IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- ,FACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Dickie, of, Kilwinning, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
,FACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS."
}
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Dickie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
June 1867.
I, GEORGE DICKIE, of Kilwinning, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS," to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the obtainment of illuminating gas from
oils, more especially those of the mineral hydrocarbon class.
In carrying out this Invention, the oil or oils to be converted into gas are
admitted into a highly heated retort, tube, or other vessel, the temperature of
which at once causes the conversion of the oil into a permanent gas of high
illuminating power, and as the illuminating power is too high for ordinary
purposes this may be diminished by adding to the gas a portion of super-
heated steam or by vaporizing some water along with the oil, and the volume
may be still further increased by mixing with the water a proportion of zinc

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Dickie in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the
21st December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DICKIE, of Kilwinning, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Dickie, Her special license that 1, the said George Dickie,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Dickie, my executors, administrators, or 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Dickie, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is 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 George Dickie, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the obtainment of illuminating gas
from oils, more especially those of the mineral hydrocarbon class.
In carrying out this Invention, the oil or oils to be converted into gas are
admitted into a highly heated retort, tube, or other vessel, the temperature
of which at once causes the conversion of the oil into a permanent gas of high
illuminating power.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now
"proceed more particularly to- set forth the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
reference being had to the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which; I hereunto
have appended.)
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a gas work, with one
retort specially constructed for the manufacture of gas from hydrocarbon
oils.
X077
The retort A is built into the furnace B, and the pipe C connects the
retorts A, and the bydraulic main D which is connected by the pipe E to the
purifier F; the pipe G connects the purifier to the gasholder H, which is
suspended in the tank I in the usual manner; M. is, the oil tank connected
to the retort by the pipe N, which passes about half way up the retort, and
is perforated on the upper side.
The mode of operating with the apparatus is as follows:-The fire having
been lighted in the furnace under the retort, the cock O is opened, and the oil
passes from the tank M into the retort A by the pipe N; the quantity of oil
is regulated so that it may be evaporated and pass out by the perforations in
the pipe N in the form of gas without any of the oil overflowing into the
retort. The gas
is superheated as it passes through the retort to the pipe C..
by which it is conveyed to the hydraulic main D, from which it is conveyed by
the pipe E to the purifyer F, and thence to the gasholder by the pipe G.
What I consider to be the novel feature of my Invention is the use of
small retorts, by preference made of malleable iron raised to such a tem-
perature as will produce from 80 to 120 cubic feet of gas from one gallon of
oil. I find that if a greater quantity of gas than 120 feet per gallon is pro-
duced it loses in illuminating power. By using such retorts raised to a higher
temperature than can be safely employed with other retorts at present in use,
I am enabled to produce large quantities of gas in a shorter time, and with a
less expenditure of fuel than hitherto obtained, thus enabling the production
of illuminating gas from mineral hydrocarbon oils to be carried on more
economically than hitherto.
Having now described the nature my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First, the production of illuminating gas by evaporating mineral hydro-
carbon oils in retorts or vessels, as herein-before described.

page_text: Second, the construction of retorts having internal tubes for the purpose
of producing illuminating gas from mineral hydrocarbons, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Dickie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
GEORGE DICKIE. (L.s.)"
Witness,
JOHN BROWN,
Clerk to, Messrs. J. H. Johnson & Day,
Patent Agents,
166, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.