Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ALEXANDER CROMBIE HUMPHREYS, of the
City and County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America, Mechanical and Gas Engineer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My said improvements relate to water gas manufacture, and are founded upon the
well known "Lowe" methods and apparatus, fully disclosed in certain U.S. Letters
Patent, heretofore granted to T. S. C. Lowe. My said improvements have been
devised with special reference to enabling the practical and successful use of soft
or bituminous coals, and the heavy oils, of which "Lima" oil is a well known
type, as distinguished from the use of anthracite coal and the light oils and
naphthas, ordinarily employed heretofore.
"
I attain said ends by economically developing high temperatures, in that I reduce
what may be termed waste heat to a minimum, and by so working the oils, that
solid matters, residuary therefrom, are reduced to a minimum, and greatly lessening
their liability to impair the incandescing capacity of those heat affording surfaces,
with which steam is brought into superheating contact, thus enabling "heating up
to be promptly accomplished, and a highly favourable degree of steam superheating,
carburetting, and "fixing" duty to be performed, at each run of the apparatus.
By avoiding contact of the oil with the surfaces of interior portions of the
apparatus, these latter are also more readily raised and maintained at favourable
temperatures for performing "fixing" duty during the passage of water gas
enriched by gaseous oil.
I have also for the first time, as I believe, provided for heating the carburetter
by diverting a portion of the products of combustion, from the superheaters and
gas fixing chambers, leaving the main portion of said products to pass to these last
named chambers, wherein much higher temperatures should be used, than are
required in the carburetter.
For economizing heat, the heavy oils, before their injection to the carburetter,
are heated to as high a temperature as is proper or desirable, by an exchange of
heat from the out-going gas, after it leaves the fixer, thus at the same time
materially reducing the cost of cooling the gas in scrubbing and condensing. For
obtaining within the carburetter, and also within the steam superheating chamber,
a desirable combustion of gaseous matter while " heating up," I employ a blast of
air which is highly heated by such products of combustion as are discharged from
either said carburetter, or said superheater, or both of them, and thus economizing
what would otherwise be wasted heat.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown apparatus by which my said
invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation a complete double apparatus, embodying my
invention.
Figure 2 illustrates a partial plan view of the said apparatus.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of one-half of the apparatus as viewed from the
side opposite to that shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 illustrates a portion of said apparatus in vertical central section.
L:11.
Shanhuuattare in cantion

page_text: Figure 6 illustrates in section two neck pieces or throttles used for varying the
area of the exit ports of the carburetters.
Figure 7 illustrates one of the oil heaters in section.
Figure 8 illustrates an oil heater of another form.
Figure 9 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a suitable air heater.
Figure 10 illustrates an air heater, which is common to, and is heated by the
products of combustion discharged through two exit ports.
Figure 11 shows in vertical section up draft generators, and a superheater, with
a carburetter, which in heating up is arranged to operate in accordance with my
invention.
It is to be understood that in my present use of the term " generator," I have
applied it, as usual, to each of those chambers, which actually serve as furnaces, in
which solid fuel is burned in "heating up," and through the incandescent contents
of which, gaseous matter may be forced as an operation, alternating with each
heating up operation. And further, that in the use of the term "superheater," I
have applied it to each of those chambers in which steam is superheated, and also
in which the gas is fixed; and, still further, that in the use of the term
"carburetter" I have applied it to each of those chambers to which oil is
delivered, and within which it is vaporized and partially gasified and fitted for
commingling with, and enriching the water gas developed in other portions of the
apparatus.
I will first describe my improved apparatus, as when organized for use in
extensive gas works, and with reference to a mode of working it, for obtaining the
best results both as to economy, and quality of product. It should be understood
that while I have illustrated the several parts of a double apparatus, arranged in
one line or row, that said particular arrangement, forms no part of my invention,
and that as a rule, the two generators will be placed side by side as shown, with
the two carburetters side by side at the rear of the generators, and the two super-
heaters also side by side, at the rear of the carburetters.
The two generators A, A', are vertical cylindrical structures, provided with
tightly covered feed ports a, and with grates a', and they communicate at their
tops, by way of a lateral duct a².
