Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM AND SUCH LIKE OILS FOR OBTAINING HEAT TO STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Leighton Rawson, of New York, in tho
United States of America, but now residing at No. 59, Great Russell
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM AND SUCH LIKE OILS FOR OBTAINING
HEAT TO STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES, AND IN THE
MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."-A communication from
abroad by Louis Charles d' Homergue, of Brooklyn, in the State of
New York, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Leighton
Rawson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th April 1874.
I, ALBERT LEIGHTON RAWSON, of New York, in the United States of
5 America, but now residing at No. 59, Great Russell Street, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM AND SUCH LIKE OILS FOR OBTAINING

page_text: HEAT TO STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES, AND IN THE MEANS
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," (communicated to me from abroad by
Louis Charles d'Homergue, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, in
the United States of America,) to be as follows:―
The Invention relates to the burning of petroleum in combination
with the vapour of water for the purpose of obtaining heat in steam
boiler and other furnaces or fire-places.
In carrying out the Invention in place of the ordinary grate bars there
is provided an iron or other suitable pan which in marine boilers is sus-
pended so that it may be kept level. This pan is in use supplied with
water to a uniform level, and it is provided with an overflow passage in
case of need to keep the water cool therein. A pipe opens into the
bottom of this pan from a suitable reservoir, by which the petroleum or
such like oil to be burned is conducted into it.
The extent of flow of the oil is regulated by taps, valves, or other
suitable means. The oil thus supplied rises to and spreads itself over
the surface of the water in the pan, and thereby a large fire surface on
ignition with a comparatively small quantity of oil is obtained, whilst
safety is ensured by the depth of the water in the pan acting as a
cut off.
Steam is conducted by a suitable pipe and numerous jets upon the
flame produced, thereby intensifying and giving direction to the heat
obtained. Sometimes, as when first lighting the fire, water may be let
in by these jets to be converted into vapour by the heat of the burning
oil
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
· filed by the said Albert Leighton Rawson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd October 1874.
- TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
LEIGHTON RAWSON, of New York, in the United States of America, but a
now residing at No. 59, Great Russell Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Lettors Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Albert Leighton Rawson, Her
special license that I, the said Albert Leighton Rawson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Albert
Leighton Rawson, my exccutors, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM AND SUCH LIKE OILS FOR
OBTAINING HEAT TO STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES, AND IN
THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from
abroad by Louis Charles d'Homergue, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others).
that I, the said Albert Leighton Rawson, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what mannor the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters

page_text: which represents an arrangement of stationary boiler with the improve-
ments applied to it.
It will be seen that in place of the grate bars in the furnace there is
an iron pan B. This pan will be in form and size relative to the form
of the furnace or fire-place and extent of heating surface required. It
is provided with a supply pipe for cold water, to be fed from a suitable
reservoir and an overflow so that the water may be kept therein at an
uniform level. O is a pipe for conducting the petroleum or other oil to
be burned from the tank D or other suitable reservoir. This pipe is
provided with check valves C¹, by which the fluid may be regulated, and
it opens into the pan B at the bottom of it. The oil as it flows into the
tank B rises up through the water therein, and spreads itself on the
surface of that water, so that a large surface of oil for ignition is obtained
with a small quantity of oil, and safety is secured by the water acting
as a cut off between the mouth of the supply pipe and the surface of
ignition. E is a pipe leading from the boiler into the furnace, where it
opens into a cross or other suitable pipe E', perforated with numerous

page_text: holes, by which steam in jets may be conducted to act on the flame
produced. Another pipe F provided with a stop cock F¹ opens into the
pipe E to conduct water from any suitable source of supply to the outlet
from the pipe E. This water so supplied on first igniting the oil, and
by the heat thereby obtained, is at once converted into steam to intensify
the heat obtained. When steam is generated in the boiler or other
source of supply the supply of water by the pipo F is stopped, and steam
is allowed to flow by the pipe E.
There
I find in practice that my Invention applied to boilers works best on
direct flues instead of return flues, and that the pan should be about one-
third less in size than the fire-chamber, and about twelve inches deep, tho
bottom being full of three-quarter inch pipes inserted three inches from
centre to centre, and coming to the top of the pan. This allows the air to
come through the bottom and mingle with the fire. The pan is kept within
three inches of the top, filled with cold water so regulated that the supply
will be kept above the overflow to allow the oil to float on the surface.
Not more than one-eighth inch of oil is allowed at any one time to como
through. When this is burnt I let some more oil in, and so on.
is no loss of steam by this and no fear of getting too great a fire. Steam
from a spray thrown over the fire about two inches above the pan in
such a manner that it will spread and cover the whole flame area
produces a combustion free from smoke. This steam may be taken from
a small auxiliary boiler until steam is raised in the main boiler. Should
the fire at any time commence a rolling noise in the fire-chamber, and
smoke be seen to form, it would be a sign that the draught was not
perfect and that gases were forming in the tubes or stack. For this
reason boilers using this device should have a steam jet in the smoke
stack to be turned on at such times; this would drive all vapours out of
the chimney. The height of the pan from the crown sheet must be a
matter of adjustment to produce perfect combustion, some boilers owing
to draught requiring the fire surface nearer than others.
In furnaces for smelting with charcoal or coal and lime but one-fourth
the quantity now used would be needed.
Having thus described the Invention and means adopted in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details and arrangements shewn, as the same may

page_text: be greatly varied, depending on the purpose to which the heat is to be
applied; but what I do claim is the adaptation or combination of means
whereby petroleum or such like oils may be used in a thin layer on water
with steam for the purpose of obtaining heat in steam boiler and other
furnaces or fire-places, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Leighton Rawson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.