IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING COAL, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING GAS
Year: 1850

page_text: MICHIELS, or London, Gentieman,
eeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of April,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty, in the Thirteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Michiels, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George Michiels, my
exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Michiels, my
exors, adñors, or assigus, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to timeand at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING COAL, AND IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, AND ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING GAS," commu-
nicated to me from abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said George Michiels, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Michiels, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The first part of the Specification relates to that division of the subject of
the Inventions described in the Title as "Improvements in Treating Coal."
These improvements consist in so treating coal as to obtain by new processes,
as after described, the three marketable articles, coke, sulphate of ammonia,
and light liquid hydro-carburets. In order to be easier understood, I will
divide the description of these improvements into six chapters.
The first relates to the treatment of anthracite coal.
The second, the treatment of bituminous coal.
The third, to the treatment to be applied to coal by cleansing the same.
The fourth, to the treatment of Bovey coal, Kimmeridge coal, or Brora coal.
The fifth, to the treatment of that portion of the coal which becomes
ammonia.
The sixth, to the treatment of that portion of the coal which results in
liquid hydro-carburets.
These six processes are so many links in my system of treating coal, and
every one of them holds its appointed place in that system to render it complete
as a whole.
CHAPTER 1.
I will first describe my treatment of anthracite coal--I cause the anthracite
coal to be first broken into small pieces, and afterwards reduced to coarse
powder, and to this powder I add about fifteen per cent, in weight of bitu
minous coal, also reduced to a coarse powder, and I cause these two powders
to be intimately mixed together by any suitable means, but the mode I prefer
to use for such purpose is shewn at Figure 1, in the Drawing No. 1, in which
m is a case having two hoppers, into one of which I put the powdered anthra-
cite, and the other the powdered bituminous coal. At the bottom of these
hoppers are two small valves a and b, which revolve when put into action by
suitable machinery at different speeds, in proportion to the quantities of coal
to be mixed together; the bituminous coal powder will run through the
hopper bin a continuous stream and in the proportion above indicated, and

page_text: as it falls down it will be acted upon by a current of air, which is to be forced
in by a blowing machine, or by any convenient means through the opening c
by which the grains of this coal will be forced against the sheet of anthracite
powder which is falling down through the hopper a, at the same time, and
thus the two coals in the proportions before stated will become intimately
mixed together. While being thus mixed, I give to them a small quantity of
moisture, which is very important in the process. I accomplish this conve-
niently by means of a tube perforated with small holes, shewn in the Drawing,
Figure 1, d, in communication with a reservoir of water, and from thence the
water flows in small jets upon the mixed powder as it descends; I charge this
mixture of powder coal into a brick retort (constructed according to the system
of Mr. Spinney, of Cheltenham Gas Works, which is well known) of suffi-
cient size to contain a charge of six tons, except that, in order to heat the
retort, I use two furnaces, one at each end of the retort; and I construct the
retort with two doors instead of one only, in order to charge it, and also to
remove the coke from it at either door. In each door I provide three openings
of the size of a transverse section of a fire brick each. I also make a cylin-
drical opening in the upper part of the retort, of about fourteen inches in
diameter, fitted with a proper valve, by which the interior of the retort may
be put at pleasure in communication with the flues which are around it. The
retort is connected in the usual manner in gas making with a condensing
apparatus. After the furnace is heated according to the ordinary plan with
the last-mentioned valve closed, I introduce the charge of six tons, and well
lute the doors, and then continue the heat as if it was intended to produce
gas, with this difference, that the temperature for the first fifty hours should
not exceed nascent red heat, or nine hundred and sixty-four degrees Fahren-
heit; after that time it should be increased progressively until it attains a
clear red heat, which would be about the ninety-sixth hour. I should remark
that, about the sixtieth hour I shut off the communication between the
retortand the condenser by closing the hydraulic valves, and at the same time
I open the valve at the top of the retort, and also the three openings in each
door of the retort successively at short intervals, so as to allow the atmospheric
air to enter, which burns the hydro-carburets, and the products of that com-
bustion heat the retort, and also the bulk of masonry, in passing through the
flues which surround the retort. About the eighty-fifth hour I close the small
openings in the doors, and at the ninety-sixth hour the coke is in a fit state to
be removed and the retort sufficiently hot to be again charged, as before
described. By the process above explained, I am enabled to obtain three
products: the coke which I draw from the retort and ammoniacal liquors and

