An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating and Illuminating Gas.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating
and Illuminating Gas.
I BURDETT LOOMIS of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas by producing a high
grade heating gas at comparatively small cost, and then carbureting and enriching
such gas with hydrocarbon oil or vap.r thereof, and finally combining and fixing
such carbureted gas in heated retorts or brick work flues, as hereinafter fully
described.
In carrying out my invention, I make two kinds of heating gas, first producer
gas resulting from the combustion of coal or other fuel with air, which gas is used
for heating the carbureting retorts or brick carbureting chamber, st am boilers, etc.;-
second water gas resulting from the decomposition of steam in contact with the
incandescent fuel, which gas is carbureted with hydrocarbon oil or vapor in manu-
facturing the illuminating gas. In the operation of heating the fuel to incandescence
and making producer gas, I draw the air into the furnace, and down into the body
of fuel, by an exhauster connected with the base of the generator furnace, thus
causing a down draught. By the operation of the exhauster, air is drawn into the
furnace at the top, and down into the ignited fuel, and the resulting gases are drawn
off at the bottom of the furnace, whereby a number of advantageous results are
produced, as follows:-first, dust and ashes are blown or drawn into the ash-pit, and
the formation of clinker almost prevented; second, the oily and tarry vapours distilled
from the top layers of freshly charged coal are caused to pass down into the heated
coal below, and thereby converted into valuable fixed carbureted hydrogen gas, instead
of passing off at the top, and being condensed into tar of little or no value; third,
cheap low-grade fuel, such as bituminous coal slack, or mixture of bituminous and
anthracite slack or coke dust, etc., can be advantageously used and more rapidly and
uniformly gasified; fourth, the furnace can be much more rapidly charged, and the
fresh fuel so placed as to prevent the formation of holes or channels, through the bed
of fuel, since the attendant can readily work over the top of the furnace and inspect
its interior through the fuel opening, by reason of the smoke and gases being
drawn away from the top opening and down through the charge by the exhauster.
I pass the highly heated producer gases from the base of the generating furnace
through a tubular or other cooler, and utilize their heat for heating water or air,
and thus cool the gases to such a degree that they will not injure the exhauster in
passing through it.
According to my invention, I provide for economically manufacturing water-gas
in using bitum nous or soft coal or slack, partly by reason of the down draught used
(with the advantageous results above mentioned), in heating the coal to incandescence,
preparatory to decomposing steam, and partly by reason of passing the hot water-
gas out of the bed of fuel at a considerable distance below its surface, and then out
of the furnace, whereby the injurious melting and caking of the fresh layers of coal
at the top are prevented, and the oily and tarry vapours evolved from such fresh coal
are caused to pass downward into the hot fuel below, where they are converted into fixed
rich hydrocarbon gas, which mixes with the water-gas as it passes into a circular flue
and out of the furnace. When the highly heated water-gas is passed up entirely
through the bed of soft coal or slack, it causes much trouble by melting the fresh
coal and causing it to run into cakes or crusts. By my method of passing the hot
gas off below the top of the fuel bed, such difficulties are overcome and improved

page_text: The fuel is evenly distributed around the side walls of the furnace, which prevents
the formation of channels, and the passage of air, steam, and gases through such
channels along the walls. I provide for drawing the air and gases away from the
side walls by constructing a solid hearth or floor next to the walls at the bottom of
the fuel chamber, and form a contracted grate opening at or about the central portion
of such hearth.
I provide for the better combustion and gasification of soft coal or slack by means
of a down draught and exhauster as above set forth.
It will be understood that the water gas is generated intermittently, one period
being used for heating the fuel by the air draught, during which time a large volume
of valuable producer gas is given off, while the next period is used for decomposing
steam in contact with the incandescent fuel for the production of water-gas composed
of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carbureted hydrogen. It is thus seen that the
water-gas is partly carbureted or enriched with carbureted hydrogen distilled from
the coal, and is therefore a more valuable heating gas than water-gas made in the
ordinary way.
'I also provide for thoroughly atomizing hydrocarbon oil, so as to form a vapour,
and intimately mix such vapour with the hot water-gas to be carbureted, by means of
a rotary mixing apparatus; and then to convert the hydrocarbon vapour and water-
gas into a homogeneous fixed gas, by passing them first into retorts or flues at a
comparatively low temperature, and thence on through other retorts or flues of an
increasing temperature, whereby the oil vapours are gradually expanded and converted
into fixed gas and combined with the water-gas, without danger of being burned and
converted into lamp-black.