The two superheaters B, B', are vertical cylindrical structures, and they are
properly provided internally with many fire bricks b, so arranged as to afford an
extensive superficial area, and ample intervening passages, as at b', for steam on
its way to a generator, or for gas on its way through said superheater, when
operating as a fixing chamber." Each superheater has at its top, an exit or
discharge port 62, guarded by a valve, or gate 63, readily opened and closed, and
above this port, an uptake or chimney is provided.
66
A pipe leads from the top of each superheater to a washer or seal
chamber 6, and a pipe b', provided with a valve or gate 68, leads from said washer
for conveying gas to a main or to other gas works apparatus such as purifiers or
scrubbers.
At its base each superheater communicates by way of a duct 6, with the adjacent
generator, and preferably with the ash pans or spaces beneath the grates a¹. The
duct may be a direct conduit, or it may be partially contained within the base
of a carburetter, as shown, but this latter arrangement, is immaterial, so long as
said duct communicates with the interior of the carburetter, as will hereinafter be
made apparent.
The carburetters C, C¹, are vertical cylindrical structures, each heavily lined
with fire brick, and having a tubular interior, which is unobstructed from top to
bottom, and it serves as an oil gasifying or vaporizing chamber c. At its top said
chamber is contracted, and is provided with one of a series of detachable neck
pieces or throttlers c', composed of fire clay, and said series of throttlers afford
annular openings of various sizes, so that the area of the exit port c², at the top of
the chamber, can be varied in its dimensions for purposes hereinafter explained.
The discharge or exit port c² is guarded by a valve, gate, or cap c³, which can be

page_text: readily opened and closed, and above said valve and port, there is an uptake or
chimney c, for conveying away the discharged products of combustion.
The interior chamber c of the carburetter freely communicates with the duct 6°
before described. At the foot of the chamber c, and below the line of said duct 6º,
an annular space c³, is provided for the reception of oil in the event of any
accidental or undue delivery thereof to the carburetter, and an adjacent hand
hole c, affords convenient access to said space, if such should ever be required.
With the uptakes c, and sometimes with the uptakes or chimneys 6, before
described, I employ air blast heaters D, D', through which air is forced on its way
to various portions of the apparatus during the operation of heating up, as will now
be fully described.
Each generator A and A' has near its top a blast port d, thus affording a
downward blast in each.
Each carburetter near the junction of its interior chainber c, with the lateral
duct 6º, has a blast port d', and so also has each superheater near its base, a blast
port d², the several blast pipes d³, adjacent to each of said ports, being provided
with suitable valves for graduating the blast, as well as for cutting it off entirely
when proper so to do.
Steam is supplied from a suitable boiler by way of a system of piping E, to
portions of the apparatus, as follows:-To the superheaters B, B¹, near their upper
ends, by way of jet pipes e, and also to the carburetters, by way of jet pipes e'.
The oil is properly heated before its use in the apparatus, by passing it in contact
with the exterior surfaces of pipes traversed, by a portion of the hot gases on their
way from the superheaters, (when the latter are operating as gas fixers) to the.
seal washers 66, or the oil may be passed through pipes exposed to the fixed hot
gas. In other words, I employ oil heaters F and F¹, which in one form are
horizontal cylindrical chambers near the superheaters, and connected with a system
of oil pipes provided with suitable cocks f¹. Two forms of oil heater are shown,
one of which, Figure 7, contains one or more pipes g, which communicate at one
end with the interior of the gas conducting pipe 6, near a superheater or fixer, and
at the other end, with the interior of a seal washer 66, so that said pipes g, being
freely traversed by the hot gas, will properly heat the contents of the oil heaters,
and for enabling the quantity of gas passing through the heater to be regulated,
said pipe is sometimes provided with a loose fitting valve or gate, by which a
throttling effect can be therein obtained. The oil is supplied to said heaters under
pumping or other pressure, and it is delivered therefrom by the system of piping f
by way of jet pipes /2, entering the carburetters at their upper ends, each of said
pipes being flexible and passing through the movable gate or cap c³, and thereby
enabling them to discharge the oil downwardly, and centrally with a minimum
liability of its contact with the interior walls of chambers c. In Figure 8, an oil
heater is shown, containing a coiled pipe f, through which the oil is conducted, the
gas in this case entering freely, and passing through the chamber, and surrounding
the oil conducting pipe, which may be in a to and fro arrangement, or in worm
form, it being only important that a sufficient length of enclosed pipe be provided
for enabling the oil to be properly heated while passing through it.
g
Now referring again to the generators or furnaces A, A', it is to be understood
that, as thus far described, they do not differ materially from prior generators
employed in the well known Lowe process apparatus, either in their construction,
or in their mode of operation.
The superheaters or "fixers" in their structure, do not differ materially from
others, heretofore employed, but when considered in connection with a carburetter,
interposed between the generator and superheater, I believe it to be new to provide
both of them with one or more air blast ports d', d, whereby sufficient oxygen may
be supplied for insuring combustion of gaseous matter passing through each of them
while heating up." These carburetters differ in many respects from the similarly
designated portions of any prior apparatus known to me.
Neither of my said carburetters have surfaces on which the oil is deposited for

page_text: vaporizing, but on the contrary in falling from the top in free space, the oil is
thoroughly vaporized and partly gasified, and in that form at the bottom of the
chamber c, it is merged with the body of water gas on its way from the generator
toward the superheater, then operating as a fixer. While I prefer to deliver the
jet of oil through the centre of the cap as shown, the jet pipe may be located at
either side of the centre, so as to pass through the top of the carburetter, and yet
afford a substantially central discharge of oil without liability of its contact with
the interior walls of the carburetter. Each carburetter has a direct passage for
the heating up blast; and each has its exit port at its top, and said port is
graduated as to the area of opening, and near its base each carburetter has an air
blast port for insuring a proper combustion of gases within the chamber c while
heating it.
Heretofore carburetters have been so arranged with reference to the generator,
and the superheater, and so connected therewith, that the carburetter has been
traversed by all of the products of combustion on their way from the generator to the
superheater, but in my apparatus, I provide, as I believe, for the first time, for
diverting only so much of the heated products of combustion, from the superheater,
as is actually necessary for properly heating the carburetter, and also so that either
carburetter may operate for a time, as an auxiliary superheater, while the other
meantime, operates only as a carburetter. In operating the carburetter with light
hydrocarbons, longer runs can be made than when heavy oils are used, under the
same conditions as to the volume of heat, previously secured and stored within the
carburetter, and hence when using very heavy oils, the carburetter should have
more heat stored in its walls than when light oils are used, and in order to promptly
attain the desired condition as to temperature, a full sized exit port is used, so as
to enable a greater volume of gaseous matter to be burned in passing through the
carburetter than would be needed, in the use of lighter oils, and hence in the latter
case, a smaller sized neck piece or throttler is inserted for reducing the area of the
exit port.
Whether a superheater be used for superheating steam, or for fixing
gas, it should be heated to a much higher temperature, than is required in the
carburetter, and I have provided for adjusting the exit port of the carburetters,
that the latter need never be overheated, while properly heating up the superheater
or fixing chamber.
Heretofore carburetters have also been arranged, that the oil is discharged
directly into a rushing volume of water gas, the latter entering at the one end, and
leaving at the other end of the carburetter, thus usually carrying more or less of
the oil to parts of the apparatus liable to be coated or clogged with solid residuary
matter, and rendering those surfaces which should be as nearly incandescent as
possible, less effective, either for the superheating of steam or for fixing gas.
I am
aware, however, that in another type of apparatus retorts have been placed within
so-called superheaters, and supplied with water or steam, and oil, and that the
gases emanating from said retorts have been delivered into a fixing chamber.
The oil heaters are specially effective in that the oil is not thereby vaporized,
but merely heated therein to proper temperatures derived from the hot product gas,
thus materially lessening the quantity of water otherwise necessary for cooling
down the product gas, during the condensing and scrubbing operation.
The air blast heaters D are specially effective in that the air is raised to desirably
high temperatures, by means of the heat which is discharged from the superheaters
and carburetters, or either of them, and which would otherwise be wasted heat.
Each air blast heater is mounted above an exit port on legs 'd, and is provided with
interior passages for the air, and with other free interior passages opening to the
uptake or chimney, so that the discharged column of the products of combustion
on emerging from the exit port into the open air is freely supplied with atmospheric
oxygen at the base of the heater, affording a complete combustion within said
heaters, and thoroughly heating the interior air conducting passages or ducts.
