IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Major Parkes, of Plumstead, in the
County of Kent; Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING, AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE."
Seäled the 13th January 1863, and dated the 14th July 1862:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Major Parkės
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition; on tho
14th July 1862:
I, FREDERICK MAJOR PARKES, of Plumstead, in the County of Kent,
Gentleman; do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING, AND IN APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
The nature of my said Invention consists in the manufacture of gas from
rock oil or petroleum; which is also known by various other names, either in
the crude or the refined state; preferring- it; however; in the crude state in a
retort, and in combining the same either during or after the process of manu-
facture with hydrocarbon gas generated in the same retort; ör in another
compartment of the same retort; or in another retort:
The hydrocarbon gas may be generated by the ordinary mode, or by the
method herein-after described, and the two gases thus generated are combined
either in the same retort, or in another compartment of the same retort, or in

page_text: another retort, or in a receiver or a gasholder in various proportions; but 1
prefer that the proportions should be as nine volumes of hydrocarbon gas to
one volume of petroleum gas. The gaseous product of this mixture or com-
bination may be passed through lime and water, or other purifying medium.
My improved method of producing hydrocarbon gas is by substituting wood
for the charcoal or coke commonly used.
The apparatus constructed according to my Invention consists of a peculiar
arrangement of retort, in which the retort, and mouthpiece are divided longi-
tudinally throughout into three compartments or chambers of three different
capacities, into the smallest of which, which preferably may be either tubular,
or constructed of greater height than width throughout, or of any shape by
which the greatest amount of fire heat can be obtained, I introduce the
petroleum or rock oil. The gases are mixed or combined in the largest
compartment which communicates with the other two and with the purifier
or holder. The other compartment is that in which the hydrocarbon gas is
generated. By applying heat the two gases can be generated at the same
time, and they will pass into and combine in the largest compartment, and
thence escape into the purifiers or holders. I also employ ordinary well-known
apparatus for the generating and combining of the petroleum and hydrocarbon
gases, according to my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Major Parkes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
MAJOR PARKES, of Plumstead, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederick Major Parkes, Her special licence, that I, the said Frederick
Major Parkes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others ns
I, the said Frederick Major Parkes, 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

page_text: Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND
HEATING, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Major Parkes, 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 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 Frederick Major Parkes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Draw-
ings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in the manufacture of gas by the combination
of the gas obtained from petroleum or rock oil (which is also known by
various other names) with the gas commonly termed hydrocarbon gas or
water gas, and further, in the peculiar apparatus or retort represented in the
accompanying Drawings. It is not necessary, however, that the gases should
be made or combined in my said improved apparatus or retort only; there
are many ordinary retorts or apparatus that could with greater or less success
be used for the generating and combination of the gases.
I now proceed to describe my aforesaid improved apparatus represented in
the Drawings, which apparatus I call my three-chamber retort.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a horizontal section of my retort;
Figure 3 is an elevation, shewing the inner side of its mouth-piece; and
Figure 4, an elevation of the door or cover, shewing the outer side thereof;
Figure 5 is a view of the door or cover on the inner side; Figure 6, vertical
section of the apparatus through the line x, y, of Figure 1.
A is the body of the retort, B its mouth-piece, and C its door or cover.
The body of the retort is divided internally by partitions G into three com-
partments D, E, and F. The partitions do not quite extend to the back end
of the retort, but leave at that part a spaco H, which communicates with the
three compartments, and forms a passage common to them all. The interior of
the mouth-piece B is divided by partitions G' into three compartments D',E', F',
in a line with and forming a continuation of the compartments D, E, F.
I is a short pipe which leads from the interior of the compartment F, F¹, into
an exit pipe fitted to this pipe 1; J is a pipe communicating with the coui-

