IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, AND IN APPA- RATUS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wright, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, AND IN APPA-
RATUS FOR THE SAME.”
Sealed the 24th June 1873, and dated the 3rd May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said William Wright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1873.
I, WILLIAM WRIGHT, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Plumber,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the combination of apparatus herein-after
described, by means of which steam is converted into inflammable gas
by passing it through a series of stationary pistons or discs of cotton or
other suitable fibrous material saturated with benzoline or other suitable
spirit. These pistons or discs are fixed in a cylinder or vessel surrounded
by an outer casing with a steam space between the two in order to

page_text: maintain the heat within the said vessel at the required temperature,
and prevent condensation. In the said cylinder or vessel there are two
horizontal partitions dividing the interior of the vessel into three com-
partments, the upper compartment containing benzoline or other spirit
to be distributed through the series of pistons or discs in the compart-
ment below it through small perforations in a set of pipes inserted in
the upper partition. In this compartment there are also a set of pipes
open at both ends extending to near the top of the compartment through
which the steam gas passes without interfering with the spirit.
In the middle compartment are fixed the series of pistons or discs
into and through which the spirit is distributed as it issues from the
perforations at the bottoms of the said pipes.
In the lower partition there are another set of pipes open at both ends
through which the steam admitted into the bottom compartment passes
up into the middle compartment. Above the said cylinder and case
is fitted an air-tight reservoir for containing spirit, into the top of which
a pipe leading from the outer case admits steam to press on the surface
of the spirit, and cause it to pass through a pipe in the bottom of the
reservoir leading into the top of the said upper compartment. Another
pipe leads from the bottom of the middle compartment into the upper
part of the reservoir by means of which the unconsumed spirit is forced
back into the reservoir. Another pipe serves to discharge the condensed
fluid at the bottom of the middle compartment. There is also a pipe
for discharging waste fluid from the bottom compartment, and another
for discharging the condensed water in the outer case. The steam to be
converted into inflammable gas is admitted to the bottom compartment
through a pipe in the outer case, and another with a valve in it leading
into the compartment. In the top of the upper compartment is a pipe
with a valve in it for the steam gas to pass out of the apparatus to be
consumed as required. In the top of the spirit reservoir is a pipe for
the escape of air when the reservoir has to be recharged. All the above
mentioned pipes are furnished with taps or valves. Steam may also be
mixed with gas at the end of any burner or blow pipe and made
inflammable by passing throug the gas.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said
William Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WRIGHT, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Plumber, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Wright, Her special licence
that I, the said William Wright, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Wright, 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 THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Wright, my executors, or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 on or before the Twenty-first
day of November One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wright, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say) :-
My Invention of " Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas for
Heating and Illuminating Purposes, and in Apparatus for the same,"
consists in the combination of apparatus herein-after described, by
means of which steam is converted into inflammable gas by passing it

page_text: through a series of stationary pistons or discs of cotton or other suitable
fibrous material saturated with benzoline or other suitable spirit or oil.
These pistons or discs are fixed in a cylinder or vessel surrounded by
an outer casing, with a steam space between the two, in order to main-
tain the heat within the said vessel at the required temperature, and i
prevent condensation. In the said cylinder or vessel there are two
horizontal partitions dividing the interior of the vessel into three com-
partments, the upper compartment containing benzoline or other spirit
or oil to be distributed through the series of pistons or discs in the
compartment below it, through small perforations in a set of pipes 1
inserted in the upper partition. In this compartment there are also a
set of pipes open at both ends extending to near the top of the
compartment through which the steam gas passes without interfering
with the spirit or oil.
In the middle compartment are fixed the series of pistons or discs 1
into and through which the spirit or oil is distributed as it issues from
the perforations at the bottoms of the said pipes.
In the lower partition there are another set of pipes open at both ends
through which the steam admitted into the bottom compartment passes
up into the middle compartment. Above the said cylinder and case is 2
fitted an air-tight reservoir for containing spirit or oil, into the top of
which a pipe leading from the outer case admits steam to press on the
surface of the spirit or oil, and cause it to pass through a pipe in the
bottom of the reservoir leading into the top of the said upper compart-
ment. Another pipe leads from the bottom of the middle compartment 2
into the upper part of the reservoir, by means of which the unconsumed
spirit or oil is forced back into the reservoir. Another pipe serves to
discharge the condensed fluid at the bottom of the middle compartment.
There is also a pipe for discharging waste fluid from the bottom com-
partment, and another for discharging the condensed water in the outer 3
case. The steam to be converted into inflammable gas is admitted to
the bottom compartment through a pipe in the outer case, and another
with a valve in it leading into the compartment. In the top of the
upper compartment is a pipe with a valve in it for the steam gas to
pass out of the apparatus to be consumed as required. In the top of 3
the spirit reservoir is a pipe for the escape of air when the reservoir has
to be recharged. All the above-mentioned pipes are furnished with
taps or valves. Steam may also be mixed with gas at the end of any

