US367844A - randall - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

4 SheetsfSheet 1.

A. F. RANDALL. OIL GAS GENERATOR.

PatentedfAug. 9, 1.887.

lll--l Witwe ooe L N. PETERS. Phono-Lahnsmpher. wnhmgxm D. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A'. P.'v RANDALL.

OIL GAS GENBRATOR.

No. 367,844; Patented Aug. 9,1887.

' (No Model.) 4 sheets-'sheen 3.

A. P. RANDALL.' OIL GAS GENERATOR.

No. 367,844.A Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. A. F. RANDALL.

l OIL GAS GENERATOR. No. 367,844. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

wmp/He: .Ziweadar UNITED STATES y PATENT OEEicEo AARON F. RANDALL, `OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. l

OIL-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,844, dated August 9, 1887.

- Application iiled August 19, 1856. Serial No. 211,232. (No model.) y

To all whom, t may concern: f

Beit known that I, AARON F. RANDALL,` a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Washington, in the Dist-riet of Colum,`

bia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Generating Gas from Liquid Hydrocarbons for Heating and `Illumi= nat-ing Purposes; and I do declare that the following is a full, exact, and clear description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y Y

My inventionrelates to that class ofoil-gas generating apparatus 'which consume oil as a fuel, in which the oil is subjected't'o heat, and thereby vaporized or converted intokk gas before arriving atthe point where ignition and combustion take place, whereby an apparatus may be so constructed thatthe heat produced by the combustion of the gas from the oil decomposed in one part of it may be utilized in vaporizing and decomposing so much of the oil as enters another section ofthe apparatus, and from it may be conveyed into a common gas-receiving chamber provided withsuitable burners, in which it may be consumed in heating the apparatus, or it may be conveyed by a pipe into a gasholder, where, after the admixture of the proper quantity of atmospheric air, it may be conveyed to any desired point in a pipe for use for illumination or other purposes. This improved apparatus can bc used l'or heating purposes when not desired for the manufacture of gas for illumination, or for both purposes at the same time. In converting the Adistillates of petroleum into 'vaporor gas it is requisite, in order that the best re` suits may be secured, to first vaporize the same bythe application of heat, and then to subject such vapors toa much higher degree of heat. This mode of procedure insures a uniform and complete conversion of the oil into gas, and yields thelatter in the conditionbest adapted for economical use for vheating and illuminating purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide a safe, simple, and inexpensive construction of retorts and burners embodying this principle of operation, and which shall be adapted for ready and convenient application to any ore between the same.

dinar f stoves ranoes furnaces and rates of Y partlyin section. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse l Fig. 2 is a 'view in elevation of the same, with one of the retorts or gas heating chambers sectional view online x in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the base portion thereof, with the Iiange around the outer edge of the upper side of the same forming the drip or lire pan. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe tops of the rctorts or gas-heating chambers, and shows the nre-spaces Fig. Gis an end View of the gas generating andfheating retorts. Fig. 7 is aview of the exterior of a vaporizing chamber. Fig. S isa view of the oil-supply pipe covered with asbestus and wire-netting. Fig. 9 is a View of that part of the oil-supply pipe within the vaporiziiig-chamber. Fig. l0

' is a side view of one of the caps or end pieces into which the open end of the vaporizing chamber is screwed.

Fig. llis a view of the inner side of one of said caps. Fig. l2 is a' similar view of the exterior of the same. Fig. "13 is a plan view of thel upper side of the de- ;ilector-plate, and Fig. 14 isa View in crossfsection ofthe piece fitting the opening D in the deliector-plate D. Fig. 15 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the passages in the neck connecting the generator with the gas'rcceiving chamber.

The apparatus shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, and 6 is substantially of an oblong rectangular shape, and is adapted to be used in stoves,

furnaces, or ranges having interior lire-spaces' of similar form; but the same may be made circular or of any other suitable form, and adapted to use in those stoves, ranges, or furnaces Ywhich have lire-spaces of corresponding form, so that the apparatus may fit snugly and IOO properly within the tire-space and rest upon the grate or bottom of the stove, furnace, or range.

When intended for generating gas for both heating and illuminating purposes, the apparatus is constructed with two or more gas-heating retorts or chambers, A, Figs. 1 'and 2, and also shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6. Each gasheating retort or chamber has its own Vaporizing-chamber, (shown at H in Figs. 2, 3, and 7,) cach in like manner formed of a shell, r, and is closed at one end and is screw-threaded externally at the open end, upon which the cap E (shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6, 10, 1l, and 12) is screwed. This cap E is provided on its inner side with a ring or projection, a, Fig. 11, screw-threaded upon its interior and exterior sides, as shown in Fig. 10. Each of the caps E is also provided witli an opening (shown by the dotted lilies 'w in Fig. 2, and in full lines in Figs. 6, 1l, and 12,) through it, which is also screw-threaded to receive the oil-supply pipesfand f.

The vaporizing-chambers H and the gasheating retorts A may be made cylindrical, square, elliptical, or otherwise in cross-section, and as convenience or other considerations may suggest.

The gas-heating retorts or chambers A are placed in close proximity to each other, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, with a narrow space between them, as shown at l. in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, to permit of the passage ot' the products of eorubustion,and at the same time in order that all portions of the walls or shells thereof may be subjected to the heat. They may be constructed with walls J, Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, extending across this space between them,and vertically from the lower to the upper sides at the ends' thereof, thus forming a lue or dues between them, as shown at l) in Fig. 5. These end walls extend upward for a suiicient distance above the `tops of the gasheating retorts or chambers, and are provided with shoulders Q,so as to form supports upon which the ends ot' the deileetor-plate D are to rest. These supports and shoulders Q are shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, and the upper portions of the extensions of the walls J enter notches Q', Fig. 13, in the ends of the detleetor-plate D, and serve to retain itin position.

The dellector-plate resting upon the shoulders Q forms a ilue above the gas-heating retorts or chambers, which conveys the products of combustion around the adjacent and upper sides of the gas-heating retorts or chambers. The dellector-plate D is provided with an opening, D', directly over the flue P, extending longitudinally, and a. movable piece (shown by D, Fig. 14) is itted thereto, by which the opening D may be closed, but which may be removed when necessary to permit of the passage through it of the products of combustion. The shell of the vaporizingchamber H may conveniently be formed tubular, with the inner end closed in any suitable manuel'. It is screw-threaded externally at the open end,and has numerous small holes,0, Figs. 2 and 7, for the passage of the .oilvapors generated within the same outwardly into the gas-heating retort or chamber H.

The oil-supply pipe may be surrounded by some porous non-combustible1naterial-sueh as ibrous asbestus, mineral wool, closelycoiled iron or steel wire, iron or steel filings or tu rnings,or other suitable material-preferably with a space between this material and the inner wall of the generatilig-chamber. W'hen fibrous non-combustible material is empoyed,it is usually inelosed in a wire-netting, O, (see Fic. 3,) which serves to retain it in its proper place. This porous non-combustible material distributes the oil passing from the eil-supply pipes uniformly and in finely-divided portions to the exterior of the packing, and thus produces a steady and even vapor-ization of the oil. The flow of vapors through the openings o o in the shells or walls of the vaporizing-chambers is thus made steady and continuous, avoiding all pulsations of the llames at the burners K. These pulsations are common in all ordinary burners, and are caused by thc irregular vaporization of the oil when fiowing in limited quantity from the supplypipe directly against the heated surfaces of the vaporizing chambers. The shells a a of the gas-heating retorts or chambers A A are each closed at one end, and at the other end are provided with an orifice, z z, Fig. 2, screwthreaded, and closed by the cap E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. These openings are ol' sulicient size to permit the passage through them of their respective vaporizing-chambers H H. \Vhen the vaporizing chambers H H are screwed into the flanges u of the caps ll, the latter are then screwed into the openings z, andthe exterior of the walls of the vaporizing chambers are maintained at proper distances from the interior surfaces of walls of the gasheating retorts or chambers, thus forming narrow spaces a" between them. (See rv in Figs. 2 and 3.) Each of the oil-supply pipesff enters its vaporiZilig-chamber through a screwthreaded opening, w, in each cap E, and extends for a suftieient distance within the vaporizing-chamber, and has numerous small openings, o, Fig. S), along that portion within the vapori/.ingchamber, to permit the escape of the oil therefrom. It is closed at the inner end, as shown at Z, Fig. 9, and is connected with a common oil-supply pipe, fl, Fig. 1, which in turn communicates with the oil-reservoir- G, Fig. 1, which is suitably disposed above the level of the gas-heating retorts A. These pipes are provided with valves g r/ g2, of any suitable kind, to regulate the llow of oil through them.

C, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6, is a short supporting tube or leg, which is preferably made square in crosssection,except at the lower end,where it is rounded and screw-threaded, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and is screwed into an opening N, Fig. 4, in the top of thegas-receiving chamber B, and serves to support the gas-heating Ico IIO

chambers A. This tube or leg, where two generator-chambers are used in one apparatus, is provided with two passages, as shown at M and M', which extend its entire length, and each of which communicates with the interior of a gas-heating retort or chamber atits upper end, andA at the lower end with the interior of the gas-receiving chamber B. The connection between-the gas-heating chamber andthe gaas receiving chamber may consist of one or more necks, each containing'one or more passages, or they may be simply tubes or pipes, and any desired number may be employed. One of these passages is provided `with .a Valve, c', Fig. 3, by which communication through the same between the gas heating chamber and the gas-receiving ehamberis controlled.V It is also provided with a second opening, c2, between the valve c' and the gas-heating retort, which is screw-threaded and receives the end of pipe z', which communicates with the gas-holder F, or to other burners. Valve g3 in pipe i controls thepassage of gas throughpipe fi. The passages M and M' enter the shells of their respective gas-heating retorts or chambers atthe lowest point of theirinner surfaces, and that portion of each of these passages within the -walls of the gas-heating retorts, and as far as may be necessary outwardly, is made narrowerin its vertical cross-section than. in its longitudinal cross-section, as shown at g in Fig.

2. rlhis tubev or leg C may extend upward, as shown at t, between the adjacent walls of theI lgas-heating retorts, and serves t-o form a partition,dividing the fire-space P into two tiues, P P, and maybe extended upward as far as the tops of the gas heating retorts.

c is a rib or lug on the` side of leg C, provided )vith the opening d, through which the oil-supply pipeh, which forms the auxiliary burner, passes, and serves to hold t-he same'inl a firm position.

B in. Fig. l is the gas-receiving chamber, into which the gas from the gas heating retorts A passes through the passages M and M in the supporting-leg (Land it is providedwith suitable eduets or openings (shown at Z) upon its upperside or elsewhere in its walls, as may be preferable. These openings or ed uctsZ are provided with suitable burners, as shown at k, to insure the perfect combustion ofthe gas as it escapes therefrom.

Around the outer edge and upon the upper side of the gas-receiving chamber is a raised rim of sufcient height, forming a drip1')an, (shown at L,)wh ich servesto catch and retain any overliow of oil from the auxiliary bu rner h.

In the drawings, Fig. 2, the burners are represented as being of the kind known as the Bunsen burner5 but I may use any other of A a suitable kind.

n is a raised portion or boss upon the upper side of the center portion ofthe gas receiving chamber to add thickness to that portion of its shell, and it is provided with the, opening N, whichis screw-threade`d to receive the Screw-threaded end of the supporting tube or leg C. The dotted lines p2p in Fig. 6 show the outer and inner surfaces ofthe shells or walls of the gasheatng retorts A.

J J indicate the end walls between the gasheating retorts A, uniting them, and which serve tor form the ends of the lines or firespaces P.

