Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Combustible Gas for Gas-motor Engines or other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Combustible Gas for
Gas-motor Engines or other purposes.
I SAMUEL GRIFFIN of Kingston Iron Works Bath in the County of Somerset
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to improvements in apparatus employed in the
manufacture of combustible or heating and illuminating gas by the admixture of
any suitable liquid hydrocarbon in a finely divided or gaseous state with ordinary
atmospheric air such gas being suitable either for lighting heating or motor power
purposes and especially advantageous for use with gas motor engines.
For this purpose I employ a vessel of any suitable form or dimensions (advan-
tageously an upright cylinder) closed at both ends and having in its interior at the
bottom end a vessel somewhat smaller in diameter and about one half its length.
This latter vessel contains the supply of liquid hydrocarbon and is fitted concentric
with the outer vessel so that an annular space is formed between them.
This annular space contains water or other suitable fluid which forms a joint or
luting so as to prevent the escape of gas from a bell or receiver which slides up or
down freely in it.
This bell or receiver contains and regulates the supply of hydrocarbon gas as it
is generated and is so arranged that when raised as far as the top of the outer
cylinder (or other shaped vessel) its bottom edge will still be beneath the surface
of the fluid contained in the before mentioned annular space. At the base of the
cylinders (or other shaped vessels) is fitted a small reservoir or carburettor which
is kept constantly charged with liquid hydrocarbon from the before mentioned
vessel above it by means of a suitable passage the supply being regulated by a small
valve and float so adjusted that when the hydrocarbon reaches the required height
in the before mentioned small reservoir or carburettor the float being in equilibrium
with it will rise and close the before mentioned small valve and thus prevent any
further flow of hydrocarbon.
Passing through the bottom of this small reservoir or carburettor is an air pipe
through which air is forced by means of any suitable apparatus. The upper end of
this pipe terminates above the level of the hydrocarbon and is closed by a valve
opening outwards.
This pipe is enclosed by another pipe of somewhat larger
diameter having attached to it near its bottom end a number of smaller radiating
pipes perforated with small air holes these being advantageously inclined alternately
in opposite directions towards the bottom of the reservoir. The object of this
combination of pipes and valve is to distribute the air to be carburetted in a finely
divided state beneath the liquid hydrocarbon so as to ensure perfect saturation and
combination at the same time preventing the return of the liquid through the air
pipe when no air is passing. From the top of the small reservoir or carburettor
above the level of the hydrocarbon a pipe passes through the hydrocarbon vessel
above it into the space covered by the before mentioned bell or receiver through
which the gas passes into the bell or receiver as it is generated a pipe leading from
the interior of the bell or receiver serves to convey the gas from it as required
for.use.
At the top of the outside cylinder (or other shaped vessel) is placed a small air
relief valve the spindle of which passes downwards into the interior of the cylinder
above the top of the before mentioned bell or receiver. This valve is in connection
with the before mentioned air pipe its object being to release the air pressure and
prevent its passage into the before mentioned small reservoir or carburettor when
the bell or receiver is full of gas any further generation of gas is thus prevented.

page_text: This operation is accomplished by the action of the bell or receiver itself which on
reaching a given height comes into contact with the spindle of the before mentioned
air relief valve and opens it.
In order to compensate for the loss of heat in the liquid hydrocarbon contained
in the before mentioned small reservoir or carburettor due to its evaporation by
admixture with the air a coil or equivalent apparatus is provided in which the air
is heated before it passes into the small reservoir or carburettor such heat being
advantageously obtained from the exhaust gases in cases when a gas motor is used
in connection with the apparatus.
Any other suitable means of heating the air may be employed as desired.
This apparatus is specially adapted for the production of gas for gas motors more
especially under conditions in which ordinary gas would be unavailable or incon-
venient, such for instance as the propulsion of locomotives or boats tramcars,
traction and portable engines, fire engines etcetera.
20
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Combustible Gas for
Gas-motor Engines or other purposes.
1, SAMUEL GRIFFIN, of Kingston Iron Works, Bath, in the County of Somerset,
Engineer, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My present invention relates to improvements in apparatus employed in the
manufacture of combustible or heating and illuminating gas by the admixture of
any suitable liquid hydrocarbon in a finely divided or gaseous state with ordinary
atmospheric air such gas being suitable either for lighting heating or motor power
purposes and especially advantageous for use with gas motor engines.
For this purpose I employ a vessel of any suitable form or dimensions (advan-
tageously an upright cylinder) closed at both ends and having in its interior at the
bottom end a vessel somewhat smaller in diameter and about one half its length.
This latter vessel contains the supply of liquid hydrocarbon and is fitted concentric
with the outer vessel so that an annular space is formed between them.
This annular space contains water or other suitable fluid which forms a joint or
luting so as to prevent the escape of gas from a bell or receiver which slides up or
down freely in it.
This bell or receiver contains and regulates the supply of hydrocarbon gas as it
is generated and is so arranged that when raised as far as the top of the outer
cylinder (or other shaped vessel) its bottom edge will still be beneath the surface of
the fluid contained in the before mentioned annular space. At the base of the
cylinders (or other shaped vessels) is fitted a small reservoir or carburetter which
is kept constantly charged with liquid hydrocarbon from the before mentioned
vessel above it by means of a suitable passage the supply being regulated by a small
valve and float so adjusted that when the hydrocarbon reaches the required height
in the before mentioned small reservoir or carburetter the float being in equilibrium
with it will rise and close the before mentioned small valve and thus prevent any
further flow of hydrocarbon.
Passing through the bottom of this small reservoir or carburetter is an air pipe
through which air is forced by means of any suitable apparatus. The upper end of
this pipe terminates above the level of the hydrocarbon and is closed by a valve
opening outwards.
This pipe is enclosed by another pipe of somewhat larger
diameter having attached to it near its bottom end a number of smaller radiating