page_text: liquid hydro-carburets, the two latter in the condenser; but the mod of
further treating these latter products will be explained hereafter.
CHAPTER 2,
I. reduce it
I will now describe the mode of treating bituminous coal.
into a coarse powder by any convenient means, and slightly wet it, and then
introduce it into a rotort of similar size, and constructed as lastly described, and
I proceed in the self-same manner as where a mixture of anthracite, and
bituminous coal powder is used to obtain the coke ammoniacal liquors.
and liquid hydro-carburets, as before explained. By this mode of treating.
the bituminous coal 1 enable the manufacturer to supply the public with a
superior description of coke, while he also obtains. other valuable products,
namely, sulphate of ammonia, and light liquid hydro-carburets. These are
obtained in a marketable state by treating, in the manner hereafter described,.
the ammoniacal liquors and hydro-carburets to be found in the condensing
apparatus connected with the rotort. >
CHAPTER 3.
.
It is important, in carrying out the above processes, that the coal used should
be in as pure and clean a state as possible, that is to say, free from schistus;
pyrites, and other matters which are found with it, and in the description of
the two above processes for using anthracite and bituminous coal, I have.
assumed the coal to be in the-clean state when charging the retorts.. The
pyrites when burnt with the coal will produce sulphuretted hydrogen; this is
injurious to the quality of the-ammoniacal liquors. Besides, the pyrites,
stones, and schistus, if allowed to be burnt with the coal, would injure the
quality of the coke. The mode that I adopt of treating the coal in order to
clean the same or separate it from these foreign matters, is as follows:-I first
cause a separation to be made, by manual labor, of the larger pieces. of
impure matters, and the whole of the remainder of such matters, and of the
coals which I am about to use, I reduce to powder by any suitable crushing
machinery. I place the powder obtained from this crushing in a trough a, b,
Figure 2, of Drawing No. 1, and a man with a rake.keepś.. the powder.con-
stantly stirred, having first raised the slide q, to allow of a current of air to
come in from the reservoir X, which air acts upon the coal powder and forces
it into the vessel b, c, whilst the powder of pyrites, stones, &c., and of the
other heavier matters, remain in the basiu a, b. When the vessel b, c, is full
it is to be emptied at the lower end c, taking care to have the portion of the
powderlaying under the line represented by the lettersi and, which properly

page_text: may be mixed with some of the impurities put back into the vessel a, b, and
done over again with fresh powder added. The force at which the air is intro-
duced at the opening q may be regulated by the workman, so that the air
shall move or propel forward the lighter dust of the coal, leaving the hea vier,
dust of impure matters behind. I have not described any particular mode of
introducing the air, as a workman accustomed to this description of work will
readily know how to adapt it. To prevent any of the coal from being blown
away, the vessels a, b, and b, c, are surrounded by a framing,o, e. In some.
localities a current of water may with economy be introduced at:q, in place of
a current of air, and the same manipulation by a workman with a rake, will:
have to be gone through; the result will be that the water floating.the lighter,
particles of coal will pass..over into the vessel b, c, while the heavier and
impure matters which will not float, nor keep in a state of suspense in the
water, will accumulate at the bottom of the vessel a, b, and be removed from
time to time. If water be thus used instead of air, provision will have to
be made at the extremity 'c, of the. vessel.b, c, for the water to pass aw ay
Kimmeridge coal, Brora coal, is as follows:-This description of coal contains
about twenty-five per cent. of water, and the evaporation of this quantity of
water in the furnace when being consumed tends to check the heat. It also
contains certain matters, which in the actofcombustion produce a disagreeable
smell, which prevents its use in private houses. It also contains a quantity of
hydro-carburets, which volatilize rapidly and become lost. I have combined
a treatment by which this species of coal is dried, and also by which I am
enabled to collect all the azote which it contains in a state of ammoniacal
water, and also to obtain the hydro-carburets contained therein. The triple
effect is obtained by placing the coal into.a.close vessel hermetically sealed,
and.introducing therein. heated steam.
I will describe the apparatus which I have used for this purpose, and, which
I have found to succeed. The Drawing No. 2 shows this apparatus.. Figure 1
is à section through the line A, B, of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section of the middle of the apparatus through the line C, D, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of one end of the apparatus showing the doors;
and Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the line E, F,.of Figure 1. In all
these Figures the same numbers are used to indicate the same parts wherever.
they occur. No. 1 is the fireplace; and No: 2, 2; are the openings where

page_text: the products of combustion escape after they have impinged under the large
metal case 5, 5. These two openings are placed, the one at the right, and
the other at the left, in such manner that the products of combustion are
obliged to divide and to impinge upon the two vertical sides of the vessel
through the whole of their length at 3, 3. There are two other openings at
the upper part, through which these products pass to the chimney 4, after
having acted against the upper part of the vessel, by which arrangement it
will be understood that the whole of the exterior part becomes heated, so that
when the heated steam is introduced it does not loose any of its heat, which
it would do if it were coming into a cold chamber, 5, 5, is a large vessel
or case into which the coal is placed. 6, 6, is a waggon by which the coal
is to be introduced into this vessel or case. This works upon a railroad, that
when the coal is dried it may be rapidly removed, as the drying is so complete
that the coal will take fire the moment it is removed in the air. 7, 7, are
the coiled tubes through which the steam passes from a boiler to be heated to
seven hundred degrees in its passage towards the interior of the vessel 5, 5.
8, 8, are the tubes which conduct the heated steam into, the vessel 5, 5.
9, 9, 9, are tubes at the sides, placed in the interior of the case for dis-
tributing the steam. These tubes are pierced with small holes by which the
steam is introduced in agreat number of small jets, as shewn in the Drawings
at Figures 1 and 2. 10, 10, is the passage through which the steam escapes,
charged with the hydro-carburets and the ammoniacal liquor. This passage
should be in connection with a condensing apparatus, similar to those employed
in the manufacture of gas, and in which these products will be obtained.
is the tube through which the liquid products not volatilized will escape when
a cock is opened to permit their escape. 12 is a cover which serves her-
metically to close the vessel 5, 5. 13 is a door by which the heat in the
case is kept in. 14 is another door for the same purpose.
11
Having now explained the different parts of the apparatus, I will proceed
to describe how it is used. I fill the shelves of the waggon with coal, and
run it into the case or vessel. I then shut the cover and the two doors. I
heat the serpentine or coiled tubes, and the whole of the apparatus, till the
temperature is sufficiently high that I may inject steam into the inside of the
case 5, 5, without its condensing. I then allow the steam from the boiler
to pass into the coiled tubes to be heated to about 700° of Fahrenheat, when
it passes into the vessel, and acts upon the coal in all directions and dries it,
and at the same time disengages the different azoted matters, and the hydro-
carburets, and carries them into the condensers. About two hours will be
found sufficient for this operation, at the end of which time I stop the injection

