Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
I, CHARLES BROTHERHOOD Mechanical Engineer etc. of Carr Villa Elliston Road
Redland Bristol do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in gas generating apparatus, whereby the
gas generated from oils or liquid fuel is generated automatically in accordance with
the demand made on the apparatus, storage in the form of gas holders being unnecessary
although same can be added if desired.
The apparatus may be described as follows. A retort heated by a coal fire; by gas
from the apparatus itself; by the exhaust products of a gas engine;-by heat from
the explosion in a gas engine cylinder or any other means, is provided in which the
gas is generated. The interior of this retort is in communication by means of a
syphon tube preferably, with a reservoir or column of the oil or liquid fuel to be made
into gas. This reservoir or column of oil is so arranged that the liquid is free by
gravitation to find its way into the retort. If the retort when this occurs however is
Sufficiently heated to convert the said liquid into gas, the pressure generated by the
production of such gas, after rising to a certain point, becomes equal to the pressure
exercised by the column of oil, and an equilibrium is established between the pressure
in retort and head or column of oil the flow of oil being stopped and consequently the
production of gas also. The retort is provided with an outlet pipe and cock on same
and on the latter being opened and the gas being allowed to flow away through the
said outlet pipe, the said state of equilibrium is destroyed and oil is again allowed to
flow and gas is again generated.
It will be understood from this description that gas will be made exactly in propor-
tion to the demand made upon the retort at the outlet.
However to make this automatic action perfectly clear, I give a sketch in section,
showing this arrangement although I do not bind myself to this particular form the
drawing being only given for the sake of illustration. R is a retort contained in a
casing C & held to it [although shown in a vertical position this retort may be placed

page_text: in a horizontal position if desired]. The casing or furnace chamber is provided with
a chimney. Inside this casing or furnace chamber, and on grate bars G a fire burns,
to the heat of which the retort is subjected. S is a chamber containing a supply of
oil from which gas is to be generated. The said chamber or reservoir as it may be
termed being situated at any convenient height above the inlet I so as to give a suitable
"head" or pressure, and on the cock T being opened the oil finds its way freely through
the syphon pipe S to the inlet to the retort which inlet is marked I. The retort being
sufficiently heated the oil introduced through this syphon pipe to the retort is distilled
into gas (or that part is, capable of being so converted), and assuming for the sake of
illustration the outlet marked O is now closed a pressure is after a time arrived at in
the retort, which balances the "head" or pressure of liquid contained in syphon Ss
and reservoir S. This balance or state of equilibrium being arrived at, it will be
understood the further production of gas is stopped owing to the oil supply being so
checked, until the outlet tap t on the outlet pipe from retort is opened.
On this occurring and gas being allowed to flow away through this pipe O, it will be
readily understood that the before mentioned state of equilibrium is destroyed. Oil
again flows into the retort, and the generating process again takes place.
It will be seen that on outlet O being left open by means of the cock t and inlet of
oil by means of the cock T, the production of gas is entirely regulated by the demand
made by the pipe O through which the gas flows away to the point or points of
consumption.
•
A safety valve although not shown may be attached on the retort or supply pipe in.
case of any excessive pressures. This valve may be of ordinary construction or may
take the form of a body of mercury or liquid contained in a syphon tube.
Although gas may be used, straight from the retort, I prefer passing same through
a purifier, When heating the retort by gas obtained from the apparatus itself, I adopt a
peculiar arrangement in the supply pipe from retort [or on any point of the said supply
pipe] to ensure a proper supply of gas to the burner heating the retort and which
arrangement provides for stimulating the said burner, if the retort needs more heat at
one time than another for the proper production of gas.
I also propose to fulfil the same function by an arrangement in connection with a
valve gear spoken of hereafter.
The reservoir may be capable of being raised or lowered vertically so as to give
varying degrees of pressure or "head."
