A NEW AND USEFUL OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING AND AERATING A LIQUID HYDROCARBON TO BE BURNED FOR ILLUMINATION OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oliver Perry Drake, of the State of Massachusetts,
of the United States of America, for the Invention of "A NEW AND
USEFUL OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING AND AERATING A LIQUID
HYDROCARBON TO BE BURNED FOR ILLUMINATION OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Oliver Perry Drake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th July 1862.
I, OLIVER PERRY DRAKE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "A
NEW AND USEFUL OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING AND AERATING A
LIQUID HYDROCARBON TO BE BURNED FOR ILLUMINATION OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:→ ·
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in a peculiar combination and
arrangement of a vaporizer and air-forcing apparatus, and an aerometer, the
whole being constructed and made to operate together in manner as will be
herein-after described.
Second, in a peculiar arrangement of the vaporizer and the air-forcing
apparatus whereby the shaft of the rotary frame of the vaporizer may be
connected to and put in motion by the shaft of the rotary drum of the air-
forcing apparatus.

page_text: Third, in an air-inlet box as mado and applied to the case of the apparatus
and its shaft, and as provided with a pipe to operate in manner as will be
herein-after set forth.
Fourth, in a combination of an auxiliary air pipe with the aerometer, the
vaporizing and aerating apparatus, the same being as and for the purpose to
be hercin-after specified.
Fifth, in combining an annular air vessel with an aerometer when the latter
is combined with a vaporizer and an aerating apparatus, in manner as will bo
herein-after described.
One of the products obtained from the distillation of petroleum oils and
bituminous coals is a colorless liquid having an etherial odour and being the
lightest in specific gravity of all known liquids.
By the automatic operation of my improved apparatus, and without the
application of artificial heat, such product may readily be converted into a
dense gas and combined with a sufficient quantity of atmospheric air in order
to produce, when on fire, a brilliant and luminous flame. For these purposes
a tight cylindrical or other proper shaped vessel, its end being closed by two
convex heads, is used. This vessel is divided into two chambers, of which the
front one is the pump chamber, and contains the revolvable air pump partially
immersed in water with which the said chamber is to be supplied. The other
chamber is to contain the liquid bydrocarbon and a revolvable generator; above
this vessel is another cylindrical or other proper vessel open at top and closed
at the bottom.
The cylindrical water-tight vessels above mentioned are sustained by a
frame. A water-filling conduit closed by screw cap and opening into the air-
pump chamber is located on the side of the first-mentioned vessel, and at a
height to indicate the level at which the water should stand in the pump
chamber. Another such filling conduit is located on the said vessel, and opens
into the gas chamber at the bottom thereof. I prefer to have it extend across
the lower part of the gas chamber to about three or four inches above the
lowest point thereof in order that a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon may
remain in the conducting tube after the chamber may have been supplied.with
it; this will prevent any escape of vapor from the chamber, while the
conduit cap may be removed for the purpose of enabling the chamber to bo
supplied with fluid. The top of said conduit should be located on the first-
mentioned cylinder just above the level at which the liquid is to stand in the
vaporizing chamber situated at the bottom of vessel. Projecting from the
vessel secondly mentioned are faucets or screw stops used for drawing off the
fluids from such vessels whenever it may be desirable to do so. A shaft passes

page_text: axially through the air-pump chamber or case, and such shaft is actuated by
any suitable means, that preferred by me is a falling weight on a chain
or band which is from time to time wound on a barrel, the axis of which by
gearing gives motion to the shaft.
To the central part of the air pump chamber head a tubular inlet or air box
is attached, and projects into the pump chamber as well as outwardly from
the head. There is a water-tight stuffing box bearing affixed to the inner
end of the air box, and a screw cap bearing fixed to the outer end thereof.
The bore of the tubular box has a diameter larger than that of the shaft
in order to allow atmospheric air which may enter an opening made in the
side of the tube to pass through an inlet or tube and enter the case of the air
pump. The upper end of the tube should project above the water line of
the
pump chamber.
As my air pump drum is constructed similar to the drum used in a common
wet gas meter employed for measuring gas, and is well known, I do not deem
it necessary to give a definite description of this part of my apparatus, except I
would mention that I use the drum for a different purpose, and revolve the
same by mechanism instead of by pressure of the gas. The drum is fixed to
the shaft which goes through it axially, and, while being revolved, the drum,
by its action with the water within its case, will force air in regular
quantities into its case, and from thence through a pipe into the aerometer.
From the aerometer the air will pass by another pipe down into the vaporizing
chamber within which the revolving generator or vaporizer is placed.
This vaporizer is made as follows; that is to say, it consists of two round
convex discs or plates fixed at their centres to the extremities. of a hollow
shaft or tube. These discs should be capable of revolving on the said.shaft,
they being kept apart and in place by rods arranged between them.. Both
plates are to be perforated with numerous holes arranged in concentric circles
at equal distances apart. Through these holes strands of cotton wicking or
other suitable fibrous material are drawn, and are laced from one disc to
the other. When revolved with the plates on the hollow shaft the. strands
will be saturated with a hydrocarbon liquid contained in the vaporizing case,
and standing at a level nearly up to the shaft. That part of the hollow shaft
which is between the plates or discs is perforated with holes, they being of
sufficient number and capacity for the passage of the gas or vapor into the
said shaft by which it is delivered to the places were it is to be burned. There
is a small tube leading from the bearing of the shaft to the outside of the
first-mentioned cylinder, such tube.being provided with a screw stop. This
tube is used for forcing grease into the packing of said bearing when required.

page_text: .The regulator or aerometer bell located within the upper cylindrical vessel is a
cylinder closed at top and open at the bottom, and somewhat smaller than the
cistern or upper vessel. This inverted vessel is pressed on by small weights
to regulate the pressure of said bell. The regulating tendency of this air bell.
causes an even flow of the gaseous, or aerated vapour. and a remarkable steady
flame while it may be burning. The bottom of the bell by dipping into the
water in the cistern closes the bell, and thus renders it-air-tight. Provision is
made to adjust the apparatus when different numbers of lights are burning by
an air chamber. Two air-conducting pipes connect the air pump and gas
chamber of the lower or first-mentioned vessel with the aerometer or upper
vessel. These pipes pass through the bottom of the upper vessel, and are fixed
thereto and extend a short distance above the water line. In the lower
vessel provision is made for regulating the passage of air into the apparatus by
a stop-cock or otherwise. A very intense heat may be obtained by the
admixture of gas and air under pressure and in combustion as above described,
the same being useful for chemical, manufacturing, or culinary purposes, or
for heating apartments.
An apparatus constructed according to the above description will be found
to be very effective in vaporizing and aerating a liquid hydrocarbon. When
erected in a dwelling house some small closet centrally located and having a
basement or cellar directly underneath, should be selected for it, in which case
the apparatus, may be set upon the floor or on a platform in such closet; in
either case the floor or platform should be level or nearly so.
The main burner conduit having been connected with the outlet pipe, the
pump.chamber or lower vessel and the upper vessel should next be supplied with
water, after which the vaporizing chamber should be supplied with the hydro-
carbon. The aerometer bell will rise in the water of the upper vessel when the
air pump is put in motion. The air pump and vaporizer will revolve together
provided all the joints and pipes are gas-tight and some one or more of the
burner jets are open, will vaporize the liquid hydrocarbon, and mix the vapor
with air, and force such out of the burner jets, the number of jets open regu-
lating the motion of the revolvable part of the apparatus. When all of them
are closed the machine will stop. The gas-vaporizing chamber can be supplied
with liquid at any time, whether the apparatus be in operation or not.
.
The apparatus as herein described is well adapted for lighting all buildings on
land, but for lighting railway carriages and steam vessels it is necessary to vary
the construction of such apparatus in order, to dispense with the water in the
air-pump chamber and regulator cylinder, such being considered necessary on
account of the varying and unsteady motions of the carriages or steam yessels

