IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Miles Williams, of the Lion Oil Works, Wigan,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Miles Williams at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th January 1873.
I, MILES WILLIAMS, of the Lion Oil Works, Wigan, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
The manufacture of this gas consists in forcing steam and oleaginous
substances, more particularly hydrocarbon oils, together through a red
hot fire-clay or iron retort, filled or partially filled with coke, or charcoal,
or other similar substance. The retorts used are similar to those now in
The steam
use for the distillation of coal and cannel for gas making.
and oils are rapidly converted into gas very rich in hydrogen and of high
illuminating power. It can be used separately as a means of illumina,

page_text: tion or mixed with coal or cannel gas in any proportion to increase its
illuminating power. The gases can be most readily mixed, and the
illuminating power almost regulated at will by using a part, say half of
the retorts, for this process, while the other half may be employed in
manufacturing gas in the ordinary way at the same time, and allowing
the gases from both processes to become mixed in the hydraulic main
and purified together. The result of this mixing will help materially to
increase the quantity of the coal gas by carrying off the heavy hydro-
carbons more rapidly, and lessening the production of tar.
The summary of the advantages gained by this process, either alone
or combined with that commonly adopted, are, rapidity and economy in
the production of gas of high illuminating power which when mixed
with ordinary coal gas may be used to regulate its quality at will; great
permanency and freedom from sulphur and other impurities, while the
means of producing the improved gas may be adopted at any gas work
with but slight expense; considerably less quantity wanted than when
coal gas alone is used to produce the same amount of light, consequently
less apparatus and less labour are necessary, far better gas and at less
cost than ordinary coal gas being the result.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Miles Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MILES
WILLIAMS, of the Lion Oil Works, Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Miles Williams, Her special licence that I, the
said Miles Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Miles Williams, my executors, administrators, 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

page_text: 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 "IжPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Miles Williams,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Miles Williams, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
:-
The manufacture of this gas consists in forcing or injecting super-
heated or other steam and oleaginous substances, more particularly
hydrocarbon oils and substances of a like nature, such as tarry substances
and products, residues of coal oil, or petrolcum oil, or essential oils, or
spirits in their natural state or in the form of vapour, together or
simultaneously through red hot fire-clay or iron retorts, filled or partially
filled with coke, charcoal, or other suitable substance of a similar
character. The retorts used are similar to those now in use for the
distillation of coal and bituminous substances for gas making. The
steam and oils are decomposed and rapidly converted into gas, very rich
in carberetted hydrogen and of high illuminating power. It can be
used separately as a means of illumination, or mixed with coal, cannel,
or other suitable gas, in any convenient proportions to increase its
illuminating power. The gases can be most readily mixed, and the
illuminating power almost regulated at will by using a part of the
retorts for this process and the other part of the retorts for manufacturing
gas in the ordinary way, both at the same time, and allowing the gases
from both processes to become mixed in the hydraulic main and purified
together. The result of this mixing will help materially to increase the
quantity of coal gas by carrying off more rapidly the heavy hydrocarbons
and will lessen the production of tar.
When both processes are carried on at the same time, as described
above, they will be found to be more economical than the old processes

page_text: of making gas, as the quality of the coal used for the production of gas
need not be of the best but only sufficiently good to produce a ood
coke, and only in such quantity as to produce sufficient of the latter
article to carry on an economical supply for firing and use in the retorts.
The advantages gained by this process are, rapidity and economy in
the production of gas of high illuminating power which when mixed
with ordinary coal gas may be used to improve and regulate its quality
at will; great permanency and freedom from sulphur and other
impurities, while the means of producing the improved gas may be
adopted at any gas works with but slight expense without interference
or spoiling the retorts for distilling coal gas; and as there is less
expenditure of materials, less apparatus, and less labour necessary by this
process, and a better means of utilising the tar and coke, a great saving
in cost and a far better gas is obtained by this method than by the
distillation of coal or cannel alone.
I claim, the manufacture of gas by forcing steam and oleaginous
substances, more particularly hydrocarbon oils, together through red hot
retorts partially filled with coke, charcoal, or other like suitable
substance, and the employment of such gas alone or mixed with gas
made in the ordinary way, substantially in the manner before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Miles Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fourteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
MILES WILLIAMS. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Miles Williams, in
the presence of
HENRY GARRET,
With Messrs. Darlington & Son,
Solrs.,
Wigan.