CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND USES OF CARBONIC ACID GAS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Julius Mott, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Wine Merchant, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
D
Sealed the 10th April 1866, and dated the 16th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Julius Mott at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th October 1865.
с
I, ALBERT JULIUS MOTT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,.
Wine Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND USES OF CARBONIC ACID GAS,"
to be as follows:-
The materials from which carbonic acid gas is produced or evolved
according to my Invention are alum in the form of crystals and an alkaline
carbonate in solution. That these materials may be beneficially employed
in the production of the said gas I have devised special apparatus in which
two forces are constantly in existence, the one the pressure of a column of
the said alkaline solution, and the other the pressure of the gas evolved.
when the said solution comes in contact with the alum crystals; and it is
to the alternate predominance of these forces that the apparatus is rendered
self-acting when once adjusted, and carbonic acid advantageously pro-
duced, as required, for the purpose to which I apply it, as herein-after
mentioned. The apparatus consists of a metallic or other vessel of any:

page_text: suitable external form divided into two compartments by a partition, in
which there is an opening or communication from one to the other. The
alum crystals are placed on a perforated grid or shelf in one compartment
of the said vessel, and the alkaline solution poured into or formed in the
other; the latter material, however, passes by the opening or communi-
cation into the compartment containing the former, and as it rises the
materials come into contact and at that time evolve carbonic acid gas. As
this gas cannot escape from the vessel itself, or from the one with which it
is in communication, it collects, and by its pressure it forces back the
alkaline solution until such time as the pressure of the said gas is reduced
by withdrawal of the same, and the force or weight of the column of
solution is in the ascendant, so as to allow contact to take place, and a
new supply of carbonic acid gas to be produced. The uses or purposes to
which I apply carbonic acid, obtained from the materials and by the
apparatus above described, are to fill up the spaces in casks and vessels
containing and from which fermented and other liquids are being drawn,
and by so doing to keep the liquids brisk and sweet, or in a desired
condition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Albert Julius Mott in the Great Seal Patent Office-2
on the 16th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
JULIUS MOTT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Wine Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 2
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in-the year. of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant:
unto me, the said the said Albert Julius Mott, Her special license that I,
the said Albert Julius Mott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, 3
or such others as I, the said Albert Julius Mott, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed.
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND
USES OF CARBONIC ACID GAS," upon the conditions (amongst others) that I,

page_text: the said Albert Julius Mott, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Albert Julius Mott, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
:
The materials from which carbonic acid gas is produced or evolved
according to my Invention are alum in the form of crystals and an alkaline
carbonate in solution.. That these materials may be beneficially em-
ployed in the production of the said gas. I have devised special apparatus
in which two forces are constantly in existence, the one the pressure, of a
column of the said alkaline solution, and the other the pressure of the gas.
evolved when the said solution comes into contact with the alum crystals;
and it is by the alternate predominance of these forces that the apparatus
is rendered self-acting when once adjusted, and carbonic acid advan-
tageously produced as required for the purpose to which I apply it, as
herein-after mentioned. The apparatus consists of a metallic or other
vessel of any suitable external form divided into two compartments by a
partition, in which there is an opening or communication from one to the
other. The alum crystals are placed on a perforated grid or shelf in one
compartment of the said vessel, and the alkaline solution poured into or
formed in the other; the latter passes by the opening or communication
into the compartment containing the former, and as it (the said solution)
rises the materials come into contact, and at that time evolve carbonic
acid gas. As this gas cannot escape from the vessel itself, or from the
one with which it is in communication, it collects, and by its pressure it
forces back the alkaline solution until such time as the pressure of the said
gas is reduced by withdrawal of the same, and the force or weight of
the column of solution is in the ascendant, so as to allow contact to take
place, and a new supply of carbonic acid gas to be produced. The uses or
purposes to which I apply carbonic acid, obtained from these materials
and by the apparatus above described, are to fill up the spaces in casks and
vessels containing and from which fermented and other liquids are being
drawn, and by so doing to keep the liquids brick and sweet, or in a desired
condition..

