IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS FROM PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDROCARBON OIL
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Brookes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd July
1875. A communication from abroad by Ernest Jules Jean Baptiste
Desiré du Rieux, of Lille, France, Civil Engineer.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS FROM PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDROCARBON
OIL," (a communication to me from abroad by Ernest Jules Jean
Baptiste Desiré du Rieux, of Lille, France, Civil Engineer,) to be as
follows:-
This Invention as communicated to me relates to the improvements
herein after described, in means or apparatus for the manufacture of
illuminating gas from petroleum or other hydrocarbon oil.
According to this Invention one or more vertical retorts are mounted
in the heating chamber of a suitable furnace, disposed so that the flames
and products of combustion from the fire-place heat the said retorts
previous to passing out by a flue on the opposite side of the said heating

page_text: chamber. Each of the said retorts passes through the top and bottom
of the heating chamber, being supported therein by a collar or flange
near its upper end resting upon the top plate of the said chamber.
Each of the said retorts is formed or provided with an internal helical
blade or screw winding round its inner surface, and forming a helical
channel or passage in it. To the top of each retort is affixed or
connected a pipe or tube of the same section as the retort, and closed at
its upper end by a removeable plate or cover held in position by a cramp
and screw or other suitable means. The said pipe or tube is connected
by an elbow or branch pipe projecting from near its upper end with
the main which conveys the gas from the retort to the purifiers or
meter.
To the bottom of each of the retorts is attached a cover from which
projects downwards a tube, which at its lower end dips into cylindrical
or other vessel filled with water so as to form a hydraulic joint to the
said tube, the said vessel being attached thereto by a bayonet joint or
other suitable connection. At that part where the retort emerges from
above the heating chamber, its side is traversed by a small siphon pipe
or tube bent downwards, so as to open just above the top of the helical
blade or screw herein-before described. The other end of the said pipe
is provided with a funnel-shaped mouth opening just below the cock or
tap of a reservoir containing the oil to be gasified, which reservoir may
be heated from the fire-place.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The plate or cover of the
upper pipe or tube and the water vessel closing, the lower end of each
retort having been removed, the retorts are heated to redness. The said
cover and water vessel are then replaced in position so as effectually to
close both ends of the retort. The hydrocarbon oil to be gasified is then
caused to flow into the siphon pipe, and from thence it passes into the
retort dripping on to the helical blade now at a red heat. As soon as it
comes in contact with the heated blade in the retort, the oil is
decomposed and transformed into gas leaving upon the blade a deposit
of carbon. The gas thus formed passes out of the top of the retort into
the main, and from thence through a scrubber to the gasometer for use.
The carbon deposited on the helical blade being a non-conductor of heat,
the oil flowing over it will not be transformed into gas until it comes in
contact with a portion of the blade not covered with carbon, it then
becomes gasified and deposits its carbon upon the blade; thus when the

page_text: apparatus is first started there being no carbon deposit on the blade the
oil is at once transferred into gas, but as the said blade becomes covered
with carbon deposit the oil has to flow down the helical blade till it
finds an uncovered surface. After a certain time the helical blade
becomes completely covered with carbon deposit and the formation of gas
no longer takes place.
The retort will then require to be cleaned and the carbon removed,
which operation may be performed as follows :-The plate or cover
and water vessel closing the retort at top and bottom respectively
are removed, the retort being vertical and still in a heated state
throughout a part of its length, a strong current of air will soon pass
through it, and the oxygen of the air coming in contact with the
carbon deposit will cause it to ignite and burn away.
When the whole
of the said carbon is consumed the covering plate and water vessel are
replaced, and the apparatus may be started again by letting on the flow
of oil, as herein-before described.