IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BATTERIES AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN BY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Jacob Gülcher of Notting Hill in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BATTERIES
AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN BY
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Jacob Gülcher at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1882.
ROBERT JACOB GULCHER of Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BATTERIES AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
PRODUCTION-OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN BY ELECTRICITY AND FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT."
My Invention consists first in the use in gas batteries of hydrogen and oxygen
gases under considerable pressure.
•
My Invention consists further of the improvements hereinafter described in
apparatus of the kind known as "Grove's gas battery" the object of the said
improvements being to cause the Hydrogen and Oxygen gases to be generated and
compressed to a considerable degree simultaneously and by the same action
whereby the said apparatus is rendered capable of practical use as a secondary
battery or as a generator and reservoir of the said gases.
According to this part of my said invention I form a vessel of some suitable
air tight and non-conducting material which I divide internally into three com-
partments (which are herein after termed the first, second and third compartments)
by means of partitions which descend nearly to the bottom of the said vessel the
spaces between the lower edges of the said partitions and the bottom of the said,
vessel forming the only means of communication between the several compartments.
In the top of the said vessel I form openings which communicate each with one of
the said compartments and in the lower part of the third compartment I form
another opening slightly above the level of the lower part of the said partitions
which openings I provide with means for producing an air tight closure. In the first.
and second of the said three compartments I place the pair of platinum plates
(each in a separate compartment) the lower edges of tho said plates being slightly
above the level of the lower edges of the aforesaid partitions and I pass wires or
other suitable conductors connected to the said plates through apertures in the top
E

page_text: of the vessel and seal the said apertures air tight. I then fill all the compartments
of the vessel with slightly acid water through the openings in the top thereof and
close those which communicato with the first and second compartments and
unclose those in the third compartment the liquid in which compartment thon
flows out to the level of the lower opening the liquid in the other compartments
being prevented from flowing out by atmospheric pressure, I then close the
openings in the upper and lower parts of the said third compartment and the
apparatus is ready for use.
The relative capacity of the different compartments is as follows:-
:-The capacity
of the compartment in which the Hydrogen is generated is double that of the
compartment in which the Oxygen is generated and that of the third compartment
is equal to the joint capacity of the first and second compartments.
The degree of compression to which the gases may be subjected is limited only
by the strength of the vessel in which they are generated and the said degree of
compression is fixed by the height at which the platinum plates are arranged in
the first and second compartments no safety valve is therefore required.
Instead of forming several openings in the apparatus as heroinbefore described one
only may be provided the position of which is such that the three compartments
may be filled and the third compartment emptied through it.
The action of the said apparatus is as follows:-On the wires or conductors
connected to the platinum plates being connected with the poles of a generator of
electricity the water in the first and second compartments containing the platinum
plates is decomposed Hydrogen gas being formed in one of the said compartments
and Oxygen gas being formed in the other of the said compartments which action
continues until a sufficient quantity of the gases has been formed to lower the
level of the liquid in the said first and second compartments to the level of the
lower edges of the platinum plates the said liquid being forced out of the said
compartments by the accumulation of the gases therein under the partitions into
the third compartment where the liquid rises compressing the air in the upper
part of the said third compartment. The action of the apparatus then ceases and
it may be disconnected from the generator of electricity and be used oither as a
reservoir of compressed Hydrogen and Oxygen gases or as a secondary battery its
action as a secondary battery being started by connecting together the wires or
conductors attached to the platinum plates. The liquid forced into the third
compartment during the generation of the said gases returns to the first and second
compartments both on the gases being allowed to pass therefrom when the
apparatus is used merely as a reservoir of gases and on the gases being recombined
to form water when the apparatus is used as a secondary battery the return of the
said liquid being caused by the expansion of the air in the said third compartiment.
My Invention consists further in combining with the apparatus herein before
described other apparatus by which the gases gonerated and contained in the said
first mentioned apparatus may be conveniently used for producing artificial light of
the kind known as lime light.
According to this part of my Invention I connect tubes provided with a stop
cock or stop cocks to the first and second compartments in which compartments
the Hydrogen and Oxygen gases are generated and compressed and I mount a
block of lime in such a position relatively to the mouths of the said tubes that on
the stop cock or stop cocks being opened a stream of Hydrogen and Oxygen gases
is caused to impinge on the said block and I provide the said tubes with a
regulator or regulators of any suitable construction by means of which the stream
of gases is caused to issue from the said tubes at the same pressure during the
whole time that they are so issuing during which time the pressure within the
apparatus is constantly decreasing owing to the gradual expansion of the air in
the third compartment while the gases are passing from the first and second
compartments.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Jacob Gülcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th December 1882.
