IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frederick Gustavo Kromschröder, of Prince of
Wales Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS FOR LIGHTING
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederick Gustave
Kromschröder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
February 1880.
-
JOHN FREDERICK GUSTAVE KROMSCHRÖDER, of Prince of Wales Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL
GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to the purification and carburetting of ordinary coal gas
employed for lighting purposes by the regulation of the proportion contained
therein of gaseous carbon at any temperature, giving a uniform result of increased
brilliancy.
The means I employ for this object is composed of an apparatus by which I
pass the coal gas through absorbent material saturated with hydrocarbon, and
subsequently through acetic acid in a dried condition.
My apparatus is composed of a vessel of suitable material, through which the gas
which is to be carburetted and purified is passed before reaching the burner. This
vessel is divided into three compartments by horizontal partitions, of which the top
and bottom ones are in communication with a central pipe passing through the
intermediate compartment. Hydro-carbon fluid is filled into the upper compart-
ment and flows through the central communicating pipe to the lowest compartment,
which is filled with sponge or other absorbent inaterial, and which is prevented
from filling to more than a convenient depth by an automatic regulating valve.
This valve drops on a cone seating in the passage before referred to so as to stop
the further admission of the hydrocarbon fluid, and is only lifted from its sent by
a float and lever when the level of the fluid in the lowest compartment has fallen
below a certain point. This central tube has a division and a double purpose to
serve. The hydro-carbon fluid is admitted and automatically regulated in its flow
down one part whilst the other part carried up above the hydro-carbon fluid in the
top chamber forms a means of communication to maintain atmospheric equilibrium
in the two chambers to ensure a steady flow.

page_text: The lowest chamber before referred to is filled with sponge or other absorbent
material between a series of vertical metal plates alternately projecting from the
sides of the compartment so as to cause the coal gas which is admitted from the
meter or main at one end of this lowest chamber to pass in serpentine fashion
through the absorbent material soaked with hydro-carbon fluid.
From this lowest chamber the coal gas is conducted to the intermediate chamber
which is filled with any absorbent material saturated in acetic acid and thoroughly
dried. I find that thin flannel soaked in vinegar, dried, and suspended as a series
of curtains throughout the compartment, to be a convenient arrangement for the
application of the dried acetic acid.
The ordinary coal gas which has thus been passed through first the hydro-carbon
fluid, and thus carburetted, and, secondly, through the dried acetic acid, and thus
purified and the excess saturation of hydro-carbon removed, is found to burn with
a flame of increased brillianco and purity.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Frederick Gustave Kromschröder in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th August 1880.
JOHN FREDERICK GUSTAVE KROMSCHRÖDER, of Prince of Wales Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL
GAS FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES."
•
My Invention relates to the purification and carburetting of ordinary coal gas
employed for lighting purposes by the regulation of the proportion contained therein
of gascous carbon at any temperature, giving a uniform result of increased
brilliancy.
pass
The means I employ for this object is composed of an apparatus by which I
the coal gas through absorbent material saturated with hydrocarbon, and subse-
quently through acetic acid in a dried condition.
My apparatus is composed of a vossel of suitable material, through which the
gas which is to be carburetted and purified is passed before reaching the burner.
This vessel is divided into three compartments by horizontal partitions, of which
the top and bottom ones are in communication with a central pipe passing through
the intermediate compartment. Hydro-carbon fluid is filled into the upper com-
partment, and flows through the central cominunicating pipe to the lowest
compartment, which is filled with sponge or other absorbent material, and which
is prevented from filling to more than a convenient height by an automatic regu-
lating valve. This valve drops on a cone seating in the passage before referred to
so as to stop the further admission of the hydro carbon fluid, and is only lifted
from its sea by a float and lever when the level of the fluid in the lowest compart-
ment has fallen below a certain point. This central tube has a division and a
double purpose to serve. The hydro carbon fluid is admitted and automatically
regulated in its flow down one part, whilst the other part carried up above the
hydro-carbon fluid in the top chamber forms a means of communication to maintain
atmospheric equilibrium in the two chambers to ensure a steady flow.
The lowest chamber before referred to is fitted with sponge, or other absorbent
material, between a series of vertical metal plates alternately projecting from the
sides of the compartment so as to cause the coal gas which is admitted from the
meter or main at one end of the lowest chamber to pass in serpentine fashion
through the absorbent material soaked with hydro carbon fluid.
From this lowest chamber the coal gas is conducted to the intermediate chamber,
which is filled with any absorbont material saturated in acetic acid, and thoroughly
dried. I find that thin flannel soaked in vinegar, dried, and suspended as a series
of curtains throughout the compartiment, to be a convenient arrangement for the
application of the dried acetic acid.
The ordinary coal gas which has thus been passed through first the hydro-carbon
fluid, and thus carburetted, and, secondly, through the dried acetic acid, and thus
purified and the excess saturation of hydrocarbon removed, is found to burn with
a flame of increased brilliance and purity.
And in order that my Invention may be the better understood I now proceed
to describe the Drawings annexed bereto of the apparatus by means of which it is
effected, reference being had to the letters and Figures marked thereon.
Figures 1. and II. are plan and section respectively of the apparatus, and
Figures 1II. and IV. show detail of the central tube and passage with regulating
valve. Like letters designate like parts in each of the Figures.
D, D, are two partitions forming the compartments A, B, C. The compartiment
A is filled with the hydrocarbon fluid, which flows down the passage E¹ through
the valve G into the lowest compartment C, until the liquid rising in the open
space closes the valve by means of the float and lever H, which is reopened by the

page_text: falling of the liquid and consequent action of the float and lever. Atmospheric
equilibrium is preserved through E, and the plate I divides E and E. This com-
partment C is divided by a series of vertical plates K projecting alternately from
either side, the spaces between which, with the exception of a space for the
working of the float controlling the valve, are filled with sponge or other absorbent
material F.
The compartment B is hung with a series of thin curtains soaked in acetic acid
or vinegar and dried.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The gas is admitted at L, and passing
in serpentine fashion between the plates K, through the sponge saturated with
hydrocarbon F, ascends through M and passes through the suspended curtains
previously soaked in vinegar and dried. The action of this dried acetic acid is to
purify the gas and to take from it any excess of hydrocarbon, which dropping
from the curtains runs back through M to the lowest chamber. The partition may
be conveniently inclined slightly to Al to facilitate the flow. Having passed through
this chainber the gas is now led to the burners, and is found to burn with a flame
of increased brilliance and purity.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and object of any Invention,
and the inanner in which it is to be performed, be it known that what I consider
novel and useful, and desire to protect by Letters Patent is,
The method of purification and carburetting of coal gas by causing it to pass
through absorbent material saturated with hydrocarbon, and subsequently
through dried acetic acid, by means of apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said John Frederick Gustave Kromschroeder, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHANN FRIEDERICH GUSTAV KROMSCHRODER. (L.S.)
In presence of
S. P. WILDING,
City Patent Office,
23, Rood Lane, Fenchurch St.,
London, E.C.