The generating furnace is built preferably of fire-brick covered in the usual way
with an outer iron jacket, and provided at the top with a fuel opening closed by a
lid. A conical coal distributor, in two parts, is used to direct the coal to the side
wall of the furnace, where it is apt to burn away the fastest, so that the fuel will lie
at the top in a dish-shaped form. An inclined hearth or floor extends inward from
the walls, and is formed with a central opening into which is set the grate, or the
grate may be omitted. The ash-pit is of about the same horizontal dimensions as the
grate opening, and has a brick or tile floor which is supported on parallel division
walls built in the wide outlet flue in the base of the furnace, and forming a super-
heater. A passage-way leads from the ash-pit into a flue, and a take-off pipe having
a valve connects this flue with the base of a retort furnace, from which a pipe leads
to a cooler, or the generator may connect directly with the gas cooler.
In the construction of large generating furnaces, which are made from eight to
twelve feet in diameter, I preferably form the ash-pit with its outer walls contracted,
and of much less diameter than the fuel chamber, so that bars may be readily run up
into the fuel through the contracted opening in the circumferential hearth, for shaking
down ashes and spent fuel. When the furnace is thus constructed with a contracted
ash-pit, the main part of the furnace is partly supported upon pillars. With this
construction, the bricks or tiles are set in a flue leading to a cooler.
The flue for producer gas may lead directly from the base of the generator to the.
base of the retort furnace, where it connects with a combustion chamber. Air is
admitted through a passage, and flows into the gas through the perforated partition,
causing combustion in the chamber. The flame and products of combustion puss
through a perforated partition up into the furnace, and around retorts. Hot producer
gas may be passed alone, and without being burned, up around the retorts for heating
them, and thence through cooler to exhauster, by means of which they are drawn off
and forced either through a pipe to a steam boiler, or through a pipe, to be mixed
with water-gas if desired; or the producer gas may be drawn by the exhauster from
the base of the generator to the base of a brick carbureting chamber, where it is
burned by the admission of air supplied through a suitable pipe; or the producer gas
may be passed to the combustion chamber in the retort furnace. Air also flows
through the burner to combustion chamber for burning the gas and heating retorts.
The retorts are made of iron, and are provide at their rear ends with necks which,

page_text: are set in openings in the rear wall of the furnace, and the necks are provided with
plugs, while the openings are provided with caps or other stoppers for convenience in
setting the retorts in the furnace. The necks are free to slide in the openings, so as
to permit expansion and contraction of the retorts. The retorts are provided with
horizontal partition plates, and are connected in vertical series by pipes having
openings for inserting a scraper or cleaning bar. Carburetted water gas is admitted
from a rotary mixer to the top retort, and the fixed illuminating gas is passed off from
the bottom retort.
Instead of the retorts above described, I may use a carbureting chamber provided
with brick flues. The walls of the chamber are built of brick, and it is covered with
an iron jacket. It is provided with a central vertical brick partition wall, which
extends only through part of the diameter of the chamber, and serves to strengthen
the chamber and support the partition plates. A transverse bridge wall is formed in
combustion chamber at the base of the carbureting chamber, and at the front side of
combustion chamber two bridges are formed, and provided respectively with ports.
An air pipe opens into one set of ports and the gas supply pipe opens into the other
set of ports. It is thus seen that the air an gas are supplied to the combustion
chamber through the adjacent rows of ports. The horizontal partition plates extend
alternately from opposite sides of the carburating chamber nearly across such chamber,
so as to leave passage ways between their free ends and the wall of the chamber. The
partition plates form flues between them, and such flues connect with each other
alternately on opposite sides by passages. The brick flues take the place of the
carbureting retoris herotofore described.
The rotary mixer is provided internally with numerous blades connected with the
cer tral shaft like a fan blower, and I connect with such mixer a small motor. The
hot water-gas and a small stream of oil flow together into the mixer, and, by means of
the revolving blades thereof, the oil is thrown into fine spray or vapor, and throughly
mixed with the water-gás; the carbureted water-gas then flows into the retorts or
brick flues, to be therein combined and fixed.
In order to make illuminating gas, the pro.lucer gas which is drawn from the base
of the generator is conducted to the base of the retort furnace, and there burned by
the admission of air for heating the retorts. The lower retorts will be most highly
heated, and those above will be heated to a gradually decreasing temperature to the
top of the furnace."
