IMPROVED METHODS OF APPLYING FUEL FOR HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ebenezer Rogers, of Abercarn, in the County of
Monmouth, for the Invention of "IMPROVED METHODS OF APPLYING FUEL
FOR HEATING PURPOSES."
Scaled the 19th June 1857, and dated the 7th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer Rogers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
April 1857.
I, EBENEZER ROGERS, of Abercarn, in the County of Monmouth, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED METHODS OF APPLYING
FUEL FOR HEATING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
First, I convert the combustible parts of coal, coke, and other carbonaceous
fuel into gases by imperfect combustion under a blast of cold air, in a close
blast furnace or generator, constructed of fire-brick or other suitable refractory
material without fire-bars, and with a receptacle below the blast pipe or tuyère,
from which the fused earthy parts of the fuel may be occasionally drawn off,
such earthy parts wlien refractory being made fusible by adding a suitable flux
to the fuel, as is well known to chemists and metallurgists; and I avoid as
much as possible the production of carbonic acid by keeping in the generator
at all times a sufficient quantity and depth of fuel in proportion to the quantity
and pressure of the air blown in.
Secondly, I convert coal tar, gas refuse, and other substances, containing

page_text: hydrogen and carbon into combustible gases, by mixing them with coke or
other solid fuel, or projecting them upon incandescent fuel, and burning them
in blast furnaces as above described.
Thirdly, I lead the gases generated, in either of the ways above described,
through suitable flues or passages to the furnace or place where the useful
heating effect is to be produced; and immediately behind the place where the
combustion is to be effected I introduce a blast of cold atmospheric air, in the
form of a thin sheet or stream, in such a manner as to mix thoroughly with
the combustible gases, and as nearly as may be in the exact proportion
necessary for perfect combustion, unless for any special manufacturing
purpose an excess either of atmospheric air or of combustible gases is required,
and I burn the gases and air so mixed without admitting air otherwise than
as aforesaid.
Fourthly, I deliver the combustible gases produced as above described, (and
either purified from sulphur or not,) through flues or pipes to private houses,
shops, hotels, manufactories, and other places, in order to be burned for heating
purposes, with or without a blast of air as above described, or otherwise in
the manner in which carburetted hydrogen gas is or may be burned for the
like purposes.
And, lastly, I also manufacture the combustible gases for the purpose of
combustion, in any of the ways above described or referred to, by drawing
atmospheric air through incandescent fuel (with or without coal tar, gas
refuse, or other substances containing carbon and hydrogen) by means of an
air pump, which delivers the resulting gases through tubes or flues for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ebenezer Rogers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EBENEZER
ROGERS, of Abercarn, in the County of Monmouth, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Ebenezer Rogers, Her special licence that I, the said Ebenezer Rogers,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ebenezer
Rogers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: 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 "IMPROVED METHODS OF APPLYING
FUEL FOR HEATING PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Ebenezer Rogers, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 Ebenezer Rogers, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improved Methods of Applying Fuel for Heating
Purposes" consists in the methods, hereinafter described, of converting the
fuel into combustible gases, and leading them away to be burned as may be
required.
First, I convert the combustible parts of coal, coke, and other carbonaceous
fuel into gases by imperfect combustion under a blast of cold air, in a close
blast furnace or generator, constructed of fire-brick or other suitable refractory
material without fire-bars, and with a receptacle below the blast pipe or
tuyère, from which the fused earthy parts of the fuel may be occasionally
drawn off, such earthy parts when refractory being made fusible by adding a
suitable flux to the fuel, as is well known to chemists and metallurgists; and
I avoid as much as possible the production of carbonic acid by keeping in the
generator at all times a sufficient quantity and depth of fuel in proportion to
the quantity and pressure of the air blown in.
Secondly, I convert coal tar, gas refuse, and other substances, containing
hydrogen and carbon into combustible gases, by mixing them with coke or
other solid fuel, or projecting them upon incandescent fuel, and burning them
in blast furnaces as above described.
Thirdly, I lead the gases generated, in either of the ways above described,
through suitable flues or passages to the furnace or place where the useful
heating effect is to be produced; and immediately behind the place where the
combustion is to be effected I introduce a blast of cold atmospheric air, in the
form of a thin sheet or stream, in such a manner as to mix thoroughly with
the combustible gases, and as nearly as may be in the exact proportion

page_text: necessary
for perfect combustion, unless for any special manufacturing purpose
an excess either of atmospheric air or of combustible gases is required, and I
burn the gases and air so mixed without admitting air otherwise than as
aforesaid.
Fourthly, I deliver the combustible gases produced as above described (and
either purified from sulphur or not) through flues or pipes to private houses,
shops, hotels, manufactories, and other places, in order to be burnt for heating
purposes, with or without a blast of air as above described, or otherwise in the
manner in which carburetted hydrogen gas is or may be burnt for the like
purposes.
And, lastly, I also manufacture the combustible gases for the purpose of
combustion, in any of the ways above described or referred to, by drawing
atmospheric air through incandescent fuel, (with or without coal tar, gas refuse,
or other substances containing carbon and hydrogen) by means of an air
pump, which delivers the resulting gases through tubes or flues for use.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will
proceed to describe the accompanying Drawing, in which is represented a
mode by which it may be readily carried into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the furnace or generator; Fig. 2 is a vertical
section of the same looking towards the back thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse or
lateral section of the same, and Fig. 4 represents the mode of introducing the
gases from the generator into the chamber in which they are to be burnt. In
these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts. A is the furnace or generator in which the fuel is converted into com-
bustible gases;
B is the hopper through which the coal or other fuel is
supplied to the generator; C, C, are the pipes or tuyères by which the blast
of cold air is led into the generator; D is the receptacle for the fused earthy
parts of the fuel, which are run out through the opening at E, and conveyed
away in any suitable manner; F is the pipe or flue by which the gases are
conducted from the generator to the place of combustion; G is the place or
chamber in which the combustion is effected; H is the pipe by which a blast
of cold air is forced in, so as to mix with the gases; I, I, are apertures made
in the side of the generator to allow the interior to be inspected, and which
are kept closed during the generation of the gases.
It will thus be evident that the fuel contained in the close furnace A will
become converted into combustible gases under the action of the blast of cold
air introduced through the pipes or tuyères C, C; also that the combustible

page_text: gases generated in the furnace A may be led by the pipe F (see Fig. 4) into
the chamber, whence they are admitted (as indicated by the arrow) to the
place or chamber G, in which they are intended to be burnt for heating
purposes, a blast of cold air being forced in at the same time through the
pipe H (as indicated by the arrow), so as to mix with the gases.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the details herein given so long as the peculiar character of any part
of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the conversion of coal, coke, and other fuel into combustible gases
by imperfect combustion, in a close furnace, by means of a blast of cold air.
Secondly, the combustion of the gases, obtained in such manner aforesaid,
by the introduction of a blast of cold air as described.
Thirdly, the conveying the combustible gases aforesaid through flues or pipes
to other places, in order to be there burnt for heating purposes, with or with-
out a blast of air as above described, or otherwise in the manner in which car-
buretted hydrogen gas is or may be burnt for the like purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer Rogers, have hereunto set my
band and seal, the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
THOMAS LLOYD DAVIS,
Abercarn, Mon.,
Accountant.
LB KUGEKS. (L.S.)