IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR ILLUMINATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Whittingham, of Great St. Helen's, in the
City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR ILLUMINATION."-A communication from
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Whittingham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th January 1874.
I, JOHN WHITTINGHAM, of Great St. Helen's, in the City of London,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS FOR ILLUMINATION," to be as
follows:
-

page_text: Secondly. To a novel construction of scrubber in which the gas is
rapidly cooled and cleansed of some of its impurities.
And thirdly. To a novel construction of purifier which admits of the
purifying material when saturated being quickly removed and replaced
by fresh material.
The retorts are made of cylinders of sheet iron lined with cylinders
of fire-brick through the walls of which the tie rods used for securing
the end plates of the retorts pass. The mouth-pieces of the retorts will
Within the retorts are placed cylin-
•
be constructed and fitted as usual.
drical cradles for containing the coal to be distilled. These cradles are
formed of strips of wrought iron arranged somewhat after the manner
of the staves of a barrel or drum, and held together by means of rings
of wrought iron. The cradles are made of such a diameter that they
will fit loosely within the retort, and their ends are closed by a cover.
On the rim of the cradle is formed a segment shaped opening to allow
of the gas which flows out between the joints of the staves finding its
way to the head of the retort and escaping therefrom as usual.
An incidental advantage in the use of these cradles (which serve to
economize the coal) is that after being used for a certain time the iron
will be found to be converted into steel. Thus not only will their cost
be covered by the increased value given to the iron, but the converting
power of the coal (which is now wasted) will be utilized.
The condenser and scrubber consists of an air-tight chamber through
which a series of vertical air channels is formed transversely of the con-
denser, the object being to divide up the external space and to allow
cool atmospheric air to act upon the heated gas within the condenser.
The spaces into which the condenser is divided by means of these
transverse air passages (the length of which is somewhat short of the
width of the condenser) are severally divided up by means of two
vertical partitions. The first of these partitions rises to near the top of
the condenser, and the second reaches down from the top of the con-
denser to near the bottom thereof. The gas to be washed and cooled
enters at one end of the condenser, and by reason of the succession
of partitions contained in the several divisions of the condenser the
gas is compelled to follow a serpentine or zigzag course in reaching the
exit pipe of the condenser. It is also caused to travel round the air
passages which being formed of metal will ensure a rapid extraction of
the heat from the gas.

page_text: Fitted within the several divisions of the condenser is a box or
receptacle with a porous bottom. These boxes are charged with coke
which forms an intercepting filtering medium for the gas. Immediately
above these coke receptacles are pipes for discharging ammoniacal water
thereon, and below one or more of these receptacles at the bottom of
the condenser is a syphon for drawing off the ammoniacal water as it
falls in a shower through the gas. Other liquids may if desired be
thrown into the condenser, or the gas may be caused to mingle with
other gases discharged by jets into the condenser.
The purifier consists of a chamber which is divided by transverse
partitions, such partitions affording alternately a passage for the gas
above and below them. On the top of the chamber is a trough-like
extension, and each division of the chamber is extended upwards by a
lip or flange into the trough. These extensions are intended to receive a
cover which is closed by a water joint, and they are held down in place
by means of cross bars fitting into fixed lugs on the sides of the trough
and carrying clamping screws. In each division of the chamber vertical
guides are provided to receive vessels containing the lime or other
purifying material. These vessels are by preference made in the
following manner :—
A shallow tray of a width sufficient to reach across from one pair of
guides to the other is divided up by transverse plates, and over it is fitted
a cover which is readily detachable therefrom. This tray and its cover are
pierced with holes, and the tray being filled with lime or other suitable
absorbent, the lid is secured in place and the vessel thus charged is
dropped into its place between the guides provided to receive it. When
all the divisions of the purifier are thus charged the gas is admitted at
one end, and on its way through the purifier will be caused to pass
through the purifying material and deliver up its sulphur and other
impurities as is well understood.
The chief advantage of this novel construction of purifier it will be
seen is that trays of the purifying material being kept ready charged
they may be inserted in the purifier in place of the trays containing the
exhausted material with great expedition.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Whittingham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th July 1874.
filed by the said John Whittingham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WHITTINGHAM, of Great St. Helen's, in the City of London, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Whittingham, Her special
licence that I, the said John Whittingham, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Whittingham, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVED APPA-
Ratus for ManufaCTURING GAS FOR ILLUMINATION," being a communication to
me from abroad by J. H. Payne, of Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Whittingham,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe 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 Whittingham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To improved apparatus to be used in the distillation of coal,

