IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR CARBURIZING ATMOSPHERIC AIR TO BE EMPLOYED FOR ILLUMINATING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Thomas Stacey and Alfred
Lace at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 5th June 1874.
We, JOHN THOMAS STACEY and ALFRED LACE, of Newbury, in the
County of Berks, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF
APPARATUS FOR CARBURIZING ATMOSPHERIC AIR TO BE EMPLOYED FOR ILLUMINATING
AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction
and arrangement of apparatus, whereby atmospheric air is effectually
carburized, so as to render it applicable as an illuminating agent and
also to other useful purposes, such for instance, as heating.
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The main portions of the apparatus consist of a "receiver" and a
generator." The receiver is a receptacle for holding atmospheric air,
and is suspended from suitable framework within which it is capable of
being raised and lowered by means of a chain or chains attached to the
top of the receiver, and passing over pulleys and acted upon by a drum
and winch or other suitable contrivance. The lower part of the receiver

page_text: when in its normal state, rests in a tank containing the requisite
quantity of water, and upon being raised by means of the before
mentioned drum and winch, air is admitted into the same through a pipe
provided for that purpose, or air may be forced into the receiver by
means of a pump or other known appliance, the admission of air being
stopped by means of a self-acting cock or other contrivance, upon the
receiver reaching the desired elevation.
The generator consists of a series of vertical cylinders or cells, which
are respectively filled with sponge or other porous and absorbent
substance or substances, each cylinder or cell being provided with a cap
screwed on the top thereof, through which the porous and absorbent
substance or substances are charged to saturation with the requisite
quantity of oil or hydrocarbon fluid capable of being volatilized at a 'low
temperature, such as benzoline or any suitable hydrocarbon fluid as will
be well understood.
The cylinders or cells are respectively provided with cocks, by which
any excess of hydrocarbon fluid can be drawn off from the space existing
between the external case which holds the generator and the bottoms of
the cylinders or cells, which are made of perforated zinc or of a
reticulation of wirc. A main pipe is provided through which the air
when carburized as herein-after mentioned is conducted to any desired
locality.
The method of working the apparatus is as follows:-The receiver
having been raised as before mentioned and having been filled with air,
the admission of the latter is cut off or stopped, the gravity of the
receiver causing it to descend and to force the air contained therein
through a pipe provided for that purpose into the generator, in which it
passes over or through the sponge or other porous or absorbent substance
or substances which has or have been saturated with hydrocarbon fluid,
and thereby becomes charged with the same. The issue of the air thus
carburized is permitted and regulated by means of suitable cocks or
valves provided for that purpose, such carburized air being capable of
being applied to any purpose for which it is adapted.