page_text: producing such a disturbance of the water as tends to produce an unequal
flows of gas at the burner jets. In such cases the air pump may be con-:
structed somewhat after the plan of the well-known dry gas meter, and be.
adapted so as to perform all the functions accomplished by the air pump with.
water as described.
A slight variation in construction in the form of the regulator cylinder will.
obviate, in most cases, the disturbing effect on the water in said cylinder, but
when it may be necessary to dispense with water in such cylinder I also:
dispense with the regulator bell, and substitute therefor a flexible disc or cover.
attached to the open end of the said regulator cylinder, and made air-tight, and.
having sufficient elasticity and looseness to be capable of vibrating up and
down several inches. To this disc weights may be added in the same manner
and for the same purpose as they are applied to the top of the regulator bell.
I prefer in all cases to use the air pump and water, also the regulator'cylinder
with its water and regulator bell, whenever the unsteady motions of carriages
and steam vessels are not too great to affect the even flowage.of gas..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Oliver Perry Drake in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OLIVER
PERRY DRAKE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, A.D. 1862, in the twenty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Oliver Perry Drake, Her special license that I, the
said Oliver Perry Drake, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Oliver Perry Drake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and;
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention of "A NEW AND USEFUL OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING
AND AERATING A LIQUID HYDROCARBON TO BE BURNED FOR ILLUMINATION OR FOR
OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said Oliver.
Perry Drake, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,:

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what, manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal: Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Oliver Perry Drake, do hereby
declare the nature of my, said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following Specification and the accompanying Drawings (that is
to say):-
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in a peculiar combination and
arrangement of a vaporizer and air-forcing apparatus, and an airometer, the
whole being constructed and made to operate together in manner, as will be
herein-after described.
Second, in a peculiar arrangement of the vaporizer and the air-forcing
apparatus, whereby the shaft of the rotary frame of the vaporizer may be
connected to and put in motion by the shaft of the rotary drum of the air-
forcing apparatus.
Third, in an air-inlet box, as made and applied to the case of the apparatus
and its shaft, and as provided with a pipe to operate in manner as will be
herein-after set forth.
Fourth, in a combination of an auxiliary air pipe with the airometer, the
vaporizing and aerating apparatus, the same being as and for the purpose to
be herein-after specified.
Fifth, in combining an annular air vessel with an airometer when the
lattor is combined with a vaporizer and an aerating apparatus, in manner as
will be herein-after described.
One of the products obtained from the distillation of petroleum oils and
bituminous coals is a colorless liquid having an etherial odor and being the
lightest in specifie gravity of all known liquids.
By the automatic operation of my improved apparatus, and without the
application of artificial heat, such a product may readily be converted into a
dense gas and combined with a sufficient quantity of atmospheric air in order
to produce, when on fire, a brilliant and luminous flame.
Of the said Drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective elevation, and Figure 2 a
vertical and longitudinal section of my said apparatus.
In the Drawings, A represents a tight cylindrical, or other proper shaped
vessel, its ends being closed by two convex heads A', A'. This vessel by the
round disc c, c, of the same general form as the heads A', A', is divided into
two chambers, of which the front one is the pump chamber, and contains the

page_text: revolvable air pump drum P, P, partially immersed in water, with which the said
chamber is to be supplied as high as the dotted line w. The other chamber
is to contain the liquid hydrocarbon and a revolvable generator a, a, w,.w.
B is a vertical cylinder, closed at bottom and open at top; when in use it
should contain water as high as a vent scrow or to the level of the dotted
line w¹. A regulator or airometer f.f, is located in the vessel B, it being.an
inverted bell or cup having its lower edge dipping into the water some two or
three inches when the bell is at the extreme of its elevation within the said
cylinder B.
The cylindrical water-tight vessels A and B are sustained by a frame
F, F, F, F. A. water-filling conduit closed by a screw cap and opening. into
the air pump chamber is located (as shown at F¹ in Figure 1) on the side of
the vessel A, and at a height to indicate the level at which the water should
stand in the pump chamber. Another such filling conduit G is located on the
said vessel, and opens into the gas chamber at the bottom thereof. I prefer
to have it extend across the lower part of the gas chamber to about three or
four inches above the lowest point thereof, in order that a portion of the
liquid bydrocarbon may remain in the conducting tube after the chamber may
have been supplied with it. This will prevent any escape of vapor from the
chamber, while the conduit cap may be removed for the purpose of enabling
the chamber to be supplied with fluid. The top of said conduit G should be
located on the cylinder A, just above the level at which the liquid is to stand
in the vaporizing chamber. I, I, situated at the bottom of vessel A (see
Figure 1), as well as P projecting from the vessel B, are faucets or screw
stops used for drawing off the fluids from such vessels whenever it may be.
desirable to do so; K is a shaft, which passes axially through the air pump.
chamber or case, and has its bearings affixed to the central parts of the
head A', and disc.c, c. A small gear K' is affixed to the outer end of the
said shaft K, the said shaft being carried through box bearings T and Q';
this gear engages with a train of gears L, L, affixed to a weight shaft M and
a winding shaft O'. N is a chain having one end attached to the said
shaft M, to this chain one or more iron weights should be applied. The
chain being wound on the shaft M when a crank O, which is fitted to a
square on the end of the winding shaft O' is turned. The shaft O¹ may have
a ratchet wheel fixed to it to engage with a pawl affixed to the large gear on
the same shaft. In winding up the chain the shaft O' should turn freely in
the large gear, and the pawl should slip over the ratchet wheel. The ratchet,
and pawl are shown at a' in Figure 2.
To the central part of the air-pump chamber head a tubular inlet or air

