IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cartwright Holmes, of 57, Gracechurch
Street, in the City of Loudou, and William Hollinshead, of Peck-
ham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cartwright
Holmes and William Hollinshead at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th April 1872.
We, WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT HOLMES, of 57, Gracechurch Street, in
the City of London, and William HOLLINSHEAD, of Peckham, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS, AND IN THE APPA-
BATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in distilling coal, shale, lignite, peat, or other
suitable carbonaceous substances for the production of gas at such

page_text: temperature and in such a manner as to produce or obtain from them a
large portion of the volatile matter which they contain in a liquid form
when afterwards subjected to condensation. This distillation is effected,
by preference, wholly or partially by means of superheated steam
introduced into the retorts or vessels containing the material to be
distilled, but it is not essential to this Invention that superheated steam
shall be used in the first distillatory process.
Should the liquid so produced and collected after passing the con-
densers be found to contain sulphur compounds or other impurities they
may, if necessary, be removed at this stage. The liquid thus obtained
is then subjected to redistillation in a suitable retort heated by a furnace
in the ordinary manner, and into which retort a jet of steam, either
saturated or superheated, or a small stream of water is allowed to flow
with the liquid produced from the first distillation, the latter liquid
being thereby converted into permanent gas, the conversion being, if
necessary, rendered more complete and permanent by the gas and
vapours being passed through another vessel or retort also heated in the
ordinary manner.
The object of the steam or vapour generated from the water thus
introduced is to render the gas more incondensable and also to prevent!
the deposition of its carbon while exposed to the hot surfaces of the
retorts or distilling vessels. The gas evolved during the first distillation
may be either used to generate the heat required in the process or
allowed to mix with the gas subsequently made from the liquid products.
The form of apparatus preferred consists essentially of a steam boiler
heated by an ordinary furnace, and connected to a coil of pipes arranged
in a furnace for the purpose of superheating the steam. The outlet end
of the coil is attached to the retort. The retort is set vertically and is
heated by means of the flues from one of the other furnaces being
conducted around it. The steam on being liberated from the boiler
passes through the coil of pipes and receives therefrom a considerable
accession of heat, and from thence passes into the retort and through the
mass of carbonaceous matter embraced therein, carrying off the volatile
matters it contains to the condensers, where the steam, gas, and vapours
are condensed or cooled and separate by reason of their different specific.
gravities. The condensers are tubes through which the steam and
vapours are caused to pass, and which are kept cool by means of a flow
of water.

page_text: The gas generated during the first distillation after being separated
from the steam and condensable vapours is then passed through an
ordinary purifier for the removal of the sulphuretted hydrogen and
other impurities, and afterwards conducted into the holder.
gas
The volatile liquid matter separated at the condensers is then pumped
or otherwise run into cisterns or vessels placed above a second or re-
distillatory retort heated by an ordinary furnace, and into which the
liquid is admitted by means of a cock. Another series of cisterns or
vessels are also provided for containing water which is admitted into
the retort at the same time as the gas producing fluid. The gas and
vapours thus made are passed through another retort or vessel heated in
the ordinary manner, or by the same furnace as the one above mentioned
for the redistillatory retort, and from thence through a condenser
(forming a second or separate condenser from the first one) into the
gas holders for distribution.
Each distillatory process or apparatus is provided with the necessary
syphons and fittings, and in order to economize fuel the several retorts
or distilling vessels, the coils for superheating the steam, and the steam
boilers or boiler may be grouped together or in such a manner that onc
furnace will suffice for heating two or more of them..
By the processes or distillations herein described and their combina-
tion, a larger quantity of gas of a high illuminating power together
with a better and more reliable quality of coke are obtained than by the
processes heretofore in use.
› SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent,
)
"
filed by the said William Cartwright Holmes and William Hollins-
head in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October 1872.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CARTWRIGHT HOLMES, of 57, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
and WILLIAM HOLLINSHEAD, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-

page_text: fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said William Cartwright Holmes and William
Hollinshead, Her special licence that we, the said William Cartwright
Holmes and William Hollinshead, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Cartwright Holmes and
William Hollinshead, our 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, tho Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTUring Gas and in
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said William Cartwright Holmes and William Hollinshead,
our exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or one of our, or their or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 1
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 we, the said William Cartwright Holmes and 2
William Hollinshead, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :—
2
This Invention consists in distilling coal, shale, lignite, peat, or other
suitable carbonaceous substances for the production of gas at such
temperature and in such a manner as to produce the greatest amount
of volatile matter in a liquid form. This distillation is effected by pre-
ference principally by means of superheated steam introduced into the 3
retorts or vessels containing the material to be distilled, but it is not
essential to this Invention that superheated steam shall be used in
the first distillatory process.
The coal or other substance to be carbonised or distilled is placed in
a retort or vessel of a conical form, constructed of either cast or wrought 38
iron, and placed vertically in a chamber through which the waste heut
from the other furnaces is caused to pass in order to prevent conden-

