IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Roswell Sabine Ripley, of No. 8, New Inn, Wych Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING
AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William Harkness,
of the City of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 17th September 1878, and dated the 23rd May 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Roswell Sabine Ripley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1878.
.
ROSWELL SABINE RIPLEY, of No. 8, New Inn, Wych Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR HEATING AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication
from abroad by William Harkness, of the City of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention has for its object the production of heating or other gas by
passing steam mingled with air through burning or incandescent coal, coke, char-
coal, or other materials, or by passing alternately or in reciprocal succession steam
and air through burning or incandescent coal, coke, charcoal, or other materials,
thus securing not only the resulting gases from the decomposition of the steam, but
also the gases derived from the combustion of the coal or other materials, together
with those produced by the decomposition of the air, these combined gases being
obtained at a trifling cost.
To accomplish this result apparatus is provided such as is shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical central section on line x, x, of Figure 2; Figure 2 is top
plan view; and Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus partly in section.
First. A steam boiler is provided, which may be of the upright style, or any
other most convenient for the purpose; one or more generators or decomposing
furnaces are also provided, which, as shewn by the Drawings, are upright and of
conical form, with octagon or other suitable bases. The generator is provided with
"

page_text: a furnace A, chamber B, and coil H, and is of considerable height, with a fire-grate
or grate bars m at the base, and an ash-pit underneath. At the bottom of the
generator there is an opening and mouth-piece receiving a lid c like a gas retort,
and so constructed that it may be clamped and rendered steam, gas, and air tight.
A similar lid a is
This aperture is located below or over the grate bars m.
arranged to close an opening near the top, and another b to close a hand hole in
the chamber B. The valve or cock C in the smoke pipe D is used for closing the
same, thus rendering the generator steam, gas, and air tight. Each generator is
connected with a steam boiler by a pipe d, having a branch e entering the top of
the chamber B. Another branch & enters the furnace A above the incandescent
mass, and a branch ƒ enters the space under the grate bars. These pipes and
branches are provided with suitable valves or cocks, by which to shut off or let on
the steam, through either at will, so as to cause the steam to enter the chamber B,
the furnace A, or the base of the generator, as may be desired. A pipe g is also
provided, which connects with the coil H around the furnace A, and with
branches j, o, and 2, for the purpose of heating and introducing air into the
chamber B, the furnace A, and the base of the generator. The pipe g and its
branches are provided with suitable valves for shutting off or letting on the air at
will. The coil H around the furnace A is covered with a shield L for the purpose
of retaining the heat radiated from the furnace A, securing a more elevated tempe-
rature of the air. The air is injected, forced, or passed into the coil H in any con-
venient way. The coil H may be located as shown by the Drawings, or may be
placed inside the generator around the linings.
It is evident that the air may be heated in a chamber connected with the
furnace A or in a chamber located above or below the chamber B, or by some other
method instead of using a coil of pipe. The pipe with its branches i and n is
also provided for connecting the chamber B with the furnace A. The pipe kis
provided with suitable valves for turning off or letting on the mingled air and
steam.
The pipe F with its branch P is furnished for conveying the gases resulting from
the combustion of the coal, together with those from the decomposed air, to the gas
holder to the furnace A, or to the fire-chamber of the steam boiler, or otherwise.
The pipe F is used only when air and steam in reciprocal succession are passed into
the generator. The air is admitted either into the chamber B or into the furnace A
above the incandescent mass, or at the base under the grate bars m, as desired.
The pipe E is the outlet of the generator for the escape of gas to the hydraulic
main.
The process of forming the gas is as follows:-A fire being kindled in the
generators, the draft being open, the furnace A is partially or nearly filled with
coal or other suitable materials, the fire is allowed to burn until the mass of coal or
materials is heated to redness on the top, when the lower door or lid c is closed
and rendered gas-tight by luting or otherwise. Steam is then admitted from the
This
boiler. through the pipe d and its branches f into the base of the generator.
is done for the purpose of ascertaining if the burning or incandescent mass be of a
proper temperature and condition, and also for discharging the air from the
generator. As soon as this is ascertained the upper lid b is luted on and the
valve C in sınoke pipe D is closed. The valve in the branch f of the pipe d
having been closed the valves in the pipe d and in the pipe g are opened, thus
admitting heated air and steam into the chamber B; and the valve in the pipe k
being opened, the mingled air and steam are admitted into the furnace A above the
burning or incandescent carbon. The air and steam percolate down through the
carbon, and the resulting gases pass out at the base of the generator through pipe E
As the mingled air and steam pass through the burning or incandescent mass the
oxygen of the air keeps up the combustion of the coal, and thus sustains a proper
temperature to ensure the decomposition of the steam until the entire mass of
carbon becomes nearly exhausted or absorbed. Thus the manufacture of gas is
rendered continuous, during the entire period of exhausting the coal or other

