IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFacture OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Weightman Harrison and Alfred Horatio
Harrison, both of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFacture
OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
Sealed the 29th October 1872, and dated the 5th June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Weightman
Harrison and Alfred Horatio Harrison at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th June 1872.
We, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON and ALFRED HORATIO HAR-
RISON, both of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, to be as follows:-
'
"
This Invention relates to improvements in connection with an Inven-
tion for which Letters Patent were applied for by us on the 3rd June, in
the year of our Lord 1872, and numbered 1679, for manufacturing gas

page_text: for lighting and heating purposes by forcing or drawing air through
suitable hydrocarbon liquids.
According to this Invention we dispense with the air forcing apparatus
described in the Provisional Specification lodged with the above-men-
tioned application for Letters Patent, and instead thereof cause the air to
be drawn through or over the hydrocarbon liquid by forming a vacuum
in the gas holder or in connection therewith, and providing the reservoir
for the hydrocarbon liquid with a suitable valve or its equivalent for the
admission of air in such a manner that it will have to pass through the
said liquid or the vessel containing it to get to the gas holder, the said
receiver for the hydrocarbon liquid being connected with the gas holder
either directly or through a purifier or other suitable intermediate
channel. The said vacuum we prefer to form by one of the following
methods:-
If an ordinary rising and falling gas holder be used, simply raising it
by any suitable means will produce the necessary vacuum, the gas being
forced out in the usual way by the holder descending; but by using
other means of exhausting the air stationary reservoirs may be used,
either wholly or partially embedded in the ground or in water. This
may be accomplished as follows:-We first fill the gas holder with
water or steam, and then by running off the water or condensing the steam
create the necessary vacuum, the gas after admission being forced out
for use by the readmission of the water or steam at any required pressure.
For the method described with the water, the rise and fall of tidal or
other waters may be utilized, or the necessary exhaustion and pressure
may be effected by utilizing the force of winds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Weightman Harrison and Alfred Horatio
Harrison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd December
1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
WEIGHTMAN HARRISON and ALFRED HORATIO HARRISON, both of High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Charles Weightman Harrison and Alfred Horatio
Harrison, Her special license that we, the said Charles Weightman
Harrison and Alfred Horatio Harrison, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Weightman Harrison and
Alfred Horatio Harrison, our 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 law-
fully 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR LIGHTING AND
HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Weightman
Harrison and Alfred Horatio Harrison, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Charles Weightman Harrison and
Alfred Horatio Harrison, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, (that
is to say):
-:
This Invention relates to or consists in improvements in connection
with an Invention entitled "Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas
for Lighting and Heating Purposes, and in the Apparatus employed
therein," for which Letters Patent have been granted to us bearing date
the 3rd June in the year of our Lord 1872, and numbered 1679, and
according to which Invention inflammable gas or vapour adapted for
lighting and heating purposes is manufactured by forcing or drawing
atmospheric air into and through certain hydrocarbon liquids.
According to the present Invention we cause the air which is to be
charged or impregnated with the vapour of hydrocarbon liquid to be drawn

page_text: or forced through or in contact with such liquid or through the vapour
thereof, by forming a complete or partial vacuum in the gas holder, and
having such holder so connected with the generating vessel or reservoir
for the hydrocarbon liquid that the air drawn or forcing its way into the
holder to fill the said vacuum will have to pass through the hydrocarbon
liquid or the vessel containing it, during which passage, as more fully
herein-after described, it will become charged or impregnated with the
vapour of the said liquid, and thus be converted into inflammable gas or
vapour adapted for lighting and heating purposes. The said generating
vessel or reservoir for the hydrocarbon liquid is provided with a suitable
valve or its equivalent, for the admission of the air which it is desired to
pass through the liquid, and is connected with the gas holder either
directly or through a purifier or other suitable intermediate channel.
The said vacuum we prefer to form by one of the following methods:―
When an ordinary rising and falling gas holder (with a water seal) is
used we form the necessary vacuum by simply raising the bell of the
holder; this may be done by any suitable and well-known means, but
two methods preferred by us are shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
The gas after admission to the holder is forced out for consumption
by the bell being allowed to descend.
When stationary gas holders are used we proceed as follows:-We
first fill the holder with water, and then, by gradually and as required
drawing it off, create the necessary vacuum. The gas after admission
to the holder is forced out for consumption by the readmission or
reintroduction of the water at any required pressure. The process of
filling the holder with water, and also of emptying the same, may be
conveniently accomplished by any suitable and well-known arrangement
of pumping apparatus. Or the rise and fall of tides may be utilized for
this purpose when the position of the gasworks and the nature of the
tidal service will permit. This process is more fully herein-after
described.

page_text: of the same as is necessary, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings,
reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an arrangement of apparatus
designed for working on a comparatively small scale, such as for lighting
dwelling houses or isolated buildings; and Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
A stationary holder or tank (A) is supported on a suitable base (B), and
is nearly filled with water. Into this holder is made to dip a bell (C)
after the manner of an ordinary rising and falling gas holder. The said
bell is guided and steadied in its ascent and descent by flange
rollers (D), which run on guides (E) fixed to the inner sides of suitable
standards (E¹), and is raised when required by means of weights (F)
attached to chains or cords (G), which pass over pulleys (H) on the
tops of the said standards. Communication between the generating
vessel (I) and the interior of the said holder is established by means of
a pipe (J), which after passing into the holder near the bottom thereof
rises vertically to above the water line. This pipe is provided with a
cock (J¹), so that when required communication between the holder and
generating vessel may be stopped. Another pipe (K) is provided at the
opposite side of the holder for the exit of the gas for consumption; and
this, like that first described, enters the holder near the bottom, and
rises vertically to above the water level, and is provided at its upper end
with a bell mouth to facilitate the entrance of the gas. A cock K¹ is
also provided in this pipe, so that communication with the holder may
be stopped when required.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-The bell C being let right
down, and it being desired to fill the holder with gas, the weights F are
hooked on to the chains or cords G, and the cock J¹ is turned on so as
to open communication between the generating vessel and the gas
holder. By this means the bell is caused to rise gradually, and as it
rises a partial vacuum is created within it, thus drawing the air out of the
pipe J, and consequently out of the upper part of the generating vessel,
which air will be immediately replaced by air rushing in from the external
atmosphere. This air passes in through the pipe L into the chamber M,
and thence into the interior of the ring-shaped float N, which is provided
with perforations on its inner periphery, and thus the air entering it is
allowed to pass out thereof through the said perforations into the
surrounding hydrocarbon liquid through which it bubbles up, and in its
passage vaporizes and takes up or becomes impregnated with a certain

page_text: portion thereof, which it retains and collects in the upper part of the
vessel as inflammable gas or vapour, whence by the continued rising of
the bell it is drawn through the pipe J into the holder, and this action
is continued until the holder is filled with gas when the cock J' is
closed, and the gas is thereby confined in the holder. When the gas
thus stored is required for use the cock K¹ is opened, and the weights F
are removed, when the bell descends by its own weight, and forces
the gas down and through the pipe K to the burners for combustion.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a method of applying our Invention to gas holders
of a large size, such as those used for lighting towns. In this case the bell
of the holder is raised by hydraulic power. The generating vessel is not
shewn in this view, but it communicates with the holder by means of a
pipe (O), which enters the holder from underneath and rises vertically to
above the water line. This pipe is provided with a cock (O¹), so that
communication with the holder may be cut off when required. Another
pipe (P) is provided at the opposite side of the holder for the exit of the
gas for consumption, and this, like that just described, enters the holder
from underneath and rises vertically to above the water line, and is also
provided with a cock (P¹), so that communication with the holder may
be stopped when required.
The action is as follows:-The bell being right down, and it being
desired to fill the holder with gas the cock P¹ is closed and the cock O¹
is opened, thus establishing communication between the gas holder and
the generating vessel. The pumps Q are then set to work and water is
forced down the pipe R into the ram S, thus gradually raising the holder.
By this means the holder is filled with gas as herein-before described, and
when so filled the cock O¹ is closed, thereby confining the gas in the holder.
When the gas thus stored is required for consumption the cock R¹ in the
pipe R is opened, and thus an outlet being provided for the escape of the
water from the said ram, the holder descends by its own weight and thus
forces the gas down and through the pipe P for combustion, the cock P¹
having been previously opened to allow of its passage. By opening the
said cock R¹ more or less the rate of descent of the said bell and conse-
quently the pressure with which the gas is forced out for consumption is
varied at pleasure. One large generating vessel may be employed in
connection with this holder, or several of smaller dimensions may be used,
and when more than one are employed they may be so connected that
communication may be stopped with any one or more of them whilst

page_text: the others are at work, so that when required part of their number may
be in use whilst the others are at rest, either for the purpose of being
replenished or for any other reason required.
Figure 5 shews a method of utilizing the rise and fall of tides for the
purposes of our Invention. An air-tight stationary holder (Z) is con-
structed at such a distance below the ground line (T), and of such a
depth in itself, that its top is some distance below high water line, and
its bottom some distance above low water line, so that when the tide is
in water may be let into a reservoir (U) at such a level that the said
holder may be filled therefrom when required, whilst when the tide is
out the holder may be emptied of the water by running it off. This
holder is also made to communicate with the generating vessel (con-
taining the hydrocarbon liquid) and likewise with the external atmosphere
by means of a pipe (V), which passes into the top of the holder through
the ground above, and communicates near its upper end with two other
pipes (V and V³), the one (V³) communicating with the said generating
vessel, and the other (V2) being for the purpose of conveying the gas
from the holder as required for combustion, whilst the said vertical
pipe (V) itself communicates at its upper end with the atmosphere.
Each of these three pipes is provided with a suitable cock, so that com-
munication between the holder and either the generating vessel, the
atmosphere, or the exit for the gas may be established or closed as
required. A pipe (Y) furnished with a suitable cock (Y¹) is also pro-
vided at the bottom of the holder for running off the water when
required.
The action of this arrangement of apparatus is as follows:-The tide
being in, the cock W¹ in the horizontal pipe W is turned on, and the
water from the sea or river is thus allowed to enter the reservoir U
through the pipe W, and also the holder Z through the pipe X, the
cock X¹ therein having been previously turned on for that purpose.
During the process of filling the holder, the cock in the vertical pipe V
is also turned on, thus establishing communication with the atmosphere
and providing a way of escape for the air forced out of the holder by the
entrance or introduction of the water. The reservoir and holder being
filled, the cocks W' and X' are closed. The water is thus confined in
both the reservoir and holder and communication between the holder
and reservoir stopped. The cock in the vertical pipe V is also closed,
thus shutting off communication with the atmosphere whilst the cock

page_text: in the pipe V¹ is opened, thus establishing communication between the
holder and gas generator. The cock Y¹ in the pipe Y is now opened,
and the holder is thus gradually emptied as the tide runs out, thereby
creating a vacuum (or partially so) in the holder, and as the only com-
munication with the external atmosphere is through the generating
vessel as in the case herein-before described, the air in making its way
into the holder to fill the said vacuum is compelled to pass through the
said generating vessel and through the hydrocarbon liquid contained
therein, and thus becomes charged with the vapour thereof, and collects
in the holder in the form of inflammable gas or vapour. Thus the holder
becomes filled with the said gas, and when so filled, communication with
the generating vessel is stopped by turning off the cock in the pipe V¹
and thus the gas is stored for use as required. When the gas is
required for consumption, the cock in the pipe V2 and also the cock X'
are opened, thus establishing communication between the reservoir U
and the holder Z, and between the latter and the pipes for conveying
away the gas. Thus water from the reservoir flows into the gas holder
and forces the gas contained therein up the pipe V through the pipe V³,
and thence in any direction required. The pressure at which the gas is
forced out for use is regulated by controlling the speed with which the
water is let into the holder.
Sometimes instead of passing the air through the hydrocarbon liquid as
and for the purpose or purposes herein-before described, we vaporize the
liquid by the application of heat or by other suitable means, and draw
the air through the vapour thus created. Or we bring the air into
contact with an extended surface of the liquid by the employment of
any suitable arrangement of wicks or sponges saturated with the said
liquid, through or amongst which wicks or sponges the air is drawn.
We, however, prefer to pass the air through the liquid, as already
described.
Having therefore thus particularly described and ascertained the
nature of this our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is
to or may be performed, we claim as our Invention to be secured by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,—
First. Manufacturing inflammable gas or vapour for lighting and
heating purposes by charging or impregnating atmospheric air with the
vapour of hydrocarbon liquids by drawing air through or in contact with

page_text: such liquids or through the vapour thereof, by means of a complete or
partial vacuum used or applied substantially as herein-before set forth
and described.
Second. The method of and apparatus for forming or creating the said
vacuum, substantially as and for the purpose and purposes herein-before
set forth and described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Weightman Harrison and
Alfred Horatio Harrison, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
CHAS. W. HARRISON.
Witness,
JOHN W. GRAY, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
23, Billiter Street,
E.C.
A. HORATIO HARRISON.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)