IMPROVE- MENTS IN INCREASING THE ILLUMINATING EFFECT OF COAL GAS AND OTHER GASES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Davis, of Spencer Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, Oil Refiner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INCREASING THE ILLUMINATING EFFECT OF COAL GAS AND OTHER
GASES."
Sealed the 15th August 1862, and dated the 19th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Davis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the 19th February
1862.
I, WILLIAM DAVIS, of Spencer Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex, Oil Refiner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INCREASING THE ILLUMINATING EFFECT OF COAL GAS AND
OTHER GASES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved mode of applying bydrocarbons and
other agents for increasing the illuminating effect of coal gas and other gases.
For this purpose I apply the heat produced by the combustion of the gas
under treatment (that is the gas whose effect is to be increased) to the pro-
duction of gas or vapour from the hydrocarbon or other auxiliary agent
employed, which gas or vapour so produced combines with the gas under
treatment, and increases its illuminating effect. For convenience of descrip-
tion. I herein use the term "gas under treatment," to imply the coal or other
gas whereof the illuminating effect is to be increased; and though I may.

page_text: berein-after speak of "hydrocarbon" only, I wish it to be understood that the
process may be applied in like manner to other auxiliary agents (besides
hydrocarbons) for increasing the effect of gas. I convey the bydrocarbon or
other auxiliary agent from its holder or receiver to a receiver, holder, or part,.
which is so near to the burner that the hydrocarbon or other auxiliary agont
when arrived there may be sufficiently heated by the burning gas to evaporate
or give off vapours or gas, which combining with the gas under treatment,
increases its illuminating effect considerably. When the holder or receiver
of the hydrocarbon or other auxiliary agent is below the burner, the mode I
prefer to adopt for raising it is by capillary tubes, or by worsted or cotton threads,
or other capillary conductors or conveyers, whereby I bring the hydrocarbon
or auxiliary agent from its holder or receiver to the immediate neighbourhood
of the burner to be there heated, evaporated, or distilled, as described. The
gas under treatment may be brought into contact with the bydrocarbon as
the latter passes up or along its tubes, conductors, or conveyers, and so take
up a portion of the hydrocarbon in a state of spontaneous or natural
evaporation, hence acquiring illuminating power before reaching the burner.
To obtain additional heat I sometimes coil the conductors or conveyers close
to the burner, or increase the substance of the burner tube, or line it with
fire-clay, or other heat-retaining material. I sometimes bring the hydro-
carbon into the centre of the burner, but just below the part where the
combustion of the gas under treatment is going on, so that the hydrocarbon
may be evaporated or distilled close below the burning gas with which it
combines on emerging from its conductor, passage, or conveyer. By regu-
lating the capacity or number of the tubes, conductors, conveyers, or passages
I regulate the quantity of the hydrocarbon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent; filed
by the said William Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DAVIS, of Spencer Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex,
Oil Refiner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Davis, Her special licence that I, the said William Davis,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Davis, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INCREASING. THE ILLUMINATING EFFECT OF COAL GAS AND OTHER GASES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Davis, my executors or
administrators,. 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 Davis, do hereby declare the.
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 :-
My Invention relates to an improved mode of applying enriching or
auxiliary agents, such as hydrocarbons, mixtures of hydrocarbons, hydro-
carbonaceous substances, or carburetting materials to increase the illuminating
effect of coal gas, and other gases. For this purpose I apply the heat pro-
duced by the combustion of the gas under treatment, that is, the gas whereof the
illuminating effect is to be increased to generate vapour from the hydrocarbon
or carburetting material, or enriching or auxiliary agent, that is to say, I convey
the said bydrocarbon or carburetting, enriching, or auxiliary agent from its.
holder or receiver to a holder, receiver, or part situated so near to the burner
where the gas under treatment is undergoing combustion, that the said hydro-
carbon or carburetting, enriching, or auxiliary agent when arrived there shall
have sufficient heat transmitted to it from the burning gas as to be caused to
give off vapour which shall combine with the gas under treatment, and thereby
increase its illuminating effect. I wish it to be understood that when herein-
before or herein-after in this Specification. I use the term " gas under
5 treatment," I intend the same to signify the coal gas, or other gas whereof the
illuminating effect is to be increased. When the holder or receiver of the
hydrocarbon, or carburetting, enriching, or auxiliary agent is below the
burner, the mode I prefer to adopt for raising the hydrocarbon or agent to.
the immediate neighbourhood of the burner to be there evaporated, as.