page_text: of the heated steam in the case, and run the waggons out thereof into a
chamber of dimensions just suitable to receive it, and which is to be closed
immediately in order to exclude the air, and thereby extinguish the dry and
heated coal, and there allowed to get cool. Another waggon of fresh coal is
introduced in the case 5, 5, and the process repeated as before. I obtain by
tliis treatment a dry coal, which is a good fuel, and also liquid hydro-carburets,
and I likewise obtain ammoniacal liquids when the coal contains nitrogen.
The particular mode of treating these liquids will be explained hereafter.
CHAPTER V.
I will now explain the manner of treating the ammoniacal liquids. I first
prepare a mixture of oxide and sulphate of lead. I take (galena) sulphuret
of lead in its natural state, which I reduce into small pieces, which I roast
in a reverberatory furnace, to transform a part into sulphate and part into
oxide. The sulphuret of lead submitted to this prooess is placed in the
second stage of the furnace, which I show in the Drawing No. 3, at the
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and I spread it over the bottom of that division
of the furnace of a thickness from two to two and a half inches, by which the
matter becomes prepared for the next more complete decomposition. After
remaining in this upper division of the furnace for about two hours, it is
drawn down through the opening P, Figure 3, which opening also allows the
upward current of heat from the fire d, Figure 1. The matters are to be.
carefully spread over this part of the furnace, and kept stirred from time to
time; so as to expose all the parts to the action of heat, and also to avoid its
becoming fused, which would be the case with those parts nearest the fire.
By the action of heat the sulphuret of lead becomes one part in the state of
sulphate, and one part in the state of oxide, and of the oxide thus formed,
part is in the state of minimum and part in the state of (puce) oxide. The
color of the galena is, as is well known, of a metallic bluish white, but it will
change to a reddish brown or rose, when it is in a fit state to be reinoved
from the furnace; generally this effect is produced in about two hours. To
remove it the workman will place himself in front of the door Z, Figure 5, and
push the matter through the opening 7 opposite, into a receiver or iron vessel
sheltered by the cover m. By this arrangement the light oxide as well as
sulphate of lead, will not escape into the atmosphere of the workshop, thus
avoiding a loss of material, and also the danger of the workmen breathing it.
All the openings of the furnaces are closed by metal doors lined with fire
bricks. When the lower division of the furnace is cleared, the portion on
the upper division is to be let down, and that division again charged with

page_text: sulphuret of lead. By these means is obtained economically a mixture of
the oxide and the sulphate of lead. After this mixture is cold it is to be
crushed and reduced to the size of coarse sand. This material thus prepared
is to be placed in tubs, and methodically washed with the ammoniacal liquids
obtained from the treatment of the coal. The manner of thus washing being
well known, it is not necessary to describe it; the object of it is to transform
the ammonia sulpho-hydrate and the carbonate of ammonia contained in these
liquors into sulphate of ammonia under the influence of the oxide and the
sulphate of lead, which are in part decomposed, and pass to the state of
sulphuretand carbonate of lead. If all the ammonia contained in these waters
is not transformed into sulphate of ammonia by this operation, which will
happen when the mixtures of lead have been used several times, it will be
necessary to treat with sulphuric acid liquors, which have been so operated
upon as above mentioned, until there is no effervescence produced by the
introduction of this acid. It is better that these liquors should always be
slightly acidified, so as to remove the coloring matters which are contained in
them. When all the ammonia is converted into sulphate of ammonia, I
evaporate the liquor so as to obtain the sulphate of ammonia in a dry state.
.This is effected by means of the particular arrangements of the reverberatory
furnace previously described for roasting the lead. Above the second division
of this furnace is a boiler or evaporating pan. There is no arch, but the onc
above the opening P, Figure 3. All the rest of this second division is covered
over with plates of metal, on which is to be placed the leaden boiler or
evaporating pan. If instead of lead the boiler be made of iron vitrified, then
the metal plates may be dispensed with, and the boiler or pan placed upon
the top of the furnace, and the liquors to be evaporated are to be placed therein,
and when the workman sees they begin to chrystallize, they are to be caused
to pass away through the tubes g, Figures 1 and 2, into another boiler
or pan at Figure 2, placed below the other, which pan b is heated by
the products of combustion arising from the furnace d, Figure 1. It is
in this second boiler where evaporation takes place, sufficient to bring
about chrystallization of the sulphate of ammonia, and at the period of
chrystallization the liquor is caused to flow into a chrystallizing pan or basin
through the tube f, Figure 1. Adjoining the last-mentioned boiler bis
a drying apparatus, upon which the chrystals are placed to dry. This appa-
-ratus is also heated by the products of combustion from the furnace d. The
mixture of sulphate and oxide of lead which has thus been used in the manu-
facture of sulphate of ammonia will be found in the tubs containing sulphuret,
sulphate, and carbonate of lead, and to bring it into its pristine state ready to

