A Self-regulating Gas Generator.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 189-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
Married Woman.]
A Self-regulating Gas Generator.
1 SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent,
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:-
The gas generator forming the subject of this application for a Patent is more
particularly arranged for obtaining air and water gases, generally called poor gases,
and employed as fuel either directly for heating purposes, or for the production of
motive power.
Two main parts may be distinguished in the apparatus, namely the gas generator
proper, and the washer.
For its operation this gas generator is supplied with air by a pump or a fan driven
by any motor.
I will proceed to describe the improved apparatus with reference to the accom-
panying drawings wherein
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the gas generator.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of this gas generator supposed to be seen from the front.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the washer.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the air pump.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a self-regulating valve which will be described.
In these figures similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts
throughout.
The gas generator is formed of a double cylindrical casing V closed at its two
extremities.
The interior cylinder is the furnace of the gas generator receiving the burning
coal in passing through which the mixture of air and steam is decomposed, such
mixture being introduced to furnish the combustible gas. This furnace is lined in
the interior with fire bricks i, the effect of which is to maintain the high temperance
therein and to preserve the sides of the cylinder.
At the upper end of the furnace is provided the vaporizing chamber or circular
boiler Y, arranged so that the lower side will transmit to the water the heat
disengaged by the gases leaving the furnace through the pipes H.
Above the central part of the boiler, which forms the continuation of the
furnace, is arranged a feed funnel R whose communication with the upper part of
the furnace is opened or closed by the cone S operated from the outside by means
of a lever connected with the eccentric m of the rod n supporting the cone.
The funnel is furnished with a feed door T.
The funnel as a whole may be operated by means of a lever U and turned over
as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so as to move about a pivot Z.
The water passes through the pipe P into the boiler where its height is seen
through the gauge Q (Fig. 2). It is kept therein at a constant height, in
proportion to its evaporation, by means of the float; controlling the opening of a
cock included in the said water admission pipe P. The level of the water is
regulated so as to obtain only a thin layer upon the highest part of the lower side
of the boiler.

page_text: The air supplied by the pump is conducted through the pipe A into the space
formed by the double casing of the furnace and is heated therein by its contact
with the sides of the furnace and with the exteriors of the tubes I.. It leaves
through the pipe B, through the self-regulating valve C (which will hereinafter be
described) and through the pipe D, and is conducted through the boiler Y, passing
to the surface of the hot water, the vaporization of which it facilitates.
It is this mixture of air saturated with steam which descends through the
tubes into the closed furnace and which by traversing the mass of burning
fuel G, produces the gas.
The products thus formed leave at the upper part of the furnace through the
pipes and descend through the pipes 1 into the circular space X in order to
leave through the pipe K and to pass to the washer.
In their passage through the pipes I the gases leaving the furnace yield a
portion of their heat not only to the air which arrives from the fan as before
stated, but also to this air which has become saturated with steam, when it descends
from the boiler to the furnnee through the tubes E F which are in the interior of
the tubes I .J.
The self-regulating pressure valve C (see Fig. 5) is kept open against the
pressure of the air passing to the boiler by a spring acting upon the elastic
diaphragm d fixed by a central mal to the valve C. This valve has for its object
to enable air under great pressure to be nonmulated in the double casing while
allowing this air to pass to the gas generator at as small a pressure as may be
desired.
For this purpose the elastic diaphragm has a sufficiently large surface for an
excess over the normal pressure at D acting upon this surface to counterbalance
the effect of the spring and to compel the valve C to close.
And inversely, as soon as the pressure at D descends below the normal amount
the spring pressing upon the diaphragm which is then less resistant, causes the
opening of the valve Cand allows the passage of a fresh quantity of air.
By means of this arrangement permitting of the accumulation of air in the casing
I may up to a certain point dispense with a gas reservoir or holler.
During the stoppage of the operation of the gas generator the valve C inny
held upon its sent by means of a hand wheel land unt by screwing it upon the
screw threaded prolongation of the valve rod until it butts nt.
The furnace and its easing are fixed upon a base or ash box in which is provided
the movable grate whereon the column of fuel contained in the furnace rests.
This grate is formed of a series of bars united at their extremities by links so ns L
form an endless chain. These bars may be set in lateral movement from the
outside of the ash box by means of pinions mounted upon their axes O, one of
which traverses the box (Fig. 2) in order in receive a crank serving to actuate
them.
This device enables the bars to be displaced during the operation in order that
the scoria may thus be thrown back in the box and that the ashes may be allowed
to fall through the grate.
One or two doors M are provided on the sides of the ash box for the withdrawal
of the scuria and ashes. An opening N covered with mien serves for observing
what takes place on the grate.
The gases produced by the gas generator, arriving at the washer a through the
pipe K in order to be freed from dust, percolate through a reservoir of flowing
water, the level of which is kept constant by means of the pipe y. Thence the
gas traverses the column of coke o kept moist by jets of water from the circular
tule b, then afterwards, if required, a stratum of sawdust in or to pass to the cap c
wherein an orifice is provided, through which the gas is conducted to the place
where it has to be used. This orifice is furnished with a self-regulating valve
similar to the valve C in order that the supply of gas may take place at the
pressure which may be desired, and that when this pressure is in excess, the
generation of gas may be interrupted.

page_text: The feed pump which supplies the air to the gas generator (Fig. 4) is composed
of a body p of a single-acting pump with its piston 7 receiving its to and fro
movement from a crank disc r. The air is drawn into the same through the
valves and forced through the valve t. In the pipe leading from this valve to the
gas generator is a pressure regulating apparatus composed of a chamber u closed
by an elastic diaphragm 4 which when the pressure exceeds that determined upon
forces a central rod, attached at v to a lever pivoted at e, to move the suction
valves upwards by means of the abutment g, and thus enables the pump to operate
without supplying air to the gas generator.
The pressure upon the diaphragm is regulated by the application of weights
placed at the extremity of the aforesaid lever.
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.) The employment of a double casing around the furnace of the gas
generator, serving as a reservoir for the compressed air in excess and allowing the
same to be heated by the radiation from the sides of the furnace which reservoir
may if necessary enable a gas holder being dispensed with, as herein described and
sei forth.
(2.) The arrangement of a series of tubes in the interior of this double casing,
helping to beat the air which surrounds them by the heat developed from the gases
produced which traverse them, as herein described and set forth.
(3.) The employment of valves for controlling the disengagement of air and gas,
combined with an elastic diaphragm having a sufficiently large surface for
obtaining a reduced and constant pressure, as herein described and set forth.
(4.) The device for causing the passage of hot air to the surface of the hot
water in the boiler, in order to give rise to vaporization as herein described and
set forth.
(5.) The arrangement of a jacket round the pipe for the mixture of air and
steam before its arrival in the furnace, in order to enable this mixture to be super-
heated by causing the gases produced by the gas generator to circulate therein
prior to their passage to the washer, as herein described and set forth.
(6.) The arrangement of bars which are connected to links forming an endless
chain, and pass above the grate and also over pinions mounted upon axes adapted
to be actuated from the outside of the ash box thus facilitating the cleaning of the
furnace during the operation of the gas generator, as herein described and set
forth.
(7.) The arrangement on the pump, which when the pressure of the air is in
excess over that desired, enables the admission to the gas generator to be
automatically closed by keeping the suction valve of the pump open as herein
described and set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1896
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.