Improvements in Apparatus for Vaporizing and Burning Hydro- carbon Oils.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Vaporizing and Burning Hydro-
carbon Oils.
I, WILLIAM FESSENDEN BEASLEY, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at 1516 Mount Royal Avenue in the City of Baltimore, State of
Maryland, Manufacturer, 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 device wherein the gases resulting from the
vaporization of a hydrocarbon oil are to be mingled with the gases liberated by
water at a high temperature, in order that the carbon which is thrown down upon
the cracking of such hydrocarbon oil may be seized upon by the gases formed from
the water and brought into gaseous combinations and burnt with the vaporized
hydrocarbon, and especially to the means employed for the vaporization of the
water.
As my invention contemplates the use of a portion of the heat resulting from
such combustion for the vaporization of the oil and water above referred to, it
results in the production of a compact device which can be located in the fire-box
of a stove or furnace of ordinary construction, and can therefore be used to furnish
heat for any of the purposes to which stoves or furnaces lend themselves.
Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are
desiguated by similar marks of reference:
Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a device constructed in
accordance with this invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are end elevations.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the drip pan.
The longitudinal retort A is cast in one piece out of any suitable metal and is
divided into two compartments the oil vaporizing and mixing chambers a, and
the "flasher" or steam chest b, the latter being located beneath one end of the
hottom of the former. As seen in the drawings, the sides of the retort converge
towards the bottom, the flasher being formed. by the downward continuation of such
converging sides, and by a bottom c, which inclined, that is to say, is not parallel
with the bottom a' of the mixing chamber a and which is interiorly convex from its
upper end to near the lower end, forming with the sides, troughs c², while the
lower end of the bottom c is flat, the said lower end being that end which is the
closer to the end of the retort. Upon the bottom of the upper end of the flasher b,
is cast a downwardly extending sleeve d, the lower part of which is threaded to
receive the nuts d' and d², between which the drip pan B is secured, the said pan
being provided with an aperture for the passage of the said sleeve, the retort
being supported above the drip pan thereby.
The flat portion of the bottom of the flasher is bored to receive a vertical relief*
pipe E, the top of which is flush with the upper side of the said flat portion, while
an aperture in alignment with the relief pipe is formed in the bottom of the
mixing chamber a, and there is screwed therein the vertical steam pipe F, the top
of which projects within the mixing chamber and is provided with the perforated
cap. An oil supply pipe G projects forwardly through the drip pan to within the
nixing chamber, adjacent to the steam pipe F, where it is perforated, while a water
upply pipe N passes up within the sleeve d and through the bottom of the
lasher, extending above the level of the botton thereof, the pipe N being contained

page_text: within the sleeved, in order to prevent evaporation therein. The oil and water
supply pipes are each provided with a suitable valve (by preference, needle valves)
inserted therein at some point below the level of the retort, in order that the
supply of the oil and water may be uniform and capable of regulation, and are
connected with a suitable reservoir, located at such a height (three to six feet)
above the retort, as will give a sufficient head to overcome the pressure within the
retort.
Two gas induction pipes H are connected with the mixing chamber a, one of the
said pipes entering each of the side walls thereof near their lower edge and at the
end of the mixing chamber opposite to the end at which the oil supply pipe is
introduced. Each of these gas eduction pipes preferably consist of a number of
horizontal return pipes, h, and has a burner I, consisting of a pipe provided with
perforations i, connected to its free end, the said burners being located immediately
above the drip pan and longitudinally on each side of the center line of the
netort.
The drip pan B is of the proper size and shape to fit within the fire-box or
furnace which is to be heated, in which it can be supported by resting on the grate
bars or brackets provided therefor, and has raised edges and ears ³ projecting at
intervals from such edges upon which ears the lower edges of a deflector box K is
adapted to rest, the said deflector serving to throw the flame from the burners
directly upon the pipes H and the retort. The air necessary to support combustion
passes through the space between the lower edges of the box K and the side edges
of the drip pan. ( (See dotted lines, Figure 4.)
