IMPROVED ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING, HEATING AND MOTIVE POWER PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Barnabas Russ at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1882.
BARNABAS RUss of 166 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Engineer
"IMPROVED ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR
LIGHTING, HEATING AND MOTIVE POWER PURPOSES
"
In carrying my Invention into practice I provide a receptacle or receiver of cast
or rolled metal with two chambers, one chamber being arranged within the other,
and I connect the larger chamber to a retort by means of a pipe or any other
suitable means. In the larger chamber of the receiver I place two decomposing or
generating coils of different dimensions, the outlet of the small coil being connected
to the inlet of the large coil, and the outlet of the large coil with the retort, and I
connect the inlet of the small coil to a force pump which draws a mixture of
chemicals, say hydro carbon potash and water with or without ammonia or
ammoniacal liquor from a supply tank or tanks; the inlet of the large coil is also
connected to the delivery of an air force pump hereinafter described. I also
provide the above described apparatus with valves, pressure gauges, cocks and
other mountings requisite for the proper working of the same.
The retort consists essentially of a cylindrical body of wrought iron or other
suitable material with a furnace or combustion chamber in one end thereof and a
central chamber provided with tubes through which the heated air and products of
combustion pass into another chamber at the other end of the retort. The said
retort is also provided with a dome or domes from which the gas or fluid may be
conducted to a motor or motors.
The chamber at the end of the retort opposite to the furnace has a vertical
chamber connected to it and passing through the aforesaid receiver, which receiver
may be fixed to the top of the retort. The said vertical chamber is fitted with
tubes through which the products of combustion pass into a chimney provided with
a damper and thence into the atmosphere.
The retort or furnace front is constructed with a flange whereby it may be
secured to the retort and removed at any time for repairing purposes. It is also
provided with a sliding door worked by a lever and at the lower part I provide a
levice for regulating the draught. This device consists essentially of one or more

page_text: '
gratings with doors or covers capable of being moved from side to side for the
purpose of opening and closing the said gratings. I also provide a sliding grating
or damper between foot plate and top level of lire bars.
I charge the supply tank or tanks, the small coil and the retort with a mixture
of hydro carbon, potash and water either with or without the addition of ammonia
or ammoniacal liquor and heat the retort by means of a fire in or under the same.
Or at starting, I may charge the retort with water only.
When the heat from the furnace causes gas or steam to be generated in the
retort, I charge the larger chamber of the receiver from the tank and thereby
surround the coils with the mixture, thus causing gas to form from the chemicals
contained in the small coil which is discharged into the inlet of the larger coil and
there combined with atmospheric air and passes through the coils to the retort
where it displaces the steam should any be present, and the combined gas or fluid
and air accumulate in the dome or domes.
In order to apply the gas as a motive power I connect the supply pipe of a prime
mover with the dome or domes of the retort, and the exhaust from the same with
the smaller chamber or pocket of the receiver by means of pipes. When
sufficient gas or fluid is formed in the retort I start the prime mover which delivers
its exhaust into the smaller chamber of the receiver which is connected by pipes to
the chamber in the end of the retort opposite to the furnace into which chamber
the exhaust gases or vapours-are delivered and from which they pass into the
atmosphere with the residues of combustion, or they may by suitable valves and a
pump be passed again into the receiver for reuse along with the general body of
the agent.
In order to apply the gas for heating purposes I make a connection between any
convenient part of the apparatus coutaining gas or a purifying chamber or holder
and discharge the same into the receptacle chamber or furnace-where-heat-is-
requisite and ignite it by means of electricity or in any well known manner.
The pipe or pipes supplying the gas to the furnace is or are preferably provided
with an injector or injectors or other suitable devices whereby atmospheric air or
air combined with exhaust gas or vapour may be introduced into the furnace
together with the gas supplied direct from any of the sources named.
For preparing gas for lighting purposes I pump from a tank through a small
pipe a mixture of the aforesaid ingredients in suitable proportions. The said small
pipe is formed into a coil within the chamber at the end of the retort opposite the
furnace thence the said pipe passes into a hollow bridge or accumulator in the
furnace in which the said mixture is received and from which it passes through a
larger pipe which is also formed into a coil within the said chamber thence the
mixture which is by this time converted into gas or fluid by the decomposition
caused by the heat from the retort furnace is conducted to a purifier and from the
purifier to a holder.
At a short distance from the hollow bridge or accumulator I connect a small pipe
to the said larger pipe and conduct the small pipe to a tank in which the liquid if
any draining from the said small pipe is received and from which it may be
pumped when desired.
The motor which I prefer to employ consists essentially of a cylinder provided
with an outer casing or jacket and suitable means for circulating water or other
liquid within or around the same in order to keep it cool and for automatic
lubricating purposes by which oxidization and corrosion is prevented. In this
cylinder works a piston with a rod passing through both ends of the cylinder, the
free end of the said rod being covered by a cap or bonnet and the other end being
connected in any well known manner to a crank. I employ a conical valve or plug
for admitting gas or fluid to the said cylinder; this valve is made with suitable
ports and is worked by means of eccentrics upon the crank shaft and hand levers
are also provided for operating the said valve.
The air forcing pump herein before referred to is constructed in a somewhat
similar manner to the motor above described, but is provided with suction and

page_text: delivery valves. I prefer to make the valve seats conical and to secure them in
position by means of screws passing through exterior plates or covers.
I also employ an exhauster which consists essentially of a suitable casing in
which is fitted a shaft carried in bearings and provided with a fan having three or
more blades, upon this shaft is fixed a pulley which is connected by means of a belt
with another pulley upon a small shaft situated above the aforesaid fan.
Upon this small shaft is fixed a bevel wheel gearing with another hevel wheel
fixed on a vertical shaft carrying a small fan or propeller wheel,