IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING AND PURIFYING SMOKE, GASES, AND OTHER NOXIOUS VAPOURS ARISING FROM FIRE-PLACES AND FURNACES OR FROM CHEMICAL AND OTHER WORKS, AND IN RENDERING THE PRODUCTS ARISING FROM SUCH CONDENSATION AND PURIFICATION AVAILABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
RODHAM, of Gateshead, in the County of Durham, Practical Chemist, and
EDWARD ROBERT HOBLYN, of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date. at Westminster,
the Sixteenth day of December, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, did give
and grant unto us, the said Richard Rodham and Edward Robert Hoblyn, our
exors, admors, and assigns, Her special license, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that we, the said Richard Rodham and Edward Robert Hoblyn, our
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Richard Rodham and
Edward Robert Hoblyn, our exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might, make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, and Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed,
and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all;
Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING AND PURIFYING SMOKE, GASES,
AND OTHER NOXIOUS VAPOURS ARISING FROM FIRE-PLACES AND FURNACES OR FROM
CHEMICAL AND OTHER WORKS, AND IN RENDERING THE PRODUCTS ARISING FROM SUCH
CONDENSATION AND PURIFICATION AVAILABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VARIOUS
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page_text: COLOURS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said
Richard Rodham and Edward Robert Hoblyn, shall particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, to
be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Richard Rodham and Edward Robert Hoblyn, do hereby declare that the
nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed is particularly ascertained in and by the following description, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates to the construction of certain apparatus and machinery
which is to be fixed contiguous to the furnaces of the works, or the furnaces of
steam boilers, or to the apparatus, tanks, or reservoirs containing the chemical
ingredients undergoing the operation of manufacture, wherein all dense smoke,
poisonous fumes, and noxious gases arising from these furnaces and works are
conveyed, and whilst passing or being forced through such apparatus they will
undergo a thorough condensation, purification, and washing, whereby they are
rendered perfectly free from poison and all baneful and offensive properties.
It relates furthermore to the peculiar construction and adaptation of the
channels or egress passages attached to the apparatus, whereby the whole of
the precipitation resulting from the operation of condensation and purification
can be retained and prevented from being wasted and washed away.
But in order that our Invention may be better understood and more readily
carried into effect, we will at once proceed to describe the same fully with
reference to the Drawings, in which the same letters of reference denote similar
parts, when the construction of the apparatus and the arrangement and dis-
position of the machinery may be at once understood.
Fig. 1 represents the elevation; and Fig. 2, the transversed vertical section
of the apparatus and machinery; and Fig. 3, plan view of Fig. 1. A, A, is a
cylinder which may be either constructed of boiler plate and put together by
rivets, or the same may be built of brick similar to a sunken well and cased in
the interior with cement or iron as may be found the most desirable; but
whichever mode of construction might be adopted, it is essential that the
cylinder A, A, should be securely fixed by bolts or otherwise to the floor or
resting place B, B, which is shewn in the Drawing as built on arches, the use
and convenience of which will be hereafter explained; C, C, is a conical top,
which may be firmly secured to the cylinder A, A, by the flanges and nuts and

page_text: screws a, a, or by any more convenient means; D, D, represents the ascending
flue communicating to the furnace, or with the tanks or reservoirs containing
the chemical ingredients, and from which the deleterious fumes arise. Now
it may be observed that the junction of the ascending flue with the conical top
C, C, is in the widest part of the top, so that the fumes and gases immediately
on egressing from the narrow passage of the ascending flue may have abundance
of room to expand and spread, which will considerably add to the more speedy
and entire condensation and purification; E, E, is the escape passage leading
to a flue, through which passage the purified vapours pass. The bottom of this
flue or passage must be on a level or nearly so with the bottom of the cylinder
A, A; F, F, is an upright shaft which may be made of iron or other suitable
material passing through the bottom of the cylinder A, A, and resting in the
friction step or bearing b. The upper end of the shaft F, F, may be secured
and have its bearing in various ways, but is shewn in the Drawings as working
in a stuffing box c, which is furnished with a hollow cup d, partly filled with
oil, water, or any other lubricator. In order to prevent any of the fumes, gases,
or water escaping by the aperture in the cylinder bottom through which the
shaft F, F, passes, the hole is furnished with a short length of upright pipe e, e,
the upper edge of which must be carried up to a height unto which the water
in the bottom of the cylinder must never rise, as otherwise it would overflow
and run over the friction step or bearing b, and gear work underneath. f is an
inverted cup fixed to the shaft F, F, and having its lower edges dipping to a
sufficient depth into the water, as seen in section Fig. 2; in fact the arrange-
ment is in all respects similar to the well-known hydraulic joint so commonly
used.
