US17981A - Allan pollock - Google Patents

Description

A. POLLOCK.

} Gas Generator.

Patented Aug. 11, 185 7.

' UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

ALLAN POLLOCK, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

lMPROVEMENT lN GAS-GENERATORS.

A I Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,981 dated August 11, 1857.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be ihknown that I, ALLAN POLLOOK, of the cityof Washington, in the District of Columbia, have; invented a new and useful apparatus for generating gas for illuminating purposes from peat or any olea ginous,bituminous, or other gaseous material, by which a much larger amount of gas can be made from the peculiar form of the retort, with the canister within so constructedthat the gas shall find an exit from the middle of the canister in place of the top. In this way I draw off none but the pure and well-distilled gas, leaving the more crude portion for further distillation.

The construction of the retort is such that the gas is impinged against the heated retort in its way through the grooves to the gas-chamber. Hereit is commingled with the hydrogen gas when too dense, both being perfected and in a highly-heated condition. Thebest mode I have found and which I have adopted for generating hydrogen gas is to imnierse a piece of zinc in muriatic acid. By

this process I get a very valuable residuum viz., chloride of zinc.

The other portions of my apparatus are such as are usually adopted and in general usein portable gas-machines, and are fully shown in Fig. 1.

To enable any others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now pr0- ceed to describe its construction and operation.

First. The retort A (see Fig. 2) is a plain upright cylinder with a concave bottom and open at the top, which has a lip or flange d for its support in the stove or furnace, in either of which it can be set. 011 one side of the flange is an upright a, to which the clamp b isattached by a movable joint. At the other side is a spring-catch c for fastening the clamp.

19. At the middle of the clamp b is a thumbscrew for tightening the clamp and pressing down the lid of the retort A. Just below the mouth of the retort there is an opening on each side for a pipe, one for the ingress of hydrogen gas when it is needed and the other g for the outlet of the gas on its way to the condenser. On the reverse sides there are two or more grooves h h for the passage of the gas on its way to the gas-chamber 'i from the vent-holes jj of the canister. The gaschamber '5 is formed by the space left between the lid of the retortfand the top or lid of the canister Z. It is used for commingling the gas from the retort with the hydrogen when its density is too great. The canister It is made of sheet-iron to fit inside of the retort.

A.. It is used for holding the peat or other material from which the gas is to be made and for the more easily removing the coke or charcoal. It has two or more vent-holes j j for the escape of the gas through the grooves h h on its way to the gas-chamber z. The lid or top of the canister Z is made so as to extend dpwn to the top or upper edge of the vent-holesjj, and is intended to prevent the exit of the gas from the top of the canister, but to allow it to escape only from the openings jj, which are near the bottom of the retort. By thus taking the gas from the middle of the canister I take only that portion that has passed through a thorough distillation, leaving the crude and unperfected portion for further action of the heated canister. The gas also in its passage to the gas-chamber is thus made to impinge against the heated metal of the retort A, which thoroughly resolves every portion of the gaseous material into a rich and permanent gas, a considerable portion of which would otherwise pass off and be deposited in the drip p in the condition of tar or pyroligneous acid. I thereby greatly increase the volume of gas and pu rif y it by one process in place of a double one, as is the case in the French mode of manufacturing gas from peat. Although I have adopted the upright form for the retort, a horizontal position will answer full as well. The lid of the retort is of the usual description used for this purpose.

Second. The hydrogen-gas generator B, Fig. 1, consists of a copper cylindrical vessel with a convex or raised lid m, to be secured by screw-joint, suitable packing, or other mode to prevent the escape of the gas. Through the center of the lid a rod of zinc n is to be inserted of sufficient length to extend down to and into the muriatic acid, and of size suitable for generating the quantity of gas required. The opening where it enters is to be secured against leakage by packing or some other suitable mode, but at the same time to allow the zinc rod 91 to be drawn up or depressed, as may be requisite. On one side, just below the lid, a pipe g is to be attached for the purpose of conveying the hydrogen gas from the generator B to the gaschamber of the retort. A stop-cock 0 is to be inserted in the pipe g near the entrance of the pipe into the stove or furnace for the purpose of turning the hydrogen into the-gas chamber 2' or stopping the flow thereof. The pipe g enters the stove or furnace at or near the bottom of the retort, and, running up between the retort and the lining of the stove or furnace, it enters the retort at the gaschamber 2'. By this mode the hydrogen becomes thoroughly heated before it enters the gas-chamber and is mingled with the gas from the retort.