page_text: materials to such a degree as to render it insufficient for the decomposition of
steam. Or the steam and air may alternately or in reciprocal succession be allowed
to pass into the generator, that is to say, steam may be allowed to flow into the
generator for the period of twenty minutes, more or less, when it is turned off and
air is allowed to pass into the generator and to flow until the heated or burning
mass is brought again to a sufficiently high temperature to decompose steam; the
air being then shut off steam is again admitted, and thus the operation is continued
until the mass of coal or other materials have been so nearly exhausted or absorbed
as to be insufficient for the decomposition of steam. The gases resulting from the
combustion of the coal or other materials and of the air all pass to the gas holder.
If the air is admitted at the top of the generator the resulting gases will pass out
at the base through the pipe E; but should there be more of these gases than it is
desirable to send to the gas holder, the valve in the pipe E may be closed, and the
valves in the pipe F and its branch P opened to allow the gases to pass to the
furnace of the boilor for the purpose of steam making or to bo applied to other
uses. If the air is admitted at the base of the generator the valve in the branch P
of the pipe F being opened, and the valve in pipe F being closed, the gases will pass
through the branch P and down the pipe F to the pipe E, the valve of which being
opened allows the gases to pass to the gas holder. When the desired quantity of
gas has passed to the holder the valve in the pipe E is closed and valve in the pipe
F opened, and the gases are as before carried to any place desired.
During the operation of exhausting or absorbing the coal or other materials the
generators are continuously closed, thus saving the resulting gases, not only those
from the decomposition of the steam and air, but those from the combustion of the
coal, &c.
It is evident that if steam is allowed to pass, even for a limited length of time,
through burning or incandescent coal contained in an air-tight generator, the
capacity of the coal for decomposing steam will be somewhat diminished; but if at
this juncture air is admitted and passed through the coal it will be brought back
to its original temperature or incandescent state.
By the above processes heating gas can be produced of a calorific power sufficient
for all purposes for which fuel is used, and the gas can be made very rapidly and
at a very low cost. The generators when the coal has been exhausted are refilled,
and the operation continued as before.
It is evident that the chamber B may be made and placed as shown by the
Drawings, or located in some other part of the generator, or made separately and
connected thereto by pipes.
In practice the generators may conveniently be made from four to ten feet high,
and from twenty-four to sixty inches in internal diaineter, and they are lined with
fire-brick or other suitable materials. The generators can be made of wrought or
cast iron, clay, fixed carbon, or other suitable materials.
It is evident that the resulting gases from the decomposition of steam can be
diluted to any calorific power desired, and when that calorific power has been
obtained the remaining dilutent gases may be carried to the boiler for steam
making.
I do not claim the diluting of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, except when carried
out by the means and process substantially as above described, one condition of my
process being the passing of air, heated or otherwise, and steam, in conjunction or
separately, into an air-tight generator containing burning or incandescent coal or
other materials.
The coil of pipe employed to heat the air may be placed around the outside of
furnace A, or around or in the lining of the furnace as necessity requires.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I claim,-
First. The process of manufacturing combustible gas, consisting in uniting or
mingling air, heated or otherwise, with steam, and passing the same through

page_text: burning or incandescent coal, coke, charcoal, or other similar materials, for the
purposes and substantially as herein described.
Second. The process of alternately or in reciprocal succession passing steam and
air, heated or otherwise, into an air-tight generator, furnace, retort, or vessel con-
taining burning or incandescent coal, coke, charcoal, or other similar materials for
the purpose of gas making, substantially as herein set forth and described.
Third. The process, consisting in passing air, heated or otherwise, into an air-
tight generator, furnace, oven, retort, or vessel containing burning or incandescent
coal, coke, charcoal, or other materials of similar nature for the purpose of keeping
up the continuous combustion of the materials and utilization of waste gases, sub-
stantially as herein described.
Fourth. The process herein described of diluting the resulting gases from the
decomposition of steam to any degree of calorific power desired, producing a heating
gas or gaseous fuel adapted to all purposes for which fuel is used, as herein set forth
and described.
Fifth. An upright generator of conical form with suitable base, provided with a
decomposing furnace A, chamber B, grate bars m, smoke stack D, having valve for
closing the same, a mouth or door above and below, hand hole in chamber B, with
lids c, a, and b respectively, a coil H and shield L, the whole constructed to operate
as shown and described.
Sixth. In combination with the generator the pipes d, g, k, F, and E, with their
branches provided with suitable valves, and arranged to operate as set forth and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Roswell Sabine Ripley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 29th day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand