Improvement in Vaporizers for Oil Stoves and other purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 20th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Vaporizers for Oil Stoves and other purposes.
I, THOMAS ANDREW MACK, of 197, Fulton Street, in the City and State of New
York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained, in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to vaporizers. It has for its object to improve the con-
struction of vaporizers, to provide means for preventing the choking of the
vaporizing tubes or chambers by carbonization, to make the flame steadier and
to prevent fracture or breakage of the parts in the retort, to furnish more adequate
means for vaporizing the oil, simpler, more compact and more convenient means
for conveying the vapor from the retort to the burners without unnecessary loss
of heat while being thus conveyed, and means which enable the burners to be
increased in number and improved in arrangement; also to prevent the liability
to back-lighting, so called, common in vapor stoves of the general character of
the stove described herein. It consists of the devices herein shown and described.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in
which similar reference characters in the different figures represent correspond-
ing parts, I have shown, and will now proceed to describe, the preferred form or
embodiment of my improvement.
Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of my invention; Figure 2 is a
vertical section of the same on the line A-A of Fig. 1, viewed as shown by the
arrow, and Figure 3 is a vertical section of the same on the line B-B of Fig. 1,
viewed as shown by the arrow; Figure 4 is a plan of the retort with some of its
connections shown and the parts of the stove omitted; Figure 5 is a vertical sec-
tion through one of the vaporizing tubes; Figure 6 is a plan of a stove con-
taining a modified form of my improved devices, and Figure 7 is a vertical sec-
tion through the same taken on the lines C-C of Fig. 6 viewed as shown by the
arrow.
In the drawings my invention is shown as embodied in a stove adapted for
heating purposes, although my invention is not limited to stoves or to vaporizers
for heating purposes, but is also applicable to other vaporizers, such, for example,
as those used for illuminating purposes. Heretofore in vaporizers, great difficulty
has been encountered in preventing the 'choking of the carbonizing tubes or
chambers through deposits within such tubes or chambers due to carbonization
as it is called. Where great heat is employed in vaporizers, it seems to be im-
possible to prevent such carbonization, and unless means are provided for remov-
ing the deposits, the vaporizer will soon become choked up and useless. Hereto-
fore it has been found practically impossible, especially in vaporizers of the kind
shown herein, to provide adequate means for removing such deposits or means
which are compatible with the strength and durability needed in the retort parts
of such structures, or means for removing such deposits as they are made. By
my improved devices effective and adequate means are provided for preventing

page_text: such clogging, and for the prompt removal of any deposits that may be made.
without impairing the strength or durability of the parts of the retort.
Heretofore it has been customary in vapor stoves in which needle spindles are
used, not to run the pipes containing the spindles into or through the retort, but
to lead the gas from the retort to such needle spindle pipes through other and
intermediate pipes. In practice this has been found objectionable in that there
is a tendency toward an unnecessary and harmful cooling of the vapour. There is
a further objection to this construction in that in practice only two burners can
be employed upon a stove.
I have discovered that if the pipes containing needle spindles that supply vapor
to the burners, are made to run through the retort and from thence directly to
the burner, the vapor is carried by a much shorter path to the place where it is
to be burned, it is not unduly cooled in this passage, the retort acts more effi-
ciently in vaporizing the oil, and any number of burners, within reasonable limits,
can be used upon a single stove and in any desired form or arrangement.
Referring now to the stove shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive herein, 1 constitutes
the framework, and 2 a part of the lid of the same, a part only of the stove being
shown in the drawings, the part not shown containing an ordinary burner and
not containing any part of my present invention. 3 is the retort through which
passes one or more vaporizing tubes. In Figs. I to 5 two are shown, namely,
vaporizing tube 4 and vaporizing tube 5; in Figs. 6 and 7 three are shown, viz.,
vaporizing tubes 42. As many of these vaporizing tubes may be used as is desired.
In the stove shown in Figs. 1 to 5 there are two, the vaporizing tube 5 for supply-
ing vapor to the burner (not shown) at the bottom of the retort, and vaporizing
tube 4 for supplying vapor to a burner (not shown) of the stove. This latter
burner may be made of any suitable construction, but as it forms no part of the
present invention, is not shown in the drawings, except in Fig. 6 where two such
burners 32, 32 are shown. Vaporizing tube 5 discharges vapor through a valve
(not shown) into goose-neck tube 6, where it is mingled with air which passes
into the goose-neck tube 6 at point 7, and whence it passes into the semi-spherical
chamber 8 beneath the burner at the bottom of the retort. This burner at the
bottom of the retort is carried in a cylindrical frame 9 integral with semi-spherical
chamber 8 and tube 6 Pins 10, 10 and L-shaped projection 11 upon frame 9,
hold these parts in connection with the retort through lugs 12 forming part of
the framework of the retort. In Fig. 3 frame 9 is shown as locked to the retort.
