Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Producing Gas suitable for Heating, Motive Power, or Lighting Purposes by the Aid of Volatile Hydrocarbons.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1897-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
[Communicated from abroad by ARMAND JULIEN, of 322 Chaussée d'Anvers,
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Builder.]
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Producing Gas
suitable for Heating, Motive Power, or Lighting Purposes by the
Aid of Volatile Hydrocarbons.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
My novel system of gas generating apparatus consists on the one hand of a
carburettor or generating vessel A which is shown in Figure 1 of the accompany-
ing drawing and forms the principal organ of the apparatus, and on the other
hand of a group of secondary parts comprising according to the applications to
which the gas produced is destined three apparatuses marked B, C and D or two
thereof, or even one thereof only.
The apparatus B serves to put in suitable motion the agitating mechanism of
the carburettor A.
The apparatus C is a gas holder, and the apparatus D an air container or
compressor.
The apparatus A is represented apart in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and is seen in front
and side elevation, and in a transverse vertical section respectively. It is pre-
ferably constructed of iron plate or the like suitable material and includes a
cylindrical reservoir h either Horizontal or vertical, which is easily filled to about
one third of its height with the carburetting liquid. In the interior of this vessel
is placed a shaft i revolving in the bearings secured to the ends which shaft
passes through one of the said ends in order to be connected to the driving
apparatus by means of the transmission gear l. The said shaft i possesses paddles
dipping in the carburetting liquid bearing a certain number of perforated metallic
discs m¹ m².
to me, covered with an absorbent fibrous material of suitable
composition (see Figures 5 and 6).
Figure 5 shows on the right hand side the system of perforation which com-
prises the small holes n in the outer division of the circular surface to which is
affixed a covering of material absorbent of liquid p indicated on the upper left
hand part of the disc, and which disc has in the interior division larger holes o
serving for the circulation of the liquid contents of the receiver which are raised
up by the rotation of the discs as also for the passage of the air and of the
carburetting vapours.
In order to increase the carburetting effect of the external division n covered
with the layer of material p I provide the same with small sponges q arranged

page_text: in any convenient manner. Discs thus formed pass continually into the depths
of the carburetting apparatus A and take up from the receiver parts of the liquid
causing the said liquid to become less quickly exhausted and to ensure that the
gas thus produced is always of the same density.
This
Although I have indicated above fibrous materials for the covering of the said
disc I may make use of other materials or of any means suitable for the continual
admixture of the particles at the bottom with the particles above, in short, any
means suitable for maintaining a regular evaporation in the apparatus.
variable arrangement admits of the enriching or impoverishing of the gas according
to the requirements of any given case. This facility is of great importance for
many applications and especially for the production of motive power by stationary
or movable gas motors and of that of heat by means of gas furnaces, cooking
furnaces, drying apparatuses and the like.
The vessel A illustrated in the drawings as of cylindrical shape may however
possess any other form or other convenient position. It may also be constructed
to any desired size or of any suitable material.
In the diagram illustrated in Figure 1 I have illustrated a gas holder D as
the means of introducing the air under pressure. This mechanism may however
be replaced by any other suitable arrangement such as a rotary compressor actuated
by a cord and counter weight or driven by mechanical means of any kind. In
both cases the air arrives under pressure through the tube E into the gas holder C
in order to be saturated with vapour of gasoline or other carburetting substance
contained therein and is then passed into the mixing carburettor A where it is
subjected in the manner above described to a vigorous mixing, by means of the
revolving motion of the discs. From this vessel the gas passes into tubes which
convey it to the points of consumption that is to the taps or cocks for connecting
to the gas motors to the furnaces, fires or burners as circumstances may require,
and where it supplies according to the circumstances the necessary heat for the
obtaining of a very powerful explosive mixture, an intense heating effect, or
the production of a very brilliant lighting flame. The quantity of gasoline con-
tained in the carburettor or mixer has principally for its object to prevent the
absorbent matter on the discs m² m² and so forth becoming dry through the passage
of the gas, a serious drawback is thus obviated.
In cases in which the gas produced is desired to be less rich, the carburettor
alone may be employed, in fact, by suppressing reservoir C I am able by means
of the apparatus A alone to produce a gas rich without excess of combustible or
of any desired poorness and according to the requirements in each separate case.
In order to reduce the quality of the gas I diminish the number of the internal
discs; I may also diminish the quantity of the carburetting liquid and if necessary
I can also alter the speed of the revolving motion of the discs which can be
regulated at will by the use of a suitable clockwork movement such as shown in
diagram in the Figure 1.
In order to enrich the gas I preceed in the opposite manner.. On the other
hand it is advisable that the height of the liquid should never exceed one third
of the cylindrical height of the apparatus A. As to the dimensions of the apparatus
I raise or diminsh them according to the importance of the consumption.
In my carburetting and mixing vessel the air introduced therein to be saturated
does not pass through the layer of benzol or other carburetting substance con-
tained therein consequently the refrigeration thereof is impossible. The air
passes through the upper portion of the apparatus and carries with it in its passage
the carburetting vapours produced by continuous movement of the discs as already
described. The revolving motion of the discs may be obtained in the manner
described it may also be effected by any other arrangement or combination
mechanical or automatic as already stated.
The use of an apparatus such as that partly represented in Figures 7, 8 and 9
presents the great advantage of enabling the multiplication of the apparatuses
and then-of placing the same at a distance from the air producer. The apparatus

