IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wild, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR
ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wild at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1879.
ROBERT WILD, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
I generate steam in a steam boiler or any other suitable vessel, and convey the
steam by a pipe through incandescent material (by preference having an affinity
for oxygen) contained in a retort or retorts, and thus decompose such steam into
its constituent gases, oxygen and hydrogen, the oxygen gas being absorbed by the
incandescent material, and the hydrogen gas escaping by an outlet pipe into the
hydro, and thence into the holder or gasometer where it is stored till wanted;
also at the same time or otherwise as the case may be I feed hydro-carbon oils
into a retort or retorts by a syphon attached to an upright stand pipe, the said
stand pipe being fixed to the retort in any suitable position, so as to allow the
oils to run in a fine stream on to incandescent material contained in such retort,
or otherwise; the hydro carbon oils thus become thoroughly decomposed and
converted into heavy carburetted hydrogen gas, which I lead away by a pipe to
the hydro, and from thence by another pipe to the holder or gasometer containing
the hydrogen gas herein before mentioned; the gases thus introduced into the
presence of each other become thoroughly diffused and mixed, and are ready to
be conveyed and distributed by pipes to any distance.
I thus manufacture a permanent gas by a simple, rapid, and inexpensive process,
such gas requiring no purifying, and being produced by apparatus much simpler
and less costly than existing coal gas apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Wild in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th December
1879.
ROBERT WILD, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
I generate steam in a steam boiler or any other suitable vessel, and convey the
steam by a pipe through incandescent coke or other similar material (by preference
having an affinity for oxygen) contained in a retort or retorts, and thus decompose
such steam into its constituent gases, oxygen and hydrogen, the oxygen gas being
absorbed by the incandescent material, and the hydrogen gas escaping by an outlet
pipe into the hydro, and thence into the holder or gasometer, where it is stored till
wanted.
I also at the same time or otherwise, as the case may be, feed hydro carbon oils,
coal cannel, or any such like material largely possessed of carbon into a retort or
retorts, as follows:-If I use hydrocarbon oils, I convey such oils by a syphon pipe
attached to an upright stand pipe, the said stand pipe being fixed to the retort or
retorts in any suitable position, so as to allow the oils to run in a fine stream either
on to incandescent material contained in such retort or retorts, or otherwise, whereby
the hydro carbon oils become thoroughly decomposed, and converted into heavy
carburetted hydrogen gas which I lead away by a pipe to the hydro, and from
thence by another pipe to the holder or gasometer, containing the hydrogen gas
herein before mentioned, the gases thus introduced into the presence of each other
become thoroughly diffused and mixed, and are ready to be conveyed and dis-
tributed by pipes to any distance; but should I otherwise prefer I introduce both
the heavy carburretted hydrogen gas, and the hydrogen gas together into the
hydro, and allow them to mix in such hydro, and thence I convey such mixed gases
by a pipe to the holder or gasometer for use as required.
In using conl cannel and all such like material for the production of heavy
carburetted hydrogen gas, I use two or more retorts (as the case may be), into one
or more of which I feed the material used, and the gases or vapours made therein
I convey by a bend pipe into a retort or retorts containing incandescent material,
whereby all vapours are thoroughly decomposed into gases, and such gases I convey
away by an outlet pipe or pipes into the hydro, into which I also introduce
hydrogen gas, as aforesaid, and thence convey such mixed gases through the
vurious systems of purifying, and finally I convey such gas or gases into the holder
or gasometer for use as required; or I convey the heavy carburetted hydrogen gas
made from coal cannel or other similar material in the manner herebefore described
into a separate hydro, and afterwards pass it onwards to be purified by any known
method at present in use, the gas so produced being suitable for mixing with
hydrogen gas as aforesaid, or may be burned as an illuminating gas by itself. It
will be seen that by thoroughly decomposing coal gas in the manner described,
viz., that after the gas has been partly decomposed in the first retort, by passing
it through another retort containing incandesent material, the whole of the heavy
hydro-carbon gases are set at liberty, whereby I make a thorough permanent gas,
and not a vapour as now mostly done, and which process will be found in practice
to give a greater percentage of gas froin a given quantity of material, and less
bi-products than under the present system. And in order that this my said
Invention may be the more readily understood and carried into practical effect,
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my improved
apparatus for the manufacture of gas, and I will now proceed to describe the same,
reference being had to the Figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2, a longitudinal or side elevation; and
Figure 3, a plan of my improved gas making apparatus.
In all the views A and A¹ are a pair of gas retorts upon each of which is

page_text: mounted a stand pipe B fitted with syphon pipes C, which ensure the hydrocarbon
oil passing through them being kept cool, and not passing off as vapour, whilst
they also prevent the gas escaping from the retort, the stand pipe B serving as
a support for the hydro-carbon oil cans or cisterns D. These retorts A and A are
in communication with each other through the bend pipes F, and with the hydro G
through the outlet pipes H, each of which is fitted with a stop valve I, whilst
such retorts are heated in the ordinary manner by means of a furnace, the door
of which is marked J; K is an additional retort designed for the manufacture of
hydrogen gas from steam (K' being the furnace door), and which retort is supplied
with the necessary steam from a steam boiler through the small pipe L, such steam
supply being regulated by the stop valvo M, any condensed water being withdrawn
by means of the branch pipe N fitted with a stop valve O as illustrated.
The node of manufacturing gas with this improved apparatus and in accordance
with this Invention may be described as follows:-Hydro-carbon oil being supplied
to the cisterns D and the retorts being heated to redness, all that is necessary is to
turn on the small taps d, and thus allow the bydro-carbon oil to run in a fine
stream into the syphons C, from whence it descends into the heated retorts A
and A' (which by preference are filled or partially filled with incandescent material
as aforesaid) through the stand pipes B, the heavy carbureted hydrogen gas thus
produced being allowed to escape into the hydro G through the outlet pipes H. At
the same time or otherwise if more convenient hydrogen gas is made in the
retort K by the introduction of steam through the steam supply pipe L on to the
incandescent material contained in such retort, the hydrogen gas finding its way
into the hydro G through the pipe P.
In however making heavy carburretted hydrogen gas from coal cannal or other
similar solid materials with this improved apparatus, I introduce the gasmaking
material into one of the retorts A or A', and by closing the valve I on the outlet
pipe H appertaining to such retort I cause the gas and vapours evolved to pass
through the bend pipe F into the other adjoining retort, which contains incan-
descent material, and thus by compelling such gas and vapours to travel the
whole length of such retort containing incandescent material I ensure a moro
complete decomposition, and allow the gas to escape by the open outlet pipe H into
the hydro. The gases thus introduced into the hydro become thoroughly diffused
and mixed, and may be then led to the gasometer through the pipe Q unless the
same requires purifying, in which case it will be passed through the purifying
apparatus previous to being introduced into the gasometer, the tar being allowed
to pass away into the tar well through the pipe R. It will thus be seen that
I manufacture a permanent hydro-carbon gas or a heavy carburretted hydrogen
gas, both illuminants of themselves, by a simple, rapid, and inexpensive process,
such gas requiring no purifying if made from oils, and if made from coal cannel and
other similar solid materials I produce a greater per centage of gas from a given
quantity of material of a much purer nature, with less bi-products (which of course
means less labour in purifying), and capable of affording a light of greater brilliancy
than has hitherto been practicable, and which is effected by thoroughly decom-
posing the gas, as hereinbefore described.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I make no
claim to the use of hydro-carbon oils, coal cannel, or any other gas producing
material in the manufacture of gas, save and except in the manner hereinbefore
described, as I am well aware that such materials have hitherto been used in other
processes of gas making, and that I do not confine myself to the precise form and
arrangement of apparatus herein before described and illustrated on the accom-
panying Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the Invention, but what I do claim is,―
1st. The manufacture of a permanent hydro carbon gas, substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described.

page_text: 2nd. The combination and arrangement of apparatus for the manufacture of gas,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
Drawing.
3rd. The use and application of the stand pipe and syphon pipes for introducing
hydro-carbon oils into gas retorts, substantially as and for the purposes described
and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
4th. The improved method of treating gas made from coal cannal or other
similar materials, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5th. The mixing of heavy carburretted hydrogen gas and hydrogen gas either
in the hydro or otherwise, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wild, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 10th day of December, in the year of our Lord 1879.
BANAAM 117TT n