AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS, AND MIXING THE SAME WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS, AND MIXING
THE SAME WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by John Tatem Rich, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 28th October 1868, and dated the 2nd May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd May 1868.
.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAB
AND MIXING THE SAME WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING
PURPOSES," a communication, to be as follows:-
The gas generated is first forced into the retort in the ordinary mode
through a stand pipe by means of a jet of steam, the gas being in its
[Price 8d.]

page_text: passage mingled with atmospheric air drawn in proper quantities into
the stand pipe. The gas, steam, and atmospheric air comingled pass
together into the hydraulic main in which the steam is condensed,
leaving the gas and atmospheric air thoroughly intermingled and forming
a gas which is not subject to condensation but which may be retained
in the gasometer until desired for use either for heating or illuminating
purposes. One form of apparatus suited for this purpose consists of an
ordinary retort, stand pipe, and hydraulic main, a stop-cock being pro-
vided for the introduction of air in the desired quantities into the said
stand pipe; it there mingles with the gas before being driven through a
funnel-formed case placed in the stand pipe. The action of the jet on
the funnel is such as to draw the gas from the retort and the air into
the pipe, and then force them forward into the hydraulic main where
the steam is condensed.
The apparatus for obtaining beat from fluid or solid carbons or hydro-
carbons for application to steam boilers or other purposes is provided with
a furnace so constructed that the volatilized gases evolved by the
distillation of coal, petroleum, or other substances shall be extracted and
mingled with atmospheric air within the furnace, but before entering
the fire-box or combustion chamber. The furnace is so constructed that
the fuel shall be exposed to heat in a retort tube or equivalent chamber
and the gaseous products therein distilled afterwards enter the fire-box
to be consumed.
A jet of steam is arranged in such a relation to the
retort or tube that by a suitable conical injector the wet steam and
atmospheric air may be mingled with the gases as distilled and before
entering the fire-box. I place a diaphragm of some refractory substance
across the grate surface of the fire-box for the purpose of heating and
igniting the gases entering the fire-box, which gases pass through
perforated openings in the diaphragm to the part of the combustion
chamber above the said diaphragm. The retort or tube is so arranged
that the heat of the incandescent fuel upon a grate placed below it will
be directed thereon and also the heat reflected from the diaphragm for
the purpose of volatilizing the coal. The steam blower or funnel on
the outer end of the blast pipe leading into the retort is constructed
with concentric funnels extending in series one below the other, so as
to bring the steam jet successively into contact with the currents of air
entering between them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the
said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS, AND MIXING THE SAME WITH
ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR HEATING AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manuer 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Iuvention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
In carrying the said improvements into practice I construct a furnace
in such a manner that the fuel shall first be exposed to distillation
within the furnace walls, and the combustible gases thus evolved, after

page_text: Of to whatever other purpose it may be desired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a front elevation of the furnace of a steam generator,
partly in section; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the
same; Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating another method
of arranging the furnace, and Figures 5 and 6 show the steam blower.
In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown at A a steam generator of ordinary
form. The fire-box or combustion chamber is shown at B. The
door at O is used for the introduction of the fuel and is fitted
tightly into its frame, so that no draught of air can enter the furnace
at that point when the door is closed. The fuel introduced through the
door is first placed upon the coking plate C, which extends from the
door back into the combustion chamber; this coking plate is made of
fire-brick laid upon an iron plate; the iron plate is supported upon
hollow studs M, which are connected with the water space within the
boiler, so that they may be protected from the action of the heat. This
coking plate should be a little inclined, the lowest end being at the
back j the said plate should extend about half way through the fire-box;
this length having beeen found to be practically sufficient. An arch D
is sprung over the coking plate from side to side of the fire-box, so that
the coking plate and arch shall form a retort, in which the coal or other
fuel may be distilled. The arch is also supported by hollow studs M
similar to those supporting the coking plate. The gases evolved by
the distillation of the fuel rise through an opening f left in the front
end of the arch and pass into the combustion chamber through a space
left between the top of the arch D and a second arch E above it, and
extending also across the fire-box; the arch E is however of less depth
than the arch D; it is designed to direct the current of gas into the
combustion chamber and to facilitate its admixture with atmospheric
air or air and steam, which may be introduced at the opening N, which
is intended to be closed by a register and is only necessary to be used
with very rich gases. The atmospheric air necessary for the com-
bustion of the gases in ordinary circumstances is introduced at H,

