US352613A - Process of and apparatus for generating compound gases - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

C. G. PAIRCHILD. PROCESS oP AND APPARATUS POP GPNPPATING eoMPoUND GASES.- 110.352,613.

u Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

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STATES PATENT Trient' cHAnLns e. FAIROHILD, OF OBERLTN, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,613, dated November 16, 18,86.

Application tiled August 27, 1885. Serial No. 175,424. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. FATROHILD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oberlin, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain uenT and useful Improvements in Processes ot'aud Apparatus for Generating Compound Gases, of which the .following is a specification.

In many laboratory operations, in the reduction of refractory substances in the production of lime-lights for various purposes, it is essential to use combined gases, and it has heretofore been the custom to produce such gases separately, to store one or both of them in bags or reservoirs, and to combine them before or at the time of use. This method of producing and combining the gases is objectionable .for many reasons. Thus the use of storage bags or reservoirs is expensive, necessitating the transportation of heavy or bulky matters, frequently results in loss of all or av portion of the gases, and also in Waste and inconvenience, either from the manufacture of a larger quantity of gas than is needed or from miscalculation in failing to secure the entire body-volume required. Other disadvantages also result from the necessity of employing special apparatus in the manufacture of the gases, which apparatus cannot always be obtained when required. To obviate these difiiculties I generate each gas and combine the two as fast as they are generated at the point Where they are required for use, employing a portable apparatus, whereby both gases are generated or evolved by the action of the same heater, which heater derives its su pply of combustible material from one of the gases generated by it.

It will be obvious that generators of different kinds may beemployed in carrying out my improvement, and that their form and construction and arrangement, as Well as that of the heater,will depend to a great extent upon the purpose for which the gases are generated. Thus when the gases are to be generated and combined for use in a laboratory the apparatus will be so constructed that the gases may be collected in suitable bell jars or reservoirs. When they are required for reducing refractory metals or other substances, they will be combined with blow-pipe apparatus,l and when theyl are required for illuminating purposes they may be combined with burners or nozzles, whereby they may be thrown upon the substances which are desired to be rendered incandescent. q

. For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown an apparatus constructed to generate and combine oxygen and hydrogen gases for use in a stereopticon.

In the draWingaFigure l'is a side elevation of one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the linel` 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the generator. Fig. 4. is a sectional View ofthe heater; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one form of burner.

In the said apparatus, A is a casing or reservoir containing alcohol, coal-oil, gasoline, ether, orl other suitable hydrocarbon, and from this case extends a conducting-pipe, B, bent orprojected upward at the end, and provided with two branches, a b. In the apparatus shown the pipe a and other parts, which will be hereinafter described, are duplicated, as is necessary lfor stereopticon purposes in some instances. The branch pipe b terminates in a nozzle, c, having an end opening, as, adapted to be closed by a conical valve at the end of a threaded valve-stem, d, turning in said nozzle and provided with a hand-whee1. Axially in line With the nozzlec is arranged a cylindrical case, D, having perforations d at the upper side, closed at one end, and With an inwardlyprojecting funnel, f, opposite the open end of the nozzle c.

The nozzle e and the casing D constitute a vapor-heater, the hydrocarbon vapor issuingfrom the opening w in a rapid stream and carrying with it aportion of air into the funnel f and into the interior ofthe casing D, Wheretheair and gas are mixed, and from which the mixture issues through the perforations d', above which it is ignited, producing an extended iiame, which, Owing to its proximity to the upper portion of the pipe B, heats the latter and volatilizes the oil within the same, so as to supply the branch b and nozzle c With a constant stream of gas or vapor.

In order to cause a flow of the liquid hydro- IOO carbon into the pipe B, I secure a slight at mospheric pressure upon the surface of the liquid in thereservoir A. This may be done in different Ways. One which is convenient consists in inilating an Xpansibleair-bnlb, E, and connecting it by a flexible pipe, F, with a nipple, g, at the top of the reservoir, the contraction of the air-bulb,either by its own elasticity or by pressure applied thereto, creating the desired pressure upon the surface of the liquid. The flame from the heater c D is thus the means of generating the vapor. It supplies theheater,and it is also made the means of supplying the other gas required in the apparatus-for instance, oxygen gas. To effect this result a casing,G, containing the material from which the second gas is produced, is arranged above the heater, so as to be heated thereby, and thus volatilize or decompose the contents, the resultant gas or vapor being conducted through a tube, h, preferably of flexible material, to a second rigid tube, h.

The tube h and the branch a of the tube B extend to the point where the gases are to be combined. Vhen the gases are required for use in a laboratory for ditferent purposes, the tubes h a will connect with a nozzle extending into the bath, with which the belljars are used. When the apparatusis requiredfo'r decomposing or reducing refractory substances, the two pipes h a will communicate-with the nozzle of the blow-pipe, and when, as in the apparatus illustrated, the gases are required for illuminating purposes the two pipes communicate with the burner H.