The water-gas is passed from the generator or holder into the rotary mixer, into
which the hydrocarbon oil is at the same time admitted from a tank. The mixer is
made to rotate, and beats the oil into fine spray or vapour, and thoroughly mixes it
with the water-gas. When the water-gas Hows hot from the generator, it aids in
vaporizing the oil. The mixed water-gas and oil vapour pass from the mixer into the
upper retort where the heat is lowest, and then successively through the retorts below,
in which they are subjected to an increasing temperature, till they are combined and
converted into a fixed illuminating gas, which flows successively through a scrubber
and purifying boxes to holder.
When I use a carbureting chamber instead of the retorts for carbureting and fixing
the water-gas, the operation must be intermittent, that is, the chamber is at one period
heated up by the combustion of producer gas within it, and, at another period, used
for fixing the carbureted water-gas.
Dd this 2+1 doy of June 1889
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating
and Illuminating Gas.
I, BURDETT LOOMIS, of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a developement of the invention for which I obtained
Letters Patent, dated Novr. 5th, 1888, No. 15983, and consists in certain means for
obtaining, at a comparatively small cost, illuminating gas. To this end I produce,
after the manner described in the specification of my above-mentioned patent, a
high-grade heating gas, and then carburet and enrich such gas with hydrocarbon
oil or vapour thereof, and finally combine an fix such carburetted gas in heated
retorts or brickwork flues, as hereinafter fully described.
In carrying out my invention, I make two kinds of heating gas.first, producer gas,
resulting from the combustion of coal or other fuel with air, which gas is used for
heating the carbureting retorts or brick carbureting chamber, steam boilers, etc. :
second, water-gas, resulting from the decomposition of steam in contact with the
incandescent fuel, which gas is carbureted with hydrocarbon oil or vapour in
manufacturing the illuminating gas. In the operation of heating the fuel to
incandescence and making producer gas, I draw the air into the furnace and down
into the body of the fuel by an exhauster connected with the base of the generator
furnace, thus causing a down draft. By the operation of the exhauster, air is drawn
into the furnace at the top and down into the ignited fuel, and the resulting gases
are drawn off at the bottom of the furnace.
I pass the highly heated producer gases from the base of the generating furnace
through a tubular or other cooler, and utilize their heat for heating water or air, and
thus cool the gases to such a degree that they will not injure the exhauster in passing
through it.
The water-gas is obtained by admitting steam to the incandescent fuel near the
bottom of the generator, and collecting the result at a point below the top of the fuel,
as will be explained with reference to the drawings.
It will be understood that the water-gas is generated intermittently, one period
being used for heating the fuel by the air draft, during which time a large volume of
valuable producer gas is given off, while the next period is used for decomposing
steam in contact with the incandescent fuel, for the production of water-gas
composed of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carbureted hydrogen. It is thus seen
that the water-gas is partly carbureted or enriched with carbureted hydrogen distilled
from the coal, and is therefore a more valuable heating gas than water-gas made in
the ordinary way.
I provide for thoroughly atomizing hydrocarbon oil so as to form a vapour, and
intimately mix such vapour with the hot water-gas to be carbureted, by means
of a rotary mixing apparatus, and I convert the hydrocarbon vapour and water-gas
into a homogeneous fixed gas by passing them first into retorts or flues at a
comparatively low temperature, and thence on through other retorts or flues of an
increasing temperature, whereby the oil vapours are gradually expanded and
converted into fixed gas and combined with the water-gas, without danger of being
burned and converted into lamp-black.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred construction and arrangement
of apparatus for carrying out the process of my invention. Certain parts and
combinations of parts of the apparatus also form part of my invention, as will be
hereinafter pointed out.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of one form of my apparatus for
manufacturing heating and illuminating gas.

page_text: Figs. 1ª and I represent sectional detail views, showing the conical coal distributor,
which may be applied to the top of the furnace.
Fig. 2 represents another form of my gas generating apparatus, partly in elevation
and partly in vertical section.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent horizontal sections respectively on the lines x, x,
through the carbureting chamber in Fig. 2.
and
Y, Y,
Fig. 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of my apparatus, showing a modified
arrangement of parts.
Fig. 6 represents an end elevation, partly in section, of the retort furnace and
retorts.
Fig. 7 represents a horizontal section through the base of the generating furnace
above the grate.
Fig. 8 represents a section of the furnace, partly through the ash pit, and partly
through the flue below the ash pit.
Fig. 9 represents a vertical section through the base of the generating furnace.
Fig. 10 represents a general plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5, together
with purifiers, gas holders, forges, and a metallurgic heating furnace.
The generating furnace A is built preferably of fire-brick, and covered in the usual
way with an outer iron jacket. It is provided at the top with a fuel opening a, closed
by lid .x. When a conical coal distributor is used, the passage a is shaped like the
frustrum of a cone, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1ª. The lower part C₁ of the conical
coal distributor is secured by bolts c, a short distance below passage a, and the upper
removable part C of the distributor is seated on part when lid is opened and
it is desired to feed coal into the furnace. This distributor directs the coal to the
side wall of the furnace, where it is apt to burn away the fastest, so that the fuel
will lie at the top in a dish-shaped form. Passages a¹ and doors & are provided
at the bottom of the fuel chamber above the grate. An inclined hearth or floor w
extends inward from the walls, and is formed with a central opening into which is
set the grate; or the grate may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 2. The ash-pit P is of
About the same horizontal dimensions as the grate opening, and has a brick or tile
floor, which is supported on parallel division walls n, built in the wide outlet flue F
in the base of the furnace. A passage way f leads from the ash-pit into flue F. The
take-off pipe F, having valve f, connects flue F with the base of retort furnace A',
from which pipe F leads to cooler H, as shown in Fig. 1, or directly with box h at
the base of the tubular gas cooler and water heater H, as shown in Fig. 5.
Passages u and u', having doors and v³, are provided for removing dust and ashes.
The hot gases, in passing off through flue F, hoat the brick division walls n, which
are set a short distance apart for the passage of gas, and the heat thus stored is
subsequently utilized for superheating steam, which is admitted into the base of the
generator when making water-gas,
In the construction of large generating furnaces, which are made from eight to
twelve feet in diameter, I preferably form the ash-pit with its outer walls contracted,
and of much less diameter than the fuel chamber, as shown in Fig. 2, so that bars
may be readily run up into the fuel through the contracted opening in the circum-
ferential hearth w, for shaking down ashes and spent fuel, and so that such ashes and
spent fuel can be readily drawn out through the door, and the fire and furnace
thus be quickly cleaned. When the furnace is thus constructed with a contracted
ash-pit, the main part of the furnace is partly supported upon pillars V. With this
construction, the bricks or tiles n are set in flue F leading to cooler H.
A short distance above the middle portion of the fuel chamber, an annular flue E,
and connecting ports or tuyeres e, are formed in the wall, so as to take off' gas below
the top of the coal, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. A steam supply pipe S, which may
lead from drum H (Fig. 5) or other source, connects by branch s, having valve t,
with gas pipe E¹, and flue E (Fig. 1); by branch pipes s¹, having valves t¹, with the
lower portion of the fuel chamber above the grate; and by branch pipes having
valve t, with pipe F', and flue F below the ash-pit. By means of these pipes, steam
is admitted either at bottom or top of the generator, and is passed either up or down

page_text: through the fuel. During the admission of the air draft and generation of producer
gas, a limited supply of steam may be admitted through flue E and ports e, and
passed down through the fuel for decomposition and conversion into water-gas,
which adds to the value and heating power of the producer gas resulting from com-
bustion of the fuel with air. The eduction pipe E' for water-gas connects with flue E,
and extends into seal box G, where its lower end dips into the liquid, and may be
provided with a conical cup valve g¹, which is operated by a rod g¹ extending up
through the sealed tube g, as shown in Fig. 5. The cup valve g¹ is operated by a
chain connecting with its rod g, and passing over pulley 9, and connecting with
lever Q, which is held in place by a toothed bar q'. Pipe E" conducts gas from
box G to the holder or place of use. In the plan view Fig. 10, pipe E is shown
extending from the generator to the holder 1, for water-gas.
The vertical tubular gas-cooler H (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) is provided in the usual way
with boxes h, ', respectively at bottom and top thereof, and with tubes extending
between such boxes. An air supply pipe Mu may connect with box h. Water or
air may be circulated through the cylinder H, and around the tubes, for cooling the
gas, or by controlling the supply of water, steam may be generated and passed up
into drum H': A smoke stack Y, having ball valve y, connects with box, or the
exhauster, for the escape of gas or smoke by natural draft.
Pipe I, for taking off producer gas or mixed producer and water-gas, connects
box with the rotary exhauster T (Figs. 2 and 5), and beyond the exhauster, pipe I
connects with the trap or seal I', from which pipe J leads down into main X, which
connects with holder 2. and directly with a heating furnace 4, as shown in Fig. 10.
A branch pipe, having valve j, connects with a burner in steam boiler furnace K.
The fluid seal chamber I' (Fig. 5) has, at the bottom, a liquid drain and supply
pipe i, having valve i', and extending down into box I¹. A steam pipe S', having
valve, connects with the top of box I". By such pipe steam is forced into box I",
and serves to force the liquid trom the box, up through pipe i, 'into the U-shaped
seal chamber I', for stopping the flow of gas in pipe I, or the back flow of gas from
pipe J. The liquid having been forced up into seal chamber I', valve i maybe.
closed, so as to retain the liquid without the continued use of steam pressure. Com-
pressed air may he used instead of steam, for forcing liquid up into the seal
chamber. Other forms of seal or stop valve may be used.
A vent pipe O, having valve o, is applied to pipe I.
by engine Z.
The exhauster is driven
According to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, flue F¹, for producer gas, leads
directly from the base of the generator A, to the base of retort furnace A', where
it connects with the combustion chamber F". Air is admitted through passage u¹,
and flows into the gas through the perforated partition, causing combustion in
chamber F. The flame and products of combustion pass through perforated
partition f, up into the furnace, and around retorts B. Hot producer gas may
be passed alone, and without being burned, up around the retorts for heating them,
and thence through cooler H to exhauster T, by means of which they are drawn
off, and forced, either through pipe X to a steam boiler, or through pipe J, to
pipe E, to be there mixed with water-gas, if desired.
According to the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, producer gas is drawn by the
exhauster T, from the base of the generator, through pipe F, cooler H, pipe I, and
forced through pipes J and J¹, into the base of the brick carbureting chamber D,
where it is burned by the admission of air supplied through pipe M.
According to the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, producer gas is passed from.
pipe X, through pipe X', and the burner f", to combustion chamber F" in the
retort furnace A¹. Air also flows through the burner to combustion chamber F",
for burning the gas and heating retorts B.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, the retorts B are made of iron, and are pro-
vided at their rear ends with necks b', which are set into the openings all in the
rear wall of the furnace, and the necks b' are provided with plugs, while the
openings a are provided with caps or other stoppers, for convenience in setting

page_text: the retorts in the furnace. The necks are free to slide in the openings all, so
as to permit expansion and contraction of the retorts. The retorts are provided
with horizontal partition plates b, and are connected in vertical series by pipes c¹¹,
having openings c¹ for inserting a scraper or cleaning bar. Carbureted water gas is
admitted from the rotary mixer L' to the top retort through pipe L", and the fixed
illuminating gas is passed off from the bottom retort, through pipe L¹¹¹, into seal
box G¹, shown in Fig. 5.
Instead of the retorts above described, I may use a carbureting chamber D,
provided with brick flues, as shown in Fig. 2. The walls of chamber D are built of
brick, and it is covered with an iron jacket. It is provided with a central vertical
brick partition wall W. which extends only through part of the diameter of the
chamber, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and serves to strengthen the chamber and
support the partition plates 61. The transverse bridge wall d is formed in combustion
chamber F, at the base of chamber D. At the front side of combustion chamber,
two bridges, M' and N1, are formed, and provided respectively with ports m, and j',
as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. An air pipe M opens into the ports m; the gas supply
pipe J opens into ports ¹. It is thus seen that the air and gas are supplied to the
combustion chamber through the adjacent rows of ports m, and j¹. The horizontal
partition plates extend alternately from opposite sides of chamber D, nearly across
such chamber, so as to leave passage-ways between their free ends and the wall
of the chamber. The partition plates form flues, B¹, between them, and such flues
connect with each other alternately on opposite sides by the passages p¹. The brick
flues B take the place of the carbureting retorts heretofore described. Openings
having lids are provided from bottom to top of chamber D, for giving access to
Blues B, for cleaning or repairing them, as required. A smoke stack Y extends
from the top of chamber D. A gas take-off pipe L connects with the base of
chamber D. A supply pipe L", for mixed water-gas and oil vapour, connects
mixer L' with the top of the chamber.
I connect with the top retort of the series, and with the top of carbureting chamber D,
a rotary mixer L', for mixing water-gas with hydrocarbon oil. The mixer is provided
internally with numerous blades connected with the central shaft, like a fan blower,
and I connect with such mixer a small motor . The supply pipe E', for water-gas,
leads from flue E of generator A, into seal box G, and pipes E" and E connect
with the rotary mixer L', as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 10. Oil supply pipe_r,
having valve, leads from the tank R, into pipe E, at the middle of the mixer L'.
The hot water-gas, and a small stream of oil, flow together into the mixer, and, by
means of the revolving blades thereof, the oil is thrown into fine spray or vapour,
and thoroughly mixed with the water-gas; the carburetted water-gas then flows into
the retorts B, or brick flues B', to be therein combined and fixed.
