Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Lighting Gas.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jec., 1890-Accepted, 31st Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Lighting Gas.
We, HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER, of Mary Ann Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Merchant and Manufacturer, and WILLIAM ADKINS, also of Mary
Ann Street, aforesaid, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the well known gas apparatus, the "Alpha," which
consists primarily of a series of evaporating pans, arranged in tiers, or one above
another, in manner, that the top one, admits of being filled with gasoline, or other
liquid gas making material, and then to run off into the second pan, and from the
second to the third, and so on, to the last, and from thence into a reservoir, arranged
immediately underneath the said lower pan, and at the bottom of the enclosing
casing of the gas apparatus.
Disposed in proximity to the said reservoir, is a vertical elevator, adapted for
conveying the gasoline thus run off from the pans, again to the top pan, so as to
keep the said pans, properly filled with gasoline, to supply the necessary gas, conse-
quent upon a current of air, passing in a circuitous manner, from the reservoir, over
the lower pan, to the top pan, and from it, to the gasometer, to which a supply pipe
or pipes, is or are connected.
When the gas apparatus, thus supplied, has been in use some time, the same
requires to be replenished with gasoline, which is, by the aid of the elevator, lifted
or poured onto the top pan, as before, and in consequence of the remaining gasoline
within the pans, having become greatly reduced in illuminosity, the adding of the
new gas liquid material to them, rich in illuminosity, causes the same to smoke,
and the gas formed, to flare to a considerable height through the gas burners of the
supply.
The object of our invention is to remedy this defect or defects, by providing the
gas making apparatus, with an additional gasoline store chamber, from whence
the gasoline is continuously drawn, forced, or conveyed to the pans, in manner, that
the gasoline flows constantly from one pan to another, and from the lower one, to the
under reservoir, which is in communication with the additional chamber, which is
provided with reticulated or meshed horizontal partitions in order to govern and
equalise the gravitation of the liquid gasoline, which is first introduced into the said
chamber.
By which means as aforesaid, the gas generated and intermingled, with the
necessary quantity of atmospheric air, is of constant, or nearly constant,
illuminosity.
In carrying out our invention, we proceed as follows:-
Situated within, or at one side of the enclosing casing, are a series of
carburetting or evaporating pans, arranged in tiers one above another, and with
one end or one side of each pan, turned up into a flange, beyond which, is a
passage or opening to the next pan below it. Thus, the termination and opening
of one pan, is opposite the closed end of the other, so that the liquid, in flowing
from the upper to the lower pans, flows downwardly in a zig-zag manner, over the
top of one pan, on to the next, to the other end, then over the flange, to the top of
the one below it, and so on.
The air, which is driven by a fan or drum, as hereinafter described passes over
the flowing liquid, in the reverse direction to the flowing of the said liquid, and
becomes charged to saturation, with the vapour of the gasoline thereby forming an
Iluminating gaseous mixture, which is first conveyed to a gasometer, and thence,
by delivery pipes, to gas burners for use.

page_text: The gasometer part of the apparatus, is above the top pan, whilst below the pans,
is a gasoline chamber, and beside this chamber, is an additional chamber, wherein
virgin gasoline is poured, and from whence, the said gasoline is raised, by a chain
elevator, with buckets, which is driven at a slow speed, for the replenishing and
keeping up of the slow circulation of the said gasoline, over the pans.
The drum casing is fitted with vanes or fans, and is speeded to be driven at any
desired velocity, consistent with the quality of gas or gaseous mixture to be
produced.
We prefer to employ the gravitating effect of a weight, suspended from the end
of a cord, passing over the pulley, carried or inade tight upon the drum spindle.
Gear communicates motion from the drum spindle, to the elevator, so that liquid
gasoline, is constantly raised to a position above the top pan, and then by gravity.
slowly flows over the pans to the reservoir beneath, while air is also circulated over
the liquid in the chambers, and in the pans, in a reverse direction.
By circulating the liquid in manner as described, its illuminating properties,
subsequently evaporised, remain constant, or nearly so, so that the vapour given
off, intermingles with the air at a constant ratio.
The filling is preferably performed at the bottom, instead of at the top, and the
apparatus provided with governor, winding spool, indicator, entrance and exit plugs
and taps, and other parts, common to the Alpha" gas apparatus, as described.
In applying our invention to a gas apparatus, for the production of a gaseous
mixture for heating purposes, instead of lighting purposes, we proceed in manner
alike unto the production of illuminating gas, other than that a larger amount of
atmospheric air is admitted.
Dated this 15th day of March 1890.
HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER.
WILLIAM ADKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
A cent for Anplicants
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Lighting Gas.
We, HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER of Mary Ann Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Merchant and Manufacturer, and WILLIAM ADKINS also of Mary
Ann Street aforesaid, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion 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 an improvement in gas making machines, and more
particularly on the well known gas apparatus, the "Muller's Alpha," and the
object of our said invention, is to both regulate the pressure, and prevent smoke,
when fresh gasoline is supplied, and thereby to economise the consumption of
gasoline, and to enable a machine making gas from hydro-carbon liquids, to be
filled whilst in actual use.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in side elevation, "Müller's
Alpha" gas apparatus or gas making machine, provided with a gasoline regulator
and economiser, constructed and arranged according to our said invention.
The said attachment, which is shown in vertical section, consists of a rect-
angular pillar shaped chamber, partitioned off transversely, by obliquely directed
shelves, with primary and secondary liquid passages formed within them, over the
former, and through the latter of which, the gasoline flows, on the column of it
descending.
Thus the regulator and economiser, consists of a series of obstructing trays,
with passages, which break up the pressure of the column of liquid contained
within the said chamber, and allow the gasoline to flow therefrom at a constant
pressure, and uniform in volume, so that it matters not how high or how low the

