IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR COMODAMENOM Rouva GAS FROM HYDRO-CARBON FLUIDS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, E., C., Editor of the Mechanics' Magazine and
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR
COMODAMENOM Rouva GAS FROM HYDRO-CARBON FLUIDS."-A communi-
Sealed the 27th July 1858, and dated the 1st February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st February 1858.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E. C., Editor of the Mechanics' Magazine and Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BURNERS FOR GENERATING AND BURNING GAS; FROM HYDRO-CARBON FLUIDS," (a
communication from a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as follows
This Invention is for improvements in self-generating gas burners, the object
of which is to burn hydro-carbon fluids, such as camphine, naphtha, &c.,
without the necessity of employing wicks or chimneys, or requiring, that the
said fluids shall be diluted with alcohol. By means of the said improvements
the form of flame produced is that of the ordinary "bats-wing" character.
This light is styled the "vesper burner," and the principle consists in, firstly,
diluting the gas, as it issues from the discharge orifice, with a certain proportion
of atmospheric air, before being consumed; secondly, in a means for controlling

page_text: the admission of the air; and, thirdly, in the adaptation of adjustable heat
conductors, whereby the amount of heat necessary for. resolving the fluid into
gas may be adjusted to accord with the quantity of gas consumed. *
At a is the body of the burner, consisting of a tube open at the bottom as
at b, and also at its top, which is formed into a long or slotted opening a¹;
this tube rests upon a base c, from which the jet of vaporized hydro-carbon
issues through an opening c³, so as to ascend in the centre of the burner tube.
Through the base piece is a screw plug d, having at its upper end a needle
point as shewn. This is for the purpose of closing the jet orifice to regulate
the flow of gas, as well as to shut it off, the needle point serving to keep the
hole clear at all times. At e is another screw plug, placed in the side of the
burner; this serves to regulate the admission of atmospheric air through b.
The heat for producing and maintaining the vaporization of the fluid is ob-
tained from the gas-light itself acting upon two metallic conductors, so con-
structed as to be capable of receiving more or less heat, and thereby governing
the rate of vaporization accordingly. These conductors are in the form of
bows, as seen at i, and are attached to the burner on each side, and near the
top of the jet aperture, standing parallel therewith. The flame therefore
passes up between the bows without being interfered with, the heat radiating
from each side of the jet.
The operation is as follows:-The camphine (or other fluid, as may be,)
flows through the pipe o, from its fountain or reservoir, placed above the jet
opening c¹; alcohol being then poured into the cup p and lighted, the burner
is soon heated up sufficiently to vaporize the fluid, the plug d being screwed
out opens the orifice c', and allows the vapor to escape. This ascending
through the tube a, issues from a¹, and takes fire. The ascending jet of vapor
causes a current of air to set in the same direction, the latter entering through
the opening b, and by the degree of opening of the screw e, the proper quantity
is allowed to pass to dilute the hydro-carbon vapor sufficiently to prévent
smoke, and also to govern the intensity of the flame. The gas is, in fact,
governed by the two screws d and e, and the necessary heat is secured chiefly
by means of the conductors i. To regulate the degree of heat conducted by
them to the base of the burner, they are to be bent either toward or from the
flame, according to circumstances. When once properly set for generating
enough gas for the full light, no further regulation is required, for if the flame
is lowered, less heat is produced in a like ratio.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E. C.
Editor of the Mechanics' Magazine and Patent Agent, send greeting.
וי
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 BURNERS FOR GENERATING AND BURNING GAS FROM. HYDRO-
CARBON FLUIDS," (a communication,) upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Richard Archibald Broomau, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto.
annexed, that is to say:
This Invention is for improvements in self-generating gas burners, and is
intended for employing hydro-carbon fluids, such as camphene, naphtha, and
like fluids for producing light without the necessity of employing wicks or
chimneys or requiring that the fluids be diluted with alcohol.
The first part of the said Invention consists in attaching to the burner heat
conductors, which are capable of being adjusted so as to vary and regulate the
proper amount of heat to be produced in the burner, to maintain the due.
vaporization of the hydro-carbon fluid without interfering with the flame.