In Fig. 2 the dotted lines qshow the inner surface of the gas-heating retort A, r the shell of the vaporizing chamber H, and s the walls of the oil-supply pipej',and the relative positions ofthe said several parts to each other when the vaporizjng-chamber, together with its oi1supply pipe, is in its proper positions. f

vx,between the dotted lines q and r,indicates the narrow spacebetween the outer surface of the vaporizilig-chamber and the inner surface of the gas-heating retort, 'into which the vapor of the oil passes on its escape Vfrom the vaporizingcham ber.

e is the open space between the upper su rface of the gasheating Aretort A and the de- Hector D, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6.

I proceed as follows to use my apparatus: The oil reservoir being supplied with liquid hydrocarbons, preferably the lighter distillates of petroleum, the valves g g are first opened and a quantity of the oil sufficient to fully saturate the packing within the vaporizingchamber is permitted to flow. through pipes fand f. These valves are then closed yto cut off the suppl y of the oil in order to prevent flooding the vaporizing-'chamber when valve g2 is opened to permit the oil to iow intok pipe h. The oil issuing from the openings o`l in pipe h is then ignitedand thetla'mes therefrom surround the gas-heating retorts A A, heating them and the vaporiziiig-chambers H to such a degree that the oil with which the packing within the latter is saturated is vaporized. The vapor makes its vway out of the vaporiziiig-chambers through the openings o o in the shells or walls, and fills the narrow spaces a between the exterior surfaces of the vaporizingchambers H and ot' the interior lsurfaces ofthe gas-heating retorts A A, being thereby spread outinto a thin stratum and u uniformly subjected to the action of the heated surfaces of the shells of the gas-heating retorts A A. The gas escapes from the gas-heating retorts through the passages M and M in the tube or leg C, passing downward through said passages into the gasreceiving chamber B, and thence into the burners l, where it is ignited by the flames issuing from the openings o'l in pipe h. As soon as the gas issuing from the burners K isignited, valveg2 is closed IOO TIO

to cut off the flow of the oil intopipe h, and

valves g gt are opened. The supply of oil to the vaporizing-chainbers is controlled by these -valves g and g', the tiames of the gas issuing from the burners K,playing against the lower part of the outer surfaces of the gas-heating retorts or chambers A A, one portion following theouter surfaces of the exterior walls outwardly and upward, and another portion passing upward through thc flues I I, around the adjacent walls ofthe gas-heating retorts until, striking the dctlector D, they are forced outwardly over the upper surfaces of the gasheating retorts, and are distributed and divided, as may be desired. By the removal of piece D2 ofthe deflcctor-platc D that portion .of the tlamcs passing upward through theiucs P I is permitted to pass through the opening D' in the deiiector-plate.

1When it is desired to manufacture gas for purposes of illumination, or for any other purpose, I proceed as stated above until agood supply of gas is escaping from the gasreceiving chamber through the burners, when valve g3 in pipe i is opened and valve c in the supporting tube or leg C is closed, and the flow ofthe gas from one of the gasheating retorts A into the gas-receiving chamber B is cut off and conveyed through pipe tto other burners, or into the gas-holder F, when it is mixed with the proper quantity of atmospheric air, which is forced into the gas-holder, and thence conveyed through pipes to the place desired for use.

The gas-holder F is provided with an air force-pump of any suitable kind, by means of which the requisite quantity of atmospheric air may be forced into the same for admixture with the gas formed from the decomposed vapors of the liquid hydrocarbons to properly prepare the latter for illuminating purposes.

Having thus described my invention and its method ot' operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combiuatiomwith a generator-chamber, of an oil-supply pipe extending within said chamber, the part within said chamber being perforated` and a stratum of tibrous or porous nou-combustible material interposed between the supply-pipe and the inner walls ofthe generator-chamber, space being left between said uoircombustible material and the inclosng walls, sub tintially as described.

2. The combinat.ion,with a generator-chamber, of au oil-supply pipe extending into said generator-chamber, the part wit-hin said chamber being perforated, and a gas-heating chamber wholly iuclosing the generator chamber, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a generator-chamber, of an oil-supply pipe extending within the same, the part within the said chamber being perforated, a stratum of asbestus surrounding the perforated portion of said pipe, and a wrapping of wiregauze around the asbestus, substantially as described."

