IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AND MODE OF UTILIZING GAS FOR HEATING OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edmund Webber, of Knightsbridge, in the
County of Middlesex, Major in the Corps of Royal Engineers, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AND MODE OF UTILIZING
GAS FOR HEATING OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
-
Sealed the 2nd March 1877, and dated the 9th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the. said Charles Edmund Webber
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1870.
CHARLES EDMUND WEBBER, of Knightsbridge, in the County of Middlesex,
Major in the Corps of Royal Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
AND MODE OF UTILIZING GAS FOR HEATING OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE
APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
This Invention relates more particularly to improvements on the Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to Joshua Kidd, bearing date the 13th of
February 1875, No. 531, and has for its object the improving the heating quality
of the gas and the rendering the apparatus employed for generating and utilizing
such gas more efficient in its action.
According to my Invention I substitute for the tall narrow cylindrical feeder
described in the Specification to the said Patent a shorter feeder of larger diameter,
such feeder terminating below in an inverted truncated hollow cone, which may.or
may not project into the body of the gas generator itself. Into the lower or smaller
part of this hollow cone I fit a solid valve plug consisting of two cones placed base
to base, the lower cone being shorter and more obtuse than the upper one. This
valve is opened and closed by a rod or handle projecting above the cover of the
feeder; upon the said feeder there is fitted a hopper for charging the same with
fuel, a sliding door being provided in the lower portion of the hopper on a level
with the cover of the feeder.
I dispense with the use of the sheet-iron cylinder or frustum of a cone inside
the furnace, and I place the gas outlet, which is capable of being inore or less cou-
tracted at will, eithor at the top or side of the furnace, as found most convenient.
The fire grate is contracted considerably by sloping inwards the sides of the
furnace at the lower part, whereby I centralize the action on the fuel of the mixture
of steam and air. I also increase the capacity of the closed ash-pit or mixing
Device G71

page_text: chamber by substituting for the moveable door heretofore proposed a cylindrical
ash pan forming a close cap or cover to the mouth of the ash-pit, and capable of
ready attachment and removal by the aid of a bayonet or similar joint. By the
use of this ash pan I not only obtain a more convenient receptacle for any ashes
that may fall from between the grate bars, but by increasing the capacity of the
mixing chamber I obtain a more complete admixture of the air and steam in such
chamber before entering the furnace.
I supply the water to the coil of pipe inside the gas generator from a water
accumulator in which a pressure of from 30 lbs. to 60 lbs. per square inch is main-
tained by the aid of a force pump or pumps.
I further propose to combine two of my said improved gas generators, and to work
them alternately with steam and air, and with steam alone. For this purpose the
coils of both the generators are to be connected with the same water accumulator,
and so soon as steam has been generated, and the fuel in one of the generators is
found to be in an incandescent state, I turn off the steam jet for a moment, and so
plug up or temporarily close the short air induction pipe as to prevent the
admission of air along with the stean jet into the ash box, after which the steam
jet is turned on again, by which method of working I obtain a gas of much higher
heating power, consisting mainly of hydrogen and carbonic oxide with a small pro-
portion of carbonic acid and other gases. If desired thus gas may be collected
separately, or it may be conveyed into the same pipe or gas holder as the gas which
is sunultaneously produced by the second generator, thus improving the quality of
the gas by decreasing relatively the proportion of nitrogen contained in it. It will
be found that by this mode of working the intensity of the fire.will be rapidly
lowered, and therefore when this reaches such a point as to be no longer capable of
eadily decomposing the steam passed into it the steam jet should be turned off,
the air induction pipe opened to adinit air as well as steam, and the fire be then
supplied with air and steam together, as heretofore proposed. The second generator
in the meantime is operating with its air induction pipe closed, so as to prevent
the admission of air thereto, and is supplied with steam alone, as above described,
and so on alternately, each generator being supplied in turn with steam and air
and with steam alone.
In utilizing the gas produced by my said improved gas generator I propose to
consume or burn such gas at the end of a contracted pipe or through jets under the
pressure obtained in the generation of such gas, or derived from an ordinary gas
holder, or other well known means.
it
The gas may be consumed in its heated state as it issues from the generator, or
may be first cooled by passing through a series of pipes or other convenient or
well known cooling arrangement. The proportion of air necessary for combustion
should be capable of adjustment or regulation, and be induced by the pressure of
the gas acting in a burner specially devised to insure complete admixture of the
gas and air previous to combustion. This peculiar burner consists of a cylindrical
or other shaped chamber, open at the lower end, and surrounding and enclosing the
gas jet nozzle. A pipe of smaller diameter but larger than the gas jet nozzle and
constituting the actual burner is fitted into the centre of the closed top of the said
chamber in a line with but some distance above the mouth of the gas jet nozzle.
