IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS PURIFIERS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Walker, of Highgate, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas
Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th November 1874.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS WALKER, of Highgate in the County of Middle-
sex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS PURIFIERS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in an improved construction of gas purifiers,
whereby the planing and surfacing of the joints or flanges of the plates
thereof is facilitated and rendered practical and advantageous.
Hitherto gas purifiers have been constructed of separate iron plates
bolted together, a certain number of such plates forming the bottom of
the purifier, and a certain number (according to the size of the purifier)
'

page_text: forming the sides of the purifier. Around the periphery of the upper
part of the side plates a cup or lute was formed to contain water, which
formed the seal or water joint of the purifier cover. The plates thus
forming the bottom, sides, and water lute of the purifier have heretofore
been bolted together by flanges, with bolts and nuts, with washers and
grummets, and the spaces between the flanges have been caulked up
with iron cement. This system of construction has been attended with
many defects. The plates forming the purifier frequently crack and
break from being much strained by the unequal drawing together of
their uneven flanges by the bolts and nuts, and afterwards in doing their
work they are exposed to contraction and expansion through the different
degrees of temperature of the gas entering them for purification, as well
as through the chemical action set up in the purifying materials them-
selves, and it is not uncommon in gas works, after a brief period of
usage, to find many of the plates cracked and broken. The requirements
of modern purification also render it necessary that the lime used should
remain a much longer time in the purifier than heretofore, frequently a
month, and a condensed liquor is formed thereby, which is destructive
to the cement joints heretofore used, which soon become leaky and cause
great waste of gas.
Letters Patent were granted to me, dated the Eighteenth day of
December One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, No. 4163,
having partly for object the planing the surfaces of the flanges of the
plates composing gas purifiers, by which such defects were obviated.
But in bringing this improvement into operation I found it attended
with great expenso with -purifiers as heretofore constructed, so as to
greatly limit the use of this improvement. I was therefore led to search
for, and after many experiments discovered an improved method of con-
structing purifiers by which the planing and surfacing of the flanges of
the plates is rendered easy and effective, and the cost reduced.
My improvements are as follows:-In forming the bottom of the
purifier I make the plates of which it is composed all of similar form
and dimensions. I cast a recess flange all round the plates and at right
angles to them, making the flanges project either above the plates in
the bottom of the purifier, or below the plates under the bottom of
the purifier. I cast two projections upon and around the surfaces of
the flanges, so as to form the said recess flange. The flanges of the
bottom plates being thus recessed, the surfaces only of the projections

page_text: require to be planed or surfaced. By these means I avoid the labour
and expense of planing the entire surface of the flanges, which would
otherwise be necessary. It also causes the flanges to have an equal,
firm, and true bearing all round, and the cost of iron washers and
grummets used heretofore with the bolts and nuts is saved, together with
the expense and necessity of making every bolt gas-tight.
The bottom plates of the purifier being made all of one form and size,
with their flanges planed or surfaced square and true, require in crection
simply to be laid down level and screwed up to come together true, and
be ready for the side plates to be connected.
I cast the side plates of the purifier with solid water lute cups, and
make the side plate and cup all in one piece, instead of, as by the usual
system, the cup and water lute being cast separately from the sides, the
expense of planing or surfacing of which is too great in practice.
The flanges of the side plates also have two projections like the bottom
plates, and which are planed or surfaced.
The lower part of the side plates has a similar recess flange on the
internal face of the plate, so as to form a joint with the bottom plates.
The object of this improvement is to enable the whole of the flanges of
a side plate to be planed with one fixing or chucking. For this purpose
also I make the side plates forming the corners of the purifier rights
and lefts, and I form the plate and water lute in one piece, with the sido
of it facing at right angles, so as to be joined to the other side plates.
By this means I form the corner of the purifier without any separate or
special corner casting.
I form the outlet of the purifier separately from the side of the
purifier, such outlet having a recess flange planed or surfaced connected
to the bottom of the purifier by a similarly planed or surfaced joint.
This improvement enables the outlet to be conveniently fixed in any
part of the bottom of the purifier at any required distance from the inlet,
thus saving the labour and expense and avoiding the former tendency to
leak of the east-iron outlet box by the effect of contraction and expansion
when bolted to the sides of the purifier.

page_text: '
DE EVITAVATION IN pursuance of vite conations o
filed by the said William Thomas Walker in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
THOMAS WALKER, of Highgate, in the County of Middlesex, send t
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Thomas Walker,
Her special licence that I, the said William Thomas Walker, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Thomas Walker, 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 and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Islo
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS
PURIFIERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Thomas Walker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
-
-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Thomas Walker, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say:-
-

