IMPROVEMENTS IN REGU- LATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS AND LIQUIDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FROVISIONAL SPFICATION OF ILINATING GAS, AND FOR THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THRREIN
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Richards, of Burton Road, Brixton, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGU-
LATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS AND LIQUIDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
FROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Richards at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th February 1874.
I, WILLIAM RICHARDS, of Burton Road, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS AND LIQUIDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF ILLUMINATING GAS, AND FOR THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THRREIN," to be as
follows:-
The first part of these improvements refers to regulating the supply of
water or steam, or controlling the production of hydrogen and other
gases commonly known as water gas" when used for admixture with
gas obtained by the distillation of liquid hydrocarbons as a means of
$6

page_text: obtaining light. With this view two or more cylinders with pistons and
valves are employed similar to those of an ordinary steam engine,
erving the purpose both of a motor and a force pump. Steam gene-
rated from a common boiler is admitted to the cylinder and gives motion
to the piston which on its return stroke drives or forces the steam so
admitted into a retort suitable for its decomposition into gas. Attached
to this motor or force pump or in connection with the shaft operated
upon by it is another but smaller cylinder or pump which is used for
injecting the liquid hydrocarbons or vapours employed into the retort
adapted for its decomposition.
By proportioning the capacities of the cylinders and pumps, or by
their adjustment so as to deliver regular and proper quantities of steam
and hydrocarbons to the respective retorts, gases will be evolved, which
on being brought together and combined will form a gas of uniform
illuminating power.
In lieu of steam water may be employed for delivery into the retort
or into a suitable boiler where it is converted into steam, but in this case
it will be necessary cither to force the water or to take it from a
sufficiently elevated source, so that by its head or fall the requisite
power may be obtained.
The second part of this Invention relates to the control or supply of a
properly proportionate quantity of water or steam for the purpose of
producing gases suitable for combination with gases derived from the
distillation of cannel coal or other solid or liquid hydrocarbons. This
is effected by a pump or pumps in connection with the station meter
shaft, which as it revolves pumps the necessary quantity of water or
steam into the retorts to produce the requisite hydrogen to be used as a
diluant.
The third part of this Invention has reference to regulating the supply
of hydrogen or "water gas" to be used in combination with the vapours
of liquid hydrocarbons which in this case are not subjected to decom-
position. To obtain this a kind of carburettor consisting of a tall,
narrow, cylindrical, or other shaped vessel is employed furnished with a
series of shallow trays which will permit the liquid introduced at the top
to flow over them from one to another, or instead of the foregoing the
vessel may be provided with spiral channels or other contrivance
whereby a large surface of liquid is exposed to the gas which may be

page_text: admitted at or near the bottom. In this case the water or steam is
pumped into the retorts in the manner before mentioned, while the
liquid hydrocarbons are also pumped into the vessel just described, care
being taken to proportion the relative size and speed of the pumps so as
to produce when the gases and vapours are combined a compound
mixture or gas of the requisite illuminating power. As hydrocarbons
generally do not wholly evaporate at ordinary temperatures the bottom
of the carburettor is constructed so as to become a receiver for the non-
vaporizable portion of the liquid which may be removed from time to
time as occasion may dictate.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in the application of duly
proportionate cylinders and pumps for the purpose of pumping or forcing
atmospheric air and liquid hydrocarbons into carburettors when air is
used in the place of hydrogen or "water gas."
The pumps herein-before mentioned need not be such as described,
as any suitable pump or pumps may be used for the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RICHARDS, of Burton Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Richards, Her special licence
that I, the said William Richards, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Richards, 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

page_text: .
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING
THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS AND LIQUIDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING
GAS, AND FOR THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Richards, 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 William Richards, 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, that is to say :-
The first part of these improvements refers to regulating the supply 1
of water or steam or controlling the production of hydrogen and other
gases produced by the decomposition of water, commonly known as water
gas, and controlling or regulating the supply of hydrocarbons when
mixed with water gas for the purpose of obtaining light.
The materials I propose to employ by preference for the manufacture 2
of gas are water and petroleum or its spirit, although any other liquid
hydrocarbon or oil may be used which can be decomposed by heat, and
the vapours or gases from which will combine with the gases obtained
by the decomposition of water.
The retorts employed are three or more heated to a suitable tem- 2
perature, one of them being by preference made of fire-clay, as this
material is the most suitable for withstanding the necessary high heat
for the decomposition of water, and is charged with coke, breeze,
charcoal, or other carbonaceous matter, the steam entering therein being
resolved into hydrogen and other gases. Within the second retort is a
placed a quantity of bricks or other similar porous substance for the
better decomposition of the petroleum. The third retort receives both
the gases arising from the decomposition of the water and those resulting
from the destructive distillation of the petroleum, and from thence when
combined they pass to the purifiers or other apparatus.
For the purpose of controlling and injecting or introducing water,
steam, or petroleum into the retorts, I employ two or more cylinders

