IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, Patent Agent,
of 16, Castle Street, Holborn (City), London, and of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris, Empire of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS."-A communi-
cation
Sealed the 30th January 1855, and dated the 2nd December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd December 1854.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, Patent Agent, of 16, Castle
Street, Holborn (City), London, and now of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris,
Empire of France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS" to
be as follows:-
--My-Invention relates to apparatus in which combustible gas is produced by
the decomposition of aqueous vapour by carbonaceous matter heated to a
suitable temperature in retorts.
The longitudinal form of the retorts I prefer is somewhat similar to a
letter T inverted, -the-carbonaceous matter being introduced through the

page_text: vertical branch, which is closed by a cover formed by an inverted cup dipping
into a cistern containing water, which cistern also serves as a boiler for the
supply of aqueous vapour. The vertical part of the retort also forms a
reservoir for the supply of carbonaceous matter to the horizontal or decom-
posing portion of the retort, at one end of which is fitted a rammer or plunger,
moved by a screw, so that the carbonaceous matter can as it falls down be
pushed forwards towards the other end of the retort, by which means it may
be kept constantly filled, or nearly so, with carbonaceous matter, heated to a
suitable temperature for the decomposition of the vapour. Several such
retorts may be set over and heated by one furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent; filed by
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 32, Essex, Strand, London, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant-unto me, the
said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, Her special licence that I, the said
Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, 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:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of that description of combustible
gas commonly known as "water gas," which is generated by decomposing
water, steam, or aqueous vapeur in closed vessels or retorts filled with coke,
charcoal, or other similar carbonaceous matter, heated to a bright red heat.
The gases obtained by this process are well known to be hydrogen and car-
bonic oxide, largely mixed with carbonic acid gas, which latter, being an
incombustible gas, materially diminishes the heating and lighting properties
of the other two gases, and it must therefore be separated or removed from
them by suitable means before they can be used to the best advantage as
heating or luminiferous agents.
My improvements consist principally in a combination and arrangement of
boilers and retorts, by which the supply of steam or aqueous vapour to the
retorts may be rendered nearly uniform and self-acting, instead of being
regulated, as hitherto, by cocks or valves; and the coke, charcoal, or other
carbonaceous matter contained in the retorts may be heated to a higher
temperature, and be more thouroughly exposed to the action of the steam, than
is the case in any of the systems by which water gas is now manufactured.
By these means the gas is produced at a cheaper rate, and in a purer state,
and the quantity of carbonic acid gas generated is materially diminished. The
apparatus I prefer to use for the manufacture of water gas is shewn by the
annexed Drawing, in which' Fig. 1 represents a cross section, and Fig. 2 a
longitudinal section, of a furnace with retorts suited to the production of
hydrocarbon or luminiferous water gas. A, A, A, A, are four horizontal water
decomposing retorts, each of them being provided with a vertical branch B,
through which the supply of coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous matter
suited for the decomposition of water is from time to time introduced, as re-
quired. C is a moveable piston or rammer, by which the contents of the body
of the retort are occasionally pushed backwards while the retort is in action,
the tendency of this movement being to keep the back part of the retort full
of carbonaceous matter, and to break it up and expose fresh surfaces-to-
the action of the steam. This piston or rammer is moved backward and
forward by a screw passing through an air-tight stuffing box D, formed in the
lid of the retort; it is guided by two small angular ribs, cast on the interior
surface of the mouth of the retort. T is a moveable perforated iron plate;

page_text: fitting into the interior of the retort, to retain the coke or charcoal within the
heated portion thereof. The mouths of the horizontal ènds of the retorts are
closed by suitable lids or covers, and secured by cross bars, screws, and bolts,
in the manner usually practised with retorts used for the production of gas.
The open vertical branch B of each retort passes through and is securely
jointed and cemented in the bottom of the wrought-iron cistern E, which
cistern answers the double purpose of a boiler for the supply of steam to the
retorts, and of a hydraulic sealing cup for preventing the escape of gas from
the retorts. F is the water supply pipe, communicating with a larger cistern,
the water in which must be maintained at a uniform level by any suitable
means; G is a cock for stopping off the water supply whenever necessary;
His a moveable inverted cover, the sides of which dip into the water
contained in the boiler E, and all steam generated under the cover will
consequently pass into the retorts A, A, A, A., This cover is held down in
its place by straps or other suitable means, and may be raised when necessary
by a counterpoise attached to a chain passing over one or more pullies.
. I, I, I, I, are lids or covers, fitted with cross bars and screws, for closing the
apertures on the top of the inverted cover, through which apertures the retorts
are supplied with coke or charcoal; K is a moveable funnel, for facilitating the
introduction of the charge into the retort; L, L, are waste steam cocks, for
allowing of the escape of steam from each compartment of the inverted cover,
should it ever be generated in larger quantities than the retorts are capable of
decomposing. The gases generated in the retorts A, A, A, A, are conducted in
the usual manner by pipes to the hydraulic main M, and are subsequently
passed through a condenser or cooler (so as to remove the excess of steam)
into a gas-holder. When gas is required for heating purposes only, the process
may be stopped at this point; but when gas is required for giving light, the
mixed water gases must be deprived of carbonic acid, by passing them through a
_heated retort or retorts containing coke, charcoal, or other similar carbonaceous
matter (by which process carbonic acid gas is converted into carbonic oxide
gas), and subsequently through another heated retort or retorts,-in-which-coal,
cannel, bituminous shale or schist, asphalte, lignite, resinous earth, or other
similar substances or mixtures of the same, are undergoing distillation; or in
which tar, melted resin, resin oil, oils, fatty liquids, or other liquid or fusible
hydro-carbons, are undergoing decomposition. The quantity of the mixture of
hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases employed must depend upon the richness
of-the-coal-or-other-carbonaceous_material undergoing decomposition, and
on the illuminating power of the gas required to be produced. N and O are

