INCREASING THE ILLUMINATING POWER OF ORDINARY COAL GAS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE, of Rock House Conisboro' Yorkshire Chemical
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for INCREASING THE
ILLUMINATING POWER OF ORDINARY COAL GAS, to bo as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to increase the lighting power of ordinary coal
gas by means of commercial creosote of a specific gravity about 9 to 11 Twaddell
and of such quality as will remain fluid at all ordinary temperatures. I pass the
coal gas through a vessel of copper or other metal, partly filled with creosote and
the whole is warmed by a gas burner placed below it When the creosote has
become sufficiently hot the gas carries over a quantity of its vapour which is
consumed at the burner with the gas. I keep my copper vessel full up to a given
level by means of a resevoir of creosote above connected with it (vessel) by a pipe.
By this means I obviate the necessity of replenishing the copper vessel at short
intervals as is the case with some other inventions in which solids are used.

page_text: I, WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE of Rock House Conisboro Yorkshire Chemical
manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for INCREASING THE
ILLUMINATING POWER OF ORDINARY COAL GAS and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of my Invention is to increase the lighting power of ordinary coal gas
by means of ordinary creosote of a specific gravity of about 9° to 10° Twaddell and
of such quality as wil remain fluid at all ordinary temperatures. I pass the coal
gas through a vessel of copper or other metal partly filled with creosote and the
whole is warmed by a gas burner lower than the vessel but not directly below it
the heat from the said burner being conducted all over the bottom of the above
vessel by means of a metal plate covering the bottom but not attached to it
permanently and which plate revolving on a srew can be brought more or less
into contact with the bottom of the vessel according as it is turned to the right or
to the left The end of the moveable plate not below the lottom of the vessel is
warmed by the burning gas. When the bottom of the vessel has becoine sufficiently
hot the film of creosote upon it gives off vapour which is taken up and carried
over by the gas to the burner below where it is consumed producing a light many
times more brilliant than that of ordinary coal gas.
I keep the bottom of my vessel covered with a film of creosote by means of a
reservoir placed above the vessel & connected with it by a pipe leading to about
of an inch from the bottom. Since the reservoir is closed at the top it is evident
that the fluid contained in it can only rise in the copper vessl as high as the end of
the pipe & no more can flow out of it until the level of the film is lowered by
evapouration The pipe connecting the reservoir with the vessel is supplied with a
tap in order that the plug at the top may be removed to replenish it before it is
quite empty The above apparatus may be fixed to an ordinary gas bracket by
means of an elbow & union joint or can be adapted to a gas chandelier with one or
more arms as shown in the accompanying drawing in which case a vessel or
carburetter is required for each arın as shown.
The reservoir must be divided perpendicularly into as many compartments as
there may be carburetters on the chandelier or bracket & by making it of sufficient
capacity the apparatus will work for many weeks without refilling or more attention
than is required by ordinary gas fittings
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.

page_text: If two or more burners are attached to one carburetter Fig 3 is increased in size
as shown by dotted lines so that it covers each burner. The burners should
diminish in size as they are multiplied.
Fig 4 is tho chandelier or pendant with taps as usual for the gas at H.
The course of the gas is indicated by arrows.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make
no claim to carburetting ordinary coal gas by means of commercial creosote vapour
nor to the evapourating of creosote or other hydrocarbon by heat from the burner,
but I claim only with respect to my apparatus for the above object
1 The construction as described in Figs 1 to 4 by which means a film of
creosote or other hydrocarbon is constantly evapourated, the vapour passing to the
burner along with the gas & by the above means only a very small quantity of
hydrocarbon is kept hot, obviating the dangerous necessity of heating a larger
bulk.
2nd The regulation of the evapouration of the film of creosote or other hydrocarbon
by means of a detached plate working on a screw & heated at one end only by the
gas flame, which plate also covers the whole of the bottom of the carburetter or
part of it.
3rd In conjunction only, with the above carburetting apparatus a reservoir placed
wholly above it closed at the top when in action, in direct connection with the
carburetter, that is, without any intermediate vessel to maintain a constant level
in the same.