Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.
I, AUGUST HERRMANN POPPEL, of 44, Seilerstrasse, Hamburg, Germany,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: -
This invention relates to an apparatus for generating gas by cold process by
which only just so much gas is generated as is required for a determined con-
sumption for illuminating, cooking or heating purposes. The generation of the
gas is effected by means of a peculiarly constructed carburetter which is partly
filled with a suitable hydrocarbon such as gasoline, or the like.
The apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the same and Fig. 2 a horizontal section through
the carburetter.
This carburetter is divided into compartments or subdivisions by vertical
partitions which are arranged at equal distances apart and which are made of thin
sheet metal plates or the like, and are smooth throughout their entire surface.
There is no covering of the walls with any material for taking up the hydro-
carbon as is the case in former arrangements. The partitions fill the entire clear
inside height of the carburetter and are fixed alternately to one and the other side
wall of the vessel, so that the air which is forced in by means of a pump or by other
means through the pipe c, passes through the carburetter in a zig-zag course and
on its way comes in contact with the entire surface of the gasoline or other liquid
hydrocarbon. By this rubbing action of the air, gas is generated which then passes
through a connecting pipe d (provided with small regulating cocks e and f) to a
gasholder g. The latter consists of two chambers and separated from each
other by a partition h. The gas passes first into the lower chamber i and collects
therein until a certain pressure is reached. This pressure corresponds to the action
of a non-return or check-valve. Such valves may be arranged in any desired
number which depends of course upon the size of the gasholder and of the plant in
general. The said valves are arranged in the partition of the gasholder and are
covered over with a net or strainer of gauze or wire. In the drawing only one
such valve is shown.
When the pressure of the gas in the chamber i has risen to an amount equal to
the check action of the valve (or valves), the valve is opened and is immediately
closed again by reason of the fall in pressure in the chamber i, after which when
the pressure has risen sufficiently, it opens again and so on. In consequence of
this continually oscillating movement of the valve, the gas passes from in small
uniform quantities into where it collects in amount in proportion to the con-
sumption. From kit is conveyed directly to the respective places of consumption,
where it burns with a steady white flame. Therefore at each oscillation of the
valve exactly so much gas enters the chamber k as is burned at the places of con-
sumption, so that consequently the pressure in this chamber is considerably smaller
than in the chamber i. The valves / must naturally be constructed in such a manner
that they will act ouly when there is a suitable pressure in the chamber i. This

page_text: arrangement has the results: -(1) loss of gas cannot take place, or at least only to
a very small extent, and (2) striking back of the flame into the chamber i is wholly
prevented, because the gas thus generated is so copiously mixed with air that an
inflow of the outer air to the flames is no longer necessary. The apparatus is
perfectly safe from explosion in every respect. The current of air which is regulated
in any known manner is forced into the carburetter by means of a uniformly operat-
ing air pump or the like, which is preferably actuated by a hot air engine.
this way, there takes place a constantly uniform generation of gas, because the
carburetting vessel is moreover always charged with a uniform quantity of gasoline
or other hydrocarbon.
In
The several parts of the apparatus may be made of various dimensions, and upon
these of course the number of burner jets will depend.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Mânufacture of Gas.
I, AUGUST HERRMANN POPPEL, of 44, Seilerstrasse, Hamburg, Germany,
Machinist, 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:
This invention relates to an apparatus for generating gas by a cold process by
which only just so much gas is generated as is required for a determined con-
sumption for illuminating, cooking, or heating purposes. The generation of the
gas is effected by means of a peculiarly constructed carburetter which is partly
filled with a suitable hydrocarbon, such as gasoline or the like.
The apparatus is illustrated by the drawings filed with my Provisional Specifi-
cation whereof
Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of the same and Fig. 2 a horizontal section
of the carburetter.
This carburetter is divided into compartments by vertical partitions which are
arranged at equal distances apart and which are made of thin sheet metal plates
or the like and are smooth throughout their entire surface. The walls are not
covered with any material for taking up the hydrocarbon as is the case in former
arrangements. The partitions fill the entire clear inside height of the carburetter
and are fixed alternately to one and the other side wall of the vessel, so that as the
partitions are somewhat shorter than the vessel is wide, the air, which is forced
in by means of a pump or by other means through the pipe c, passes through the
carburetter in a zig-zag course and on its way comes into contact with the entire
surface of the gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon. By this rubbing action of the
air, gas is generated which then passes through a connecting pipe d (provided with
small regulating cocks e and f) to a gas holder g. The latter consists of two
chambers i and k separated from each other by a partition h. The gas passes first
into the lower chamber i and collects therein until a certain pressure is reached.
This pressure corresponds to the action of a non-return or check valve acted upon
by a spring. Such valves may be arranged in any desired number, which depends,
of course, upon the size of the gas-holder and of the plant in general. The said
valves are arranged in the partition h of the gas-holder and are covered over with
a net or strainer m of gauze or wire. In the drawing only one such valve is
shown.

page_text: When the pressure of the gas in the chamber i has risen to an amount equal to
the check-action of the valve (or valves), the valve is opened and is immediately
closed again as a result of the fall in pressure in the chamber i; when the pressure
has risen sufficiently it opens again; and so on. In consequence of this continually
oscillating movement of the valve, the gas passes from i in small uniform quantities
into k, where it collects to an amount corresponding to the consumption. From k
it is conveyed directly to the respective places of consumption, where, when glow-
mantles are employed, it produces steady white light. Therefore at each oscillation
of the valve exactly so much gas enters the chamber as is burned at the places
of consumption, so that the pressure in this chamber is considerably smaller than
in the chamber i. The valves must, of course, be constructed in such a manner
that they will act only when there is a suitable pressure in the chamber . This
arrangement has the following results: (1) loss of gas cannot take place, or at least
only to a very small extent; and (2) striking back of the flame into the chamber i
is wholly prevented, because the gas thus generated is so copiously mixed with air
that an inflow of the outer air to the flames is no longer necessary. The apparatus
is perfectly safe from explosion in every respect.
The current of air, which may be regulated in any suitable manner is forced
into the carburetter by means of a uniformly operating air-pump or the like, which
is preferably actuated by a hot-air engine.
In this way, there takes place a constantly uniform generation of gas, because
the carburetting vessel is, moreover, always charged with a uniform quantity of
gasoline or other hydrocarbon.
The several parts of the apparatus may be made of various dimensions, and upon
these, of course, the number of burner-jets will depend.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for generating gas by a cold process, in which the illuminating
gas produced by forcing air into a carburetter (a) partly filled with gasoline, is
caused, before it reaches the place of consumption, to pass through a bipartite
gas-holder g, for the purpose of regulating the generation of gas in accordance
with the consumption.
2. In an apparatus for generating gas of the kind referred to in the preceding
claim, a gas-holder g divided by a partition h into two chambers, into the lower
of which, viz. i, the gas collects until a certain pressure is reached, and then passes
a check-valve (which is covered over by a net or strainer m) into the upper
chamber k, which takes up only just so much gas as is required at the respective
place or places of consumption.
3. In an apparatus for generating gas of the kind referred to in Claim 1, a
carburetter provided with transverse partitions a that fit close up against the right
and left side walls of the vessel alternately, and terminate at their other ends at
short distances from the corresponding walls of the vessel, so that air forced in is
caused to flow in a zig zag course through the carburetter over the surface of the
gasoline and thereby to generate gas.
4. My improved apparatus for the manufacture of gas constructed, arranged,
and operating as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in the drawings
referred to.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.