IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COXE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexis Jean Moreau, Chymist, and Adolphe Ernest
Ragon, Gentleman, both of Bernard Street, Russell Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COXE."
Sealed the 6th February 1868, and dated the 9th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexis Jean Moreau and
Adolphe Ernest Ragon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 9th August 1862.
We, ALEXIS JEAN MOREAU, Chymist, and ADOLPHE ERNEST RAGON, Gentle-
man, both of Bernard Street, Russell Square, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COKE," to be as follows:-
Our Invention of improvements in the manufacture of gas and coke,
relates principally to the manufacture of gas from peat or from the chemical
substances contained in peat, but the Invention may be advantageously employed
for obtaining gas from coal or other substances from which it may be generated.
The objects of our Invention are effected by the employment of a peculiar
arrangement of apparatus, the principle of construction and operation of which
will be clearly understood by the following general description of the modus
operandi of generating gas. The gas generating apparatus consists principally
of an arrangement of retorts which are heated externally by suitable fires and

page_text: are charged from time to time with the peat or other substance from which
the gas is to be generated. The vapours that are distilled over are conducted
to a separate vessel or retort which is also heated and contains a mass of incan-
descent coke and fuel, and is by preference divided longitudinally by a central
partition. The gas or vapours pass into one of the compartments of this retort
where they are heated by passing through the incandescent fuel to the other
compartment, and from thence to the gas holder. By this means the water
contained in the peat is decomposed by the heat and is converted into hydrogen
and oxygen gas. The latter gas will combine with the carbon and the former
will be carburetted and escape and pass into the gas holder. The coke pro-
duced by this mode of generating gas will be found much more porous than
that produced by the ordinary processes, and all the chemical substances that
are likely to produce smoke or smell when the coke is burned are eliminated, so
that the coke which is a residuum of our manufacture of gas may be used for a
variety of purposes for which ordinary coke or carbonized peat are not applicable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexis Jean Moreau and Adolphe Ernest Ragon in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, ALEXIS
JEAN MOREAU, Chymist, and ADOLPHE ERNEST RAGON, Gentleman, both
of Bernard Street, Russell Square, in the County of Middlesex, 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 sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Alexis Jean Moreau and Adolphe Ernest Ragon, Her special license that
we, the said Alexis Jean Moreau and Adolphe Ernest Ragon, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alexis Jean Moreau
and Adolphe Ernest Ragon, 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COKE," upon the conditions
(amongst others) that we, the said Alexis Jean Moreau and Adolphe Ernest

page_text: Ragon, by an instrument in writing under our 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 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 Alexis Jean Moreau and Adolphe Ernest
Ragon, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, réference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
(that is to say) :-
Our Invention of." Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas and Coke,"
relates principally to the manufacture of gas from peat or from chemical
substances contained in peat, but the Invention may be advantageously
employed for obtaining gas from coal or other substances from which it may
bo generated. The objects of our Invention are effected by the employment
of a peculiar arrangement of apparatus, the principle of construction and
operation of which will be clearly understood by. the following. general.
description of the modus operandi of generating gas therein.
The gas
generating apparatus which is shewn in elevation in the accompanying
Drawings at Fig 1, and in sectional plan at Fig. 2, consists principally of an
arrangement of two retorts a, a, which are heated externally by suitable fires,
and are charged from time to time with the peat or other. substance from
which the gas is to be generated. The vapours that are distilled over are
conducted to a separate vessel or retort 6 which is also heated and contains
a mass of incandescent coke and fuel, and is divided longitudinally by a
central partition c which does not extend quite to the end of the retort so that
a space is left for the passage of the gases from one compartment to the other.
The gas or vapours pass from the retorts a, a, through the pipes d, d, into
the front part of one of the compartments 1 of this central retort 6 -
where they are heated by passing through the incandescent fuel round the
end of the partition c to the other compartment 2, and from thence through
the exit pipe e to the purifiers, and ultimately to the gas holder.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the retorts a and b with their pipes. :
The arrows indicate the course of the gases through the apparatus.
By this arrangement of apparatus and mode of operating on the carbona-
ceous substance, the water contained in the peat will be decomposed by the -
heat in the central retort b, and thereby bo converted into hydrogen and
oxygen gas. The latter gas will combine with a portion of the carbon and

page_text: form carbonic oxide and carbonic acid which will be removed by the purifiers,
and the hydrogen will be carburetted, and after passing through the purifier will
enter the gas holder. The charcoal produced by this mode of generating gas will
be found much more applicable for various useful purposes than that produced
by the ordinary processes, and all the chemical substances that are likely to
produce smoke or smell, when the coke is burned in open grates or fire-places
are eliminated, so that the charcoal which is a residuum of our manufacture
gas may be used for a variety of purposes for which ordinary coke or carbon-
ized peat are not applicable.
of
Having now described our Invention of "Improvments in the Manufacture
of Gas and Coke," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, we claim as our Invention the mode herein set forth of generating
gas, and manufacturing coke, and also the apparatus above described, whereby
such operations are performed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alexis Jean Moreau, and Adolphe
Ernest Ragon, have hereunto set my hands and seals, this Ninth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. MOREAU. (LS.)
A. RAGON. (L.S.)