THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED GAS, AND THE 19 PROVISIONAL SP
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julin Dixon, of 266, Church Street, Richmond, in the
County of Bourke, in the Colony of Victoria, but at present also of 15, Water
Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, in England, Gas Engineer, for
an Invention of "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED GAS, AND THE
19
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dixon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1881.
JOHN DIXON, of 266, Church Street, Richmond, in the County of Bourke, in
the Colony of Victoria, but at present also of 15, Water Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, in England, Gas Engineer. "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN
IMPROVED GAS, AND THE APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREIN EMPLOYED."
My Invention relates to the production of improved gas for illuminating purposes
by the decomposition or dissolution of the component parts or constituents of
certain metals, or alloys of metals, earths, or earthy bases, or mixtures of earths
or carthy bases, acids, or mixtures of acids, carbon, and hydrocarbon substances, or
liquids or other chemical substances, especially the salts of alkalis and alkaline
earths, the dissolution of the substances being caused by heat in the manner herein-
after described.
It has long been known that certain chemical substances when strongly heated
produce flames of peculiar colours, which when blended together produce a white
light. Thus, for instance, sodium compounds colour the flame an intense yellow,
whilst potassium salts tinge the flanic violet. In like manner other chemical
substances produce other colours, the blending of which together can be made to
produce a white light.
The following are the particulars of certain stock or chemical mixtures employed,
according to my Invention, in the manufacture of gas, which are referred to in the
formule or receipts hereafter mentioned. In preparing the stock it is essential
that the scales, weights, and all utensils should be thoroughly and chemically clean,
as the quality of the gas produced greatly depends upon great care being used in

page_text: preparing the mixtures and keeping all the apparatus used clean. There should be
no water, or moisture, or damp where the chemicals or ingredients are being mixed.
In order to form
1

page_text: them together.
Stock No. 2 will not keep without deteriorating unless hermetically sealed, but
Stock No. 2 and Stock No. 3 combined will keep safely in a glass or porcelain
stoppered vessel. Care must be taken not to handle the mercury compound. An
iron ladle may be used for mixing the several ingredients. When No. 2 and
No. 3 are mixed together they are then mixed with No. 1, and kept ready for use
in a suitably closed air tight vessel.
In carrying out my Invention I use retorts which may be of a construction
similar to or only slightly differing from those used in ordinary gas works.
Preferably I use an earthenware retort with an iron lining, or iron retorts may
be used. These retorts are charged at requisite intervals with certain mixtures
hereinafter mentioned, consisting of metals, alloys of metals, metallic earths,
silicious earths, carbon, hydrocarbons, alkalis, alkaline earths, and other chemical
substances, such mixtures being defined in the following formule or receipts.
What I term Charge No. 1 is composed of the following component parts
compounded or mixed together as described. It is important that the scales and
weights used be chemically clean.

page_text: The mixture so formed is ground in a mortar with a pestle, and then there is added
Black oxide of manganese
5,760
-
Charge No. 2, which may in some cases be substituted for Charge No. 1, is thus
made:
E
is composed of the following component parts compounded or mixed together, as
described, being intermingled or held in suspension by a vehicle, such as kerosine,
petroleum, naptha, or turpentine. Kerosine is the best, and it can be recovered by
distillation :-
Take of bismuth
Add antimony
And sodium
And tin
-
-
3 (dissolved by nitric acid).
1 (dissolved in hot hydrochloric acid).
1 (held in kerosine).
4 (dissolved in nitric acid).
Mix all the above, and evaporate to dryness, then add of Stock No. 1 and
of Stocks Nos. 2 and 3, and to this add kerosine to any required extent, and
put this flux mixture into the retort supplier, from whence it is injected inter-
mittently into the retorts. The retorts and their contents should be heated to
not less than a cherry red heat to give the proper quantity and quality of the gas;
the best working heat for the flux mixture for injection is 80 degrees, if under 50
it is very lazy, if over 100 it is volatile.
Gas of a greatly improved character, as compared with that ordinarily used, is
then generated, and it will be found very suitable for being used as illuminating
gas for lighting purposes.
After generation in the retorts the gas is led through a pipe or main answering
to the hydraulic main of ordinary gas works, and the condensed vehicle is led to
a recoverer. The function of this recoverer is to extract as far as possible the
kerosine or other vehicle used in the retort supplier.
The gas is led from the main to a purifier consisting of a series of network or
fine meshed filters which are formed of wire network sieves covered with red oxide
of iron one part, hydrate of lime five parts, mixed well together and spread lightly
over the sieves about an inch thick, entering the purifier at the bottom and
issuing from the top; the gas is then led to and stored in a gasometer of any
suitable construction, such as those used in ordinary gas works, from whence it is
supplied through mains for general use.
I would define my improved gas to be a metallic gas derived from the dissolution
of ingredients such as those contained in the beforegoing formula.
I have found that gas produced by my Invention is of a dry nature and nearly
-incondensible, and is not affected by extreme cold.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Dixon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December
1881.
JOHN DIXON, of 266, Church Street, Richmond, in the County of Bourke, in
the Colony of Victoria, but at present also of 15, Water Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, in England, Gas Engineer. "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN
IMPROVED GAS, AND THE APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREIN EMPLOYED."
My Invention relates to the production of improved gas for illuminating
purposes by the decomposition or dissolution of the component parts or con-
stituents of certain metals or alloys of metals, earths, or carthy bases, or mixtures
of earths or earthy bases, acids, or mixtures of acids, carbon, and hydrocarbon
substances or liquids, or other chemical substances, especially the salts of alkalis
and alkaline earths, the dissolution of the substances being caused by heat in the
manner hereinafter described.
It has long been known that certain chemical substances when strongly hented
produce flames of peculiar colours, which when blended together produce a white
light. Thus, for instance, sodium compounds colour the flame an intense yellow,
whilst potassium salts tinge the flame violet. In like manner other chemical
substances produce other colours, the blending of which together can be made to.
produce a white light.
The following are the particulars of certain stock or chemical mixtures employed,
according to my Invention, in the manufacture of gas, which are referred to in
the formulae or receipts hereafter mentioned. In preparing the stock it is essential
that the scales, weights, and all utensils should be thoroughly and chemically clean,
as the quality of the gas produced greatly depends upon great care being used in
preparing the mixtures and keeping all the apparatus used clean. There should
be no water, or moisture, or damp where the chemicals or ingredients are being
mixed.
T

page_text: Pour Stock No. 3, as soon as mixed, into Stock No. 2, and thorough amalgamato
them together.
"
Stock No. 2 will not keep without deteriorating unless hermetically sealed, but
Stock No. 2 and Stock No. 3 combined will keep safely in a glass or porcelain
stoppered vessel. Care must be taken not to handle the mercury compound. Any
suitable vessel may be used for mixing the several ingredients. When No. 2 and
No. 3 are mixed together they are then mixed with No. 1 and kept ready for use
in a suitably closed air tight vessel..
In carrying out my Invention I use retorts, which may be of a construction
similar to or only slightly differing from those used in ordinary gas works, but the
retort must be air tight. Preferably I use an earthen ware retort with an iron
lining, or iron retorts may be used. These retorts are charged at requisite intervals
with certain mixtures, hereinafter mentioned, consisting of metals, alloys of metals,
metallic earths, silicious carths, carbon, hydrocarbons, alkalis, alkaline earths, and
other chemical substances, such mixtures being defined in the following formulae
or receipts.
What term Charge No. 1 is composed of the following component parts
compounded or mixed together as described. It is important that the scales and
weights used be chemically clean.
Total
2,432
Mix these ingredients well together, and add 8949 parts of Stock No. 1 and
45 parts of Stocks Nos. 2 and 3.
The retort Charge No. 1 or No. 2 is put into a retort of the construction
hereinafter set forth, and there are supplied to it intermittently mixtures which I
term flux mixtures, which are fed in from a vessel which I terin a retort supplier.
This vessel is placed at a convenient height above the retorts. The mixtures, which
are of the nature of fluxes, will be hereinafter described.

page_text: Papina, or turpentine.
distillation.
Take of bismuth
Add antimony
And sodium
And tin
-
-
•
-
Kerosine is the best, and it can be recovered by
-
3 (dissolved by nitric acid).
1 (dissolved in hot hydrochloric acid).
1 (hold in kerosine).
4 (in nitric acid).
Mix all the above and evaporate to dryness, then add 2 of Stock No. 1 and
of Stocks Nos. 2 and 3, and to this add kerosine to any required extent, and put
this flux mixture into the retort supplier, from whence it is injected intermittently
into the retorts, as hereinafter shown. The retorts and their contents should be
heated to not less than a cherry red heat, to give the proper quantity and quality
of the gas. The best working heat for the flux mixture for injection is 80 degrees
Fahrenheit; if under 50 it is very lazy, if over 100 it is volatile.
Gas of a greatly improved character, as compared with that ordinarily used, is
then generated, and it will be found very suitable for being used as illuminating
gns for lighting purposes.
After generation in the retorts the gas is led through a pipe or main answering
to the hydraulic main of ordinary gas works, and the condensed vehicle is led to a
recoverer. The function of this recoverer is to extract as far as possible the
kerosine or other vehicle used in the retort supplier. The gas is led from the
main to a purifier, consisting of a series of network or fine meshed filters, which
are formed of wire network sieves covered with red oxide of iron one part,
hydrate of lime five parts, mixed well together and spread lightly over the sieves
about an inch thick. Entering the purifier at the bottom and issuing from the top
the gas is then led to and stored in a gasometer of any suitable construction such
as those used in ordinary gas works, from whence it is supplied through mains for
general use.
I would define my improved gas to be a metallic gas derived from the dissolution
of ingredients such as those contained in the beforegoing formulae.
I have found that gas produced by my Invention is of a dry nature and nearly
incondensible, and is not effected by extreme cold.
I will now proceed to more particularly described and illustrate how the gas,
according to my Invention, is produced, and for that purpose I havo hereunto
attached five Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, which are marked with letters
and figures of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation,
like letters and figures being used to denote the same or corresponding parts
throughout the various views and Figures.

page_text: Figure 13 is a sectional elevation of a retort constructed according to my
Invention.
Figure 14 is a detail of injection nozzle, shown at Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a side elevation partly in section of a supplier cistern and valves
ccording to my Invention.
First. In the carrying out of my Invention I use retorts such as A, which aro
set in a retort bench A, as shown in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. For detail of
retort A, see Figure 13. The retort A, shown, is an carthenware retort with
an iron lining. The retorts A are charged to about one third of their depth
with one of the retort charges, as previously set forth, which I call the primary
charge.
Second. In the carrying out of my Invention I use retort suppliers or cisterns F,
which are located above the retort bench A', as shown at Figures 8 and 9. For
detail of retort suppliers or cisterns F, sec Figures 15, 16, and 17. The cistern F
is by preference lined with lead or other non corrosive substance, and contains
certain of the more powerful of my agents, as previously set forth; for examplo,
the cisterns contain the flux mixture as specified, which I call the secondary
charge.
The supplier cisterns F communicate with the retorts A by means of the pipes E.
In the example shown, the retorts A are double ended, and the pipes E enter tho
retorts at each end, where they are provided with injection nozzles E', see detail,
Figure 14, and retort detail, Figure 13. The nozzle E' is preferably coated with a
fire resisting muffle, such as plumbago or asbestos. Reference to Figures 15, 16, 17,
and 18, it will be seen that at the junction of the pipes E to the cisterns F, the
pipes E are provided with stop cocks G and with valves E. The valves El are
mounted on the spindles I, which work in the guides I". The valves E¹¹ are actuated
by the cams J on the shafts J' by the cams J lifting the spindles I through the
tappets I. The shafts J' are driven by the gearing J, J The valves Ell are
used to give an intermittent supply of the materials in the cisterns F to the retorts A.
The retorts A are provided with the uptake pipes B having the throttle valves B₁
and the stop valves B, and being provided with suitable cleaning doors, as shown.
The uptake pipes B deliver into the mains C, which are provided with water
jackets, as shown. H is a pipe leading from the mains C to the apparatus
illustrated in Figures 19 and 20, which is used for recovering the kerosine or
vehicle that condenses in the mains C. The mains C are provided with the
pipes D, which lead the gas from the mains C to the purifiers N, which are
constructed as shown at Figures 21 and 22, and hereafter described.
The recoverer, illustrated at Figures 19 and 20, consists of a tank K, into which
all liquor and residue condensed and deposited from the gas in the mains C is led
by the pipe H. K' is a cock for drawing off the heavier residue. The lighter
residue or kerosine overflows from the tank K through the pipe H into tho
vessel L which is stean jacketted, and which evaporates the liquor or forms it into
vapour, which passes through the pipe H into the coil H in the vessel M. The
vapour is condensed in the coil H by cold water being kept constantly circulating
through the vessel M. The condensed liquid in the coil H runs into the
chamber M, from whence it can be again pumped through the pipe to the
supplier cisterns F, F, as will be understood. The residuum can be withdrawn

