IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR ENRICHING COMBUSTIBLE GAS For ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR ILLUMI- NATING LIGHTHOUSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richardson Wigham, of Capel Street, in the
City of Dublin, Ireland, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR ENRICHING COMBUSTIBLE GAS For
ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR ILLUMI-
NATING LIGHTHOUSES.”
Sealed the 12th July 1878, and dated the 30th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richardson Wigham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January 1878.
"
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of Capel Street, in the City of Dublin, Ireland,
Gas Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR ENRICHING
COMBUSTIBLE GAS FOR ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE
FOR ILLUMINATING LIGHTHOUSES."
My Invention has reference to improved apparatus for producing gas of great
illuminating power by impregnating coal gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, atmospheric
air, or other suitable gaseous fluid with hydrocarbon vapour. For this purpose one
or more vertical cylinders or chambers are filled with loosely packed coils of nearly
vertical spiral wire, and into the top of the cylinder or chamber is introduced a
stream of volatile liquid hydrocarbon, such as petroleum or paraffin oils, or of liquid
containing volatile hydrocarbons, which liquid in flowing down in a finely divided
state through the wire coils is brought into intimate contact with currents of coal
gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, air, or other suitable gaseous fluid caused to flow
through the cylinder, or cylinders, or chambers, either by being forced in by any suit-
able known propelling apparatus, such as a pump or fan, or by being withdrawn by
any suitable known suction apparatus, suitable mechanical means being also.
employed to keep up a continuous supply of the liquid. By this means the gaseous
fluid becomes effectually impregnated with the hydrocarbon vapour, thus consti-
tuting an illuminating gas of great brilliancy applicable for illuminating purposes
generally..

page_text: Owing to the simple and compact nature of the apparatus it is particularly
adapted for use in lighthouses and isolated compact buildings, such as private villa
residences.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Richardson Wigham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1878.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of Capel Street, in the City of Dublin, Ireland,
Gas Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR ENRICHING
COMBUSTIBLE GAS FOR ILLUMINATING PURPOSES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE
FOR ILLUMINATING LIGHTHOUSES."
My Invention has reference to improved apparatus for producing gas of high
illuminating power by impregnating coal gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, atmospheric
air, or other suitable gaseous fluid with hydrocarbon vapour. For this purpose one
or more vertical or horizontal cylinders or chambers, stationary or rotating, are filled
or partly filled with loosely packed or stretched coils of nearly vertical, or horizontal
or annular spiral wire, and within the top of the cylinder or chamber are introduced
by the wires and by curved buckets (when rotating cylinders are used), finely divided
streams of volatile liquid hydrocarbon, such as petroleum or paraffin oils, or of
liquid containing volatile hydrocarbons, which liquid in flowing down in a finely
divided state through the wire coils is brough into intimate contact with currents
of coal gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, air, or other suitable gaseons fluid caused to
flow through the cylinder, or cylinders, or chambers, either by being forced in by
any suitable known propelling apparatus, such as a pump or fan, or by being with-
drawn by any suitable known suction apparatus, suitable mechanical means being
also employed to keep up by rotation or otherwise a continuous supply of the liquid
to the wires. By this means the gaseous fluid becomes effectually impregnated
with the hydrocarbon vapour, thus constituting an illuminating gas of great
brilliancy applicable for illuminating purposes generally.
Owing to the simple and compact nature of the apparatus it is particularly
adapted for use in lighthouses and isolated compact buildings, such as private villa
residences.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing shews a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan
of one arrangement of my before-described improved apparatus.
A and B are the carburetters, consisting of closed chambers, within which are
revolving horizontal cylinders containing the coils of spiral wire. The chambers
contain in their lower part volatile hydrocarbon liquid, into which the cylinders
with the wire coils dip, so that the latter in ascending carry up'a certain quantity
of the liquid, which in' running down' again flows over the whole of the wire coils.
If necessary small buckets may be attached to the periphery of the cylinders, for the
purpose of carrying up a further quantity of liquid, which also flows down' in small
streams over the coils, At the same time currents of gas or air are forced through

page_text: the coils by means of a fan or other suitable blowing apparatus C, the air or gas
being made to enter the front ends of the chambers through pipes D, and after
passing in intimate contact with the wire coils so as to take up hydrocarbon vapour
therefrom, it issues into gas holders E at the back end, whence the enriched gas is
led through pipes F to wherever required.
The requisite rotary motion. may be imparted to the fan and rotating cylinders
by means of the descent of a weighted rope or chain G coiled on a barrel H on the
axis of the fan, which axis is provided with a two-grooved pulley I, which drives
the cylinders by means of straps K. passing over small pullies L on the axes of the
cylinders; or clockwork or any other suitable mechanism may be employed for this
purpose.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim the construction of apparatus for producing or enriching
combustible gas wherein volatile liquid hydrocarbon is caused to flow over coils of
wire contained in a fixed or revolving chamber or drum through which air or other
gas is caused to flow so as to take up hydrocarbon vapour from the coils, sub-
stantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Richardson Wigham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.