IMPROVEMENTS IN GASOMETERS OR GAS HOLDERS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES AND SHIPS, FOR LIGHTING THE SAME WITH GAS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Knapton, of the Albion Foundry, Monkbar,
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GASOMETERS OR GAS
HOLDERS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES AND SHIPS, FOR LIGHTING THE SAME WITH GAS."
Sealed the 1st April 1858, and dated the 6th October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Knapton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th October 1857.
I, WILLIAM KNAPTON, of the Albion Foundry, Monkbar, York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GASOMETERS OR
GAS HOLDERS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES
AND SHIPS, FOR LIGHTING THE SAME WITH GAS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, of an improved method of making gas-
ometers or gas holders by combining a flexible or elastic material, such as
vulcanized india-rubber, with a rigid material, such as metal, for the purpose
of dispensing with the necessity for employing a brick tank containing water or
other liquid for the cover to work in 'as it rises and falls, as hitherto commonly
practised. The means by which these improvements may be effected are as
follows: I form the upper and lower and middle of the side of the gasometer
of curved plates of metal somewhat resembling a telescope, and I connect

page_text: these parts together air-tight by pieces of vulcanized india-rubber, of about the
same depth as the aforesaid annular metallic parts, so that when the gasometer
is empty the metal parts shall cover one over the other. I employ guides and
counterbalance weights, as ordinarily practised. In adapting a gasometer of
the above construction to railway carriages, I form the same rectangular, and
in three principal parts, namely, the upper and lower parts of metal, and the
intervening part of vulcanized india-rubber. The lower part is to be fixed
upon or underneath the framing of the carriage, and the upper part is guided
in its proper course by stuffing boxes passing over fixed guide rods. From
this gasometer pipes proceed to the lamps in the several carriages, and this
applies also to ships, for lighting the same with gas.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Knapton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KNAPTON, of the Albion Foundry, Monkbar, York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Knapton, Her special licence that I, the said William Knapton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Knapton, 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
GASOMETERS OR GAS HOLDERS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO RAILWAY AND
OTHER CARRIAGES AND SHIPS, FOR LIGHTING THE SAME WITH GAB," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Knapton, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Knapton, 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, that is to say :—
My Invention consists of an improved method of making gasometers or gas
holders, by combining a flexible or elastic material, such as vulcanized india-
rubber, canvas, or any other suitable elastic material, with a rigid material, such
as, metal or gutta percha, for the purpose of dispensing with the necessity for
employing a brick tank containing water or other liquid for the gasometer
cover to work in as it rises and falls, as hitherto commonly practised. For
the purpose of effecting these improvements, I form the upper part or cover
the bottom and a portion of the sides of the gasometer rigid with plates of
metal or gutta percha, and I connect these rigid parts together air-tight, by
pieces of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic material of about
the same depth as the aforesaid metallic parts, so that when the gasometer is
empty the metal parts will fall and cover one over the other. I support the
gasometer by counterbalance weights passing over pulleys, as is generally
practised.
In applying gasometers constructed upon the aforesaid principle to railway
carriages and other vehicles, I prefer making the same rectangular, with the
top of the upper part and the lower part rigid, and the side or sides of the
upper part elastic, or the whole of the gasometer excepting the top may be
made of an elastic material, in which case the lower part thereof would be
made rigid by being secured to a casing of wood, iron, or other suitable
material. I fix the gasometer either on the top of the vehicle, beneath the
under framing, or under the seats, as may be most convenient, and I convey
the
gas from the gasometer through pipes to the carriage lamps for lighting
the same. The mode of lighting ships being precisely similar to that for
lighting vehicles, any further remarks thereon will not be necessary.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, reference being made to the illustrative Sheets
of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, is an outside elevation of a fixed gasometer, constructed
according to my said Invention, as it would appear when filled with gas; and
Figure 2 shows a section of the same empty, where it will be seen that the

page_text: rigid and flexible parts hang down one over the other, so as to discharge the
gasometer entirely of its contents; Figure 3 is an outside elevation of the
upper part of a railway carriage, shewing the gasometer placed on the top of
the roof; Figure 4 is a section through the seats of a railway carriage, shewing
the gasometer placed beneath the same; and Figure 5 is a cross section of an
omnibus in which the space under the seats is made available for the same
purpose. In Sheet 2, Figure 6 is a side elevation, Figure 7 a transverse
section, and Figure 8 a plan view, in which the gasometer is placed below the
under framing of a railway carriage.
At Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1, A represents the top or cover of the gas-
ometer, formed of wrought-iron plates or other rigid material; B, the upper
annular part of the said gasometer, also formed of a rigid material; C, the
lower part of the gasometer, formed of a flexible material, such as vulcanized
india-rubber, leather, or canvas, made impervious to gas, and united to the
rigid part of gasometer by iron hoops and bolts, first interposing a strip of
leather between the metal and the flexible material, to prevent any injurious
action of the metal on the same; D, cast-iron pillars; E, pulley wheels
attached to the same; F, chains passing over the said pulleys; G, balance
weights; H, cast-iron columns for supporting the bottom part of. the gas-
ometer; I, the pulleys; K, chains passing over the same; L, the balance
weights; and M, the supply and discharge pipes.
Figures 3, 4, and 5, on Sheet I., and Figures 6, 7, and 8, on Sheet 2,
exhibit the portable gasometer in which the general principle of construction
is the same as that before described, but the minor details employed require to
be different, in order to adapt it to the various positions in the carriage in
which it is placed.
The gasometer consists of an oblong chamber, the upper part a is made of a
flexible material, and the lower part 6 is made rigid, and when placed beneath
a railway carriage (as shewn at Figures 6, 7, and 8) is secured to the under
framing by iron braces, in which position it rests unseen between the springs
and the axles of the said carriage; c are cocks for admitting gas from the
main; d is the cover, made rigid, and closely rivetted to the flexible part of
the gasometer. Upon gas being admitted into the gas holder, the upper part
of the same will be raised until the chamber is filled, and as the gas is
consumed, will collapse until empty. e are four guide rods fixed to the under
framing of the carriage, said rods working air-tight through stuffing boxes f,
fixed to the top of the gas holder, to prevent the upper part from oscillating
by the motion of the carriage, which would otherwise cause the flame of the
gas to flicker or burn unsteadily. The position of the gasometer, when placed

page_text: on the roof of a railway carriage, is shewn at Figure 8, Sheet 1, in which 9 is
the flexible, and h the rigid parts of the gas holder; i, the charge cock; and
k, the pipes to supply the burners. Figure 4, Sheet 1, shews the gas holder
placed beneath the seats of a railway carriage, 1 being the flexible, and m the
rigid parts of the same; and the position of the gas holder under the seats of
an omnibus is shewn at Figure 5, Sheet 1, the rigid and flexible parts being
respectively marked n and o on the Drawing.
Having now fully set forth and described the nature of my said Invention,
together with the best means I am acquainted for carrying the same into
practical effect, I hereby state, in conclusion, that what I claim as of my
Invention is,
First, the mode set forth of manufacturing fixed and portable gasometers
by a combination of flexible and inflexible or rigid materials, as above stated.
And, secondly, the lighting of railway carriages and other vehicles and
ships, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Knapton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
WILLIAM KNAPTON. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.