IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frederick William Niebuhr, of Cavendish Chambers,
"
Duke Street, Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND
IN THE MEANS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 11th August 1876, and dated the 27th April 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederick William
Niebuhr at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th February
1876.
JOHN FREDERICK WILLIAM NIEBUHR, of Cavendish Chambers, Duke Street,
Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to the manufacture of lighting gas from rice husks.
Hitherto it has been the practice to burn in an open fire or a furnace the husks
of rice for the purpose of utilizing the heat therefrom, in combination with other
fuel. It has also been the practice where large works are situated to throw the husks
away as waste, and often a nuisance has been created thereby. Now I have found
by experiment that the husks of rice when burnt in a close retort are capable of
producing a lighting gas of high brilliancy, and that it can be conveyed through
pipes for general lighting purposes. The husks are for the purposes of my Invention
preferably placed in a clay or iron retort heated from the outside, and after the
heat has been well applied I open a passage to lead the gas from the retort to a
gasometer, in which it can be stored, and from which ordinary street and other
lamps can be supplied with gas.
By my Invention much of the plant now used for the washing and scrubbing of
coal gas can be dispensed with, the light being purer and of a lesser gravity than
coal gas.
The husks may be placed in retorts in which a creeper screw can be worked to
agitate the husks, and thus bring them gradually under the action of the heat for
giving off the gas.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Frederick William Niebuhr in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th August 1876.
JOHN FREDERICK WILLIAM NIEBUHR, of Cavendish Chambers, Duke Street,
Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS THEREFOR,"
This Invention relates to the manufacture of lighting gas from rice husks.
Hitherto it has been the practice to burn in an open fire or a furnace the husks
of rice for the purpose of utilizing the heat therefrom, in combination with other
fuel. It has also been the practice where large works are situated to throw the
husks away as waste, and often a nuisance has been created thereby. Now I have
found by experiment that the husks of rice when burnt in a close retort are capable
of producing a lighting gas of high brilliancy, and that it can be conveyed through
pipes for general lighting purposes. The husks are for the purposes of my Invention
preferably placed in a clay or iron retort heated from the outside, and after the heat
has been well applied I open a passage to lead the gas from the retort to a gasometer,
in which it can be stored, and from which ordinary street and other lamps can be
supplied with gas.
By my Invention much of the plant now used for the washing and scrubbing of
coal gas can be dispensed with, the light being purer and of a lesser gravity than
coal gas.
The accompanying Drawings represents an apparatus applicable for the purpose of
my Invention; the means adopted by me being the best, by which I produce a good
lighting gas from rice husks, but I do not limit myself to the use of the apparatus,
as other constructions as modifications may be used, as found convenient. A is a
cast-iron or other metal vat or retort set in brickwork B, or it may be in another
metal exterior casing. C is a hood of tapered form, supporting on its narrowest
part a pipe or head D for leading the gas from the retort A to a gasometer or
receiver, to be stored for use in any of the manners well known. E is a vertical
shaft supported by a step piece F, and is guided at its upper end by a cross bar G,
the rotation of the shaft being governed by a pulley H and strap I or otherwise, as
desired. The shaft E carries an inverted cone-bladed screw or creeper J, the blade
of which is also coned on its upper face that the rice husks as they are lifted have
a tendency to fall to the edge and off the blade into contact with the inner wall of
the retort A where they are acted upon by the heat thereof derived from the fuel
on the fire-bars K and the products of combustion, when passing along the serpentine
flue L on their way to the uptake or chimney M; the shaft E also carries a couple
or three scraper arms N, N, which scrape against the inside of the retort to remove
any rice husks that may adhere to or become stuck upon it. By this means,
supposing the rice husks to be saturated or mixed with a liquid body, such as tar
or other light giving medium that would increase the brilliancy of the gas so made,
the whole of the rice husks within the retort would be constantly turned over and
fresh particles be constantly brought into contact with the heated retort, thereby
effecting a complete agitation as is necessary for the purpose, assisted by the
spikes P, P, on the arms.
The retort receives its charge of rice husks gradually and in proportion to the
consumption from the shoot tube Q, the upper part R of which can be hermetically
closed by a lid after being filled in any convenient manner.
The .ashes can be
withdrawn on the complete burning of each charge by removing the plate S, which
is provided with a screw and hand wheel T for drawing the plate out for opening
the aperture, when the ashes will fall down the spout U into a receiver, to be mixed
with the fuel used for heating the retort.
The gas generated within the retort can be drawn away by any usual suction
apparatus and be forced into the gasometer, and to prevent the particles of rico
husks leaving the retort with the gas I fit a screen V on the top and another W of

page_text: smaller mesh in the hood C, in order that should some of the particles rise through
the meshes of the lower screen they would be stopped by the smaller meshes of the
upper screen, the meshes of the two screens acting also as a kind of filter to the gas
in its passage from the retort to the gasometer. X is a valve in the pipe D to close
the passage when the shoot Q is being recharged, or when the plate S is open to
prevent back rush of gas, the valve being under the control of the hand pull Y
through the beam lever Z.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The use of rice husks either alone or mixed with other ingredients and the
employment of an apparatus constructed substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawing for the manufacture of lighting gas, as described.
Secondly. I claim specially, the apparatus described and as shown in the annexed
Drawing for the manufacture of lighting gas from rice husks, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frederick William Niebuhr, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
J. F. W. NIEBUHR. (L.S.)