Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
We PROSPER DE WILDE of 339 Avenue Louise, Brussels Belgium, Professor
of Chemistry, ALBERT REYCHLER of 12 Rue de l'Arbre Brussels Belgium
Doctor of Science and FERDINAND HURTER Ph. D. of Widnes in the County of
Lancaster Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of chlorine wherein
currents of air and gas are passed over and through a decomposing material
contained in cylinders or vessels such for instance as the apparatus described in
the Specification of Letters Patent 17659 of 1891 granted to us but our invention
is not limited to application to that precise form of apparatus. It has been found
that considerable depth of the decomposing material is objectionable and eventually
interferes with the operation by settling down so that the passage of the air and
gas is interfered with. According to our present invention we construct or
arrange the vessels which are to contain the decomposing material so that the
material is supported therein in layers of extended surface but of small depth.
The vessels may be square or rectangular or of other convenient shape and may
be made of any suitable material such as sheet or cast iron lined with refractory
material. They are divided in the direction of their height into spaces or com-
partments by partitions false bottoms or shelves which may be perforated slabs of
refractory material or gratings of cast iron for example. Upon these the decom-
posing materials are spread in thin layers say of about twelve to fifteen inches
deep affording an extended surface of the material. Into the free space between
the upper end of the vessel and the material of the top layer the air and the
hydrochloric acid gas are admitted and after passing through the materials enter
the space under the lower partition or grating and leave the vessel through a
passage provided for the purpose.
The vessel at each of the spaces or compartments containing the layers of
materials and also at the space between the lower partition and the bottom of the
vessel is provided with doors, capable of being hermetically closed, by means of
which doors the materials can be renewed whilst working without necessarily
suspending the operations of the whole apparatus and that part of_the_material
that has passed through the lower partition or grating can be removed. To retain
the heat of the materials the doors may be externally covered by brickwork or
clay when working.
Dated this 10th day of November 1802
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
We PROSPER DE WILDE of 339 Avenue Louise Brussels, Professor of
Chemistry ALBERT REYCHLER of 12 Rue de l'Arbre Brussels Belgium Doctor
of Science and FERDINAND HURTER Ph. D. of Widnes in the County of
Lancaster Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of chlorine wherein

page_text: currents of gases are passed over and through a decomposing material contained in
a cylinder or vessel or in cylinders or vessels such for instance as the apparatus
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 17659 of 1891 granted to us
but our invention is not limited to application to that precise form of apparatus.
It has been found that considerable depth of the decomposing material is
objectionable and eventually interferes with the operation by settling down so that
the passage of the gases is interfered with. According to our present invention
we construct or arrange as hereinafter described the vessels which are to contain
the decomposing material so that the material is supported therein in layers of
extended surface but of small depth. The vessel or vessels may be square or
rectangular or of other convenient shape and may be made of any suitable material
such as sheet or cast iron lined with refractory material.
The vessel or each vessel is divided in the direction of its height into spaces or
compartments by perforated partitions false bottoms or shelves which may be
perforated slabs of refractory material or gratings of cast iron for example
supported by resting upon projections from the inner walls of the vessel. Upon
these shelves or the like the decomposing material is spread in thin layers say of
about twelve to fifteen inches deep affording an extended surface of the material.
Into the free space between the upper end of the vessel and the material of the
top layer the air and the hydrochloric acid gas are admitted either alternately or
together and after passing through the material enter the free space at the lower
end of the vessel and leave it through a passage provided for the purpose.
The vessel at each of the spaces or compartments containing the layers of
material and also at the space between the lower shelf and the bottom of the vessel
is provided with doors capable of being hermetically closed by means of which
doors where more than one decomposing vessel is used the material can be renewed
whilst working without necessarily suspending the operations of the whole
apparatus and that part of the material that has passed through the lower shelf
partition or grating can be removed. To retain the heat of the material the doors
may be covered by brickwork or clay when working.
When the hydrochloric acid gas and air previously licated to the requisite
temperature are passed through the decomposing material alternately, it is desirable
to use more than one such vessel or cylinder, so that one may be treated with air,
while another receives the hydrochloric acid gas, but one vessel is sufficient when a
mixture of hydrochloric acid gas and air is passed through the decomposing
material though more than one vessel may also in that case be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
For the manufacture of chlorine one decomposing vessel or more than one
decomposing vessel the vessel or each vessel being subdivided into horizontal or
approximately horizontal compartments by perforated shelves or their equivalents
upon which the necessary amount of decomposing material is spread in thin layers,
each compartment being provided with means for gaining access thereto for the
purposes herein before set forth and substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 5th day of August 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.