page_text: sation of the steam, the lower end of this retort is connected to a coil
of cast or wrought iron pipes of proportionate length and area to the
size of the carbonising vessel, and which is placed in a chamber heated:
by an ordinary furnace, this coil is again connected to an ordinary
3 steam boiler provided with steam gauge, safety valve, cocks, and the.
usual fittings.
Steam being generated in the boiler to a pressure of about 25 lbs. to
the square inch is allowed to pass through the coil of pipes, which have,
been previously heated to a red heat, and receives thereby a considerable
accession of heat amounting to from 500 to 600 degrees, and increasing
the pressure by about 1½ lbs. per square inch. The steam thus super-
heated passes into the carbonising retort and through the material con-
tained therein, carrying off with it the greater part of the volatile matter.
in the form of condensable vapors and a small quantity of permanent
gas; the steam vapors and gas are then conducted to the condensers,
where they separate and form water, oils of a less specific gravity than
water, and crude or unpurified gas, the latter may be either burnt under
the retorts, &c., or passed through purifiers and allowed to mix with the
gas produced by the second distillatory process.
In order to effect the condensation of the steam, &c., it will be necessary
to place the condensing tubes in a cistern of water, the contents being
renewed as it becomes heated by a constant supply of cold water. The
coke remaining in the retort will be free from sulphur compounds and'
consequently of greatly increased value.
The liquids produced by this distillation are then to be removed from,
the receivers attached to condensers, and conveyed into the feed,
reservoirs of the second distillatory apparatus, which consists of a retort
of suitable material but which is preferred to be of cast iron. This
retort is set or placed horizontally over an ordinary retort furnace, and
is divided into two compartments by a diaphragm or division extending
to the front and to within about 3 inches of the back, the oil is thien
allowed to flow into, the front part of the upper compartment and passes
on to the back, and from thence to the front of lower compartment, being
in its passage through both compartments converted into vapors and
incondeusable gas.
"

page_text: In order to effect as complete a conversion as possible of the liquid
into permanent gas, the retort should be maintained as near as possible
at a bright red heat.
The apparatus for feeding this retort consists of two cisterns or vessels
placed one above the other, and each divided into two compartments, &
one for containing the oil or hydrocarbon liquids and one for containing
water, the oils and water flow from the upper vessel into the lower one,
tho quantity being regulated by ball cocks, so that the depth or head
of fluid shall remain constant in the lower one, thereby allowing an
uniform supply of liquid to flow into the retort. The feed pipo attached 1
to the retort has two syphons and funnels on the upper part immediately
under the stop-cocks connected to the oils and feed water compartments
of the lower feed cistern. A small quantity of water only as compared
with the quantity of oils should be admitted into the retort, this, when
formed into steam will have the effect of preventing any incrustation 1
or deposit on the surface of the retort, thoreby preventing the choking
up or filling of the retort with carbon and increasing the quantity and
quality of the gas.
In order to effect a more complete distillation of the oils, or their trans-
formation into permanent gas, the gas, vapors, and steam of water are 2
afterwards conducted into and through another retort or regenerating
vessel of a round form by preference and heated by an ordinary furnace
to a bright red heat. The products of the distillation are to be then
conveyed to an ordinary condenser, and the gas when properly cooled
2
stored up in tho gas holders for consumption.
By these processes a larger quantity and better quality of gas aro
obtained than heretofore, and also (from coal) a much more valuable
coke.
In order that the foregoing description may be more readily understood,
Drawings are hereto attached of which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 shows a ground plan of the apparatus;
3
"
2 is a vertical section of the coal, &c. retort;
"
33
3 is a vertical section of steam boiler and coil for superheating
the steam, and also a front elevation of oil or sccond distilla-
tion retort connected to the regenerative retort or vessel;
4 is a side elevation in section of the cisterns for focding the oil
or second distillation retort.
3

page_text: A is the steam boiler; B, the steam coil; C, the coal, &c. retort; D,
the oil retort; and E, the regenerative retort.
a is the pipe and stop-cock for admitting the steam into the coil B;
bis the pipe connecting the coil and coal retort C; c is the pipe for
conveying the steam, vapors, and gas to the condensers; d is the mouth-
piece, &c. of retort C; e is the bottom door of retort C having a per-
forated false bottom projecting upwards into the retort for the material
to rest on; fis a forked lever for retaining the bottom door in position;
g is the door or opening for extracting the coke; his the pipe connect-
ing the oil retort and regenerator E; i is a syphon pipe and receiver
attached to connecting pipe h; k, k, are the feed cisterns with their
ball and feed cocks; l, l, are stands for supporting the feed cisterns;
m, m, are the feed syphons and funnels; n is the feed pipe; o is the
outlet from regenerator; p is a syphon box for outlet of regenerator; q
is the pipe leading to condenser; ", r, are nostrils or flue openings
into the chambers of furnaces; 8 is the flue to chimney, and t the
chimney.
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, we would observe in conclusion that we do not con-
fine or restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which
we have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention,
but what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as
the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1st. The distillation of coal, shale, lignite, peat, or other carbonaceous
substances by means of superheated steam, with or without the aid
of external heat, in order to produce the greatest amount of volatile
liquid matter and a superior quality of coke combined with the redistil-
lation of the resulting volatile liquid matter, by or with the aid of or in
conjunction with water or the vapor of water.
2nd. The distillation of coal, shale, lignite, peat, or other carbonaceous
substances by other means than by the use of superheated steam,
combined with the redistillation of the resulting volatile liquid matter,
by or with the aid of or in conjunction with water or the vapor of
water.

page_text: 3rd. The arrangement of the retorts, coils, and apparatus generally,
as herein set forth.
In witness whercof, I; the said William Hollinshead, on behalf of
myself and the said William Cartwright Holmes, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.