page_text: the retorts provided for converting the carbonic acid gas into carbonic oxide
gas, and for rendering the non-illuminating water gases luminiferous. The
retort N is charged with coke, charcoal, or other similar carbonaceous matter,
and the mixed gases generated in the retorts A, A, A, A, and, deprived by
condensation of their excess of steam, as before described, are conveyed by a
pipe from the water gas gas-holder, and admitted into one end of this retort.
It is convenient to put a gas-holder in communication with the pipe which
conveys the mixture of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carbonic acid gases
to the retort N, so as to equalize any irregularity in the production of the
said gases, as the gas-holder will receive any temporary excess, or supply
any temporary deficiency in their production. The quantity of gas supplied
to the retort N may be regulated by an accurately adjusted stop-cock.or
valve. The retorts N and O are connected together by the pipe P, at the
ends opposite to those at which the gas enters the retort N, and makes its
exit from the retort O. The mouths of these retorts are closed with lids and
covers, and secured by cross bars and screws, in the usual manner practised
with gas retorts. The gas is conveyed from the retort O by the rising
pipe Q to the hydraulic main R, and is subsequently condensed and purified,.
and may be burnt in the usual manner. The mode of setting the retorts and
of constructing the furnaces for heating them is well known to gas engineers,
and need not be more particularly described. The number of water gas
generating retorts to each furnace may be increased or diminished, according
to the quantity and quality of the gas required to be produced.
The apparatus is used in the following manner :-The boiler E is first
partially filled with water, and the water supply cock G is closed; the
furnace fire is then lighted, and the heating continued till the.retorts have
acquired a temperature sufficient to fuse copper; the retorts A, A, A, A, are
then filled with coke, charcoal, or other similar carbonaceous matter, broken
into pieces of about the size of a pigeon's egg. If coke is used, I prefer that
description obtained from coal that does not fuse in the process of cooking,
and which somewhat resembles charcoal in its structure. When the charcoal
or coke in the retorts A, A, A, A, is well ignited, the lid or cover S is
securely fixed, and the inverted moveable cover H is lowered into its place in
the boiler and fastened down, the four lids or doors I, I, I, I, having been-
previously securely fixed thereon. The two waste steam cocks L are then
closed, and the water supply cock G is opened; the retort N must then be.
charged with coke, charcoal, or other similar carbonaceous matter, and the
retort O also charged with cannel or other rich bituminous, coal, and the

page_text: covers or lids of both retorts are then securely fixed on. The cock or valve.
for regulating the admission of the mixed gases produced by the water-
generating retorts to retort N may then be opened, and the process continued.
till the charges are exhausted, when they must be withdrawn and fresh
charges introduced, care being taken to close the regulating cock or valve,
before mentioned, whenever the retorts N and O have to be charged or
discharged. The piston or rammer C of each of the retorts A, A, A, A, must
be sent forward at intervals while they are in action, so as to push the coke
or charcoal to the back end of the retorts, and thereby keep them as well
filled as possible. These retorts must be maintained at a uniform temperature,
not below the fusing point of copper, as I have found that the quantity of
carbonic acid gas generated is considerably increased if a lower temperature
is employed. The charges of coke or charcoal when exhausted are replaced
by fresh charges introduced into the retorts through the vertical branches B.
About twenty pounds (20 lbs.) of dry charcoal or twenty-five (25 lbs.) of
good coke will be required for each one thousand (1,000) feet of gas produced
in the water. gas generating retorts, and it may be 'introduced through the
apertures in the inverted cover II without disturbing the cover itself, the piston
or rammer being constantly used while the operation of charging is going
forward, so as to force the coke or charcoal as it falls down to the back end of
the retort. The lid or cover S need only be taken off occasionally to remove
the earthy residue left in the retort after the carbon of the coke or charcoal
is driven off.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise forms, dimensions, or details herein shown and described,
so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained; but what I
claim is,-
.
First, the application of_inverted covers dipping into bydraulic lutes or cups
for closing the mouths of retorts or other vessels used in the manufacture of
combustible gas by the decomposition of water, steam, or aqueous vapour.
Second, the combination, arrangement, and application of a boiler and
apparatus for supplying steam to retorts used in the manufacture of combustible
water gas, substantially as in the manner herein-before described.
Third, the application of a piston or rammer to retorts or other close vessels
used in the manufacture of combustible water gas, for the purpose of moving
and agitating their contents:--
Fourth, the combination, arrangement; and application of apparatus for the

page_text: manufacture of combustible water gas in retorts having three mouths, two of
which mouths serve for charging and discharging the matter used for the
decomposition of the steam, and the third for agitating and moving the said
matter, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
A. E. LORADOUX BELLFORD.
(L.S.)