IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Clay Bull, of Brooklyn, New York, United States
of America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 25th June 1880, and dated the 31st December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Clay Bull at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1879.
HENRY CLAY BULL, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, now of
8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of
GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
My Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas for illuminating
and heating purposes and to apparatus to be employed in such manufacture, and
for other purposes.
According to the said Invention carbon is brought into an incandescent state in
a chamber or oven into which air enters through a regenerating chamber, and the
heat escaping from the burning carbon is utilized in a second regenerating chamber
for superheating steam which on passing through the incandescent carbon is
converted into hydrogen and carbonic oxide or carbonic acid; these gases escape at
a high temperature through the first named regenerating chamber which abstracts
the heat therefrom for heating the air employed to revivify the carbon.
My improved apparatus comprises the said chamber, in which the carbon is
brought to an incandescent state, and two regenerative chambers, arranged preferably
on opposite sides of the same. The first named or central chamber is of cylindrical
or other suitable form. This chamber is to be filled with coke or other suitable
fuel. The outer or regenerative chambers are substantially of similar forn and are
filled or partially filled with loose fire bricks or the like. One of these regenerative
chambers is provided with means for the admission of air and is connected to the
central chamber by a tube or flue at or near the top of the same. Through this
chamber the gases generated in the central chamber are caused to pass, and the
heat is abstracted therefrom and retained in the said chamber to be utilized in
34

page_text: heating the air used for revivifying the carbon in the central chamber. The other
regenerative chamber is connected to the said central chamber by a short tube or
flue below the grate of the furnace and communicates with the shaft or chimney,
and is provided with means for the admission of steam into the same. The heat
escaping from the burning carbon is arrested in this chamber and utilized for
superheating the steam, as aforesaid.
The gas produced by the above described process and apparatus is termed water
gas and is very advantageous for heating purposes. But to impart to the same
highly illuminating properties I pass the same through a carburotting or enriching
apparatus constructed as hereinafter described. And this apparatus is designed to
be used in combination with ordinary gas making apparatus to increase the yield
and improve the quality of illuminating gas. This apparatus consists of a series of
chambers one above the other. Through the lower one of each pair of such
chambers I keep all the liquid from the hydraulic main flowing, maintaining a
constant level of this liquid in the said chambers. The gas produced from the
retorts together with a greater or less quantity of water gas will be brought into
intimate contact in this apparatus with the aforesaid liquid by a series of dip-tubes
extending from the upper chamber and sealed in the lower chamber of each pair
by the liquid contained therein. By these means an increased yield of illuminating
gas will be obtained. The above described apparatus consisting of the central
chamber and two regenerating chambers may be employed for the manufacture of
iron and for similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Clay Bull in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th June
1880.
HENRY CLAY BULL, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, now of
8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas for illuminating
and heating purposes, and to apparatus to be employed in such manufacture and
for other purposes, and the following is a description in such full, clear, and exact
terms as to enable any one skilled in the arts or science to which my Invention
appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, making a part of this Specification by which there is illustrated certain
apparatus suited to be used in the practice of my Invention, namely, the manu-
facture of gas for illuminating and heating purposes.
For simplicity of explanation I will divide my Invention into two parts, the
first part being the manufacture of gas for heating purposes, the second part being
the manufacture of gas for illuminating purposes.
Under the first part my Invention consists in bringing carbon into an incan-
descent state in a chamber or oven K into which air enters through a regenerating
chamber and the heat contained in the escaping gases from the burning carbon
together with the heat produced by the combustion of the aforesaid gases is utilized
in a second regenerating chamber M for superheating steam, which on passing
through the incandescent carbon is converted into hydrogen and carbonic oxide or
carbonic acid. These gases escape at a high temperature through the first named
3 regenerating chamber L which abstracts the heat therefrom for heating the air
employed to revivify the carbon.
My improved apparatus comprises the said chamber K in which the carbon is
brought to an incandescent state and two regenerative chambers L and M arranged
preferably on opposite sides of the same. The first named or central chamber K is
of cylindrical or other suitable form, and is lined with fire brick or other suitable
material. This chamber is to be filled with coke or other suitable fuel. The outer
or regenerative chambers L and M are substantially of similar form and are lined
with and filled or partially filled with loose fire bricks or the like. One of these
regenerative chambers L is provided with means for the admission of air through
an opening N, and is connected to the central chamber by a tube or flue O at or
near the top of the same. Through this chamber L the gases generated in the
central chamber K are caused to pass, and the heat is abstracted therefrom and
retained in the said chamber L to be utilized in heating the air used for revivifying
the carbon in the central chamber K. The other regenerative chamber M 18
connected to the said central chamber K by a short tube or flue P below the grate
of the furnace, and communicates at R with the shaft or chimney, and is provided
with means for the admission of steam or water into the same. The heat contained
in the escaping gases from the burning carbon, together with the heat produced by
the combustion of the aforesaid gases by means of air entering through the opening S
is arrested in this chamber M and utilized for converting water into steam, and
superheating steam used in producing gas.
The gas produced by the before described process and apparatus is known as
water gas, and is of great utility for heating purposes, but to impart to the same
highly illuminating properties, and under the second part of my Invention, I pass
the gas through a carburretting or enriching apparatus constructed as hereinafter
described, and which carburretting apparatus is designed so that it may be also