page_text: be further used, it will require to be removed from the tubs, and again cal-
cined in a reverberatory furnace in a similiar manner as that pursned with
the sulphuretted lead above described. By the action of this calcination,
aided by the air introduced into the furnace, the sulphuret of lead becomes
converted into sulphate and oxide of lead, and the carbonate is entirely con-
verted into oxide. This matter thus revivified may be employed again and
again for the same purpose, but as in repeated operations a certain quantity
of materials is lost, it will be necessary to supply the place thereof by adding
fresh sulphuret during the process of calcination.
In order to give such information as may enable the ordinary workman to
put my process into practice, I would observe that I employ about one hundred
and fifty pounds weight of the lead mixture for each ton of coals treated in
twenty-four hours. Thus if I work with eight retorts, each containing a charge
of six tons every ninety-six hours, I divide the working of these retorts so as
to charge them each day with twelve tons of coal, and I put into the tubs,
for the treatment of the ammoniacal liquors, one thousand eight hundred
pounds of the mixture of the sulphite and oxide of leid, and I obtain by this
treatment about sixteen pounds of sulphate of ammonia for each ton of coal;
as one gallon of this mixture of lead weighs about twenty-two pounds, and as
the tubs should be filled with one half of this mixture, and the other half
with the liquors, and as five of these tubs will suffice for a methodical washing,
it will be obvious that for the treatment of the twelve tons of coal, the capacity
of each of the five tubs should be 10, which would be in round numbers
seventeen gallons for the lead mixture, and seventeen gallons for the liquids,
making together a capacity of thirty-four gallons. Such is the process by
which I am enabled to couvert the ammoniacal liquors into dry sulphate of
ammonia, a product of great mercantile value, being an important addition
to the coke, which I obtain, as above described, from anthracite and bitu-
minuous coal, and to the good fuel which I derive from the Bovey, Kimmeridge,
and.Brora coal....
them useful for gas making and other purposes, and this process is based
upon this remarkable fact, that thesehydro-carburetshavetheproperty ofabsorb-
ing and retaining permanently more and more caloric by repeated distillations
at high temperature, so that they are lighter and lighter and more volatile
after each succeeding condensation. When I begin my operation with them, the
gravity being for instance of some of them greater than water, and their
B

page_text: boiling point being 230° Fahrenheit; I am enabled, from the application of
the discovery of the above fact, to lower their density so far down as 0911)
and still lower, and to bring their volatilization point to 140° Fahrenheit. "I
am not aware that this property has ever been before discovered, but I am
certain that it has never had any practical application. The following
is the mode adopted by me for bringing this property to bear useful results:-
I use an apparatus similar to that described in the fourth chapter, and
which is shewn in the Drawings No. 2, but I dispense with the use of the
waggon, and place in the case 5,5, a tube of about six inches in diameter,
and extending the whole length of the top of the case. This tube communi-
cates, by means of a branch tube, with a reservoir placed on the top of the
brickwork that surrounds the case 5, 5, and containing the liquid hydro-
carburets. In this main tube, on each sidé, is a row of small holes, about
0.01 of an inch diameter, and 0-15 of an inch'àpart from each other, so that
when any liquid hydro-carburet from the reservoir is run into 'this tube it 'is
distributed by these holes throughout the case in the form of two sheets of
liquid, which will fall all the length of the case. By this modification of the
apparatus a continuous distillation is carried on as follows:-I put the tube
10, 10, in communication with a'series of condensing tubes kept wet by small
streams of water, such as are generally used in the manufacture of gas. At
the under part of each pair of these tubes I fix a syphon apparatus, as shewn
in the Drawing No. 1, Figure 3. a is the bend ; b'is'the tube by which the
condensed water flows out of the syphon; c'is a small receiver, into which the
hydro-carburets are received which are lighter than the water. At the centré
of this receiver or vessel will be seen the outlet tube for the flowing of the
liquid hydro-carburets or oil. The level of the outletis regulated so that there
always remains in the vessel a sufficient quantity of oil to float an areometer;
intended to ascertain the density of the oils. d is a tube, by which the hydro-
carburets are returned to the reservoir of the distilling apparatus as long as
they are of a heavier density than the manufacturer requires. 'e is the'tube
through which the oils are allowed to flow out to be stored in casks, bottles,
or other vessels when they have attained the desired density. fis the opening
through which the hydro-carburets heavier than water return to the reservoir
on the top of the case. The above details, together with the previous
explanation of the mode of putting this apparatus into action, will suffice to
enable the working of the apparatus to be understooil, and also the use of the
different parts, so that only a few further words of information will be here
necessary. I commence by heating the serpentine or coiled tubes, and the
entire of the apparatus, until the whole is sufficiently hot to allow the heated

