AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Hengst, of St. George's Terrace, Engineer,
and Henry Watson, of Grove Road, Gasfitter, both of Fulham,
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Tation
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Hengst and Henry
Watson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 18th June 1868.
We, CHARLES HENGST, of St. George's Terrace, Engineer, and HENRY
WATSON, of Grove Road, Gasfitter, both of Fulham, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR LIGHTING AND
HEATING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to a method of producing gas by mixing
atmospheric air with the vapor of certain cheap and common oils or
spirits, the air being forced through the oil or spirit and the mixed
air and gas being passed through suitable purifying materials and then

page_text: consumed in the ordinary manner. We prefer to use the liquid known
in commerce as "common spirit."
In carrying the said Invention into practice we employ two or more
vessels in one of which a wheel or drum with a series of buckets or
chambers is supported to turn frecly in suitable bearings and is caused
The lower
to rotate by weights, springs, or other suitable means.
part of this vessel is filled with the oil or spirit from which the gas
is obtained and the wheel or drum revolves through the said oil or
spirit. The said vessel is provided with an inlet aperture communi-
cating with the external atmosphere and with an outlet aperture and
tube leading to the second vessel. The wheel or drum draws air into
the wheel case through the inlet aperture, which air is carried in the
buckets down into the spirit or other liquid and mixed with the gas
rising from the same. The wheel or drum also forms a fan whereby
the mixed air and gas are driven through the outlet aperture into the
second vessel. Instead of a rotating fan wheel or drum a blowing
cylinder pump or other device may be employed to force air through
the spirit or other liquid. The second vessel is preferably made of a
cylindrical form and in two parts. The lower part may consist of an
external and internal case, the outer case being made of cast iron or
other suitable metal and the internal case being made of block tin or
other metal covered with tin and formed with a series of vertical
partitions or chambers which are provided with a cover and made air-
tight. This second vessel may also be cast in one piece, the interior
case being dispensed with and the partitions cast solidly with the outer
casc and covered with tin. Through the cover into one of the partitions
or divisions we introduce the tube from the wheel case or vessel, the
said tube being provided inside the partition with a number of perforated
branches through which the mised air and gas from the wheel case
enter the said partition. A tube or pipe extends from this first partition
into the other partitions of the vessel, each of these pipes being also
provided with perforated branches inside each partition. The lower
part of each partition contains a quantity of the oil, spirit, or other liquid
to be vaporised. Strands of cotton or other fibrous material are sup-
ported upon the branch tubes, their lower ends being immersed in the
liquid. This fibrous material serves as a wick, which by the force of
capillary attraction draws up a portion of the liquid and accelerates
its evaporation and its mixture with the mixed air and gas entering
through the perforated tubes; sponge may also be employed for this

page_text: purpose. The cover over one of the divisions is provided with holes
or apertures to communicate with the upper part of the second vessel
or with another separate vessel. Over the said cover is placed a sheet
of wire gauze or a perforated metal plate which is covered with flannel
or other material of suitable texture over which material is placed baked
charcoal, calcined chalk, and "pickled" sawdust. The latter is prepared
by mixing sawdust with chalk or pipeclay in the form of paste, and
then burning them in a retort. The sawdust may be used either
separately or with the charcoal and chalk. These materials purify the
gas as it passes through the same from the mixing partitions or chambers
below the receiver. The latter is preferably arranged within the
upper part of the second vessel, or if desired it may be fitted into a
separate vessel or case. This receiver is an inverted vessel somewhat
in the form of an ordinary gas holder, its lower edge being immersed
in liquid which prevents the escape of the gas; we prefer to use oil
for this purpose. The gas enters the receiver through a tube extending
up inside the same through the oil or other liquid in which it is immersed
and as the volume of the gas increases the receiver rises in the said
oil or other liquid. A suitable outlet tube is provided through which
the gas can be conducted away from the receiver through pipes and
other connections to be consumed in ordinary gas burners or in any
other suitable manner. The receiver also forms a convenient means
of regulating the pressure. The vessels containing the oil or spirit
from which we obtain the gas are provided with tubes whereby the
liquid is introduced into the said vessels, such tubes being provided
with screw caps or other tightly fitting covers. Glass tubes or other
gauges are employed whereby the height of the spirit or other liquid in
each vessel and the quantity evaporated may be readily ascertained.
An index of any suitable construction for measuring the consumption
of gas may be used for a like purpose in connection with our apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Hengst and Henry Watson in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 18th December 1868.

page_text: Grove Road, Gasfitter, both of Fulham, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Charles Hengst and Henry Watson,
Her special licence that we, the said Charles Hengst and Henry
Watson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Charles Hengst and Henry Watson, our 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 "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Hengst
and Henry Watson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our 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 we, the said Charles Hengst and Henry Watson,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention consists of certain conformations and mechanical
arrangements in apparatus to effect the production of carburetted
hydrogen gas from hydro-carbonacious spirit for illumination and heating
purposes. And also in imparting to the gas so produced an additional
equivalent of hydrogen and oxygen during the process of volatilization,
the hydrogen and oxygen being obtained by the admixture of atmo-
spheric air with the vapour and gaseous matter evolved from the
hydro-carbonacious spirit. And furthermore in purifying and abstracting
from the gas when evolved and combined all vapourous matter by
filtration and other means through various mediums, thereby leaving

page_text: nothing but pure dry non-condensible gaseous matter to be consumed
by the ordinary methods of combustion for illumination and heating.
Chapter 1. In practice we employ an apparatus so constructed in its
conformation and mechanical arrangements as will best effect the object
sought.
The first part of the process is effected in the generator and oxydizing
or acriating chamber, of which Fig. 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2 an
elevation of the receivor and purifying apparatus; Figs. 3 & 4 plans of
the same; Fig. 5 & 6 sectional elevations through A & B; Figs. 7 & 8
sectional plans of the same; Fig. 9 sectional elevation through C, D ;
and Fig. 10 a plan of the float; Fig. 11 a sectional side elevation of the
drum and diaphragm plate in its relative position with its receivor and
purifyer; Fig. 12 sectional view of one of the branches in the chambers
X, Y, Z, showing the direction of the gas in its exit, and the cotton wick
taking up more gas from the carbonaceous spirit below; Fig. 13 an
enlarged sectional view of the float; Fig. 14 is another method of dis-
tributing and exposing the fluid and aeriating the same; Fig. 15 another.
method of doing the same by a centrifugal wheel.
The first part of the process is effected in the generating, and oxydizing,
and acriating chamber, as shewn in section in Fig. 5. D is the oxydizing
and acriating chamber into which passes atmospheric air through the pipe E.
In this chamber there is a revolving drum F, which is also shown in plan
in Fig. 7. In the bottom of the chamber there is contained a given amount
of highly attenuated hydro-carbonaceous fluid up to the line G, H, the
drum before stated being partially immersed in the said fluid from which
the vapour and gaseous matter is evolved. This drum F revolves on an
axis passing through the front and back plates I and J, as shown in
Figs. 7 and 11. This drum is immersed partially on the lower half in the
fluid aforesaid, and the upper half is surrounded with atmospheric air
coming in through the pipe E, as before described. A rotary motion is
given to this drum by means of the weight K and chain L in Fig. 1 and 11
passing over a "ragg" pulley M; this spindle passes through the
plate N, and on it there is a wheel O which works and actuates the
pinion P; on the same spindle or arbor is a wheel Q, which actuates and
works into a pinion R, which is on the end of the axis of the revolving
drum F. Through the weight, chain, and series of wheels, which forms
a train before mentioned, this drum receives its motion, revolving in the
direction of the arrow.
The "ragg
pulley M, before mentioned, has
"

page_text: a ratchet" and pall," the same as in ordinary clock movement, so
that the weight can be wound up periodically, giving a uniform and
continuous rotary movement to the drum for 8 hours or more, as the
case require.
Chapter 2.-It will be necessary now to describe the construction and
object of this drum. There is in the present drum 12 partitions by their
division 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, as shown in Figs. 5, 7, & 11.
It will be seen by reference to Fig. 7 & 11 that each partition has an
inclination from front to back. It will also be seen in the same diagrams
that there are inclined openings from the front to the chambers aforesaid
through the inclined apertures, which are numbered 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, in plan, Fig. 7, and also in Fig. 11; these continue around the front
to the whole of the chambers respectively. It will also be seen in same
plan and elevation that there are inclined exit apertures leading from
each of the chambers, which apertures are numbered respectively 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, and so on from the back side, so that the 12 chambers
aforesaid contained in this drum have each and every one an inclined
ingress and egress aperture. As this drum revolves in the direction of
the arrows each chamber carries down with it (into the fluid below) its
capacity of atmospheric air in succession. The air, vapour, and gaseous
matter is evolved and comingle together, thereby giving an amount of
oxygen and hydrogen (or in other words) areiating the hydro-car-
bonaceous vapour which comingles together with the air, passing off by
the inclined apertures last described, and into the space S intervening
between the drum (F) and the diaphram plate T. Between this
diaphragm plate and drum there is a syphon pipe U, which projects up
into the space S and conducts the gas and vapour into the outer box or
chamber V which is the receptacle for the gas and vapour to be conveyed
away to the purifying apparatus by and through the pipe W. Fig. 7
& 8 are sectional elevations and plans of the receivor and purifying
apparatus.
Chapter 3. The gas, vapour, and atmospheric air combined passes
through the pipe W down into the chamber X by and through the
pipe (a), as seen in plan and elevation, Fig. 9 aforesaid. At the
bottom of this pipe there are three branches (b, c, d), sealed or
closed up at each end, which are each perforated with minute holes
underneath and immediately above the hydro-carbonaceous fluid in the
chamber below, as marked by the dotted lines r¹ & "; over and around

page_text: these branches (b, c, d,) is placed cotton wick as shewn in enlarged
view, Fig. 12, dipping into the fluid below, and picking up by capilliary
attraction some of the hydro-carbonaceous fluid, which emits another
dose of vapour and gas combined and comingles with the gas passing
out through the minute holes, as shewn by the arrows, Fig. 12, on the
under side of these three branches aforesaid, thus filling the chamber X
with gas, which passes over into the chamber Y, through and by the
bent pipe e, through the plate f, and down into the pipe g, and
out through the three branches which are also perforated with minute
holes in like manner to the former, these having also cotton wicks
suspended over them, and down into the fluid for the objects and purposes
before described in chamber X. This chamber Y is necessarily full
of gas, as in the previous case, which passes off through the bent
pipe (h) and down into the third chamber Z. Thus the gas is again
surcharged for the third time in the manner before described, and passes
up through the hole i which is covered with a piece of wire gauze.
Over the whole of the diameter of the upper chamber is placed a
perforated zinc plate (j on which is placed a piece of flannel or woollen
cloth k, on this is laid a strata of animal or vegetable charcoal (1), on
the top of which is a strata of calcine chalk or calcarious matter (m) on
to which is placed a strata of cotton wool (n). The whole of the before-
mentioned series of charcoal, woollen cloth, chalk, or calcarious matter,
and cotton wool combined, forms a means by and through which the
vapour or condensible matter of the hydro-carbonaceous gas is filtered
from the gaseous matter, thereby liberating nothing but a dry non-
condensible hydrocarbon gas deprived of its vapour (or nearly so). This
gas passes up the tube o on its way to the upper chamber p which
contains another amount of hydro-carbonaceous fluid, shown by the
dotted lines q & r. On the top of the pipe or tube o slides a float s
resting on and partially immersed in the fluid, marked by the dotted
lines q&r. The peculiar arrangements of this float will be seen in both
sectional elevations, Fig. 6 & 9, and in plan 13. In this float as shown
in plan there are soldered in 4 tubes t, u, v, w, and also shown in
the two sectional elevations, Fig. 6 & 9, and plan 10, before referred to.
These holes are interlaced and filtered with cotton wick, resting on the
surface of the fluid, and taking it up by capilliary attraction to the
upper surface of the float, from which is evolved another dose of hydro-
carbonaceous gas and vapour. As the gas previously generated ascends
the tube o it passes over the top of the pipe and down into the space *

