IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OP GAS, AND IN THE OBTAINMENT OF PRODUCTS ARISING IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Owen, of Aberdeen Terrace, Blackheath, in
the County of Kent, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OP GAS, AND IN THE OBTAINMENT OF PRODUCTS ARISING
IN SUCH MANUFACTURE."
Sealed the 3rd February 1857, and dated the 9th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Owen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1856.
I, EDWARD OWEN, of Aberdeen Terrace, Blackheath, in the County of Kent,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN THE OBTAINMENT OF PRODUCTS ARISING IN
SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the manufacture or production of gas from brewers'
waste hops. I propose to employ the apparatus and means now ordinarily used
in the manufacture of gas from coal, with such modifications only as may be
necessary or desirable in consequence of the difference in the materials. In
this new manufacture I obtain also ammonia, tar, and charcoal, the production
of which from the waste hops. I consider. part of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
OWEN, of Aberdeen Terrace, Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Owen, Her special license that I, the said Edward Owen, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Owen, my
executors, administrators, or 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 MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN
THE OBTAINMENT OF PRODUCTS ARISING IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," upon the condition,
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Owen, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Owen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:
My said Invention relates to the manufacture or production of gas, for
illuminating and heating purposes, from a new material not hitherto employed
for such purpose, and consists in manufacturing or producing such gas from
brewers' waste hops. I propose to employ the apparatus and means now
ordinarily used in the manufacture of gas from coal, with such modifications
only as may be necessary or desirable in consequence of the difference of the
materials employed. In this new manufacture I obtain also ammonia, tar,
and charcoal, the production of which from the waste hops I consider as part
my Invention.
of
In carrying out this Invention the waste or spent hops are proposed to be

page_text: deprived of the usually accompanying water by means of known air-drying
processes or bydraulic pressure, or by a combination of them, or other known
suitable processes.. I prefer that they be first pressed by hydraulic power at
the breweries, and if not completed then, I may further deprive them of water
in a similar manner, taking the opportunity to bring them into such blocks or
shapes as shall permit of their being placed into the retorts as herein-after
described, as coal now is at gasworks.
Where pressure at the brewers is impracticable, or when, for economical or
other purposes, I choose other than hydraulic means of drying, I shall, from
their then different texture, require some modifications of the plant and pro-
cesses herein-after described. Whatevor process for extracting the surplus
water be employed, I prefer that it be carried on until the moisture is reduced
to about one hundred to one hundred and fifty gallons of water to a ton of
hops, or, in other words, to about one part of water to two or three parts of
hops. The hops may be used dry, if desired; but I have found that a larger
proportion of gas and ammonia results when the hops are used in the state of
moisture berein-before referred to.
The retorts employed in the distillation and carbonization of the hops may
be laid horizontally, similarly to those at present in general use for pre-
paring illuminating gas from coal. I prefer to construct them of fire brick
of about a nineteen inch by thirteen inch D shape, and about twenty feet in
length, having a charge opening at one end, and a discharge aperture at the
other, for supplying fresh hops and for removing the resulting charcoal. I
prefer to use a bright red heat in the distilling process, as commonly used in
gasworks where clay or brick retorts are employed, and it will be found
advantageous to work the retorts in sets of seven, each set being heated by
two fire places, one being situate at each end of the retorts. The gas produced
passes successively into a hydraulic main, condenser, and scrubber, which latter
is supplied with streams of water by any of the methods at present adopted in
gasworks. The gas is finally purified from carbonic acid by passing it through
an ordinary dry lime purifier.
I have found it advantageous to assist the passage of the gas through the
several apparatus above referred to by the aid of an exhauster, and I may here
mention that I give the preference to Beale's exhauster for that purpose.
As the hops are liable to give an illuminating gas of a somewhat varying
quality, I propose in some cases, when found requisite, to mix boghead coal
with the hops, in suitable quantities proportionate to the illuminating power
required...
The condensation of the tar is effected in the hydraulic main and condenser,

page_text: and after having been separated and washed from the ammonia, it may be
sold for the same purposes that wood tars are generally used; or, if found
desirable, it may be distilled by the aid of superheated steam or other known
means for the production of solvent-naphthas and heavy lubricating oils. The.
ammonia will be found in the water which is deposited in the bydraulic main
and condenser, and also in the water which passes through the scrubber.
When two scrubbers are used, the liquor from the hydraulic main, when
cold, may with great advantage be employed in the first scrubber as the
washing liquor, whilst clean water is used in the second scrubber, sücli water
being also strengthened by using it over again in the first scrubber: During
the process of distillation, the ammonia will have combined with the carbonic
acid in varying proportions, but the result of the scrubbing will be to further
saturate the ammonia with carbonic acid, thereby rendering unnecessary of
proportionately diminishing the necessity for the use of lime...
I propose to apply the solution of ammonia and carbonic acid to the pro-
duction of alum and to other purposes where carbonates of ammonia are
employed.
"
I proposé charging the retorts with my broken blocks of hops by means
of a scoop, and luting up the lids at either end similar to that done in coal
gasworks. But where the hops have not been brought into the blocks,.abové
referred to, I may choose certain immaterial modifications. When the charge
is done, by means of a piston with a long- handle, I push the entire contents
forward and out at the other door. I may here observe that I prefer receiving
the charcoal in closed vessels whilst still hot, so that it may not be reduced to
ash by contact with the atmosphere, or lose any portion of the still remaining
nitrogen which renders it admirably applicable as a manure. As a substitute
for the retorts, and mode of charging and discharging, herein-before described
an Archimedian feeding screw may be used, similar to the arrangement described
in the Specification of an Invention for which Letters Patent for England
were granted to Andrew Panton Halliday for "Certain Improvements in the
Manufacture of Pyroligneous Acid," on or about the Twenty-eighth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight; in which case, if
blocks have been formed by hydraulic pressure they must be broken. up small.
I wish it to be distinctly understood, however, that I lay no claim to, neither
do I confine or restrict myself to the use of any particular construction or
arrangement of apparatus for effecting the destructive distillation of the hops;
but leave myself open to employ any known and available apparatus for carry-
ing on destructive distillations of organic matters; and I am also aware that
vegetable matters have been used, in combination with oils and tars, for the

page_text: production of illuminating gas, and therefore I lay no claim to the use of
vegetable matters when so combined for that purpose; but what I claim as
the Invention secured to me by the herein-before recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the manufacture or production of illuminating gas from spent hops,
as herein-before described.
Second, the manufacture or production of ammonia, tar, and charcoal
from spent hops.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Owen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Seventh day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.
EDWARD OWEN. (LS.)