IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM OILS OR FATTY OR RESINOUS MATTERS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gerner, of No. 10, Newton Road, Bayswater,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM OILS OR
FATTY OR RESINOUS MATTERS."
Sealed the 22nd September 1858, and dated the 24th March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gerner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th March 1858.
I, HENRY GERNER, of No. 10, Newton Road, Bayswater, in the County of
Middlesex, 'Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM OILS OR
FATTY OR RESINOUS MATTERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the construction and adaptation of the retort so
as to regulate and economize the heat, increase the production of the gas,
and afford facilities for cleansing and repairing.
I construct the retort of cast iron or other suitable metal or material of a
cylindrical, taper, or other convenient form, and through the centre, from the
base upwards, I construct a flue or chimney, and at the sides of the retort I
arrange two or more pipes (I prefer three), which form flues leading from the
outside of the retort, through it, and into the central flue; the top of the

page_text: retort is made of a separate piece, and is made to fit securely by means of a
joint of molten lead or other fusible metal. The retort is erected upon
bricks or fire-clay, so as to have a space between the sides and the clay or
brick work; the fire is placed at the base of the retort, and by means of a
dlamper I cause the heat to pass either up the central flue or on the sides and
through the said pipes, or both ways.
The oil or fatty or resinous matter is supplied through one or more feed
tubes (I prefer three), arranged with syphons and funnels, and made secure
through the top of the retort with their outlet orifices near the internal base
of the retort, and near the central flue. In the interior of the retort I arrange
a grate above the orifices of the said feed tubes, and upon this grate and
around the central flue and pipe flues and feed tubes I place some material
capable of sustaining a red heat; I prefer to use scrap iron, or earthenware,
or coke, or a mixture of these. The gas or vapour of the oil arising from the
heated base of the retort will thus pass through the grate and the said
materials, and be thus rendered more subtile; and from thence the gas is
passed in the ordinary manner through a pipe from the top of the retort into
the condenser, and subsequently into the gas holder.
I also arrange or cast with the outside of the retort two pipes or passages
which protrude through the brickwork or outside of the stove, and are fitted
with "man-hole" lids or covers, which may be removed at any time it is
desired to clean or repair the interior of the retort.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Gerner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
GERNER, of No. 10, Newton Road, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Gerner, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Gerner,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Gerner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR GAS FROM OILS OR FATTY OR RESINOUS
MATTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Gerner,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my; or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Henry Gerner, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in the construction and adaptation of the retort, so
as to regulate and economize the heat, increase the production of the gas, and
afford facilities for cleansing and repairing.
I construct the retort of cast iron or other suitable metal or material of
a cylindrical, taper, or other convenient form, and through the centre, from
the base upwards, I construct a flue or chimney; at the sides of the retort
I arrange two or more pipes (I prefer three), which form flues leading from
the outside of the retort, through it, and into the central flue; the top of the
retort is made of a separate piece, and is made to fit securely by means of a
joint of molten lead or other fusible metal. The retort is crected upon
bricks or fire-clay, so as to have a space between the clay or brickwork. The
fire is placed at the base of the retort, and by means of a damper I cause the
heat to pass either up the central fluc, or the sides, and through the said pipes
or both ways.
The oil or fatty or resinous matter is supplied through one or more feed
tubes (I prefer three), arranged with syphons and funnels, and made secure
through the top of the retort, with their outlet orifices near the internal base
of the retort and near the central flue. In the interior of the retort I arrange
a grate above the orifices of the said feed tubes, and upon this grate and
around the central flue and pipe flues and feed tubes I place some material
capable of sustaining a red heat; I prefer to use scrap iron, or earthenware, or
cokes, or a mixture of these. The gas or vapour of the oil arising from the
heated base of the retort, will thus pass through the grate and the said
materials, and be thus rendered more subtile; and from thence the gas is

page_text: passed in the ordinary manner, through a pipe from the top of the retort into
the condenser, and subsequently into the gasometer.
I also arrange or cast with the outside of the retorts two pipes or passages,
which protrude through the brickwork or outside of the stove, and are fitted
with "man-hole" lids or covers, which may be removed at any time it is
desired to clean or repair the interior of the retort.
And in order that my said Invention may be more readily understood,
I refer to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with letters of reference
thereon.
Fig. 1 is a section of the apparatus complete. The stove A is of thin sheet
iron lined with fire-clay rings E, E, E, E, E, having an air space b³, b³, b³, to
prevent radiation of heat; C is a cast-iron ring, resting on the angle iron d,
for supporting the fire bars f and fire-clay rings; b is a cast-iron tray filled
with water, the steam from which facilitates the draught; d³, d, is the fire door;
d³, the ash-pit door; G is the improved retort, in which the gas is generated,
having a perpendicular flue through its centre g. Fig. 1 and 2, h, h, h, are
three smaller flues cast in the retort, passing from the sides into the centre
flue. The lid is secured by a lead joint n, n, n, n; 1, l, is a cast-iron grating
for supporting the material used in the retort, and in which are screwed three
guides for feed pipes m, m, m. Fgs. 1 and 3, d is the purifying material,
charcoal and lime. The feed pipes o, o, o, are screwed into the lid of the
retort, and made tight by a lead joint p, p, p; the two pipes k, Figs. 2 and 3,
are cast on the retort of sufficient length to project from the outside of the stove
so that the bottom of the retort may be easily cleaned. The cover k¹ is
secured by a clip and screw; ks,, are small cocks to ascertain if gas is being
made; r is a damper, for regulating the draught through the flues in the
retort; r,, is a rod and chain attached to a roller, having a spindle with a
handle on the outside of the chimney, so that the damper can be drawn up or
let down; s is a common damper; C is a vessel for containing oil; t is a
wrought-iron pipe, screwed into the boss t', and passes round the chimney, in
which are screwed three small cocks o2, 03, 03, for regulating the supply of oil
to feed pipes o, o, o; E is a cast-iron pipe for conducting the gas to condenser,
having a lead joint on the cover of the retort E, E, and an oil joint on the con-
denser E; the cock p³ is for ascertaining if gas is being generated; B is the
condenser, two-thirds filled with oil; B³ is a syphon for the residium to pass
off into the vessel D. The cover of the condenser rests in an oil joint B';
B is a feed pipe screwed into the cover, and made tight by a lead joint; E is
an iron pipe, screwed into the cover of the condenser, and made secure by a
lead joint E, E, through which pipe the gas passes to gas holder; k³ is a

page_text: cock for shutting off communication with the gas holder; the small cock k³
is for letting off any condensation in the pipe E.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the details herein set forth, as
such may be varied without departing from the principle thereof; but I claim
as my Invention, the apparatus as herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Gerner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
HENRY GERNER. (L.S.)
Witness,
ROBERT STEELE,
Clerk to Henry Fletcher,
42, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane.