IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING OR OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM COALS AND BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1854

page_text: Sealed the 25th July 1854, and dated the 4th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Little at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
February 1854.
I, WILLIAM LITTLE, of the Strand, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING OR OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM COALS
AND BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES " to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to distil or obtain products from coals and
bituminous substances, by bringing in contact therewith highly heated gases
resulting from the passage and decomposition of air through fire; these
highly heated gases to be used either alone or combined with steam.
For this purpose the coals or bituminous substances to be distilled are
placed in a chamber or vessel which is connected to a fire-place by a flue or
passage, and it is also connected with a suitable condensing apparatus by a pipe
or passage.
Air is decomposed by passing through a red fire, and the products alone, or
combined with steam, pass into the vessel or chamber containing the coals

page_text: or bituminous substances to be distilled, by which means their volatile con-
stituents are expelled, and pass into the condensing apparatus.
The passage of the distilling agent, videlicit, the decomposed air and steam,
is preferred to be accomplished by the aid of exhausting apparatus, though
other means may be resorted to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Little in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LITTLE, of the Strand, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Little, Her special licence that I, the said William Little,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Little, 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 Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DISTILLING OR OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM COALS AND BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Little, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly 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 Little, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):-
The object of this. Invention is to distil or obtain products from coals and
bituminous substances, by bringing in contact therewith highly heated gases
resulting from the passage and decomposition of air through fire, these highly
heated gases to be used either alone or combined with steam. For this

page_text: purpose the coals or bituminous substances to be distilled are placed in a
chamber or vessel which is connected to a fire-place by a flue or passage, and
it is also connected with a suitable condensing apparatus by a pipe or passage.
Air is decomposed by passing through a red fire, and the products alone, or
combined with steam, pass into the vessel or chamber containing the coals
or bituminous substances to be distilled, by which means their volatile con-
stituents are expelled, and pass into the condensing apparatus. The passage
of the distilling agent, viz, the decomposed air and steam, is preferred to be
accomplished by the aid of exhausting apparatus, though other means may
be resorted to.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows a section of a distilling chamber, fire, and apparatus
arranged or combined in a suitable manner for carrying out my Invention.
A is a chamber of brickwork or other suitable material of a semipherical
form, which is the shape I prefer, but the shape may be varied. The bottoni
of the chamber is formed of perforated tiles or iron plates, in such manner
that heated products from a fire and heated steam may be distributed below
the bottom, and pass up amongst the coal or bituminous matters in the
chamber A. The coal or bituminous matters are fed into the chamber A, so
as to fill it or nearly so at the opening B, which is closed when the process of
distillation is going on, and there is an opening at C, where the residual
matters are removed from the chamber A, and which opening C is also closed
when the process of distilling is going on. D is a fire-place in which is con-
stantly kept a fire of coke, the bottom of the fire-place being of fire bars or of
perforated tile or plate. E is a passage leading from the bottom of the fire-
place D to the space below the bottom of the chamber A; hence the products
from the fire descend into the passage E, and thence up through the perforated
bottom of the chamber A, amongst the coal or bituminous matters which are
being distilled. At the upper part of the chamber A is a pipe F, leading to a
condenser, which may be in the form of a worm, or otherwise kept cool by
a flow of water, and thence to a shaft, the draft being assisted by a fan or
other convenient means. G is a steam pipe passing through the fire, and
thence under the bottom of the chamber A. By this means highly heated
steam may be introduced into the chamber A, and amongst the charge of coal
or bituminous matters therein. By this arrangement it will be evident that
the distillation of the coal or bituminous matters in the chamber A will

page_text: depend on the heated products from the fire, or those products aided by steam.
It will be evident that the degree of speed at which the products from the fire
are caused to pass amongst the coal or bituminous matters may be varied, and
from time to time accommodated to the progress of the distillation, and by a
suitable throttle or other valve the quantity of steam admitted may be also
regulated.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the details herein shown and described; but what I claim is, the combination
herein described for distillation or obtaining products from coal and bituminous
substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Little, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JNO. COOK,
12, Cursitor Street,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM LITTLE. (L.S.)