page_text: with pistons and valves similar to those of an ordinary steam engine,
serving the purpose both of a motor and a force pump. Steam gene-
rated from a common boiler is admitted to the cylinder and gives motion
to the piston, which on its return stroke drives or forces the steam so
admitted into the retort appointed for its decomposition into gas.
Attached to this motor and force pump or in connection with the shaft
operated upon by it is another but smaller cylinder or pump which is
used for injecting the liquid hydrocarbons or vapours into the retort
adapted for their decomposition, the pump being in communication with
a reservoir containing the petroleum or its vapour.
By proportioning the capacities of the cylinders and pumps, or by
their adjustment so as to deliver regular and proper quantities of steam
and hydrocarbons to the respective retorts gases will be evolved, which
on being brought together and combined will form a gas of uniform
illuminating power. Gas of any required quality may thus be produced
by altering or adjusting the capacities or speeds of the steam and
petroleum pumps in relation to each other. Thus when gas of high
illuminating power is wanted less hydrogen is needed, consequently the
capacity or power of the steam pump must be diminished, while for
poor gas the capacity of the steam cylinder must be increased.
In lieu of steam water may be used for delivery into the retort or into
a suitable boiler where it is converted into steam, but in this case it will
be necessary either to force the water or to take it from a sufficiently
elevated source, so that by its head or fall the requisite power may be
obtained.
The second part of this Invention relates to the control or supply of a
properly proportionate quantity of water or steam for augmenting the
quantity and reducing the quality of gas when produced from cannel
coal or other substances yielding gas of high illuminating power.
This is effected by connecting a pump or pumps with the shaft of the
station or other meter which is made to protrude through and beyond
the case for that purpose. By the revolution of the meter the requisite
quantity of water or steam may be pumped into a boiler or reservoir, or
direct into the retort where it is to be decomposed.
"
The third part of this Invention has reference to regulating the supply
of hydrogen or I water gas" to be used in combination with the vapours
of liquid hydrocarbons which in this case are not subject to decom,

page_text: position. For this purpose a carburettor of considerable height, narrow,
and of thin material (for better conducting the heat from the atmosphere
and evaporating the spirit) is used. Within it is furnished with a series
of shallow trays which will permit the liquid introduced at the top to
flow over them from one to another, or instead of the foregoing the
vessel may be provided with spiral channels or other contrivance
whereby a large surface of liquid is exposed to the gas which may be
admitted at or near the bottom. In this case the water or steam is
pumped into the retorts in the manner before mentioned, while the
liquid hydrocarbons are also pumped into the vessel just described, care
being taken to proportion the relative size and speed of the pumps so as
to produce when the gases and vapours are combined a compound
mixture or gas of the requisite illuminating power. The apparatus is so
arranged as to admit of the introduction of the hydrogen or
"water
gas" at or near the bottom while the compound gas or mixture is led
off from or near the top. As hydrocarbons generally do not wholly
evaporate at ordinary temperatures the bottom of the carburettor is con-
structed so as to become a receiver for the non-vapourizable portion of
the liquid which may be removed from time to time as occasion may
dictate.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in the application of duly
proportionate cylinders and pumps for the purpose of pumping or forcing
atmospheric air and liquid hydrocarbons into carburettors when air is
used in the place of hydrogen or "water gas.”
The pumps herein-before mentioned need not be such as described, as
any suitable pump or pumps may be used for the purpose.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same 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 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 herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The arrangement of combined engines and pumps with
adjustments whereby the materials used may be supplied in proper pro-
portions to produce gas of the requisite illuminating power.

page_text: And, Secondly. The means of controlling the supply of water or steam
required to be converted into gas through the agency of the meter which
records the quantity of gas produced when it may be desirable to dilute
rich gas derived from coal or other substances with hydrogen.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Richards, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.