Other air heaters may be placed above the superbeaters or the outgoing columns of
products of combustion from both may be merged into an air heater common to,

page_text: and heated by the products of combustion emerging from both exit ports, without
departure from this portion of my invention.
In Figure 10 I show the superheater and carburetter provided with a single
uptake or chimney, and an air blast heater D, which is internally traversed by the
united columns of the products of combustion discharged from both of the exit
ports and c².
.
In operating the apparatus, as thus far described, to the best advantage, I
proceed as follows: it being assumed that all the steam jets and oil jets, and the
valves in gas pipes beyond the seal washers, are closed; the exit ports of both
superheaters and both carburetters wide open, and the generators both charged
with solid fuel, such as bituminous coal, properly ignited and their covers tightly
applied.
The air blast is then introduced in both generators through ports d, thence
downward through the mass of fuel thence laterally in two directions by way of
ducts 6, the main portion of the resulting hot gases passing to and through the two
superheaters, and a small portion to and through each of the carburetters, the air
blast being also supplied to each of these at their bases, in proper volumes, until
the fuel in the generators has been raised to a proper degree of incandescence, and
the superheaters and carburetters are properly heated. The air blast is then cut:
off, and all of the exit ports at the tops of the superheaters and carburetters are
closed.
One of the gates 68 in the gas pipes at one end of the apparatus, is then opened,
and steam is admitted to the superheater, and to the carburetter, at the opposite
end of the apparatus, whenever it is deemed proper, and as the internal pressure
increases, the superheated steam is forced to, and then upwards through the
adjacent generator, downward through the other and thence onward, the gas being
enriched in its path by the vaporized and partly gasified oil which is discharged.
from the communicating carburetter (within which the oil is vaporized and partially
gasified, while descending in tree space) and so onward into and through the
adjacent superheaters, which then serves as a chamber for fixing the gases.
After a
has been made, the steam and the oil jets are closed the four
exit ports again opened, and the hot blasts applied again to the generators, super-
heaters, and carburetters, until the apparatus is properly heated, (the gas valve
being closed in the meantime). Then another run is made, as described, but
preferably reversing the operation of the apparatus, by opening the gas valve
which was before kept closed, and injecting steam at the superheater which before
served as a
"fixer," and injecting oil, instead of steam, to that carburetter which
before served as an auxiliary steam superheater.
66
run
"
The use of the air blast, highly heated, by the discharged columns of the
products of combustion, contribute greatly to economy in fuel and the same is true
of pre-heating the oil; and the heating of the oil by a corresponding reduction in
the temperature of the product gas results in material economy in cooling and
scrubbing in the matter of time and water, as will be apparent when it is considered
that the heat thus taken from the gas during a working day, ordinarily heats say
from four to five thousand gallons of oil, to a temperature of say 400° F.
When the oil is injected in proper quantities into my carburetter, it cannot,.
although discharged therein, in its liquid form, engage with interior surfaces, but
in falling, as it does, centrally within a cylindrical chamber which is sometimes, as
high as fifteen feet, and say eighteen inches in diameter, the walls of which are
highly heated even to incandescence, it is thoroughly vaporized and partially
gasified, before reaching the base of the carburetters, and is in prime condition to
be merged with the gaseous product emanating from the superheater and the
generators.
I deem it of practical value to avoid the introduction of oil in a liquid form, to
passages traversed by the gases which are to be carburetted, as usually heretofore,
and also to avoid permitting the oil in a liquid form to lodge upon or trickle
over interior portions of an apparatus, because by so doing, I maintain all of such

page_text: surfaces in prime condition, for giving out the heat desired during a run of gas, as
well as for promptly assuming an incandescent or properly heated condition, while
heating up the apparatus, and it will be found also that linings, checker-brick, etc.,
both in the carburetters and superheaters or
66 fixers "will do much longer effective
duty than when they are exposed to the reception of soiled residuary matters,
always incident to the contact of oil therewith.
