Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Mixing Inflammable, Gas or Vapour with Air, and for Utilizing such Mixture.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Mixing Inflammable,
Gas or Vapour with Air, and for Utilizing such Mixture.
We, WILLIAM SMETHURST, of 49, Mimosa Street, Fulham Road, Engineer,
and JAMES WADE, of Kennan's Hotel, Cheapside, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus by which ordinary coal gas or
other suitable inflammable gas or vapour, can be so thoroughly and intimately
mixed together, that the mixture is practically permanent and can be stored in
receivers or conveyed by pipes to any desired distance, and can be burned when
desired without further admixture of air, for heating, lighting and other purposes
for which gaseous or other fuel is ordinarily used.
It has for its objects novel methods of construction and arrangement of the
machinery or apparatus, by which it is rendered simpler and cheaper than has
heretofore been the case whilst it is very effective for the purpose required.
In order to put the invention in operation I take a cylinder of any desired size
and capacity, containing a piston which can be made to reciprocate in the cylinder
by means of a crank or excentric, or equivalent device, actuated by steam or other
power in the ordinary well known way.
I arrange in connection with the cylinder, which is preferably made double acting,
valves through which air, and inflammable gas or vapour can be admitted in
properly regulated proportions into the ends of the cylinder, and also valves through
which the mixed air and gas are delivered from the cylinder as the piston recipro-
cates. The mixed gases are then forced into a chamber in which are arranged a
sufficient number, which may be one or more, of transverse partitions or diaphragıns
of fine wire gauze or perforated metal, after passing through which the gases (now
intimately aud thoroughly mixed together) are delivered into a pipe through which
they pass to a receiver of any suitable kind or to a burner where the mixture can
be burned for the purpose of obtaining light or heat, or for other purposes for
which gaseous or other fuel is ordinarily used.
Such a burner may conveniently consist of a chamber into one end of which the
mixed gases are admitted and after passing through one or more transverse
diaphragms of wire gauze, escape and are burned at the other end. This burner
may be portable, and as no additional supply of air is required to support combus-
tion the mixture passing from it will burn under, and in contact with, water.
The spaces between the wire or other gauze diaphragms in the arrangements
above described, may be provided with one or more transverse plates perforated
with holes, or other devices by which the mixed air and gas or vapour are prevented
from passing straight from one diaphragm to the next, but are compelled to take a
more tortuous course, by which their mixing is promoted.
The inlet and outlet valves through which the air and gas or inflammable vapour
are admitted to the cylinder and through which the mixture is delivered from the
latter, may be of any suitable kind, and instead of one cylinder two or more may be
used in the way described. Or, separate cylinders for the air and gas or inflammable
vapour may be used.
Or, instead of a cylinder and piston a revolving fan of the ordinary kind may be
used.
Instead of effecting the mixture of air and gas or vapour by diffusion of separate
streams in cylinders and through wire gauze or perforated plates, the mixture may
be effected by admitting them into a chamber or chambers in which they are sub-
jected to the action of revolving or other arms or beaters, by which they are

page_text: thoroughly beaten up and mixed together. For instance the following form of
apparatus may be used.
This consists of a chamber, preferably in the form of a cylinder or drum, through
central stuffing boxes in the ends of which pass shafts set in revolution by any
suitable power. These shafts are provided with discs or arms provided with
nnmerous projecting bars or beaters, or plates, those driven by one shaft passing as
they revolve in one direction between those driven by the other shaft in the opposite
direction, the inner sides of the chamber may also be provided with projections or
arms, and when set in very rapid revolution, the air and gas or vapour introduced
into the chamber will be thoroughly beaten up and mixed before being delivered
from the latter. They may be made to enter and pass through the chamber by
means of pumps, or fans, or by the centrifugal action of the revolving beaters
themselves.
The details of the different forms of apparatus described may be varied more or
less according to the conditions and purposes for which it is to be used.
Dated this 4th day of February 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Mixing Inflammable
Gas or Vapour with Air, and for Utilizing such Mixture.
We, WILLIAM SMETHURST, of 49 Mimosa Street, Fulham Road, Engineer, and
JAMES WADE, of Kennan's Hotel, Cheapside, in the City of London, Engineer,
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 and accompanying drawings, that is to say :—
Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus in which ordinary gas, or
hydrocarbon vapour, is mixed with air, the mixture being used for heating and
lighting or other purposes in which gaseous or other fuel is ordinarily used.
In making such mixtures it is necessary in order that the full advantages may
be obtained, that the mixture of the gas and vapour with air should be as
intimate and complete as possible, in order that it may be permanent so that
the combustible mixture may be conveyed to any desired distance by pipes or
in vessels, and in order that when burned the combustion may be absolutely
complete and without the necessity for the further addition of ordinary air.
The objects of our improvements are, first, to effect by simple and inexpen-
sive means, the perfect and permanent mixture of gas or vapour with air, second
to provide means for accurately regulating the relative proportions of gas or
vapour and air in the mixture, third, to make the mixture more intimate,
perfect and permanent, than has heretofore been the case, and fourth, to enable
the mixture to be burned under water.
We attain these objects by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the mixing pump, regulating valves
and mixing chamber,
Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal and transverse vertical sections of the mechanical
mixer by which the most perfect mixture is obtained,
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 1,
Figure 5 is a plan of the mixing device shewn in Figures 2 and 3, and
Figure 6 is a section of the device which we prefer to use for burning the mixture
of gas or vapour and air under water.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
a is a double-acting pump consisting of a cylinder containing a piston which is