One method of doing this is shown on the accompanying drawing, that part of the
tube immediately under the reservoir and attached to it, being made to slide up and
down in a suitable stuffing box. Although a free way is preferred through the
syphon pipe, the syphon pipe or reservoir may if desired, be fitted with a suitable
valve or valves arranged to close automatically by the action of the apparatus and
prevent the flow of oil. Also the proper regulation of the supply to the retort, may
be obtained by an arrangement of valve gear and valve worked automatically by the
difference of pressure at certain times of the gas in the apparatus or by the difference
of the velocity of the gas through the pipes. These arrangements although not shown
in the drawing form part of the invention.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1900

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Automatically Generating Gas from
Liquid Fuel.
1, CHARLES BROTHERHOOD of Carr Villa, Elliston Road, Redland, in the city and
county of Bristol, mechanical 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 consists in apparatus constructed and arranged for the production,
in an automatic manner, of gas from oil and other liquid fuel.
The oil for conversion into gas is supplied from a reservoir situated at such a height
above a retort as to afford a suitable "head" for the flow thereto of the oil and also
to afford the required pressure of gas. The pipe of communication between the
reservoir and the retort is preferably in the form of a syphon and is fitted with a stop
cock. The retort is contained within a chamber wherein it is heated by solid, liquid
or gaseous fuel in combustion.
The gas generated in the retort passes out therefrom by a pipe by which it
is conducted, either directly or through a receiver, to the point or points of
consumption. This outlet pipe is fitted with a stop cock.
If, while the stop cock in the outlet pipe is closed, oil be admitted to the retort and
be therein subjected to the action of the fire in the combustion chamber, the pressure
of gas generated in the retort will, in due course, balance the column of oil, the
further How of which to the retort is thereby suspended.
On opening the cock in the outlet pipe, the equilibrium between the column of oil
and the pressure of gas is destroyed, the oil resumes its flow to the retort, the
production of gas is continued and is regulated by the demand made through the
outlet pipe.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. 1 thereon represents, in
vertical section, apparatus constructed and arranged for the production of gas from
liquid fuel in accordance with this invention.
a is a reservoir or cistern for containing the oil to be converted into gas. To permit
variation in the "head" of oil the cistern a may be raised or lowered by means of
the adjustable stuffing box e¹ and set screw e². Or, the cistern may be fixed, and a
ball-cock may be employed governing the flow of oil through the pipe d. The
ball-cock may or may not be adjustable vertically. By the syphone the reservoir a
communicates with the retort contained within the heating chamber g. The pipe e
is fitted with a cock hand with a "sight-feed" appliance i for observing the flow of
oil to the retort.
Heating of the retort is effected either by combustion of solid fuel placed on the
fire bars or by gaseous fuel in combustion supplied to a suitable perforated burner t²
or to more than one of such burners. is a hopper or shoot for introducing solid
fuel to the combustion chamber g.

page_text: When solid fuel such as coal or coke is employed for heating the retort the burner
is withdrawn.
The products of combustion escape preferably by two chimneys situated at opposite
side of the chamber g. One of these chimneys is shown at Fig. 1.
By so arranging the chimneys the retort is more uniformly heated.
The gas generated in the retort passes out through the outlet pipe m by which it
is conducted, either directly or through a receiver or collector, to the point or points
of consumption.
The pipe m is fitted with a cock n and a safety valve o consisting of a syphon tube
containing mercury or other suitable liquid or substance. Any other kind of safety
valve may be employed. If. while the stop cock n of the outlet pipe m is closed, oil
be admitted to the retort and be subjected therein to the action of the fire, the
pressure of the gas generated will, in due time, reach a point at which the column of
oil is balanced and the flow of oil to the retort thereby suspended.
On opening the cock n, the gas escapes and the equilibrium is destroyed; the oil
resumes its flow to the retort, and the production of gas is continued, the supply
being thus regulated, in an automatic manner, by the demand.
P
At Fig. 1 is illustrated an arrangement of apparatus for heating the retort by gas
generated therein and for regulating, in an automatic manner, the supply of gas to
the burner. Towards the lower end of the spindle p in the chamber pl is a valve p²
having an orifice p³ extending through it. The spindle is connected at the upper
end to the lever g towards one end thereof. At that end of the lever is a balance
weight. At the other end the lever g, the fulcrum of which is at q², is connected
'to the spindle r extended into the chamber and attached at the lower end to the
flexible gas-tight web or diaphragm ›² holted or otherwise secured to the underside of
the chamber.