While I prefer in the matter of economy and quality of product, to employ my
apparatus in its doubled form, as indicated, it must not be assumed that certain
features of my invention, are restricted to said "double form," because my double
apparatus is sometimes arranged so as to enable it to be operated as two separate
organizations, or so that I can operate either while the other is at rest, with
satisfactory results.
As for instance, the duct a² is provided with any suitable gate at a³, thus enabling
communication between the generators A and A' to be wholly closed. A steam jet
pipe e enters each generator near its top.
In operating either half of the apparatus singly, communication between the
generators is wholly cut off, and either generator is supplied with the hot blast and
raised to a proper heat, meantime heating up the communicating superheater and
also the carburetter, after which the air blast is cut off, and the exit ports b² and c²
closed. Steam is then forced through the incandescent mass of fuel in the generator,
the carburetter is operated as when working "double," but the superheater proper,
then operates only as a "fixer" and my oil heater operates as before described in
materially cooling the outgoing gas. Even if the apparatus he only operated
"double" the occasional injection of steam into the generators will be desirable for
preventing "clinker" from forming therein.
Having thus provided for separately operating both halves of the apparatus, I
have still further provided for operating both generators in conjunction with either
superheater, and the carburetter adjacent thereto. This is accomplished as follows:
The ash pans or spaces below the grates of the generators communicate with
each other at a gate guarded port a and each duct near its entrance to
said spaces, is provided with a gate a³, for cutting off communication with the
generators.
Both generators having been supplied with fuel properly ignited, and the duct a
opened, the blast is applied to both, passing downward therein, through the fuel,
into the ash pans, and forcing the heat from both, into say the right hand duct b³,
and into and through the right hand carburetter and superheater, until a proper
heat has been obtained, whereupon the blast is cut off, the exit ports b³ and c³ closed;
steam is then admitted to both generators, and oil supplied to the right hand
carburetter, the right hand superheater then serving as a "fixer."
It will be readily obvious that both generators can in like manner be operated in
connection with the left hand carburetter and superheater. This mode of working
would be advisable in the event of either superheater or carburetter being unfit for
duty, but the use of both generators, for decomposing steam, would of course be
more effective than if but one were used.
In large gas works, which will warrant the use of several apparatuses of the
double type, and enable one or more to be held in "ordinary" for emergencies, as
when others need repairs, no provision need be made for variations in modes of
working, but for use in small gas works it will be found desirable to employ a
"double" apparatus, which will be susceptible of one or more modes of working
separate portions thereof, for enabling repairs to be meanwhile attended to in other
portions thereof without seriously affecting the continued manufacture of gas, or its
quantity and quality, although for obtaining the best results as to economy and
quality the "double apparatus should be used and operated in the manner
previously described.
"
In an emergency, as say in the event of one carburetter and its adjacent super-
heater or fixer being unfit for use, the two generators may be employed for heating,
up the other carburetter and superheater and steam admitted to the latter, which

page_text: after being carburetted would be passed through both generators and delivered
from the idle superheater or fixer, this then serving only as a conduit for the
product gas.
It will be obvious that more or less of the advantages accruing from heating up
carburetters, by means of diverted portions of the products of combustion, while
permitting the main portions of said heating products to proceed to a superheater,
or to a gas fixing chamber, can be variously obtained, even if the interior of the
carburetter be occupied by checker brick, and also even if the volume of water
gases be entered at the top and passed from the bottom of the carburetter to the
fixing chamber, as usually heretofore. As, for instance, in Figure 11, I show
generators A and a superheater B2, similar to those illustrated in U.S. Letters
Patent to Granger and Collins No. 287277, October 23rd, 1883. The carbu-
retter C2 here shown, is filled with checker brick, as in said patented apparatus, but
it is here organized, so that it can be operated while heating up either as in said
Patent, or in accordance with this portion of my present invention.
This carburetter C has a port and cover at its top and so it has in said prior
apparatus, but in that case, it was a mere manhole, while now it serves as an exit or
discharge port for the products of combustion. This generator A2 is blown at the
bottom, and the heat passes out near the top through a duct h, and in said prior
apparatus it passed directly into the carburetter, down through it, and out at or
near its base into the base of the superheater, or "fixer" B²..
