Improvements in Automatic Vapour Fuel Generator and Burner.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Vapour Fuel Generator and Burner.
I, IRA SANBORN ELKINS, of 136 Liberty Street, in the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to a vapor generator and ourner, adapted to be set in the
fire-boxes of domestic cooking and heating stoves, and into the fire-boxes or
combustion chambers of steam boiler furnaces, bitck and pottery kilns and other
furnaces or kilns, where a strong flame and high heat are required
vapor
The object of my invention is to provide for economically and effectively
generating combustible vapor from hydrocarbon oil and water, each in a separate
chamber, and then intimately mingling the escaping jets of hydrocarbon And
steam with each other and with air at the point of combustion, whereby great
economy is produced in the use of hydrocarbon oil, perfect combustion and a clear
Hame produced, free from soot or lamp black, and an intense heat produced.
These advantageous results are due to the improved construction, and arrange-
ment of parts in my generator and buiner, as I will now particularly point out in
connection with the accompanying diawings, in which,-
Figure epicsents a vertical longitudinal secuou on line 1-1, thuongh my
generaton and binner, showing parts in elevation,
Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section on line 2-2, Fig. 11
Fig 3 presents a vertical transverse section on line 3-3, Fig. 1,
Fig 4 represents a transverse section through the butner pipes, showing parts in
dotted lines,
Fig 5 represents a section through one of the feed inlet valves in, an oil or water
supply pipe,
Fig 6 represents a perspective view of a double retort-generator and burner,
Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of a tuple retoit-generator and buinei
My improved vapor generator may he consueted of two or more cylindrical
chambers, such as B and C, preferably cast together, as in Figs. 2, 6, and 7,, and
sur l chambers or retorts are united by a solid web of metal, a, at their opposite
ends, between which webs and the retorts there is a long matow slot, e, as, clearly
shown in Fig. 2, 5 and 6 For a domestic cooking or heating stove two
retorts, B, C, are preferably set m the fire-box A, of the stove X, and short
distanco below the top plate thereof, as shown in Figs 1 and 3. One retoit as B,
15 used for generating water-vapor of stean, preferably super heated steam, and the
other retort as C, is used for generating hydiocarbon vapor or gas, and these i etorts
are respectively fed by water and oil, diop by diop, by means of suitable supply
pipes, from elevated reservos, not here shown. A water supply pipe, b, having a
alve, , connects with retort B. An oil supply pipe, t, having a valve c', connects
with the retort C. The stems of the needle valves, b and c, are respectively provided
with pointers," and ", aanged to traverse the graduated face of a circular
index plate. d, seemed to the valve casing for accurately indicating the position of
the valve and the amount of Hund which is permitted to flow through the pipes to
the generating chambers of the retorts B and C.
The retorts, B and C, are provided at the
pipes, and, which connect respectively with the
longitudinally below the retorts, as shown in Figs
rear ends with vapor outlet
burner pipes, h and h. arranged
1, 3, and 6. The tout ends of

page_text: the burner pipes and A', are closed by caps and they are connected together by a Cross
h
bar or pipe fitting, as I, for holding them against lateral movement, either toward or
away from each other, below the retorts, as shown in Figs 1 and 4 The brace, 1, 18
preferably made of pipe as shown in Fig. 4, in the shape of an I, or a double tee-fitting
and the cross pieces of this fitting are sufficiently large to slide over the burnei
pipes and The burner pipes can, therefore, be turned within said cross pieces
and thus screwed into the elbows at then connection with the outlet pipes and g
The vapor escape pipes and buider pipes may be suitably held in place by coils of
wire,, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the binuei pipes are pre'erably secured close
together, as in Fig. 6 The butner pipes are also provided with pointing pins or
rods,, ', and with burner orifices or ducts,,, in longitudinal line with said pins, k, k'.
These pointer pins or lods Seive to accurately indicate to the workman when the
burner pipes and are properly set so that the outces, and ¿¹, shall be properly
inclined toward each other, for directing the issung jets of vapor in converging
lines, so as to meet in or just below slot e. The burnet pipes haud 4 having been
adjusted with the onfices in proper relation to each other as indicated by the
pointer pins, the pipes are fixed in position, so that they will not readily tuin and are
then held against lateral displacement by means of the brace . The brace is an
important feature in my device, for the reason that if it were not used either one of
both of the burner pipes might be sprung out at place laterally and would not,
therefore, discharge then jets of vapoi in proper converging lines, meeting in, or
Just below, the lot. e, and the jets of vapor, therefore, would not be properly
mingled together and with a suitable supply of air The two burner pipes, and h',
are so set that the pins, k, h', are inclined convergingly ward and upward, as
shown in Fig. 4, and since the burner ducts, 1, 2, are in longitudinal lines with said
pins, they will discharge jets of vapo in inclined converging direction, as
indicated by the dotted lines, so that said Jets will meet in or just below the
longitudinal slot, e, between the retorts The issuing jets of hydrocarbon vapor
and highly heated steam will, therefore, be intimately commingled, and they will also
diaw in cents of air between them at the middle and at the sides of the retort,
causing intimate mixture of the combustible vapors and an, so that perfect com-
bustion of the hydi carbon vapors will be produced. The converging, issuing jets
of vapor will produce a draft by means of which an ample amount of air is drawn
in and mingled with them for securing perfect combustion. By this arrangement
and operation, strong, clear, vigorous Hames are produced which are very effective
in first heating the retorts, and then, after passing through the slot, heating
the whole fire-box and the top of the stove, the flames being so strong, that they
pass back over the oven and effectively heat the same In some locations of the
generator and burner, I prefer to place the burner pipes, and 4, ielatively closer
to the generators than shown in Figs and 3. and also to secure the burner pipes
closer together, as shown in Figs 6 and 7. In some conditions, botter results are
produced with this last mentioned aliangcinent.
1 have found it advantageous to place above the generating retorts, a coarse wire
anesh or other grating, m, for the pin pose of better distributing the Hame and heat,
and on top of such grating, I place lumps or fragments of fire-clay and asbestos
foi absorbing and retaining the heat.
When my vapor generator and burne is to be used in a steam boiler fuinnce or
in a buck on pottery hiln, the generating retorts are preferably arranged in groups
of three or more, and I have found it expedient and desirable, to cast three retorts
together, as shown in Fig 7. In the case of three retorts cast together, I use the
two outside retorts, C, C, for generating hydrocarbon vapor, and the middle one, B,
for generating steam, and the three outlet pipes, g, g, and, connect with the thee
burner pipes, as h, in the middle, for steain, and h', h, on each side for hydiocarbon
vapor. The middle burner pipe, h, has two sets of orthces, 2, inclining in opposite
directions, so that the issuing jets of vapor shall point to the two sluts, e, between
the outer retorts C, and the middle retort B The Jets of vapor from the outer
pipes, h', ', are inclined inward, so as to escape up into the two slots c. In this