The chamber communicates by the pipe with the receivers to which gas is
supplied by the pipe m. Communication between the chambers and is established
by the pipe t, and the chamber pl communicates by the pipe t¹ with the perforated
burner t
q
As the pressure in the chamber varies with the demand made upon the gas, the
web or diaphragm 72 is acted upon accordingly and the valve p² is opened or closed
through the medium of the counterweighted lever the arrangement being such that
a reduction in pressure in the chamber causes a corresponding opening of the
valve and affords an increased supply of gas to the burner 2. Similarly, an
increase in pressure in the chamber tends to close the valve p². Through the hole p³
the valve p a constant, supply of gas is furnished to maintain a pilot" flame alight
at the burner whether the valve be open or closed.
"
At Fig. 2 is illustrated an alternative method of regulating the supply of gas to the
burner.
A branch from the pipe is extended-up. into a gas holder on the top of which
rests one end of a spiral spring u coiled about the spindle bolted to the gasholder.
The spring u, the other end of which bears against the adjustable stop u¹, is of
graduated resistance, the maximum strength being at the lower end.
lever
3
grove p³
A reduction in pressure in the gas holder causes, through the spring u,
and spindle p, the valve p' in the chamber p¹ to open and adimit an increased supply
of gas to the burner at a time when needed. In the valve p² is a "leak"
for the flow of gas whereby a flame is always maintained at the burner.
In a similar manner, the flow of oil from the cistern a to the retort may be
governed, instead of by the method herein before described with reference to Fig. 1,
for that purpose. This alternative method is illustrated at Fig. 3. The pipe y, carried
up into the gas holder U, is in communication with the retort, and, by the valve a in
the reservoir or cistern a, the supply of oil through the pipe e to the retort is regu-
lated by the movement of the lever in accordance with the variation of pressure in
the holder U which is surmounted by a spring u of graduated resistance bearing, at
the top, against the underside of the adjustable stop u³.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :―
1. In the manufacture of gas from oil or other liquid fuel, the use of a pipe,
syphon or otherwise, fitted with a stop cock and connecting a heated retort with a
reservoir of the liquid fuel, and of an outlet pipe from such retort, fitted with a stop
cock, the whole combined together and arranged so that on opening the said stop
cocks an automatic generation of gas in accordance with the demand at the outlet
stop cock results, such generation being due to a varying flow of the said liquid fuel,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In the manufacture of gas from oil and other like liquids, the use of a syphon
tube such as e, (or other tube) with stop cock such as h, for supplying the said liquid
to a retort such as contained within a heating chamber such as g, the said retort
being fitted with a pipe such as m, with stop-cock such as n, for the escape of the gas,
whereby when, by means of the said stop cocks, equilibrium has been established
between the pressure of gas in the retort and the "head" of liquid, the further supply
of the liquid, and, consequently, generation of gas is regulated, in an automatic
manner, by the rate of consumption of the gas and the consequent variation of
pressure in the retort, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
3. In the manufacture of gas from oil and other like liquids, the use of the
modified arrangement for controlling the flow of liquid to the retort herein before
described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The reservoir a adjustable vertically on the pipe e in a stuffing box such as e¹, for
varying at will the pressure in the retort.
5. The ball-valve for controlling the supply, to the reservoir a, of oil or other
liquid to be converted into gas, the said ball-valve being, if desired, adjustable
vertically for varying the pressure in the retort.
6. In the manufacture of gas from oil and other like liquids, the use of apparatus
for automatically governing the supply of gas for heating the retort and obtained
from the same, (when that means of heating is adopted), consisting of the chamber pl
with valve p, the chamber with flexible gas tight web or diaphragm, ², the
receiver or its equivalents, the lever q with counterweight q', and the pipes, t and t¹,
arranged substantially as described.
7. In the manufacture of gas from oil and other liquids, the modified method and
apparatus herein before described with reference to Fig. 2, for automatically governing
the supply of gas for heating the retort in which the gas is generated.
8. The use of a perforated or grooved valve such as p², Figs. I and 2, for affording
a constantly free passage for a normal supply of gas to the burner below the retort,
when that means of heating is adopted, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 6th day of September 1888.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Applicant's Agent.