AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OILS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hiram Hyde, of Truro, Nova Scotia, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING OILS."-A communication.
Sealed the 1st November 1858, and dated the 13th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hiram Hyde at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th May 1858.
I, HIRAM HYDE, of Truro, Nova Scotia, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OILS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of applying the heated products of
the combustion of fuel directly to the body intended to be decomposed, whereby
the heat of the burning fuel commences chemical changes resulting in the
production of oil, while the heat disengaged in the changes is added to that
arising from the fuel.
By this improved process the undue elevation of temperature at the moment
of decomposition is prevented, layer after layer of the body being subjected to
heat in succession at the lowest possible temperature, instead of the whole mass
under treatment being simultaneously heated to the point of decomposition.
In carrying out the distillatory process a brick cylinder is employed to
receive the charge to be operated upon, and at the bottom of this cylinder a
grate or pierced plate is provided. Below the grate is a cavity, which is
connected by a channel to a well or cistern intended to receive the tar as the
charge is decomposed. This tar cistern is closed by an air-tight cover, and it
is provided with a dip tube, through which the tar may be pumped out, while
an inverted syphon prevents the filling of the tar cistern above its extremity.
A draft pipe passing out of the tar cistern leads to a worm condenser, which

page_text: has a dip pipe with a diaphragm to separate the fluid from the gascous
products. Projecting into the draft pipe is a jet pipe and valve for the
admission of high-pressure steam, which is used to create a down draft through
the grate into the tar cistern, thence along the draft pipe and through tho
condenser to the atmosphere.
Supposing cannel coal is the substance to be decomposed, tho brick cylinder
is filled with moderate sized fragments to near the top, and on the coal dry
coke is evenly spread, and over this again is laid ignited coke. The steam jet
being now set in action and a down draft produced, the operation of forming
oil will quickly commence, this oil in vapor with other bodies will descend
through the grate into the cavity below, and passing thence will be mostly
condensed in the tar cistern. Any light oily or watery vapors with gases will
pass through the draft pipe and enter the cooled condenser, whence the
condensible products will be discharged at one point, and the gases washed by
jets of cold water will escape at another.
In decomposing wood and bark, which yield products differing from coal, a
slightly modified form of apparatus is used, the cylinder being closed at top,
a man-hole for charging being left in the cover, while the draft pipe proceeds
declining from the top to the worm condenser without an intervening tar cistern.
When the purity of the residuum is required to be insured, a separate cylinder
is used for the combustion of fuel, and the heated gases are conducted to a
second cylinder, which is closed at top, and is intended to receive the material
to be operated upon, it being supported on a grate or pierced plate, or a metal
case may be provided within the cylinder to receive the material to be operated
upon; this metal case will rest on jambs, and can be lowered or raised by
suitable appliances. The products of combustion pass through the cylinder or
metal case and heat the wood, bones, or other substance contained therein,
which thus becomes charred progressively, while the hot products descend, as
before described, to the tar cistern; the volatile products, with the indraft of air,
passing to and escaping from the refrigerator as above explained; the down
draft may be produced by any suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hiram Hyde in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HIRAM 35
IIYDE, of Truro, Nova Scotia, but now residing in Northampton Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself,. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Hiram Hyde, Her special license that I, the said Hiram lyde, my
executors, administrators, and assigus, or such others as I, the said Hiram
Hyde, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agreo
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, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OILS," being a communication
from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that. I, the said Hiram
Hyde, 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 Hiram Hyde, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention, as communicated to mo by my foreign correspondent, relates
to a novel mode of applying the heated products of the combustion of fuel
directly to the body intended to be decomposed, whereby the heat of the
barning fuel commences chemical changes resulting in the production of oil,
while the heat disengaged during those changes is added to that arising from
the fuel, thus continuing and completing the operation on thin layers in
succession.
It is well known that coal contained in vessels heated externally may be
decomposed by slow distillation, either with or without the aid of steam, so as
to afford oils and other fluids with a considerable amount of gas as a secondary
product. The production of gas (which lessens the product of oil sought for)
seems to be due to the high temperature at parts of the mass of coal continued
after sudden decomposition commences, for it appears when coal is heated to
its point of decomposition, the proximate elements are formed so rapidly as to
produce heat momentarily.
Now this Invention has for its object the prevention of undue elevation of