ROBERT JACOB GULCHER of Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BATTERIES AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN BY ELECTRICITY AND FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT."
My Invention consists first of the improvements hereinafter described in
apparatus of the kind known as "Groves gas battery" the object of the said
improvements being to cause the hydrogen and oxygen gases to be generated and
compressed to a considerable degree simultaneously and by the same action
whereby the said apparatus is rendered capable of practical use as a secondary
battery or as a generator and reservoir of the said gases.
According to this part of my said Invention I form a vessel of some suitable
air tight and non conducting material which vessel I divide internally into three
compartments (which are hereinafter termed the first second and third compart-
ments) by means of partitions the several compartments communicating with
each other at the lower part of the said vessel by means of apertures in the said
partitions or spaces below them. In the top of the said vessel I form openings
which communicate each with one of the said compartments and in the lower part
of the third compartment I form another opening slightly above the level of the
apertures in the said partitions and I provide the said openings with stoppers or
means for producing an air tight closure. In the first and second of the said
three compartments I place the pair of platinum plates (each in a separate com-
partment) the lower edges of the said plates being slightly above the level of the
holes in or the lower edges of the aforesaid partitions and I pass wires or other
suitable conductors connected to the said plates through apertures in the top of
the vessel or in the stoppers by which the openings hereinbefore referred to in the
top of the vessel are closed and I seal the said apertures air tight I then fill all
the compartments of the vessel with slightly acid water through the openings in
the top thereof and close those which communicate with the first and second
compartments and unclose those in the third compartment the liquid in which
compartment then flows out to the level of the lower opening the liquid in the
other compartments being prevented from flowing out by atmospheric pressure. I
then close the openings in the upper and lower parts of the said third compartment
and the apparatus is ready for use.
The relative capacity of the different compartments is as follows:-The capacity
of the compartment in which the hydrogen collects is double that of the compart-
ment in which the oxygen collects and that of the third compartment is equal to
the joint capacity of the first and second compartments.
The degree of compression to which the gases may be subjected is limited only
by the strength of the vessel in which they are generated and the said degree of
compression is fixed by the height at which the platinum plates are arranged in
the first and second compartments. No safety valve is therefore required.
An apparatus constructed as herein before described is illustrated in Figures 1, 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 of the said drawings being a
plan. Figure 2 a vertical section taken on the line A Figure 1 and Figure 3
a horizontal section taken ont the line B Figure 2. In the following description

page_text: of the said drawings the different parts are referred to by the letters and Figures
marked thereon. The same letters and Figures of reference indicate the same parts
in the several figures
a' is a vessel formed of cast iron or other suitable material closed at bottom
by a plate b which is secured to the vessel a' by screw bolts c c and nuts c¹ o
the said bolts passing through the plate b and through a flange a² formed on the
vessel a¹. a³ a¹ a³ are openings formed in the top of the said vessel and a® is
the opening formed in its lower part. The said vessel is provided with an india
rubber lining formed in two parts d d the part & being formed to fit the interior
of the vessel and the openings in its upper and lower parts. e' e³ are hollow
cylinders or tubes of glass which are held in place by the compression of the india
rubber lining between their ends and the top and bottom of the vessol a'. Tho
said cylinders constitute the partitions by which the interior of the said vessel is
divided into compartments ƒ ƒ ƒ³ and the diameter of the said cylinders is such
that the area of the compartment is double that of the compartment f¹ and the
area of the compartment is equal to the joint area of the compartments f¹ and f³.
are the holes in the lower parts of the partitions el 3 by which the several
compartments communicate with each other. 9'g' are the platinum plates sus-
pended in the compartiments f¹ƒ by rods ggg which pass through and
project from stoppers d¹ d² d³ by which the openings a³ as a are closed the
said plates being suspended at such a height that their lower edges are above the
level of the opening a°. The said stoppers d' d' d³ are secured by means of
screws h³ ³ ³ which pass through a bar i and bear on washers placed
over the said stoppers. The bar i rests at its ends on projections a' a' formed on
the top of the vessel a' and is prevented from rising by other bars bolted
to the vessel above the said projections pieces of insulating material ll being
interposed between the bar i and the parts by which it is confined. The screws
hare formed hollow to admit of the rods g³ 9 passing through them
and the rod is kept from contact with the screw hand washer 3 by means of
n tube k and washer &¹ of insulating material. The upper ends of the rods g³ LI³
are screwed and the said rod and one of the rods 9 are provided with binding
screws 9 g. The plates g¹ g secured to the said rods are fixed at the required
height by means of lock nuts 9° 9°. The compartment f³ is provided at top with
an opening (not shown in the drawings) similar to those marked as a a³ and the
said opening is provided with a stopper which is secured by means of a screw m 3
passing through a plate m' (see Figure 1) bolted over the said opening. The
stopper by which the opening a" is closed is secured by means of a similar arrange-
ment, n being the screw and n' the plate through which it passes.
The method of using and the action of the said apparatus are as follows. The
opening a³ is closed and all the compartments of the vessel are filled with slightly 4
acid water through the openings in the top and the compartments f¹ƒ are then
clused air tight by screwing down the stoppers d. The stopper of the
opening in the top of the vessel communicating with the compartment f³ is then
removed and the liquid in the said compartment is allowed to flow out to the
level of the opening a". The said compartment is then closed by screwing down
the stoppers of the openings in the upper and lower parts thereof and the apparatus
is ready for use. When it is required to be used the rod gi is connected with the
positive pole of a generator of electricity and one of the rods g' is connected with
the negative pole. The water in the compartments ff is then decomposed by
the action of the current of electricity oxygen gas being formed in the compart- 5
ment and hydrogen gas in the compartment f. This action continues until
a sufficient quantity of the gases has been formed to lower the level of the liquid
in the compartments f¹ to the level of the lower edges of the platinum plates
g'g the said liquid being forced out of the said compartments by the accumulation
of the gases therein through the apertures in the partitions e' e¹ into the 5
compartment f where the liquid risos compressing the air in the upper part of

page_text: the said compartment The action of the apparatus then ceases and it may be
disconnected from the generator of electricity and be used either as a reservoir of
compressed hydrogen and oxygen gases or as a secondary battery its action as a
secondary battery being started by electrically connecting the rods g³ g' attached
to the platinum plates gg. The liquid forced into the compartment f* during
the generation of the said gases returns to the compartments f¹f both on the
gases being allowed to pass therefrom when the apparatus is used merely as a
reservoir of gases and on the gases being recombined to form water when the
apparatus is used as a secondary battery the return of the said liquid being caused
by the expansion of the air in the said compartment.
Instead of platinum plates platinized carbon or other suitable material platinized
may be used in both compartments or plates of zinc or other metal may be used
in the compartment in which the hydrogen is generated platinum or platinzed
carbon being used in the compartment in which the oxygen is generated.
Instead of forming openings both in the upper and lower parts of the apparatus
as herein before described the opening a alone will suffice if the said apparatus be
turned on its side while it is being filled and be afterwards gradually set upright
in order that the water in the compartment ƒ³ may escape therefrom to the level
of the said opening aº.
Instead of one vessel divided into compartments as hereinbefore described three
vessels suitably connected together at their lower parts may be used.
My invention consists further in combining with the apparatus hereinbefore
described other apparatus by which the gases generated and contained in the said
first mentioned apparatus may be conveniently used for producing artificial light
of the kind known as lime light.
According to this part of my Invention I connect tubes provided with a stop
cock or stop cocks to the compartments in which the hydrogen and oxygen
gases are generated and compressed and I mount a block of lime in such a
position relatively to the mouths of the said tubes that on the stop cock or
stop cocks being opened a stream of hydrogen and oxygen gases is caused to
impinge on the said block and I provide the said tubes with a regulator or
regulators of any suitable construction by means of which the stream of gases is
caused to issue from the said tubes at the same pressure during the whole time
that they are so issuing during which time the pressure within the apparatus is
constantly decreasing owing to the gradual expansion of the air in the third com-
partment while the gases are passing from the first and second compartments.
The regulator may be of the kind used for governing the flow of ordinary
illuminating gas and termed a "gas governor."
Having thus described the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
gas batteries, and in apparatus for the production of hydrogen and oxygen by
electricity and for the production of artificial light" and the manner in which
it is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details described as they may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention but I claim in respect of that part of my said Invention which
consists of improvements in gas batteries and in apparatus for the production of
hydrogen and oxygen by electricity.
First An apparatus consisting of three vessels communicating with each other
or of a vessel divided into three compartments communicating with each other
in two of which vessels or compartments hydrogen gas and oxygen gas are
respectively generated or liberated by the decomposition of water under pressure
caused by the compression of air confined in the third vessel or compartment.
Secondly-The improved apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
I claim in respect of that part of my Invention which consists of improvements
in apparatus for the production of artificial light
Thirdly-The combination with a vessel in which hydrogen and oxygen gases

page_text: are generated under pressure of apparatus by which the said gases may be utilized
for the production of lime light the said vessel being provided with means for
ensuring an equable pressure of the gases as they issue therefrom substantially as
herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said Robert Jacob Gülcher have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fifteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty two