IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ENRICHING GAS BY ADMIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON VAPOUR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Livesey, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR ENRICHING GAS BY ADMIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON VAPOUR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Livesey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1881.
JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ENRICHING GAS BY ADMIXTURE
OF HYDROCARBON VAPOUR."
My Invention relates to apparatus for enriching gas by admixture of hydro-
carbon vapour therewith, the apparatus being so arranged that the hydrocarbon is
vaporised partly by subjecting it to the action of heated gas, and partly by
conduction of heat to the vessel containing it. For this purpose I place over the
gas flame or flames a heater or vessel presenting extended surface through which
the gas to be enriched passes on its way to the carburetting vessel, the gas being.
thus heated in its passage. I also make a metallic connection from this heater or
from another surface similarly heated, to the carburetting vessel, so that heat is
conducted to the shell of the latter, or to its interior, by means of a metal tube or
rod extending into it. The heated gas entering the carburetting vessel which is
thus heated by conduction takes up a quantity of the hydro-carbon in the form of
vapour, which causes it to burn with great brilliancy. The apparatus may be.
varied in form to suit various arrangements and numbers of burners. For example,
when the gas for a single burner has to be enriched I place the burner at the side
of the carburetting vessel, and over its flame I place a heater which may either be
a hollow metal chamber or a coil of pipe projecting from the side of the carburetting.
vessel. I cause the gas on its way to the carburetting vessel to pass through this
heater, which performs the double function of heating the gas in its passage and
giving heat to the carburetting vessel by conduction: Several burners may be
arranged around the carburetting vessel, each acting in a similar way. For a group

page_text: of burners arranged above the carburetting vessel I construct the apparatus as
follows: A metal pipe of considerable size extends down into the carburetting
vessel, the part of the pipe within the vessel having lateral apertures. This pipe
extends above the burners, spreading out into a coil or into a form resembling an
inverted bell, so as to present an extended surface over the flames. The gas passes
through this coil or widened part of the pipe, being by suitable deflectors caused to
flow along its interior surface, which may be increased in extent by ribs or
corrugations. The gas thus heated is led by an internal tube down into the
carburetting vessel, where it becomes mingled with hydrocarbon vapour) generated
in the vessel partly by the heat conducted down the pipe and partly by the heat
of the gas itself, and the gas thus enriched is led up the pipe to the burners. In
order to regulate the amount of carburation of the gas passing to the burners the
tube conveying the gas into the carburetting vessel may be provided with a suitable
cock and by-pass so that more or less of the gas may be made to pass directly to
the burners without passing through the carburetting vessel. In some cases where
it is inconvenient to place the heater over the flames of the enriched gas, it may
be heated by separate flames.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Livesey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
September 1881.
JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ENRICHING GAS BY ADMIXTURE
OF HYDROCARBON VAPOUR."
My Invention relates to apparatus for enriching gas by admixture of hydro-
carbon vapour therewith, the apparatus being so arranged that the hydrocarbon is
vaporised partly by subjecting it to the action of heated gas, and partly by
conduction of heat to the vessel containing it. For this purpose I place over the
gas flame or flames a heater or vessel presenting extended surface through which
the gas to be enriched passes on its way to the carburetting vessel, the gas being
thus heated in its passage. I also make a metallic connection from this heater or
from another surface similarly beated to the carburetting vessel, so that heat is
conducted to the shell of the latter, or to its interior, by means of a metal tube or
rod extending into it. The heated gas entering the carburetting vessel which is
thus heated by conduction takes up a quantity of the hydrocarbon in the form
of vapour, which causes it to burn with great brilliancy. The apparatus may be
varied in form to suit various arrangements and numbers of burners. For example,
when the gas for a single burner has to be enriched I place the burner at the side
of the carburetting vessel, and over its flame I place a heater which may either be
a hollow metal chamber or a coil of pipe projecting from the side of the carburetting

