improved Process for manufacturing luminating Gas.
Year: 1885

page_text: improved Process for manufacturing luminating Gas.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention a communication to me
from abroad by John Scott Leng (Merchant) of 4 Fletcher Street New York City
United States of America to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas, by a process and
apparatus adapted for domestic purposes, and for use in hotels, factories and other
places, where light and heat are required; and the object of the invention is to
produce gas in greatly increased volumes at a nominal cost when compared with
the methods of manufacture now in use; also to produce a carbureted water gas
which shall be safe in use and practically free from the noxious elements so largely
present in the water gases as ordinarily manufactured in large gas works.
With these objects in view I will describe a new and improved process which
consists first in automatically generating a water gas composed of hydrogen and
carbonic acid by the action of dilute acid upon metallic scrap or turnings and
simultaneously the action of the dilute acid upon carbonate of lime or marble dust
whereby a greatly increased volume of gas is produced without increased. cost and
second conveying the mixed gases into a carbureting chamber and there adding the
required amount of hydrocarbon to make a brilliant illuminating gas.
The proportion of hydrogen generated may be increased and the proportion of
carbonic acid decreased to any desired degree, at will, or hydrogen alone may be
generated as preferred. The gas is practically free from carbonic oxide and sulphur
impurities.
The means by which I can carry out this improved process consists of a generator
and a carbureter. Acidulated water (say one part of sulphuric acid to 10 parts of
water) is contained within the generator which has suspended in it a bell chamber
of slightly less diameter than the generator tank its lower end reaching to within
a short distance of the bottom of the generator.
Supported within the bell is a vessel consisting of two concentric cylinders open
at the top and having perforated bottoms the outer cylinder having also perforated
sides. Within the inner chamber rises a central tube open throughout which forms
a passage for a pipe to be hereinafter described. The inner chamber is a receptacle
for marble dust and the outer chamber is a receptacle for iron turnings or scraps.

page_text: The whole vessel just described is of less height and diameter than the bell in
which it is enclosed. A pipe whose open upper end is just beneath the top of the
bell passes down through the central passage and out of the generator to the
carbureter. It is provided with a suitable valvo between the generator and
carbureter and opens into one side of the carbureting chamber. This chamber is
separated from the oil tank or reservoir above it by a partition or diaphragm and
the two are connected by suitable supply and vent pipes. Within the carbureter
are arranged concentric cylinders of lamp wicking, the spaces between which are
filled in with what is known as excelsior packing consisting of curled shreds of
wood used as a substitute for curled hair in stuffing cushions &c A pipe whose
open upper end is just beneath the top of the oil reservoir passes down through the
partition into the carbureter and its lower open end reaches nearly to the bottom
of the carbureter chamber among the lamp wicking and excelsior. A short pipe
open at top and bottom reaches from the bottom of the upper chamber through the
partition, and to near the bottom of the lower chamber, its lower end being
slightly lower or nearer the bottom than is the lower end of the first mentioned
pipe. A pipe leads from near the top of the carbureter chamber to a scrubber
closely packed with excelsior and having an egress or outlet pipe at its top,
provided with a suitable valve. The operation is as follows.
The chambers of the generator being respectively charged with iron turnings or
scraps, and with washed marble-dust, I place the bell or receiver in position over
the vessel containing the marble dust and iron turnings, and securely lock it in
place The generator is now filled with water so as to entirely cover and submerge
the bell. To this water is added sulphuric acid say in or about the proportions of
one part of acid to ten of water The communication between the generator and
curbureter being previously closed, the carbureter is now charged with spirit of
petroleum or other light carbonaceous material, when the apparatus is ready for
operation. The communication between the carbureter and generator being now
opened the acidulated water coming in contact with the marble dust and iron
turnings, through the perforations of the chambers containing the same will
generate respectively hydrogen and carbonic acid gas, which rising in great
volume above the chambers in the bell will pass into the curbureter, the two gases
being mixed together in the bell after being simultaneously generated in the
chambers. The oil reservoir of the carbureter being charged with the carbon fluid
as before stated, such fluid will pass down into the lower chamber until it reaches
high enough therein to cover the lower end of the short pipe connecting the upper
and lower parts of the carbureter, as a further flow of the fluid would create a
vacuum in the upper chamber, the flow is stopped until the fluid in the lower
chamber again falling below the end of the short pipe breaks the seal allows the
gas to pass up through said pipe and again starts the flow, thus automatically by
what I call the vacuum system regulating the flow between the upper and lower
chambers and keeping the level of the liquid in the lower chamber at any desired
height for carbureting uniformly, and producing always the same quantity of
illuminating gas. The mixed gases coming into the lower chamber will pass there-
from through the excelsior packing in the scrubber where they will be freed of
any superfluous moisture or foreign substances.
The packing of excelsior between the concentric layers of lamp wicking, acts as a
spring to support the lamp wicking, and to uniformly diffuse and distribute the
gases through the lamp wicking thereby presenting the most extensive carbureting
surface.