page_text: Secondly. To a novel construction of scrubber, in which the gas is
readily cooled and cleansed of some of its impurities.
And thirdly. To a novel construction of purifier which admits of the
purifying material, when saturated, being quickly removed and replaced
by fresh material.
The retorts employed will be cylindrical and constructed and fitted in
any approved manner. Instead of charging the retorts as usual, the
coal to be distilled is placed in cylindrical iron cradles contained in the
retort and extending from end to end thereof, or nearly so.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows in place in the retort a
cradle for containing the charge of coal; Fig. 2 is an end view of tho
same, with the cover removed; and Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal
section showing the cover in place..
The cradle is formed of strips of wrought iron a arranged somewhat
after the manner of the staves of a barrel or drum (but with open joints)
and held together by means of rings 6, b, of wrought iron, the ends of tho
strips being reduced in thickness to form shoulders for the rings to butt
against. The cradle is of such diameter that it will fit loosely within its
retort, and when charged its ends are closed by a cover as at c. On the
rim of the front end of the cradle is formed a segment shaped opening
by the application thereto of a piece of hoop iron d to allow of the gas
which distills off from the charge and flows out between the joints of the
staves, finding its way to the head of the retort and escaping therefrom
as usual. The cradles when placed in the retorts are secured in position
by wedges or bolts passed through the mouth-pieces, one at each side
thercof. By the use of cradles, such as that described, the coal will be
found to yield more than is now obtained, and also about one and a half
hundredweight of coke per ton of coal.
Another advantage incidental to the use of these cradles is, that after
being used for a certain time, say about eighteen days, more or less, the
iron composing the cradles will be found to be converted into steel.
Thus not only will their cost bo covered by the increased value given
to the iron, but the converting power of the coal (which is now wasted)
will be utilized.
The scrubber and condenser which constitutes the second head of the
Invention is shown in plan view at Fig. 4, in longitudinal vertical
section at Fig. 5, and in end view at Fig. 7. It consists of an air-

page_text: tight chamber A of cast or wrought iron, through which a series of
vertical air channels B is formed transversely of the condenser, their
length being somewhat short of the width of the condenser. The object
of this arrangement of air channels is to divide up the external space
and to allow cool atmospheric air to act upon the heated gas admitted to
the condenser. The spaces into which the condenser or scrubber is
divided by means of these transverse air passages are severally divided
up by means of two vertical partitions C and D. The partition C rises
from the floor of the chamber A to near the top of the closed top of the
same; and the partition D reaches down from the top of the chamber
to near the bottom thereof. The gas to be washed and cooled enters
through the pipe E at one end of the condenser, and by reason of the
succession of partitions contained in the several divisions of the con-
denser the gas is compelled to follow a serpentine or zigzag course in
reaching the exit pipe F at the opposite end of the condenser. It is also
caused to travel round the air passages B, which being formed of metal
will ensure a rapid extraction of the heat from the gas.
Fitted within the several divisions of the condenser is a box or
receptacle G with a porous bottom. These boxes are charged through
man-holes in the sides of the condenser with coke which forms an inter-
cepting filtering medium for the gas. Immediately above the coke
receptacles are pipes H for discharging ammoniacal water thereon, and
below one or more of these receptacles at the bottom of the condenser
is a syphon I (see Fig. 6) for drawing-off into a closed channel K the
ammoniacal water as it falls in a shower through the ascending gas.
Other liquids may if desired be thrown into the condenser, or the gas
may be caused to mingle with other gases discharged by jets into the
condenser.
The purifier which constitutes the third head of the Invention is shown
in longitudinal vertical section at Fig. 7, in sectional plan view at Fig. 8,
and in transverse vertical section at Fig. 9. It consists of a chamber L
of cast or wrought iron which is divided by transverse partitions M, N,
such partitions affording alternately a passage for the gas above and
below them. On the top of the chamber is a trough-like extension L',
and each division of the chamber is extended upwards by a lip or flange
I into the trough. These extensions are intended to receive a cover O,
which is closed by a water joint, and they are held down in place (gunny
bags or other suitable packing being interposed between them and the

page_text: mouths of the chamber) by means of clamping screws fitted to cross
bars P, the ends of which enter fixed lugs Q, Q, on the sides of the
trough, such clamping screws bearing upon blocks of wood interposed
between them and the covers O. In each division of the chambers vertical
guides S, S, are provided to receive vessels T containing the lime or
other purifying material.
These vessels are by preference made in the following manner :-A
shallow metal tray of a width sufficient to reach across from one pair of
guides to the other, and equal in length to the depth of the chamber is
divided up by transverse plates into, say four compartments. Upon this
tray is fitted a metal cover which is readily detachable therefrom to
allow of access thereto. The trays and their covers are formed of
pierced plates and the trays are made about four inches deep. When
the tray is filled with lime or other suitable absorbent, the lid is secured
in place by pins passing through lugs which are rivetted to the tray
and project through slots made for them in the perforated cover. The
porous vessels T when charged with lime or other purifying material are
dropped into their places between the guides S. When all the divisions
of the purifier are thus charged the gas is admitted at one end by the
pipe U, and on its way through the purifier to the discharge pipe V will
be caused to percolate through the purifying material and yield up its
sulphur and other impurities as in the ordinary dry lime purifier.
The chief advantage of this novel construction of purifier is that
it admits of rapid renewal trays of the purifying material being kept
ready charged to take the place of the trays containing the exhausted
material.
The purifier is like the scrubber fitted with syphon pipes as at W,
Figures 8 and 9, for drawing off any water of condensation that may
have come over with the gas.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved
Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas for Illumination," as communicated
to me from abroad; and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The use of the cradle as described for containing the charge of
coal to be distilled.

page_text: Secondly. The scrubber and condenser constructed and operating as
described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6, of the Drawing.
Lastly. The improved purifier, as described with reference to Figures
7, 8, and 9, of the Drawing, which admits of the rapid replacement of
the saturated material by fresh purifying material.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Whittingham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.