IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUMI- NATING GAS FOR DOMESTIC AND OTHER USE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUMI-
NATING GAS FOR DOMESTIC AND OTHER USE." A communication from
abroad by Alexandre Berland, of St. Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1881.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUMINATING GAS FOR DOMESTIC AND OTHER
USE." [A communication from abroad by Alexandre Berland, of St. Petersburg,
in the Empire of Russia.]
This Invention consists in an apparatus for producing illuminating gas for
domestic use and also for the public service.
The annexed Drawings render clear its nature and application.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus for domestic use.
A, A, reservoir of lead, glass, or porcelain of any convenient form containing a
mixture of one part of commercial sulphuric acid with five parts of water. The
vessel is filled with this liquid up to the line a'. A bell B dips into this liquid
and it contains a receiver of the same form C. The receiver has a strainer bottom
and is retained in its place by a bayonet joint, a partial turn being given to it
after insertion into the bottom of the bell; this receiver is charged with pure zinc
or iron in small pieces. The bell B and the receiver C are of pure lead, which the
acid does not attack.
The neck of the bell B is soldered with lead solder to the bottom of a box E;
this also is of lead and the bottom is pierced with an opening at F. The hole is
fitted with a soldered tube G, which passes through the cover of the box at H.
It is immediately bent round in a sharp curve and re-enters the box, where its end
is furnished with a round wick G¹ descending to the bottom of the box. The
passages of the tube through the cover of the box are soldered tight and the tube
has at the elbow a stop cock H, seen in the Drawing.
The cover of the box is of copper. A suitable flange rests upon the upper edge
of the neck of the reservoir A and supports the box E with the bell B and the
receiver C.
The cover has at the centre an open neck J, by which the box E is charged with
petroleum spirit evaporating at 30 cent. This opening I is surmounted by a
piece K, which screws at M upon the neck, but interposed there is a metallic safety
...nl

page_text: gauze L intended to isolate the petroleum spirit upon the flame. The piece K is
furnished with a burner P screwed in at N; this burner may be of any ordinary
construction to produce the sort of flame required. A triangle R adapted to the
base of the burner receives the glass globe, bowl, or shade.
It is unnecessary to say that the form and arrangement of the exterior is a
matter of taste.
When the lamp is required for use the box E is filled with petroleum spirit, it
being opened at I, and when filled is immediately closed again with the gauze and
burner support K. Then the stop cock H is turned, so as to allow the air to escape
from the upper part of the bell B and the dilute acid to ascend into the lower part
of the receiver C to attack the zinc or the pieces of iron which are there placed.
The hydrogen gas produced by the action of the dilute acid upon the metal
immediately escapes by the opening F, whence passing by the pipe G it traverses
the stop cock H to enter at G¹ into the box E. Here, in consequence of the wick,
it is brought into intimate contact with the petroleum spirit and is carburised,
then escaping at I it passes through the metallic gauze L and reaches the burner.
To put out or reduce the flame it is necessary only to turn the stop cock H more
or less, so as to reduce or to stop the passage of hydrogen gas into the box. The
production of gas continuing it accumulates when the stop cock is closed in the
upper part of the bell and very soon expels the acidulated liquid from the
receiver C, and this puts a stop to the production of hydrogen gas. Afterwards it
is only necessary to reopen the cock H to set up the circulation and the production
of gas, and on presenting a match to the burner it takes fire.
Figure
2 shows a form of the apparatus suitable for public use.
A is a reservoir of lead, glass, or other material which is not attacked by acid,
and which is charged with dilute sulphuric acid, as has been already explained by
the opening at the top a.
In the interior of the reservoir A there is placed upon a tripod or otherwise a
leaden receiver C with a strainer bottom containing zinc or iron in minute pieces.
This receiver is entirely enclosed (as the Drawing shows) above and at the sides by
the bell B, which is suspended from the box E, this having an opening F in the
bottom to which a tube G is soldered. The tube G passes through the interior of
the box E and out laterally to terminate in the separator S; this separator is
provided at the bottom with an emptying plug and at the top with a cock H
connected with a tube G¹, which re-enters the box E, terminating in a round wick
dipping to the bottom of the box. On the other side at the top of the box
there is an opening I and a tube i connected by a ferrule and passing into a second
separator T, which is connected at the top with the service pipe.
The operation is exactly the same as with the preceding Figure.
The box E is charged with petroleum spirit, which is poured in by the opening
at I. The dilute acid, which when at rest stands at a higher level than the strainer
like bottom of the receiver C, rises into the receiver when the cock H is opened
and attacks the zinc or the iron therein. The hydrogen gas produced escapes by F,
then passing by the pipe G it deposits in the separator S any water it may carry
with it. It passes by the cock H and enters the box E by the pipe G¹, thence
following the immersed wick it escapes carburised by the opening I and the tube i
into the second separator T. It passes from the second separator into the service
pipes or into an intermediate gasometer if it be considered preferable.
The extinction and the regulation of the lights is effected entirely by means of
the cock H, as in the former case.
A tap O placed at the bottom of the reservoir A allows of the acid solution being
drawn off when it is spent and requires to be renewed.
It is unnecessary to say that in this apparatus, as in the former, pure lead and
lead solder are employed everywhere, so far as the acid has access, and that all the
joints or connections are made good with solder wherever it is necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sydney Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January
1882.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUMINATING GAS FOR DOMESTIC AND
USE.
