US631870A - Formaldehyde-lamp. - Google Patents

Description

No. 631,370. Patented Aug. 29, |899.

.1. H. HoLMAN.

FORMALDEHYDE LAMP.

(Application led Apr. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

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Patented Aug. 29, |899.

N0. 63l,870. f

A J. H. HoLMAN.

FORMALDEHYDE LAMP.

' (Application led Apr. 14. 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y SSE S UNITED STATES lPATENT Erica@ JAMES I-I. IIOLMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FORIVIALDEHYDE-LAM P.

SPECIFICATIONYforming part of Letters Patent No. 631,870,`dated August 29, 1899. Application-filed Apri114,1898. Serial No. 677,606. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES Il. IIOLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an efficient device, of large capacity in proportion to its size, for generating gases, particularly that variety known as formaldehyde gas.

Said invention consists ina certaiunew and improved construction and arrangement of parts whereby a high order of result is secured, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof Vand on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying my present invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal plan view with the generating-chamber removed, as seen from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a view of the superheating device, which is here shown as an ordinarypipe-coil; Fig. 4, aiplan view as seen from the dotted line 4 d in Fig. l; Fig. 5, a perspective View of the. baffleplate which is situated above the superheating-coil; Fig. G, a horizontal section al view as seen from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 a horizontal sectional view as seen from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. l.

In said drawings the portionsmarked A represent the reservoir for `the fluid from which the gas is to be generated; B, a tube leading therefrom; C, a cup-shaped structure surrounding said tube near the upper end and serving as a combustion-hearth; D, a superheating device, preferably in the form of a coil; E, a baffle-plate situated over said coil; F, an inclosing cap covering said baille'- plateand said superheating-coil; G, a cupshaped structure connected to the upwardlyextending end of the coil and locatedwithin the gas-genarating chamber; Il, said chainber, and I a disk within said chamber.

The reservoirA isV of suitable formv and size to contain the fluid from which lthe gas is to be generated, which for formaldehyde gas is, as is well known, generally wood-al- -ing-chamber II.

cohol. Connected to the upper portion of this reservoir A is an elastic bulb A', by vwhich air-pressure can be applied to the contents of the reservoir, thus forcing them out through the perforationsin the tube B upon occasion. The neck of this reservoir is prefably closed by means of a screw cap or plugAZ.

' The tube B preferably leads out from the bottom of the reservoir horizontally for a distance, and thence upwardly to a point substantially level with the top of the fluid in the reservoir A when the latter is filled, and its upper end b is preferably swelled or bulb like in form. At its extreme upper end it contains a series of perforations b', through which vapor generated from the fluid may escape, and above said perforations said pipe is connected to the coil D. A cock B is provided in the horizontal member of the tube B for the purpose of shutting off the flowof fluid when desired. From just beyond said cock a wick w leads upto and into thebulb b land serves after the ordinary manner of wicks toconduct the fluid from the reservoir to the bulb.

The cup or hearth C surrounds the vertical member of the pipe B and is adapted to receive and contain any overdow of fluid from the perforations in the bulb-like head b and also to serve as a combustion-surface upon which the burning fluid may rest, whereby the bulb b may be heated and the duid inside of the same vaporized. After the operation of vaporizing'is Well begun the iiame from the escaping vapor alone is quite sufficientto cause the operation to continue, and the combustion-hearth C is therefore inactive during the greater portion of the time the apparatus is in operation.

The superheating device is preferably in the form of a coil D, which leads vertically from the upper end of the tube B for a short distance and then after making several turns leads inwardly again over the turns to a bulb el, connected to the lower end of the generat- While this device is shown in the form of an ordinary pipe-coil, it -may of course be a cast structure, if desired, and the superheater and baffle-plate may bein such case formed integrally, if desired.

The baffle-plate E is laid upon the upper side of the superheaterD and serves to force IOO the products of combustion outwardly from the center under and around the members of said coil or superhcater to the outer sides thereof and thence over said sides to above said baffle-plate, whence it escapes through the perforations in the upper side of the cap F. Stud-like arms e extend up from this baffle-plate and rest against the upper side of said cap F and serve to help unite and strengthen the structure.

The cap F is `open on the under side and closed on the upper side except that it has a series of perfcrations f' in its top near the center through which the products of combustion escape. It is secured to the stem-like lower end of the generating-chamber H, as shown in Fig. 1. A support f' for the middle member of the generating-chamber(when the same is turned down) extends upwardlyfrom one side of this cap F.