page_text: is wound up by means of the axle a bearing the drum a which gears with the
pinion 6 keyed upon the axle 6 and which axle bears the tooth wheel 6º. This
tooth wheel engages with the pinion c keyed upon the axle c¹ which axle bears
the tooth wheel. This latter engages with the pinion d keyed upon the axle d¹
upon which axle is the worm wheel which wheel causes to revolve by means of
the worm the fan regulator g fixed upon the axle f. According to the effect
and the regulation of this latter mechanism there can be given to the transmission
axle (Figure 9) and consequently to that of the mixer coupled therewith a
revolving motion more or less rapid adapted to the rate of comsumption and
corresponding production of the gas.
APPLICATIONS.
In the supply of steam engine furnaces or others with my gas it suffices to
change the exit pipe of the gas of the carburetting agitator and to adapt thereto a
pipe pierced with a number of small holes at its end and made in such a manner
that when the gas jets which pass therefrom are ignited the flame passes into the
furnace producing a great heat. This application of my system to the heating of
machine furnaces of all kinds has a great importance and no similar application
has yet been attempted by like means. From this application of my invention to
the heating of boilers furnaces and the like there will be obtained a great economy
of fuel and a great facility of feed. I can operate the same in two ways either
by means of the gas or by means of the liquid fuel itself in the pulverised state
or I might in case of need use the two methods of producing heat simultaneously.
Another application not less important for the use of my gas is indicated by
the use of fixed gas motors for industrial purposes and all motors actuating motor
cars. The superior qualities of the explosive mixture in comparison with many
other gases being recognised there results either a diminution of the weight in
the motor or if this be kept the same in motor cars a considerable increase in the
power of traction. In both cases a considerable economy is realised in the cost
per horse power per hour or per kilometre travelled with a given clfarge.
There should be mentioned also the application of the heating gas for domestic
purposes the supply of furnace heating stoves and the like. Also for lighting
in which all systems of burners may be used and especially incandescence burners
and finally for the general use and for small industries of all kinds in which
dynamic, calorific or illuminating action is required.
Finally, I call particular attention to the special arrangements of my apparatus
which effects an intimate admixture of the atmospheric air and of the carburetting
materials contained in the apparatus and the essential point consists in effecting
condensation also of smoke in the burners at the tops and the bottoms of the
flame etc; for all these drawbacks of the ordinary carburettors have for their cause
the difference in density of the gas produced by an imperfect mixture. The gas
being of uniform density does not become subject to the influence of differences of
temperature the object is therefore completely attained by my apparatus and its
arrangements are such that the gasoline or the other carburetting products placed
therein are reduced to the minimum quantity requisite.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is:-
The above described novel system of gas generating apparatus for heating motive
power or lighting purposes by means of hydrocarbons of petroleum or other sources
consisting essentially of a mixing carburettor and gas holder A with or without a
driving apparatus or other motor mechanism B, a gas holder C an air compressor
or supply apparatus D, effecting alone or in combination with the above stated
apparatuses and by means of its own construction an absolutely intimate mixture
of atmospheric air and of the carburetting materials contained in the apparatus,
thus supplying gas of uniform density, the composition of which and its proportion

page_text: of carburetting materials can be exactly regulated according to the requirements
in consumption and the various needs of the applications for the purpose of
obtaining
(a) A powerful explosive mixture suitable for fixed or mobile gas engines.
(b) A specially rich gas in heating power for industrial and domestic heating
of all kinds.
(c) The production of a very powerful lighting flame by means of ordinary
burners of any kind or of incandescent burners of all systems, all substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings Figures 1 to 9 annexed and
of variations substantially according therewith.
Dated this 31st day of July 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.