4. The combination, with two generatorchambers, of an oilsupplypipe for each chamber, a gas-heating chamber inclosing each generator-chamber, with a space between them, a burner beneath the gas-heating chambers connected therewith, and a dctlector-plate above the gas-heating chambers, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with two gasgencrating chambers and a gas-receiving chamber below the same, of a neck or necks connecting the gasgencrating chambers with the gas-rei ceiving chamber, provided with a separate passage for each generator chamber, substantially as described.

G. The combination of two gas-generator chambers, a gasreceivin'g chamber beneath the same, a separate passage connecting each generator chamber with the gas receiving chamber, one of said passages being provided with a valve, a'gasometer, and a pipe connecting the gasometer with the passage above the valve, substantially as described.

7. A burner having a vaporizirig-chamber, au oil supply pipe opening into the same,'a gas-hcating chamber' inclosing the same, a gasrccciving chamber located beneath the gasheating chamber and having gas-educts in its upper side, and a passage communicating with said gas-heating chamber and said gas-receiv ing chamber, substantially as described.

S. A burner having a vaporiziiig-chamber, an oilsnpply pipe opening into the same, a gas-heating chamber inelosing the same, a gasrceeiviug chamber located beneath the gasheating chamber and having gas-educts in its upper side, and a passage communicating with said gas-heating chamber and gas-receiving chamber, and a flamc-detlecting plate above said gas-heating chamber, substantially as described.

9. lhecombinatiom with vaporizing-cham ber II, having the opening o o in its walls, an oil-supply pipe opening into the same, of the inclosing gasheating chamber A and the gasrecciving chamber B, having the gas-educts l in its upper side and communicating with said gas-heating chamber, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the vaporizingchamber II, having the openings o o, an oilsupply pipe extending within the same and having perforations in that portion within the vaporizing-chamber, ofthe inelosing gas-heatingchamber A, the gas receiving chambcrB, communicating with said chamber A and hav. ing openings Z on its upper side, and the dei'lectonplate D above the gas-heating chamber A, substantially as described.

1l. The combination, with the vaporizingchamber H, having openings o o, an oil-supply pipc extending within the same, having perforations o in that portion within the va porij/.ing-chamber, and the same portion bei ng surrounded by a fibrous nou-combustible material ineloscd in a netting of wire-gauze, the inclosing gas-heating chamber A, a tube or leg, G, and the gas receiving chamber B, having thcopcnings Z, ofthe pipcsfand h., having valvesgand g2, substantially as described.

l2. The combination, with the vaporizingv chamber H, having openings o o, the inclosing gasheating chamber A, a tube or tubcs,C,the gas-receiving chamber D, having openings Z, and the delcctor-platc D, of the pipes f and 7L, substantially as described.

13. The combination,witha generatorfchanr ber, of an oil-supply pipe extending within the same, the part within said chamber being perforated, a stratum of asbestus or other suitable brous orporous non-combustible material snrrounding the perforated portion of said pipe, a wrapping of wire-gauze around the asbestus or other fibrous non-combustible material, agasheating chamberinclosing said gas generating "chamber, a gas-receivingA chamber having openings therein provided with suitable burners locatedy beneathI the gas-heating chamber, a tube 'or tubes communicating between said gasheating and the said gas-receiving cham'- bers7 a deiiectonplate above the gas-heating chamber, and pipes f an'd'h, having valves g and g2, substantially as described..

14. The combination, in an oil-burner, of two generator-chambers, each having an oilsuppl y pipe within the same, the parts of said oil-supply pipes within the said chambers being perforated, a stratum of asbestus or other 'suitable ibrous non-combustible material sur- `rounding the perforated portions of said pipes,

ber having openings therein provided with suitable burners, and located beneath the gasheating chambers,asupporting tube or leg having passages communicating between said gasf heating chambers and the said gas-receiving chamber, one of such passages or tubes being provided with a valve, and pipes f, f', and h, having val ves g, g', and g?, substantially as described.

' AARON F. RANDALL. Witnesses:

G. A. PREVOST, J. H. VHITAKER.

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