IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING GASOMETERS AND GASOMETER TANKS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Gye, of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent
Garden, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING GASOMETERS
AND GASOMETER TANKS."
Sealed the 18th February 1862, and dated the 20th August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Gye at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
August 1861.
I, FREDERICK GYE, of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
GASOMETERS AND GASOMETER TANKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing gasometers
and gasometer tanks. For this purpose I construct a gasometer tank in such
manner as to render available much of the central space of land now covered
or occupied by the tank of a gasometer. The tank for a gasometer, according
to my Invention, is made double at the outer circumference to receive the
water or fluid employed, the interior space being left free for use, when roofed
or closed in air and gas tight. I prefer to use the compartment in the centre
of a tank to act as a second or interior tank to receive another, but a smaller,
gasometer, though such space may be otherwise advantageously employed;
and the central portion of the smaller tank may be similarly arranged to the

page_text: outer one in order to admit of such space being used. The inner or smaller
gasometer is arranged to act in the interior tank independently of the larger
or outer gasometer, which works in the ring formed or outer tank. When
thus employing the enclosed and roofed space interior of the tank of a
gasometer to receive a smaller or inner gasometer, the space between
the roof of the enclosed compartment is in communication with the open
atmosphere by suitable pipes or passages, so that the space may be at all
times occupied by air; or such space may be so arranged as to receive gas
when the inner gasometer is discharging its contents, and the gas received into
the central compartment may be discharged into the mains when the inner
gasometer is being charged with gas.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Gye in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
GYE, of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick Gye, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick Gye, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick
Gye, 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 CON-
STRUCTING GASOMETERS AND GASOMETER TANKS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Frederick Gye, 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 be 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 Frederick Gye, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing gasometers
and gasometer tanks. For this purpose I construct a gasometer tank in such
manner as to render available much of the central space of land now covered
or occupied by the tank of a gasometer. The tank for a gasometer, according
to my Invention, is made double at the outer circumference to receive the
water or fluid employed, the interior space being left free for use when roofed
or closed in air and gas tight. I prefer to use the compartment in the centre
of a tank to act as a second or interior tank to receive another, but a smaller,
gasometer, though such space may be otherwise advantageously employed,
and the central portion of the smaller tank may be similarly arranged to the
outer one in order to admit of such space being used. The inner or smaller
gasometer is arranged to act in the interior tank independently of the larger or
outer gasometer, which works in the ring formed or outer tank. When thus
employing the enclosed and roofed space interior of the tank of a gasomieter
to receive a smaller or inner gasometer, the space between the roof of the
enclosed compartment is in communication with the open atmosphere by
suitable pipes or passages, so that the space may be at all times occupied
by air; or such space may be so arranged as to receive gas when the inner
gasometer is discharging its contents, and the gas received into the central
compartment may be discharged into the mains when the inner gasometer is
being charged with gas.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
Instead of placing a gasholder tank on the surface or below the surface of
the ground, I erect a circular wall of brickwork or a circular framework of
iron or other suitable material. This circular erection may be perforated with
arched or other openings of a height convenient to admit men or materials
being carried through them. The breadth of this wall or erection is to be
sufficient to admit of a double or ring gasholder tank being placed on its upper
surface, the said tank being of sufficient width to admit of the working therein
of a single or double, that is, a telescope gasholder, as is indicated by the
Diagram, Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed. The space extending
from one side of the interior tank to the other is to be roofed over, as at a, a,
that is, the circular space included in and surrounded by the inner ring of the
tank is to be roofed over. It will be seen that there is then a covered circular
apartment approached by the openings through the circular wall or structure
below. The roof of this apartment may, if necessary, be conveniently supported

page_text: by a central column with radiating struts (umbrella-like) or by a series of
columns or otherwise. Should the gasholder outside and above require support
when exhausted of its gas, which is often the case, small studs may
be placed
in different parts of and upon the roof below, so as to afford a general and
divided support to the gasholder when it has fallen to its lowest point. Sup-
pose it should be wished to use a portion of this reclaimed space for the
purposes of storing gas, that is, to construct another gasholder therein, I
proceed thus: I build the lower circular wall somewhat wider than before,"
in fact, sufficiently wide to admit of two ring tanks being built upon its upper
surface, by placing a third circular side of a tank thereon. This third or
inmost ring will, however, be only one half the height of the other two, and
when the space between it and the next or middle concentric ring is filled
with water it will form a proper receptacle for the reception of a gasholder
equal to the depth of the inmost ring, or equal to one-half the height of the
outer gasholder; this will be understood by reference to the Diagram, Figure 2
of the Drawings annexed. The space (now reduced) contained within this
inmost ring must also be roofed over, as at 6, 6, and there will still remain
below an unoccupied covered space available for the stowage of coals, coke, or
other material, or for other uses. The domes of the gasholders and roofs may
be so constructed as not to require any interior supports, as shown in the first
Diagram, Figure 1.
This Invention is also applicable, when constructing gasometers the tanks of
which are built below the level of the surrounding ground, and for which an
excavation has been made, only in that case it would be necessary to descend
by an inclined plane or other means in order to enter the enclosed covered
space under the gasometers. In order that the interior or lower gasholder
shall work properly it is necessary that the space between its exterior and the
roof above it shall be connected with the outer atmosphere, so that as it falls
when delivering its gas into the mains, the space above it shall be readily
supplied with air, which air will be again expelled as the gasometer is refilled
with gas. An objection might be raised that by adopting the most advan-
tageous form of this Invention, that is, the lifting out of the ground and
placing on a wall so great a superficial area of material, the action of the wind
might be found very inconvenient. In order to remedy this evil, and at the
same time to effect what I consider to be a further improvement in the
construction of gasholders and tanks, I construct the outer ring of the tank of
a height equal or nearly so to the greatest height to which the outer gasholder
will rise when completely filled with gas, and on the inside surface of this
outer ring I place either the wheels or the guide rods necessary to the steady

page_text: working of the holder. It would not be necessary to make this extended tank,
that is, the portion above the water line, of continuous sheets or plates of
metal, it may be made of a sort of skeleton or open work only; care must be
taken that it be of sufficient continuity to shield the gasholder from the violent
action of the wind. This construction will be readily understood by reference
to the Diagram, Figure 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Gye, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
FRED. GYE. (L.S.)