IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cartwright Holmes, Engineer, of 56,
Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."-A
communication from abroad by Benjamin Warnes Thurston, of the
Gas Works. Hamburg.
Sealed the 26th February 1869, and dated the 1st September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cartwright
Holmes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st September 1868.
I, WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT HOLMES, Engineer, of 56, Gracechurch
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
Gas," to be as follows:-
Illuminating or heating gas in the course of its manufacture undergoes
several processes of purification in separate apparatus. The object of
this Invention is to combine such apparatus in a compact and con-
venient form so that economy of space and construction may be effected.

page_text: The combined apparatus consists of a washer, scrubber, and condenser,
and is formed into three distinct chambers; the lower one fitted with
trays and adapted as a washer, the upper and inner one, in which may
be placed coke, breeze, or other suitable material fitted with grids or not
as a scrubber, while the outer chamber serves as a condenser. Attached
to the top is a funnel or vase shaped vessel supplied with water which
constantly trickles down the interior of the upper and inner chamber
from a horizontal pipe having a number of small holes therein, and
connected with the vase before mentioned. The water after percolating
the coke, breeze, or other material and falling to the bottom of this
chamber descends to the lower chamber or washer, where it is intercepted
by shallow trays over which the water falls in succession. Openings
fitted with suitable doors or covers are provided at different points to
obtain access to and remove from the interior any obstruction that may
arise.
The action is as follows:-The gas is admitted to the inlet in the
bottom of the lower chamber and traverses the space between the trays
or partitions, being at the same time subjected to the action of the falling
water and thereby completely washed. On reaching the top tray it is
admitted to the upper and inner chamber and there undergoes, the
process of scrubbing. Having attained the top of this compartment
the gas is compelled to enter the outer chamber, which being exposed to
the atmosphere on the outside and the cooling influence of the water
passing through the scrubber is admirably adapted for and serves as a
very efficient condenser. Finally the gas flows to the bottom of the
apparatus, and is thence conveyed away through an outlet formed for
that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Cartwright Holmes in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CARTWRIGHT HOLMES, Engineer, of 56, Gracechurch Street, in the City
of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Cartwright Holmes, Her special
licence that I, the said William Cartwright Holmes, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Cartwright Holmes, 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 APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
GAS," being a communication to me from abroad by Benjamin Warnes
Thurston, of the Gas Works, Hamburg, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Cartwright Holmes, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to he
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 Cartwright Holmes, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to
say:-
Illuminating or heating gas in the course of its manufacture under-
goes several processes of purification in separate apparatus.. The object
of this Invention is to combine such apparatus in a compact and
convenient form, so that economy of space and construction may be
effected.
The combined apparatus consists of a washer, scrubber, and condenser
and is formed into three distinct chambers, the lower one fitted with
trays and adapted as a washer, the upper and inner one in which may
be placed coke, breeze, or other suitable material, fitted with grids or not
as a scrubber, while the outer chamber serves as a condenser. Attached
to the top is a funnel or vase shaped vessel supplied with water which

page_text: constantly trickles down the interior of the upper and inner chamber
from a horizontal pipe having a number of small holes therein and
connected with the vase before mentioned. The water after percolating
the coke, breeze, or other material and falling to the bottom of this
chamber descends to the lower chamber or washer, where it is intercepted
by shallow trays over which the water falls in succession. Openings
fitted with suitable doors or covers are provided at different points to
obtain access to and remove from the interior any obstruction that may
arise.
The action which will be more readily understood on reference to the
Drawings, is as follows:- (Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2 is a sectional
elevation; and Fig. 3, a plan of the interior of the bottom of the washer.)
The gas is admitted to the inlet A, Fig. 2, in the bottom of the lower
chamber and traverses the space between the trays or partitions B, being
at the same time subjected to the action of the falling water and thereby
completely washed. On reaching the top tray it is admitted to the
upper and inner chamber or scrubber C and there undergoes the process
of scrubbing. Having attained the top of this compartment the gas is
compelled to enter the outer chamber D, which being exposed to the
atmosphere on the outside, and the cooling influence of the water passing
through the scrubber, is admirably adapted for and serves as a very
effecient condenser. Finally the gas flows to the bottom of the apparatus,
and is thence conveyed away through an outlet E formed for that
purpose. F is the vase-shaped vessel which is supplied with water;
G is a pipe for drawing off the products of condensation; and H a pipe
for leading away the superfluous water which may be pumped up and
used over and over again or not at discretion; I, I, are doors whereby
access is obtained to the interior of the washer; and J, Fig. 1, is a man-
hole to allow of the contents of the chamber C being extracted when
necessary.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the hercin-before in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent is, the combination and construction of gas apparatus, sub-
stantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cartwright Holmes, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty- day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.