page_text: described, is by the employment of capillary tubes, or worsted or cotton
threads, or other capillary conductors or conveyers. The gas under treat-
ment may be brought into contact with the carburetting or auxiliary agent
while the latter is passing up its tubes, conductors, or conveyers, so as to take
up a portion of such agent while the same is in a state of spontaneous or
natural evaporation, and hence acquire increased illuminating power before
reaching the burner. In order that the said hydrocarbon, or carburetting,
or enriching agent may have an additional amount of heat transmitted to it
I sometimes coil its conductors or conveyers close to the burner, or I increase
the substance of the burner tube, or line it with fire-clay, or other heat-
retaining material. I sometimes bring the hydrocarbon, or carburetting
material, or auxiliary enriching agent into the centre of the burner just
below the part where the combustion of the gas under treatment is going on,
so that the said hydrocarbon or agent may be evaporated or distilled close
below the burning gas, with which it combines on emerging from its conductor
or conveyer. I regulate the quantity of the hydrocarbon, or carburetting
auxiliary or enriching agent by regulating the capacity or number of the
tubes, conveyers, conductors, or passages along which it is raised.
In performing the Invention the best mode of transmitting heat from the
burning gas to the hydrocarbon or enriching or auxiliary agent is by employ-
ing a pipe terminating in the burner and receiving heat from the burning gas,
which heat it communicates by radiation to the hydrocarbon or auxiliary or
enriching agent, raised to this part, as described.
The accompanying Drawings represent apparatus suitable for carrying any
Invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a lamp arranged according to my method.
A is a glass vessel forming the holder for the hydrocarbon or enriching agent,
and fitting into a metal socket B, let into the lamp pillar; C is a metal
chamber, connected to the upper part of the holder A, and forming a cover
thereto, the holder being closed by the plate or diaphragm G, which forms the
bottom plate of the chamber; D is a gas pipe, terminating just under the top
of the vessel A; it is closed at top except that a small orifice d is provided
therein for the passage of gas; E is the burner from which proceeds a pipe F
opening into the chamber C, and terminating near to the diaphragm G; H, H,
are pipes open at both ends passing through the plate G, and forming a com-
munication between the holders A and C; I is a perforated zinc cylinder
surrounding the pipe E, and resting on the edges of the pipes H, H; J, J,
are wicks or cotton threads extending upward from the bottom of the vessel A
through the pipes H, I, to the chamber C, in which they are coiled around