page_text: The second part consists in an improved method of regulating the admission
of atmospheric air in the mixing tube, whereby the proper diluting of hydro-
carbon vapor is accomplished in a ready manner near the place of its com-
bustion; thirdly, in an improved construction and working of the valve for
regulating the flow of the gas-making material to the burner.
the
passage
The bottom
The body of the burner consists of a straight tube, as seen at a, having its
upper end flattened and arched over, and otherwise shaped to form a deep slot
through which the gas and air are to issue and be consumed in a flat flame
similar to that known as the "bats-wing" in the coal gas burners. The com-
parative size of aperture is, however, quite different, which difference is
rendered necessary by reason of the much larger volume of gas and air which
pass in my kind of-burner, the shape of said slot being seen at 6. The bottom
of the tube a is closed with the exception of a very small hole for
of the vapor generated from the camphene or other fluid used.
forms the seat of the valve for regulating the flow of said material, and has a
hole made conical beneath, as seen at c; Figure 1. At d are two air holes;
situate at the base of the burner, as shown. My improved heat conductors
are shown in an end and a side view, as at e; each consists of a bow of metal
(and copper wire is a suitable material from which to make them), having its
two ends brought down and bent so as to lie together, thus forming the part
for attaching the conductor to the tube of the burner, which attachment may
be effected by brazing. A pair of conductors so formed is thus fastened on
opposite sides of the orifice, and so that they will stand parallel thereto and to
each other, or nearly so, the top of the bows rising above the level of the
orifice b, about two thirds or three-quarters of their diameter. The gas when
ignited will burn in a thin stratum between the said conductors although
extending out beyond them. It will be seen, therefore, that they receive heat
from both sides of the flame, and conduct the same down the tube. The
mode of regulating the amount of heat (which in this kind of burner requires
nicety of adjustment) is by bending the tops of the bows toward or away from
the flame, thereby obtaining more or less according to its contiguity thereto.
The mixing of the vapor with air in certain proportions is necessary in order
to be able to make the combustion so complete as to prevent the deposit of
carbon. This mixing must be in certain proportions, the character of the
flame being determined by it. I employ a screw plug or stop i, the adjusting
of which will regulate the amount of air which may be mixed with the spirit
vapor, and which will effect the light, as above stated. I sometimes employ
an adjustable tube of wire gauze or other perforated material at or near the
aperture for the admission of air. The maintenance of a very small aperture

page_text: in the bottom c is of prime necessity in order to insure correct working, for
in no case must there be allowed to pass above a certain quantity of vapor
from which, as a maximum, the opening must be governed to regulate the
various degrees of flow. Two things are requisite, the one is, that the
opening shall be preserved free from obstructions to which on account of its
small size it is liable, becoming sometimes clogged either with incrustation, or
dust, or both; and the other is to guard against the seat of the screw valve
becoming unduly enlarged. The first of these is accomplished by having the
point of the stopper or valve so sharp as to cause it to pass entirely through
the hole at each time of closing off the gas, so that on being the next time
withdrawn a clear hole shall always be left; but as this valve is liable to.be
constantly screwed hard on its seat, it must of necessity soon wear a larger
hole, which would damage the burner; to prevent this is the object of. the
third feature of this Invention. At o is the screw plug or valve, having a
tapering head to fit the conical seat c, as shewn in Figure 1. At the bottom
the screw is turned by a button r and cup 1. The length of the screw is such
that .so soon as the valve is fairly in its seat its further progress shall be
arrested by the bottom of the cup striking against the bottom of the tube
at a¹; thus the force applied to the screw by a careless operator is harmless,
being received upon the said end at..
The operation will be as follows:-The burner is to be attached to the
pipe-t leading to the reservoir of camphene or other suitable fluid, which
reservoir should be elevated a proper distance above the discharge aperture c
to get a due pressure. The tube a, together with the bottom c and part of t
where it joins, must be in the first place heated to the necessary degree to
vaporize the fluid; this is readily done by causing a bent fold of wire gauze
saturated with alcohol to nip the bottom of the tube, and setting fire to it so
soon as heat is generated, unscrew the valve from c by the button r, and at
the same time apply a light at b, which will ignite the vapor. If i is closed,
there will still be a passage for vapor and air, but the proportion of the latter
will be too small in that position to prevent smoke; it is therefore to be
unscrewed until the color of the flame is as bright as wanted, and until the
smoke ceases; several shades of flame may thus be obtained, vizt, from a dingy
yellow up to a bright white light, which latter of course indicates complete
combustion of all the elements. As the vapor passes through c in a strong jet
it induces an upward current in the tube a, and this is the cause of air
entering at d; as the stop i is closed, the force of this upward current is
checked, and thus less or more air is made to enter d, according to the position
of that stop. The amount of light is also dependant upon the quantity of

page_text: vapor allowed to pass c; the opening of the stop o is therefore equivalent to
the opening of an ordinary gas-cock, since it regulates the consumption of the
material.
The adjustable conductors act to maintain the required heat in the tubes,
which must be enough to keep the bottom also so hot as to resolve the oil into
vapor as fast but no faster than is needed for the maximum light, because an
excess of heat deteriorates the materials. The adjustment is nicely obtained
by bending the side conductors to or from the flame; as before stated, whereby
this result is readily accomplished. By regulating for the maximum amount
of light, all light less than that may be governed in proportion.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to
the shape of heat conductors shewn in the annexed Drawings, as it is obvious
that the shape may be variously altered; neither do I limit myself to the
connecting of them to the burner tube at any particular point; I declare, also,
that I do not confine myself to the particular regulator for air to the burner,
as many forms of air regulators or valves may be employed with equally
beneficial results.
I claim, first, the employment of adjustable heat conductors attached to the
burner tube, for the purpose of generating gas from hydro-carbon fluids, as
hérein-before described.
Second, the construction of valve and stop for the spindle thereof for
regulating the flow of gas into the burner tube.
And, third, I claim the employment, in combination with the gas-flow
regulating valve, of a regulator for governing the supply or quantity of air to
flow up to the burner.
. In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.