IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Williams Box of Crayford in the County of
Kent and George Waller of Holland Street Southwark in the County of
Surrey for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE
PURIFICATION OF GAS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Williams Box and
George Waller at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
13th March 1883.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS Box of Crayford in the County of Kent, and GEORGE
"IMPROVEMENTS
WALLER of Holland Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey
IN APPARATUS USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS,"
•
This invention has for its object the construction of apparatus technically known
as "scrubber washers" for removing ammonia, tar, and other impurities from coal
gas, and is based upon one for which Letters Patent N° 4262 dated September 7.
1882 were granted.
The present invention consists of a cylindrical or polygonal case placed
horizontally, with vertical ends, and is divided internally by vertical diaphragms
or partitions into any convenient number of chambers. Within the case and
somewhat above its axis there is a hollow, slotted, polygonal cast iron shaft having
diaphragms corresponding with each alternate diaphragm in the case, and supported
by a suitable bearing at the back end thereof, while the front end is also supported
by a bearing, and being there reduced in diameter passes through a stuffing box
and projects sufficiently for the attachment of gear by which the shaft is made to
revolve. Each of the vertical diaphragms or partitions has an orifice to allow of
the shaft passing through it, and at each part of the shaft where it passes through
a partition, it is turned, and fitted with bored iron collars made in two halves and
bolted to the partition plates. Care is taken that these parts are so well fitted as
to prevent gas from flowing from one compartment to the other excepting through
the hollow shaft. On the shaft in each chamber are fixed two discs of iron or
other suitable material, made in segments and secured together. The discs are also

page_text: secured together by radial plates extending from near the periphery of the case to
the shaft thus forming as many pockets as there are sides to the shaft. In each
pocket there are a great number of wooden sticks, or tubes of metal or other
suitable material, either plain or perforated with holes or slots, and these sticks
rods, or tubes are kept in position by one or more perforated plates of wood or
metal. Two long screws attached to the hollow shaft with plates and nuts across
the sticks or tubes, at the periphery of each segment secure the contents of each
division. The exterior case is provided, at intervals and alternating in position,
with man holes, through which the clusters of sticks or tubes, discs, and radial
plates can be removed, and on the top half of each collar being released and the
stuffing box plate taken off, the hollow shaft can be withdrawn, so that the whole
of the interior fittings can be removed and replaced without disturbing the case.
The first and last chambers have each a branch, the one serving as a gas inlet, and
the other as a gas outlet. The intermediate chambers are connected in pairs by
bent pipes, or by passages cast on the casing. Both the passages and branches have
. oblong openings to the chambers so as to more effectually distribute the gas into
the pockets of sticks or tubes. In order that the liquor and tarry matter may pass
from one chamber to the next there is fixed outside the bottom of each chamber a
pipe which is connected to the next chamber at its appropriate liquor level, thus
causing the tarry substance to rise and pass from chamber to chamber instead of
settling at the bottom of each. Provision is made at the bottom of each pipe for
drawing off the tar should any remain, and for cleaning the said pipes whenever
required.
'
Instead of using wooden sticks or ordinary tubes as before described sheet metal
tubes with a longitudinal slit and with or without closed ends may be employed.
In either case a much larger wetted surface is exposed to the gas, while those with
closed ends act as buckets to raise the liquid which on falling not only divides the
gas into numerous streams, but washes it at the same time.
Apparatus such as is before described can be made with any convenient number
of chambers and two or more of such apparatus may be connected together and
driven at the same or at various speeds.
The action of the apparatus is as follows. Water or other liquid being supplied
to the apparatus through a suitable inlet, the hollow shaft is caused to rotate and
the whole of the exposed surfaces of the discs, sticks, rods or tubes are consequently
immersed in the liquid at every revolution and becomes wetted thereby, and as the
gas on entering by the gas inlet is compelled to pass over, around, and between
the sticks or tubes and through the pocket and hollow shaft before it can pass
into the next chamber it must of necessity undergo much washing and scrubbing.
A repetition of this action and treatment in the several chambers of the apparatus
makes the process complete and ensures the reinoval of the ammonia and some of
the other impurities