page_text: temperature at the moment of decomposition, by acting on in succession layer
after layer of the body subjected to heat at the lowest possible temperature,
and by the avoidance of the elevation of temperature arising from the action of
masses at the same moment; this is effected without applying heat externally
to the containing vessel.
The marked difference between the results of the new method and those of
the retorts in common use is seen in the increased quantity of fluids obtained
from oil-producing bodies, and in the absence of those products which are due
to a high temperature existing at the surfaces of the containing vessels,
necessarily overheated in order to transmit heat to the centre of the mass.
To enable those skilled in the arts to apply the Invention, I proceed to give a
full description of the new mode of manufacturing oils.
In the accompanping Drawings, Fig. 1 shews a vertical section of a plain
hollow cylinder of bricks and cement, which may be called a distilling tower.
Its cavity A in this case is fifty-two inches in diameter, and its height inside
above the grating or pierced plate G is about fourteen feet, with walls sixteen
inches thick. At B, above the grate G, is an opening about fourteen inches
square, provided with an air-tight fitting door for removing the residue of an
operation, and a similar opening C, below the grate G, is also provided with a
door, allowing access to the cavity D below the grate G, and also to the
channel E, which leads to the tar cistern F. The tar cistern F is provided
with a dip tube I, which, open above, permits the contents of the cistern F to
be pumped out, while an inverted syphon at J prevents the filling of the tar
cistern above its extremity. At R is a man-hole, which can be closed in the
usual manner, and allows access to the interior. A draught pipe of iron H,
passing out of the tar cistern, rises about two-thirds of the height of the tower,
where it bends at nearly a right angle, declining to the worm condenser L,
placed in a tub, which can be filled with water. The worm condenser L has
a dip pipe M, with a diaphragm to separate the fluid from the gaseous products,
the former passing out at Q, while the latter escape through the pipe O,
exposed to a jet of water from the rose of the pipe P. At K, on the draft
pipe II, is a jet pipe and valve for the admission of high-pressure steam, which
is used to create a draft of air or vapor. Air passing down through the
grate G into the cavity D, by the channel E into the cistern F, would be
drawn by the draught pipe II, and pass into the condenser L, and finally be
expelled from the pipe O into the atmosphere, all the doors being closed.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of this apparatus, with the same reference
letters.
Supposing cannel coal is the substance to be decomposed, I proceed to fill

page_text: the cavity of A on the grate G with moderate sized fragments until the coal
reaches within two feet of the top. On this coal I spread evenly and com-
pactly dry coke, in fragments about one inch cube to the thickness of sixteen
or eighteen inches; over this coke I strew about four inches deep ignited coke,
and partly open the steam valve to the jet K, to produce so much draught as
to draw down the heat and to ignite the coke under the burning layer.
. So soon as the layer of coke becomes ignited, heat is communicated to the
coal below it, and the operation of forming oil commences. This oil in vapor
with other bodies descends through the grate G into the cavity D, in con-
sequence of the draught, and passing by the channel E, is mostly condensed
in the tar cistern F. Any light oily or watery vapors with gases pass through
the draught pipe II, and enter the cooled condenser L, whence the condensible
products flow out at Q, and the gases, washed by the jets of cold water from
the rose of the pipe P, escape through the pipe O. In this operation, after
the mass of coke over the coal becomes ignited, the coal is decomposed by the
gradual descent of the heated products, so that inch by inch the coal forms
oily matter, which is immediately withdrawn from the heated source. As the
steam jet pipe gives entire control over the rapidity of action by the creation
of a regular draught, the decomposition may go on rapidly or slowly with great
certainty and precision until nearly the whole of the coal is decomposed. Care
must be taken that no large air passages appear on the surface of the burning
coke, which may be pressed down from time to time to prevent their forming.
Any ash or slack formed collects in the cavity D, and may be withdrawn by
the opening C, before recharging the distilling tower A, the coke residue
being discharged at B.
In decomposing wood and bark, which yield products differing from coal, I
make use of apparatus shewn in section at Fig. 3; the same letters represent
the same parts as in Figures 1 and 2. In this the cavity A is closed, a
man-hole for charging being left at R, while the draught pipe II proceeds,
declining from the top to the worm condenser without an intervening tar cistern.
The steam jet pipe at K regulates the draught and the air for consuming the
coke spread on the grate G, enters through the opening G, the flow being
regulated by a valve.
In Fig. 5 is a sketch of the arrangement adopted for gunpowder, charcoal,
bone black, and similar bodies, the purity of the residuum of which is required
to be insured. A represents a short cylinder for the combustion of fuel
placed upon a pillar as a support. The grate G', cavity D', door C', and
passage E, correspond with the preceding description; V is an air-tight case
of iron having a grate or pierced plate at G. This cylinder loosely fitting the