This pipe may have a contracted opening.
By reason of the large dimensions of the chamber as compared with the diameter
of the burner the gas and air will be more intimately mixed in the said chamber
before issuing through the contracted burner, at the top of which, whether con-
tracted or otherwise, outside the chamber the said mixture burns with intense heat,
and by reason of the due proportion between the diameters of the gas nozzle of the
burner the quantity of air necessary for due combustion will reach the gas.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Edmund Webber in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th March 1877.
CHARLES EDMUND WEBBER, of Knightsbridge, in the County of Middlesex,
Major in the Corps of Royal Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
AND MODE OF UTILIZING GAS FOR HEATING OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE
APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My said Invention relates more particularly to improvements in the gas
generating apparatus for which Letters Patent were granted to Joshua Kidd;
bearing date the 13th of February 1875, No. 531, also to a novel construction of
burner for utilizing the gas, and lias for its object the improving the heating quality
of the gas obtained, and the rendering the apparatus employed for generating and
utilizing such gas more convenient in use and more efficient in its action.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of a gas generator em-
bodying my improvements, as herein-after fully explained; Figure 2 is a corre-
sponding vertical section of the same; and Figure 3 is a plan of the gas generator
corresponding to Figure 2.
"
In lieu of the tall narrow cylindrical fuel box opening obliquely into one side of
a charging chamber fitted with a rotary lid or cover and projecting shield, as
described in the Specification to the said Patent, I substitute therefor a vertically
disposed fuel box or feeder A, of less height and of larger diameter than heretofore,
such feeder or fuel box terminating below in an inverted truncated hollow
cone B, B, which may or may not project into the body C of the gas generator
itself. Into the lower or contracted mouth of this hollow cone, which I have
represented in Figure 2 as projecting some distance downwards into the body of
the gas generator, I fit a solid valve plug D, consisting of two cones placed base
to base, the lower cone being shorter and more obtuse than the upper one, or being
the frustum of a cone, such arrangement being more suitable for discharging the
fuel at required intervals from the fuel box or feeder than the arrangement of gas-
tight valve referred to in the said prior Specification. This valve plug D is opened
and closed by a rod or handle E projecting above the stationary cover F of the fuel
box or. feeder; upon this cover there is fitted an open hopper G for receiving the
fuel and discharging it as required directly into the fuel box below through an
opening made in the bottom of the hopper provided with a flat sliding door H on
a level with the cover of the feeder.
I dispense entirely with the use of the sheet-iron cylinder or frustum of a
hollow cone inside the furnace, as illustrated and described in the said Speci-
fication, and I place one or more gas outlets, as shown at X (which are capable of
being more or less contracted at will by a valve or damper), either at the top (as
shown in Figures 1 and 3) or at the side of the furnace, as found most convenient.
In order to centralize as much as possible the action on the fuel of the mixture of
superheated steam and air, or of superheated steam alone, as herein-after explained,
I considerably contract the lower portion of the generator C, and thereby reduce
the size of the fire-grate K to about one half or less the diameter of the said
generator by lining such lower portion of the generator with any good refractory.
material L, as shown in Figure 2. I also increase the capacity of the closed ash pit
or mixing chamber M by substituting for the flat moveable door with its rack and
hinge, as heretofore proposed, a cylindrical ash pan N having raised sides, so as to
form a closed cap or cover to the mouth of the ash pit, whilst it is at the same time
more easy of attachment and removal by the aid of a bayonet or similar joint

page_text: at O, O. By the use of this peculiar ash pan moreover I not only obtain a more
convenient receptacle for any ashes that may fall from between the grate bars, but
by the fact of its increasing the capacity of the mixing chamber M I obtain a more
complete admixture of the air and superheated steam in such chamber before
entering the furnace.
In addition to supplying the water to the coils P, P, of the steam generator from
an elevated tank I also supply such feed water through the feed pipe Q to the coil
of pipe inside the gas generator from a water accumulator of any well known con-
struction, whereby any desired pressure of water from 1 lb. to 100 lbs. or more per
square inch may be maintained inside the coil of pipe P by the aid of one or more
force pumps; R is the adjustable steam jet supplied with steam (superheated or
otherwise) by the pipe S from the upper part of the coils P of the steam generator;
Tis the air and steam pipe opening into the side of the closed ash pit, and through
which air is induced by the action of the said steam jet; U is the outlet to the
chimney to be used when the valve plug D is raised, such outlet being provided
with a damper V; W is an opening provided with a cap or cover for facilitating
the lighting of the fire; and Y is a hole for the purposes of stoking when required,
closed by a cap or plug.