page_text: steam to be thrown in without condeusing. That the apparatus is in this
state may easily be ascertained by opening the discharge cock 11. I then.
allow the heated steam to enter continuously into the case, and by turning a
cock on the branch tube I open the communication between the reservoir
of the hydro-carburets and the perforated tube in the case 5. At first a small
quantity only of the hydro-carburets should be admitted, but afterwards the
quantity should be gradually increased as the process proceeds. The double
injection of the hydro-carburets and the heated steam going on at the same
time inside the case brings the steam into constant contact with every particle
of the hydro-carburets running from the holes of the perforated tube, whereby
these particles, combining with the caloric of the steam, and abandoning a
portion of their carbon, which falls in a state of heavy pitchy matter to the
bottom of the case, volatilize, and pass with steam through the outlet 10, 10,
to be condensed in the tubes of the condenser. The first syphon will give off
heavier oils than the second, and the second heavier than the third, and so on
progressively until at one of the syphons the oil given off will be found at a
density of 0.911, or lower, and of a yellow color. This oil will be found
applicable to many useful purposes, and is suitable for my principal object of
turning into gas, as will be explained hereafter. The heavier oils which will
be found in the previous syphons are returned into the reservoir and distilling
apparatus, when the process is continued until they arrive at the desired
density. As to the excess of carbon which shall have fallen on the bottom of
the case in the state of pitchy matter, as above described, I cause it to be
removed from time to time through the discharge pipe 11, usually every
twenty-four hours. I have said that the oil of a density of 0.911 will vola-
tilize at a temperature of 140° of Fahrenheit; and I would remark, that in
volatilizing this oil there will be no residue. I do not limit myself to the
production of oils the density of 0.911; but with my arrangement of apparatus
I am able to produce them of much less density to suit the trade.
I have now given a description of the whole of my improvements for
treating coal, by which I am enabled to obtain three products, coke, sulphate
of ammonia, and light hydro-carburets, which three products are of a far
greater value than the coal employed to produce them.
CLAIMS.
I claim as new the improvements in treating anthracite coal, and also

page_text: I also claim as new the improvements in treating Bovey coal, Kimmeridge
coal, and Brora coal, in the manner described in Chapter 4, and as combined
with the mode of treating certain products therefrom, as described in Chapters
5 and G.
I claim as new the application of air to the separation of coal dust or
powder from the dust or powder mixed therewith, arising from impure ma-
terials, as described in Chapter 3; and I also claim as new the washing or
treating with water, in an apparatus such as is described in Chapter 3; of coal
dust or powder, so as to separate the same from the dust or powder of impure
materials mixed therewith.
gas
It is very well known to every man conversant with the manufacture of
by the destructive distillation of coal that the tar is produced to the detriment
of the quantity of gas and of its lighting power, and subsequently that many
arrangements have been patented and many more have been tried for the
purpose of converting the hydro-carburets vapour of the coal into gas, but
there exists convincing evidence that all these attempts remain unsuccessful
by the fact that all the gas.manufacturers sell tar, or, if there be no sale for it,
buru it as fuel. Such is the state of that industry at the present moment.
Now the object of my Invention is the removal of that difficulty by the aid of
an apparatus and a process which I proceed to describe. Plates 4, 5, 6, 7,
and S, represent a bench or set of three retorts arranged according to my
Invention. The Drawings on these plates are sufficiently expressive to every
workman conversant with gas manufacture as not to require any explanation
beyond those referring to such parts as are new, and accordingly I will limit
my description to them. In the five plates above mentioned the same letters
are used to indicate the same parts wherever the occur. a is a tar feeding
pipe that runs along all the retort benches. It is in communication with a
tank placed at a higher level. In this tank the tar is pumped out of the

