Im. PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM TAR
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lorberg. of No. 4, Wyld's Rents, Bermondsey,
in the County of Surrey, Analytical Chemist, for the Invention of "Im.
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM TAR."
Scaled the 5th April 1864, and dated the 8th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lorberg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
October 1863.
I, WILLIAM LORBERG, of No. 4, Wyld's Rents, Bermondsey, in the County
of Surrey, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM TAR," to be as
follows:-
The difficulty in the manufacture of illuminating gas from tar in ordinary
retorts consists in the tendency of the tar to swell up and boil over into the
conducting pipes, thereby escaping the decomposing influence of the hea
To obviate this difficulty I mix the tar with lime in sufficient quantity to
form a plastic nearly solid mass, which I then cut into lumps or cakes, and
introduce these into the retorts at the ordinary temperature of gas retorts.
The lime as it were fixes the tar and thus compels it to remain exposed to the
heat sufficiently long to become decomposed. Equal weights of tar and lime,
that is to say, about 12lbs. of lime to the gallon of tar, answer the purpose, but
an excess of lime is desirable, as then the decomposition is more complete.
Ordinary slaked lime in the state of powder offers some advantages, for the sake
Price S1

page_text: of economy, however, I use waste lime, such as the waste luting of gas works,
soap ash, and more particularly the lime grounds of tan yards. These lime
grounds, containing a large proportion of hair and other animal matter, produce
a very good gas and much ammonia if distilled by themselves, and therefore
form an excellent material for my process. Before using them I leave them
exposed to the atmosphere until they are nearly dry. The products of the
process are illuminating gas, tar, and charcoal or coke. The gas being
purified by any of the usual modes is very brilliant, and will therefore constitute
a good improver to ordinary coal gas. The tar is oily and rich in ammonia ;
it is well adapted for the distillation of oils, ammonia, and naphtha, but by re-
treatment with lime, as above described, it again produces a highly illuminative
gas. The charcoaly mass which is similar to and burns like coke, consists, in
addition to the lime employed, of finely divided carbon, and will therefore be
found useful as fuel and for other purposes.
My process applies to tar in general, whether derived from coal, animal
matter or wood, but in particular to coal or gas tar, and what I claim
as my Invention is the manufacture of illuminating gas from these
substances by mixing them with lime and distilling them in ordinary gas
retorts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Lorberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LORBERG, of No. 4, Wyld's Rents, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
Analytical Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Lorberg, Her special licence that I, the said
William Lorberg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Lorberg, 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 Isle of Man, an Invention

page_text: for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS PROM TAB," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Lorberg, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly 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 William Lorberg, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
The difficulty in the manufacture of illuminating gas from tar in ordinary
retorts consists in the tendency of the tar to swell up and boil over into the con-
ducting pipes, therebyescaping thedecomposing influenceof theheat. To avoid
this difficulty, I mix the tar with lime in sufficient quantity to form a plastic
nearly solid mass, which I then cut into lumps and cakes,and introduce these
into these retorts at the usual temperature of gas retorts. The lime as it were
fixes the tar and thus compels it to remain exposed to the heat sufficiently
long to become decomp:sed. Equal weights of tar and lime, that is to say,
about twelve pounds of lime to the gallon of tar, answers the purpose, but au
excess of lime is desirable. Ordinary slaked limc in the shape of powder
offers some advantages, for the sake of economy, however, I use waste lime,
such as the waste luting of gas works, soap ash, and more particularly the
lime grounds of tan yards. These lime grounds, containing a large proportion
of hair and other animal matter, produce a very good gas and much ammonia,
is distilled alone, and therefore form an excellent material for my process.
Before using them I leave them exposed to the action of the atmosphere until
they are nearly or quite dry. The results of the process are illuminating gas,
tar, and charcoal or coke. The gas being purified by any of the usual modes
is very brilliant, and will therefore constitute a good addition to ordinary
coal gas. The tar is oily and very rich in ammonia; it is well adapted for
the distillation of oils, ammonia, and naptha,but by re-treatment with lime,as
above described, it again produces a highly illuminating gas. The charcoaly
mass, which is similar to and burns like coke, consists in the additions to the
lime employed principally of finely divided carbon, and will be found useful
for fuel and other purposes.
My process applies to tar in general, whether derived from coal, animal
matters, or wood, but in particular to coal or gas tar.

page_text: Having described the nature of my Invention.and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that what I claim as secured to me by
the herein-before mentioned Letters Patent in the manufactureof illuminating
gas and accessory products from tar in ordinary gas retorts by mixing the tar
with lime, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lorberg, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of April One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
WILLIAM LORBERG.
(L.S.)
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
WM, H. LAKE,
Clerk to George & Armstrong,
5, Sise Lane. E.C.