Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1892-Accepted, 80th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of
Illuminating Gas.
I HUGH WILLIAMS of the Illuminating Heating and Power Gas Company
Limited of 23 John Dalton Street in the City of Manchester Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas having for its basis
water gas principally derived from the decomposition of steam or of steam-and
air. In the carrying into effect of a former invention for which Letters Patent
Number 5434 of the year 1800 have been granted to me I obtained illuminating gas
by passing water gas enriched by admixture with the products of distillation of
carbonaceous fuel through condensing and purifying apparatus and through heated
retorts charged with fragments of iron. The principal object of my present inven-
tion is to simplify the apparatus and to render the same more compact and also to
effect economy in fuel and repairs. I employ a vertical producer fed at the upper
end through a hopper provided with a valve or with valves but in-s
-some or in all
cases I dispense with the distilling retort and permit the fuel to fall-directly into
the producer and to be distilled by the heat of the same and of the producer.gas
arising from below, the gases evolved during such distillation mingling with the
water gas and enriching the same. I dispose the fixer around the producer chamber
either in the form of a single-annular space or of a cluster of retorts of cylindrical
or segmental or other form. A comparatively thin shell separates such fixer from
the producer chamber so that the said fixer receives sufficient heat through such
wall and therefore does not require special arrangements for heating.
In a construction which I consider to be suitable-the-lining of the producer is in
the form of a cylindrical shell composed of lengths of refractory material fitting
together. Surrounding this lining is an annular space which constitutes.the fixing
retort and is charged with iron fragments. The outer wall of this retort-may be of
fire brick or of fire clay.lumps and may be enclosed within a metal shell.and suitably
protected by slow conductive material. The gases from the producer are either
passed directly into the fixer or are conveyed to condensing and purifying apparatus
or to condensing apparatus alone and are then passed into the fixer being directed
to flow either downward or upward through the interstices between the heated iron
fragments, I prefer to pass the gases downward through the fixer. As the gases
pass-into the fixer they are further enriched by means of liquid hydro-carbon or of
mineral or other oil which is vapourised by the heat derived from the producer.
Such liquid matter may be fed through syphon pipes directly into the fixer or into
a heated chamber above the fixer or conveniently situated. I propose to cover the
top of the producer and the fixer with a removable metal cover which would carry
the feeding hopper. In this cover would be formed an annular passage-through
which the gas would be passed into the fixer and into which the oil or liquid would
be fed. A lip upon this cover dipping into an annular channel containing an alloy
which would remain fusible under working conditions, would make a joint between
the producer and the fixer.
To ensure that the enriched gas shall be brought into contact with a large amount
of heated surface in the fixer I prefer to convey the gas out through a number of
passages extending around the fixer and leading into an annular passage which
would communicate at two or more points with a pipe which would convey away the
gases to a cooler or to the holder.
I may arrange for the gas before entering the fixer to flow through an antular
chamber or through passages surrounding the fixer so as to aid in keeping the outer

page_text: shell cool and at the same time conserve the heat of the fixer by causing the gases
to enter the fixer at a high temperature. The heated gases would also be in a
better condition to take up the enriching matters.
Dated this 10th day of September 1891.
"
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of :
Illuminating Gas.
I HUGH WILLIAMS of the Illuminating Heating and Power Gas Company
Limited, of 23 John Dalton Street, in the City of Manchester, Civil Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas having for its basis
water gas principally derived from the decomposition of steam or of steam and
air. In the carrying into effect of a former invention for which Letters Patent
Number 5434 of the year 1890 have been granted to me I obtained illuminating gas
by passing water gas enriched by admixture with the products of distillation of
carbonaceous fuel through condensing and purifying apparatus and through heated
retorts charged with fragments of iron. The principal object of my present inven-
tion is to simplify the apparatus and to render the same more compact and also to
effect economy in fuel and repairs.
I employ a vertical producer fed at the upper end through a hopper provided
with a valve or with valves but in some or in all cases I dispense with the distilling
retort and permit the fuel to fall directly into the producer and to be, distilled by
the heat of the same and of the producer gas arising from below, the gases
evolved during such distillation mingling with the water gas and enriching the
same. I dispose the "fixer around the producer or otherwise I mount the
producer or a set of producers within the fixer. A comparatively thin wall
separates such fixer from the interior of the producer so that the fixer receives
sufficient heat through such wall and therefore does not require special arrangements
for heating.
"
In the accompanying drawings I have caused to be represented so much of the
complete apparatus as is necessary to the sufficient illustration and definition of
my invention.
In the said drawings Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an apparatus consisting of two
producers or generating retorts each enclosed in a separate casing. Figs. 3 and 4
illustrate an arrangement of three retorts enclosed in one casing. Fig. 1 represents
a vertical section of one of a pair of gas generators and Fig. 2 represents a
horizontal section of the two generators.
Each generator consists of a vertical retort A or A' which is enclosed within a
lined casing a' an annular space g being left between the retort and the lining of
the casing. The space is filled with fragments of iron and serves the purpose of
the fixing retorts 9 in my former Specification. The iron fragments with which
this space g is charged receive heat from the retort A or A' which is charged by
means of a feeding hopper b. For convenience of manufacture the retorts may
be made in rings jointed and cemented together as indicated at a in Fig. 1. I
work this apparatus a little differently from the method described in my former
Specification.
Air is blown into the space below one of the two generators say the generator A-
and the gases are passed from the top of this generator through a connecting pipe u
into the top of the other generator A and flow downward through the incandescent
fuel as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. From the space below the grate the

