Ar IMPROVED METHOD OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carter Ramsden, of Smith House, Light-
cliffe, in the Parish of Halifax, in the County of York, Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "Ar IMPROVED METHOD OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING
THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL,"
Sealed the 9th September 1873, and dated the 11th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carter Ramsden
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th March 1873.
I, JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Smith House, Lightcliffe, in the Parish
of Halifax, in the County of York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OR APPARATUS FOR
SECURING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL," to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to an improved method or apparatus for
securing the combustion of fuel, as described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me, and bearing date the 6th September 1872,
No. 2050.
The fuel used by me in this my improved method or annaratus is

page_text: hydrocarbons of which paraffin and petroleum are a type; and this my
present Invention consists in an improved method or apparatus for
effecting the union and combustion of the said fuels, and this I accom-
plish as follows:-Attached to a small boiler or steam generator which
can be of any suitable size, and heated by any suitable means, I fix a
number of horizontal tubes, more or less in accordance with the size of
the boiler or steam generator. These tubes terminate with minute
orifices, so that the water when formed into steam rushes out in a fine
spray. Underneath these said horizontal tubes I attach vertical tubes,
the lower part of these tubes or some or one of them take into a trough
or reservoir containing some or one of the liquid hydrocarbons. The
upper portions of these vertical tubes terminate with a capillary orifice at
the top of each.
The "modus operandi" is somewhat as follows:-When the water is
converted into steam it is discharged with considerable force through
the horizontal tubes, the vertical tubes are exhausted, the volatile
hydrocarbon rises to fill the vacuum, and reaching the capillary orifices
at the top is caught by the rushing column of steam and blown into the
finest spray, the result of which is that an intimate union of the two
liquids is effected, a light is applied, and combustion at once takes place.
An immense heat is generated with a complete absence of smoke.
As before stated this apparatus can be made of any convenient size.
It is portable and can be moved about from place to place, and can bo
applied with great advantage to an immense variety of purposes, to the
melting of metals, to the rapid raising of steam, or supplying clean hot
dry air to any or every conceivable purpose, this apparatus will be found
of very great value.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Carter Ramsden in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th September 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CARTER RAMSDEN, of Smith House, Lightcliffe, in the Parish of Halifax,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, send greeting.
8
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the year of 8

page_text: our Lord Ono thousand cight hundred and seventy-threo, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
givo and grant unto me, the said John Carter Ramsden, Her special
licence that I, the said John Carter Ramsden, my executors, admin-
istrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Carter
Ramsden, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times theroafter
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 METHOD OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Carter
Ramsden, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
› describo 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 John Carter Ramsden, do hereby
> declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to bo performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that
is to say :-
This Invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for
5 securing the combustion of fuel, as described in the Specification of
Lottors Patent granted to me, and bearing dato the 6th September 1872,
No. 2650.
f
The fuel used in this my improved method and apparatus is water in
a state of steam or vapour, and some or one of the volatile hydrocarbons
) of which paraffin and petroleum are a typo, and the Invention consists
of an improved method and apparatus for effecting the union and
combustion of the said fuels, and this I accomplish as follows:-
Attached to a small boiler or steam generator heated by any means, I
affix a number of horizontal tubes, more or less in number in accordance
5 with the size of the boiler or steam generator, These tubes terminato
with minute orifices, so that the water when formed into steam rushes
out in a fine spray. Underneath the said horizontal tubes I attach
г
,

page_text: vertical tubes. The lower part of these tubes or some or one of them
take into a trough or reservoir containing some or one of the liquid
hydrocarbons; the upper portion of these vertical tubes terminato with a
capillary orifice.
The modus operandi is as follows:-When the water is converted into 5
steam it is discharged with considerable force through the horizontal
tubes, the vertical tubes are exhausted, the volatile hydrocarbon rises,
and on reaching the top of the capillary orifices is caught by the rushing
column of steam and blown into the finest spray, the result of which is
that an intimate union of the two liquids is effected, a light is applied, 1
and combustion at once takes place; an immense heat is generated with
a complete absence of smoke.
.
This apparatus can be made of any convenient size. It is portable and
can be applied to a variety of purposes, to the melting of metals, to the
rapid raising of steam, or supplying clean hot dry air, and to other useful 1
purposes.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I have here-
unto annexed a Sheet of Drawings, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this 20
Invention; Fig. 2. is a plan view; Figs. 3 and 4 are details; Fig. 5
shews the application of a coiled perforated steam pipo in lieu of a
straight pipo.
A is the small, boiler or steam generator to be heated by gas, spirit,
lamp, or fire, as convenient, and in accordance with the size of the 2
steam generator required; B, B, are horizontal steam tubes terminating
with minute orifices at the discharge end; O, O, are the petroleum tubes
supplied from the reservoir D by way of the pipe E. The tubes C, O,
(as shewn at Fig. 3), are capillary tubes, and to facilitate the construction
of those pipes they may (as shewn by the Drawing) be made in two 3
lengths. The oil I prefer to be used is the volatile spirit or refined oil
of petroleum obtained from the first distillations. The steam discharged
from the orifices of the pipes B, B, across the orifices of the capillary
tubes C, C, exhausts the air therefrom, causing the petroleum spirit to
ascend to the outlet whereon it is caught by the current of steam and 8
blown or carried off along with the steam in the form of a vapour or fine
spray, an intimate union of the two is effected, which on the application
1

page_text: of a light at onco ignites the combustion of the two fuels, giving off an
intense heat, which is further augmented by the steam discharged from
the clongated perforated steam pipe B, for it must be understood that
one of tho pipes O, O, giving out spirit from a capillary tube will
decompose and consumo water in the form of steam from several orifices
equal to that of the spirit tube's orifice, and there is a complete absenco
of smoke. F is a case or tube which may bo.straight or curved for
directing or diverting the heat and flame to any required point or object..
The case or tube F will not be required where the heat is applied direct
to an enclosed space, such as a furnace for the smelting, the heating,
and the molting of metals, heating a boiler, or boiling liquids, for drying
purposes, treating singo plates, and other like uses.
When thero is a supply of steam at hand the steam generator A
will not bo requisite. A connection between the pipes B, B, and tho
source of the steam supply will obviate the necessity of the use of the
generator.
•
The heat generated by the method and apparatus above described is
for the smelting, the heating, or for the melting of metals, specially
valuable, not only because of the intensity of heat obtained, but also
because of its purity, inasmuch as there is 'an absence of sulphur and
phosphorous.
In witness whereof, I, tho said John Carter Ramsden, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Ninth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.'
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN. (L.S.)
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
Patent Agents,
Halifax, Bradford, & Blackburn.