IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Carter Ramsden and Edward
Keighley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th May
1876.
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Ilkley, near Leeds, in the County of York, and
EDWARD KEIGHLEY, of Bradford, in the said County, Dyer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for securing the
combustion of those hydrocarbons which are in a liquid state, and for utilizing the
heat generated thereby. It is well known that during the combustion of these
hydrocarbons in an open vessel that a large amount of solid carbon is evolved, so
much so that any vessel placed over the flame would speedily become thickly coated
therewith, and so prevent the transmission of heat into the interior of such vessel.
Now our improvements consists, firstly, in the method by which we secure the
complete combustion of these hydrocarbons, and so produce a flame perfectly free
from smoke and most intensely hot; and, secondly, for the apparatus by which wo
produce such results, and by reason of which we are enabled to utilize the heat
produced.
The modus operandi is somewhat as follows:-We take a vessel, say in the shape
of a cylinder (though it must be understood that size and shape will vary in
accordance with purpose required), and for a few inches at the bottom of the
vessel we place sharp siliceous sand or other suitable crystal. By means of a pipe
passing through the side of the vessel we saturate and keep saturated the said sand
or crystal with some or one of the liquid hydrocarbons. Laid on the surface of
the sand or fixed in some convenient part of the cylinder or chamber we place a
coil of piping which is perforated with ninuto orifices. When the hydrocarbon
with which the sand is saturated is ignited, it at once gives off a large quantity of
smoke and soot, but immediatedly steam is turned into the perforated coil small
jets of steam issue with great force from the minute orifices, and mixing with the
hydrocarbon flanie cause all smoke and soot to cease, and a beautiful clear flame is
the result. In a short time the heat is such that the steam is decomposed, and then
a most intense heat is generated, which is applicable to a large variety of purposes.
As before stated shape and size of vessel will be determined by the purpose for
which the heat may be required, for example, in the singeing of manufactured
goods or yarns a pipe must be fixed horizontally and half filled with sand, as
Die 23

page_text: described for the cylinder, and which said sand must be kept saturated with hydro-
carbon, as before described, and perforated pipes applied for conducting the steam.
A slit or opening must be made in such horizontal pipe out of which one continuous
flame from end to end of the slit will pass out, and by a proper application of the
steam jet the flame will be of such purity that the most delicate fabrics may be
singed thereby. Or the flame may be caused to impinge upon a silver plate fixed at
some short distance above the slit, which plate will soon become at a white heat or
high temperature equally all throughout (a desideratum of great importance in singeing)
of course the plate referred to may be of other metal, but for cleanliness and quick
transmission of heat I prefer silver. In the melting or purifying of metals the
apparatus can be somewhat of the shape of a reverbatory furnace, save like when
used for the purpose of generating steam, but the shape of the apparatus will
necessarily be subject to variation in accordance with the purpose for which the
heat may be required, and in all cases it will be necessary in order to secure
complete combustion of the gases generated that suitable apertures are provided
for the due admission of air when and where required.