As shown in the plan view (Fig. 10), pipe E", having valve e¹; for water-gas,
leads to holder 1; pipe X, for producer-gas, leads to holder 2; and pipe L leads
to seal box G', from which a pipe leads to the scruber 7. A pipe leads from
scrubber. 7 to the purifying boxes 6, and these connect by a pipe with gas-holder 5.
A pipe leads from holder 1 for water-gas, and connects, by valved branch pipes p,
with the forges 3. Air is forced by blower N, through pipe N' and valved
branch pipes, into the gas burners of the forges, for causing perfect combustion
and a high heat therein. Suitable pipes for producer gas lead from pipe X, and
liolder 2, and connect heating furnace 4 by pipes L, and l. Furnace 4 is for heating
ingots or for other purposes. The producer gas may be used for heating a variety
of furnaces, pottery kilns, etc. The water-gas is used for heating forges, and for
other fine work, where a high heat is required. The illuminating gas, after having
been purified, is stored in holder 5, and is used for lighting houses and street lamps in
the ordinary way.
I have shown the pipes for different kinds of gas connected and
provided with valves, so that the different kinds may be mixed together for use in
heating or lighting, as desired. Only small sized holders are required for the
producer-gas and water-gas, to store the excess of gas generated at one time, or to

page_text: supply any deficiency at another time. They also serve to regulate the flow of gas to
the furnaces.
In order to operate my apparatus, a fire is kindled and supplied with fuel, till a
deep bed of ignited fuel is formed. When a sufficient body of fuel is ignited, the
exhauster is started, drawing air down into the fuel, and the resulting producer gas
is conducted to holder 2, or to a furnace, where it is burned. Bituminous coal,
in lump or slack form, is gradually fed in till it nearly fills the furnace, and the
exhauster is kept running so long as it is desired to make producer gas. After the
fuel becomes highly heated, a limited supply of steam is admitted by pipes, through
flue E and ports e, into the fuel, where it is decomposed to form water gas, which
mixes with the producer-gas resulting from the combustion of the coal with air
admitted through passage a. Fresh coal is added at the top as required, and the
oily and tarry vapors distilled therefrom are drawn by the exhauster down
through the hot fuel below, and converted into fixed carburetted hydrogen gas,
which greatly adds to the heating power of the producer gas, and prevents con-
densation and waste in the mains etc. The hot gas going off from the base of the
generator, highly heats the brick work in the ashpit and the brick division walls n
in flue F.
It is cooled in passing through tubular cooler H, so that it will not
injure the exhauster in passing through it. While generating producer gas, lid x
and valve fare open, and the liquid is run out of seal chamber I¹; stack valve y,
and valve g¹ in box G, are closed, and the exhauster is kept running.
When it is desired to make water gas alone, and a deep body of incandescent coal
has been formed, valve gl (Fig. 5) is opened, lid and valve f¹ are closed, seal
chamber 1¹ is closed, and the exhauster is stopped. Steain is now admitted by pipe s
into pipe F¹ and flue F, where it is superheated by the hot brick work, and then
passes up into the incandescent fuel, where it is decomposed into hydrogen and
carbonic oxide, commonly known as water gas. This gas passes out through ports e
and flue E into outlet pipe E¹. Hydrocarbon vapors distilled from the fresh coal
above ports e, pass down into the more highly heated fuel below, and are converted
into fixed carburetted hydrogen, which passes off with the water gas, and adds largely
to its heating power. This enriched water gas is stored in holder 1, or conducted
directly to mixer L', and thence to retorts B or flues B¹.
Steam may be admitted to the furnace by pipes, when desired, instead of
pipe sl
When the heat of the fuel becomes too low to properly decompose steam, the
steam supply is shut off, the valves are properly adjusted, the lid opened, and the
exhauster started for again heating the fuel to incandescence, after which the manu-
facture of water gas is resumed in the manner above described.
While operating the exhauster, fresh coal is fed to the furnace as required. In
practice, a number of generators may be used, so that both kinds of heating gas can
be continuously generated and used.
In making illuminating gas, the producer gas, which is drawn from the base of the
generator, is conducted to the base of the retort furnace A', and there burned by the
admission of air for heating the retorts. The lower retorts will be most highly
heated, and those above will be heated to a gradually decreasing temperature to the
top of the furnace. To obtain a continuous supply of producer gas, two generators
should be in operation, or the producer gas may be drawn from a holder, so that the
retorts may be constantly maintained at the required temperature.
The water gas generated as above described, is passed from the generator or
holder 1, through pipes E" and E, into the rotary mixer L', into which the hydro-
carbon oil is at the same time admitted from tank R. The mixer is made to rotate,
and beats the oil into fine spray or vapor, and thoroughly mixes it with the water gas.
When the water gas flows hot from the generator, it aids in vaporizing the oil. The
mixed water gas and oil vapor pass from the mixer into the upper retort B, where
the heat is lowest, and then successively through the retorts below, in which they are
subjected to an increasing temperature, till they are combined and converted into a

page_text: fixed illuminating gas. This gas passes by pipe L¹ to seal box G', from which it
flows successively from scrubber 7 and purifying boxes 6, to holder 5, as shown in
Fig. 10.
When I use carbureting chamber D (Fig. 2), instead of the retorts, for carbureting
and fixing the water gas, the operation must be intermittent, that is, chamber D is
at one period heated up by the combustion of producer gas within it, and at another
period used for fixing the carbureted water-gas. In order to heat chamber D,
producer gas is passed into it by pipe J', and air is admitted by pipe M. The gas
and air pass through ports and m, and combustion takes place in chamber F.
The flame and hot products pass back and forth through flues B', and finally escape.
at the top through stack y. After chamber D is properly heated, the gas and air are
shut off at the bottom thereof, and stack Y is closed by a lid or valve not shown..
The rotary mixer L' is now started, water gas and a small stream of oil are admitted
to the mixer, and the oil is beaten into spray, and mixed with the water gas, as before
described. The carbureted water gas thus passes by pipe L" int, the top of.
carbureting chamber D, where the temperature is comparatively low; it is then
passed downward through flues B' in contact with the hot brick partition plates, and
is subjected to a gradually increasing temperature till it reaches the outlet pipe at
base of chamber D. By the time the carbureted gas has reached the bottoin of
chamber D, it will have been converted into a fixed illuminating gas; this gas then
passes by pipe L to the purifiers and holder, as before described. This operation
of fixing the carbureted gas in chamber D, will gradually cool such chamber, and
when it becomes too cool to fix the gas, the carbureted gas is shut off, and the
chamber is again heated up, as before described. After being heated, the chamber is
again used for fixing carbureted gas.
Since the oil or vapor is mixed with the water gas at a low temperature in the
retorts or carbureting chamber D, and subjected to a gradually increasing tem-
perature, the oily vapor is gradually expanded and diffused through the hydrogen, so
that such vapor will not be burned and converted into lamp-black. I thus avoid the
waste of oil, and obtain a better gas than can be made where the oil or vapor is
subjected at first to a high heat, as is the usual practice.
I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the process of manufacturing heating
or fuel gas separately from the manufacture of illuminating gas; also, that I do not
claim herein the generator and its immediate connections for generating heating or
fuel gas or water gas separately from certain connected apparatus for carbureting
the fuel gas or water gas, and converting the carbureted mixture into an illuminating
gas, since such process and generator form the subject of the letters patent above
referred to, but I claim the process and apparatus for manufacturing illuminating gas
as defined in the following claims :-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in heating a body of fuel to
incandescence by downward draughts of air, drawing off the resulting gaseous
products by an exhauster, and, by means thereof, heating a series of retorts or flues,
and then passing a mixture of gas and oil vapor through such heated retorts or. flues,
for forming a fixed illuminating gas.
2. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in mixing water gas with oil
vapor, by subjecting streams of gas & oil to the action of a rotary mixer, thereby
throwing the oil into spray or vapor, and intimately mixing it with the gas, then
passing such mixture of gas and vapor through heated retorts or flues, for converting
it into fixed illuminating gas.
3. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in decomposing steam in
contact with a body of incandescent fuel, and, at the same time, distilling bituminous
coal in contact with such body of incandescent fuel, conducting off the resulting coal
gas and water gas together below the surface of the distilling coal, then carbureting

page_text: such gas through heated retorts or flues, for forming fixed illuminating gas as
described.
4. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in decomposing steam in
contact with a body of incandescent fuel, producing water gas, and passing such gas,
while hot, into a mixing chamber, and, at the same time, heating a supply of hydro-
carbon oil into spray or vapor by a rotary mixer, and mixing such vapor with the hot
water gas, then passing the mixture of gas and vapor through heated flues or retorts,
for converting it into fixed illuminating gas.
5. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in heating a body of fuel to
incandescence by draughts of air, as described, and, by means of the resulting gaseous
products, heating a series of flues from the bottom toward the top, then shutting off
the air and gaseous products, and decomposing steam in contact with the incandescent
fuel, passing the resulting water gas into a mixing chamber, and mixing it with oil
vapor, and passing the resulting mixture through the heated flues, for forming fixed
illuminating gas, as described.
6. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in first decomposing steam in
contact with a body of incandescent fuel, producing water gas, then mixing such gas,
while hot, in the manner described, with hydrocarbon oil or vapor, then passing the
mixture of gas and oil, in the form of spray or vapor, into the cooler portion of a
heated conduit or series of retorts or flues, and passing it thence continuously into
successive higher temperatures till it is converted into fixed gas.
7. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in generating water gas by
the decomposition of steam in one or more bodies of fuel, and, at the same time,
generating producer gas by the introduction of air into one or more separate bodies
of fuel, for heating such fuel to incandescence, mixing the water gas with hydro-
carbon oil in the manner described, and passing the mixture into the cooler end of a
heated flue or conduit or series of retorts, and thence on in a gradually increasing
temperature to the hottest part thereof, and, at the same time drawing off the
producer gas from one of the bodies of fuel, and burning it, and causing the hot
products to flow in contact with the flues or series of retorts for heating them, as
described, whereby improved results are obtained.
8. In combination with a gas generating furnace and a retort furnace, a connecting
pipe leading from the former to the latter, a pipe for gaseous products leading from
the retort furnace, and an exhauster connecting with such pipe, for drawing gas from
the generator and gaseous products from the retort furnace, as described.
9. In combination with a gas generating furnace, a connected gas and oil mixing
chamber, as described, and a pipe connecting the mixing chamber with a set of retorts
or a series of brick flues, as and for the purpose described.
10. In combination with a rotary gas and oil mixer, a supply pipe for gas, a supply
pipe for oil, having a valve, and a discharge pipe connecting such mixer with a series
of retorts or flues, for the purpose described.
11. The series of connected retorts set in a furnace, as described, in combination
with a gas generating furnace, a pipe for water gas connecting such generating
furnace to the upper retort, an oil supply pipe also connecting with such retort, and a
pipe for producer gas connecting the generating furnace with the base of the retort
furnace, for the purpose described.
12. A series of connected retorts set in a furnace, in combination with a water gas
generating furnace, a pipe for water gas leading therefrom, and connecting with a
gas and oil mixer, having an oil supply pipe, a pipe connecting such mixer with the
top retort, and a pipe connecting the generating furnace with the base of the retort
furnace, for the purpose described.
13. In combination with two retorts of a series, a return-bend-head fitting into the
ends of such retorts, and suitable packing rings and packing material for making a
tight joint between the retorts and furnace wall, such return-bend-heads having
passages closed by caps, as and for the purpose described.
14. In combination with a retort furnace provided with openings in its front and
rear walls, as described, the retorts passing through the openings in the front wall,

page_text: and having small necks at their, rear ends set into the openings in the rear wall, and
suitable packing material fitted around the retorts, so that they are free to expand and
contract, as described.
15. The retort furnace having a connected series of retorts constructed and arranged
as described, in combination with a mixer having connected gas and oil supply pipes,
and connecting with the top retort, a gas take-off pipe leading from the bottom
retort, and means for heating the retorts from below upward, for the purpose
described.
16. In a gas generating apparatus, a carbureting and fixing chamber constructed
with a series of horizontal connected brick flues, as described, and having a com-
bustion chamber in its base and an escape pipe for products of combustion at the top,
and having supply pipes for gas and air to heat it, also having means for supplying
gas and hydrocarbon oil or vapor to be combined and fixed, and a gas outlet pipe, as
described.
17. The carbureting and fixing chamber constructed with connected brick flues
from bottom to top, as described, and having a combustion chamber and connected
gas and air supply pipes at the base for heating it, and an escape pipe for products of
combustion at the top, in combination with the gas and oil mixer connected to the
top of such chamber, for supplying gas and oil vapor to be combined and fixed, and a
take-off pipe for illuminating gas connecting with the base of such chamber, for
the purpose described.
18. In combination with the gas generating furnace, and a brick-work carbureting
and fixing chamber constructed as described, a pipe for producer gas and a pipe for
water gas connecting such generator and chamber, means for supplying oil or vapor
with the water gas to the carbureting chamber, and a gas take-off pipe leading
from the carbureting chamber for the purpose described.
19. In combination with the gas generator and the carbureting and fixing chamber
connected by pipes for producer gas and water gas, as described, a mixing device for
spraying oil and mixing it with the water gas, as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 4th day of March 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.