I now place a gate h¹, in said duct h and provide a diving flue 2, which passes
from said duct / downward and horizontally beneath the carburetter, and to the
base of the fixer, and in this flue 2, I place a gate h³. The flue /² communicates
with the carburetter C² by way of a port . Oil of the naphtha variety is admitted
by pipe i and sprayed at proper time upon the checker brick k.
If the gate
be opened, and the gate 3 closed, and the top of the carburetter closed, the
operation of heating up will be precisely as in said prior Patent, and all of the heated
products of combustion will pass through the carburetter on their way to the
chamber B2.
If however, the gate ³ be opened, and the gate h¹ closed, and the top of the
carburetter opened, the heat will be driven below the carburetter, and only so much
will be diverted into, and permitted to pass through said carburetter, as can escape
through the properly throttled open exit port at the top, and the main body of the
products of combustion will pass directly onward to the chamber B2 where it is most
needed, precisely as in my apparatus previously described.
After heating up the apparatus, steam is applied beneath the grate in the
generator, and the resultant gases may pass into duct (gate being open and
gate 3 closed) and thence down through the checker brick (while oil is being
injected into the carburetter), and thence to the fixing chamber B2, so that
this part of the operation will be as described in said United States Letters
Patent.
In apparatus of this type, the heating up feature of my invention is specially
desirable because the carburetter need never be overheated and only the required
quantity of heat diverted from the fixing chamber whether the latter is or is not
organized to also operate as a superheater. It is of course to be understood that
the checker brick and the oil pipe arrangement shown at C2 in this Figure 11,
would be unsuited for working heavy oils, which must not be. allowed to fall upon
or to drip over walls or surfaces within a carburetter.
Now by removing the checker brick from the carburetter and placing the oil jet
substantially centrally at the top thereof, another feature of my invention would be
involved, because the oil would then be vaporized and partially gasified while
falling in free space, and without contact with interior surfaces, and at the base of
the carburetter it would be merged with the gas from the generators, if the gate ¹
were closed, and gate 3 opened, thus causing this apparatus to then operate in this
respect like mine as previously described.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of a generator and superheater having a duct or passage which connects
said generator and superheater and is alternately occupied by heated products of
combustion on their way from the chamber which is supplied with solid fuel, and by
superheated or decomposed steam on its way to a fixing chamber and a vertical
carburetting chamber communicating at its base only, with said duct, and provided
at its top with an oil supply pipe and with an exit port provided with a valve or
gate, whereby when said exit port is opened, said chamber will be heated by
diverted portion of the products of combustion supplied by the generator passing
directly through it from its base to and outward through its open top, and also
whereby when said port is closed, and oil injected, the oil will be vaporized and
partially gasified, and merged at the base of said chamber, with decomposed or
superheated steam while passing through said duct.
a
2nd. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially, as hereinbefore
described, of a generator, and a fixing chamber; a duct which affords the sole
communication between the generator and fixing chamber; and a vertical carbu-
retter which has at its top a valve guarded port and an oil injecting pipe, and which
communicates at its base with said duct, whereby in heating up the apparatus, all
of the hot products of combustion will pass to the fixer through said duct except
when the top of the carburetter is opened, for permitting a portion of said hot
products to pass upwardly therein, and also whereby gaseous matter delivered
from said generator will pass through the same duct to the fixer and be carburetted
in its passage thereto.
3rd. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of a down shaft generator or furnace to which solid fuel is supplied a
chamber provided with a steam injection pipe and checker brick for rendering it
capable of operating either as a steam superheater, or as a fixing chamber, through
which the products of combustion are mainly conducted while heating up the
apparatus, and a carburetter provided with an oil injection pipe, and interposed
between said generator and said chamber, communicating at its base only with the
bases of both and provided at its top with a valve guarded exit port.
4th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of a pair of closed down draft generators, each having an air blast port
above the grate, and an exit port below said grate, and to which solid fuel is supplied,
and which communicate with each other at their tops; two chambers, in both of
which steam may be superheated and gas fixed; each chamber at its base connected
by a duct with the base of an adjacent generator; and between each generator and
its superheater or gas fixer, a vertical carburetting chamber, communicating at its
base with said duct, and provided at the top with a valve guarded exit port,
whereby in heating up the apparatus both carburetters may be properly heated by
means of diverted portions of the products of combustion proceeding from the
generators, while the main portions thereof pass to and through the superheating
and gas fixing chambers, and also whereby either carburetter on being supplied
with oil, will enrich gases after their passage from either superheater, through both
generators, and while passing laterally through or across the interior of the
carburetter near its base, on their way to the superheater then operating as a fixing
chamber.
