Improvements in Hydro-carbon Burners.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1892-Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydro-carbon Burners.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT JEAVONS, of 1192 Woodland Avenue, City of Cleveland,
State of Ohio, U.S.A., Ornamenter, 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 hydro-carbon burners, and the invention consists in the
method and construction substantially as shown and described and particularly
pointed out in the claims.
In the construction and operation of burners prior to my invention, different
ways of obtaining a distribution of hydro-carbon oils or vapours, or carburetted air,
have been known, among which may be mentioned, first, the distribution of oil by
capillary attraction, as by a wick, in which the oil is drawn to the surface of a
wick and consumed, as in an ordinary lamp. In this style of burner vaporization
occurs directly at the point of combustion and the oil itself is distributed.
Secondly, by spraying the oil by means of a jet of air or steam under
pressure.
Thirdly, by generating the vapour in a suitable retort in which the vapour is
subjected to a head or pressure, and depending on the artificial pressure in the
retort to distribute and feed the vapour. This style of burner is exemplified in
the well-known vapour burner which feeds through a jet orifice.
Fourthly, by evaporating or vaporizing gasoline or other light hydro-carbon on
an exposed surface by passing a current of air over the same, and then feeding
the carburetted air to the burner, the old and well-known carburetting devices
being of this class.
My invention as herein shown and described, is wholly different from each and
all of the several methods or ways of utilizing, distributing, or conveying hydro-
carbon oils or vapours above specifically enumerated, or known to me, and involves,
first, the conversion of the oil into vapour by exposing the oil to a heated surface,
and then distributing or conveying the vapour by its gravity to the place or places
where or about which the vapour is supplied to the burner and maintains com-
bustion.
In carrying out this method or process I rely on the superior density or gravity
of the hydro-carbon vapour, as compared with air, to distribute or move the vapour
in the presence of air to the points where it is utilized in support of combustion,
and I find that, where the conditions are suitable, I can always rely upon the
vapour to gravitate in proper form and quantity, and with uniform equality to every
portion of the channel or space provided for it. If the structure of the burner be
circular, as in Fig. 1, the vapour travels or runs around on both sides from about
the supply tube, where the oil is vaporized, and rises gradually to a uniform level
all around very much as would water or any other liquid. The vapour being
heavier than air, there is no material admixture with air when this distribution or
movement occurs, though of course there may be some admixture with air without
affecting the distribution by gravity and without materially changing the character
of the vapour in so far as combustion is concerned. It is, however, deemed best for
all purposes to keep the vapour free from air as much as possible while the distribu-
tion thereof occurs, as this more certainly insures its distribution, and prevents it
from rising out of its channel or travelling space while gravitating to its destination,
and promotes gradual combustion in the combustion chamber.
I may mention here that the vapour, even in the substantially pure state in which
it is protected by my method of handling it, is very liable to disturbance if exposed
to air drafts, currents or eddies, and hence should be shielded from all such

page_text: influences or conditions. To this end certain simple conditions alone are required,
as, for example, a channel, holder or space which is so enclosed or guarded as
will provide a suitable path for the vapour and prevent disturbance by air, and also
prevent such open and free exposure to air as will permit the vapour to be consumed
before it is distributed and thus defeat the uniform and constant supply thereof
evenly to all points of the burner.
If these principles of construction be observed, the vapour will take care of itself
in the presence of air and the flame it supplies, and will travel by gravity to all
the points provided for it, and distribute uniformly without perceptible admixture
with the air, although constantly exposed to air, and will rise to any level that
may be fixed for admixture with air and to supply the burner. Indeed a very
small or light supply of vapour, if protected as provided herein both from air
currents and combustion, will distribute itself evenly over a considerable area at a
long distance from the point of production and maintain an even supply to a
largely extended flame.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of one form of burner embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of a modified form of the burner, and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.
Referring first to Fig. 1, A. represents the burner holder, channel or space in
which the vapour is distributed and contained to supply or feed the burner, and
in a sense serves as a reservoir of supply. It is essential, however, to the opera-
tion of the burner that the vapour contained in the said holder be protected from
air currents and from combustion, and to this end I have found that the best
protection is afforded by so constructing the burner that the walls and surround-
ings will exclude disturbing currents. Thus, for example, in Fig. 1, the holding
chamber or air space has an outer wall a and an inner wall a, and a flange or
projection a², extending inward a short distance over the holding chamber or
channel in which the vapour is conveyed and providing a seat for the outer
tube.
The outer wall, in this instance, rises higher than the inner wall, and the com-
bustion or burner tubes, walls, or pipes C and D rise from about the opening a
between the two walls a¹ and a, and the rim or flange a². The said burner tubes or
walls are perforated over their entire surface for the admission of air to the flame
space between them, so that combustion may occur from the bottom to the top
of said space and the air be fed in at successive elevations.
In Fig. 2 the same result is accomplished by providing a pan or dish-shaped
holder, E, which has a cover F and, in this instance, four several combustion
tubes, walls, or pipes G, fixed at intervals into said cover and extending mostly
across the same.
Oil is fed to both forms of burners here shown in like manner, through tube
or pipe H, controlled by valve K. Either the heavier or the lighter hydro-
carbons may be used with this construction of burner.
In the bottom of holders A and E are shown a strand of absorbent material, L.
This strand is of some non-combustible material, such as asbestos, and is only for
the purpose of initially heating the burner and parts when heavy oils are used.
To assist the oil to spread quickly throughout the absorbent material so as to
quickly produce a large initial flame, the holder or channel A. may be tipped
more or less, as shown by dotted lines.
If light oils are used, such as gasoline, etc., which in themselves are imflammable,
the asbestos strand may be left out, but with heavy oils that will not ignite on a
metallic surface, some absorbent material is necessary to produce an initial
flame.
To initially heat the burner shown in Fig.", the cover F is removed, and when
the holder and parts are in vaporizing condition the cover is replaced, the vapour
then gravitating or distributing and feeding in equal volume at the different outlets

page_text: between the perforated tubes. In operation, say with kerosene oil, which in itself
is not inflammable at ordinary temperature, oil is admitted to the absorbent which
absorbs some of it, and which can be ignited as a wick. The flame from this soon
heats the burner or holder and other parts to a vaporizing condition. When having
heated the burner, vaporization occurs directly on the heated metallic surfaces in
or near the inlet duct H, and the wick performs no further office until initial
heating again occurs in subsequent use of the burner. The vapour thus generated
being protected from adverse air currents, gravitates after the manner of water
and travels or distributes all around and, throughout the holder or channel. This
dense, clear vapour fills the holder to the exclusion of air, so that combustion cannot
occur therein, but occurs outside the holder between the perforated tubes or walls.
where air can combine with it in the proper manner to produce perfect combustion.
It will be seen that in this case the holder or channel not only forms a protection
for the distributing vapour, 'but acts also as a generator or vaporizer to convert oil
into vapour. However, the vapour might be all generated outside of the holder A,
in the duct H, for instance, and the action of the vapour travelling within the holder
would be substantially the same when discharged into it, the holder of course being
heated to prevent condensation.
The combustion or flame chamber or space herein referred to is the space
between the concentric walls shown in Fig. 1, and within the perforated tubes or
walls shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
The distributing or carrying channel, holder, or space mentioned in the foregoing
description has reference to the means provided for carrying the vapour by gravity
to the place or places or points where it is supplied to the burner, flame, or com-
bustion chamber. This combustion chamber is so constructed that the vapour
rises therein to more or less height before all of it is consumed. When air is
admitted from the outside through openings at different elevations, the consumption
is gradual, and a tongue of unconsumed vapour extends up centrally between
the walls, with small blue globules of flame about the lower openings and a
gradual increase of flame as the successive openings are reached and air in
increasing quantity is supplied, until the entire space is filled with blue flame and
combustion is made complete. In any and all cases of constructing a burner
according to this invention, the lowest air inlet or opening determines the starting
point of combustion, and the amount of combustion will depend largely on the
quantity of air admitted. If complete combustion were to extend so low as to
interrupt the distribution or travelling of the vapour, it would cripple or defeat
the object of the invention.
It will be seen by the foregoing description that my invention comprises a
construction in which vapour is received and distributed in a channel or chamber
by gravity in such quantity as to prevent admission of air through the supply
opening provided for the vapour, and to cause a steady and uninterrupted flow of
vapour to the combustion chamber.
It is of course understood that when the burner has been started the channel
or holder or space in which the vapour distributes, or is contained, remains hot,
and by this reason prevents the condensation of the vapour. Otherwise, if the
surface were cold, the vapour would condense thereon. In the present case the
surfaces are heated by the conductivity of the metal.
By the words "free opening" as used herein, I mean an opening of sufficient
area to supply the vapour freely to the burner, and in which no artificial or outside
pressure is employed to cause the vapour to flow into the combustion chamber,
such, for example, as a head of oil or other equivalent means commonly used in
gasoline stoves to force the vapour through a jet orifice.
In the use of the word "vapour," I mean vapour in a substantially pure state
and without material admixture with air.
If it be desired to use the burner for illuminating purposes the outer perforated
tube may be replaced by a glass chimney, the inner tube remaining in place as

page_text: before, and if necessary, shortened somewhat, to adapt it to the changed conditions
of combustion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A hydro-carbon vapour burner consisting of a vapour holder constructed for
the free and uniform distribution of the vapour therein by gravity and having a
free opening for the escape of vapour, in combination with perforated combustion
walls having a flame space between them in communication with the said holder,
substantially as described.
2. A vapour burner having a channel in which the vapour is distributed or con-
veyed by gravity, substantially as described.
3. A vapour burner having a vapour receiving and conveying channel or
chamber provided with a free opening of relatively small area communicating with
the combustion chamber, in combination with a combustion chamber having openings
for the admission of air to support combustion, substantially as described.
4. The process herein described, consisting, first, in converting the oil into
vapour, and then conveying the vapour by gravity to the place where it is
oxygenized, substantially as described.
5. The process herein described of converting liquid hydro-carbon into vapour,
and conveying and burning the vapour, which consists, first, in vaporizing the oil
by exposing to a heated surface; then conveying the vapour by gravity to the
points where it is to be burned, and then supplying air to the vapour in limited
quantities to meet the demands of combustion, substantially as described.
Dated this th day M-1000
A
WILLIAM KUBERI JEA VOND.