IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew. Wanchope, Esq., of Niddric, in the
☐ County of Edinburgh, and John Cowan, of 30, Park Avenue,
Sandymount, in the County of Dublin, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION-left by the said Andrew Wanchope and
John Cowan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 17th April 1874.
We, ANDREW WANCHOPE, Esq., of Niddrie, in the County of
Edinburgh, and JOHN COWAN, of 30, Park Avenue, Sandymount, in
the County of Dublin, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of gas from coal
and other substances of the same nature, or from mineral oils at the
same time and with the same apparatus as and by means of the surplus
of waste heat derived from-the-manufacture of lime. In order to

page_text: accomplish this object we use a lime kiln of suitable construction, size
varying according to requirements. We form the kiln of bricks and of
other suitable materials. The retorts or retort extends through the kiln
from back to front, and are supported in their place by blocks of fire-
bricks from the sides or similar means.
In the retort the manufacture of gas is carried on in the ordinary
way by means of the heat given off during the calcining of the lime.
The gas may be made either in the ordinary way with coal alone or
the mineral oil may be mixed with it.
In the upper part of the kiln and immediately under the retorts is a
door or doors, by which the kiln is fed, and on either side a small
opening for cleaning the retort, and at the bottom of the kiln is an
opening, by which the kiln is lighted, and by which the calcined lime is
drawn out.
Our arrangement is clearly shewn in the annexed Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A, A, is the chamber of lime kiln; it is sunk to about two-thirds of
its depth in the ground, and is elliptical in horizontal section, the longer
axis being from back to front, or it may be circular; B is the containing
wall of the chamber of the lime kiln; it is built of fire-brick or stone
with a backing C of sand, and outside this there is a filling of rough
broken stone or other material arranged in a cubical form; D is a retort
of the usual kind inserted in the upper part of the kiln horizontally
from back to front, and supported by slabs of fire-brick or similar
material E. Immediately under it in the front of the kiln is an arch-
like opening, by which the kiln is fed, and two smaller openings for
poking and cleaning it. These are fitted with doors, which are closed
when not in use. These are the usual pipes in connection with a gas
retort.
The size of the apparatus may be varied. The Drawings are made to
a half inch to the foot scale.
The advantages to be derived from our system are the saving of the
1°
in the untruts sufficient cand lime being produced

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Wanchope and John Cowan in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, ANDREW
WANCHOPE, Esq., of Niddrie, in the County of Edinburgh, and JoHN
COWAN, of 30, Park Avenue, Sandymount, in the County of Dublin, send
greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Andrew Wanchope and John Cowan, Her
special license, that we, the said Andrew Wanchope and John Cowan,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Andrew Wanchope and John Cowan, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS," upon. the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Andrew Wanchope and John Cowan, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, or them, 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 John Cowan, on behalf of myself
and the said Andrew Wanchope, 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, that is to say: :-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of gas from coal
5 and other substances of the same nature, or from mineral oils by means
of the apparatus herein-after described, which is so constructed and

page_text: a retort or retorts supported as above described in the upper part of the
kiln, may be built together side by side.
The advantages to be derived from our system are the saving of the
cost of fuel for heating the retorts, sufficient good lime being produced
for that purpose.
What we claim as our improvements in the manufacture of gas is,
the construction and arrangement of the gas retort in combination with
and capable of being worked concurrently with the kiln, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cowan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.