CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IF THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Webster, of Southport Gas Works, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IF
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 5th January 1869, and dated the 18th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1868.
I, DANIEL WEBSTER, of Southport Gas Works, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of preventing or diminishing
the accumulation or incrustation of carbonaceous deposit on the interior
surface of the retorts employed in the manufacture of coal gas, such
deposit arising from the back pressure of gas from the "seal dip" in
the "hydraulic main" and influx thereof into any retort that may be
opened for recharging or other purposes.

page_text: The improvements consist in the employment and use of a hollow ball
seated upon a conical seating applied within the ordinary gas exit pipe
or "stand pipe" and acting as a valve, such ball being suspended by a
chain passing over a pulley or attached to a lever, so that when the gas
is rising up the "stand pipe" it will lift the ball valve and pass on, but
if the retort be opened for refilling or other purpose and the gas ceases
to rise its own weight or the back pressure from the other retorts closes
the ball on to the seating and prevents the gas escaping into the open
retort, or if desired an ordinary "clack valve" or other valve may be
arranged in the pipe for the same purpose. A supply pipe and exit pipe
and taps are also applied to the "hydraulic main," whereby the tar
liquor may be drawn off and the main may be filled with pure water at
any moment required. By this means a considerable economy is effected
in the manufacture of the gas by the prevention of the escape into the
open retort by back pressure, the illuminating power is improved, and
the duration of the retorts is considerably increased by the diminution of
the deposit therein, and also the labour of "scurfing" is prevented.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
WEBSTER, of Southport Gas Works, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters.Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Daniel Webster, Her special license that I,
the said Daniel Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Daniel Webster, 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 Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE

page_text: OP GAS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH;" upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Webster, 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 Daniel Webster, 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is. to
say) :-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of preventing or removing
the accumulation or incrustation of carbonaceous deposit on the interior
surface of the retorts employed in the manufacture of coal gas, such
deposit arising from the back pressure of gas from the "scal dip"
in the hydraulic "main" and influx thereof into any retort that
opened for recharging or other purposes.
may be
The improvements consist in the employment and use of a hollow or
other ball seated upon a conical seating applied within the ordinary gas
exit pipe or "stand pipe" and acting as a valve, such ball being
suspended by a chain passing over a pulley or attached to a lever, so
that when the gas is rising up the "stand pipe" it will lift the ball
valve and pass on, but if the retort be opened for refilling or other
purpose and the gas ceases to rise its own weight or the back pressure.
from the other retorts closes the ball on to the scating and prevents the
gas escaping into the open retort, or if desired an ordinary "clack valve"
or other valve may be arranged in the pipe for the same purpose. A
supply pipe and exit pipe and taps are also applied to the "hydraulic
main," whereby the tar liquor may be drawn off and the main may be
filled with pure water at any moment required. By this means a
considerable economy is effected in the manufacture of gas by the
prevention of the escape into the open retort by back pressure, the
illuminating power is improved, and the duration of the retorts is.
considerably increased by the diminution of the deposit therein, and also
the labor of scurfing is prevented...

page_text: Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Certain
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas, and in Apparatus connected
therewith," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be carried into practical effect, and
in order that the same may be clearly understood I have annexed here-
unto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
The annexed Drawing represents in section part of a gas retort with
the stand pipe and hydraulic main, and showing the application of my
Invention thereto. A is the retort; B, the "stand pipe;" C, the
H-pipe;" and D, the hydraulic main; E is the water supply pipe;
and F an exit pipe by means of which the tar liquor may be withdrawn
and the hydraulic main D flushed or flooded with water when required.
These two pipes E and F must both be supplied with suitable taps.
Near the top of the stand pipe B I fix a valve seating or cup in which
a hollow or solid ball G fits (see also detached view); this ball is con-
nected by a chain H and a wire passing through a stuffing box in the
cap I to a quadrant lever K, or a pulley may be substituted for this
lever. Connected to the "H-pipe " C is a steam pipe L from the engine
boilers, provided with a cock for the purpose of blowing off any pitch or
other substance which may accumulate to hinder the free working of the
ball G in its seating or cup. I may here observe that in working with
an exhauster a pressure of from one-quarter to one-half inch should be
kept upon the hydraulic main, otherwise the carbon from the cracks or
joints of the retort will fall out and a quantity of air be admitted and
deteriorate the quality of the gas. As this arrangement presents an easy
method of removing the incrustation of carbon from the retorts it should
be used from time to time for the above object, as the operator has
simply to re-flood his hydraulic main and hook up the ball out of the
cup, when the dip pipe C* will have its "seal" as before.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with
the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood that I do not intend to confine myself to the use
of a ball valve (whether hollow or otherwise) as a clack or other valve
would answer the same purpose; but what I claim as my Invention is,
the use or application in the stand pipe of a gas retort of a valve con-

page_text: nected to a lever or pulley outside, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose herein-before more particularly set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Webster, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.