IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Holman, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of*
London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Holman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1881.
STEPHEN HOLMAN, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
My Invention has for its object reducing the liability to corrosion of gas pipes
and passages immediately in connection with gas retorts, and the consequent
obstruction to the passage of the gas, and the Invention is of special advantage in
those cases, where mechanical arrangements, are applied for controlling the passage
of the gas and to effect the relief of pressure in gas retorts during the process of
carbonisation.
In carrying out my Invention, in order to effect these objects, I interpose
between the retort and the hydraulic main in a suitable position or positions.
contiguous to the passage of the gas a receptacle or reservoir, divided into two or
more parts by a vertical partition or partitions in such a manner that a portion of
the ammoniacal liquor produced during the process of carbonisation shall be collected
in one part of such receptacle or reservoir, whilst a portion of the tar simulta-
neously produced shall be collected in another part or parts of the said receptacle
or reservoir.
The ammoniacal liquor collected in the receptacle or reservoir is intended for. the
purpose of vaporisation at such stages of the process of carbonisation when the
charge is nearly worked off and the beat has become excessive, such vaporisation
having the effect of softening the carbonaceous deposits in the pipes or passages,
and thus preventing their obstruction, and also maintaining a free action of the
valvular mechanism. With a view to retain a sufficient quantity of ammoniacal
liquor in the receptacle or reservoir the overflow for the tar is arranged at a lower
level than that of the ammoniacal liquor, by which means, owing to the difference
in specific gravity, a considerable quantity of the ammoniacal liquor will be reserved
for the purpose of vaporisation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Stephen Holman in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the 27th
July 1881.
STEPHEN HOLMAN, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
My said Invention has for its object reducing the liability to corrosion of gas
pipes and passages immediately in communication with gas retorts, and the
consequent obstruction to the passage of the gas, and the Invention is of special
advantage in those cases where mechanical arrangements are applied for controlling
the passage of the gas and to effect the relief of pressure in gas retorts during the
process of carbonization.
;
In carrying out my Invention, in order to effect these objects, I interpose between
the retort and the hydraulic main in a suitable position or positions contiguous to
the passage of the gas a receptacle or reservoir divided into two or more parts by a
vertical partition or partitions in such a manner that a portion of the ammoniacal
liquor produced during the process of carbonization shall be collected in one part of
such receptacle or reservoir, whilst a portion of the tar simultaneously produced
shall be collected in another part or parts of the said receptacle or reservoir.
The ammoniacal liquor collected in the receptacle or reservoir is intended for the
purpose of vaporisation at such stages of the process of carbonization when the
charge in the retort is mainly worked off and the heat therein has become excessive,
such vaporisation having the effect of softening the carbonaceous deposits in the
pipes, passages, or on the valve surfaces, and thus preventing their obstruction, and
also maintaining a free passage and action of the valvular mechanism. With a
view to retain a sufficient quantity of ammoniacal liquor in the receptacle or
reservoir the overflow for the tar is arranged at a lower level than that. for the
ammoniacal liquor, by which means, owing to the difference in specific gravity, a
considerable quantity of the ammoniacal liquor will be reserved for the purpose of
vaporization.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood. I.shall, now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 represents a part vertical section of a gas retort, retort mouth piece, and
ascension pipe with my improved vaporiser applied thereto.
Figure 2 shows a modification of the arrangement shown in the preceding
Figure, having also a portable or detached vaporiser placed in the retort mouth
piece.
Figures 3 and 4 represent respectively a part vertical and transverse section of
my improved vaporiser formed in the mouth piece of the retort.
Figure 5 represents another modified form of my vaporiser as applied to
the lower portion.of the ascension pipe of a gas retort contiguous to the mouth
piece.
And Figure 6 shows my. vaporiser as applied to the top of the ascension pipe
in conjunction with my Patent valvular seal pipe, as described in. former. Letters
Patent granted to me on the 2nd July. 1879, No. 2685.
2.
A represents a portion of a gas retort of any ordinary construction provided with
a common mouth piece B and ascension pipe C leading to my improved vaporiser D.
D₁ is a receptacle or reservoir formed therein, and divided into two or more parts
by a vertical partition d, and situated at the top of the ascension pipe C provided
===

page_text: with a free passage or communication therefrom. The vaporiser D, according to
the arrangement shown in Figure 1 of the Drawings, is formed with two passages
E and F, the former communicating with the ascension pipe C; and the latter with
the before mentioned Patent valvular seal pipe G' mounted on and dipping into the
hydraulic main H, of any ordinary construction.
The passage E, forming part of the reservoir or receptacle D' through which the
gas ascends, is carried to a higher elevation than that of the passage F. The
partition d is also carried to the same height as that of the pipe or passage E, as
shown in the Drawings. A suitable space or aperture d' is provided at the bottom
of the partition & so as to permit the escape of the heavier fluids from the bottom
of the reservoir to prevent the collection of solid matter therein. By this con-
struction and arrangement a portion of ammoniacal liquor and tar produced
during the process of carbonization is collected in one part I of such receptacle
or reservoir D¹, whilst a portion of the tar, simultaneously produced and collected
therein, descends to the bottom by reason of its greater specific gravity, and passes
through the aperture d' into the part or compartment K, and from thence is caused
to overflow at L by virtue of the pressure due to greater head of liquor in com-
partment I.
The liquids collected in the compartment I of the reservoir or receptacle D¹ is
obtained by the condensation and precipitation of the ammoniacal liquor and tar
produced from the coal carbonized in the retort A during the early period of the
process of carbonization. And the ammoniacal liquor and tar thus condensed and
collected in compartment I of the reservoir D' is caused to vaporize in the later
period of carbonization by reason of the greater heat of the gases then evolved,
which pass up through the passage E and over the surface of the liquids to the
passage F on the way to the hydraulic main, thereby to a great extent preventing
or softening the carbonaceous deposits that may be formed in the pipes, passages,
or on the valve surfaces, so as to maintain their free and proper action.
In the other modifications shewn in my accompanying Drawings all the letters
marked thereon indicate corresponding parts to those described with reference to
Figure 1 of the Drawings.
According to the modification shown at Figure 2 the vaporiser D is provided
with only an ascending passage E, and a horizontal egress passage M direct into
the valvular seal pipe G₁, thus reducing the heating surface by the omission of the
passage F, shown in Figure 1, and thereby obtaining slower vaporisation of the
liquids collected therein, as before described.
N is a portable vaporiser placed in the mouth-piece B of the retort A, so arranged
and constructed for effectually vaporising the ascension pipe C, as and for the
purposes previously specified.
According to the arrangement shewn at Figures 3 and 4 of the Drawings, I form
the vaporiser D in the mouth-piece B of the gas retort A. The openings of the
reservoir or receptacle D¹ are formed at different levels, as shewn at O and P in
the Drawings, for the purpose of insuring the overflow of the tar and heavier
liquids at the lower level P.
Figure 5 shews another modification of my vaporiser D as forming part of the
ascension pipe C contiguous to the mouth piece B of the retort A.
And Figure 6 shews the vaporiser D arranged at the top of the ascension pipe C
in conjunction with my previously mentioned Patent seal valve G, and according
to which arrangement the ordinary hydraulic main H may if desired be dispensed
with.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the bereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The use, in connection with gas producing apparatus, of vaporising receptacles or
reservoirs for liquids automatically collected, separated, and evaporated during the

page_text: operation and process of carbonization of coal or other analagous substances, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Holman, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
STEPHEN HOLMAN, (L.S.)