IMPROVED APPARATUS For THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS For THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS."
A communication from abroad by A. Wittamer, of Antwerp, Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF ILLUMINATING GAS." [A communication from abroad by A. Wittamer, of
Antwerp, Belgium.]
This Invention relates to apparatus for transforming properly prepared
atmospheric air into illuminating gas by means of liquid volatile hydro-carburets
or hydro-carbons (such as petroleum, ether, the essence of benzine, and the
like),
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide three superposed cylinders,
the central one of which. is connected with the lowest cylinder by means of a series
of tubes open at both ends. Atmospheric air is forced into an upper bell or chamber
by means of a caloric pump, hereinafter described; thence it passes into a large
copper tube surrounding the central cylinder, then into copper tubes, whence it
escapes in very fine jets at the bottom of the lower cylinder. For this purpose
these tubes have in a bent branch within the carburetter a series of holes less than a
millimeter in diameter. The air has a tendency to rise, but is arrested or hindered
in its progress by a series of metal plates placed one above another, and through
the holes of which the air has to find an outlet. It arrives in the upper part of
the central cylinder transformed into illuminating gas. The latter is freed from
any particles of liquid it may have carried away by striking against a series of
unperforated plates in the upper cylinder, and passes thence to a regulator and to
the supply pipes, which it reaches perfectly dry and deprived of condensable

page_text: vapours. To more perfectly attain this end it is caused to traverse the largest
possible path between the plates in the upper cylinder by interposing a large metal
band rolled into spiral form.
For producing from air and volatile hydro carburets or hydro carbons a good
illuminating gas the following requirements must be observed, viz. :-
The air must be properly purified, that is to say, freed from all substances which
would be injurious to the illuminating power; there must be imparted to the air
⚫the temperature which is most convenient for carburetting; the cold produced
by evaporation must be compensated for; and there must be provision for
removing the naphtha, so as to promote the carburetting and prevent the forination
of residues.
For the purification of the air the latter in leaving the bell or vessel which
regulates its admission into the carburetter passes through two layers of purifying
material, which deprive it of its aqueous vapour and of its carbonic acid, and the
air acquires the desired temperature by passing through the cylinder of the caloric
pump. and by reason of the pressure to which it is subjected in the said bell and
by passing through the said purifying layers; water provided in a casing or jacket
regulates this heat.
The cold produced by evaporation is compensated for in the following manner,
viz.—
By slightly heating the air before its admission into the carburetter, and by the
friction or internal working to which the carburetting liquid is subjected under the
pressure imparted thereto by the caloric pump.
During periods of great cold in winter I may use a thermometer for regulating
the heat of the water in which the carburetter is submerged. This thermometer
is of ordinary construction, and upon the mercury floats a light body connected
with a solid cylinder by means of two rods and of a beam or cross bar supported
on a standard. The cylinder is enclosed in a box. An india-rubber tube connects
this with a gas-stove placed below the casing or jacket. A circulation of heated
water is thus produced in the casing causing the thermometer to rise, the cylinder
in the tube being thereby caused to descend. The quantity of gas supplied to
the gas stove for combustion will be greatly reduced, and consequently the
temperature of the water bath is lowered. When this takes place the cylinder
moves out from the tube and the flame of the gas-burner re-assumes its original
intensity. The liquid receives motion by the mechanical effect to which the air
subjects it.
The caloric air pump is based upon the principle employed in hot air machines.
The bottom of a vessel or pot is heated by a gas stove, the gas being supplied
from the apparatus itself; the air which is in contact with the said bottom becomes
heated and expands, and passing between the interior cylinder and the sides of the
vessel acts upon a piston. This piston is pushed downwards, compressing in its
advance the air contained in the cylinder. This air enters through an aperture
into the bell. When the piston is at the lower end of its stroke the cylinder in
the pot or vessel is likewise at the lower end of its stroke. The air in the vessel
has been displaced towards the upper part of the reservoir and is there condensed
by contact with the sides surrounded by cold water. Thero is a tendency to the
production of a vacuum above the piston, the atmospheric pressure acting on the
lower face of the piston causes the same to rise, one valve opens and another
closes, and air is drawn in to be subsequently forced into the bell.