I sometimes combine two or more of my said improved gas generators, and work
them alternately with steam and air and with steam alone, whether superheated
or otherwise. For this purpose the coils P of the steam generators may be con-
nected with the same or separate water accumulators. So soon as the generator or
generators are in full work and producing gas of a good quality I so plug up or
temporarily close the short air induction pipe T as to prevent the admission of air
along with the superheated steam into the ash box or closed mixing chamber M,
by which method of working I obtain a gas of much higher heating power, con-
sisting mainly of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, with a small proportion of carbonic
acid and other gases. If desired this gas may be collected separately, or it may be
conveyed into the same pipe or gas holder as the gas which is simultaneously
produced by the other generator or generators, which are being worked with steam
and air, thus improving the quality of the gas by decreasing relatively the pro-
portion of nitrogen contained in it. It will be found that by this mode of working
the intensity of the fire will be lowered, and therefore when this reaches such a
point as to be no longer capable of readily decomposing the superheated steam
passed into it the air induction pipe is to be reopened to admit air as well as super-
heated steam. Another generator then commences to operate with its air induction
pipe closed, and with superheated steam alone, as above described, and so on
alternately or in rotation, each generator being supplied in turn with steam and air,
and with steam alone. If desired a single gas generator may be thus worked with
steam and air, and with steam alone alternately, but the supply of the higher
heating gas will of course be intermittent in lieu of continuous.
When working with two or more gas generators in the manner above set forth
I prefer for the sake of greater convenience to employ a second steam pipe or branch
leading from the upper part of the coil P in any one of the generators employed
down into the side of the closed ash pit or mixing chamber M without the inter-
vention of an air induction pipe, so that when superheated steam alone is required
the steam jet R previously referred to is shut off, and the induction pipe T entirely
closed for the time being by a valve or plug, whilst the second steam pipe, which
had in the mean time remained closed, is now opened to admit superheated steam
alone into the closed ash pit. Or this second steam pipe may be used at the same
time as the steam and air jet for the purpose of increasing from time to time the
proportions of superheated steam and air in the mixing chamber, by which the gas
produced will contain relatively a smaller quantity of nitrogen.
In utilizing the gas produced by my said improved gas generator I propose to
consume or burn such gas at the end of a contracted pipe, or through jets under the
pressure obtained either during the generation of such gas or derived from any
ordinary gas holder, or other well known means, Moreover the gas may be con-

page_text: sumed either in its heated state as it issues from the gas generator direct, or it
may be first cooled by passing through a series of pipes or other convenient or well
known cooling arrangement. The proportion of air necessary for combustion of the
gas at the burner should be capable of adjustment or regulation, and should be
induced by the pressure of the jet of gas acting in the lower part of a burner
specially devised to insure completo admixture of the gas and air previous to
its combustion. This peculiar burner is illustrated in vertical section at Figure 4,
and consists of a cylindrical or other shaped chamber a provided with lateral
openings b, b, round the lower portion, which may also be left open at the bottom,
as shown. This chamber a at its lower part surrounds and encloses the gas jet
nozzle c. A pipe d of smaller diameter, but larger than the gas jet nozzle, and con-
stituting the actual burner, is fitted into the centre of the closed top of the said
chamber a, in a line with but some distance above the mouth of the gas jet nozzle c.
This pipe & should by preference have a contracted mouth or opening forming the
burner proper.
By reason of the large dimensions of the mixing chamber a as compared with
the diameter of the pipe d the gas and air will be more intimately mixed in the
said chamber before issuing through the contracted burner e, at the top of which
the said mixture burns with intense heat. Although it is not absolutely necessary
that the mouth of the burner should be contracted, as shown at e, a much better
result will be obtained when a contracted burner is employed
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim any of the
mechanical parts of the apparatus herein-before described when taken separately or
apart from the combination or application thereof, in manner and for the purposes
herein described, but what I do claim 18,-
First. The improved gas generating apparatus, substantially as herein-before
described and shown by the accompanying Drawings.
Second The use of two or more gas generators in combination for the purpose
of obtaining a continuous supply of heating gas rich in hydrogen and carbonic oxide,
as described.
Third. The use, as and for the purpose described, of an induction burner with an
enlarged mixing chamber..
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edmund Webber, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of March in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven
Sigd, seald, & delivd by the
said Charles Edmund Webber,
in the presence of
STEPHEN WILLIAM DAVIES,
13, Ethelburga Street,
Battersea, S.W.
CHARLES EDMUND WEBBER. (L.S.)