5th. In a gas making apparatus, embodying duplicate carburetters, each provided
at its top with an oil injecting pipe and a guarded port, and duplicate superheaters,
each of the latter provided with a valve guarded port at its top, and with a
steam injection pipe, and each capable of operating as a fixing chamber, the
combination of a pair of generators which are coupled at their tops, by a duct
provided with a gate, and a steam jet pipe in each generator, each of said

page_text: generators being in communication with a carburetter, and with a superheater or
fixing chamber, substantially as described, whereby the heating of the carburetters
and the superheaters may be separately controlled, and also whereby when said
generators are in open communication, steam may be superheated in either super-
heaters, and conducted therefrom through both generators, then enriched by the
contents of one carburetter, and the gases fixed in the other superheater, or by
closing the said duct, enabling each generator to operate as a steam decomposing
chamber, and the superheater which is connected therewith, to operate only as a
fixing chamber.
6th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of the two generators, the two superheaters, provided with steam injecting
pipes, and operating either for superheating steam or as fixing chambers, and two
carburetters, each intervening between a superheater and, a generator, and
provided with oil injecting pipes, and also with steam injection pipes, whereby
while either carburetter is being supplied with oil, the other may be used for
superheating steam, and to co-operate with one of said superheaters.
7th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of a generator to which solid fuel is supplied, a chamber in which steam
may be superheated or gas fixed, a duct connecting the bases of said generator and
chamber, a carburetter provided with a steam injection pipe, and communicating
at its base with said duct, and provided at its top with a valve guarded exit port,
and air-blast ports at the bases of said chamber and carburetter, whereby in heating
up the apparatus, appropriate portions of the heated products of combustion may
be directed into and through said chamber and said carburetter, and each
appropriately supplied with air for securing good combustion of gaseous matter
therein.
8th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of the two generators of furnaces, communicating at top and bottom,
valves or gates for controlling said communication, a carburetter and a superheater
communicating with each other, and with one of said generators at its base, a
similar carburetter and a similar superheater communicating in like manner with the
other generator, and valves or gates for controlling said communication, whereby
after heating up both generators, and either carburetter, and its communicating
superheater (to enable it to operate as a fixing chamber) steam may be decomposed
in either or both of said generators, and delivered to the heated carburetter and
superheater or fixing chamber, while the other carburetter and superheater is
wholly out of service.
9th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, with a generator a superheater and fixer, of a carburetter having at its
top a valve guarded exit port, and connected at its base with a duct for directing
heated products of combustion thereto, and also having said port adapted to receive
either of a series of annular neck pieces or throttlers of various sizes for varying
the area of said port, whereby the heated products of combustion passing through
said carburetter may be graduated to its proper requirements, and obviate the
wasteful diversion of heat from other portions of the apparatus, such as super-
heaters or fixers or both, and also whereby overheating of said carburetter may be
obviated while properly heating said other portions.
10th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of the vertically unobstructed carburetting chamber into which oil in
liquid form is delivered and within which the oil while falling in space is vaporized
for carburetting, purposes; the chamber in which the carburetted gas is fixed; and
an oil heater communicating with and affording a passage for hot product gas
discharged from the fixer, and also communicating with the top of the vertically
unobstructed carburetting chamber, whereby the temperature of the product gas is
reduced, and oil in its passage through said heater is not vaporized, but raised to
a desirable temperature suitable for delivery in its liquid form into the carburetting
chamber.

page_text: 11th. In a gas making apparatus, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of two generators, provided with air blast ports above their grates, and
communicating with each other by way of a passage at the bottom below the grates,
a valve or gate for controlling said passage, a carburetter and a gas "fixer" both
communicating with each other, and with said generators below their grates, whereby
either of said generators may be wholly relied upon for co-operating with said
carburetter and "fixer," or both of them made to jointly co-operate therewith.
Dated this 11th day of July 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.