IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF OIL AND OTHER HYDRO- CARBONS FROM BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COKE & CHARCOAL, AND FOR THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Andrew Munro at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th March
1872.
I, ANDREW MUNRO, of 52, Russell Road, Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF OIL AND OTHER HYDRO-
CARBONS FROM BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COKE &
CHARCOAL, AND FOR THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as
follows:-
The said Invention consists in a method for the distillation or
extraction of oil and other hydrocarbons from coal, shale, or other
bituminous substances, or substances containing bitumen, by means of
heated gases passed over the body of the coals, shale, or other substance
contained in a proper vessel. The gases which I prefer to use for this
purpose are the heated products of combustion, which may be prepared
by driving, or by drawing, or by conducting air over a fire, which may
be composed of coals, or coke, or shale (spent or fresh), or of other
suitable fuel. The said fire must be so arranged and contrived, as to

page_text: effect that the combination of all the atmospheric oxygen introduced
shall be effected with carbon. A bed or layer of red hot coke besides
the fire may sometimes be necessary, and the position and arrangement
of the said fire must be also such as to effect the control & regulation
of the temperature of the heated products passing away from the said
fire, and to effect, when this Invention is applied to making oil, that the
temperature of the shale or other substance being operated on shall not
be higher than that which is favorable for the largest production of oil
and the products thereof.
One modification by means of which my said Invention may be
practically carried into effect, is as follows:-I prefer to drive a blast of
air from an air pump over a coke fire, arranged and contrived so as to
satisfy the conditions heretofore described in this Specification. The
heated products of combustion are led into the chamber containing the
shale or other substance to be operated on, and I prefer to introduce
these heated products at the top or upper part of the chamber. The
distillation will thus proceed downwards. The bottom of the said
chamber I prefer to keep open ended, sealing it in a bath of water. The
products of distillation along with the heated products of combustion
pass off together by suitable outlets to the condensers.
By the arrangement herein described the process of distillation may
be made continuous, the exhausted shale or other substance being
withdrawn as it descends into the water bath, and fresh charges. being
added on the top or upper portion.
Another advantage resulting from the said arrangement is that the
heated gases first come into contact with the freshly charged and cold
substance, and are thereby deprived of any excess of temperature which
they may possess before reaching that portion of the distilling chamber
in which the shale or other substance is already giving off or is about to
yield off its hydrocarbon elements.
By means of my said Invention when carried into practical use, a
great saving results in labor and in fuel, and in the cost of plant, or
apparatus over and in comparison with any of the modes hitherto adopted
or used for the production of oil, and the quantity of oil obtained is
larger than by any of the other modes referred to, and the quality is
better.

page_text: The said Invention is also applicable for the production of coke and
charcoal, and the pyroligneous products obtained in the manufacture of
charcoal, and also for gas making. In these cases I prefer to use a shut
ended or bottomed distilling chamber.
Sometimes it may be advantageous to conduct the production of oil
making, of gas making, & of coke making in one single continuous
operation.
What I claim as "novel" and as the essential principle of my
Invention is the application of heated gases, by preference the heated
products of combustion, prepared so that the effect of these when passed
over the body of bituminous substances will be simply a steeving effect,
carrying off the hydrocarbon elements, and that no combinations may be
formed by the action of these heated gases upon the hydrocarbon
elements, excepting hydrocarbon combinations.
And I claim the general combined arrangements and contrivances
herein-before described, in as far, and in as much as these constitute a
simple, economical, and practical means of carrying out and obtaining
the objects of my Invention.