IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick William Colls at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1876.
FREDERICK WILLIAM COLLS, of Erith, in the County of Kent.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND LIGHTING, AND IN THE APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My Invention relates to certain improvements on my former Patent, dated
April 28th, 1873, No. 1533, for the manufacture of gas for heating and lighting,
and in the apparatus to be employed therein, the object being to produce gas from
chalk or carbonate of lime in combination with superheated steam and hydrocarbon
or other oil or spirit and coke or charcoal or other carbonaceous materials, and in
some instances metal.
I propose to use gas retorts either vertical or horizontal, one of which is to be
charged with chalk or limestone, and a second or carburetting retort is to be charged
with charcoal or coke or any other carbonaceous materials, and the two retorts are
to be connected by a suitable pipe.
In some instances I purpose to use a third retort, through which the combined
gases are passed.
At a short distance from the retorts I fix a tank or reservoir containing hydro-
carbon or other oil or spirit, and connected by a pipe with one of the gas retorts.
A suitable syphon gauge is to be applied to the tank to regulate the supply, another
pipe is connected with one of the retorts to supply superheated steam to it.
outlet pipe from the carbon retort is connected to the chamber, and thence to the
gasholder.
An
Heat is applied to the retorts by means of suitable furnaces, and when it is
sufficiently high a small stream of oil or spirit is supplied to the retort, at the same
time superheated steam is admitted, and the exhauster put into action.
The result is as follows:-The oil or spirit with the superheated steam in passing
through the retorts with carbonic acid generated from the chalk becomes decom-
posed; the carbonic acid is converted into carbonic oxide, and the steam into
hydrogen; the whole combined being carburetted hydrogen and carbonic oxide
gas of a highly illuminating power, and free from sulphur and ammonia impurities.
When coal is used for gas making by the usual process, as soon as the illumi-
nating gas is exhausted and non-illuminating gas is made, I cause superheated
steam and hydrocarbon oil; or other oil or spirit, to pass into one of the retorts,
which is to be connected with a second retort and sometimes with a third, and a

page_text: pure illuminating gas will be produced equal in volume and superior in quality to
that already obtained from the coal.
In practice, I construct a furnace with a bench of retorts (two or three retorts
being connected with each as required) to be supplied with chalk or carbonate of
lime, and carbonaceous materials or metal respectively, the retorts being con-
structed so as to afford the greatest possible amount of heating surface. Near the
retorts a boiler is fixed, in which steam is generated, and a pipe therefrom is
connected to a superheating apparatus set in a furnace, the steam from which is
conveyed by tubes into the retorts, which being charged are separately connected
to a main which conveys the products to an exhauster and condenser and purifier,
and thence to the gasholder.
The superheated steam enters the retorts by means of a pipe, and passes through
or over the carbonaceous matters, and is converted into carbonic oxide and hydrogen
gas.