Improvements in and relating to Generating Fluid Pressure for Motive Power and other Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Generating Fluid Pressure for
Motive Power and other Purposes.
We WILLIAM HAWKINS and THOMAS HAWKINS both of 41 Hale Street Lake
Road Landport Portsmouth in the County of Hants Mechanicians and HENRY
FULLER and WALTER HENRY FULLER both of Commercial Road Landport
aforesaid Drapers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This my invention relates to improvements in and relating to generating fluid
pressure for motive power and other purposes, and the invention consists in a new
combination of metals used in the production of gas, a new gas combination evolved
therefrom, and apparatus and means employed in the manufacture of the gas the
said gas being applicable for a variety of purposes.
It may be utilized as a source of power, also for aerial navigation; discharging
guns and projectiles, and for a number of other uses.
In carrying my invention into practice I take the following ingredients in
about the proportions specified and mix them together as hereinafter explained.
Cast and mild steel
Cast iron
Zinc
-
-
-
from 4 to 8 parts
-
1 8
"
"
دو
دو
"
4 1
"
The zinc is melted by the application of heat in a suitable vessel, and after the
fusion has taken place the steel and iron, (which will be preferably in the form of
A spongy
small filings, borings, or shavings,) is stirred into the molten zinc.
agglomerate mass is thereby produced which may be compressed, if desired, into
cakes or thin blocks of a suitable shape by a press or other tools.
The said cakes or thin blocks are placed in a generator, which preferably consists
of a suitable vessel of copper earthenware, glass or other material and having a
supply pipe attached to the lower end thereof.
The said supply pipe communicates with a tank or reservoir containing water
acidulated with acid in about the following proportions,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Generating Fluid Pressure for
Motive Power and other Purposes.
We, WILLIAM HAWKINS and THOMAS HAWKINS, both of 41 Hale Street, Lake
Road, Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Mechanicians, and HENRY
FULLER and WALTER HENRY FULLER both of Commercial Road, Landport
aforesaid, Drapers, 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 our invention relates to improvements in and relating to generating fluid
pressure for motive power and other purposes, and the invention consists in the use
of a special combination of metals used in the production of a gas suitable for the
purposes hereinafter mentioned and apparatus and means employed in the manu-
facture of the gas, the said gas being applicable for a variety of purposes. It
may be utilized as a source of power also for aerial navigation and a number of
other purposes.
In carrying our invention into practice we take the following ingredients in about
the proportions specified and mix them together as hereinafter explained.
or we may omit the iron using zinc 1 part and steel 4 parts, or the zinc 1 part
and iron 4 parts may be used and the steel omitted. More zinc may be added if
required according to the character of the metals employed or the purposes for
which the gas is proposed to be employed.
The zinc is melted by the application of heat in a suitable vessel and after
the fusion has taken place the steel and iron or the steel or iron (the iron
and steel employed being preferably in the form of small filings, borings
or shavings) is stirred into the molten zinc. A spongy agglomerate mass is
thereby produced which may be moulded if desired, into cakes or thin blocks of a
suitable shape.
The said cakes or thin blocks are then placed in a generator the preferable form
of which is illustrated partly in section and partly in elevation in the accompanying
drawing.
The said generator consists of a suitable vessel A of earthenware, glass or other
acid resisting material, having an opening a for the insertion of the metallic cakes
or blocks before-mentioned, and a supply pipe and valve attached to the lower
end thereof. The said supply pipe communicates with a tank or reservoir con-
taining water acidulated with sulphuric and hydrochloric acids combined or with
sulphuric or hydrochloric acid in sufficient quantity to evolve the gas, more acid
being added as required.
As illustrated in the drawing several generators A may be conveniently
arranged around the said supply tank B. Any required number of generators
may be employed.
Upon opening the valves C the water and acid contained in the vessel B are
admitted to the generators A and by the contact of the liquid with the metals
therein chemical action is set up and gas is evolved which passes through the pipes D,
as indicated by the arrows in the drawing, into the upper part of the reservoir or
tank B where it accumulates and from whence it may be conveyed through a pipe
or conduit E and utilized for the desired purpose.
Water gauges, pressure gauges, safety valves and other required fittings may be
attached to the apparatus as may be found desirable.
The supply tank is preferably mounted upon a suitable base F of any approved

page_text: design provided with shelves f for the support of the generating vessels and
the said base may be bolted, screwed or otherwise secured upon any desired
foundation or bed.
Upon the commencement of the chemical action the air contained in the
apparatus is allowed to escape by opening the blow off cock G upon the upper part
of the tank B.
As the gas passes out of the pipe E it may either be stored in a suitable gasholder
or it may be taken direct to the motor or other apparatus for which it is intended to
be used.
The said gas when mixed with a suitable quantity of oxygen or atmospheric air
possesses a high explosive force. It may be collected and stored in suitable receivers.
It also possesses a very low specific gravity and may therefore be used to great
advantage for the purpose of filling balloons and aerial machines by reason of its
lightness and the facility with which it may be generated. For the purpose of
recharging a balloon in the air as the gas exudes it will be found invaluable. It
may also be used for motive power purposes being adapted for use with an ordinary
gas engine. In this case the gas and air are admitted in suitable proportions into the
cylinder and fired in the usual and well known manner. The explosive force of the
combined gas and air will be found to develop horse power from the engine much
more advantageously than when coal gas is employed and in consequence of the ease
with which it may be stored and generated it may be used with great advantage for
driving marine engines for sea and river navigation.
It may also be employed for a variety of other purposes as will be readily under-
stood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains and we do not wish to confine
ourselves to any particular application of the said gas.
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:
1. The use of the metals zinc and iron intimately combined preferably in the
form of spongy metallic cakes or blocks consisting of zinc, steel and iron or zinc
and steel or zinc and iron prepared substantially in about the proportions and for
purposes as described and set forth.
2. An apparatus for the production of gas consisting of one or more generators
in combination with a reservoir or tank, a pipe communicating between the said
vessels for the acidulated water and a pipe for the passage of the gas leading from
the upper part of the generator to the upper part of the said tank, a discharge or
outlet pipe leading from the upper part of said tank, pressure and water gauges and
other fittings the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated.
3. The use of a gas produced substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and set forth.
1001
WILLIAM HAWKINS.
THOMAS HAWKINS.
HENRY FULLER.
WALTER HENRY FULLER.
By their Agents, Horn & Son,
151, Strand (next to Somerset House), London.