William calver

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Drawing sheet — no readable text.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CALVER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. .

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,765, dated November 12, 1895. Application filed April 12, 1893. Renewed April 12, 1895. Serial No, 545,530, (No model.) To all, whom it may concern: . rior tank B, provided with a supply-pipe B Be it known that I, WILLIAM CALVER, a and a discharge-pipe B". The object of this citizen of the United States, residing at Wash construction of heat-openings and the com 55 ington, in the District of Columbia, have in municating pipes and coil is to maintain the Vented certain new and useful Improvements circulation of a cooling medium, such as fil in Apparatus for Making Gas, of which the tered water or any other suitable liquid or following is a specification, reference being other refrigerator, within the heat-openings, had therein to the accompanying drawings. and to maintain a comparatively-low tem This invention has relation to an appara perature of such cooling medium by means O tus for utilizing rays of the sun in the manu of any other suitable like medium, such as facture of gases resulting from the decompo cold water, which is conducted by the pipe B sition of Water. into the tank B and flows therefrom through Water being composed of only two gases the pipe B continuously. The entire heat Oxygen and hydrogen-the former being the ing-chamber, except at the heat-openings, is great promoter of combustion and the latter covered by a jacket of non-conducting sub the best-known fuel, the decomposition of stance C, and may or may not, as desired, be Water has been the basis of the production provided with an exterior casing C. Such of gas for heating and lighting purposes; but openings as are not in use may also be tem the apparatus required was more or less com porarily covered or closed by a movable or plex and the fuel employed, principally coal, other shutter. The upper compartment of contaminates the gas produced by the com the heating-chamber constitutes a “steam mingling of the products of combustion boiler,” so called, the water-line of which is there with. represented by the dotted line D, and the 75 One of the prime objects of my invention supply of water thereto being conducted 25 is to produce pure oxygen and hydrogen thereto by the pipe D'. Instead of a plain gases, and another object is to produce them steam - producing compartment, as shown, by means of a simple method which will re any form of steam-boiler or system of coiled quire an equally simple apparatus; and a fur pipe may be used. A steam-pipe E passes 8 ther object is to secure the products of the through the diaphragm A and projects into process or method at a minimum cost. the steam-space of the upper compartment Other objects and advantages of the inven and communicates with a pipe or pipes E, tion will hereinafter appear, and the novel which in turn communicate by a pipe E° with features thereof will be specifically defined an interior vessel F, located at any conven by the appended claims. ient point within the heating-chamber. Any 35 Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical suitable arrangement of pipe connections Section of One form of apparatus adapted to may be employed, and I have shown one form practice the method of my invention. Fig. which exposes a pipe E, or more than one, 2 is a substantially central horizontal section if desired, to any heat passing through the of the same. heat-openings A*. In this form a head G Like letters of reference indicate like parts gives communication with a series of pipes E in both of the views. for the steam passing through the pipes E and A represents a heating-chamber, the upper E°. These heads and the vessel F are sup portion of which is separated from the lower ported in this instance by pillars H of any 95 portion by a diaphragm A'. The heating suitable material. Within the vessel F a de 45 chamber is provided with openings A for sired quantity of iron is placed, and the ironis the passage of heat-rays into the chamber. preferably in comminuted or scrap form. The These openings are closed by glass or other upper part of the vessel F may have openings heat-conducting plates A, spaced from each F formed therein, or it may terminate at a IOd other, and the spaces between the glasses of short distance from the upper head G, or the SO the several openings are connected one with vessel may be entirely omitted and a mass of the other by a pipe B, while pipes B'B' com iron may be piled upon the lower head G or municate with a coil B, located in an exte upon any other suitable support, the main

