IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Weightman Harrison
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th May 1873.
I, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as
follows:-
-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas for
illuminating purposes, whereby a cheap, pure, and highly illuminating
gas is obtained.
In carrying out my Invention in connection with the manufacture of
gas by the destructive distillation of coal, I proceed at first to manu-
facture the gas much after the ordinary manner, the first products or
heavy highly illuminating gases thus produced being led away from the
retorts through purifiers, condensers, &c., into the holder ready for
immediate use or for mixing with other carburetted lighter gases or with
air. Instead however of stopping the generating process as is usually
done when the gases evolved begin to be of a light specific gravity, and

page_text: of a low or non-illuminating power, I continue to generate whatever
light gases can be obtained from the coal, and during this process I
sometimes admit water, steam, or air into the retort in regulated
quantity, in order to increase the amount of light gases obtained, the
water, steam, or air thus introduced being brought well in contact with
the incandescent material. The light gases thus produced as above
described I pass through the ordinary purifiers, &c., and then carburet
by passing them through or in contact with gasogen, petroleum, or other
suitable hydrocarbon liquid, by which a cheap, pure, and highly illumi-
nating gas is obtained.
Another mode whereby I effect the same object is by admitting hydro-
carbon liquid or carburetted air or carburetted steam into the retort
amongst the incandescent material therein, whilst the before mentioned
light gases are being produced. These light gases thus enriched in
carbon may be used for illuminating purposes either separately from the
gases first produced, or in combination therewith, and these heavier gases
may be used either as generated, or may be combined with air in any
suitable proportion.
In the process of carburetting these gases in order to compensate for
the varying temperature of the gases passed through the hydrocarbon
liquid, and also of the atmosphere, and consequently of the liquid itself,
I provide means of regulating the amount of surface over which the gas
passes in being carburetted, and in cold weather I pass the gas to be car-
buretted direct, round, under, or through the vessel containing the liquid
before passing it through or in contact with such liquid in order to
compensate for the heat carried away by vaporization.
As a convenient means for introducing the air, steam, water, or car-
buretting material into the retort, I prefer to use one or more perforated
horizontal pipes traversing the length of retort, so that when in use
such pipe or pipes will be imbedded on the incandescent coal or other
substance, through or amongst which the air, steam, water, or car-
buretting material introduced through the said perforations will thus be
well diffused.
The hydrocarbon liquid I prefer to use for the purpose of thus car-
buretting the light gases is petroleum spirit, although other analogous or
suitable hydrocarbon liquid may be employed. Whatever be the liquid
used however I carburet it or enrich it in carbon before it is so used by

page_text: mixing or dissolving therein resins, tar, bitumen, or other suitable car-
bonaceous substance or substances.
By my improved process I am enabled to use wood, peat, and other
substances from which to generate the light hydrocarbon gases, which I
afterwards carburet, as above described, and thus render them of high
illuminating power.