page_text: :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process for Manufacturing Illuminating Gas.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by John Scott Leng (Merchant) of 4 Fletcher Street New York City
United States of America) 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 the manufacture of illuminating gas by a process and
apparatus adapted for domestic purposes, and for use in hotels, factories, and other
places where light and heat are required; and the object of the Invention is to
produce gas in greatly increased volumes at a nominal cost when compared with the
methods of manufacture now in use, also to produce a carburetted water gas which
shall be safe in use and practically free from the noxious elements so largely
present in the water gases as ordinarily manufactured in large gas works. With
these objects in view, I will describe a new and improved process which consists
first in automatically generating a water gas composed of hydrogen and carbonic
acid by the action of dilute acid upon metallic scrap or turnings and simultaneously
the action of the dilute acid upon carbonate of lime or marble dust whereby a
greatly increased volume of gas is produced without increased cost, and second
conveying the mixed gases into a carburetting chamber and there adding the
required amount of hydrocarbon to make a brilliant illuminating gas.. The pro-
portion of hydrogen generated may be increased, and the proportion of carbonic
acid decreased to any desired degree at will, or hydrogen alone may be generated, as
preferred. The gas is practically free from carbonic oxide and sulphur impurities.
In the drawing annexed, I have shewn a mechanism by means of which I can
carry out this improved process, and referring to said drawing by letters A is the
generator and H the carbureter Acidulated water B (say one part of sulphuric acid
to ten parts of water) is contained within the generator which has suspended in it
by means of bangers a an inverted bell C provided with suitable handles b for
convenience in handling This bell is of slightly less diameter than the generator
tank A and its lower end reaches to within a short distance of the bottom of the
generator the latter being supported upon any suitable foundation and having at
its bottom, a cock or faucet D for cleansing or emptying it. Supported within the
bell C upon legs or supports c is a vessel E consisting of concentric cylinders e
and f. Each of the cylinders e and f is open at the top, and has a perforated
bottom, while the outer cylinder is also perforated through its sides. These
cylinders form three chambers de¹ and f¹, the first of which dis bottomless and
forms a passage for a pipe to be hereinafter described. The second chamber e¹ is a
receptacle for marble dust d and the third chamber f¹ surrounding the chamber e¹
is a receptacle for iron turnings or scraps e'. The whole vessel just described is of

page_text: less height and diameter than the bell in which it is enclosed. F is a pipe open at
its top. and extending downwardly from near the top of the bell through the
chamber d¹ and out through the generator to the carbureter H. It is provided
with a suitable valve G between the generator and carbureter and ends in one side
of the carburetting chamber. This chamber is separated from the oil tank or
reservoir H by a partition or diaphragm h and the two are connected by suitable
supply and vent pipes Within the carbureter are arranged concentric cylinders of
lamp wicking i, the spaces between which are filled in with excelsior. A pipe I,
open at the top, extends from near the top of the oil reservoir down through the
partition into the carbureter, and its lower open end reaches nearly to the bottom
of said lower chamber among the lamp wicking and excelsior A pipe J with open
top and bottom reaches from the bottom of the upper chamber through the
partition and to near the bottom of the lower chamber, its lower end being slightly
lower or nearer the bottom than is the lower end of the pipe I. A filling cap K is
provided in the top of the carbureter. A pipe L leads from the upper portion of
the carbureter to a scrubber M closely packed with excelsior having an egress or
outlet pipe N at its top provided with a suitable valve O.
The operation is as follows;-I first charge the outer chamber f¹ of the vessel E
with iron turnings or scraps, then the inner chamber e¹ with washed marble dust..
I then place the bell or receiver in position over the vessel containing the marble
dust and iron turnings, said bell being securely locked in place as shewn. The
generator is now filled with water so as to entirely cover and submerge the bell.
To this water is added sulphuric acid-say-in or about the proportions of one part
of acid to ten of water. The communication between the generator and carbureter
being previously closed, the carbureter is now charged with spirit of petroleum or
other light carbonaceous material when the apparatus is ready for operation. The
communication between the carbureter and generator being now opened the
acidulated water coming in contact with the marble dust and iron turnings
through the perforated bottom of the chamber e¹ and the perforated bottom and
sides of the chamber f¹ will generate respectively;-hydrogen and carbonic acid
gas which rising in great volume above the chambers in the bell will pass through
pipe into the carbureter, the two gases being mixed together in the bell, after
being simultaneously generated in the chambers. The oil reservoir of the
carbureter being charged with the carbon fluid as before stated, such fluid will
pass down through the pipe J into the lower chamber until it reaches high enough
therein to cover the lower end of the pipe I. As a further flow of the fluid would
create a vacuum in the upper chamber, the flow is stopped until the fluid in the
lower chamber again falling below the end of the pipe I breaks the seal, allows
the gas to pass up through said pipe, and again starts the flow, thus automatically,
by what I call the vacuum system, regulating the flow between the upper and
lower chambers and keeping the level of the liquid in the lower chamber at any
desired height for carburetting uniformly, and producing always the same quantity
of illuminating gas The mixed gases coming into the lower chamber will pass
therefrom by the pipe L through the excelsior packing in the scrubber M where
they will be freed of any superfluous moisture or foreign substances. The packing
of excelsior between the concentric layers of lamp wicking acts as a spring to
support the lamp wicking, and to uniformly diffuse and distribute the gases
through the lamp wicking, thereby presenting the most extensive carburetting
surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is;-

page_text: body of marble dust or carbonate of lime to the action of dilute acid in a closed
chamber.
2. The process herein described of automatically generating illuminating gas
which consists in first producing water gas by simultaneously subjecting metallic
scrap or turnings and carbonate of lime to the action of dilute acid, and second
carburetting the resulting gas with hydro-carbon vapor.