IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING CARBONIC ACID."
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Morel, of Rue du Marché, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR GENERATING CARBONIC ACID."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Morel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th March 1863.
I, AUGUSTE MOREL, of Rue du Marché, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR GENERATING CARBONIC ACID," to be as
follows:-
Carbonic acid gas may be easily produced by pouring an acid on a carbonate,
marble, chalk, or bicarbonate of soda, but this very facility of production
creates variations of pressure in the generator; which require continual
attention, as also a large gas holder for containing the gas.
My Invention relates to an improved generator of carbonic acid which is
self-supplying, and regulates itself at a constant pressure without any super-
vision, and producing a regular flow of gas without the aid of a gas holder or
regulator.
In the annexed Drawing, A, B, are two vessels placed above or near each
other, and made of lead, enamelled iron, or other suitable metal, the thickness
of which is in proportion to the pressure to be obtained. The interior surface is

page_text: lined with gutta percha or other coating, which protects it from the corrosive
action of the acids.
A contains the carbonate, which is introduced in an opening not shown in
the Drawing. B contains the supply of acid which is introduced at the
opening O; the cheapest and most suitable acid to use is hydrochloric acid,
which has the further advantage of forming with marble chloride of cal-
cium, which being a soluble salt facilitates the cleansing of chamber A after
each operation. The chambers A, B, communicate with each other by a
pipe C, D, E, which forms an essential feature of my Invention. The gas
produced in A passes into the washing reservoir I by means of pipe F, G, H.
A supplementary reservoir of acid is used for putting the apparatus in motion
by means of pipe of communication U; thus by pouring a certain quantity of
acid from T into reservoir A, carbonic acid will immediately form, which
expands in chamber A and reservoirs I and B; and in order that the pressure
shall not exceed a certain limit, a safety valve may be placed on chamber B,
but this has many disadvantages with pressures of gaseous nature; the valve
will not open properly nor close sufficiently tight to retain the gas, to obviate
which I connect a pipe N, P, to chamber B,.dipping into a small reservoir V,
which communicates by pipe Q, R, with another small reservoir S. The
pipe Q, R, is of a length in proportion to the pressure to be obtained, and the
chamber V being full of water when the gas is produced, it raises the water in
the pipe, and if the pressure becomes greater than was first intended, the
water in the reservoir V and the pipe is forced into vessel S, and the gas in
excess escapes until the pressure returns to its normal condition.
Having thus proved that the pressure cannot exceed a certain limit, I will
proceed to describe how the pressure may be maintained at that limit in a self-
acting manner. Supposing the point at which the pressure necessarily existing
in vessels A, B, I, is to be maintained, if a certain quantity of gas be withdrawn
from the latter, the equilibrium between I and A being destroyed, A will
divide its gas with I, and as this also destroys the equilibrium between A and B
the gas will be drawn from B to A, but as the gas can never pass from B to A
without the acid first passes therein, which acid coming in contact with the
carbonate produces a fresh amount of carbonic acid, equilibrium will thus be
restored with B and I, and the whole returns to its normal condition until the
equilibrium is again destroyed. The pipe C, D, E, does not act as a syphon,
as after a sufficient quantity of acid bas passed from B to A for producing the
necessary quantity of gas, or it may be a little more, the normal pressure is
maintained, and the excess of gas forces back the acid in the pipe into vessel B,
a few bubbles passing through to replace the acid which has escaped, and the

page_text: same action takes place for each fresh disturbance, so that many gallons of gas
may pass out without the pressure varying one-tenth of an atmosphere.
The Invention is capable of very numerous applications:-1st, I may apply
it as a small motor in which the compressed gas is substituted for steam or
compressed air.
2ndly, the gas so obtained may be applied in baths for the cure of paralysis,
gout, and other affections.
3rdly, in the various modes of panification.
4thly, for decanting and raising alcoholic and fermentable liquids to any
distance and height, free from pernicious contact with air, which is of immense
advantage as compared to the means ordinarily employed.
5thly, for saturating all kinds of liquids with gas, varying in amount and
pressure; in this case the gas should be introduced at the bottom of the
reservoir to be saturated, whence it traverses the liquids in bubbles, so as to
charge without agitating it; it may also be used for raising said liquid to a
height in proportion to the initial pressure.
I would add, that by the simple addition of a two-way cock, one com-
municating with the gas and the other with the liquid, the pipes may always
be kept empty.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Auguste Morel in tho Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
MOREL, of Rue du Marché, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One, thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Auguste Morel, Her special licence that I, the said Auguste Morel, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Auguste
Morel, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS

page_text: FOR GENERATING CARBONIC ACID," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Auguste Morel, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
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 Auguste Morel, 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,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Carbonic acid gas may be easily produced by pouring an acid on a carbonate,
such as marble, chalk, or bicarbonate of soda, and this very facility of pro-
duction creates variations of pressure in the generator, which requires continual
attention, as also a gas holder for containing the gas.
My Invention relates to an improved generator of carbonic acid which is
self-supplying, and regulates itself at a constant pressure without any supervision,
and producing a regular current of gas without the aid of a large gas holder
or regulator.
In Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawing, A, B, are two vessels placed above or
near each other, and made of lead, enamelled iron, or other suitable metal, the
thickness of which is in proportion to the pressure to be obtained. The interior
surface is lined with gutta percha or other coating, which protects it from the
corrosive action of the acids.
A contains the carbonate, which is introduced at an opening not shown in
the Drawing. B contains the supply of acid which is introduced at the
opening O; the cheapest and most suitable acid to use is hydrochloric acid,
which has the further advantage of forming with marble, chloride of cal-
cium, which being a soluble salt facilitates the cleansing of chamber A after
each operation. The chambers A, B, communicate with each other by a
pipe C, D, E, which forms an essential feature of my Invention. The gas
produced in A passes into the washing reservoir I by means of pipe F, G, H,
and may be thence conducted where required by pipe J, K, L. A supple-
mentary reservoir of acid T is used for putting the apparatus in motion by
means of pipe of communication U; thus by pouring a certain quantity of acid
from T into reservoir A, carbonic acid will immediately form, which expands
in chamber A and reservoirs I and D; and in order that this pressure shall
not exceed a certain limit, a safety valve may be placed on chamber B, but

page_text: this has many disadvantages with pressures of gaseous nature; the valve opens
badly and does not close sufficiently tight to retain the gas, to obviate which I
connect a pipe N, P, to chamber B, dipping into a small reservoir V, which
communicates, by pipe Q, R, with another small reservoir S. The pipe Q, R,
is of a length in proportion to the pressure to be obtained, and the chamber V
being full of water when the gas is produced, it raises the water in the pipe,
and if the pressure becomes greater than was first intended, the water in the
reservoir V and in the pipe is forced into vessel S, and the gas in excess
escapes until the pressure returns to its normal condition.
Having thus proved that the pressure cannot exceed a certain limit, I will
proceed to describe how this pressure may be maintained at that limit in a
self-acting manner. Supposing K to be the point at which the pressure
necessarily existing in vessels A, B, L, is to be maintained, if a certain quantity
of gas be withdrawn from the latter, the equilibrium between I and A being
destroyed, A will divide its gas with I, and as this also destroys the equilibrium
between A and B the gas will be drawn from B to A, but as the gas can never
pass from B to A without the acid first passes therein, which acid coming in
contact with the carbonate produces a fresh amount of carbonic acid, equilibrium
will thus be restored with B and I, and the whole returns to its normal
condition until the equilibrium is again destroyed. The pipe C, D, E, does
not act as a syphon, as after a sufficient quantity of acid has passed from B to A
for producing the necessary quantity of gas, or it may be a little more, the
normal pressure is maintained, and the excess of gas forces back the acid in
the pipe into vessel B, a few bubbles passing through to replace the acid which
has escaped, and the same action takes place for each fresh disturbance, so
that many gallons of gas may pass out without the pressure varying one-tenth
of an atmosphere.
The Invention is capable of very numerous applications:-1st, I may apply
it as a small motor in which the compressed gas is substituted for steam or
compressed air.
2ndly, the gas so obtained may be applied in baths for the cure of paralysis,
gout, and other affections.
3rdly, in the various modes of panification.
4thly, for decanting and raising alcoholic and fermentable liquids to any
distance and height, free from pernicious contact with air, which is of immense
advantage as compared to the means ordinarily employed.
5thly, for saturating all kinds of liquids with gas, varying in amount and
pressure; in this case the gas should be introduced at the bottom of the
reservoir to be saturated, whence it traverses the liquid in bubbles, so as to

page_text: charge without agitating it; it may also be used for raising said liquid to a
height in proportion to the initial pressure.
I would add, that by the simple addition of a two-way cock, one communi-
cating with the gas and the other with the liquid, the pipes may always be
kept empty.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Morel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
AUGUSTE MOREL. (L.S.)
Injénieur.

page_text: horizontal section on line 1.2. d.d. opening for admission of gas
0. rod for regulating position of valve E. M. screw and F hand wheel for transmitting
motion to stem O and valve E. by means of lever arms P.Q.
gas at stem Q.
m, shoulder on screw M. S. vulcanized india rubber diaphragm, hermetically closing
chamber A, below piston K. a, a paking to prevent escape of
For high pressures, rod O is lowered by hand wheel F, when joint e of lever P. fitting in valve E
rises by the pressure of the gas and enlarges opening dd, piston K. also rises at same time
and moves index hand of pressure guage C, indicating the pressure in atmospheres
If only a small supply is required, stem 0 is raised by screw M, when point e falls and
diminishes opening d. d. piston K also falls, and index hand marks the lesser number