IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BURNING OR DESTROYING NOXIOUS GASES OR MEPHITIC VAPOURS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BURNING OR DESTROYING NOXIOUS GASES OR
MEPHITIC VAPOURS." A communication from abroad by Dr. Jules Felix and
Frederic Moulin, both of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
Sealed the 5th January 1877, and dated the 27th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1876.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BURNING
OR DESTROYING NOXIOUS GASES OR MEPHITIC VAPOURS."
The apparatus which forms the subject of this Invention has for its object the
destruction (by means of combustion) of the volatile organic matters and mephitic
or noxious gases which are generated in and evolved from sewers, drains, and other
analogous places.
It will also serve to purify, disinfect, and ventilate (and even to warm if such be
desired) different buildings or places, such as the wards and rooms of hospitals, the
halls or lecture rooms of anatomical schools or colleges, courts of law, and other
places where, owing to the assemblage of many persons the air is liable to become
vitiated.
It is also applicable for disinfecting, purifying, and renewing the air of ships'
cabins or holds, and for burning or destroying unhealthy gases or exhalations given
off in various manufacturing operations such as distilling, tallow melting, sugar
boiling, and the like.
The apparatus consists of a vertical cylinder or envelope made of copper or other
metal provided at top with a domed cover from which rises a chimney or exit flue.
At the lower part of this cylinder is placed a circular burner consisting of a hollow
ring, in the upper side of which a series of holes are made by drilling or otherwise
to form gas jets. The interior of this ring burner communicates with a pipe whereby
combustible gas (such as carburetted hydrogen) mixed with a proper proportion of
air (which is drawn in from the outside) is supplied to the burner, which being
circular bas a central open space besides an annular space all round outside the
ourner for the purpose of allowing the noxious gases to pass through. Imme-
[Price Gd.]

page_text: diately above the ring burner is an inverted dish made of some refractory material
and of a concavo-convex form, so that the noxious gases which pass up through the
centre of the burner will strike against the concave of the inverted dish, and will
A
be directed through the jets of flame which issue from the holes in the burner.
second inverted dish or the frustrum of a cone, but of larger diameter and having a
an opening at its centre, is mounted a short distance above the other dish, and
rests upon a short cylinder or ring made of fire-clay, and secured to the inside of
the casing or cylinder for the purpose of keeping the interior of the cylinder at a
high temperature. In the upper part of the cylinder is mounted an inverted conical
vessel or cylinder with a rounded end, and made of firo-clay, porous earthonware,
or other refractory inaterial. This vessel is filled with sand or pounded chalk, and
its rounded lower end extends down to nearly the open end of the frustrum of a
conc above mentioned.
The apparatus thus made is adapted to a short chinney flue or tube communi-
cating with the street sewers or house drains so that the noxious gases or vapours
arising from the latter when admitted into the lower part of the apparatus will be
made to pass through the burner, and thus be brought in contact with the flame
and be consumed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2
27th January 1877.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lanc, in
** IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BURNING
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
OR DESTROYING NOXIOUS GASES OR MEPIITIC VAPOURS." A communication from
abroad by Dr. Jules Félix and Frederic Moulin, both of Brussels, in the Kingdom 2
of Belgium.
The apparatus which forms the subject of this Invention has for its object the
destruction (by means of combustion) of the volatile organic matters and mephitic
or noxious gases which are generated in and evolve from sewers, drains, and other
analogous places.
It will also serve to purify, disinfect, and ventilate (and even to warm if such be
desired) different buildings or places such as the wards and rooms of hospitals, the
halls or lecture rooms of anatomical schools or colleges, courts of law, and other
places where owing to the assemblage of many persons the air is liable to become
vitiated.
It is also applicable for disinfecting, purifying, and renewing the air of ships
cabins or holls, and for burning or destroying unhealthy gases or exhalations given
off in various manufacturing operations such as distilling, tallow melting, sugar
boiling, and the like.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus com-
plete; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same; Fig. 3 is another horizontal section
taken in the line A, B, of Fig. 1.
The apparatus consists of a vertical cylinder or envelope made of copper or other
metal provided at top with a domed cover from which rises a chimney or exit flue.
At the lower part of this cylinder is a box 2 provided with clack valves al cach
side to admit the mephitic gases into the interior of the apparatus. Above this
box is placed a circular burner 3, consisting of a hollow ring in the upper side of
which a series of holes are made by drilling or otherwise to form gas jets. The
interior of this ring burner communicates with a pipe, whereby combustible gas
(such as carburetted hydrogen) mixed with a proper proportion of air (which is
drawn in from the outside) is supplied to the burner which being circular has a
central open space besides an annular space all round outside the burner for the
purpose of allowing the noxious gases to pass through. Immediately above the

page_text: ring burner 3 is a dish 4 made of fire-clay or some refractory material, and of a.
concavo-convex form, so that the noxious gases which pass up through the centre
of the burner will strike against the concave of the inverted dish, and will be
directed through the jets of flame which issue from the holes in the burner. Inside
the cylinder 1 is a fire-clay cylinder 5 which is terminated with a curved or conical
cap and prevents the sides of the outer casing from getting cold and keeps up in
the interior of the apparatus a temperature of from three hundred degrees to five
hundred degrees centigrade. A second dish 44, or the frustum of a cone but of larger
diameter than the dish 4, and having an opening at its centre, is mounted a short
distance above the other dish, and rests upon the short cylinder or ring 5 made
of fire-clay and secured to the inside of the casing or cylinder for the purpose of
keeping the interior of the cylinder at a high temperature as before mentioned.
In the upper part of the cylinder is mounted an inverted conical vessel or cylinder 6
with a rounded end and made of fire-clay, porous earthenware, or other refractory
material. This vessel is filled with sand or pounded chalk, and its rounded- lower
end extends down to nearly the open end of the frustum of a cone 4ª above-
mentioned.
The inverted cone 6 is supported by lugs on a seat prepared for it at the upper
part of the vessel, spaces being left between the conical vessel G and the casing to
allow of the passage of the gases to the chimney above. The vessel G prevents
the heat from passing off too rapidly, and it also prevents any down draught from
extinguishing the gas burners. To promote the draught of the apparatus and to
assist in preventing down currents a number of holes 7, 7, are made in the sides
of the casing. The apparatus is supplied with carburetted hydrogen gas from a
tube 9, and it draws in with it a supply of air through the opening 8 where a
mixture of air with the gas takes place.
The apparatus thus made is adapted to a short chimney flue or tube communi-
cating with the street sewers or house drains, so that the noxious gases or vapours
arising from the latter when admitted into the box 2 at the lower part of the
apparatus will be made to pass through the burner 3 and thus be brought in contact
with the flame and be consumed or at any rate rendered innocuous.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Apparatus for Burning or
Destroying Noxious Gases or Mephitic Vapours," and having explained the inanner
of carrying the same into effect as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
the apparatus herein shewn and described or any mere modification thereof, con-
sisting of a gas burner enclosed within a casing, so that a very high temperature
may be obtained therein, in order to burn, disinfect, or destroy any noxious or
mephitic gases or vapours that may be passed through the same as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WANMAN7