page_text: ordinary tar tank, or it may be filled with tar procured from other sources.
6 is a tar service pipe at each retort, which is provided with a cock. c is a
gauged receiver for the quantity of tar which is to be introduced in the retort
at each distillation of coal, the measurement commencing at the surface line
of the tar that seals the outlet at the bottom of the receiver with a head of
ten inches. dis a branched tube of the gauged receiver and is gauged along
with it. In this branch tube is a float bearing a vertical rod, the upper end of
which indicates to the workmen the level of the tar by its relative position to
the divisions of a scale. 'e is that scale. When the gauged receiver and its
branch pipe are charged with tar to the proper level before going to work,
the index of the float corresponds to the upper division 0, and every move
of one division downward indicates that one fourth of a gallon has passed
into the retort, as will be more particularly explained hereafter. This scale is
fixed at such proper height that the workmen standing in front of the retort
bench may see the working ofthe index. fis the tar outlet valve at the bottom
of the gauged receiver. This outlet is shut by a reversed elongated come
which is at the end of a vertical rod, the upper end of which gets above the
receiver, so that the workman may easily open and shut the valve, or regulate
it at any required annular aperture with certitude and accuracy. This arrange-
ment can be better understood on the Drawings than by explanations, and
I refer to them. It will be seen that the outlet is a portion of a cone
in order to prevent stoppage by accumulation of tar, and to render the
cleaning of the aperture more easy by the action of the reversed cone, for
which purpose the rod of the cone is provided with a cross handle. Now
I have to draw the attention of the manufacturer to an essential part of this
arrangement, viz, the safe shutting against any escape of gas from the retort
through the valve by the aid of the reversed cup attached to the rod of the
reversed cone, which cup dips in the tar, and is part of a sealing valve, as
may be seen upon the Drawing, Plate 6; G is an intermediate receiver
between the retort and the tar-gauged receiver. It is connected with
the latter by a curved branch, and with the retort by being jointed on
to the mouth by a flange or a socket. The object of this intermediate
receiver is to allow the easy and quick cleaning of the inlet EI, provided for
the introduction of the tar in the retort. With this view the intermediate
receiver G has a bonnet i, by removing which both receiver and inlet
may be cleaned. The inlet H is provided with a ring, as may be seen in
the Drawing, Fig. 6, bearing four branches, along which the tar collects
in the centre and drops into the evaporating pan J. K, K, is a set of two
pipes which are always brought into operation together at the proper

page_text: moment when, in the destructive distillation of coal charged in the retort, the
action of a subsidiary area of heated surfaces becomes of importance to
decompose and convert into gas the bitunenous vapour, and by my suitable,
arrangement the action of this subsidiary heated surface can instantaneously be
shut off at the moment when the coal in the retort having become heated
the production of bituminous vapour has ceased and is followed by carburetted
hydrogen, which would deposit a portion of its carbon, and have its lighting.
power injured if it still passed over a red hot surface after quitting the retort.
At the back elevation of the retort bench the interiors of the two pipes K, K,
are connected by a mouth-piece L, and at the front elevation they are covered
by bonnets and connected by the pipe M, which is provided with a cock or
slide. I charge these pipes K, K, with coke before beginning the destructive
distillation of coal, and from time to time I change this coke in the pipes,
which is easily done by removing the lid of their mouth-piece and their
bonnets. The cock or slide of the connecting pipe M is for the purpose of
bringing in operation or to shut off the described subsidiary area of heated
surface. The pipe M being open the volatile products issuing from the
retort will not make the circuit through K, K, but pass at once to the
hydraulic main by the dip pipe N.
Having now sufficiently described my apparatus to make its working
understood, I will explain my process, which is as follows:-Supposing the
entire bench to be at the requisite heat for decomposing the coal, and that
a quantity of coal is being worked that requires four hours charge, the lids of
the retort are removed, and by means of scoops of a suitable length to reach
near the evaporating pans J, the coal is introduced at the front end, and
the lids immediately secured in their places, the slide or cock M closed,
and the tar valve f has been closed previously to charging the retort. Now
the bituminous vapours that rise first are obliged to undergo decomposition
during their passing over the subsidiary area of red hot surfaces in the
pipes K, K. After a certain time, which is to be ascertained as respects
every main of coal by separate proper experiments, and which for a coal
called in the trade Hunwicke Coal, I have found to be one hour and forty
minutes, the bituminous vapours are followed by carburetted hydrogen, and of
.course the slide or cock M must then be opened. After another period,
which I have found for the same coal to be one hour, but which is to be
ascertained separately for every other main of coal, the gas becomes of a relative
very inferior lighting power. At that moment I open the tar valve f, and
I close the slide or cock M. The tar is vaporised, and the vapours passing
along with the said poor gas in the nascent state over red hot surfaces, rich

page_text: gas is produced. I so go on during one hour and fifteen minutes, after
which I close the tar valve, and at the end of the four hours the coke is
drawn, the retorts rocharged, and the same operations repeated. It is
evident that during. the third period or stage of the process the workman is
guided in the outlet of tar from the gauged receiver c by the movement of
the index along the scale e, and fixes the annular aperture of the tar valve
according to the quantity of tar to be introduced into the retort within the