Now the most important part of the apparatus consists in the construction of
the peculiarly shaped blades and fans which are fixed to the shaft F, F, bent,
curved, and twisted in such a manner as to act when revolving with a down-
ward exhausting action; G, G, G, G, are sheet iron fans or blades, the lower
edges of which are notched or jagged. These fans G, G, G, G, must be firmly
secured to the shaft F, F, either by bolts passing through them and the shaft,
or they may be screwed to projecting flanges which may be cast on to the shaft;
G', G', are projecting plates so fixed in the inside of the cylinder A, A, to pre-
vent the water escaping down the side thereof, and to throw it off against the
fans G, G, G, G. By referring to plan, Fig. 3, Sheet 2, it will be seen that the
fans G, G, G, G, radiate from the shaft F, F, and are all curved in the same
direction. H, HI, are pieces of wire work having the meshes about one inch or
one inch and a half, which are also fixed to the shaft F, F, and bent, twisted,
and curved in a similar manner to the sheet iron fans G, G, G, G. It is de-

page_text: sirable to place these wire work fans the last of the series, as in that place they
will better carry out the object for which they are required. We must here
remark that the top fans G, G, which are immediately opposite the opening of
the ascending flue D, D, must be concave as well as bent, twisted, and curved
--somewhat in the shape of a bowl of a spoon twisted. The fans must be so
fixed that the notched and jagged edges of the upper series must extend below
the upper edge of the next succeeding series, as will be easily seen by consulting
Fig. 2. G, Figs. 2 and 3, is a plate fixed immediately opposite the outlet of
the ascending flue D, D, but which only runs from the shaft F, F, to the sides
of the conical top C, C. The use of this plate G (which we denominate a
baffle plate) is to conduct the gases and noxious vapours against the hollow
part of the top fans G, G, and preventing their coming in contact with front
part of the fans G, G. I is a band pulley which may be fixed at any con-
venient part of that portion of the shaft which projects through the bottom of
the cylinder. It will be found desirable, when the locality will admit thereof,
to have the cylinder A, A, built on arches, as seen at Fig. 1, so as to allow suffi-
cient.room for a workman to have ready and easy access to do any work which
may be necessary to the gearing. It is useless here to describe the means which
may be employed for giving a rapid rotary motion to the shaft F, F, and fans
G, G, G, G, as that must entirely depend on the description of furnace or nature
of the chemical or other works to which it is to be applied, and also to the
nature of the power used upon the premises, for although a band pulley is
shewn in the Drawings, the same and equally successful result may be ob-
tained by two bevil wheels; but one important point must be borne in mind,
which is, that whatever mechanical arrangement and power is to be applied, it
must be such as will be capable of increasing or diminishing at pleasure the
speed of the shaft F, F, and fans G, G, G, G, as it will oftentimes be found
necessary to cause them to rotate at a very high velocity, in order to create
more draft and ebullition in the cylinder A, A. K, Fig. 1, is a water supply
pipe leading from a cistern above, or from a force pump, to which is joined an
elbow pipe L fixed to the cover of the conical top C, C; M is a safety valve
placed at the top of the water pipe K, to prevent it from bursting, should at
any time the pressure of water be stronger than the weight on the valve and
the escape of water.. 99, 9, 9, 9, 9, are cocks fixed to the horizontal elbow
pipe L, with their nozzles penetrating the top plate of the conical top C, C, as
seen better in section, Fig. 2.
Now we will endeavour to describe the means of saving and retaining the
products which result from the combined process of condensing, purifying, and
washing the contents of the cylinder. The escape passage E may be con-

page_text: structed with a number of pits or hollows for receiving the deposit or sediment,
the operation and use of which will be fully explained and made clear when the
action of the whole apparatus is described, and which is as follows; and we
shall, for example, suppose that the apparatus is in connection with the flue of a
furnace used in the manufacture of lead :-The ascending flue D, D, communi-
cating with the furnace wherein the noxious and poisonous fumes of lead are
generated, would thereby become charged with them, and on the shaft F, F,
and fans G, G, being immediately caused to rotate rapidly in the direction of
the arrow's flight (see Fig. 3), the fumes and gases would be exhausted from
the ascending flue D, D, into the cylinder A, A, and be mixed with the streams
of cold water which would be forced through the cocks g, g, g,g, g,g. Now it
is evident that the fumes and gases would enter the cylinder A, A, at the
conical top C, C, into which they would expand in a most noxious and poisonous
state, and would meet at once with the baffle plate G, and the top curved fans,
which by the rapidity of their revolutions and downward exhausting action, in
conjunction with the downward stream and rush of water would force them
downwards and intermix them with the water, when they would come in con-
tact with the second series of fans, which also by their curved form, rapidity of
revolution, and with the cold water always streaming down, would again cut up
and intermix them with the water which would constantly be washing those
fumes and gases, and carry down with it the sediment, and so on until the
fumes and gases would be drawn down to the wire work fans H, H, where
they would be effectually and most completely intermixed and thoroughly
washed and purified with the stream of water which would be continually
pouring downwards, and the whole of the noxious and' baneful portion and
property of the funies and gases would be entirely destroyed, and the fumes and
gases would ascend the open flue, and escape into the air free of any deleterious
particles, and perfectly innoxious. The sediment.would be washed away from
the cylinder with the current of water, but would run with the stream till it
arrived at the first pit or hollow E¹, Fig. 4, Sheet 2, made in the prolonged flue
E, when it would deposit itself at the bottom until that pit should be full, then
it would pass on to the next pit E³, and so on in rotation, until the whole of
the pits should be full, when they could easily be removed by the openings in
the top of the flue E³, or by any other suitable means. But various other means
equally successful may be employed for saving the deposit, as the one we have
just described, all that being required is a receptacle or receptacles for saving
the sediments and products resulting from the operation of washing, so that
they may be made available for the manufacture of various colours.
This description of apparatus may be successfully applied to all works and

page_text: factories where noxious vapours and smoke evolve from flues, chimneys, and in
fact to any stove or furnace where a considerable quantity of smoke is gene-
rated, or where mineral, metallic, or other poisonous and noxious vapours and
matters are emitted. The purified vapours can escape separately, the metallic
and other impregnated matters previously contained in the gases, smoke, and
fumes being completely separated by the continual intermixing of the fans,
and the washing of the water, and deposited in the pits as before described.
Now it is evident that from the simplicity of the apparatus and the little
space necessary for its erection, it may be admirably and most successfully
adapted to the furnaces of steam vessels, whereby the whole of the dense smoke
which is now emitted from the funnels would be entirely purified, and would
obviate the use of such a cumbersome, and unsightly appearance as the funnel
presents, all that would be required being a short pipe to carry the hot vapour
above the heads of the crew or passengers.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the mode of carrying
the same into effect, it must be understood that we make no claim for the use
of a stream or streams of cold water for purifying and condensing the smoke
and other noxious gases, as the same has been used to effect similar results;
neither is any particular claim made for the exact shape, disposition, and con-
struction of the apparatus, as the same may be varied without departing from
the general principle thereof; but what we claim is,---
First, the constructing of apparatus and machinery wherein an arrangement
of fans and blades is placed revolving at high velocity in conjunction with a
stream or streams of cold water for purifying and depriving all smoke, fumes,
gas es, and vapours of all noxious and poisonous particles, as above described.
And, secondly, the arrangement of pits and hollows for receiving the sedi-
ments, and rendering them available for the manufacture of various colours.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Rodham and Edward Robert
Hoblyn, have hereunto set our bands and seals, this Eleventh day of
June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
one.
RICHARD
(L.S.) RODHAM.
EDWARD ROBERT (L.S.) HOBLYN.