IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAR AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Barnabas Russ at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th August
1874.
I, BARNABAS BUSs, of Little Ilford, in the County of Essex, Engineer,.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAR AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to
be as follows—
This Invention relates to an improved system of making gas from
coal by which the greater portion of the residues ordinarily resulting
from such manufacture are utilized and transformed into illuminating
gas, thereby affecting a great saving in the manufacture of the gas and
converting certain portions of the coal which have hitherto been a
source of loss and embarassment to the manufacturer into a source of
profit.
The improvements comprised in this Invention are founded upon the

page_text: By the present improvements the coal is distilled in retorts in the
manner now usually adopted in all gas works in which the distillation
of coal is carried on for the purpose of manufacturing illuminating gas.
The hydrocarbon vapor passes upward from the retorts into a main
occupying nearly the same position as the ordinary hydraulic main,
except that in this case no water is used. From this main the vapour
passes downward by two pipes into two cylinders placed above the
retorts and heated from the same furnace. These cylinders or purifiers
are filled with lump lime. Between these cylinders and slightly above
their level is a third cylinder of the same size as the other two and filled
with pieces of fir, pine, or other resinous woods. In order to prevent
this wood from being carbonized too quickly a small quantity of steam
is injected into the cylinder from time to time. The products of com-
bustion given off from this cylinder pass upwards into the main above
referred to and mix with the vapour from the retorts. The mixture of
gases from the top cylinder and the vapour from the retorts contained in
the main then pass downwards, as above shewn, into the two lower
cylinders or purifiers, pass throughout the whole length of the cylinders,
and finally escape upwards (by the pipes placed at their opposite ends) into
another main similar to that above described. In this main is fixed an
apparatus which combines the function of agitator and exhauster. By
revolving at a high rate of speed it agitates and thoroughly mixes the
gases, and at the same time it exhausts and creates a partial vacuum in
the cylinders and pipes and thereby contributes to a more perfect circula-
tion of the gases contained in the apparatus. From the agitator placed in
the second main the gases are forced downwards through a pipe into a
chamber placed over a fire (so as to keep up as nearly the same
temperature as possible as that in the cylinder, viz, about 1200°
Fahrenheit), and having on its upper side a grating through which the
gas may pass upwards into an upright cylinder.. This chamber contains
a damper which may be raised and lowered by any suitable arrangement
so as to prevent the gas escaping too quickly from the chamber. The
upright cylinder placed above the chamber is filled with lime, breese,
iron turnings, and charcoal, and through these materials the gas passes
upwards through the head of the cylinder and through a pipe into a small
cylindrical chamber contained within a larger one. The inlet pipe dips
about 2 inches below the surface of the water contained within the small
cylinder, and the mouth of the outlet pipe should be placed at any
suitable distance above the surface of the water. The larger cylinder is
3..

page_text: completely filled with water which constantly runs in through a pipe
placed at the bottom of the cylinder, and runs out through a pipe placed
at the top of the cylinder.
From the small cylinder the gas passes through the outlet pipe above
referred into purifiers of any well known or suitable construction, and
from thence in the gas holder.
Placed below the uppermost of the three cylinders is a smaller cylinder
about nine inches in diameter, and heated from the same furnace as the
retorts. This small cylinder serves as a steam generator and superheater
and is connected by a cross pipe with the two lower cylinders and with
the upper cylinder by a vertical pipe; it is fed with water by a small
cylinder placed above the brickwork of the beds and containing a coil of
pipes which is supplied with steam from the boiler. Water is forced
into the cylinder by means of a hydraulic pump; the coil of pipes being
filled with steam will raise the temperature of the water to boiling point,
when the water will be made constantly to flow into the generator.
When the steam in the generator has been raised to the requisite
amount of pressure it passes into the three cylinders placed above the
retorts for the purpose of condensing any foreign matters which may pass
from the retorts into the cylinders or purifiers. Each time the steam is
injected into the two lower cylinders a very small quantity of vapour of
hydrocarbon oil or other suitable oil or fatty matter should be injected
simultaneously. Suitable slide or other valves are placed in each inlet
and outlet pipe connected with the retorts and the cylinders.