An Improved Apparatus for Carburetting Air.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Carburetting Air.
I JOHN FINDLAY COUTTS of 46 Thomas Street Woolwich Gas Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:---
A method by which a vessel containing a portion of the heavier volatile spirits
of mineral oils and the air to be carbonised are heated automatically thus over-
coming the difficulty at present experienced in using the resultant gas-commonly
called "air gas"-in winter time when owing to the low temperature of the
atmosphere carbonization becomes difficult & the gas produced useless for ordinary
purposes for which coal gas can be employed.
I effect my object by means of a small flame fed automatically with the
carbonised air passing from the said vessel or generator which heats the said vessel
in which the air is first collected without pressure.
After the air has become
carbonized it passes out by gravitation at a low level outlet.
Air is then introduced into the generator under pressure when the air and the
hydrocarbon spirit being of a higher temperature than the outside atmosphere
becomes a powerful heating mixture or gas capable of being used for all purposes
for which coal gas can be employed.
Dated this 4th day of September 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Carburetting Air.
I JOHN FINDLAY COUTTS of No. 46 Thomas Street, Woolwich in the County
of Kent, Gas Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for overcoming the difficulty
experienced in carbonising air (commonly called "air gas") in winter when owing
to low temperature of atmosphere it does not readily carbonise and is therefore all
but useless for ordinary purposes.
In the accompanying drawing I show a sectional elevation of the apparatus
which may be explained as follows.
A. Generating chamber.
B. Inlet tap for charging chamber A with mineral spirit or light hydrocarbons,
also for admitting air when a blast is not used.
C. Inlets and outlets for blast after passing through the said generating
chamber A.
D. Regenerative burners.
E. Outlet or overflow tap for drawing off unabsorbed liquid.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The generating chamber A is filled with
animal or vegetable fibre which acts as an absorbent. It is then charged with
spirits by means of the inlet tap B and one or all of the regenerative burners D
[Price 8]

page_text: are turned on and lighted. The air that has entered at B comes in contact with
the spirits and becoming saturated gets heavier than when pure and falls to the bottom
of the chamber and furnishes an air gas to supply the three regenerative burners,
the flames from which heat the blast which forces air under pressure, through and
out of the said generating chamber by means of the inlets and outlets C, and assist
the same to become carbonized. The inlet tap B is closed when the blast is used,
and opened when it can be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement effected by heating the air and spirits by means of the
flames of the regenerative burners.
2. The arrangement by which the same is effected automatically by gravitation.
Dated this 5th day of June 1895.
JOHN FINDLAY COUTTS.