent, Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Hansor, Her special licence that I, the said James Hansor, my execu
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hansor,
my 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 THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Hansor, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hansor, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,,
thereof (that is to say):-
"
3
It is well known that in manufacturing illuminating gas from resinous, oily,
and fatty matters that much of the same when distilled over condenses. into. a.
liquid state. Now the object of my Invention is to subject the matters from,
which illuminating gas is to be manufactured, first, to a comparatively low
temperature, so as to distil over vapours, which are condensible, and con-
sequently not readily inflammable, and then to cause such vapours to be again
subjected to heat in a second retort more highly heated, so as to render the
vapours previously condensible into incondensible gas. For this purpose the.
matters from which gas is to be manufactured are fed into a retort heated to a
comparatively low degree, and the vapours proceeding from such retort are.
conducted into another retort, which is more highly heated, and it is filled,
with coke or matters which cause the vapours to be distributed in the retort.in.
such manner as to insure their being heated to a degree which will convert.
them into permanent gas. The heat of the vaporizing and also of the car-.
bonizing retorts is regulated by suitable slides or dampers, the heat of the
vaporizing retorts being kept. down to the degree desired for only producing
condensible vapours, whilst the heat of the other is kept up to,a degree to
insure complete conversion of the vapours into gas; and this may be, tested.
from time to time to ascertain whether the heat is proper, by having cocks on.
the pipes leading from the different retorts, by which a jet of vapour from the
first retort and gas from the second retort may be allowed to flow, and t thus
to ascertain whether vapour or gas is passing off. Between the first and,
second retort, there is a cock or valve to close the passage when charging the
retort. In order to ascertain when the retorts are at a proper temperature to
commence working I use fusible metals. The matters to be converted into
gas I place by preference in metal trays with perforated covers. Two or more
vapourizing retorts may be used to one carbonizing retort.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention,. I will proceed to describe.
the manner of performing the same..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
:
Figure 1 shows a front elevation; Figure, 2, a longitudinal section;
Figure 3, a transverse section; Figure 4, a plan in section; and Figure 5,
an end elevation of apparatus suitably arranged for carrying out my Invention.
The apparatus shewn by the Drawings consists of two retorts, into which the
resinous, oily, or fatty matters are fed, to be converted into vapour by, the
action of the heat from the furnace; the vapours generated in these retorts

page_text: being conducted through pipes to another retort of larger dimensions, where
the vapours are heated to a much higher temperature, and thus converted into
incondensible gas. A is the furnace, arranged to heat all the retorts at the
same time, the heat being conducted through the flies or passages: B, B,
which gradually diminish in size toward the back of the retort E. By this
arrangement the front and back of the retort will be more uniformly heated.
C, C, are the retorts into which the resinous, oily, or fatty matters are fed, to:
be converted into vapour by the action of the heat from the furnace A. The
vapours generated in the retorts C; C, are conducted through the pipes D, D,
to the retort E, where the vapours are heated to a much higher temperature
to be converted into' gas. The pipes D; D, are embedded in fire bricks, as
shewn in Figure 1, to prevent condensation of the vapours in their passage
from the retort C to the retort E, which is much larger than the retorts C to
admit of the free expansion of the vapour during its conversion. into gas. In
addition to the ordinary course of fire bricks, I cover all the pipes at: their
union with the retorts with a thick layer of fire clay for the purpose of pre-
venting their becoming so hot as to cause a deposit of carbon in their mouths
and so choking them. C¹, C', are flues, diminishing gradually to the back of
the retorts to heat them uniformly. The flues C, C, are connected with the
flue of the larger retort, which has an outlet to the chimney. By this arrange-
ment of the flues and retorts the vapour will be generated and converted into
gas, and the heat of the several retorts may be regulated by the dampers
L, L, L, as shewn in the Drawings. D₁ is the exit pipe of the gas-retort E,
of large diameter, to admit of the rapid passage of the gas into the condenser,
which may be of the ordinary or other suitable construction. F, F, are feed:
boxes, shewn separately at Figure 6, consisting of a frame containing a series.
of metal trays, into which the resinous or other matters are placed. These
trays are about two inches deep, with a space between them, so that they.
become quickly heated. When placed in the retorts, the resinous, oily, or
fatty maters are spread on the trays to about one and a half inch in thick-
ness, and perforated metal covers are placed over them. G, G, Figure 7, are
a series of perforated metal plates, connected together and placed in the retort
E, for the purpose of increasing the heating surface over or through which
the
vapour passes to be converted into gas. The frame of perforated plates
G, G, may be placed in the retort E alone, or coke or other suitable, material
may be introduced between the perforated plates; or the retort E may contain
coke or other matters to cause the vapours to be distributed in the retort, to
insure their being heated to such a degree as will cause them to be converted
into permanent gas. H, H, are.cocks or valves in the pipes D, D, which are

page_text: to be opened when the retorts C, C, are charged, to admit the passage of
vapour into the retort E, and are also employed to cut off the communication
between either of the retorts C and E, when either of the retorts C are being
discharged. I, I, are pipes and stop-cocks connected to the final exit pipe of
the retort E, to allow a jet of gas to flow from that retort, so as to ascertain
whether the heat of the retort is sufficient to convert the vapour into gas.
J, J, are pipes (with stop-cocks) leading from the pipes D, to allow jets of
vapour to flow, and thus to show when the retorts C, C, are of the proper
heat to generate vapour and not gas, and they serve also to shew when
the charges are exhausted. K, K, are supports to the fire bricks, which
protect the retort E from the action of the flame. All the retorts are sup-
ported on pieces of fire brick to form passages under them. L, L, L, aro
dampers to the several flues, which may be graduated so as to regulate the
temperature of each retort.
The apparatus shewn in. the Drawing is arranged to work with two
vaporizing and one carbonizing retort; but, if desired, one of the vaporizing
retorts may be dispensed with, by closing its damper, and the cock or valve in
the pipe D, which communicates with that retort. And I would remark, that
the dimensions, shape, and number of the retorts employed may be varied to
suit the purpose and extent to which the manufacture of illuminating gas is
required, without departing from my Invention.
Ilaving thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details, so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be
retained. But what I claim is, the manufacture of illuminating gas as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hansor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
J. HANSOR. (L.S.)