A COM- BINED GAS LIGHTING AND COOKING APPARATUS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas South at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th April
1867.
I, THOMAS SOUTH, of Bridge Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
Gasfitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A COM-
BINED GAS LIGHTING AND COOKING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus for the purpose of
producing gas for lighting, parts of such apparatus being useful for cooking.
I propose to form a round or square stove of wrought or sheet iron, cast
iron, copper, or fire-clay, or other suitable material provided with fire-bars,
ash-pit, valve for regulating the draught or air supply, and chimney; the top
or hot plate is formed with suitable openings and covers for the adjustment of
steamers, saucepans, or stewpans; the front of the stove is provided with
lateral sliding doors, either of a circular or flat shape, meeting in the middle
like folding doors; when these doors are separated the front fire-bars and
fire are exposed, and meat may be roasted in front of the fire. Behind
the stove a boiler or copper is fixed for the supply of hot water, but the
central and upper interior portion of the stove is occupied by a retort,
consisting of a cylinder closed at the bottom reaching nearly down to the
fire-bars, and fitted with a top plate or lid bolted or screwed thereon by
flanges; to the top plate two pipes euter, one is merely fitted to the plate to
serve as an exit for the gas, the other serves as the inlet pipe from a vessel
containing gaselene, or other suitable hydrocarbon used for conversion into

page_text: gas. The inlet pipe traverses the centre of the cylindrical retort to a
sufficient depth to permit of the flow of the hydrocarbon liquid on to a ball of
fire-clay placed at the bottom of the retort; a perforated disc or plate of fire-
clay is fixed in the retort above the fire ball, and the inlet tube passes through
the centre of this disc. At a short distance from the stove I arrange a
gasometer or gas bolder of the ordinary form, the cap or cover being con-
trolled by chains passing over grooved rollers on the standards, the chains
being suitably weighted; a cross bar attached to the standards, or cast or
formed with them in one piece, serves to support the receptacle containing the
gaselene or any other hydrocarbon capable of being volatilized by heat into
hydrocarbon vapour or gas, or by conversion by the destructive distillation of
heat, and from the lower part of this receptacle or vessel the inlet tube
previously mentioned conducts the hydrocarbon liquid to the retort and fire
ball; the receptacle is provided with a glass tubular guage to indicate the level
of the liquid.
The action is as follows:-The stove being supplied with coke or other fuel
and lighted, the retort which is surrounded by the fuel becomes heated to a
dull red heat or to any degree of heat required, for which purpose the regu-
lating air valve is valuable; the fire ball and perforated disc become heated
to a like degree, and the hydrocarbon liquid impinging or falling on the fire
ball instantly becomes converted into vapour of hydrocarbon, which vapour
ascends through the perforations in the disc so as to become thoroughly and
completely volatalized; it then expands and fills the upper portion of the
retort, and flows through the outlet pipe described to the purifier. To the
side or back of the gasometer or gas holder I attach an iron or other metallic
vessel containing lime water, or water alone, or other purifying agent or com-
bination of purifying agents; the gas passes through the purifier, and thence
into the gasometer, thus elevating the cover according to the quantity of gas
generated.
To the inlet pipe just below the receptacle for the gaselene or hydrocarbon
I apply a cock or valve, to the square head of which an arm or lever is
attached descending obliquely to the top of the gasometer; the bottom part
of this lever is provided with a running wheel or friction roller, so that as the
gasometer cover rises the lower part of the lever is elevated, and thus the cock
or tap is turned gradually towards its closed position, so that the supply of
hydrocarbon is regulated according to the quantity of gas in the holder; and
when the holder is full the bydrocarbon liquid is completely shut off and the
retort rendered inoperative. I also apply a chain and hook to the cross bar,
whereby I can fasten the lever close up, when desired, notwithstanding the

page_text: elevation of the gasometer cover so as to stop the supply of oil. The inlet pipe
where it enters the retort should be provided with a screw plug, so that when
the pipe is corroded the plug may be removed and a wire forced down to clean
it. By these arrangements the apparatus is rendered self-regulating and self-
acting, and a light is produced of a most pure and brilliant nature at a cost
far below that of ordinary gas.
The apparatus may be made at a small expense, and not being liable to get
out of order, and not requiring scientific supervision, it is especially applicable
for domestic use, particularly in country places where there is no supply of
gas, it being only necessary to obtain the gaselene or other hydrocarbon which
can easily be had in any quantity.