Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Combustible Gas.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Combustible Gas.
I HENRY HOWELL, of 30 Chryssell Road, Brixton, London, S. W. Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to apparatus for the production of combustible gas
from mineral or other oils or fats, and comprise firstly, a self feeding furnace, with
fuel hopper, damper and chimney; secondly, one or more retorts fixed in the
furnace; thirdly, an oil reservoir with outlet valve, connected to the retorts by a
pipe with branches which may severally extend inside the retorts to within a short
distance of their ends; fourthly, a hydraulic box, gas washer, and gas holder,
either combined or separate, connected with the retorts by pipes; fifthly, a device
whereby the rising and falling of the gas holder shuts off and turns on the supply
of oil to the retorts.
It will now be understood that when the hopper is charged with coke or other
fuel and the retorts are heated to the proper temperature, the outlet valve on the
oil reservoir is opened, the oil flows into the retorts, is there transformed into a fixed
gas passing along the connecting pipe through the hydraulic box and washer, into
the holder which gradually rises as it fills with gas.
The holder may consist of any suitable expanding and collapsing vessel but by
preference 1 employ the usual bell rising and falling in a vessel of water. A pipe
from the holder leads to the burners or other point of combustion in the usual way.
The gas holder may be connected in any suitable manner with the device in the
oil supply pipe between the reservoir and the retorts, so that as the holder ascends
it actuates the device and shuts off from the retorts the supply of oil and stops the
production of gas; as the gas is withdrawn the holder descends and operates the
device in the opposite direction, thereby turning on to the retorts the supply of
oil and gas is again produced. By this method the apparatus is made to work
automatically and to produce gas in the proportion in which it is consumed.
The self feeding furnace may be of any type, suitable for the size of the
apparatus, but by preference for small plants I employ a vertical hopper such as
is used with a slow combustion stove.
Dated this 30th day of Jule 1805
improvements in Apparatus for the Froduction of Cas
I, HENRY HOWELL of 30 Chryssell Road Brixton London S.W. Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My improvements relate to apparatus for the production of combustible gas
from mineral or other oils or fats and are illustrated in the accompanying two
sheets of drawings of which
Fig. 1 Sheet I is an elevation partly in section of one form of the apparatus.
:

page_text: Fig. 2 Sheet is a front elevation of a furnace.
Fig. 3 Sheet 1 is a back elevation of a furnace.
Figs. 4 & 5 Sheet 1 are enlarged views of the device for cutting off the supply
of oil to the retort.
Fig. 6 Sheet 1 is a sectional view of oil nozzle.
Fig. 7 Sheet 1 is an enlarged view of adjustable stop.
Fig. 8 Sheet 2 is a plan of another form of apparatus.
Fig. 9 Sheet 2 is an elevation partly in section of another form of gas holder,
hydraulic box and gas washer combined.
My improved apparatus consists of firstly; a self feeding furnace F H2 with
fuel hopper H³ damper D2 chimney S fire door D and ventilator D', secondly,
one or more retorts R fixed in the furnace H2, thirdly an oil reservoir F with
outlet valve J connected to the retorts R by a pipe Ji with branches which
may severally extend inside the retorts to within a short distance of their ends V ;
fourthly, a hydraulic box and gas washer W' with sounding tube B gasholder H. H
connected with the retorts by means of the pipes G G G P and K; fifthly, a
device N. N' I. R V. W whereby the rising and the falling of the gasholder shuts
off and turns on the supply of oil to the retorts.
It will now be understood that when the hopper H3 is charged with coke or
other fuel and the retorts are heated to the proper temperature, the outlet valve J
on the oil reservoir is opened, the oil flows along the pipe J' and branches O
through the nozzle Y and pipe Vinto the retort and is there transformed into
a fixed gas, it then passes out of the retort along the pipes G G G³ into the
hydraulic box and washer Wand bubbles. through the water contained therein
by which it is washed. The gas then passes through the pipes P¹ and K into
the bolder H. The holder may consist of any suitable expanding and collapsing
vessel but by preference I employ the usual bell H rising and falling in a vessel of
water H, a pipe K¹ from the holder leads to the burners or other points of
combustion in the usual way. The gasholder may be connected in any suitable
manner with the device in the oil supply pipe J¹ between the reservoir F and
the retorts R so that as the holder ascends it actuates the device and when it
has risen to. a determined beight shuts off from the retorts the supply of oil
and stops the production of gas. As the gas is withdrawn the holder descends
and operates the device in the opposite direction, thereby turning on to the
retorts a supply of oil, and gas is again produced. By preference I adopt the
following arrangement for example :-
A cord or chain N having an adjustable stop N' is connected at one end to the
bell of the holder H and passed over guide pulleys I, around the periphery of
the wheel of the stop valve R. V, and attached at the other end to a counter-
weight. W.