page_text: vessel. I cause the gas on its way to the carburetting vessel to pass through this
heater, which performs the double function of heating the gas in its passage and
giving heat to the carburetting vessel by conduction. Several burners may be
arranged around the carburetting vessel, each acting in a similar way. For a
group of burners arranged above the carburetting vessel I construct the apparatus
as follows:-A metal pipe of considerable size extends down into the carburetting
vessel, the part of the pipe within the vessel having lateral apertures. This pipe
extends above the burners, spreading out into a coil or into a form resembling an
inverted bell, so as to present an extended surface over the flames. The gas passes
through this coil or widened part of the pipe, being by suitable deflectors caused to
flow along its interior surface, which may be increased in extent by ribs or
corrugations. The gas thus heated is led by an internal tube down into the
carburetting vessel, where it becomes mingled with hydrocarbon vapour generated
in the vessel, partly by the heat conducted down the pipe, and partly by the heat
of the gas itself, and the gas thus enriched is led up the pipe to the burners. In
order to regulate the amount of carburation of the gas passing to the burners the
tube conveying the gas into the carburetting vessel may be provided with a
suitable cock and by-pass, so that more or less of the gas may be made to pass
directly to the burners without passing through the carburetting vessel. In some
cases where it is inconvenient to place the heater over the flames of the enriched
gas it may be heated by separate flames.
Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections in planes at right angles to each other, and
Fig. 3 is a plan of carburetting apparatus suitable for enriching the gas supplied
to a single burner. A is the carburetting vessel, which may be of globular or
other desired form, and which is charged with a quantity of the hydrocarbon
introduced through a hole at the top provided with a screw cap B. At the bottom
of the vessel is a tapered nozzle C which can be inserted in a conical socket at the
mouth of a gas supply pipe, and in this nozzle there is a regulating cock D by which
the flow of gas can be directed more or less into either of the two pipes E and F,
according as the cock is turned in the one direction or the other. From the side
of the vessel A projects a hollow compartment G, with the interior of which both
the pipes E and F communicate. From this compartment a pipe H extends down-
wards to supply the burner I which is situated at some distance below G; also
two pipes K. and L extend from G to the upper part of the carburetting vessel,
having their mouths directed somewhat downwards. The interior of G is divided
by partitions, as shewn in Fig. 3. The gas issuing from the burner I being lighted
the compartment G becomes heated, and a considerable part of the heat is conducted
to the vessel A, heating its contents and vaporising a portion of them. At the
same time, if the cock D be turned so as to direct the gas entirely into the pipe E,
the gas flows by this pipe around the interior of G, becomes heated, and ascends
the pipe K into the upper part of A, and the hot gas playing on the surface of the
hydrocarbon assists its vaporisation and takes up a quantity of its vapour. The
mixed gas and vapour descends by the pipe L into the central part of G, and thenco.
by the pipe H to the burner I. When the gas is found to be too highly carburretted
the cock D is turned so that a portion of the gas, or the whole of it, is directed
into the pipe F, by which it passes to the central part of G, and thence to the
burner without passing through the vessel A. Several burners may be arranged
around the vessel A. A group of burners may also be arranged above the
carburetting vessel by adopting the construction of which Fig. 4 is a vertical
section. In this case the burners I are supplied from a central tube M which
descends nearly to the bottom of the carburetting vessel A, and which has lateral
perforations at m. Above the flames the gas supply pipe C spreads out so as to
present an extended surface, which may be corrugated or made with externally
projecting ribs, as shewn by the sectional plan, Fig. 5, so that it may take up &
large portion of the heat of the products of combustion passing it. The interior
of the expanded pipe is also filled nearly up with a hollow block N, so as to cause
the gas to pass in a thin film or in small streams close to the heated metal. A

page_text: pipe O leads the gas down to a regulating cock D, which can direct it in greater or
less quantity into either of two pipes E and F, the one opening into the upper
part of the vessel A, and the other opening into the tube M above, the apertures m.
In this apparatus heat is conducted down the tube M to the hydrocarbon, and such of
the heated gas as is directed by the cock D into the pipe E plays on the surface of
the hydrocarbon, mixing with vapour thereof, and the mixture passing through the
holes m proceeds to the burners. By turning as required the cock D, more or less
of the gas can be directed along the pipe F so as to proceed direct to the burners
without passing through the vessel A. When it is desired to arrange the burners
at a distance from the central tube, as indicated in Fig. 6 at 1¹, separate small
flames of gas may be employed, as indicated at P to heat the expanded pipe. It
is of advantage to cover the carburetting vessel by non-conducting material, so as
to prevent loss of heat and to protect the contents from the influence of cold currents
of air. A wick W may be wound round the tube M.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I make no general claim to enriching
gas by admixture of hydrocarbon vapour therewith, nor to carburetting apparatus
in which the hydrocarbon vapour is generated by heat conducted from the gas
flame, but I claim in respect of apparatus for enriching gas by admixture of
hydrocarbon vapour therewith,--
First. The construction, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2;
and 3; according to which the bydrocarbon is vaporised partly by the heat
conducted to the carburetting vessel, and partly by the heat of a regulated portion
of the gas heated on its way to the carburetting vessel.
Second. The construction, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4, 5,
and 6, according to which the gas to be enriched being heated, a regulated portion
of it is passed through the carburetting vessel on its way to the burners.
İn witness whereof, I, the said James Livesey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
TAMOO TREEV