page_text: gases pass to a condenser D or to a suitable condenser and thence to a purifier
The gases are returned from the purifier through a pipe p and pass into a
carburetting chamber F on the top of the generator. In this chamber the gases
are enriched with hydrocarbon as in my former invention and the gases then flow
5 downward through the fixing chamber a whence they pass away through annular
pipes v as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 into the pipe k which may convey the
gas to the holders. The gas passes into the annular pipes through a number of
passages disposed around the generator in order that the gas may be caused to
come in contact with a large amount of heated surface in the fixer-that is to say
to prevent the gas from passing through one part of the fixer only which would be
likely to be the case if there was only one outlet for the gas. After a time the
current is reversed and is caused to flow upward through A' and downward
through A. The charges in the chambers g and the currents of gas passing
through check the over-heating and consequent destruction of the retorts. The
carburetter F would be supplied with liquid hydro-carbon by means of a syphon
pipe as described in my former Specification or might be otherwise suitably fed
with such liquid. In the example the feeding hopper and the fixer with the
connecting pipes or branches are carried by a cover plate on which is cast a
downwardly projecting rim seen at æ² in Fig. 1. This rim enters an annular
channel in the top of the vertical retort the intention being that this channel shall
be charged with a metal or alloy which will remain in a melted condition during
the working of the apparatus and will act to seal the joint. This method of forming
a tight joint may be varied. The gas passages are provided with suitable valves
for controlling the flow of gases but I have not considered it necessary to show
such valves in the drawings. I may pass the gas through the carburetter and fixer
before conveying it to the purifier but I prefer to purify the before enriching
it with hydro-carbon. I may arrange for the gas before entering the fixer to flow
through an annular chamber or through passages surrounding the fixer so as to aid
in keeping the outer shell cool and at the same time conserve the heat of the fixer
by causing the gases to enter the fixer at a high temperature. The heated gases
would also be in a better condition to take up the enriching matters.
gas
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate modifications in the formation of the fixing chambers or
retort. In these examples the fixers consist of vertical retorts surrounding the
central generator and formed in the wall of the same. In Fig. 5 the fixing retorts
are circular in cross section and in Fig. 6 are of a kidney or irregular form each
retort opening at the top into the carburetter and at the bottom into the passage
leading to the annular pipe v.
In Figs. 3 and 4 three vertical retorts A. A' A' are enclosed within a cylindrical
casing and the space between the retorts and the lining of such casing is charged
with iron fragments. The three retort apparatus is very suitable because one of
the three retorts may be blown up with air alone to restore the heat whilst the
other two are making gas. The three retorts in a set may thus be re-heated in
succession and the productive capacity of the apparatus be thereby increased, as
for example the gases issuing upward from A might be passed downward through A',
air being blown into A to raise its heat. After a time the valves might be altered
to pass the gases issuing from A¹ downward through A' air being blown into A to
raise its heat. I do not however confine myself to any precise method of operating
with the apparatus so long as gas produced in the generators is enriched in the
carburetter and is then passed through the fixing retort or retorts or chamber
surrounding the generator.
Two retorts might be enclosed within a casing or more than three but I consider
three to be the most suitable number.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for use in the manufacture of illuminating gas a vertical retort

page_text: mounted within a casing space outside the retort and within the casing being
charged with fragments of iron and used as a fixing chamber for the gas which has
been generated in the retort or retorts and has been enriched with hydro-carbon
before being passed into such fixing chamber substantially as set forth and
indicated.
2. In apparatus for use in the manufacture of illuminating gas two three or more
retorts mounted within a casing space outside the retorts and within the casing
being charged with fragments of iron and adapted to act as a fixing chamber
substantially as set forth and indicated.
3. The apparatus for use in the manufacture of illuminating gas consisting of 1
the retort or retorts A or 'A' enclosed within a casing a' the space 9 filled with
fragments of iron and the carburetter F-substantially as set forth and indicated.
4. The construction of combined gas generator-and fixing retorts substantially as
set forth with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
ורר הרדום חח
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.