page_text: MAVIT PP w
by passing
gas.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed,
by the aid of the accompanying Drawing, in which is represented the
parts above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents in section a cylinder or vessel composed of an outer
casing A, an inner compartment B, containing the pistons of cotton or
other fibrous material, C, C, with layers of charcoal between them, and
a chamber D at the upper part of the said cylinder or vessel to serve as
a reservoir for the spirit or oil. The object of the outer casing A is to
provide a steam chamber for heating the compartment B, and discharging
the condensed water. The compartment B besides containing the said
cotton pistons and charcoal is provided at the bottom with a set of
tubes E, E, open at both ends for the purpose of allowing steam to pass
upwards from the steam chamber A into the compartment B. The
cotton pistons C, C, are saturated with the spirit or oil as required by
the pressure of steam converted into gas on the spirit or oil contained in
the chamber D, which is thereby caused to pass through the orifices
at the bottom of the pipes F, F, and become distributed through the
series of pistons C, C. The steam entering through the tubes E, E, and
passing upwards through the pistons C, C, becomes converted into gas
and passes in a gaseous form through the open tubes G, G, into the
chamber D, whence it is taken by the pipe H, furnished with a valve
at I to the receptacle where it is required to be consumed. J is a cistern
containing spirit or oil, which is supplied to the chamber D, through the
pipe K furnished with a tap L which.communicates between the bottom
of the cistern J and the top of the chamber D, as shewn; M. is a pipe
for communicating between the upper part of the outer casing.A. and
the top of the cistern J, by means of which steam passes from the
casing A into the cistern J, and presses on the surface of the spirit or
oil, thereby forcing it into the chamber D. There is also another pipe N
extending from the upper part of the cistern J to the bottom of the
compartment B for the purpose of returning to the cistern J the un-
consumed spirit or oil. This is effected by the pressure of the steam
from the outer casing A entering the bottom of the compartment B
through the tubes E, E. Another pipe and tap O is fixed at the upper

page_text: part of the cistern J for the escape of the air in order to allow the returned
spirit or oil to enter the cistern. P is a tap through which the cistern
is charged with spirit or oil. Q is the pipe for admitting steam into the
outer casing A, and R is the pipe for the discharge of the condensed
water therefrom. S is a gauge to indicate the level of the spirit or oil &
in the cistern J.
Fig. 2 represents a blow-pipe composed of a gas pipe with a small
pipe inside it for producing a steam jet at the end, thereby causing the
steam to pass through the burning flame at any required pressure.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-On steam being admitted 1
by the pipe Qit heats the compartment B, and entering by the tubes
E, E, passes upwards through the whole series of cotton pistons C, O,
and intermediate layers of charcoal, thence in a gaseous state through
the tubes G, G, into the chamber D, whence it is carried to the place
where it is to be consumed.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim
as of my Invention is, the combination of parts of apparatus herein-
before described, by means of which, pistons of cotton or other fibrous
material saturated with spirit or oil are heated by steam, both inside 2
and outside the vessel in which they are contained, and the steam
by passing through the pistons is converted into inflammable gas as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wright, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of November, in the year:
Jannat. then
]
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM WRIGHT. (L.S.)