A lug projects from the top of the retort at each end thereof and receives a
pin, by which are pivoted the two longitudinal deflecting wings L, each of which
consists of two arms 12, having their outer ends connected by the deflecting plate ³,
and having lugs 1, which, by resting on the top of the retort, serve to retain the
deflecting wings in the position shown, the said wings being hinged to permit of
their being raised, to assist in reaching the burners.
Upon the lower end of the relief pipe, which projects below the drip pan, is
mounted a collar m, having ears m' in one side, and having its lower face ground,
while a valve M is pivoted between the said ears and has a threaded arm m², upon
which is mounted the movable weight m³. The position of this weight is to be
changed from time to time, in order to accommodate it to the amount of water and
oil admitted to the retort, and thus the heat generated, it being so adjusted that it
is constantly blowing off. It is not meant by this, however, that each change in
the amount of water admitted, necessitated a readjustment of the weight, for on
the contrary, it is so to speak, self adjusting to a great extent, as it, as will be
hereinafter described, automatically removes any excess of water, which owing to
its volume and the low temperature of the retort, fails to immediately vaporize.
A diaphragm O is cast upon the bottom of the mixing chamber to prevent cross
draft.
The
In the operation of my invention, as thus described, the bottom of the drip pan
is covered with oil, either by admitting oil in a sufficient quantity into the mixing
chamber through the oil induction pipe, whence it passes through the pipes H and
burners I to the drip pan, or preferably, by pouring oil directly into the drip pan
from any suitable vessel. The oil is now ignited (the bottom of the drip pan being
covered with a mat of asbestos to serve as a wick therefor) and when the retort
has been thereby sufficiently heated the oil and water valves are opened.
water will flow over the top of the water supply pipe and fall upon the bottom of
the flasher, where if the quantity of inflow is properly proportioned to the
temperature of the retort, it will be entirely vaporized, and probably dissociated,
before it reaches the lower end thereof. The vapors thus formed pass through the
steam pipe into the mixing chamber, where they are commingled with the vapors
of oil resulting from the vaporization of the oil entering by the perforated end on
the pipe G. Here under the high temperature of the retort the vapors from the
two sources interact upon one another, and passing through the length of the retort

page_text: and through the pipes H, where they are subjected to still higher temperatures,
they escape through the burners I and are burnt, generating the heat to continue
the vaporization of the inflowing liquids, after the oil in the pan has been exhausted,
and to heat the stove, etc.
If, however, more water is admitted than is vaporized by the flasher (the corner
troughs down which the water flows being highly heated), the excess, owing to the
inclination of the bottom of the flasher will immediately flow to the escape pipe,
whence it is removed by the steam blowing off through the automatic relief
valve M.
It is thus seen that by this construction, steam is generated from the water by
contact with the heated metal of the steam chest, and not by ebullition within the
body of the water itself (which is of great advantage, as a steadier pressure is thus
obtained) and that there can be no water accumulated within the steam chest, which
has heretofore often resulted in drowning out the retort. From the character of the
vaporization occurring within the steam chest, I have in this Specification designated
it as a "flasher" to more clearly distinguish it from a vessel in which the steam is
generated from a heated body of water.
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. In an apparatus for vaporizing and burning hydrocarbon oils, in the presence
of watery vapor, the combination with a burner and oil vaporizer, of a flasher
connected with the vaporizer, substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for vaporizing and burning hydrocarbon oils with the presence
of the vapor of water, the combination with a water vaporizing chamber, and relief
pipe leading from the bottom thereof, and an automatic relief valve on the said
relief pipe, actuated by the pressure therein, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for vaporizing and burning hydrocarbon oils in the presence
of watery vapor, the combination with a burner and oil vaporizer, of a flasher
connected with the vaporizer, and heated by the said burner, substantially as
described.
Dated the 8th day of January 1895.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.