IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING AIR AND SUPPLYING CARBURETTED AIr for IlluminatiNG PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th October 1879. [A communication
from abroad by Jacob Weart, of Jersey City, in the County of Hudson, State
of New Jersey, United States of America.]
ALEXANDER MELville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
* IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING AIR AND SUPPLYING
CARBURETTED AIr for IlluminatiNG PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad
by Jacob Weart, of Jersey City, in the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey,
United States of America.]
This Invention relates to apparatus wherein atmospheric air is forced into a
receiver and enriched by mixture with the vapours of liquid hydro-carbon for
subsequent use for illuminating purposes, and the Invention has for its object to
adapt such apparatus for use on railway trains, in factories, and other places where
steam or other power is available. The Invention consists in the use of a fan or
pressure blower driven by competent power and connected by pipes with the
receiver of the carburetting apparatus, whereby atmospheric air is forced into
the receiver and carburetting chamber, and a uniformn pressure maintained. The
Invention consists further in the use of steam pipes or a steam coil to dry and heat
the air, and also in an automatic regulator acting by the pressure to control the
motive power.
When the Invention is applied to a railway train the blower
would be fitted on the locomotive and driven by a donkey or other small engine,
also fitted on the locomotive and taking steam from the boiler. From the blower a
pipe, preferably of metal, passes beneath the locomotive and tender to a coil that is
located on the carriage, and from the coil to the carburetting chamber, also on the
carriage. The connections of the pipe between the locomotive and carriages are
made by flexible hose and coupling devices of any suitable character, and between
the coil and carburetting chamber there is fitted a rising pipe provided at the
outlet with a safety valve for permitting escape of air when the pressure becomes
too great.
The carburetting chamber is of any usual or desired character whereby the
atmospheric air will be mingled intimately with the vapour of hydro-carbon, and to
said chamber pipes will be connected for conveying the enriched air to the burners
in the usual manner; contiguous to the air coil there is fitted a steam coil that is
connected by a pipe with the boiler so as to take steam therefrom and heat the air

page_text: passing through the air coil, so that the air will be more or less heated and dried
before it enters the carburetter. This heater is especially useful in cold and wet
weather to ensure the vaporization of the hydro carbon, and the air being dried
will the more readily take up the vapours. The inlet openings of the blower are
covered by fine wire screens to exclude dust that might be drawn in and forced into
the pipes and carburetter.
The apparatus when applied to a building may be driven by a water motor of
any usual character by means of a belt or other suitable connection. In the line
of pipe from the blower to the carburetter is fitted a receiver or air chamber that is
covered by a flexible cap or diaphragm, which is connected to a lever that in turn
is connected with the gate or valve of the water motor in such manner that when
the diaphragm is raised the water is shut off proportionately from the motor. By
these means when the pressure of air in the receiver rises to the normal point,
according to the adjustment, the motor will be stopped and supply of air cut off
until a reduction of pressure by contrary action opens the valve and starts the
motor.
By the use of a blower in the manner described the required pressure can be
readily maintained in the carburetter without the use of weights or other pressure
devices. This is especially convenient on railroad trains, where heretofore a pressure
device has been used in connection with each carburetter on the train. In some
cases it may be desirable to place on the carriage a hand blower connected by pipes
with the carburetter, so that the pressure may be maintained when the locomotive
is detached.