IMPROVEMENTS IN THE Manufacture of Gas
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Paulson Spice, of 21, Parliament Street,
in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE Manufacture of Gas.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Paulson Spice
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th December 1874.
I, ROBERT PAULSON SPICE, of 21, Parliament Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAB," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas, when
what is commonly known as "water gas" is used in combination with
the vapour of petroleum or other similar spirit or oil.

page_text: The apparatus to be employed is not necessarily but greatly by pre-
ference that for which Letters Patent, No. 4178, dated December 19,
1873, were granted to me, and the present improvements consist in causing
the gas immediately after it has left the condenser, or direct from the
retorts, and while it is hot, to pass through a vessel containing petroleum,
whereby not only the light but the heavier spirits are vaporised and
caused to combine with the water gas. By these means, in conjunction
with those described by me in a Provisional Specification, No. 3269,
dated September 24, 1874, the whole of the vaporisable portion of the
ordinary petroleum of commerce may be utilized, and the object of the
present Invention attained. The gas after passing through the petroleum
may be conducted to the condenser if necessary, and subsequently to the
purifying and storing apparatus in the ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Paulson Spice in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
PAULSON SPICE, of 21, Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Paulson Spice, Her
special licence that I, the said Robert Paulson Spice, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Paulson Spice, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Paulson Spice, my

page_text: 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, tho said Robert Paulson Spice, 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 :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas, when
what is commonly known as "water gas" is used in combination with
the vapour of petroleum or other similar spirit or oil.
The apparatus to be employed is not necessarily but greatly by pre-
ference that for which Letters Patent, No. 4178, dated December 19,
1873, were granted to me, and the present improvements consist in
causing the gas immediately after it has left the condenser, or direct
from the retorts, and while it is hot, to pass through a vessel containing
petroleum, whereby not only the light but the heavier spirits are
vaporised and caused to combine with the water gas. By these means,
in conjunction with those described by me in the Specification of a
Patent, No. 3269, dated September 24, 1874, the whole of the vaporisable.
portion of the ordinary petroleum of commerce may be utilized, and the
object of the present Invention attained. The gas after passing through
the petroleum may be conducted to a second condenser if necessary, and
subsequently to the purifying and storing apparatus in the ordinary way.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have described or
referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of this Invention, but 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, causing the gas
while hot to pass into a vessel containing petroleum or other similar
oil or spirit, so that a very large proportion of the liquid may be

page_text: vaporized and combined with the water gas previously made, as herein-
before described or referred to.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Paulson Spice, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.