IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN MANUFACTURING GAS, WHICH APPARATUS OR PART OF WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE WHEN TRANSMITTING GAS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Anderson, of the Gas Works, Rother-
hithe, in the County of Surrey, Gas Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN MANUFACTURING GAS,
WHICH APPARATUS OR PART OF WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE WHEN
TRANSMITTING GAS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Anderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th December 1859.
I, GEORGE ANDERSON, of the Gas Works, Rotherithe, in the County
of Surrey, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN MANUFACTURING
GAS, WHICH APPARATUS OR PART OF WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE WHEN TRANS-
MITTING GAS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to arrangement of apparatus consisting of a
cylinder with piston travelling therein, the cylinder being double acting,
that is, with two valves or sets of valves at each end of such cylinder,

page_text: and which valves are self-acting, that is, they act alone by the vacuum
created or the pressure exerted in the traverse of the piston in the
cylinder. The piston has given to it a high velocity, and I prefer that
it should make at least 80 strokes per minute, by which arrangement
I obtain uniformity of action upon the gas when exhausting from
and thus relieving the pressure in the retorts or other gas generators,
and forcing the gas generated to the purifying or other apparatus, in
place of using two or more single acting cylinders and other apparatus
combined, as heretofore practised, for the purpose of obtaining uniformity
of action, which apparatus, according to my Invention, is also applicable
when transmitting gas from one to a distant place. Fig. 1 shows a
section of apparatus according to the Invention. The axis a is set in
motion to work the piston by a steam engine or other power; but as
the quantity of gas generated during any given time will vary, and
when that quantity is at any time below the average, the tendency
would be (when using the above apparatus "as an exhauster") to
produce an undue amount of vacuum on the retorts or other apparatus,
by which atmospheric air might be drawn in with the gas, I apply
the regulator shown by Fig. 2, the passage of which is, by a suitable
pipe, connected to the passage leading to the exhauster, whilst the
passage c is, by a pipe, connected to the passage from the exhauster.
The inverted vessel d is sustained in the vessel d', (containing fluid,
by which to seal the lower edge of the vessel d,) by the counterbalance
c, so as to keep the conical valve f at all times closed; but when, by a
diminution of the gas generated, the exhauster tends to create a
vacuum in the retorts or generators, the vessel d will be forced down-
wards by atmospheric pressure, and the valve f, being lowered, will
admit some of the gas which had passed through the exhauster to
return to be repassed, thus 'tending to equalize the pressure of:
its passage to the exhauster.
b
gas in
This part of my improvements is also applicable when other exhaust-
apparatus is used than that above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE ANDERSON, of the Gas Works, Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surry, Gas Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
eighteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Anderson, Her specia!
licence that I; the said George Anderson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Anderson, my execu-
tors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS USED WHEN MANUFACTURING GAS, WHICH APPARATUS OR PART
OF WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE WHEN. TRANSMITTING GAS FROM ONE PLACE
TO ANOTHER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said
George Anderson, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 George Anderson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement thereof (that is to say):-
The improvements relate to arrangement of apparatus for with-
drawing gas from the retorts or other generators employed in the
manufacture of gas in order to assist in relieving the pressure within:

page_text: such retorts or generators, and to force the gas generated to the purify-
ing means or other apparatus.
Apparatus thus arranged according to my Invention, is also applicable
when transmitting gas from one to a distant place.
Heretofore, various arrangements of apparatus have been proposed to
eflect the object of the Invention, some of which have been of the
rotary kind, and others of a reciprocating character; but when of the
reciprocating description it has been usual, in order to obtain uniformity
of action, to employ several apparatus working in combination, and in
general three have been employed, acting in succession by means of a
three crank shaft.
The reciprocating machines employed for this purpose have been of
two kinds, one formed by cylinders with pistons working therein, the
other formed by inverted vessels moving in liquid, like "gas holders;"
but considerable friction or other loss of power have resulted from
the use of either description of exhausting apparatus, as heretofore
arranged. And my improvement consists in the employment of a
single cylinder or chamber, with a piston moving therein, at a com-
paratively high velocity, say, equal to that of a steam-engine; the
cylinder or chamber being what is called double acting, that is, having
an inlet and outlet valve, or sets of valves at each end thereof. These
valves I prefer to be arranged close to the ends of the cylinder or
chamber, and to be self-acting, or acting alone by the vacuum created
or the pressure exerted.
But that the nature of the Invention and the means by which I carry
the same into effect may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the Drawing annexed.

page_text: as heretofore adopted, a very slow motion has been given to the piston,
but I have found by increasing the speed and properly proportioning
the length of the stroke and the position of the valves for the passage
of the gas into and from the cylinder or chamber, great uniformity of
action is obtained; and I have also found, that from 70 to 150 strokes
per minute auswers well, but this speed may be increased, as the pres-
sure against which the piston has to work is seldom more than equal
to a column of water three feet high, or about equal to 1 lbs. pressure
to the square inch of piston. In the movement of the piston, gas will
alternately flow into the cylinder a, through one of the passages e, e,
whilst it will pass out therefrom by the passages f, f, these passages
being formed, as shown, capable of being closed by means of valves e', f',
respectively.
These valves, in order to their being light and easily acted upon, I
prefer to form of leather or gutta percha, or other suitable flexible
material, which will not, to any great extent, be acted upon injuriously
by the gas. The passages c, communicate with the passage ², in con-
nexion with the pipe from the gas retort or generator (to conduct the
gas into the cylinder a), and the passages f, by the passage f', with the
pipe leading to the purifier or other apparatus.
But as the quantity of gas generated during any given time is
always varying, and when that quantity is at any time below the
average of supply, the tendency is to produce an undue amount of
vacuum in the retorts or other apparatus, by which atmospheric air
might be drawn in with the gas; it is therefore usual to employ some
compensating means by which the supply of gas to the exhauster may
be uniform. For this purpose I employ the regulator, shown by
Figure 3, the passage g of which is, by a suitable pipe, connected to
the passage leading to the exhauster, whilst the passage h is, by a
suitable pipe, connected to the passage from the exhauster. The
inverted vessel i is sustained in the vessel 3, (containing fivid by
which to seal the lower edge of the vessel i,) by the counterbalance j,
so as to keep the conical valve k at all times closed; but when by a
diminution of the gas generated, the exhauster tends to create a vaenum
in the retorts or generators, the vessel i will be forced downwards by

page_text: atmospheric pressure, and the valve & being lowered, will admit some
of the gas which had passed through the exhauster to return to be
repassed, thus tending to equalize the pressure of gas in its passage to
the exhauster. By this arrangement it will be seen there is but one
axis of motion, hence arises great freedom of the parts and simplicity
of action. This part of my improvements is also applicable when
other exhaust-apparatus is used than that above, described.
From. the description already given, it will readily be understood
that when it is desired to employ apparatus, such as herein explained,
to transmit gas from one place to another, it will only be necessary to
put the inlet passage e, in connection with the supply, and the outlet
passage f; in connection with the pipe conducting to the distance.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein shown and described; but what I claim is, the mode of arranging,
combining, and working apparatus described, when employed as herein
explained in the manufacture of gas, and also when employed in trans-
mitting gas from one place to another.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Anderson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
GEO. ANDERSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
Patent Agent,
78, Chancery Lane.