The burner Hmay of course'be made in dif- Y ferent ways'. As shown, it consists of a block or casing provided with a terminal lip or nozzle, jwith a channel, t', leading thereto, and with two lateral channels, m 11 the channel 'm communicating with the pipe hA andthe channel n communicating with the pipe a, and a valve, k, controls the flow of the gas from the generator G through the channel in, and a valve, p, controls the dow of the gas from the generator D to the channel a, so that by adj usting tlie said valves k and p the quantities and proportions of the gases tlowing to the lip j may be readily regulated, or either or both may be cut oit' at pleasure.

The heat of the flame from the heater D is l thus made'the means of generating two different gases simultaneously from different materials, which gases are brought together in any required proportions and combined for such use as may be desired, the generation being continued as long as any gas is required, and when no more is necessary being at once arrested, the gases being thus secured in the desired combination without the use-of storage reservoirs or receptacles, without the liability to loss and explosion which results when'such receptacles are employed,'and without the expense of construction, use, and transportation involved when the gases are generated separately and stowed in different receptacles for subsequent use. It will also be evident that by combining with a single heater two reservoirs of rmaterial from which two diiierent gases may be evolved', and by causing said heater to act upon both simultaneously, much of thevlabor which would be required for the separate' production of the gases is avoided.

Inasmuch as when a single small heater is employed it would not be practicable to heat up any large amount of material at one time,

l and as, in fact, when the gases are used as made it is not `,desired to heat the entire supply of material at one time, I provide means whereby the heater acts only upon a small portion of each material at any one time, but for bringing a fresh supply of material constantly to the heater as fast as may be required to. continue the production of thegases. This result is effected with theliquid material by causing it to iiow through a portion of the pipe B,whch is subjected to the action of the flame and constitutes a generator, the valve p determining the rapidity of the How. With the solid material in the casing G, or with whatever may be the material in the said casing, the same result is obtained by mounting the casing loosely upon suitable bearings and feeding it thereon from time to time, so as to bring a fresh supply of material above the heater as the old supply becomes exhausted. By this means I am enabled to utilize a large volume or amount of both materials, so as to maintain the generation of the combined gases for an unlimited length of time to the extent required for practical use, without at any time heating more than a fraction of either material, and with the ability at any time to arrest the operations, leaving the remaining quantities of material unacted upon in a condition for future use.

It will be obvious that the heater may be a portable heater, and that instead of moving the casing G in respect to the heater the burner may be moved in respect to the casing, in

which case, however; it would also be necessary to extend a part of the pipe B parallel to the casing, so that the change in the condition of the heater wou'ldnot interfere with the heating of the pipe B. y Y

,I have not referred to any specific material within the generator G, as the character of the material will depend upon that of the gas to be produced. In case the compound gas is to be used for illuminatioma material capable of evolving oxygen, as chlorate of potash or nitrate of potash, would be used.

It will be evident that where three or more gases. are to be combined three or more generators will be employed in the same manner as those described. Y

Although I have described one construction of heater or burner, it will be evident that the form may be varied without materially altering the result.

I do not lhere claim the generator G adj ustable in respect to the heater, as this constitutes the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

l am aware that it has been common to generate'steam in a boiler and decompose it in one retort and combine it with the vapor of hydrocarbon generated in another retort from lOO liquid introduced from time to time. My invention is distinguished from this inthe fact that I use holders or cases for the entire body of each material to be operated upon and ad- 5 just the relative position of the retort holding the solid material and the heater, so that while the retort contains all that is to be used I only heat so much of the retort at any one time as is necessary to generate the volume of gas required at that time.

Without limiting myself to the special applications set forth of the combined gases, or to the construction of the apparatus shown, I claimt l. The within-described improvement in generating compound gases from different liquid and solid materials, the same consisting in feeding the liquid from the main supply into a heated generator in quantities sufficient to generate the gas required for immediate use, in adjusting the relative positions of the retort containing the entire mass of solid material-and the heater so as to heat only so much of the retort at any one time as is necessary to generate the amount of gas required at such time, and in then combining the gases, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an apparatus for making a compound burning-gas, of a reservoir of liquid material, a generator communicating therewith, a heater, a retort containing the entire mass of solid material to be used, adjustable in respect to the heater so as to carry the heating-point gradually toward the closed end of the retort, a nozzle or burner, and connections between the latter and the retort and generator, substantially as described. 3. The combination of the receptacles for solid and liquid materials, two generators,a single burner communicating therewith, aheater arranged to heat both generators, and an airbag containing air under pressure and communicating with the liquid-receptacle, substantially as described.

v4. The combination of a burner or heater for burning a vapor or gas, a gas-generator arranged to be heated by said burner, a reservoir containing the material from which the gas is generated, connections between the reservoir and the generator and between the generator and the burner, whereby the latter is supplied with a portion of the gas generated, a second reservoir containing material from which another gas may be generated by heat, said reservoir being adjustable in respect t0 the burner, and connections whereby the gases produced in both generators are brought together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed myna'me to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. G. FAIRCHILD.

Witnesses:

IRAL A. WEBSTER, y CHAs. S. BROWN.

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