By means of this pump and of the arrangement of the parts of the carburetter
this improved apparatus for manufacturing gas is rendered automatic. A reservoir
is provided for containing the gasoline required for feeding the apparatus; it
allows the carburetter to be charged without danger, even whilst working.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1882.
tf
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF ILLUMINATING GAS." A communication from abroad by A. Wittamer, of
Antwerp, Belgium.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for transforming suitably prepared
atmospheric air into illuminating gas by means of liquid and volatile hydro-
carburets or hydro-carbons, such as petroleum, ether, benzine, and the like.
The several parts of the said apparatus are so combined as to produce air gas
under conditions which render the same suitable for illuminating public and
private places or localities.
Numerous experiments made for the purpose of ascertaining the true nature of
air-gas have demonstrated that this gas is not a simple vapor, but a mixture of
hydro-carbon vapours with atmospheric air. To produce from volatile hydro-
carburets or hydro-carbons and air, a good illuminating gas it is therefore
necessary, first, to properly purify the air prior to its entrance into the.
carburetter; second, to impart to the air the temperature which renders it most.
suitable for carburization; third, to compensate for the cold produced by
evaporation; fourth, to introduce the air in the form of very thin jets and to
continually stir the carburetting liquids so as to promote the dissolution and prevent
the formation of residues; fifth, to allow the air to be in contact with the
carburetting liquid for a sufficient length of time to permit the proper carburization
to take place; sixth, to compel the air to deposit before entering the distributing
devices the condensible vapours and particles of liquid it may have carried away.
These conditions are realised by the employment of the apparatus constructed
according to this Invention, and shewn on the accompanying Drawing. Besides
the ordinary gasometer or reservoir this apparatus comprises three distinct parts,
viz., a caloric pump, a purifier, and a carburetter, the construction and operation
whereof I will now proceed to describe.
The first of these parts, namely, the caloric pump, is very simple and comparatively
inexpensive, and permits the air to be introduced in a more convenient manner
than is possible by the suction apparatus operated by counterweights, as hitherto
in use.
The use of these counterweights has many drawbacks from a practical
point of view as they occupy considerable space and have to be wound up
frequently whenever a somewhat considerable quantity of gas is to be made.
They do not moreover permit air to be readily introduced at high pressure.
My improved pump is based on the principle upon which hot air engines are
constructed, and is shewn in vertical section at the lower part of the Drawing; P is
a pot or receptacle, the lower part of which is heated by means of a gas-stove F.
This gas-stove is supplied with gas produced by my apparatus; P' is a cylinder
free to move in the receptacle P; Q is the cylinder or body of the caloric pump;
it is provided at its lower end with two valves q, and r; q' is a piston which moves.
in the said cylinder Q; V is the fly wheel of the pump, the air which is in contact
with the bottom of the receptacle P becomes heated by the flame from the gas
stove F and passes between the walls or sides of this receptacle and the cylinder P¹
and then acts on the piston q'. This piston descends and compresses the air
contained in the pump-body, the valve r'closes, the valve opens, and the air
expelled through the latter passes into an air vessel or bell D. When the piston q¹
is at the lower end of its stroke, the cylinder P¹ is at the bottom of the receptacle P,

page_text: and the air contained in the latter occupies the upper part of the same and is cooled
by contact with the sides of the said receptacle which is surrounded by cold water.
and
A partial vacuum is thus produced on the upper face of the piston.q',
atinospheric pressure acting on its lower face tends to raise the said piston. The
valve then opens, and the valve q closes, and the pump-body becomes filled with
air. To start this machine it will suffice to properly heat the bottom of the
|_ receptacle P, and then by hand to give a turn to the fly-wheel V.
For stopping
the machine it is only necessary to open a cock placed at the upper part of the
pump-body Q; by opening this cock the pump-body is caused to communicate with
the atmosphere and the pump is immediately stopped.
By the employment of this pump and the arrangement of the accessory parts of
the carburetter hereinafter described, my improved apparatus is rendered
automatic.
My improved purifier, which I will now proceed to describe, is strictly speaking
only required in winter or when the apparatus is erected in a damp place. It
consists of a simple cylindrical case E which can be hermetically closed. This case
has two orifices or openings, one for the admission of air and the other for the
exit thereof. It encloses two horizontal sheets of wire gauze which are placed one
above the other, and support two layers of purifying material. The upper layer
consists of hydrate and oxide of lime mixed with chaff and saw-dust for facilitating
the passage of the air, and the second layer consists of oxide of lime, chaff and
saw-dust, impregnated with diluted sulphuric acid.
My improved carburetter consists of three superimposed cylinders, A, B, C,
surrounded by a single casing or jacket N containing water. The cylinder B is
connected with the cylinder A by means of a series of tubes or pipes a, a, open at
both ends. The cylinder A and part of the cylinder B are filled with a suitable
carburetting liquid. A quantity of such liquid is stored in the reservoir M, from
which the apparatus can be charged without any danger by means of a tube and a
cock. The level of the carburetting liquid is denoted by an indicator or gauge L.
In practice atmospheric air is forced into the reservoir or bell D by the above
described caloric pump, and passes thence through the tube m into the large copper
tube H surrounding the cylinder B, then into the copper tubes h, h, from which it
escapes in the form of exceedingly small or fine jets at the bottom of the cylinder A.
For this purpose the tubes h, h, have in that part of them which extends into the
carburetter a series of holes of less than a millimeter in diameter. The air has a
tendency to rise but is arrested or hindered in its course or progress by a series of
superimposed perforated plates f, f, of sheet iron through the holes of which it has
to find a passage. It arrives transformed into illuminating gas in the upper part
of the cylinder B.
The gas after having by impinging against horizontal plates p, p, in the
cylinder C freed itself from the drops or particles of liquid it may have carried
away or contained, enters the regulator K, and passes thence into the service-pipes
in a perfectly dry condition and deprived of condensible vapours.
To more
perfectly effect the removal of the drops or particles of liquid from the gas the
latter is caused to traverse the longest possible path or distance between the
plates p, p, by interposing between the said plates metal bands or strips rolled up
into spiral form.
To ensure the perfect working of my improved apparatus even during periods
of great cold in winter, I have devised a regulating apparatus or thermometer R,
which can be advantageously applied to a gas burner placed below the casing or
jacket N, and which serves for regulating the heat or temperature of the water in
which the carburetter is immersed. This regulating apparatus consists of an
ordinary thermometer t, on the mercury column of which floats a light body
connected with a small cylinder or box by means of the swinging beam
supported by the pillar or upright c. This cylinder is enclosed within a box n
provided with a tubular part or extension 1, connected by an india rubber tube
to a pipe supplying some of the gas produced by the apparatus; another india

page_text: tube connects the tube 8 with the gas burner placed beneath the casing N. The
quantity of mercury in the thermometer can be so adjusted that the cylinder z will
be just above the tube s when the temperature of the water in the casing N is
becoming too elevated for the proper manufacture of the gas. To cause the
regulator to operate, the gas at the burner is lighted and hot water commences to
circulate, thereby causing the thermometer to rise and consequently the cylinder z
to descend into the tube 8. As soon as this movement takes place the quantity
of gas supplied to the burner decreases; the temperature of the water bath then
lowers, and the cylinder rises out of the tube 8; the flame at the burner then
re-assumes its original intensity.
The purifier and the regulator above described may in some cases be dispensed
with.
•
Having thus described my improved apparatus, I will now proceed to set forth
its operation.
For manufacturing gas the fly-wheel V of the caloric pump is turned by hand-
until the bell of the reservoir D is raised to its highest point, that is to say, until
the exhaust valve acts. A suitable quantity of atmospheric air is thus stored in
the said reservoir; this air is then allowed to pass into the carburetter, so that gas
is produced which will serve to supply the burner of the pump, and if required"
that of the casing N. After two or three minutes it will suffice to turn the fly
wheel by hand, and the motor will start. It will be understood that all the air in
the reservoir D is not exhausted by heating the receptacle P sufficiently to start
the pump, the power of the pump being in all cases so calculated as to supply a
more powerful carburetter than that to which the pump is coupled; thus the bell
of the reservoir D will always be raised to its highest point. When in the evening
all the lights are extinguished and the machine is arrested without emptying the
reservoir D, a sufficient air reserve will be kept for feeding the burner of the motor
until the latter has become sufficiently hot to work automatically.
When the apparatus has been at work once it will be readily understood that
the starting is much simplified, as it is only requisite to put the reservoir D in
cominunication with the carburetter to light up the burner of the motor, and after
waiting one or two minutes to give the fly-wheel a turn by hand to start the
apparatus.
By means of the above described arrangement of apparatus my Invention fulfils
all the conditions necessary for the production of a gas of good quality, as herein
above specified, and as will be evident from the following statement.
The purification of the air is effected as follows, viz :—
If the atmospheric air of the locality where the gas is to be manufactured were
simply introduced into the carburetter, the gas would be subjected to all the
variations of temperature, and its illuminating power would vary, which is very
disadvantageous. For this reason I purify the air by depriving it of its aqueous
vapor, its carbonic acid, and its aminonia, and in fact of all the substances which
are injurious to the illuminating power of gas.
The presence of aqueous vapor in the gas in winter causes the condensation of
the gas in the pipes, and the obstruction of the supply. If the air from which the
gas is made contains aqueous vapor, the gas will also contain some; this water
condenses in the service pipes, and carries away in its condensation (by chemical
affinity) the gas itself, though the latter is much less condensible. The obstruction
of the service pipes is a consequence of the condensation, as the water becomes
frozen. It is therefore very advantageous to introduce pure air into the
carburetter.
I provide for the introduction of air into the carburetter at the most suitable
temperature as follows:- At first sight it would appear that it is perfectly
indifferent at what temperature the air is introduced, provided the temperature
of the carburetting liquid is suitable and constant. No doubt the air on
coming in contact with the liquid takes the temperature of the latter, but it would

page_text: do so only after a certain time, and the carburetting would not be equally effected
during the passage of the air through the gasoline or other carburetting liquid.
The air acquires a suitable temperature (12° to 17°), first, by passing through the
body of the pump Q; secondly, by the compression to which it is subjected in the
reservoir D; and, thirdly, by its passage through the purifying layers.
The water in the jacket or casing N serves to regulate the temperature, and for
this purpose the tubes H, h, are formed of copper and of as great a length as
practicable without rendering the apparatus too expensive or too cumbersome.
The cooling produced by evaporation is compensated for as follows, that is to
sayThe air gas is the result of evaporation; every evaporation has for its
consequence a proportionate cooling. Volatile hydro-carbon vapour does not
dissolve or dissolves with difficulty in air of low temperature; it is therefore very
necessary to ensure a constant light to give a suitable temperature to the
carburetting liquid and to maintain the same by compensating for the cooling
consequent upon evaporation.
In the above described apparatus the cold is compensated for by the following
means, that is to say :-
First. By the slight heating of the air before it enters the carburetter as above
explained.
Secondly. By the interior working which the carburetting liquid is caused to
undergo by reason of the pressure imparted to the air by the caloric pump.
This
working increases as the quantity of air injected into the carburetter is increased,
that is to say, when a greater quantity of gas is being made. Now the heat is
proportionate to the working, and consequently it is proportionate to the
evaporation, that is to say, to the source of cold. In an apparatus for one hundred
burners the power expended upon the interior working aniounts to 6 kilogrammes
per second.
The air is introduced in very thin jets, and the carburetting liquid is constantly
stirred as follows, that is to say :-The liquid receives motion from the mechanical
working to which it is subjected by the injected air. By continually stirring the
liquid I promote the carburetting effect by continually presenting new molecules
of liquid to the action of the air.
For allowing the air to be in contact with the naphtha for a long time, provision
is also made as follows:-To form an idea of the path a molecule of air has to
traverse in the carburetting liquid, it will only be necessary to follow a grain of
corn which has to pass through several sieves placed one above the other. In
winter, when the carburetting takes place with more difficulty than in summer,
the length of the path to be traversed by the air will be increased by filling
the carburetter with a greater quantity of gasoline than is the case in warm
weather.
It will be obvious from the description of the carburetter how the carburetted
gas before entering the gasometer is freed from all liquid particles it may have
carried away.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The apparatus for automatically producing illuminating gas, consisting of
the pump and the carburetter with or without the purifier and the regulating
apparatus, substantially as above set forth.
Second. The apparatus for purifying the air prior to its admission into the
carburetter, substantially as above set forth.
Third. The carburetter consisting of the cylinders A, B, C, and provided with
the tubes h, from which the air escapes in the form of exceedingly small or fine
jets, substantially as above set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the said carburetter of the perforated plates f for
arresting or obstructing the flow of the air through the liquid contained in the said

page_text: carburetter, and consequently causing a prolonged contact of the air with such
liquid, substantially as above set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the cylinder C of the horizontal plates p and the
metal bands or strips interposed between the said plates, substantially as above
set forth and for the purposes specified.
Sixth. The pump so constructed as to dispense with the necessity for employing
counter weights and adapted to be readily started and to force air into the purifier
and carburetter under high pressure, substantially as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Seventh. The regulating apparatus or thermometer applied to the bath or vessel
containing the carburetting liquid for automatically regulating the temperature of
the latter, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)