page_text: That a knowledge of apparatus constructed according to my Invention
may be readily obtained, I have attached hereto a Sheet of Drawings illus-
trative of various modifications of those constructions or arrangements of
parts which I prefer. Some of the said apparatus are shewn connected to
vessels for containing fermented and other liquids, and into which carbonic
acid gas is to be allowed to pass as and for the purpose herein-before
mentioned.
:
".
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of apparatus, consisting of vessel a;
divided into two comparts, b, c, by partition d, in which there is a pas-
sage or communication e to allow the liquid solution to pass to the alum
crystals, resting on the perforated or open work grid or tray g. h is an
opening, shewn covered by a cap, with aperture therein to admit air, through
which the liquid alkaline solution or the water and carbonate of soda can
be poured; is an opening with union coupling and pipe, through which
the carbonic acid gas is conveyed to the vessel. Pieces of alum, not less
than the size of beans, are laid on g. An alkaline carbonate, preferably
bicarbonate of soda in solution, is poured into or formed in C, and passes
through e into b, when it rises high enough to touch the alum in 6; carbonic
acid gas is formed immediately. If the pipe from e is now connected with
the top of a vessel containing beer or other liquid, on, which is the same
thing, the pipe closed, the gas will accumulate in b, and by its pressure
force back the alkaline solution into c till it is below g, as shewn, and out of
contact with alum f, when the production of gas will cease.
If some of
the beer or liquid is now drawn from the vessel, or the pipe opened, the
gas will pass from 6, the solution rise, contact takes place, and a fresh
supply be produced as before. This alternate contact and separation can
be repeated until the alum or alkali is exhausted.
Fig. 2 represents Fig. 1 modified as follows:-The communication.
between the compartments b, c, is by a syphon shaped pipe j; k is a con-
trolling gas cock; this arrangement makes the apparatus more portable
when charged. The cock k may be opened and closed each time liquid is
withdrawn from the vessel if desired.
In Fig. 3 the opening is fitted with an air-tight cap; by screwing
down the said cap while the gas is being generated, pressure to any extent
can be obtained, as the alkaline solution when forced back will compress
the air in c, the extent of the compression being regulated by the volume of
air in c compared with the volume of solution above the grating.d when
the cap is screwed down.
Figs. 4 and 5.are also vertical sections of apparatus. The same letters

page_text: represent like parts in both views. In Fig. 4 the solution is in a chamber
Zabove the alum m. on tray n, and in Fig. 5 below it. Fig. 5 is
specially adapted for cases where the drawing of beer or other liquid
from a cask produces considerable suction; o and p are the opening
respectively for supplying the alum and solution; 7 is the gas passage, with
cock r..
Fig. 6 represents another vertical section of apparatus, the separate
parts being shewn by Figures 7, 8, and 9, intended more particularly for
small sizes, and suitable for connection to beer or other casks or vessels,
such as are in ordinary use in private houses. a¹ is the outer case with tube
6, open at top, lid or cover c³, and pins d'; e¹ is a funnel-shaped grating to
hold the alum; f¹, another vessel open at the bottom and formed with per-
forated plate at f. The slots g¹ and pins d¹ form a bayonet joint and fasten
f¹ to a¹; ¹ is a small opening closed by a thumbscrew, through which any
air contained in f¹ can be withdrawn when the apparatus is being set for
use. The alkaline solution is shewn in Fig. 6 in contact with the alum,
but in Fig. 10, which shews the same apparatus attached to an earthen-
ware jar or vessel 1, the alum is out of contact. Alternate contact and
separation takes place in this arrangement as in those first above described.
Cock marked should be opened and closed each time liquid is withdrawn,
although it may be dispensed with.
In vessels like ¹ there is a difficulty in making bungs through which the
nozzle is passed air-tight, and as this is of importance I have shewn
in side elevation by Fig. 11, and in section by Fig. 12, a plug which
I have found to answer well. m² is a circular tapering piece of wood with
flanges at top and bottom, and n¹ a tube of india-rubber or other suitable
elastic material; a is a pipe or tube for conveying the gas near to the
bottom of i¹.
Fig. 13 shews in side elevation an apparatus similar to Fig. 1 con-
nected to an ordinary cask.
In all the views my said apparatus is represented as being made of thin
sheet metal. I prefer well tinn'd iron, although other metals and many
other materials are suitable.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and particu-
larized various modifications of apparatus, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the exact details of parts or relative proportions
shewn, as many variations can be made without departing from the leading
features of my Invention, nor do I confine myself to the use of any par-

page_text: ticular kind or description of alkaline carbonate in solution. What I claim
is, the employment of alum in crystals and an alkaline carbonate in solu
tion as materials or agents for the production of carbonic acid gas, and the
use of such gas when produced in and passed from.apparatus constructed
substantially as herein described and shewn on the Sheet of Drawings, to
preserve fermented and other liquids from the injurious action of the
'atmosphere.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Julius Mott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
"In the presence of
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
ALBERT JULIUS MOTT. (L.S.)