IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Kenneth McLeay Phin Louttit, of Greenwich,
in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
"
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
"
Sealed the 19th December 1873, and dated the 21st June 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Kenneth McLeay Phin
Louttit at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st June 1873.
I, KENNETH McLEAY PHIN LOUTTIT, of Greenwich, in the County
of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING PURPOSES,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of imparting to ordinary
air heating and illuminating properties, by passing the same through
hydrocarbon oils, spirits, or other liquids in the manner following:-
-
The air is first forced through induction pipes into a tank containing
hydrocarbon oils, spirits, or liquids, from whence it is received into a
chamber heated to about 212 degrees, in which it becomes volatilized.
1

page_text: The gas in this state is passed into a coiled or other form of pipe.
which is situated in a furnace capable of transmitting to the same a heat
of from 600 to 2000 degrees. During the passage of the gas through
this pipe it becomes converted into a permanent olefiant gas of great
illuminating properties, which, after cooling, is ready for storing in a gas
holder, to be subsequently used in the ordinary way as a gas for heating
or illuminating purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Kenneth McLeay Phin Louttit in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, KENNETH
M'LEAY PHIN LOUTTIT, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, givo
and grant unto me, the said Kenneth McLeay Phin Louttit, Her special
licence that I, the said Kenneth McLcay Phin Louttit, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Kenneth
MoLeay Phin Louttit, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND
LIGHTING PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Kenneth McLeay Phin
Louttit, my executors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Kenneth M Leay Phin Louttit, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The Invention is designed for the purpose of imparting to ordinary
air or vapour heating and illuminating properties, by passing the same
through hydrocarbon oils or spirits, or otherwise impregnating such air
or vapour with the hydrocarbon oil or spirit, and subsequently producing
therefrom heating and illuminating gas.
In order to carry out the object and purpose of this Invention I
employ an arrangement of apparatus and a process in connection there-
with, which may be described as follows:-
As an example, I will first set forth in this description superheated
steam in the presence of any carbonaceous materials, as the agent to
be converted into illuminating gas, and secondly, atmospheric air com-
bined with the vapour of petroleum.
According to the first part of these arrangements I pass the steam
through a superheater, by which it is decomposed, and in which state it
enters retorts, ovens, or chambers containing carbonaceous matter.
These retorts compose a portion of a bench of either vertical or hori-
zontal retorts or ovens, or chambers containing carbonaceous matter,
those not at first used being afterwards employed in the manner herein-
after described, and the whole of which are heated by the same furnace.
From these retorts the vapour now converted into a heating gas passes
through a "condenser" and "purifer," from whence it is passed into
and through a tank containing hydrocarbon spirit, oil, or other similar
liquid, which tank is heated by having a steam pipe passing through.it
in order to keep the liquid at the required temperature.
Before leaving the tank the heating gas has received illuminating
properties, which are rendered permanent and increased in volume by
again conveying it through a pipe into the remaining retort of the bench
before mentioned, the heat of which decomposes the petroleum vapour
and converts it into a gas of permanent and high illuminating powers,
after which it is passed through a washer on to the gas holder.
According to the second process I employ as the vehicle for con-
veying the hydrocarbon oil or spirit to the bench of heating retorts

page_text: atmospheric air; by means of a pump I propel the air through a heated
tank containing hydrocarbon spirit. In this process the spirit of petro-
leum or other hydrocarbon liquid is vaporized and passed into and
through a bench of heated retorts, ovens, or chambers, in which such
vapour becomes decomposed and converted into illuminating gas of
permanent properties, in which state it is passed from the retorts through
a condenser and washer to be stored for use.
: I also manufacture hydrogen gas in the usual manner, which hydrogen
gas, after passing through a tank containing hydrocarbon spirit or oil,
and becoming impregnated therewith, is treated in a manner similar to
that of vaporized petroleum.
One great object derived from this process is that heating gases arising
from a further or continued heating of incandescent fuel, after the
illuminating properties of the same have been exhausted, can be
impregnated with hydrocarbon in the manner and for the purpose as
described, and so secure permanent illuminating properties.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim, the
passing the gases manufactured according to the above processes through
one or more retorts, heated to redness, thereby securing the permanency
of such gases, increasing their volume, and enabling spirit of any
gravity to be used in order to produce illuminating gases of great
purity and brilliancy in the manner as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Kenneth McLeay Phin Louttit, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
11
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
.London.
K. McL. P. LOUTTIT. (L.S.)
f