By means of handle 13 secured to frame 9, the frame, chamber 8 and neck 6 can
be turned to the left as the parts are viewed in Fig. 3 when the frame, chamber
and tube will be released from lugs 12 and may be taken off and cleaned.
Through each vaporizing tube runs a needle bar 14 provided with a cutting
surface or surfaces snugly fitting the inside of the tube and provided with a
valve 15 adapted to seat on a valve seat 16 to close or open discharge orifice 17
at the end of the vaporizing tube. Each vaporizing tube passes through the
retort and has a part which is screw-threaded into a cap itself screw-threaded
into a tubular projection 18 extending from the retort. The needle bar is pro-
vided at one end with a hand wheel 19 and at its other end is screw-threaded at 20,
the screw-threads meshing into screw-threads on the interior of the cap of the
tubular projection 18, as shown in Fig. 5. Needle bar 14 also carries at this
same end a pin 21 adapted to enter into the discharge orifice 17 when the needle
bar 14 is screwed to its innermost position, and thus to clean the said orifice and
keep it open and unclogged at all times. Needle bar 14 is made with one or more
cutting surfaces, adapted to form a snug fit for the interior of the vaporizing
tube. The cutting surfaces of the needle bar of tube are shown as the edges
of a spiral and those of the needle bar of tube 5 are shown as straight edges. In
all cases these cutting surfaces form the periphery or a portion of the periphery
of the needle bar, and are arranged to make contact with the inner surface or
walls of the vaporizing tube and to act as a cutting surface to scrape away any
carbon that may be there 'deposited. Passageways are made between the needle

page_text: bar and the inner walls of the vaporizing tube for the passage of oil or gas. The
form of the needle bar and the cutting edges can be varied greatly. Thus the
needle bar of vaporizing tube 4 is made in the form of a spiral while that of
vaporizing tube 5 is shown as triangular in cross-section, see Fig. 5, where the
cutting surfaces are the straight edges 28 and the passageways are shown at 29, 29.
Other forms of needle bars and their cutting edges may be employed if desired.
For some purposes, however, I prefer the spiral form like that of the needle bar
of vaporizing tube 4. As each needle bar is turned by its handle 19, its cutting
surface or surfaces will make contact with, and scrape the inner walls of, the
vaporizing tube, thus effectually dislodging any deposits upon those inner walls,
and completely preventing the clogging of the vaporizing tube through carboniza-
tion. The needle bar itself can be readily cleaned, if it should need it at any
time, by withdrawing it from the vaporizing tube. Oil is supplied to vaporizing
tube 4 in any suitable way. As shown it proceeds from a storage reservoir (not
shown) through pipe 22, where it is controlled by a valve opened or closed through
stem 23 and hand wheel 24; thence it proceeds through pipe 25 into reservoir 26.
I prefer to use reservoir 26, and to use it in the place shown in Fig. 5.
illustrated, this reservoir is in line with the vaporizing tube, and the needle bar 14
runs through it, as well as through the vaporizing tube and the passageways
formed by the spirals of the needle bar open into the reservoir and lead from it
through the vaporizing tube.
As here
My improved form of needle bar effectually prevents all clogging of the vapori-
zing tubes in the retort itself, where the carbonizing is most apt to occur and
where it occurs most plentifully and is most difficult to get rid of. When made
in the spiral form shown in Figure 5, it serves to retard the flow of oil and gas,
and thus aids in steadying the flame. In this it is assisted by the reservoir 26,
the two co-operating to make a flame that is steady, while burning, and free from
spurting or jumping. By means of the support which is given to the needle
bar at its inner end by the meshing of the screw threads 20 on the needle bar
with the interior screw-threads on tubular projection 18, the needle bar is always
kept true and free from warping, and the valve and valve seat are always kept
in line and pin 21 and orifice 17 are also always kept in true alignment with each
other.
In retorts of the kind shown and described herein, in which vaporizing tubes
pass through the retort proper, it has been found very difficult to keep the parts
properly secured together. It is usual to braze the tubes to the retort or other-
wise securely and immovably fasten them together. With such a construction
the parts are apt to break apart from one another, where brazed together, owing
to the great and sudden variations in the temperature to which the parts are
subjected. I have devised means for overcoming this trouble. For this purpose
I mount each vaporizing tube in supports 27. These supports, in the form shown
in the drawings, are plates curved so as to form a part of the cylindrical wall of
the retort proper. The wall of the retort 3 is cut away at each side sufficiently to
receive and hold the supports 27. The supports 27 are fitted into the said open-
ings in the wall of the retort so as to remain therein and to support the vaporiz-
ing tubes, but they are not brazed or otherwise secured to the wall of the retort.