page_text: from the vessel L through the cock L', and with the residuum drawn from the
vessel K can be again placed in the retorts at suitable times.
The purifier, illustrated at Figures 21 and 22 consists of a vessel N having a
water sealed cover N¹ and purifying trays N", formed of wire network coverod
with the filtering medium N, consisting of red oxide of iron and hydrate of lime
mixed well together. The gas from the inain D enters the purifier N at the
bottom, passes through the filtering medium, and passes from the purifier through
the pipe D' to the gasometer, illustrated at Figure 6. N is a drain pipe with
cock.
In the operation of my Invention the retorts A with their primary charge are
brought to a cherry red beat by gaseous fuel or coal in the retort furnaces, as will
be understood. The secondary or intermittent charge is injected through the
pipes E and nozzles E' into the retorts A. Gas is generated and passes through
the pipes B into the mains C where it is cooled, and the liquid forming the vehicle
is separated or condensed from the gas, which then passes through the pipe D,
purifier N, and pipe D' to the gasometer, from whence it can be led for use through
mains like ordinary coal gas. The liquid condensed in the hydraulic mains C is
led through the recoverer, as before stated.
Having now described my Invention, and practically illustrated how the same
may be put into operation, I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Lotters
Patent,-
First. Gonerating illuminating gas from metals, earths, earthy bases, acids,
carbon and hydrocarbon substances or liquids, and other chemicals such as herein
defined, by subjecting such materials or some of them to a cherry red heat in
closed retorts and intermittently injecting mixtures such as are above mentioned,
conveyed in solution by kerosine or other equivalent as a vehicle, as herein
described and as shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. Generating illuminating gas from hydrocarbon liquids such as kerosine
in combination with certain metals, carths, earthy bases, acids, carbon, or other
chemicals such as herein defined, by the chemical heat resulting from the combining
of such ingredients or some of them in closed retorts, subjected to a cherry red
heat, as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. The use in the manufacture of gas of the several mixtures for the primary
charge of the retorts, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The use in the manufacture of gas of the secondary charge, substantially
as herein described.
Fifth. Recovering the vehicle, such as kerosine, used in the generation of
illuminating gas, as herein set forth, by extracting such kerosine from the gas
in the hydraulic or first main, and afterwards distilling and reusing the vehicle
and the residuary products, as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Sixth. The construction and arrangement of retorts used for generating gas, as
herein described and shown in the Figures or series of Figures in the Drawings
hereto annexed, that is to say, in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
Seventh. The construction and arrangement of retort supplier cisterns, and the
connection and combination of such retort supplier cisterns with the retorts, as
herein described and shown in the Figures or series of Figures in the Drawings
hereto annexed, that is to say, in Figures 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Dixon, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one