Third. The condenser C, Fig. 1, is a cylindrical or square vessel, which can be made of either wood or metal, with a drip p or tight chamber at the bottom, to which drip are attached by a collar on the top two pipes, one for the introduction of the gas from the retort and the other q for its exit on the way to the gasometer or tank. Pipe g just below its elbow has a stop-cock r for regulating the flow of the gas from the retort, and above the elbow is a try-coclt for testingthe strength and purity of the gas. The condenser is to be kept filled with water while in use for the refrigerating of the gas. The drip 1) has a stop-cock or faucet for drawing off any tar or other deposit that may be made in it by condensation.

Fourth. The gasometer or tank D, Fig. 1, can be made of the usual form or to suit the views of the operator. The one I prefer is of a cylindrical form, having an upper and a lower section, the lower to be filled with water and having'a faucet at or near the bottom for drawing off the water. Pipe 1 is the induction-pipe and has a goose-neck at its extreme end, which is introduced into the water.

Pipe t is the exit-pipe for the outlet of the gas to the main pipe.

Fifth. E, as seen in Fig. 1, is a common cylindrical stove, lined up to the top with firebrick or soapstone, having a door for the fuel and an ash-pan below. The retort is inserted in the top, resting on its flange (Z. About midway of the stove the pipe g is introduced for the conveyance of the hydrogen gas on its way to the gas-chamber 1'.

Near the top on the opposite side is an opening for the exit of the perfected gas by pipe 9 Having described the construction of my apparatus, I will now proceed to describe its operation.

Having prepared the gasometer and the condenser by putting in each the proper quantity of'water and filling the hydrogengas generator about one-fourth full with muriatic acid, raise up the zinc rod 12 and secure the lid of the generator, close the stop-cock r, and make the fire in the stove or furnace. Fill the canisters with the material from which the gas is to be made (there should always be three or four canisters ready to save delay) and put one in the retort as soon as it is well heated. Having closed the retort with the lid, (which must be well luted to prevent leakage,) secure it well with the fastenings. As the gas generates, it is forced through the vent-holes of the canister and, passing up through the grooves h h, is ejected into the gas-chamber 'i, where, if its density should require, it is mixed with the hydro gen from pipe 9. As soon as a sufficient quantity of gas is formed, open try-cock s and light the jet. The hue of the flame will show whether it is too dense or not, and which can readily he graduated by the stop-cock o and raising or depressing the zinc rod n. A dark-brown color indicates that the gas is too dense, while a pale-bluish hue shows that it has too much hydrogen and needs to be enriched with carbon. \Vhen the gas is properly tempered, close the try-cock s and open the stop-cock 0', when the gas will pass into the condenser through pipe g where it is refrigerated and all its impurities deposited in the drip 1:). Passing through drip p it ascends through pipe q, and is finally injected into the water with which the lower section of the gas-tank is filled. Rising again,it is discharged into the gasoineter purified and ready for use.

hat I claim, and desire to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is

1. The peculiar form and arrangement of the retort, with the grooves for the passage of the gas from the vent-holes of the canister to the gas-chamber.

2. The canister with the vent-holes, as before described, by which I take the gas from the center of the canister, the lid extending down to or near the top of said vent-holes.

3. The hydrogen-gas generator, with the pipe g connected therewith, by which means the retort is supplied with the requisite quantity of hydrogen, in the mode and manner as set forth in my specification.

ALLAN POLLOCK.

Vitnesses:

D. F. LAIRD, JOHN S. I-IoLLINGsHEAD.

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