page_text: the cylinder I; j,j, are lead weights attached to them at bottom to keep
them from entangling. The liquid hydrocarbon or carburetting agent in the
holder A rises continuously up the threads J by capillary action to the cylinder I,
and the gas sin flowing to the burner passes through the pipe D and slit d, and
thence up the tubes II into the chamber C, and through the pipe F to the
burner; in its passage it comes in contact with the ascending hydrocarbon,
and takes up a portion given off by natural evaporation. The hydrocarbon
when at the part I is evaporated by the heat transmitted by the burning gas
to the burner tube F, and the vapours which it gives off combine with the gas
under treatment, and pass with it to the burner, and mingling with the flame
are decomposed and converted into gas. (The holder A may be charged, and
the wicks arranged by unscrewing the top of the chamber C).
In applying the foregoing arrangement to gases poor in or deficient of carbon,
I sometimes adopt the following modification :-I construct the pipe F with
an indented, serrated, or grooved circumference (Figure 6). I dispense with
the tubes H, plate G. and cylinder I, and I wind some of the threads J round
the circumference of the pipe, and introduce others of the threads vertically in
the grooves or indentations. I also insert threads J within the pipe, their
ends, of course, dipping in the hydrocarbon; and I form orifices in the
recesses of the indentations for the gas to pass into the tube F.
Figure 2 is a vertical section, illustrating the Invention as applied to a
street lamp. K is the holder for the hydrocarbon or enriching agent; L, the
Jamp post; M, the lamp glass, supported as usual by arms N; O is a pipe
leading to the burner P, and extending at bottom into the holder K; k is a
cap, at the bottom of the pipe O, screwing on and forming a cover to the
holder K; Q is the service pipe, screwed into the bottom end of the pipe O;
R, R, are cotton threads placed in the pipe O, and passing out of it through
slots S, S, into the holder K; they have lead weights 1, 2, attached to them
at bottom to keep them from entangling, and at top they are coiled round a
perforated metal cylinder T, fitted in the upper end of the pipe O, and resting
on its shoulder U. There is an orifice closed by a screw cap V in the top k,
through which the vessel K is charged with naptha or other hydrocarbon.
The hydrocarbon or enriching agent rises continuously from its holder K up
the cottons R to the cylinder T, and the gas passes from the pipe Q up the
tube O to the burner (coming in contact with the hydrocarbon as it rises).
The heat of the gas transmitted to the burner tube O evaporates the hydro-
carbon, the vapours of which combine with the gas under treatment. The
bydrocarbon holder may be let into the post, or may form an ornamental cap
between post and lamp glass.

page_text: Figure 3 is a vertical section, shewing a modification in which the holder K
is taken off to be refilled. Here the pipe Q screws into the bottom of the
vessel K, the tubular passage 9 through which forms the thoroughfare for the
gas to pass from the pipe Q to the pipe O. I sometimes coil the threads J, R,.
on a spiral wire frame instead of on a perforated cylinder.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 5 a plan of another arrange-
ment. W is a tubular burner in the thickness of which are formed passages.
w, w, for the gas; X is the central passage through the tube containing.
cottons Y, up which the hydrocarbon or enriching agent rises from its holder
by capillary attraction. The heat of the flame vaporises the hydrocarbon or
enriching agent at the upper end of the passage X, and its vapour combines.
with the jets of gas emerging from w, w.
I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise forms
of apparatus shewn and described for carrying my Invention into effect;
instead of using cotton or other threads to raise the carburetting or enriching
agent, I sometimes employ cotton, wool, or other absorbent.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, increasing the illuminating effect of coal gas and other gases by means
of hydrocarbons or carburetting materials or enriching or auxiliary agents
conveyed continuously from their receiver or holder, while the combustion of
the gas under treatment is going on, to a receiver, holder, or part in such
proximity to the burner at which the gas is undergoing combustion that the
heat produced by such combustion shall evolve vapours from the hydrocarbon
or carburetting material or enriching or auxiliary agent, which vapours shall
combine with the gas under treatment, and thereby increase its illuminating
effect.
Second, the mode of increasing the illuminating effect of gas by hydro-
carbons or carburetting materials or enriching or auxiliary agents contained in
a holder below the burner, from which holder they are gradually raised to the
neighbourhood of the burner by capillary action or other means, so that the
heat transmitted from the burning gas shall evolve vapours from them which
combine with the gas, and increase its illuminating effect.
Third, the mode of applying threads of cotton or other fibrous material for
raising the hydrocarbon or carburetting material or enriching or auxiliary
agent, according to which the threads carried from the holder of the said
hydrocarbons or agents are coiled or wound in the neighbourhood of the burner
for the purpose set forth.
Fourth, the mode in which the bydrocarbon or carburetting material or

page_text: enriching agent is raised to the centre of the burner below the part where
combustion is going on, so that it may give off vapours which combine with
he burning gas, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Davis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
M. HENRY, Patent Agent,
84, Fleet Street, London.
Wч. DAVIS. (L.S.)