page_text: brick cylinder A, rests on jambs at W, W, and can be lowered or raised by
the strong handle U with suitable appliances. The brick casing while the
operation is going on is covered by the plate S. The products of combustion
passing through E', enter an annular space surrounding the casing, and pass
through spaces N, N, N, above V, and are drawn through V and the grate G
as above stated.'
The cover T in the sketch is only used to shut the case V after it has been
removed from the brick cylinder, while its grating G is closed by resting on a
hearth covered with sand, so as to allow the contents to cool closed from the
air. The materials to be operated on are placed in the case V, and heated
by the products of combustion drawn from A', which, passing down through
the grate G' and cavity D', enter the annular space E' through the passage E*,
and are subdivided by openings N, N, N, as they pass into the chamber A
above the open case V. The wood or other substance contained in case V
becomes charred progressively by the hot products descending, as before
described, on their way to the tar cistern F.
Fig. 4 represents in section a modification of the apparatus last described
as applied to the distillation of bones for forming animal charcoal and to wood
for charcoal. In this the coke or other fuel is placed in a short cylinder A',
and the draught excited by the steam jet at K causes the heat of the ignited
coke to descend through the grate G' into the cavity D₁, thence up through
the grate G by the passage E of the tower A, thereby decomposing the bones
which fill the cavity, while the oily products pass off to the condenser. The
charred bone is discharged into close vessels by the opening B, and any ash or
other collection by the openings C and C¹. Other modifications of the
distilling tower, adapting it to decomposing matter more or less fusible or
expansible, might be suggested, the essential principle being preserved in all.
Although the exhaustion produced by a jet of high-pressure steam only has
been alluded to, I do not confino myself to this plan alone, but use exhausting
means of any kind, such as fans, jets of compressed air, or heated chimneys, to
produce the required draught. What is deemed most important and peculiar
in this process is the application of the heat of combustion directly to the
substance yielding oil in such a manner that descending or rising it presents a
graduated heat just sufficient to decompose the substance into oil with little
or no gas, layer by layer, in its passages. In all the modes before adopted for
decomposing coal and other bodies, heated steam has been thrown into the
mass externally heated, in order to reduce the temperature of action below
what it would have been without such addition, but no provision has been
made for the heat consequent on the act of decomposition of the coal itself,

page_text: and hence the oil-forming constituents have been largely converted into
gas.
By the improved mode of distillation I obtain a larger first distillate from a
given weight of coal than is obtained by the use of the best apparatus
heretofore known; I therefore disclaim the application of heat to the exterior
of my vessels, as also the addition of steam or air thrown in to aid the lifting
out of oily vapours formed.
And although I have described certain forms of apparatus which I prefer
to use in carring out this Invention, I do not confine myself thereto, but I
deem it essential that the draught or blast should be so manageable as to
allow the changes produced by heat at one part to extend slowly through the
mass of the substance operated upon at a regulated rate.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved Mode
of and Improved Apparatus for Manufacturing Oils," as communicated to mo
by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim the mode above described of decomposing bodies
yielding pyrogenic oils by the aid of the heat of combustion and decomposition
applied to one side or part of the mass, and drawn or pressed through it by
any means under control, so as to allow the formation of oils at the lowest
possible temperature from successiv elayers of the bodies, the vapours formed
being withdrawn from further action of heat, and also the construction of
apparatus above described when applied to the manufacture of oils.
In witness whereof, I, the said Iliram Hyde, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
II. HYDE. (L.S.)