When no gas is being consumed or when it is being made faster than
it is consumed, the hell of the gasholder rises until the weight W and cord N have
closed the valve R. V. thereby stopping the supply of oil to the retorts. On
opening one or more of the burners or otherwise drawing off gas from the holder,
the bell of the holder falls and moves the weight W and cord N in the opposite
direction thereby opening the valve RV and admitting a fresh supply of oil to
the retorts and gas is again produced, by this method the apparatus is made
to work, automatically. and to produce gas in the proportion in which it is
consumed.
If the apparatus is used to supply a larger quantity of gas. than that, for which
it was designed and the gas is drawn away more rapidly than it is supplied by the
retorts, it is obvious that the holder will run down and that the valve R V
will be opened to its fullest extent, in that case the supply of oil might be. so.
great as to reduce the temperature of the retorts below that which is necessary
to gasify the oil' and vaporization only would result. To prevent this 'iusert
in the pipe J" a device comprising a retaining valve C' having a cranked spindle C¹
working in a stuffing box C³ with guides C³; around the spindle I place a coil
spring C which can be adjusted by means of the guides C and set pin C³ to such

page_text: When
a compression that it will retain the spindle C₁ in such a position as to lift the
valve C off its seat and allow a free passage for the oil.
attach to one of the
columns of the holder a weighted lever 20 one arm of which is connected to
the holder by means of a chain or cord 21 passing under a stud 22.
the holder descends below a predetermined point it pulls down the lever 20.
which in falling strikes down the cranked spindle Cand liberates the valve Co.
which is at once closed by the pressure of the oil in the reservoir F and entirely
cuts off the supply of oil to the retorts thereby stopping the working of the
apparatus. The reservoir F may be provided with a float M' and index I O..
In connection with the gasholder a receptacle E' may be used in which any tar
or dirt carried forward by the gas from the hydraulic box is deposited.
The foregoing description refers more particularly to an apparatus in which one
retort only is used; when more than one retort is used I arrange the apparatus in
the manner shown in Fig. 8 Sheet 2. To facilitate the easy cleaning of the
various parts of the apparatus, removeable plugs X. X X X X and Z are-
employed. It will be understood that the self feeding furnace may be of any type
suitable for the size of the apparatus but by preference for small plants I adopt a.
vertical hopper such as is used with a slow combustion stove.
The hopper is provided with an annular ring or seal H L which is filled with
sand or other suitable material into which the flange of the lid H L extends
thus making an air tight joint.
When required heat may be applied to the oil reservoir F and supply pipes J
and in any convenient manner to liquefy the oils or fats to facilitate their
passage to the retorts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An improved apparatus for the production of combustible gas from mineral
or other oils or fats consisting of a self feeding furnace one or more retorts, an oil
reservoir connected to the retorts by pipe, devices fixed therein for turning on,
regulating and cutting off the supply of oil to the retorts operated by the rising
and falling of the gas-holder a hydraulic box gas-washer and gas-holder
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In apparatus for the production of combustible gas from mineral and other
oils or fats the combination of a hydraulic box, gas washer and gasholder in one
substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In apparatus for the production of combustible gas from mineral or other
oils or fats a pipe or closed duct connecting the oil reservoir with the retorts
extending along inside same and provided with an internal nozzle substantially
as described and illustrated.
4. In apparatus for the production of combustible gas from mineral or other
oils or fats devices fixed in the oil supply pipe between the reservoir and retorts.
operated by the gasholder, whereby the supply of oil is automatically turned on
regulated and cut off and the gas is produced in the proportion in which it is.
consumed.
1
CA 100
HENRY HOWELL.