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purpose being that the steam formed in the While I have shown one form of apparatus upper compartment shall be conveyed into for producing oxygen and hydrogen gases the mass of iron, and although it may be at free from contamination and noxious ingredi any point thereof still it may be solely at the ents, my invention is not limited to the appa bottom, as shown. ratus shown, as it is apparent that I can Sepa I represents a pipe communicating With the rate the steam-producing apparatus from the interior of the heating-chamber and provided main heating-chamber. I can employ the lat with a valve I' and terminating in a tank J. ter solely for heating the deoxidizing sub A branch pipe K, having a valve K", extends stance P, or I can combine the steam-pro 75 to another tank. (Not shown.) ducing and the deoxidizing apparatus in One, Instead of utilizing the upper portion of the as shown, or these various arrangements may main heating-chamber for the production of be modified in numerous particulars and es steam, I may employ any ordinary steam-pro pecially in the construction and arrangement ducing apparatus arranged exteriorly or a of the connecting-pipes and their appurte steam-producing apparatus having heat nances. So, also, instead of introducing stealm openings. A similar to those shown and de direct into or onto the deoxidizing substance scribed with reference to Fig. 1, in either I may cause water to beforced or ejected onto case provision being made for the conduction or into the same, or it may be allowed to run of the steam to the iron of the heating-cham thereonto to generate steam. ber-for example, by the pipe L shown in dot It is apparent that the herein-described ted lines. method or process may be employed in the The heating-chamber is arranged concen production of gases or other products from tric with a curved track M, on which a car Nis other substances by decomposing the same mounted, and upon the car a series of reflectors through the instrumentality of Solar rays in 25 O for reflecting the solar rays through the pinged upon the decomposing material im openings A* into the main heating-chamber. pregnated with the substance to be decom This portion of the apparatus may be such as posed, and the invention is therefore not lim is disclosed in my Patent No. 260,657, dated ited to the production of any particular gas July 4, 1882, and therefore requires no par or gases. 95 ticular description. What I claim as new is It is well known that iron at a red heat de 1. The combination of a closed heating composes Water rapidly, the oxygen of the chamber provided with means for supporting steam combining with the iron when at a red a deoxidizing material and for the supply of heat to a greater extent than when the iron is steam thereto and with closed openings adapt OO hotter or colder. I deem it proper to state at ed for the passage of heat into the chamber, this point that although I have designated of an apparatus for directing the Solar rays iron as the material through which to pass the into the chamber through said opening, Sub steam any other suitable material for decom stantially as specified.

posing the steam may be substituted. The 2. A non-conducting shell provided with an oxygen of the steam combining with the iron, inner retort with a steam-supply thereto and the hydrogen is set free and is conducted by means for water circulation to heat confining the pipe I into the tank J, which may be a gas and diathermanous windows therein, substan holder of any ordinary construction. tially as specified.

When the iron or other Substance P be 3. The combination with the non-conduct O 45 comes oxidized, the steam is shut off by any ing shellhaving diathermanous openings, the suitable means-for example, by the hand inner retort and means for Water circulation wheel Q, communicating with a valve R on to said openings, of a steam chamber with pipe the steam-pipe E-and the Substance P is connections for filling and for discharging heated by means of the reflectors acting di steam into the retort receptacle, Substantially II5 rectly thereon to such a degree as to expel the as specified.

Oxygen from the substance and the valve J' 4. A closed heating chamber provided with is closed, the valves I and K opened, so that means for Supporting a deoxidizing material the oxygen may be conducted to a separate and for the supply of steam thereto and with tank or gas-holder. (Not shown.) After de diathermanous openings adapted for the pas 55 oxidation steam is again passed into the sub Sage of heat into the chamber, substantially stance and hydrogen again produced. As as specified.

constructed, the steam is superheated in the 5. The combination with the non-conduct upper head Gandpipes E, although any other ing shell, the inner retort and means for wa form of piping or arrangement for superheat ter circulation and the steam chamber with I 25 ing the steam may be employed, if desired. It its pipe connections for filling and for dis is apparent that the deoxidation of the sub charging steam into a retort receptacle, of stance P might be accomplished by the in heat confining and diathermanous windows troduction of carbonic oxide and acid made connected with the water circulation, substan in a separate coal or wood furnace; but for tially as specified.

reasons above stated this is not the preferred 6. The combination with the non-conduct lmanner of accomplishing this result. ing shell, the inner retort provided with a

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steam supply, means for water circulation and ably mounted solar reflector, substantially as diathermanous Windows in said shell, of a so specified.

lar reflector, substantially as specified. 9. A solar furnace provided with heat open 7. The combination. With the non-conduct enings adapted for the circulation of clear ingshell, the steam supplyinner retort, means Water, and a system of piping communicating 20 for Water circulation to diathermanous win With said openings and passing through a tank dows, of a solar reflector movably mounted whereby the clear water may be maintained whereby it may be adjusted with relation to at a desired temperature by an independent the apertures to reflect solar heat upon the re body of water, substantially as specified. tort, substantially as specified. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 25 8. A closed heating chamber provided with in presence of two witnesses.

means for supporting a deoxidizing material WILLIAM CALVER. and for the supply of steam and with diather Witnesses:

manous openings adapted for the passage of E. B. STOCKING, heat into the chamber combined with a mov HEATH SUTHERLAND.