page_text: column of gasoline in the chamber may be, the supply to the evaporating pans is
gradual, whereby the pressure of the gas is maintained uniform, so that when a
machine is replenished with new gasoline, by pouring the same through the top of
the regulator and economiser, there is no fear of the gas being wasted, by the
sudden rising of the flame from the burners, or the formation of smoke.
Figure 2 represents upon an enlarged scale, a sectional view of the lower
portion of the said attachment, exhibiting the primary and secondary liquid
passages, in the oblique shelvings, directed across the chamber, in tiers.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the said attachment,
looking from left to right, and upon the dotted lines A B Figure 2.
f
Figure represents a transverse section of the said attachment, showing a plan
of one of the intermediate shelvings, and Figure 5 represents a like plan of the
alternate shelvings.
The same letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is a "Muller's Alpha" gas making apparatus, consisting primarily of a series
of evaporating pans, arranged in a chamber, and in tiers one above another, in
manner, that gasoline or like gas making liquid, supplied to the upper one,
descends and flows in a circuitous manner over the said trays, and into a reservoir
immediately thereunder, and in proximity to the said reservoir, is an elevator,
adapted for conveying the gasoline run off from the trays, again to the top pan, or
to a higher level, so as to keep the said pans, properly and proportionately to its
use, supplied with gasoline.
Connected with the said reservoir, is an attachment b, consisting of a rectangular
and upright chamber, closed at top by a lid 62, and open at bottom, by an outlet
passage, leading to an inlet passage a², directed into the reservoir as aforesaid.
The middle part of the chamber of the said attachment, is provided with
obliquely directed shelf-like partitionings c, d, which have primary and secondary
liquid passages c², c³, d², d³, while the upper and lower parts 6, 6, of the said
chamber, are simple spaces.
On liquid being passed through the open top, on the removal of the lid 63, it
flows through the liquid openings or reticulations in the shelves, (in directions
indicated by the arrows) until the said chamber is full, when the pressure of the
column of liquid thus stored, is broken, and the pressure of the liquid flowing
through the passage 6³, equalized.
Thus, the liquid flows first through the reticulations or holes d², d³, of the pan d,
to the chamber below it, and through the passages c, 3, of the shelf c, and so on
through the whole system of reticulations and partitions within and formed by the
shelvings, to the lower portion &', of the chainber, and from thence outwardly
through the passage b³.
By the addition of the said attachment, the influx of new gas making material
into the reservoir, is gradual, and uniform.
To prevent the escape or passage of gas from the gas making machine or
apparatus, to the gasoline supply, b, or gas making liquid or material contained
therein, falling below the outlet, a seal is provided, consisting of an obliquely
directed plate h, forming an inverted chamber, whose lower part or lip h², dips into
the liquid below the level of the said outlet, hence the sealing.
By providing the lower part of the chamber, with the said seal, it admits of
being replenished with fresh material, whilst in full operation, and without
interfering with the proper function or action of the said machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First Providing a gas making apparatus, with an attachment, consisting of a
supplemental gas making material supply chamber, wherefrom the said gas making

page_text: material is allowed to flow into the gas apparatus, at a gradual rate, substantially
as described and set forth.
Secondly-Providing a gas making apparatus with a gasoline regulator and
economiser, consisting of a chamber, or an erect chamber, in communication with a
gas making apparatus, and fitted with reticulated or pierced shelves or shelvings,
arranged obliquely or horizontally, in tiers one above another, and adapted for the
purpose of equalizing, and rendering constant in volume, the outflowing liquid, by
breaking up the pressure of the column of the same, substantially as described and
set forth.
Thirdly Providing the supply or like chambers of gas making machines or
apparatuses, with seals h, h², whereby the said machines or apparatuses are enabled
to be replenished with gas making material, whilst in full operation, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1890
HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER.
WILLIAM ADKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.