IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR of S.W.. for an THE MANUFACTURE OF VAPOUR GAS " FROM VOLATILE HYDRO-CARBONS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Springmann, one of the Firm of Carl Pieper,
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 109/110, Gneisenaustrasse, Berlin,
Invention
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
of
S.W.. Prussia, for an
THE MANUFACTURE OF VAPOUR GAS
"
FROM VOLATILE HYDRO-CARBONS."
A communication from Arnold Badt, of Hamburg, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Springmann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1881.
"
HENRY SPRINGMANN, one of the Firm of Carl Pieper, Civil Engineer and Patent
Agent, of 109/110, Gneisenaustrasse, Berlin, S.W., Prussia. IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VAPOUR GAS FROM VOLATILE HYDRO-
CARBONS. A communication from Arnold Badt, of Hamburg, Germany.
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in apparatuses for the manu-
facture of vapour-gas (or air-gas) from liquid and volatile hydro-carbons, as for
instance, gasoline, by causing the vapours from such substance to be absorbed by.
atmospheric air.
The carburetting-vessel of the improved apparatus is considerably larger in its
horizontal dimensions than in height, and its bottom is made rising in the direction
of the air-current traversing it. It contains one or more partition walls so
arranged as to form a circuitous passage for the air; and this passage is filled with
wool or other material adapted to imbibe the liquid, and to allow the air to pass
freely. The carburetting-vessel is connected with a reservoir above it by a pipe
extending down into the former to the level of the liquid desired to be maintained.
This pipe can be closed by a valve.
From the carburetting-vessel the gas, passes into a purifyer for the purpose of
cleansing it from the liquid particles of gasoline or other hydro-carbon which it
carries along with it. This purifyer consists of a receptacle in which several
inclined shelves are arranged so as to form a zigzag passage for the gas, or a spiral

page_text: partition is used. The passage or channel thus formed is filled with wool which
retains the liquid particles carried over by the gas, and collects them until the
accumulated fluid will run down on the shelves or partitions, and back into the
carburetting-vessel.
The reservoir in communication with the carburetting-vessel is provided with a
level-indicator consisting of two floats, the upper one of which shows the level of
the liquid above the middle height of the reservoir, the lower one the level below
this height. The stem of one float' passes through the tubular stem of the other
one, and both stems pass into a closed glass tube hermetically fixed to the top of
the reservoir. The stems being thus visible, the height of liquid level may readily
be observed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Springmann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd October 1881.
HENRY SPRINGMANN, one of the Firm of Carl Pieper, Civil Engineer and Patent
Agent, of 109-110, Gneisenaustrasse, Berlin, S.W.. Prussia. IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF VAPOUR-GAS FROM VOLATILE HYDRO-
CARBONS." A communication from Arnold Badt, of Hamburg, Germany.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in apparatuses for the manu-
facture of vapour-gas (or air-gas) from any liquid and volatile hydro-carbon, as for
instance, gasoline, by causing the vapours from such substance to be absorbed by
atmospheric air.
When gas of the said kind is used for lighting or heating, or for feeding gas-
motors, it is necessary that the same be always of as uniform a constitution as
possible i.c., that the air be not over saturated periodically by gasoline-vapours,
and that no liquid particles of the fluid be carried along by the gas. It is moreover
requisite that the working of the apparatus present no danger, and that there be
no possibility of a spontaneous inflammation of the gas.
The improved apparatus is represented on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
Fig. 1 being a vertical section thereof, Fig. 2 a horizontal section through the
carburetting or evaporating-vessel, and Fig. 3 a sectional view of the level-indicator.
while the Figures 4 and 5 show respectively a vertical and a horizontal section of
a modified arrangement of the carburetter.
The liquid from which the gas is to be made is poured into the reservoir A by
the pipe a extending down into the same to near its bottom, and provided with
means for closing it hermetically. While the reservoir is being filled, the valve c.
which can be controlled by the nut d, should be closed; and the air-cock b open.
The reservoir, as well as the other parts of the apparatus are, by preference, made
of cast-iron.

