IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THe Manufacture of Gas
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Williams Box, of the Gas Works,
Crayford, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS USED IN THe Manufacture of Gas.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Williams Box
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th May 1873.
I, WILLIAM WILLIAMS Box, of the Gas Works, Crayford, in the
County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MAnufacture of Gab,” to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to render unnecessary the use of liquid
in the present hydraulic main. This is effected by providing each
ascension pipe with an apparatus consisting of a chamber with an inlet
and outlet, the infet being connected to the bridge pipe and the outlet to

page_text: a conducting main to be used as a substitute for the hydraulic. Within
the chamber is a valve attached by a hinged joint to an arm which is
fastened to a spindle, one end of which works in a bearing while the
other passes through a stuffing box in the chamber and extends a short
distince on the outside. The valve is provided with a guide which
slides through a hole in a guide bar or other suitable guiding arrange-
ment, and when closed rests against a seat having a V shaped semi-
circular or other suitable edge, covers the orifice of the inlet, and so
prevents the passage of gas. To that part of the spindle projecting on
the outside is fastened a lever furnished with a weight at one end, and
provided with a rod, chain, or cord at the other. The chamber has an
opening in the top which is closed when in use by a lid or cap fastened
by bolts and nuts, or by preference with a claw and screw. When the
retort is not in action the weight attached to the lever will cause the
valve to close against the seat and prevent the escape of gas or admission
of air, but as soon as the retort is charged and the lid shut the attendant
will draw down the rod, chain, or cord, and attach its lower end to some
convenient part of the lid or lug, when the valve will be opened, thus
allowing the gas to flow freely to the conducting main. The dip pipe is
also made of such a form as to admit of the introduction of a plug to
close the gas way whenever the valve requires repair or readjustment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Williams Box in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 2
WILLIAMS Box, of the Gas Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty- 3
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Williams Box, Her special
licence, that I, the said William Williams Box, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Williams Box, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Williams
Box, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands or 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 William Williams Box, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
The object of this Invention is to render unnecessary the use of liquid
in the present hydraulic main. This is effected by providing each
ascension pipe with an apparatus consisting of a chamber with an inlet
and outlet, the inlet being connected to the bridge pipe, or by a connexion
to the top of the ascension pipe, and the outlet to a conducting main to
be used as a substitute for the hydraulic. Within the chamber is a
valve attached by a hinged joint to an arm which is fastened to a
spindle, one end of which works in a bearing while the other passes
through a stuffing box in the chamber and extends a short distance on
the outside. The valve when closed rests against a seat having a V
shaped semicircular or other suitable edge, covers the orifice and so
prevents the passage of the gas. To that part of the spindle projecting
on the outside is fastened a lever furnished with a weight at or near one
end, and provided with a chain, rod, or wire cord at the other. The
chamber has an opening in the top which is closed when in use by a lid
or cap fastened by bolts and nuts, or with a claw and screw; or the
whole of the top may be covered by a plate made attached so as to be

page_text: removable. The outlet from the chamber is made taper, or of such a
form as to allow by the introduction of a plug the closing of the gas
way whenever the valve requires repair or readjustment.
In one form of the apparatus the valve has attached to it a guide
which slides through a hole in a guide bar, or other suitable guiding t
arrangement, and instead of having the weight attached to the lever it is
supported on the spindle; the weight in both cases having the same
effect, namely, that of closing the valve.
the
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood, Drawings
are annexed hereto of which the following is a description:-Fig. 1 is 1
a side elevation; Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a back
elevation in section; while Fig. 4 is a section showing a somewhat
different arrangement of valve. A is the chamber; B, the inlet; C,
outlet; and D, the valve with its valve seat E, E; F is the spindle; G, the
weight; and H, the lever. I is the removable top plate, and J the 1
stuffing box. The various parts of the apparatus are indicated by similar
letters in each of the Figs.
The action of the apparatus is exceedingly simple. When the retort
is not actually engaged in the process of distillation, the weight attached
to the lever or spindle causes the valve to close against its scat and 2
prevent the escape of gas or admission of air; but as soon as the retort is
charged and the lid shut, the attendant draws down the chain, rod, or
cord, and attaches its lower end to some convenient part of the lid or
cross bar when the valve will be opened, thus allowing the gas to flow
freely to the conducting main. On the other hand when the retort is to 2
be discharged the workman releases the chain, when the valve acted
upon by the weight will close and cut off the communication between
the retort and the main.
Having now particularly described the nature of this Invention, and
the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have described or referred to,
as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles
or main features of this Invention, but what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the 3
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of valves

page_text: or apparatus used in the manufacture of gas, substantially as herein
described and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Williams Box, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.