page_text: U is the charging passage to reservoir B.
V are equilibrium holes.
Figure
is a vertical sectional view of the whole apparatus and Figure 2 is a
local plan view of the carburetter chamber and air pipes therein.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Having charged the reservoir B with any suitable liquid hydrocarbon through
the passage U the cock J' being open, the liquid will flow through the passage J
into the float chamber G and thence by the passage F into the carburetter E filling
it to about the level indicated by the dotted lines; at this point (the level of the
liquid in the float chamber being equal with that in the carburetter) the float H
will rise closing the regulating valve I and thus preventing any further flow of the
liquid. The apparatus is now ready to commence the operation of making the gas
which is accomplished as follows:-
Air from any suitable supply is conveyed by the pipe K past the valve L thence
through the annulus N into the radiating pipes O escaping by the fine perforations
in said pipes at the bottom of the liquid hydrocarbon into the carburetter. This
air in passing through the liquid hydrocarbon in finely divided jets is intimately
mixed with and absorbs a portion of hydrocarbon vapour sufficient to render it
combustible. This hydro-carburetted air or combustible gas now passes through
the pipe P into the bell or receiver C which sliding in the water space or annulus D
rises until it lifts the relief valve R.
Upon the air relief valve R being thus opened the whole of the air entering
through the first portion of the pipes K will now pass directly through the relief
pipe S past the valve R into the air space above the bell or receiver C and thence
through the equilibrium holes V into the atmosphere. The valve L is now closed
and any further passage of air into the carburetter stopped. Immediately on the
withdrawal of gas or hydro-carburetted air from the bell or receiver C through the
gas delivery pipe Q the bell or receiver will sink allowing the air relief valve R to
close when the air passing through the pipe Kwill immediately pass into the
carburetter as before described, again raising the bell or receiver until the relief
valve R is opened; this cycle of operations is thus continually repeated and gas
or hydro-carburetted air thus generated in exact proportion to the amount drawn
off from the bell or receiver C. A practically uniform level of liquid hydrocarbon
in the carburetter is maintained by the action of the float H and valve I by means
of which liquid hydrocarbon flows from the reservoir into the carburetter E in exact
proportion to the amount evaporated or consumed.
The loss of temperature in the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the carburetter E
due to evaporization is compensated by heating a portion of the air pipe K
which is surrounded by a casing or heater T the interior of which is heated by hot
exhaust gases hot air, steam, or other suitable means. The little pipe Qmaintains
equilibrium between the interior of the reservoir B and the interior of the bell or
receiver C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I would remark that I do
not confine myself to the precise details and arrangements herein described as these
may be considerably varied without departing from the nature of my invention but
what I claim is,
2.
1. In apparatus for producing combustible gas I claim the combination of an
outer casing A. containing an inner reservoir B with a bell or receiver C sliding in
the annular space D substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
2. I claim the combination of the carburetter E situated at the base of the
reservoir B with the air pipe K, the valve L, the outer pipe M, and perforated
radiating pipes O substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
3. I claim regulating the supply of liquid hydrocarbon to the carburetter by
means of the passages J and F in combination with the float chamber G, the

page_text: float H, and the valve I substantially as and for the purposes herein before set
forth.
4. I claim the combination of the float H with the valve I substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
5. I claim the combination of the air relief valve R with the air relief pipe S
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
6. I claim the improved method of actuating the air relief valve R by means
of the bell or receiver C substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth.
7. I claim the combination of an outer casing such as A and an inner reservoir
for containing liquid hydrocarbon such as B with a bell or receiver such as C,
a carburetter E arranged in the base of A and B, a passage F leading to said
carburetter from the float chamber G, a float H actuating the valve I to control
the supply of liquid hydrocarbon from reservoir B to the carburetter E, perforated
air distributing pipes O in the lower part of carburetter E, the air supply pipe K
terminating with the back pressure valve I and the air relief valve R actuated by
the bell C, all arranged and acting substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this o1nt Jo. of Lanu 1901
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.