AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH HYDRO- PROALBON VAPOURS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Blick, of No. 17, St. Paul's Road, Camden
Town, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH HYDRO-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Blick at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd November 1871.
I, JAMES BLICK, of No. 17, St. Paul's Road, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH HYDRO-
CARBON VAPOURS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
-
My Invention has for its object the construction of an improved
apparatus for impregnating atmospheric air with hydrocarbon vapours,
which shall be portable and entirely self-contained.
For this purpose I construct a closed rectangular shallow chamber or
casing having a number of internal partitions arranged to project alter-

page_text: nately from opposite sides of the chamber so as to form a contiguous
zig-zag passage between such partitions, extending from one end of the
chamber to the other. This passage is filled with any suitable porous or
absorbant material, by preference loosely packed horsehair, which is
impregnated with hydrocarbon liquid introduced through a closed
aperture in the casing, or through the escape aperture for the impreg-
nated air which is situated at the one end of the casing. On the top or at
the side of the casing is fixed a rotary fan or blower, the nozzle of which
is fixed into a second aperture in the casing at the opposite end to that
where the escape aperture is situated, the nozzle being provided with a
cock or valve for closing the communication between the chamber and
the blower when the apparatus is not in operation, so as to prevent any
escape of hydrocarbon vapour. The fan or blower is rotated by any
suitable known clockwork mechanism actuated by a spring or weight.
The chamber being charged with horsehair or other material saturated
with hydrocarbon as above described, the air is forced through the same
by the action of the fan or blower, and after passing along the entire
length of the aforesaid zig-zag passage and thus becoming thoroughly
impregnated with hydrocarbon vapour, it passes through the escape
aperture into a pipe connected thereto, which conducts it to wherever
required.
Instead of making the aforesaid chamber of a rectangular form with a
zig-zag passage as described, it may be of a circular or elliptic form with
a continuous spiral or volute passage extending from the centre of the
chamber to the circumference thereof, the air being in that case intro-
duced either at the outer or at the inner end of the passage.

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Blick, Her special licence that
I, the said James Blick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
5 such others as I, the said James Blick, my 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 lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
0 Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING
ATMOSPHERIC AIR WITH HYDROCARBON VAPOURS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Blick, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
5 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 I, the said James Blick, do hereby declare the
0 nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to
say) :—
5
My Invention has for its object the construction of an improved
apparatus for impregnating atmospheric air with hydrocarbon vapours, .
which shall be portable and entirely self-contained.
For this purpose I construct a closed rectangular shallow chamber or
casing having a number of internal partitions arranged to project alter-
O nately from opposite sides of the chamber so as to form a continuous
zig-zag passage between such partitions, extending from one end of the
chamber to the other. This passage is filled with any suitable porous
or absorbent material, by preference loosely packed horsehair, which is
impregnated with hydrocarbon liquid introduced through a closed
5 aperture in the casing, or through the escape aperture for the impreg-
nated air which is situated at the one end of the casing.
On the top or
at the side of the casing is fixed a rotary fan or blower, the nozzle of
'

page_text: Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of the apparatus constructed
according to my Invention for impregnating air with hydrocarbon
vapours, and Fig. 2 represents a sectional plan of the same.
A is the rectangular chamber having a number of internal partitions B
projecting alternately from opposite sides of the chamber; C is a fanner
mounted on the chamber so as to discharge air into it by a passage near
one corner D, where there is fitted a valve of any known construction
by which the passage can be closed when the apparatus is not in use;
E is a pipe leading from another corner of the chamber fitted with a
funnel and stop-cock F and a branch G, also provided with a stop-cock.
The spaces between the partitions in the chamber A being filled with
porous material, such as loosely packed horsehair, hydrocarbon liquid is
poured in by the funnel F. The stop-cock F is then closed, the stop-
cock G is opened, and the valve at D being open the fanner C is caused
to rotate by clockwork or other convenient power. A stream of air is
thus caused to enter the chamber A by the passage D and to pass
through it in a zig-zag direction as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, and

page_text: thus to become impregnated with hydrocarbon vapour, finally issuing by
the branch G, by which it may be conducted to any suitable burners.
The fan C may be of any known construction, but I prefer a construction
such as represented in Fig. 3, where a number of fixed blades or
guides H are arranged in a circle round the wheel so as to form tan-
gential passages for the air from the middle part of the fan to the volute
casing.
Although I have shewn the chamber A of a rectangular form with
partitions so arranged as to make the air pass through it in a zig-zag
direction, the chamber might be circular, elliptical, or of any other
convenient form, with a continuous spiral or volute partition, so as to
extend the length of the stream of air and thereby keep it for a long
period in contact with the hydrocarbon, as may be readily understood.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim the arrangement of a fan
in combination with a chamber having zig-zag or extended passages
charged with hydrocarbon liquid for the purpose of impregnating air
with hydrocarbon vapour, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Blick, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.