page_text: a temperature of about 900 degrees Fahrenheit only...The gas resulting from
this liquid hydro-carburet requires no.purification, and the vapours of it which
.condense in the condenser may be returned to the gas apparatus again and
again. Any apparatus now in use for making gas from camphine, oil; or,resin
can by the practical work man be easily made suitable for the manufacture of
gras with the liquid hydro-carburets prepared by my process, but. I prefer to
use a retort fitted with all the arrangements explained in Chapter 1, Part 2,
of this Specification.
egard
men
...I claim as new the process or method herein-before described in Chapter 1
of the second part of this Specification and the accompanying Drawings,
resulting in an increased production of rich gas, and also of such parts of the
apparatus described in that chapter and the accompanying Drawings as are
stated to be new..
I claim also as new the purification of gas in such manner as is described in
Chapter 2 of the second part of this Specification, to the extent that the same
is effected by a repeated application of the same purifying materials as therein
set forth, combined with the result of obtaining the sulphate of ammonia of
commerce.
I claim as new the manufacture of coal gas from the liquid hydro-carburet
before described, in an apparatus not requiring a heat exceeding 900 degrees
to gasify such liquid, and at the same time dispensing in such manufacture
with a purifier.
.PART III. .
The third part of this Specification, relating to that division of the
subject of the Inventions described in the Title as "Improvements, in
Apparatus for Burning Gas," consists, firstly, in an improved gas burner;
and, secondly, in an improved gas stove; to each of which a gas econo
mizer or regulator of my Invention is an adjunct; and forming part of the
improved apparatus.
CHAPTER I.
!..
Plate, Figure 1. represents a front elevation of my improved burner.
Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the same through the middle. In all
the Figures on this Plate the same letters indicate the same parts. a, a,
Plate 2, Figure 1. represents a front elevation of my improved burner.
Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the same through the middle. In all
the Figures on this Plate the same letters indicate the same parts: a, a,

page_text: represent the interior cylindrical tube of the burner. This tube is moveable,
and is raised or lowered by its being constructed at its base to be a male
screw working in a female screw. b, b, is the outside of the burner, which is
composed of a cylindrical tube terminating by a conical one. d, d, is the ring
at the base of both the outer and inner tubes which joins them together, and
in which the female screw is seated. The outer tube is soldered to this ring.
By this arrangement the aperture for the exit of the gas may be increased by
turning the interior tube downwards, and the pitch of the screw being very
fine, this may be done to the utmost nicety. The object of this arrangement
is to allow the burning of gases of different degrees of richness in the same
burner always with their greatest lighting power. For burning a rich gas
the annular orifice or slit is diminished, and for burning a poorer gas is more
opened or increased. Figure 4 shews the exterior tube, and the ring in
section to which it is soldered, as prepared to be fitted for a burner. Figure 3
shews the inner tube in section; and it will be seen that this tube contains
four upright thin pieces or ribs of metal adhering to the inner side of the tube,
or cast or worked with it, of the length of about three quarters of an inch.
The purpose of these is to enable a tool, of which Figure 5 is an under side
view, to be passed down upon them, the small orifices shown in this view
passing over the ribs. The tool is of the shape represented in Figure 6, and
is introduced when required into the inner tube, acting like a driver, by which
means the tube can be screwed upwards or downwards. The burner is
supposed to be invariably connected with the instrument represented in
Plate 11, and hereafter described. This instrument, called a gas economizer,
is a regulator through which the gas from the main passes before it reaches
the burner. The object of this instrument is to keep a perfectly regular and
never-changing supply of gas to the burner, whatever be the pressure in the
main; and this great desideratum being once secured, I am enabled to bring
into operation the portion of the burner c which is an air regulator, for the
admission of more or less air to the interior of the gas flame. When the
is lighted I move this regulator upwards until the flame shews a tendency to
smoke, upon which I instantly turn it down a few pitches, feeling then secure
that I have placed the admission of air as near as practically possible at the
minimum quantity for the perfect combustion of the flowing gas. It will
be obvious from this description that this burner, the air regulator, and the gas
economizer are all dependant upon each other, and form one complete
apparatusf or burning gas in the best and most economical manner, and that
the burner in itself would, without the accuracy of the gas economizer, be a
mere theoretical instrument not adapted for practical purposes.
gas

page_text: Plate 10 shews the improved gas stove or new calorifier. Figure 1 is a
front elevation. Figure 2 is a vertical section through the centre of the stove
and chimney. Figure 3 is a horizontal section through A, A, of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an horizontal section through B, B, of Figure 2. My endeavour
in designing this stove has been to obtain a good burner, and to.absorb the
heat from it by a large area of well disposed surfaces; composed of a metal
of great conducting power, in order to transmit rapidly the produced. heat
to the quantity of air which it is desired should be calorified...
Having already described a perfect burner in conjunction with and depen-
dent upon the gas economizer, which burner I use in the stove, it remains
only for me to describe a stove with the requisites which I have pointed out.
The same letters indicate the same parts in each Figure. a represents a fire-
place built in fire bricks, which never can get red hot at the exterior surfaces,
and consequently never decompose the air which is to be heated. b is a tube
for the escape of the hot gases. c is a circular top vessel, in which the hot
gases are diffused. .d, d, d, are tubes, which connect the interior of the top
vessel c with the interior of a like vessel e. The burned gases circulate down-
wards in these tubes, and from the vessel e they escape into the atmosphere,
through the abducting tube and chimney f. g is an interior cylinder, the
object of which is to prevent the effect of the radiating heat from the fireplace
upon the tubes d, d; moreover this cylinder causes a current of air to be
produced at the central part, which current of air contributes to establish an
equality of temperature in the whole mass of air that escapes through the,
outlet H. I is a jacket of masonry surrounding or enveloping the apparatus
but isolated from.it in such a manner that all the metallic parts of the appa-
ratus may freely expand and contract. This jacket I is provided at its base
with apertures to admit the air that is to be heated. When the air is admitted
through a flue until it makes its exit under the apparatus, the said aperture's
or openings are unnecessary. The circular vessels, top and bottom, c and e,
are provided with mouth-pieces and lids or covers, to be opened when the
stove requires cleaning, which is very rarely. When this calorifier is to be
applied for the heating of an apartment, and that it is desirable to place it in
view as a piece of furniture, then the jacket or envelope may be constructed of
metal, porcelain, or any other suitable material, and in this case, instead of
the outlet H, the top of the stove may be covered with perforated plate,
embossed or ornamented, by means of which the hot air will flow into the
apartment. The air necessary for the combustion of the gas finds its inlet