OTHER
A communication from abroad by Alexandre Berland, of St. Petersburg,
in the Empire of Russia.
This Invention consists in an apparatus for producing illuminating gas for
domestic use, and also for the public service.
The annexed Drawings render clear its nature and application.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus for domestic use.
A, a reservoir of lead, glass, or porcelain of any convenient form containing a
mixture of one part of commercial sulphuric acid with five parts of water. The
vessel is filled with this liquid up to the line a¹, A bell B dips into this liquid,
and it contains a receiver of the same form C. The receiver has a strainer bottom,
and is retained in its place by a bayonet joint, a partial turn being given to it after
insertion into the bottom of the bell. This receiver is charged with pure zinc or
iron in small pieces. The bell B and the receiver C are of pure lead, which the acid
does not attack.
The neck of the bell B is soldered with lead solder to the bottom of a box E;
this also is of lead, and the bottom is pierced with an opening at F. The hole is
fitted with a soldered tube G, which passes through the cover of the box at H; it
is immediately bent round in a sharp curve and reenters the box, where its end is
furnished with a round wick G¹ descending to the bottom of the box. The passages
of the tube through the cover of the box are soldered tight, and the tube has at the
elbow a stop cock H, seen in the Drawing.
The cover of the box is of copper. A suitable flange rests upon the upper edge
of the neck of the reservoir A, and supports the box E with the bell B and the
receiver C.
The cover has at the centre an open neck I, by which the box E is charged with
petroleum spirit evaporating at 30° centigrade; this opening I is surmounted by a
piece K, which screws at M upon the neck, but interposed there is a metallic safety
gauze L intended to isolate the petroleum spirit from the flame. The piece K is
furnished with a burner P, screwed in at N; this burner may be of any ordinary
construction to produce the sort of flame required. A triangle R adapted to the
base of the burner E receives the glass globe, bowl, or shade.
It is unnecessary to say that the form and arrangement of the exterior is a
matter of taste.
When the lamp is required for use the box E is filled with petroleum spirit, it
being opened at I, and when filled is immediately closed again with the gauze and
burner support K; then the stop cock H is turned so as to allow the air to escape
from the upper part of the bell B, and the dilute acid to ascend into the lower part
of the receiver C to attack the zinc or the pieces of iron which are there placed.
The hydrogen gas produced by the action of the dilute acid upon the metal imme-
diately escapes by the opening F, whence passing by the pipe G it traverses the
stop cock H to enter at G³ into the box E. Here in consequence of the wick it is
brought into intimate contact with the petroleum spirit, and is carburised; then
escaping at I it passes through the metallic gauze L, and reaches the burner. To
put out or reduce the flame it is necessary only to turn the stop cock H more or
less, so as to reduce or to stop the passage of hydrogen gas into the box. The
production of gas continuing, it accumulates when the stop cock is closed in the

page_text: upper part of the bell, and very soon expels the acidulated liquid from the receiver C,
and this puts a stop to the production of hydrogen gas. Afterwards it is only
necessary to reopen the cock H to set up the circulation and the production of gas,
and on presenting a match to the burner it takes fire.
Figure 2 shows a form of the apparatus suitable for public use. A is a reservoir
of lead, glass, or other material which is not attacked by acid, and which is charged
with dilute sulphuric acid, as has been already explained, by the opening at the
top a.
In the interior of the reservoir A there is placed upon a tripod or otherwise a
leaden receiver C, with a strainer bottom containing zinc or iron in minute pieces.
This receiver is entirely enclosed (as the Drawing shows) above and at the sides
by the bell B, which is suspended from the box E, this having an opening F in
the bottom to which a tube G is soldered. The tube G passes through the interior
of the box E and out laterally to terminate in the separater S; this separater is
provided at the bottom with an emptying plug and at the top with a cock H
connected with a tube G¹, which reenters the box E, terminating in a round wick
dipping to the bottom of the box. On the other side at the top of the box there
is an opening I and a tube i connected by a ferrule, and passing into a second
separater T which is connected at the top with the service pipe.
The operation is exactly the same as with the preceding Figure. The box E is.
charged with petroleum spirit, which is poured in by the opening at I. The dilute
acid, which when at rest stands at a higher level than the strainer like bottom of
the receiver C, rises into the receiver when the cock H is opened and attacks the
zinc or the iron therein. The hydrogen gas produced escapes by F, then passing
by the pipe G it deposits in the separater S any water it may carry with it; it
passes by the cock H and enters the box E by the pipe G₁; thence following the
immersed wick it escapes carburised by the opening I and the tube i into the
second separator T, it passes from the second separater into the service pipes or into
an intermediate gasometer if it be considered preferable.
The extinction and the regulation of the lights is effected entirely by means of
the cock H, as in the former case.
A tap O, placed at the bottom of the reservoir A, allows of the acid solution
being drawn off when it is spent and requires to be renewed.
It is unnecessary to say that in this apparatus as in the former pure lead and
lead solder are employed every where so far as the acid has access, and that all
the joints or connections are made good with solder wherever it is necessary.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details herein before described and represented in the Drawings, but that
I claim as the improvements in apparatus for producing illuminating gas for
domestic and other use,-
First. The introduction of the gas into the carburator through a wick.
Second. The application of a stop cock on the pipe leading from the gas producer
to the carburator.
Third. The general arrangement of the apparatus, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.