IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Lewis Copp, of Watchet, in the
County of Somerset, Ironmonger, and Charles White, of the
same Place, Gas Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 20th July 1875, and dated the 27th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Lewis Copp
and Charles White at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 27th May 1875.
We, WALTER LEWIS COPP, of Watchet, in the County of Somerset,
Ironmonger, and CHARLES WHITE, of the same Place, Gas Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
-
Our Invention consists in using a branch or supplementary pipe,
thoroughfare, or connection which leads from the dip pipe, and through
which the gas is passed into the top or upper part of the hydraulic
main. We thus obviate the pressure on the retort caused by employing
the ordinary dip arrangement.

page_text: The back flow of the gas is prevented by the employment of a stop-
cock or equivalent contrivance, with which the above-mentioned branch
pipe or supplementary pipe is provided, and it is connected with a
counterbalance bell-crank or equivalent contrivance provided with a
chain or other appliance. By these means the byc pass or supplementary
or branch pipe is opened, closed, and regulated. When the branch pipo
is open the chain is secured to the cross bar of the mouth-picce, and
when released the counterbalance crank closes the gas way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Lewis Copp and Charles White in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WALTER
LEWIS COPP, of Watchet, in the County of Somerset, Ironmonger,
and CHARLES WHITE, of the same Place, Gas Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Walter Lewis Copp and
Charles White, Her special license that we, the said Walter Lewis
Copp and Charles White, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Walter Lewis Copp and Charles White,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Walter Lewis Copp and
Charles White, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Walter Lewis Copp and
Charles White, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in using a branch and supplementary pipe
thoroughfare or connection which leads from the H pipe, and through
which the gas is passed into the top or upper part of the hydraulic
main. We thus obviate the pressure on the retort caused by employing
the ordinary dip arrangement.
The back flow of the gas is prevented by the employment of a valve,
stop-cock, or equivalent contrivance, with which the above-named
branch pipe is provided. When a valve is used it is closed by a plug
and weighted rod; and when a stop-cock is employed it is closed by a
counterbalance bell crank or equivalent contrivance. The valve or stop-
cock is provided with a chain or other appliance for opening and closing
it. By these means the branch pipe is opened when the chain is
secured to the cross bar of the mouth-piece, and when the chain is
released the weighted rod closes the valve, or the counterbalance closes
the stop-cock, thus effectually closing the gas way.
We now proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to
describe in what manner the Invention may be carried into practical
effect.
Figure 1 is a side view of an ascension pipe with its down leg, to
which is fitted the branch and supplementary pipe; and Figure 2 is a
front elevation of the branch pipe.
Figure 3 is an elevation showing the bent pipe n or elbow leading
from the supplementary pipe which connects it with the top of the
hydraulic main.
A is the ascension pipe which passes upwards from the retort mouth
and communicates by means of H pipes with other pipes or down
legs B. These down legs B pass into the tar contained in the hydraulic
main C. D is the branch pipe from the down leg of the H pipe to

page_text: convey the gas as made into the top of the hydraulic main C, thus
obviating the pressure in the retort caused by the ordinary dip arrange-
ment. This branch pipe D has a valve E fitted in it and under the
control of a chain a passing over pulleys 6 secured to the bonnets at the
top of H pipes, and passing down to the mouth-piece of the retort where
it is hooked to the cross bar, and from which such chain must be
unhooked before the retort can be drawn. This valve E closes the
passage through the branch pipe and supplementary main, thus pre-
venting the back flow of the gas. The pulling down of the chain a and
hooking its end to the cross bar of the mouth-piece, opens the valve E
and gives a free passage to the gas from the retort to the upper part of
the hydraulic main C through the branch and supplementary main and
bent pipe n.
d is a plug fitted with a rod or spindle e and passing
through a stuffing box J. To the top of this rod e is attached or fitted
a weight which causes the plug to drop into its seat when the chain a
is unhooked, and thereby closing the gas way.
The hooked end of the chain a can be temporarily kept out of the
way of the workman by hanging the hook on to an eye or peg on
the retort bench.
The gas after passing the valve D, when opened, flows through the
supplementary pipe G, which communicates by means of the pipe n
with the upper part of the hydraulic main C. This supplementary
pipe G may have as many connecting pipes n with the hydraulic main
as may be desired for the delivery of the gas.
A removeable flange or plug c is fitted at both ends of the pipe G to
enable it to be cleaned out, and is provided with studs or bolts so that
it may be unscrewed with a spanner.
•
Figure 4 is an elevation of the branch pipe D shewing a direct com-
munication with the hydraulic main C. In this arrangement we
dispense with the supplementary 'pipe, and by tapping the down leg B
of the H pipe at the side instead of at the back a direct communication
is formed with the hydraulic main from each H pipe. The same
arrangements for opening and closing this branch pipe are adopted as in
the preceding Figure.
+
A stop-cock may be used instead of the valve, but when such stop- a
cock is employed a counterbalance bell crank or equivalent contrivance
is used to close the gas way.

page_text: Of course these arrangements may be varied to suit different works
without departing from the nature of my Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First. The improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of gas, as
herein-before described and substantially as shewn.
.
Second. Fitting branch pipes on or to the down leg of H pipes
attached to hydraulic mains of gas works, such branch pipes having
valves or stop-cocks for opening and closing the passage of the gas
from the retort to the hydraulic-main, as described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The employment of an additional pipe at the side or in
proximity to the down leg of H pipe, and providing such additional pipe
with a valve acting as and for the purpose set forth, substantially as
shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Lewis Copp, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five
WALTER LEWIS COPP. (L.s.)
Witness,
ALBERT E. ORGAN.