page_text: used with the ordinary gas making apparatus of gas works, to increase the yield
and improve the quality of illuminating gas. My improved apparatus consists of a
series of chambers arranged in pairs and which may be placed one above the other
or side by side as may be found convenient. Through the lower one of each pair
of such chambers I keep all the liquid from the hydraulic main flowing, maintaining
a constant level of this liquid in the said chambers. The gas produced from the
retorts, together with a greater or less quantity of water gas, will be brought into
intimate contact in this apparatus with the aforesaid liquid by a series of dip tubes
extending from the upper chamber and sealed in the lower chamber of each pair
by the liquid contained therein. By these means an increased yield of illuminating
gas will be obtained.
Upon further reference to the Drawings the construction and position of the
carburretting apparatus and its relation to the producing apparatus will be clearly
understood. A, A, are the chambers or trays for carburretting. These carburretting
trays are provided with dip tubes B, B. C, C, are pipes for the purpose of allowing
the liquors from the hydraulic main to flow freely through and maintain a constant
level in the bottom trays D, D, of each series; E, E, are the passages through
which the gas flows to the next series of trays after passing through the liquors by
means of the dip tubes. This is repeated until the gas has successively passed
through each series of trays, and is thus brought into intimate contact with the
liquors contained therein for the purpose of absorbing and retaining the hydro
carbons contained in the aforesaid liquors. F is the inlet which may be used for
admitting ordinary gas from gas works; G is the inlet for admitting the auxiliary
or weaker gas; H is the outlet to the scrubbers.
By passing carbonic oxide, hydrogen, or any other non illuminating gas through
the liquors in the carburretter together with ordinary gas hydro carbons, which
would otherwise be condensed and therefore lost, are picked up and retained by
the weaker gas, thus increasing the volume of illuminating gas made from a given
amount of gas making material.
Having now described my Invention and shown an apparatus by which the 3
same may be put into practical operation, I would have it understood that I
disclaim all other means and apparatus for producing what is known as water
gas; I would also have it understood that the before described apparatus
consisting of the central chamber and the two regenerating chambers may
be employed for producing gas to be used as a gaseous fuel in the manufacture of 3
iron, or as a gaseous fuel for any other heating purposes, or for producing gas to be
employed as illuminating gas, by passing the gas so produced through a carburretter
containing liquids rich in hydro carbon; I would also have it understood that the
carburretting apparatus herein described, which is suitable for enriching the water
gas, as before stated, may also be employed apart from the water gas producer, and
used for enriching ordinary coal or other gas, or the apparatuses under the first
and second part of my Invention may be worked together, and in conjunction with
ordinary coal gas, to increase the yield, and retain or increase the illuminating
properties thereof.
I claim as my Invention and secured to me by the herein before in part recited 4
Letters Patent,
Under the first part,—
First. Producing gas for heating purposes by passing superheated steam through
incandescent carbon in a chamber or oven, such as K, such steam having been
previously superheated by its passage through a chamber, such as M, and shedding 5
or diffusing its heat in a regenerating chamber, such as L.
Second. Abstracting and storing the heat from the gas produced in the chamber K
in the regenerator L, and employing the same to heat the air used in reviving the
incandescent carbon
Third. In the manufacture of gas arranging a chamber or oven, such as K, with 5
a regenerating chamber, such as M, for superheating steam, which on passing

page_text: through incandescent carbon in the chamber K is converted into hydrogen and
carbonic oxide, or carbonic acid.
Fourth. Manufacturing gas so that the heat contained in the escaping gases from
the burning carbon in a chamber or oven, such as K, together with the heat
produced by the combustion of the aforesaid gases is arrested in a chamber, such
as M, and utilized for converting water into steam, or for superheating steam.
Fifth. In the manufacture of gas arranging a chamber or ovon, such as K, with
an air heating chamber, such as L, and a second chamber such as M, so that the
alternative process of revivifying the carbon and producing the gas in the chamber K
can be successfully accomplished.
Sixth. The production and manufacture of gas for heating purposes, as herein
described.
Under the second part I claim,-
First. The production and manufacture of gas by an apparatus, such as that
described under the first part, and the subsequent enrichment and addition of
illuminating properties to such gas by passage through a carburretting apparatus,
such as herein described.
Second. Increasing the yield of ordinary illuminating gas by adding to and
mixing therewith gas produced under the first part of this Invention, and the
subsequent passage of such gases through a carburretting apparatus, such as herein
described.
Third. Increasing the illuminating properties of ordinary coal or other gas, by
passing the same through a carburretting apparatus, such as that herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Clay Bull, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and oighty.
HENRY CLAY (LS) BULL.