page_text: box is attached, and projects into the pump chamber as well as out-
wardly from the head, as shown in Figure 2. T' is a water-tight stuffing
box bearing affixed to the inner end of the air box, and Q' is a screw cap
bearing fixed to the outer end thereof. The bore of the tubular air box has a
diameter larger than that of the shaft K, in order to allow atmospheric air
which may enter an opening r. made in the side of the tubo Q to pass
through an injet or tube R and enter the case of the air pump.
upper end of the tube R should project above the water lino of the pump
chamber.
The
As my air-pump drum (shown at P, P',) is constructed similar to the drum
used in a common wet gas meter employed for measuring gas, and is well
known, I do not deem it necessary to give a definite description of this part of
my apparatus, excepting I would mention that I use the said drum for a
different purpose, and revolve the drum by mechanism instead of by tho pres-
sure of the gas. The drum is affixed to the shaft K, which goes through it
axially, and, while being revolved, the drum, by its action with the water
within its case (the surface of such water being indicated by the dotted line w¹
in Figure 2), will force air in regular quantities into its case, and from thence
through the pipe 2, and into the airometer. From the airometer the air will
pass by the pipo 1 down into the vaporizing chamber, within which the
revolving generator or vaporizer is placed. This vaporizer is made as follows,
that is to say, it consists of two round convex plates a, a, fixed at their centers
to the extremities of a hollow shaft or tubo K. These discs should be
capable of revolving on the said shaft, they being kept apart and in place by
rods h, h, arranged between them. Both plates a, a, a, a, are to be perforated
with numerous holes arranged in concentric circles at equal distances apart;
through these holes strands (W, W,) of cotton wicking or other suitable
fibrous material are drawn, and are laced from one disc to the other. When
revolved with the plates on the hollow shaft the strands will be saturated with
a hydrocarbon liquid when contained in the vaporizing case, and standing at a
level nearly up to the shaft K'. That part of the hollow shaft which is between
the plates a, a, is perforated with holes, they being of sufficient number and
capacity for the passage of the gas or vapor into the said shaft by which it is
delivered to the places where it is to be burned. There is a small tube leading
from the bearing E of the shaft K' to the outside of cylinder A, such tube
being provided with a screw stop X. This tube is used for forcing grease into
the packing of said bearing when required.
The regulator or airometer bell located within the vessel B is represented
at f.f, as a cylinder closed at the top and open at the bottom, and being

page_text: .
somewhat smaller than the system B. g, g, is an air-tight or annular chamber
extending around and within the open end of said bell; t, t, t, t, are small
wheels affixed to the sides of said bell, in order to prevent unnecessary friction
while the bell may be moving vertically in the cylinder B; Y represents small
weights used to regulate the pressure of said bell, and to keep it in proper posi-
tion while the machine may be in operation. The regulating tendency of this
air bell causes an even flowage of the gaseous or aerated vapor, and a remark-
able steady flame while it may be burning. The bottom of the bell by dipping
into the water, in the cistern, closes the bell, and thus renders it air-tight. The
air chamber g, g, serves to adjust the aerometer bell to the varying number of
burners that may be lighted at different times.
Air-conducting pipes 1 and 2 connect the air
pump and gas chambers of the
vessel A with the airometer bell ff; these pipes pass through the bottom, of
the vessel B, and are fixed thereto and extend a short distance above the water
line w¹; 3, 3, is another air pipe connecting said bell with the outlet pipe K';
4 is a stop-cock in said pipes 3, 3, and is for regulating the quantity of air to
be let into the said outlet pipe, in order that the gaseous vapor may be suit-
ably aerated; 5 is an elbow joint at the angle of said pipe 3, 3, 3. This joint
has an outlet stopped with a screw plug, the object of this outlet being to con-
nect an air conduit or pipe with the apparatus, whereby air may be led to any
point where it may be desirable to mix it with a gaseous vapor jet in a stato
of combustion. A very intense heat may be obtained by the admixture of gas
and air under pressure and in combustion, as above described, the same being
useful for chemical, manufacturing, or culinary purposes, or for heating
apartments.
An apparatus 'constructed according to the abovo description will be found
to be very effective in vaporizing and aerating a liquid bydrocarbon. When
erected in a dwelling house, some small closet centrally located and having
a basement or cellar directly underneath, should be selected for it, in which
case the apparatus may be set upon the floor or on a platform in such closet ;
in either case the floor or platform should be level, or nearly so. An opening
directly under the weight shaft, and lengthwise of it, should be made through
the floor of the closet in order to admit the chain N. to pass down through
into the room below, a weight being subsequently attached to the lower end
of the chain.
The main burner conduit having been connected with the pipe.K',.. the
pump chamber and the vessel B should next be supplied with water, after
which the vaporizing chamber should be supplied with the..hydrocarbon fluid;
next, tho chain N should be wound up by turning the crank O, after which

page_text: the crank should be removed from the shaft O'. The pump will immediately
commence to revolve; the airometer bell will rise in the water of the vessel B ;
the air pump and the vaporizer will revolve together, provided all the joints
and pipes are gas-tight and some one or more of the burner jets are open,
will vaporize the liquid hydrocarbon, and mix the vapor with air, and force
such out of the burner jets, the number of jets open regulating the motion of
the revolvable part of the apparatus. When all of them are closed the
machine will stop. The gas-vaporizing chamber, can be supplied with liquid
at any time, whether the apparatus be in operation or not; so the chain
can also be wound up without the necessity of first extinguishing the
lights.
The apparatus, as herein described and figured, is well adapted for lighting
all buildings on land, but for lighting railroad carriages and steam vessels it
is necessary to vary the construction of such apparatus in order to dispense
with the water in the air-pump chamber and regulator cylinder, such being
considered I necessary on account of the varying and unsteady motions of the car-
riages or steam vessels producing such a disturbance of the water as tends to
produce an unequal flow of gas at the burner jets. In such cases the air
pump may be constructed somewhat after the plan of the well known "dry
gas meter," and be adapted so as to perform all the functions performed by the
air pump with water as described.
A slight variation in construction in the form of the regulator cylinder will
obviate, in most cases, the disturbing effect on the water in said cylinder, but
when it may be necessary to dispense with water in such cylinder I. also
dispense with the regulator bell, and substitute a flexible disc or cover
attached to the open top of the said -regulator cylinder, and made air-tight,
and having sufficient elasticity and looseness to be capable of vibrating up
and down several inches. To this disc weights. may be added in the same
manner and for the same purpose as they are applied to the top of the regu-
lator bell.
I prefer in all cases to use the air pump and the water, also the regulator
cylinder with its water and regulator bell, whenever the unsteady motions of
carriages and steamboats are not too great to affect the even flow of gas.
I do not herein claim the combination of a gas meter, drum, and case with
an apparatus for vaporizing a hydrocarbon liquid, such meter, wheel, and case
being to operate in such manner as to force air through the case of the
vaporizer, such being described in a Patent granted to me on or about the
29th day of April, A.D. 1853.
I claim the combination and arrangement of a vaporizer, an air-forcing

page_text: apparatus, and an airometer, the whole being constructed to operate together,
substantially as described.
I also claim the above-specified arrangement of the vaporizer and the air-
forcing apparatus, whereby the shaft of the rotary frame of the vaporizer may
be connected to and put in motion by the shaft of the rotary drum of the air-
forcing apparatus.
I also claim the air-inlet box Q as made and applied to the case A and its
shaft, and, as provided with a pipe R, to operate as specified.
I also claim the combination of the auxiliary air pipe 3, 3, with the
airometer, and the vaporizing and aerating apparatus, substantially as
described.
I also claim the combination of the annular air vessel 9, 9, with the
airometer when combined with a vaporizer and an aerating apparatus, as
specified.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 24th
October 1862.