They are, therefore, free to yield one way or the other in answer to strains put
upon them and upon the wall of the retort through expansion or contraction due
to differences in temperature. The tubes are thus yieldingly fitted into the
wall of the retort and are not integral with it, and this construction effectually
prevents fracture of the parts, or the parts breaking away from each other where
brazed.
In operation hand wheel 24 is turned so as to permit oil to flow from the storage
reservoir through pipes 22 and 25 into reservoir 26, and thence into vaporizing
tube 4. Meanwhile a small amount of alcohol or oil in any suitable vessel (not
shown) is lighted in the lower part of the retort in order to sufficiently heat the
oil in vaporizing tube 4 to cause the generation of vapor or gas. Hand wheel 19

page_text: of vaporizing tube 5 is then turned, permitting gas to pass out into tube 6 and
chamber 8, where it is ignited in the bottom of the retort. The burner at the
bottom of the retort provides sufficient heat to keep up the generation of gas in
the vaporizing tubes, and a constant supply of gas is furnished to this burner
through vaporizing tube 5 as above described, for this purpose tubes 4 and 5 being
connected together in the interior of the retort as shown in Fig. 5. When it is
desired to light the burner of the stove, hand wheel 19 of vaporizing tube is
turned to unseat valve 15 from valve seat 16, permitting the gas to pass from the
orifice 17 through pipe 28 to the burner of the stove.
Many modifications can be made in the form of my improved device shown in
the drawings, without departing from my invention. My invention may be em-
ployed for other purposes than heating, or where employed in a stove, any number
of vaporizing tubes desired may be used. The form of the needle bar can be
widely varied. Any part or parts of the periphery of the needle bar may form
a cutting surface or surfaces and make contact with the inner wall of the vaporiz-
ing tube as long as a passageway exists between the needle bar and the inner
wall of the tube for the passage of oil and gas.
In my improved vaporizer in its preferred form oil is supplied from a supply
pipe directly to one of the vaporizing tubes and not as heretofore through a pipe
which enters the retort. This arrangement enables the parts of the vaporizer
to be much simplified in construction. In the preferred form of my improved
device this oil passes from the supply pipe first into a reservoir and then into the
vaporizing tube but, if desired, the reservoir may be dispensed with.
When deposits of carbon are made in a vaporizing tube, they are comparatively
soft when first made but the carbon thus deposited, if not promptly removed,
soon becomes so hard that it is practically non-removable by any ordinary means.
By means of my improved needle bar, any deposits of carbon that may have been
made, are promptly and easily cut away from the interior walls of the vaporizing
tube and are easily removed therefrom in a powdery form. Deposits of carbon
upon the inner walls of a vaporizing tube, are objectionable, not only because
they tend to clog up the tube and prevent operation of the parts, but also because
the carbon deposits are poor conductors of heat and thus interfere with the vapori-
zation of the oil. All of these defects are overcome by my improved devices.
In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a stove embodying a modified form of my im-
provement. In this stove there are three burners, first, the generating burner 35
in the interior of the casing 34 of the stove, and the two stove burners 32, 32,
each having its wire netting 33. In this construction there are also three needle
pipes 42 which run into and through the retort 37 and which open into it.
Through each of these needle pipes runs a needle spindle 43 carrying a hand
wheel 44 at one end and a needle valve 45 adapted to fit snugly into a valve seat
in piece 46 secured to the end of the needle pipe. As shown, these needle spindles
are not provided with cutting edges. A gooseneck pipe 47 leads from the dis-
charge orifice of the central needle pipe, at which point it is open to the atmo-
sphere to permit the free entrance of air, to a semi-spherical chamber 48 forming
the lower part of casing 34 and beneath generating burner 35. The pipe 47
conducts the commingled gas from the retort and air to the generating burner,
and thus keeps up a sufficient supply of heat to continue the vaporization within
the retort. Supply pipes 49 lead from the discharge orifices of the other needle
pipes to the burners 32 respectively, and these pipes 49 are supplied with air
mingled with the gas in the same manner as is pipe 47.
Oil is supplied from reservoir 39, pipe 38, controlled by valve 41, to spherical
chamber 40 thus it passes up pipe 36 through the central. part and into retort 37
and vaporizing tubes 42 where it is vaporized. It thence issues to the generating
burner and to the other burners whenever the respective valves are opened.
50 is a lighting cup secured to pipe 36 and 51 is a short conduit leading through
the wall of the casing 34 to enable oil to be readily poured into the lighting cup

page_text: for the purpose of effecting the initial vaporization sufficient to light and start
the generating flame.
