AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING LIGHTING
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Amédée Sirié, of Paris (France), Gentleman,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING LIGHTING
"
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 28th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Amédée Sirié at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th March 1877.
CHARLES AMEDÉE SIRIE, of Paris (France), Gentleman.
APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING LIGHTING GAS."
"AN IMPROVED
According to my present Invention I construct a carburetting apparatus for
lighting gas as follows:-A rectangular metal box or casing is closed at top by a
cover, from the inner face of which project one or more transverse ribs extending
about half way down into the casing, so as to divide this into two or more compart-
ments communicating with each other at bottom. The casing is partially filled
with carburetting liquid, by preference a mixture of about one part of petroleum to
4 parts of benzine, the level of the liquid being maintained slightly below the
lower edge of the partitions.
In the compartments are placed vertical light metal frames, extending from the
bottom of the casing to near the top thereof, round which frames are wound lengths
of cotton wick, which are consequently partially immersed in the liquid, so that the
upper part thereof will be kept saturated with liquid by capillary attraction.
The illuminating gas to be carburetted is introduced through a pipe into the one
end compartment, the inlet pipe being made to extend down inside the casing
between the layers of cotton wick, where it terminates above the level of the liquid
in a T shaped head having small perforations, through which the gas issues into the
casing among the layers of cotton wick. As the small perforations offer a certain
resistance to the flow of the gas, its pressure inside the casing will be somewhat lower
than that in the supply pipe, whereby owing to the dilation of the gas, this will be
prevented from taking up excess of hydrocarbon vapour, as is the case when the
pressure in the carburetter is equal to that in the supply pipe.
The gas rising from the inlet pipe passes among the saturated cotton wick to the
pass below
space at top of the first compartment whence it is made to descend, and to

page_text: the lower edge of the partition among the frames of cotton wick in the second com-
partment, and after rising to the top of this it passes in like manner to the third
compartment, and so on, escaping eventually in the required carburetted state to
the burners through the outlet pipe in the last compartment. The bottom of the
casing slopes from either side towards a channel in the middle leading to a cock, 5
through which the liquid can be drawn off when required, and raised fillets are
formed on the bottom of the casing on which the cotton wick frames stand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Amédée Sirié in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
September 1877.
CHARLES AMEDÉE SIRIE, of Paris (France), Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING LIGIITING GAS."
According to my present Invention I construct a carburetting apparatus for
lighting gas as follows:-A rectangular metal box or casing is closed at top by a
cover, from the inner face of which project one or more transvorse ribs extending
about half way down into the casing, so as to divide this into two or more compart-
ments communicating with each other at bottom. The casing is partially filled
with carburetting liquid, by preference a mixture of about one part of petroleum to
4 parts of benzine, the level of the liquid being maintained slightly below the lower
edge of the partitions.
In the compartments are placed vertically light metal frames extending from
the bottom of the casing to near the top thereof, round which frames are wound
longths of cotton wick, which are consequently partially immersed in the liquid,
so that the upper part thereof will be kept saturated with liquid by capillary
attraction.
The illuminating gas to be carburetted is introduced through a pipe into the one
end compartment, the inlet pipe being made to extend down inside the casing
between the layers of cotton wick, where it terminates above the level of the liquid
in a T shaped head, having small perforations through which the gas issues into the
casing among the layers of cotton wick. As the small perforations offer a certain
resistance to the flow of the gas, its pressure inside the casing will be somewhat lower
than that in the supply pipe, whereby owing to the dilation of the gas this will be
provented from taking up excess of hydrocarbon vapour, as is the case when the
pressure in the carburetter is equal to that in the supply pipe.
The gas rising from the inlet pipe passes among the saturated cotton wick to the
space at top of the first compartment, whence it is made to descend, and to pass
below the lower edge of the partition among the frames of cotton wick in the
second compartment, and after rising to the top of this it passes in like manner to
the third compartment, and so on, escaping eventually in the required carburetted
state to the burners through the outlet pipe in the last compartment. The bottom
of the casing slopes from either side towards a channel in the middle leading
to a cock, through which the liquid can be drawn off when required, and raised
fillets are formed on the bottom of the casing on which the cotton wick frames
stand.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: projecting partitions f, which, in extending down some distance into the casing,
divides this into three compartments communicating with each other at bottom.
The casing is filled to within a short distance of the lower edges of the partitions
with carburetting liquid, by preference a mixture of petroleum and benzine, in the
proportions of % of the latter to /, of the former, though these proportions may be
varied.
The bottom of the vessel is formed with an incline in the direction of its
length from the right-hand to the left-hand end, and also in a transverse direction
from each side towards the middle, forming a gutter leading to the cock p, through
which the liquid can be entirely run off when desired for cleaning the apparatus.
The gas enters by the pipe t which passes through a stuffing box in the cover and
ends in a piece having small perforations, through which the gas enters the
casing, and it escapes from the latter after having been carburetted through the
pipe leading to the burner. The inlet and the outlet pipes are provided with
cocks,, for regulating the passage of the gas to and from the carburetter.
In each of the compartments of the casing formed by the partitions is placed
a metal frame g, shown in plan at Fig. 4, round which is wound cotton wick. The
lower part of the frames and cotton wicks being immersed in the carburetting
liquid, the upper part thereof will also be kept saturated with the liquid by capillary
attraction, so that the gas issuing from the tube t, and rising to the top of the first
compartiment, in being brought into close contact with the saturated wick will
become impregnated to a certain extent with the liquid. From the top of the first
compartment the gas descends to the space between the first partition and the
level of the liquid, and in rising into the second compartment it is again brought
into close contact with the saturated cotton wick. In like manner the gas passes
from the second to the third compartment, and eventually arrives at the outlet t¹ in
the required carburetted state. The frames g rest at bottom upon fillets & formed on
the bottom of the casing. Owing to the resistance offered to the passage of the
gas by the smallness of the perforations of the T pipe, the gas enters the carburetter
at a lower pressure than that which exists in the pipe t, whereby the absorption by
it of the vapour of the carburetting liquid is facilitated. The liquid is introduced
into the vessel through the stoppered hole h, a glass gauge being provided at k for
observing the level of the liquid therein.
The apparatus may be provided with a regulator of any known construction for
maintaining a constant pressure of the gas therein.
The casing may be provided with a greater or less number of compartments and
franes with wick than that shewn on the Drawings.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim the before-described improved construction of car-
buretting apparatus, wherein the gas is caused to enter at a reduced pressure through
a perforated pipe among cotton wick saturated with carburetting liquid wound upon
metal frames, partitions being provided for separating the frames from each other,
so as to cause the gas to pass in close contact with the saturated wick on each frame
before escaping through the outlet, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Amédée Sirié, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
0
CH. ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
23, Bd de Strasbourg,
à Paris.
C. A. SIRIE. (L,S.)