A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PERMANENT INFLAMMABLE GASES, WHEREBY GREATER HEAT IS OBTAINED THEREFROM
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Franklin Stevens, of 17, Henrietta Street,
Covent Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for tho
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PERMANENT
INFLAMMABLE GASES, WHEREBY GREATER HEAT IS OBTAINED THEREFROM,"―A
communication from abroad by Simon Stevens, of the City, County, and
State of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 11th December 1866, and dated the 15th June 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Franklin
Stevens at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th June 1866.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENS, of 17, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PERMANENT
INFLAMMABLE GASES, WHEREBY GREATER HEAT IS OBTAINED THERSPROM," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Simon Stevens, of the City, County, and
State of New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the obtaining of a greater degree of heat
from the burning of coal gases or other permanent inflammable gas, whe eby

page_text: they are rendered more suitable as fuel for manufacturing and domestic
purposes and for the generation of steam, and it consists essentially in mixing
steam with the gas in manner herein-after described and employing this
mixture for the production of heat.
In carrying out this Invention the ordinary arrangement of furnaces
provided with tubes, burners, and other appliances heretofore employed for
burning gas may be used, but with the addition of pipes for the purpose of
mixing steam with the gas previous to its reaching the burner or burners.
By thus mixing steam with the gas before it is burnt the character of the
flame is changed and its volume greatly increased so that when applied, for
example, to heating steam generators it will entirely fill the spaces under
the boiler and between the tubes. In lieu of passing the steam jet directly
into the gas pipe or pipes as they approach the burner the stem jet may be
-arranged so as to cause an increased draught of air to act upon the flame,
and the mixture of gas and steam inay be used either alone as gas is
commonly used, or it may be employed to aid in the combustion of ordinary
solid fuel. The steam for admixture with the gas may be generated in a
boiler heated either by the flame produced by the burning of such mixture
itself or by a separate fire. In some cases the steam generator for supplying
the steam for admixture with the gas may form part of the fire box or furnace
in which such mixture is to be burnt. By beating either lime or platina
sponge or wire to an intense white heat by means of the berein-before
described mixture of steam and gas a light suitable for illuminating purposes
may be obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th December 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN STEVENS, of 17, Henrietta. Street, Covent Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, Her special license that I, the said
Benjamin Franklin Stevens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, my executors, adminis-
trators, or 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING PERMANENT
INFLAMMABLE GASES WHEREBY GREATER HEAT IS OBTAINED THEREPROM," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Simon Stevens, of the City, County, and State
of New York, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Benjamin Franklin Stevens, do hereby
declare the 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, that is to say :-
The said Invention has for its object the obtaining of a greater degree of
heat from the burning of coal gas or other permanent inflammable gas
produced by the distillation of wood, rosin, petroleum, peat, or other hydro-
carbon substances or equivalents, whereby they are rendered more suitable
as fuel for manufacturing and domestic purposes and for the generation of
steam; and it consists essentially in mixing steam with the said gas in the
manner herein-after described, and employing this mixture for the production
of heat.
In carrying out this Invention the ordinary arrangement of furnaces
provided with tubes, burners, and other appliances heretofore employed for
burning gas may be used, but with the addition of pipes for the purpose of mixing
steam with the gas just previous to its reaching the burner or burners. By thus
mixing steam with the gas jet just before it is burnt the character of the
flame is changed and its volume greatly increased, so that when applied, for
example, to beating steam generators it will entirely fill the spaces under tho
boiler and between the tubes. In lieu of passing the steam jet directly into
the gas pipe or pipes as they approach the burner the steam jet may bo
arranged so as to cause an increased draught of air to act upon the flame, and
the mixture of gas and steam may be used either alone as gas is commonly
used, or it may be employed to aid in the combustion of ordinary solid fuel.

page_text: The steam for admixture with the gas may be generated in a boiler, heated
either by the flame produced by the burning of such mixture itself or by a
separate fire.
In some cases, such for example, as the heating of buildings,
heating of metals, roasting ores, and the like, the steam generator for supplying
the steam for admixture with the gas may form part of the fire-box or
furnace in which such mixture is to be burnt. By beating either lime or
platina sponge or wire to an intense white heat by means of the herein-before
described mixture of steam and gas a light suitable for illuminating purposes
may be obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the mixture of steam with permanent
inflammable gases, substantially in the manner and for the purposes berein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, have here-.
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENS. (L.S.)