The part G is cup-like in form and is contained within the lower end of the generating-chamber II and preferably conforms to the shape of said lower end, although somewhat smaller in size, so as to leave a clear space between the two parts. Said part G serves mainly as a distributer of the air and the products of combustion as they enter the gas-generating chamber. It also serves to diffuse the vapor which enters it from below.

The generating-chamber His preferably, as shown, composed of three parts, the upper and lower ends being semispherical and the central portion cylindrical. The central portion is preferably hinged to the lower portion by a hinge h.

' on their hinges, they occupy the positions shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, the middle or body portion of the gas-generating chamber resting upon the support f', while the upper semispherical end rests against the handle h2 of the said middle portion. These portions on the opposite sides from the hinges are also preferably provided with springcatches h4 and h5.

The disk I is placed within the gas-generating chamber, preferably at the top of the middle portion, and it preferably consists of a gauze of platinum wire, platinum being the best metal for the purpose, as is well known from practical experience. I do not desire to limit myself,however,as to the form,construction, or material of this disk. The intense heat arising from the superheated vapor and from the products of combustion as they arise around and into the gas-generating chamber produces and maintains a very high temperature in said chamber, attached as it is directly to the superheating-coil D, and in all parts connected thereto. The disk I participates in these effects, and when the apparatus is in operation maintains substantially a red heat, which is the most efficient temperature for the purpose.

The operation of this invention may be described as follows: At first a slight pressure upon the bulb A' causes the fluid to overflow When these parts are thrown back slightly into the cup or hearth C. The overflow is then lighted, which heats the bulb l) Aand vaporizes the fluid. A portion of the vapor escapes through the perforations h at the upper side of said bulb and forms a fuel, the flame from which impinges against'the coil D, as shown in Fig. 1. The greater portion of the vapor,however,passes through said coil, and is thus superheated by the burning of the escaping portion. This after being so superheated passes into the cup-like part G, and thence into the gas-generating chamber, where it strikes the disk I. At iirst in order to get the required heat on said disk I prefer to throw back the upper section of the generating-chamber and. light the vapor as it comes through the fine perforations of said disk. After the burning has continued for a few moments I close the top of the generating-chamber, which has the' effect to extinguish the flame at this point, and then the generation of the gas proceeds with great rapidity, and said gas escapes into the room or sterilizing-chamber in which the apparatus is placed. The products of combustion from. that portion of the vapor which escapes through the orifices in the bulb b after passing up around the coil and up through the orifices f in the cap F also enters (along with a certain amount of atmospheric air) the perforations p in the lower section of the generating-chamber I-I. The mixture of atmospheric air with the highly-heated vapor and thefthorough mingling therewith which occurs in this chamber, especially when they come in contact with the disk I, produce the formaldehyde gas in large quantities.

As will be observed, in my apparatus a portion of the vapor constitutes the fuel by which the other portion of the vapor is superheated, that portion which is not used as a fuel passing through the coil D (in which it is superheated bythe heat produced by the combustion of the other portion) and passingthence into the generating-chamber,where it becomes mixed with atmospheric air and so forms the gas.

Having thus fully described my said invention, -what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. In a formaldehyde-gas generator,the combination, of the Huid-reservoir, a tube leading therefrom and upwardly and formed with perforations in its sides near its top through which a portion of the gas may escape and burn under the superheating-coil, a combustion-hearth just below said perforations, said snperheating-coil connected with the top of said tube just above said perforations, and a generating-chamber connected to the top of said coil, and formed with perforations in its lower side for ,theingress of gas and air from below, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a formaldehydegas generator, of the fluid-reservoir, the tube leading out and upwardly therefrom, the gasburner formed around near the top of said IOO tube, the superheating-coil connected therewith just above said burner,the inverted cupshaped cap F covering said coil and formed With apertures near the center of its top, the generating-chamber connected with the top of said coil above said cap, and formed with apertures in its under side to permit the ingress of air and the gas from beneath said cap, all substantially as set forth.

3. In a formaldehyde-gas generator, the combination, of the huid-reservoir, the tube leading therefrom and upwardly, the superheating apparatus on its upper end, the generating-chamber on the top of said superheating apparatus, and the diffusing device G in the bottom of said chamber with a free space between them, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a formaldehydegas generating apparatus, of a reservoir for the fiuid from which the gas is to be made, a tube leading from said reservoir, a superheating device attached to the upper end of said tube,

lWardly, and a disk extending across the same near the upper end said disk containing metallic gauze.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of April, A. D. 1898.

JAMES I-I. HOLMAN.

IVitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

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