page_text: The carburetting or evaporating-vessel B is considerably, larger in its horizontal
dimensions than in height, and its bottom is made sloping upward in the direction
of the air-current traversing it. It is in communication with the reservoir A by
the pipe e extending down into B to the level of the liquid desired to be maintained.
The reservoir A having been filled, the valve c is opened. Liquid will then flow
from A into B, until its surface is even with the lower end of the pipe e, and it
will thereafter recommence flowing only when the liquid in B has decreased by
evaporation. In this manner the level of this liquid, which may be observed by a
small window i, is maintained at a uniform height, and the flow of the same from
A into B only takes place in proportion as it evaporates.
Within the carburetter a number of partition-walls are so arranged as to form a
circuitous passage m, m, for the air, which is introduced by the pipe J. The said
passage is filled with wool purified of all fatty matter, or with any other material
adapted to imbibe the liquid, and to allow the air to pass freely. By these means
the generation of vapour and the absorption of the same by the air is promoted:
and besides, as the wool only absorbs, so much gasoline as is required for com-
pensating the quantity evaporated, no more gasoline is brought in contact with the
air than necessary, and no residue of hydro-carbon of too high a specific gravity is
formed. The improved apparatus in this respect possesses a great advantage over
the carburetting-vessels in which the gasoline, &c., is caused to flow from above
over vertical surfaces, as with such arrangement an excessive quantity of the liquid
is presented to the air, in consequence whereof only the lighter parts evaporate,
while a specifically heavy residue results. which amounts even when the apparatus
is warmed to at least 40 per cent. of the gasoline employed, and which is not
any-more fit for the purpose in question. The level of the liquid in the improved
apparatus being always at the same height, the gasoline will moreover be equally
imbibed by the wool, and evaporated uniformly and in proportion to the con-
sumption thereof.
The bottom of the carburetter is inclined in such a manner that the depth of the
gasoline, &c., is greater in the first division of the passage m into which the air
enters than in the last division of m, from which the gas is conducted off by the
pipe g. The effect hereof is, that the air while progressing along the passage m
meets with vapours decreasing in density, and that in consequence thereof the
tendency of the air to become overcharged with vapour is considerably diminished.
his a strainer forming a small compartment into which the tube e opens out, and I
a thermometer for indicating the temperature of the liquid.
It is not necessary that the carburetter be made exactly in the shape shown by
Figs. 1 and 2. A different arrangement is, for instance. represented by Figs. 4
and 5. The carburetter is in this case round, and its bottom has the form of an
obtuse cone, opposite to the apex of which the gas escapes, while the air enters at a
point opposite to its base. The partition-wall which directs the current of air is
arranged in spiral form.
The gas issuing by the pipe g may, in some cases. be used without any further
treatment. It contains however particles of unevaporated liquid which impair its
quality, and which are apt to become deposited in the conduits, and to form
obstructions therein. For the purpose of separating from the gas such liquid parts,
it is caused to pass through the purifier C. consisting of a receptacle in which
several inclined partition-walls or shelves t, Fig. 1. are arranged so as to form a
zig-zag passage for the gas, or a spiral partition is used. The passage or channel
thus formed is filled with wool, which retains the liquid-particles carried over by
the gas, and collects them until the accumulated fluid will run down on the shelves
or partitions, and flow back by the pipe into the carburetting-vessel.
For the purpose of allowing the quantity of liquid contained in the reservoir A
to be observed. the latter is provided with a level-indicator consisting of two
floats n and m Fig. 3. The lower float n has a stem o which passes through the
hollow stem o of the upper float n. Both floats are guided in a tube into
which the liquid as well as the air contained in A can freely enter. The stems o

page_text: and o pass outward through an opening in the parts screwed into the top of the
reservoir, and to which is herinetically attached a closed glass tube p. q is a cap
serving to protect the said tube. The stem o has a flange by which it rests on the
edge of the opening in s when the level of the liquid in A is below half the height
of the reservoir. The stem o on the other hand terminates in a knob which bears
on the flange of'o' when the reservoir is nearly empty. The flange of o' and the
knob of o, which are both visible in the glass tube p, thus form the parts which
actually indicate the level. The tube p is of such length that the knob of o is at
the upper end of p, when the reservoir is filled by one half; the flange of o''then
shows the height of the liquid-level above this point.
In the described apparatus there are no apertures below the highest level which
the liquid may attain in the reservoir. No gasoline can therefore flow out, even if
by mistake the cock band the valve c should have been opened simultaneously.
When employed for lighting, the gas produced by the apparatus gives a very
intense and white light, and on account of its uniformity and purity it may also
be used with advantage in gas-motors. In the latter case the purifier may be
placed at any point between the apparatus and the motor.
Having thus described the nature and the object of this Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be carried out in practice as communicated to me, by the
inventor, I hereby claim as new and essential features of the same,-
1. In combination with an apparatus for producing vapour-gas from light hydro-
carbons, and air for lighting and heating-purposes, and for the feeding of gas-
motors, a carburetter B arranged horizontally and provided with one or more
partition-walls, forming a channel for the circulation of the air. and which is filled
with wool purified of fatty matter, or with any other material adapted to imbibe
the fluid hydro-carbon, and to allow the air to pass through it. the bottom of the
said carburetter sloping upward in the direction of the air-current, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
2. The mode of connecting the said carburetter B with the hermetically closed
reservoir A containing the supply of hydro-carbon by a pipe e extending into the
carburetter to the desired liquid-level as hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with the reservoir A. of a level-indicator consisting of two
floats n and n, the stems o and o' of which pass upward into a glass tube p attached
hermetically to the top of the reservoir, as and for the purpose stated.
4. The combination with the said carburetter of a purifier C consisting in a
receptacle provided with one or more inclined partitions or shelves, and fitted with
wool for the purpose of retaining the liquid particles of hydro-carbon carried over
by the gas, and to cause them to flow back into the carburetter.
In witness whereof. L. the said Henry Springmann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY SPRINGMANN. (..s.)