page_text: Hitherto gas purifiers have been constructed of separate iron plates
bolted together, a certain number of such plates being taken to form the
bottom of the purifier, and a certain number to form the sides of the
purifier, the number varying according to the size of the purifier; and
around the periphery of the upper part of the side plates a cup or lute
was formed to contain water, which formed the seal or water joint of the
purifier cover. The plates thus forming the bottom, sides, and water
lute of the purifier have heretofore been bolted together by means of
flanges, with bolts, nuts, washers, and grummets, and the spaces between
the flanges have been caulked up with iron cement. This method of
construction is attended with many defects. The plates forming the
purifier frequently crack and break from being much strained by the
unequal drawing together of their uneven flanges by the bolts and nuts,
and afterwards in doing their work the purifiers are exposed to con-
traction and expansion from the different degrees of temperature o the
gas entering them for purification, as well as from the chemical action
set up in the purifying materials themselves; thus it is not an uncommon
occurrence in gas works, after a brief period of usage, for many of the
plates to be cracked and broken. The requirements of modern purifi-
cation also render it necessary that the lime used should remain a much
longer time in the purifier than heretofore, videlicet, frequently a
month, and a condensed liquor is formed thereby which is destructive to
the cemented joints, which soon become leaky and cause great waste
of gas.
Letters Patent were granted to me, dated the Eighteenth day of
December One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, No. 4163,
for an Invention having partly for object the planing the surfaces of the
flanges of the plates composing gas purifiers, by which such defects wero
obviated. But in putting this Invention in operation I found it attended
with great expense when constructing purifiers in the usual manner, so
as to greatly limit its use.
By my improvements I am enabled to plane the surfaces of the flanges
of the plates in an easy and effective manner and at a reduced cost.
To carry out my improvements, in forming the bottom of the purifier
I make the plates of which it is composed all of similar form and
dimensions, and I cast a recess flange all round the plates at right
angles, to them, making the flanges project either above the plates in

page_text: the bottom of the purifier, or below the plates under the bottom of the
purifier, the said recess flange being formed by casting two projections
upon and around the surfaces of the flanges, one of the said projections
being about one inch to one and a half inches wide, and the other round
the outer part of the flange of a less width. The flanges of the bottom
plates being thus recessed, the surfaces only of the projections require to
be planed or surfaced. By this means I avoid the labour and expense
of planing the entire surface of the flanges, which would otherwise be
necessary. It also causes the flanges to have an equal, firm, and true
bearing all round.
The bottom plates of the purifier being made all of one form and size,
with their flanges planed or surfaced square and true, require in crection
simply to be laid down level and screwed up to come together truc, and
be ready to connect the sido plates.
I cast the side plates of the purifier with solid water lute cups, and 1
make the side plate and cup all in one piece, instead, as by the usual
method, of the cup and water luto being cast separately from the sides,
the expense of planing or surfacing which is too great in practice.
The flanges of the side plates also, like the bottom plates, have two
projections so as to form recess flanges, which are planed or surfaced.
2
The lower part of the side plates has a similar recess flange on the
internal face of the plate, so as to form a joint with the bottom plates.
The object of this improvement is to enable the whole of the flanges of
one side plate to be planed with only one fixing or chucking. For this
purpose also I make the side plates forming the corners of the purifier 2
rights and lefts, and I form the plate and water luto in one piece, with
the side of it facing at right angles, so as to be joined to the other side
plates, and so form the corner of the purifier without any separate or
special corner casting.
I form the outlet of the purifier separately from the side of the 3
purifier, such outlet having a recess flange planed or surfaced, and con-
nected to the bottom of the purifier by a similarly planed or surfaced
joint. This improvement enables the outlet to be conveniently fixed in
any part of the bottom of the purifier at any required distance from the
inlet, thus saving the labour and expense and avoiding the former ten- 3

page_text: Figure 1 is an enlarged view of one of the plates forming the bottom.
of the purifier, showing its flange cast all round, as herein-beforo
described.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the recessed flange
with its two projections c and d, which are planed or surfaced, as hercin-
before described.
Figure 3 is an inside clevation of a side plate, showing the recessed
planed or surfaced flanges c at its bottom, by which it is connected to
the bottom plates.
Figure 4 is an end clevation of the same, showing the water lute cup f
solidly cast on, as described, and the method of constructing the side
recessed planed and surfaced flanges.
Figure 5 is a sido elevation of a side plate for forming the corner of
the purifier; Figure 6, plan of same; Figures 5 and 6 show the method
of constructing the side g of this plate facing at right angles, by which I
am enabled to construct the corner of the purifier without any separate
or corner casting. These Figures also show the recessed planed or sur-
faced flanges 7 and i both at the bottom and at the sides of this plate
for connecting it to the bottom and to the intermediate side plates.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view showing two recessed planed or surfaced
flanges as they are placed when bolted together. The flanges of the
bottom of the purifier are shown in Figure 7 projecting above the bottom
of the purifier.
Figure 8 shows a similar arrangement, except that the flanges are
below the bottom of the purifier.
Figure 9 is an elevation and plan of the improved outlet box, with its
recessed planed or surfaced flange ' connected to a similar flange in one
A1

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same. into effect, what I claim and wish to be pro-
tected is,--
First. The construction of gas purifiers and the parts thereof with
planed or surfaced flanges, recessed and constructed substantially as
herein-before described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The method of forming the water lute cups in one piece with
the side plates of the purifier, and saving the expense of separate corner
plates, as herein-before described and shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of
the Drawing.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Walker, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM THOMAS WALKER. (L.S.)
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE,
4, South St.,
Finsbury,
E.C.