page_text: at the lower part of the fireplace door, which accordingly is provided with a
sliding valve, as may be seen in Figure 1, and in the samo door, but at the
upper part, there is placed a transparent medium or glass, through which the
color of the flame can be examined, in order to be guided in determining the
quantity of air to be admitted to the burner K. I should here remark that
the burner K, although in principle the same as that previously described,
is not provided with an air regulator, guided or worked by a screw, but is
moveable by a crooked lever, the arrangement and working of which will be
seen on the Drawing, Figure 2, The handle of this lever is placed within
reach behind the air slide valve. This arrangement allows the regulation of
the burning of the gas by the person in charge of the calorifier looking through
the glass or transparent medium to watch the colour of the flame, and acting
accordingly. It will be observed that the movement of the up current of
heated air is described on the Drawing by dotted arrows as contrasted with
continuous arrows indicating the movements of the hot burned gases.
CHAPTER III.
Plate 11 represents the instrument called by me the gas economizeror regu-
lator, the position of which should be between the burners and thegasmetre
if there be a metre, or between the main and the burners if there be no metre.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the centre, and Figure 2 is a
transverse section of this economizer, through the centre of the valve after
described. These Drawings are made upon a full scale for a five-light econo-
mizer. The main parts of this instrument are a tank or receiver, which is
provided with a water cup in which dips the top cap, forming a hydraulic
valved connection. This capis suspended to the short lever of a beam, resting
on two knife-edged centres, the other or longer branch of which lever bears
a counterpoise weight. By aid of this plate, which can be moved at pleasure
to a greater or less distance from the fulcrum, the pressure of the cap upon
the gas in the apparatus can be reguluted as desired, and hence a defined and
regulated pressure can be uniformly maintained: 'From the centre of this
cap downwards in the: interior of the instrument, I fix a straight rod, which
passes through a plate of metal to guide it and keep it perpendicular. This
rod communicates the movements of the cap to.the valve after described,
by means of the connecting rod a, a beam 6, and a piston rod c. The valve
is placed at the top of the inlet tube by. which the gas is admitted. The
connection between the valve and the cap, as before described, causes the
piston to follow inverse movements to those of the cap, consequently when the

page_text: quantity of gas diminishes in the instrument, which will bring the cap down,
the piston rises, and opening a larger annular aperture at the seat of the valve,
more gas flows into the economizer. On the other hand, when the economizer
is well charged with gas, the cap is pressed upwards, and the piston then acts
to diminish proportionately the aperture above referred to. I should remark
that all the mechanical parts acting in the interior of the economizer are of
such metal or covered with such metal as is not acted upon by gas. I also
have to state that for a greater number of lights I follow the proportionate
increase in the capacity of the instrument in like manner as is practised in the
manufacture of gas moters.
As regards this third part of my Specification, relating to the improvements
in the apparatus for burning gas,
-
I claim as new such parts of the burner described in Chapter I. of the
third part of this Specification and the accompanying Drawings, and the
mode of fixing and moving portions of such parts as enable rich and poor gas
to be burned to the best advantage, as therein described, and the air iegulated
to feed the flame with the minimum of air required, the whole being and
working in connection with the gas economizer lastly described.
I claim also as new the gas stove or calorifier, as described in Chapter II.
of the third part of this Specification and the accompanying Drawings, fitted
with a burner and air regulator, worked as therein described, the whole being
.and working in connection with the ga's ecocomizer lastly described.
I also claim as new, as a separate improvement in theapparatus for burning
gas, such parts of the instrument or gas economizer described in Chapter III.
of the third part of the said Specification and accompanying Drawings, as
consist in the mode of suspending the cap on the knife-edged centres, and in
the machinery which makes the piston rod and valve, as before described,
follow the inverse movements of those of the cap, and thence to keep up an
unvarying and equal supply of gas to the burners, whatever may be the
pressure on the main.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Michiels, have hereunto set
G. (L.S.) MICHIELS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of October, in
-the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Goerge Michiels came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.