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Williams Box and George Waller in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th September 1883.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS Box of Crayford in the County of Kent, and GEORGE
WALLER of Holland Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS
This invention has for its object the construction of apparatus technically
known as "scrubber washers" for removing ammonia, tar and other impurities
from coal gas, and is based upon one for which Letters Patent N° 4262 dated
September 7. 1882 were granted.
The present invention is exhibited on the drawings attached hereto. Fig 1
shows the apparatus partly in side elevation, and partly in longitudinal sectional
elevation. Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one of the tubes with a
slit Z and closed ends, and Fig 3 is a cross section of the same, and are drawn to
a larger scale than the other Figs.-Fig 4 is in part a plan and in part a sectional
plan of the apparatus, and Fig 5 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same.
In each of the Figs similar letters refer to the same parts.
It will be seen that the apparatus consists of a cylindrical or polygonal case A,
placed horizontally with vertical ends B and C and is divided internally by vertical
diaphragms or partitions D, D, into any convenient number of chambers E, E,
Within the case and somewhat above its axis there is a hollow slotted polygonal
cast iron shaft F having diaphragms G corresponding with each alternate
diaphragm D in the case, and supported by a suitable bearing at the back end
thereof at C, while the front end B is also supported by a bearing and being there
reduced in diameter passes through a stuffing box H and projects sufficiently for
the attachment of gear by which the shaft is made to revolve. Each of the vertical
diaphragms or partitions D has an orifice to allow of the shaft passing through it,
and at each part of the shaft where it passes through a partition it is turned and
fitted with bored iron collars I, I, made in two halves and bolted to the partition
plates D.-Care is taken that these parts are so well fitted as to prevent gas from
flowing from one compartment to the other excepting through the hollow shaft F.
On the shaft in each chamber are fixed two discs J J of iron, or other suitable
material, made in segments and secured together. The discs are also secured
together by radial plates extending from near the inner circumference of the case
to the shaft thus forming as many pockets as there are sides to the shaft. In
each pocket there are a great number of wooden sticks, or tubes of metal, or other
suitable material, either plain or perforated with slots or holes, and these sticks
rods or tubes K are kept in position by one or more perforated plates of wood or
metal. Two long screws L attached to the hollow shaft with plates and nuts M
across the sticks or tubes at the periphery of each segment secure the contents of
each division. The exterior case is provided with man holes N through which the
clusters of sticks, or tubes, discs and radial plates can be removed, and on the top
half of each collar I. being released and the stuffing box plate O taken off, the
hollow shaft F can be withdrawn so that the whole of the interior fittings can be
removed and replaced without disturbing the case. The first and last chambers
have each a branch, the one P serving as a gas inlet, and the other Q as a gas
outlet. The intermediate chambers are connected in pairs by bent pipes, or by
passages R cast on the casing, or through openings formed in each alternate
diaphragm D. Both the passages and branches have oblong openings to the
chambers so as to more effectually distribute the gas into the pockets of sticks or
tubes. In order that the liquor and tarry matter may pass from one chamber to
the next there is placed outside near the bottom of each chamber a pipe S which

page_text: is connected to the next chamber at its appropriate liquor level, thus causing the
tarry substance to rise and pass from chamber to chamber instead of settling at
the bottom of each. Provision is made at the bottom of each chamber for drawing
off the tar by the pipes a a, should any remain and for cleaning them whenever
required. The tar so drawn off may fall into a tank T and be conveyed away by
the pipe U to any suitable receptacle.-W is a liquid overflow tap to which a pipe
may be attached for conducting away the superfluous liquid.
Instead of using wooden sticks or ordinary tubes as before described sheet
metal tubes with a horizontal slit as shown in Fig 2 with or without closed ends
may be employed. In either case a much larger wetted surface is exposed to
the gas, while those with closed ends act as buckets to raise the liquid
which on falling not only divides the gas into numerous streams but washes it at
the same time.
Apparatus such as is before described can be made with any convenient number
of chambers and two or more of such apparatus may be connected together, and
driven at the same, or at various speeds.
The action of the apparatus is as follows.-Water or other liquid being supplied
to the apparatus through a suitable inlet X, the hollow shaft is caused to rotate
and the whole of the exposed surfaces of the discs, sticks, rods or tubes are
consequently immersed in the liquid at every revolution and becomes wetted
thereby, and as the gas on entering by the gas inlet is compelled to pass over,
around, and between the sticks or tubes and through the pocket and hollow shaft
by the openings Y, Y, before it can pass into the next chamber, it must of necessity
undergo much washing and scrubbing. A repetition of this action and treatment
in the several chambers of the apparatus makes the process complete and ensures
the removal of the ammonia and some of the other impurities.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
would observe in conclusion that we do not confine or restrict ourselves to the
precise details or arrangements which we have described or referred to as
variations may be made therefrom, without deviating from the principles or
main features of this invention, but what we consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is.
Firstly. The construction and use of scrubber washers each having a hollow
shaft with slots or openings Y, Y, and diaphragms G as herein described and shown
on the drawings.
Secondly. The collars I, I, made in halves as herein described and shown on the
drawings
Thirdly. The tubes K, and the arrangement of the sticks or tubes in clusters of
a segmental form, as herein described and shown on the drawings.
Fourthly. The arrangement of the pipes S. S as herein described and shown on
the drawings, and
Fifthly. The general arrangement and combination of the various parts, as
herein described and shown on the drawings.
In witness whereof we the said William Williams Box and George Waller
have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twelfth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.