page_text: either by a natural or artificial draught. K is a steam pipe used for
the purpose of injecting currents of steam and air into the rear end of
the retort. The draught opening H is inclined towards the door, so
that the currents entering there shall drive forward the gases evolved
through the opening f and prevent their escape through the rear end
of the retort. The grate bars J are placed below and in the rear of the
retort, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The fuel from which the gases
have been distilled in the retort being pushed back upon the intro-
duction of fresh fuel will fall upon the grate bars, and be there consumed
by the action of a natural draught rising through the said bars. A
fire must be first built upon the grate bars and maintained until the
fuel upon the coking plate has been sufficiently coked, after which fuel
is only introduced through the door O, and the operation becomes
continuous. In banking the fires the retort should be 'filled with coal
and the draught stopped, so as to maintain a very slow combustion in
the gradual process of coking the fuel within the retort. In plain
cylindrical boilers and others having a fire-box lined with a refractory
material it is not necessary to use the upper arch E, and modification s
in the general arrangement will be made as required by special circum-
stances. I have shown the general principles to be preserved, these
must be adapted by the workmen constructing a furnace to special
conditions.
In the modification of my Invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 the
arch G is extended entirely across the fire-box, and is perforated to
permit the gaseous products of the distillation of the fuel to rise through
the arches, which being highly heated will cause their ignition. The
retort C' in this case is formed independently of and placed below the
arch, and is extended in front outside of the furnace walls, and closed
by a cast-iron mouth piece. The draught is forced on to the top of the
front of the mouth piece, and the gases are carried with the draught
directly back into the fire-box under the ashes through which they rise.
Doors H are placed under the retort to allow the grates to be cleaned.
A steam blower shown in Figures 5 and 6 is formed by a series of
concentric funnels N' extending one below the other, so that the jet of
steam from the point M¹ of the steam pipe which enters in the centre
is caused to diverge more and more as it encounters the current entering
through the outer spaces, filling and packing the air in the pipe F",
through which it is forced by the jet into the retort or chute C¹. This

page_text: pipe may be closed more or less by a damper at M². A pipe N' is
extended from the blower around both sides of the chute, and continued
into the fire-chamber below the grate bars to supply the draught required
for the combustion of the coke on the grate.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim,―
First. A furnace so constructed that the volatilized gases evolved by
the distillation of the fuel shall be mingled with atmospheric air, or
air and steam within the furnace, but before entering the fire-box or
combustion chamber, substantially as set forth.
Second. A furnace constructed with a retort formed by the plate C
and arch D placed in relation to the grate bars J, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Third. The reflecting plate F when placed in relation to the retort and
the opening through which the gases pass therefrom, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The chute C₁ (Figures 3 and 4), extending in the form of a
tube into the fire chamber, and serving as a retort for the purpose of
distilling the coal retained in the tube by means of the beat of the
fire-box in combination with a draught pipe F, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. The steam blast F¹ (Figures 5 and 6), so arranged in relation
to the tube or retort, in which the coal or other substances are sub-
jected to distillation, that the wet steam and atmospheric air shall be
mingled with the gaseous products of the coal before entering the fire-
box, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The arches or diaphrams G (Figures 3 and 4), constructed of a
refractory substance, and perforated with openings K', substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. The combination of the chute C¹ (Figures 3 and 4), extending
into the fire-box, to act as a retort in the distillation of the coals, and
arches or diaphragms G, so located within the fire-box as to reflect the
heat upon such retort, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The steam blower constructed with concentric funnels N¹,
extending successively from the centre, one beyond the other, and dis-

page_text: charging the currents passing between them into a tubular extension F2
of the outer case F1, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.