As the needle pipes pass through the retort itself they are kept heated and as
they and their connecting supply pipes proceed directly to the burners, the vapor
loses little heat and is in the best condition for consumption when it reaches the
burner. In addition to this, the arrangement of needle pipes crossing one another
through the retort, enables any reasonable number of burners to be used in a
single stove and to be conveniently arranged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. A vaporizer characterized by a retort, a generating burner for vaporizing
oil therein, a supply pipe for supplying commingled vapor from the retort and
air to the generating burner, a needle pipe running into or through the retort
and adapted to discharge vapor into said supply pipe, a valve for controlling
such discharge, one or more other burners also fed by vapor from the retort, a
supply pipe for each of such burners for supplying commingled vapor from the
retort and air thereto, a needle pipe for each supply pipe running into or through
the retort, and adapted to discharge vapor into said supply pipe and a valve for
controlling such discharge, substantially as set forth.
2. A vaporizer characterized by a retort, a vaporizing tube passing through
the retort and having a discharge orifice, a needle bar running through the
vaporizing tube and having a cutting surface or surfaces snugly fitting the same,
passageways between the needle bar and the inner walls of the vaporizing tube
for the passage of oil or gas, means for supplying oil to the vaporizing tube and
means for heating the retort, whereby oil will be vaporized in the vaporizing tube
and carbonizing in the tube may be prevented.
3. A vaporizer characterized by a retort, a vaporizing tube passing through
the retort and having a discharge orifice, a spiral needle bar running through
the vaporizing tube and having the cutting edges of the spiral snugly fitting
the same, a valve for the discharge orifice, means for opening and closing the
valve, means for supplying oil to the vaporizing tube and means for heating the
retort, whereby the oil will be vaporized in the spirals of the needle bar, the oil
and gas will be retarded in their How through the vaporizing tube and carboniz-
ing in the vaporizing tube may be prevented.
4. A vaporizer characterized by a retort, a vaporizing tube passing through the
retort and having a discharge orifice, a reservoir for oil in line with the vaporiz-
ing tube, a needle bar running through the reservoir and the vaporizing tube
and having a cutting surface or surfaces snugly fitting the latter, a valve for
said discharge orifice adapted to open and close the same and means for operating
the valve, passageways between the needle bar and the inner wall of the vaporiz-
ing tube leading from the reservoir for the passage of oil or gas, and means for
heating the retort, whereby oil will be vaporized in the vaporizing tube, carboniz-
ing in said tube may be prevented, and the flow of oil and gas through the tube
will be retarded.
5. A vaporizer characterized by a retort having an outer wall or shell, means
for heating the retort, one or more vaporizing tubes passing through the retort
and yieldingly fitted into the wall of the same, and means for supplying oil to
said tube or tubes, whereby fracture of the parts due to expansion or contraction
thereof will be avoided.
6. A vaporizer characterized by a retort having an outer wall or shell, means
for heating the retort, two or more vaporizing tubes secured together and passing
through the retort, needle bars running through said vaporizing tubes and having
valves at their ends to control the discharge of gas therefrom, means for supplying
oil to said vaporizing tubes, supports for said tubes secured thereto and fitting
ieldingly in the wall of the retort, whereby oil will be vaporized in the vaporiz-

page_text: ing chamber and whereby a fracture of the parts due to expansion or contraction
thereof will be avoided.
7. A retort characterized by a vaporizing tube having a discharge orifice at
one end, a needle bar adapted to fit therein and having a valve at its end adapted
to close the said orifice and a support for said needle bar at each end of the vapori-
zing tube, whereby the needle bar will be prevented from getting out of align-
ment and the valve will always remain in alignment with its valve seat and
the orifice.
8. A vaporizer characterized by a retort having lugs thereon, a frame carrying
a pipe for bringing gas into the retort to continue vaporization and lugs upon
the frame, whereby the frame and its connecting pipe may readily be placed upon
the retort and be locked thereto or may be readily removed therefrom.
9. A vapor stove characterized by a retort, a generating burner for vaporizing
oil therein, a supply pipe for supplying commingled vapor from the retort and
air to the generating burner, a needle pipe running through and opening into
said retort and adapted to discharge vapor into said supply pipe, a needle spindle
running through said needle pipe and forming a valve for controlling such dis-
charge, of another burner also fed by vapor from the retort, a supply, pipe for
supplying commingled vapor from the retort and air to such other burner, a
needle pipe running through and opening into said retort and adapted to discharge
vapor into said last mentioned supply pipe, a needle spindle running through
said last mentioned needle pipe and forming a valve for controlling such dis-
charge, substantially as set forth.
10. A vapor stove characterized by a retort, a plurality of burners and a
plurality of commingling tubes, one for each burner, a plurality of needle pipes,
one for each burner, opening into and forming part of the retort and at the same
time forming parts of the various needle valves for controlling the discharge of
vapor into the various commingled tubes, substantially as set forth.
T
J
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.