page_text: partment D, D', for the admission of water or steam; K, tube leading into
the compartment E, E; L, flange on the end of the body A; and M, cor-
responding flange on the mouthpiece B. These flanges fit together truly, and
are luted at the joint when the retort is closed, for which purpose grooves aro
provided in them..
:
I obtain petroleum gas by subjecting the oil which may be used either in
its crude or refined stato (but preferring it in the crude) to the action of heat
in a retort set in a gasmaker's ordinary furnace, preferring a temperature of
between 1,700° and 2,000° Fahrenheit, at which temperature I prefer to keep
the retort in all the operations herein mentioned.
The bydrocarbon or water gas may be obtained by any of the ordinary
methods, but that, which I prefer is to drive a jet of steam from a boiler into
coke or charcoal mixed with scrap iron placed in the retort. I sometimes,
also, in producing hydrocarbon gas, set raw wood in the retort at the first in
lieu of charcoal or coke. The gases so made each in its own retort or com-
partment, I mix in another retort or compartment, preferably in the pro-
portions of 10 of water gas to 1 of petroleum gas, but altering the proportions
according to the degree of illuminating power wish the mixed or combination
gas to be possessed of.
There are several arrangements of retorts or methods for making my mixed
or combination gas. I proceed to describe those which I believe the best
for the purpose, and the modes of proceeding.
2.
First method. In using the retort or apparatus represented in the
Drawing, I cause petroleum to be passed in small quantities continuously
through the pipe, K into the small tube or slit E, E'; the petroleum there
gasifies, and passes through the passage H at the end into the compartment
F, F, where it meets the gas evolved from the compartment D, D', and both
gases being still subject, while in compartment F, F, to the action of heat,
mix and pass into the purifiers and holder through the pipe I, and the proper
and ordinary ascension pipe and connections. The gas evolved from com-
partment D, D', is made as follows:-The compartment is nearly filled with
charcoal or coke or raw wood, with some scrap iron; a steam pipe J. permits
the injection of steam from a boiler into the mass of charcoal, or wood, or
coke, and the steam impinging upon the coke or charcoal and scrap iron is,
by the action of the heat upon itself and the other contents of the com-
partment, converted rapidly into gas; this gas passes through the compart-
ment D, D, to the end, where it enters the compartment F, F', through the
passago H. The pipe J may lead water into compartment D, D', instead. of
steam being let in, but I prefer steam.
7..
"

page_text: Second method. Three separate retorts with proper connections may be
used instead of the above three-chambered retort for the same purpose and in
the same manner.
Third method. A number of retorts may be used for generating the
bydrocarbon or water gas by any of the various means ordinarily used, which
may be combined with the petroleum gas made in another retort.
Fourth method. A method which I recommend is the following:-Two
retorts, preferably D retorts, may be set vertically one above the other; each
retort has a shelf running about seven-eighths of its length for the whole
width of the retort, and dividing it thus into two nearly equally-sized compart-
ments with a communication between the compartments at the end or back
of the retort. In the top of the mouthpiece of the lower retort is a pipe con-
necting it with the lower compartment of the upper retort. The two floors
of the lower retort and the lower floor of the upper retort are thickly laid
with charcoal, or coke, or wood, together with scrap iron, and a jet of steam
or a stream of water being directed into the bottom of the lower retort, the
gas and steam will pass through the two chambers of the lower retort and the
lower chamber of the upper retort, and enter the upper chamber of the upper
retort in the state or form of hydrocarbon gas. This chamber contains a
pipe which is fed with petroleum, and from which petroleum gas is evolved,
which gas meeting the water gas mixes with it in the upper compart-
ment or chamber of the upper retort, and passes' into the ascending main
through a pipe in the mouthpiece of the upper retort, and so into the
holder.
Fifth method. The hydrocarbon or water gas and the petroleum gas
having each been separately made, may be mixed in a holder or vessel not
subjected to heat, but I prefer the mixture in a retort subjected to heat, and
while the two gases are in a quasi nascent state.
I prefer to use iron D retorts and mouthpieces. A graduated gauge may
be used in injecting the steam or water and the petroleum into the chambers
or pipes in their due proportions respectively.
I wish it to be understood, that although I have mentioned the employment
of a current of steam for the production of hydrocarbon gas, I do not claim
of my said. Invention the use of a current of steam for that purpose.
as
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the manufacture of gas by combining gas from petroleum with hydro-
carbon or water gas, as described.
Second, the arrangement and combination of parts constituting the three-

page_text: 'chamber retort or improved apparatus represented in (and described in
reference to) the accompanying Drawings:
In witness whereof,. I, the said Frederick Major Parkes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
M. HENRY,
FREDERICK MAJOR PARKES. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
84, Fleet Street,
London.