page_text: made to reciprocate by a crank b and connecting rod c set in revolution by the fast
and loose pullies d, d', driven by steam or other power.
e, e¹, are inlet openings to the cylinder a, provided with gas inlet valves f, f',
communicating with the gas supply pipe 9, and air inlet valves h, h', through which
air is drawn from the pipes i, . Each of the gas and air inlet pipes is provided
with a separate adjustable regulating valve k, k, and 1, l, by which the relative
proportions of the gas or vapour and air can be exactly determined and varied as
may be desired.
m, m', are outlet or delivery valves from the cylinder a by which the gas and air
drawn together into the latter are delivered through the passage n into the mixing
chamber o. The inlet into the chamber is covered by a perforated plate or wire gauze p,
and the chamber o itself is provided with one or more transverse partitions r, r, r,.
each consisting of one, two, three, or more thicknesses of fine wire gauze or
perforated plates. Between these partitions are arranged baffle plates s, 8, s, each
having an opening or openings through one edge only, the openings being arranged
alternately as shewn so that the opening through one plate is at the opposite edge
to the openings through the plates above and below it. The mixed air and gas or
vopour pass through a perforated plate or wire gauze t at the upper end of the
chamber o and are delivered in a well mixed condition through the pipe u, shewn
broken off.
The mixture of air and gas may be used as it comes from the pipe u, but in order
to effect a still more perfect mixture we prefer to pass it through the pipe v
arranged in the centre of the mechanical mixer shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 5, which
may be placed in any convenient position in relation to the mixing chamber o.
This mixer consists of a cylindrical case w, within which is fixed a concentric
cylinder x, of finely perforated plate or wire gauze, a space being left between
them.
In the ends of the cylindrical case w are formed bearings y, y¹, in which revolve
shafts or spindles upon discs z, z, one of which revolves close to each of the ends
of the case w. The discs are driven by pullies and belts 1, 2, upon their spindles,
so arranged that the discs revolve in opposite directions, and upon the face of each
disc are formed or fixed a number of projecting arms or bars 3 and 4, those upon
one disc being arranged so that as they revolve they pass between those upon the
other disc. The part of the pipe v between the discs z, ¹, is perforated with
numerous small holes, and its end passes out through a stuffing box 5 upon the
spindle of one of the discs.
A discharge pipe 6 is connected to any part of the circumference of the case w,
through which the now perfectly mixed gas or vapour and air are conveyed away
and burned in suitable burners.
The air and gas or vapour are so perfectly mixed by our improved apparatus
that no further addition of air is necessary for perfect combustion, and the mixture
will therefore burn, if at sufficient pressure, under water.
For this purpose we
use the burner shewn in Figure 6, consisting of a chamber open at one end into
which the mixture is admitted through the pipe 7 at the other end.
A number of thicknesses of wire gauze 8 are arranged in the form of a diaphragm
across the chamber, and the mixture after passing through them can be ignited and
burned, and being absolutely and perfectly combustible without further mixture of
air, it will burn readily under water, which is thereby very rapidly heated.
The wire gauze 8 forming the diaphragm prevents the flame from passing back
into the pipe 7, in the event of the pressure under which the gas is forced out
ceasing from any cause, and safety is thus ensured.
An adjustable inner tube 9 open at both ends is fitted into the open end of the
chamber, and is provided with openings 10 near its lower edge, through which the
hot products of combustion escape and rise up through the water, the inner tube
being raised or lowered to any desired position.
Instead of one pump a two or more may be used, and they may be arranged
vertically or in any convenient position.

page_text: The chamber o may contain any desired number of porous partitions r, and baffle
plates s, and where a less perfect mixture of the gas or vapour and air is required,
the mixtures may be conducted directly from the chamber o to the burner where it
is to be used without passing through the mechanical mixer shewn in Figures 2, 3,
and 5, or on the other hand the said mechanical mixer may be used without the
mixing chamber o.
In order to ensure the more perfect rotation of the discs z,, the spindles upon
them may be prolonged and additional bearings provided for them outside the
pullies and belts 1, 2.
Instead of cylinders and pistons, a fan or blower may be used to force the
mixture of air and gas or inflammable vapour through the devices described, by
which they are thoroughly mixed, regulating valves being used to adjust the supply
of air and gas.
The details and proportions of the apparatus may be varied more or less as may
be found advisable in varying circumstances.
We are aware that apparatus has been used to perfect the mixture of gas and
air, to form a combustible mixture but such apparatus has been expensive,
cumbrous, and only partially effective for the purpose required, and we do not
claim broadly the mechanical mixture of inflammable gas or vapour with air, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is:-
I. In apparatus for mixing inflammable gas or vapour with air, the combination
of the pump a, the inlet gas valves f, f', air valves h, h, regulating gas valves k, k¹,
and regulating air valves 1, 1, delivery valves m, m', mixing chamber o, containing
porous partitions r, r, r, baffle plates s, s, s, and delivery pipe u, substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the pump a, inlet gas and air valves f, f, and h, h²,
regulating valves k, k¹, and 1, l, and delivery valves m, m³, the mixing device
consisting of the cylindrical case w, perforated cylinder a, spindles and discs, z',
and arms 3, 4, delivery pipe 6, central perforated pipe v and stuffing box 5, substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
3. The device for burning the mixture of air and gas or vapour, consisting of
the chamber and inlet pipe 7, porous diaphragm 8, and inner adjustable tube 9
provided with openings w near its lower edge, substantially as described and
illustrated.
4. The combination with a pump, fan, or blower, and regulating gas and air
supply valves, of the mixing chamber o containing porous partitions r, r, r, and
delivery pipe u substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 4th day of November 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.