page_text: between the upper surface of the float and the cover y. It there
mixes with the gas and vapour liberated from the wick below as before
described, and passes off into the chamber p covered by the hood a¹
which hood is also immersed in the fluid. The gas then passes out
through an annular aperture around the periphery of the upper surface
of the floats and cover y which is shown more fully in an enlarged
sectional diagram, Fig. 13.
In Fig. 6 & 9, and also in the enlarged section Fig. 13, it will be seen
that on the top of the cover y, there is fastened on by means of studs
a circular tube y" so that the tube project from the surface of the top of
the cover.
Below this float there is suspended another circular tube of
like diameter and size y, from this tube to the upper one y" there is
interlaced and lapping around each woollen worseted yarn yn forming
the last filtering medium by and through which the vapourous matter is
finally abstracted or taken from the gaseous matter which passes through
this yarn into the chamber formed between the hood, float, and upper
surface of the fluid. It is then finally passed away down through the
exit or service pipe 6" and thence out through the side of the apparatus
to the service pipe c¹ to be consumed. The hood a¹ forms a receivor
for the gas, and is intended to regulate the pressure, as well as to hold
a sufficient quantity of gas for the number of burners intended.
Chapter 4. Having now described the method, with the conformation
and arrangements of parts, for the manufacture of carburetted hydrogen
gas from hydro-carbonaceous fluids, we would have it understood that
we do not confine ourselves to the contrivances herein mentioned and
shown in the Drawings referred to, as they may be varied to suit cir-
cumstances and position.
Other methods may be employed for the volatilization of carburetted
hydrogen gas from fluid hydrocarbon by letting a small thin stream of
this fluid to fall between two revolving brushes in an air chamber, or the
revolving brushes may revolve at a high velocity partially immersed in
the fluid, each brush having a hollow axis for the air to pass through, as
shown in Fig. 14, which would divide the hydrocarbon and cause a large
amount of gaseous matter to be evolved therefrom.
Another method we propose is shewn in Fig. 15, which is a revolving
centrifugal wheel, which is perforated on its periphery by minute holes
for the fluid to be thrown off in a spray through these holes, thus
dividing and exposing the particles to the action of atmospheric air.

page_text: This revolving wheel has a hollow axis below and above. That portion
which is above the wheel draws in atmospheric air from without the
chamber, shown by the direction of the arrows, but that portion below
the wheel which is partially immersed in the fluid, and which has on
its inside a worm or helix which draws up the fluid into the wheel, hence
the fluid from below and the air from above mixes in the interior of
the wheel and is thrown off and comingles together in the chamber.
Another method of evolving the gas and vapour from the hydro-
carbonaceous spirit is to force a series of small jets of dry air in and
above the fluid, when a rapid evaporation would take place, and the
gaseous and vapourous matter would be aeriated at the same time.
From either of the methods above described it may be taken into a
filtering chamber so as to take away the vapour or condensible matter
from the gaseous or non-condensible matter as before described.
Having now described and particularilly ascertained the nature of
the said Invention, and the manner in which the samo is or may be
performed or carried into effect, we would observe that we do not confine
or restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements, which we
have herein described and shown in the Drawings referred to, as varia-
tions may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or
main features of the said Invention; but what we consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the general principles
and construction, and arrangements, in the combination of parts to
effect the objects herein described for the production of hydrocarbon gas
from the vapour of hydro-carbonaceous spirit, as fully described in this
Specification and shown in the Drawings referred to.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Hengst and Henry
Watson, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Seventeenth
day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.