A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING VIRGIN COAL GAS OR CARBURETTED HYDROGEN AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ARTHUR SHIPPEY of Gaston House 95 Ladbroke Grove Road Bayswater,
Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING VIRGIN COAL GAS OR CARBURETTED
HYDROGEN AND APPARATUS THEREFOR" to be as follows:―
My invention relates to the collecting of virgin coal gas and carburetted
hydrogen in such a state or condition as to make it of commercial value for after
utilization for heating and district lighting purposes.
It is scientifically known that enormous quantities of virgin coal gas and
carburetted hydrogen exist in coal mines and that the same is now allowed to
go to waste in its ascent through the up cast shaft of the mines by the various
systems hitherto adopted in the ventilation and other engineering processes used
in withdrawing such gases from coal pits and mines the seams of which are more
or less of a porous nature and contain large quantities of solidified gas caused by
the pressure of the stratas above. However it may be mentioned that when these
coal seams are cut into and this solid gas being then liberated will immediately
expand and at once aerify and combine with other gases and air circulating in the
mines which under ordinary circumstances will become diluted and carried away
by the ventilation through the upcast shaft. But in mines where the ventilation
is bad and the currents of air slow in circulation the virgin coal gas or light
carburetted hydrogen will float on the top of the air currents and in passing through
the main workings of the mine will deposit and accumulate in the cavities of the
roofs and goafs until they are full of gas and carburetted hydrogen which being of
an inflammable, nature may cause explosion by spontaneous combustion.
Now in order to get rid of this danger and difficulty and also to enable me to
collect and recover the lighter gases in such a preservative state and condition as to
make them of commercial value for after utilization and useable for heating and
district lighting purposes it is necessary to sever the light carburetted hydrogen as
much as possible from the heavier gases and air. Now in order to accomplish this
object and also to enable me to obtain a constant flow of gas in its natural state I
excavate a number of deep cavities (say of 6 to 20 feet more or less) according to
the size of the mine to be operated upon and distance the cavities are placed from
the workings which said cavities or hollowings are excavated in the upper roofs of
DAJI

page_text: the main gangways and into such excavations are placed or inserted suitable gas
receivers advantageously of the cone or bell shape so as to collect and recover the
lighter gases for the purposes herein before described by which method the lighter
gases naturally ascend to the higbest elevation and hollowings in the roofs
containing the said receivers as above described and adapted for this purpose
which receivers are tapped at the top so as to draw off and carry away the lighter
gases and carburetted hydrogen collected and deposited therein to the main tubes
or pipes which may be of different sizes and suitably placed in the main gangways
of the mines for the purpose of conveying the collected gases to outlet pipes of
suitable size which outlet pipes are fixed or placed for convenience in the spare
space sidings of the upcast shaft for conveying the collected gases to the gasometers,
reservoirs and gas-holders which are placed upon the surface near the pits mouth
for storing same for after utilization."
t
In mines where the workings are old I prefer to imbed the main tubes or pipes
in a compound made of about equal proportions of pulverized slag, spent tan and
tar or in any other suitable cheap homogeneous compound to prevent damage to
same by the occasional heavings of the earth which frequently occur underground
in mines of this class.
Another part of my improvements consist in fixing within the main pipes or
tubes placed to convey the gases to the gas-holders reservoirs or gasometers a glass
or iron guide valve by which means I check the flow of gas passing through the
pipes to the gas holders which are also provided with an automatic or electric tell
tale signal which gives an alarm to the attendants in charge when the gas holders
reservoirs or gasometers are fully charged which alarm signal enables the attendant
to disconnect the main pipe fixed to either of the above storers when all overflow
or excess of gas passing through the pipes is allowed to escape and go waste in
the usual way.
(
17
to
When the gas-holders receivers or gasometers placed at the top of the coal pit or
mines for storing the collected gases recovered as hereinbefore described become
fully charged the surplus waste gases so collected and recovered may be further
utilized by being conveyed through other mains or pipes by pressure or in some
cases advantageously by atmospheric syphons of suitable construction to other gas
holders receivers or gasometers which must in all cases where more than one gas
holder is used be of larger dimensions than the former and placed at a higher
elevation than the previous one used for charging it in order to ensure a constant
supply of gas-being stored in the extra gasometers or gas holders fixed at distant
places from the mines operated upon.
