US109460A - Improvement in generating gas from hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Description

ittici@ Stairs JAMES R. SMEDBERG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Letters Patent No. 109,460, dated November 22, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN GENERATING GAS FROM HYDROCARBONS.

The Schedule referred. to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, JAMES It. Sarannnnc, ot the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,

provements without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the method and the apparatus employed for producing illuminating gas from hydrocarbon oils, and more especially i'om criulepetroleum.

The invention consists in the use ol" a peculiar selfregulating iced apparatus, by which the iiow ofthe oil is rendered at all times uniform, it being taken from the surface: and also ina water-jaeketedseal, eniployed to prevent the return ot gas through the supply-pipe, and 'also to prevent the vaporizatiou ot' oil in the pipe from the heat.

Referring to the accompanying drawing fora more complete explanation ot my invention,

A is a tank containing petroleum, -and made ot' a suiicient size to hold the quantity desired. The bottom ofthis tankis provided with a stuliingbox, B, through which a hollow spindle, (l, slides. This spindle is finished so as lo move smoothly thronghthe stuiing-box, and may have a suitable disclnu'ge-imzzle at the bottom.

At the top of the spindle C is a l'loat, l), which rests upon the ysurface of the oil in the tank.

Just beneath the liuc ottlotation, a small opening, a, is made, through the side. ot the spindle C; and this opening will always be kept at the same distance beneath the surface ol' the oil, by the risc. and l'all ot' the float.

A screw-plug, E, is litted into the side ot' the spindle which projects above the tioat a short distance, and by turning this plug down, it will partially stop the feed-opening a., and thus regulate the quantity admitted to the pipo.

A graduated stem, l", passes through the cross-bar G, and serves both to indicate the quaniityiot' oil used and to guide the. spindle as the iioai moves up and down.

Ilythe use ol` the lloat and the spindle, with the opening a, or by other obvious equivalent devices, I am also enabled lo i'eed Jthe oil at all times from the surface, and the water and other heavy'iinpurities will thus be allowed to vsettle to the bottom,fro|u which they can be drawn ott' at convenient times.

The lower end ofthe spindle enters a larger' shieldpipe, H, within which it moves up and down without touching, this outer tubeserving to prevent the oil heilig blown about by the wind, or otherwise aiected.

A sort of funnel, I, receives the oil from the pipeC and conveys it to the pipe J, which in turn delivers it to a chamber, K.

This chamber has a diaphragm or partition, L, extending nearly to the bottom'of it, so that the oil must pass beneath the partition and rise to the level of the pipe M. This arrangement serves as a seal, to prevent any gas from returning from the retort through the pipes.

In order to prevent any possibility' ot the oil being vapor-ized in or beyond the vessel K, it is surrounded by an outer vessel, N, which is filled with water, and which is provided with a pipe, N', so that cool wat-er can be supplied it' the contents become heated.

The pipe M conveys the oil t o the retort O, into which it is passed. The interior ot the retort is formed, in the present case, like the ordinary coal-gas rctorts,but maybe made ot' any form which will give satisfactory results.

fithin the retort a pipe, I, extends ii'onnone end to near the other end.

'lhe front end is so arranged that it is closed tightly by the same cover, b, which stops the retort.

No changel will be Vuecessaryiu adapting the ordinary retorts to my arrangement,except additional eircular ribs upon the interior face of the cover, to tit the cud of' this pipe.

yThe rear end oi' the pipe is left open.

It is the stand-pipe. through which the gas flows after it is formed.

'lhe retort is kept at a very high temperature, and the oil is vaporized as it enters the pipe P, so thatby the time the vapor escapes from the rear end of the pipe into the body ol' the retort, it has acquired such a heat as to abstract very little directlyfroni the retort, and this renders it possible to retain the retortat a high heat without much diiiicult-y.

The gas manuihctured in this manner is permanent, and does not condense or lose its brilliancy when exposed to great` cold, its permenence being the result of prolonged contact with the interior surface of' the retort during its passage to the stand-pipe.

Whenever it is necessary to stop the operation, the 'float 1) in the tank A may be elevated from the surface of the oil b va cord, e, and lever, (1,01' other suitable device.

A cock may also be arranged in the pipe M, near the retort.

By removing the cover of the retort, the interior ot' it and of the pipe I' will be exposed, and the deposit of coke which will be found inthe pipe can be removed by a serrated punch, followed by a rake.

Alight coating of lamp-black orl line carbon will be deposited in the retort, and this can also be removed.

As destructive distillation commences near the rear end of the pipe 1*, the deposit ot' coke will be greater in that part of the pipe. I therefore make it tapering, the largest opening being in the rear. This also gives greater facility for'cleaning.

The retort will have to be opened so rarely, and for such short times, that little-heat will be lost tiom this cause, and the high temperature necessary can he easily maintained.

rllhe apparatus is peculiarly adapted for use in through7 or double-ended retorts.

It is also possible, by the feeding arrangement, to- .supply a constant quantity of liquid until the containing-vessel or tank is entirely empty; and this isimportant. l

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, .and desire to secure hy'Letters Patent, is

The combination of the oat 1') and hollow spindle C, arranged to traverse vertically in the tank A so as to feed constantly from the.v surface of the tank, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the adjustable plug E and hollow traversing spindle C, constructed and arranged to operate as described for the purposev set forth.

Y 3. The vessel K, with its diaphragm L, together with the outer vessel Nfwhen arranged cooperate substantially as herein described.

y In witness that the above-described invention is claimed byme, I have hereunto set myhand and seal.

JAMES R. SMEDBERG. {n.s]

Witnesses: v

Guo. H. STRONG, lERALD FITZGERALU.

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