page_text: arrangement of three retorts and burner pipes the middle retort for generating
Steam will be most highly heated, which is quite desirable in practice, in order that
the steam, as generated in the retort, may be highly superheated before escaping to
the biner pipe. In practice also, I pietei tunt, in the use of two retorts, the one
for generating hydrocubon vapor, shall be placed next to the front of the stove,
and the one for generating steam shall be placed back, in order that it may be
most highly heated.
In practice, I prefer to place a drip pan in the fire-box, just above the burner,
and in stating the generator and buinei, I admit a little oil into this pan, and
ignite it, but this is not essential, as the fie may be started with a little papor oi
other kindling material.
After the fe has been started, oil is first admitted, drop by drop, into the oil
vaporizing retcit, and immediately vapor is generated, which escapes from the
oufees in the burner pipe and is ignited. The flame from this bmining vapol soon
heats the steam generating retort and then water is admitted to such retort, drop
by drop. Very quickly this is vaporized and escapes through the orifices of the
burne pipe
In a very few minutes the generator and burner will be in full
operation and an intense bent produced which can be used for broiling, baking, &c.,
with the most satisfactory results
The outlet vapor pipes, ƒ and g, may be tapped by other pipes convecting with a
second set of burner pipes located in another part of the stove or range for the
purpose of heating a water back or for any other desired purpose
In case the retorts are cast of extra length, they are preferably provided with
one or more circular ribs or with a web between them for preventing them from
closing the intermediate slot in case of warping or bending under the intense heat
to which they may be subjected.
Ilaving now particularly described and ascertamed the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what maunei the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I
Clain is
1. A vapor generator and burnel composed of a pan of generating retorts or
banbers, having a passage between them, a hydiocarbon oil supply pipe connecting
with one, and a water supply pipe connecting with the other, of said retorts, a
bydrocarbon vapor outlet pipe leading from one retort and a steam outlet pipe
leading from the other retort, a pair of burner pipes connecting with said vapor
pipes and located below said generating retoris, said buiner pipes having burner
orifices adapted for mixing jets of oil vapor and steam at the point of combustion
and discharging into the passage between the retorts, substantially as described.
2 A vapor generator and buiner composed of a pan of elongated vapor
generating etorts of chambers one for steam, and the other for hydrocarbon vapor
oi gas, and placed side by side, and having a narrow slot between them, a pair of
vapor escape pipes leading from the retorts, a pair of buner pipes connecting with
such escape pipes and arranged horizontally below said vaporizing chambers and
provided with orifices for diecting the escaping jets into the slot between the
ietorts, substantially as described.
3. A vapor generator and buiner composed of a pair of vapor generating retorts
or chambers, one for steam, and the other for hydrocarbon vapor or gas, and having
a nairow slot between them, a pan of vapor escape pipes, a pan of burner pipes
connecting therewith and aanged longitudinally below said retorts and having a
pan of inclined converging discharge ducts tot directing converging jets of vapor
into the slot between the retorts and intimately mingling the hydrocarbon vapor
and steam with each other and with ar for producing perfect combustion,
substantially as described.
4. In combination with a pair of vaporizing chambers of retorts having a Dallow
slot on passage between them, a pan of burner pipes connecting with said retorts
and each having an inclined pointer-pin or 1od which converge toward each other
and point toward said slot, and also having inclined converging burner ofices or

page_text: ducts in longitudinal line with said pins, whereby the said burner pipes may be
properly set for causing the issuing jets of vapor to converge and intimately mingle
in the passage between the retorts; substantially, as described.
5. In combination with a pair of vaporizing chambers or retorts having a
longitudinal slot or passage between them, a pair. of bune pipes connecting with
said retorts, and each having a pointer-pin or rod and burner orifices or ducts in
longitudinal line therewith, said pins being set to converge toward each other and
point toward said slot, and a cross brace connecting said burner pipes to prevent
lateral displacement, substantially as described.
Dated the 22nd day of October 1895
HASELTINE; LAKE. & Co., .
45.Southampton Buildings,, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.