I may mention that the gases recovered by my improved method of collecting
same may be further purified if required by any well known process and economi-
cally uesd for illuminating purposes and the same can also be compressed into
portable vessels of suitable construction and thus utilized for railway train and
tram car lighting, filling balloons, and for other useful purposes in districts where
gas works do not exist.
D1 TOLL JST 1001

page_text: .I, ARTHUR SHIPPEY of Gaston House 95 Ladbroke Grove Road, Bayswater
Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A NEW OR
"
IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING VIRGIN COAL GAS OR CARBURETTED HYDROGEN
AND APPARATUS THEREFOR" and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following Statement:-
My Invention relates to a new or improved method of collecting virgin coal gas
or carburetted hydrogen in such a state or condition when recovered to make it of
commercial value when stored for after utilization as an economical fuel for heating
steam boilers, driving engines, and machinery and also for district lighting and
other purposes for which natural gases can be utilized and applied.
It is scientifically known that enormous quantities of virgin coal gas or
carburetted hydrogen exist in coal mines and that the same is now allowed to
go to waste in its ascent when carried away through the upcast shaft of the
mines by the various systems hitherto adopted in the ventilation of same and by
other known engineering processes at present used in withdrawing the various
inflammable gases from coal pits and mines the seams of which especially in damp
and stagnant mines are more or less of a porous nature, which coal seams contain
large quantities of solidified gas caused by the pressure upon same from the stratas
above.
However for the purpose of making my invention clearly understood it may be
mentioned that when these coal seams are cut into, and the solid gas or gases are
by this means liberated they will immediately expand and at once aerify combine
and mix with other gases and air floating and circulating in the various parts of
the main gangways of the mine, which gases under ordinary circumstances become
diluted and are carried away through the upcast shaft by the ventilation and other
engineering apparatuses used for this purpose. But in mines where the ventilation
is bad and the currents of air slow in circulation the virgin coal gas and light
carburetted hydrogen will float upon the top of the air currents and in passing
through the main workings of the mine will accumulate in the various cavities of
the roofs and hollow goafs of same until they become full of the lighter gases and
carburetted bydrogen which according to the state of the atmosphere became very
inflammable and liable to cause spontaneous combustion and disastrous loss of life
and property by explosion.
Now in order to avoid this danger and difficulty and also to enable me to collect
and recover the lighter gases in such a state of preservation and condition as to
make them of commercial value useable and applicable for the several purposes
hereinbefore mentioned and more especially for and in cases where the collected
gases are to be used and applied for lighting purposes it is desirable and necessary
to sever the light carburetted hydrogen as much as possible from the carbonic and
other heavier gases and air. Now in order to accomplish this object and enable me
to obtain a constant flow of gas in its natural and pure state. I excavate a number
of deep cavities in various parts of the mine (say from 6 to 20 feet more or less)
according to the size and nature of the mine to be operated upon into which I place
or insert a suitable gas receiver advantageously of the cone or bell shape in order to
collect and recover the lighter gases in their natural state which when recovered in
this manner will be found to be more suitable and of greater commercial value
when utilized and used in their virgin state for the several purposes herein before

page_text: i
I prefer to make the excavations which must be made in the upper roofs as deep
as possible but this must be arranged according to circumstances and as the
surroundings of the mine will permit so that the lighter gases which naturally
ascend to the highest elevation and hollowings will accumulate in large quantities
in the said receivers and be available for the purpose above described.
The gas receivers placed in the various excavations are provided with a tap or
outlet pipe fixed at the top of the said receivers so as to draw off and carry away the
lighter gases collected therein into the main tubes or pipes which are laid under the
main workings of the mines or fixed upon the sidings in cases where engineering
difficulties which at times may arise to prevent same being placed underground
which is of advantage and preferred.
The main tubes or pipes placed in the gangways for conveying the gases from
the receivers are carried to the foot of the upcast shaft and attached to outlet pipes
or flexible hose of suitable size and construction which said pipes or hose are fixed
or placed for economy and convenience in the spare space sidings of the upcast
shaft so as not to come in contact with the cages travelling up and down the shafts
through which outlet pipes or hose the gases so collected from the excavations goafs
and hollowings are conveyed by this means to the gasometers or gasholders placed
on the surfaces near the pit's mouth for storing up the recovered gases for general
utilization as and for the purposes named.
In mines where the workings are old dangerous and damp I prefer to imbed the
main tubes or pipes in a homogeneous compound composed of about equal pro-
portions of pulverized slag and spent tan to which is added about 15 or 20 per cent
of tar, which combination of materials will act as a good insulation and thus
prevent leakage or damage to the pipes by the occasional heavings of the earth
which frequently occur ünderground in mines of this class.
Another part of my improvements consists in placing or fixing within the main
tubes which convey the collected gases to the gasometers or holders at their
junctions a glass or iron guide valve of the well known hour glass form, by which
I check the flow of gas and prevent any undue back pressure reduce friction
and above all obtain a regular and steady flow of gas by the introduction and
application of valves of this simple construction.
The gasometers are also provided with an automatic or electric bell signal or
signals preferably of the later type which are made upon the well known break
and make contact bell push system of suitable size and dimensions and fixed to any
convenient part or parts of the frame work of the gasometer which as the cylinder
rises makes contact ringing an alarm to notify to the attendants in charge when
the gasholders are full which can then be disconnected and the overflow of gas
passing through the pipes from the mines turned off and allowed to escape and go
to waste in the usual way.
When the gas holders receivers or gasometers placed at the top of the coal pit or
mine become fully charged the surplus gases may and can be further utilized by
being conveyed through other mains or pipes by pressure or in some cases
advantageously by atmospheric syphons of suitable size and construction to other
gas holders receivers or gasometers which must in all cases where more than one
gas holder is used the extra ones must be always of larger dimensions than the
former and placed at a higher elevation than the previous one used in order to
ensure a constant supply of gas being stored in the extra holders provided and
fixed for this purpose.
The gases which are stored in the elevated gas holders will contain the lighter
carburetted hydrogen which being free from sulphur will be found of great value
and admirably suited for Bessemer steel making and if blast furnaces and works
are built in the coal districts where my process is in operation, and the waste gases
utilized a great saving in the cost of fuel and coal used in the manufacturing iron,
steel and other trades will be effected.
I may mention that I do not claim any particular method for the purification of
the gases as collected in case this should be required in any particular`minė

page_text: operated upon any well known system can be adopted for this purpose and in
cases where the flow of gas is great and large quantities can be withdrawn then in
that case the same can be adapted and economically used for illuminating purposes
also compressed into portable vessels of suitable construction and thus used and
utilized for railway train and tram car lighting filling of balloons for military and
other uses and also for many other useful and profitable purposes in districts where
gas works do not exist.
I may also mention that by the utilization of the waste gases which I propose to
recover by the above means the consumption of coal will be materially lessened to
great advantage and thus increase the wealth of the country by the utilization of a
waste product of immense value hitherto allowed to go to waste, contaminating the
air in the mining districts and undermining the health of the people at large.
By the previous description and explanation I wish it to be clearly understood
that I do not claim any novelty in the separate parts materials or appliances used
for carrying out my object most of which parts materials and appliances used are
well known and in common use in connection with the general use and distribution
of manufactured gas.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The improved general arrangement and combination of the several parts
materials and appliances used in conjunction with each other for collecting virgin
mine gases substantially as hereinbefore set forth and explained.
Second. The application and use of an inverted cone or bell shaped receiver
placed in the upper excavations and goafs of coal mines for collecting the virgin
gas substantially in the manner described.
Third Collecting virgin mine gases by the aid of an improved receiver thence
conveying through pipes to gasometers and gas holders at or near the pits mouth
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The use and application of electric bell signals worked in combination
with gasometers for indicating the quantity of virgin gas stored therein.
Dated th 10th day of Onkohan 100A
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Agents for the Patentee.