Improvements in Generators to be used in the Production of Hydrogen Gas.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Generators to be used in the Production of
Hydrogen Gas.
We, WILLIAM HAWKINS and THOMAS HAWKINS, both of 38 Queen's Road,
Buckland, Portsmouth in the County of Hants Mechanicians, and HENRY FULLER
and WALTER HENRY FULLER, both of Commercial Road, Landport, Portsmouth
aforesaid Drapers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This our invention relates to improvements in generators to be used in the
production of hydrogen gas, and our invention relates more particularly to that
class of apparatus adapted to be employed in the evolution of hydrogen gas by the
action of diluted sulphuric or muriatic acid upon metals such as zinc or iron, and
our invention consists in the details and combination of parts hereafter described
and set forth.
Our improved generator consists of a suitable vessel preferably rectangular in
shape which is divided by a vertical partition or diaphragm, the said vessel being
further divided into upper and lower compartments upon each side of the said
diaphragm. The upper compartments are intended for use as receptacles or tanks
for acidulated water, the lower compartments forming the generating chambers in
which are placed the metal or metals employed.
A pipe leads from the acid tank to the generating chamber for the passage of
the acidulated water, while another pipe leads from the upper portion of each of
the generating chambers for the passage of the gas, suitable pipes are also provided
in the lower portion of each compartment for drawing off the liquid when required.
A perforated shelf is placed in the lower part of the generating chamber for
supporting the metals which are placed in the said chamber. The vessel is also
provided with suitable manholes for the insertion and removal of the material
employed. There are also provided upon the upper face of the vessel one or more
apertures for the charging of the acid tanks.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The lower or generating chambers
are charged with a suitable quantity of metal, the said metal being placed upon the
perforated shelf within the said chamber. The upper chambers forming the acid
tanks are charged with a suitable volume of acidulated water as before mentioned.
The apparatus is then ready for use.
When the gas is required to be produced the acidulated water is allowed to
pass through the acid pipe leading to one of the generating chambers by opening a
valve or cock in the said acid pipe. The gas evolved by the contact of the
acidulated water and the metal within the generating chamber, will pass out of
the said chamber through the gas pipe before referred to, the said pipe being
also controlled by means of a suitable valve. The upper end of the acid pipe
is placed in such a position that only a definite quantity of acidulated water
shall pass into the generating chamber thereby economizing the quantity of acid
required.
Should the gas be produced in a greater volume than can escape through the
gas pipe, the acidulated water in contact with the metal in the generating chamber
will, by the pressure of gas, be driven off the said metal through a pipe provided
for the purpose by which the acidulated water returns to the acid tank. The said
pipe remains permanently open so that the volume of gas for which there is no
escape through the gas pipe may readily pass out of the generating chamber
into the acid tank, after driving off the acidulated water, and from thence into the
atmosphere.

page_text: When the production of the gas becomes slow, the valve in the gas pipe is closed
which causes the acidulated water to be driven off the metal in the generating
chamber in the manner described. At the same time the production of gas may be
continued in the other generating chamber in a similar manner to that already
described, and thus by working the generating chambers alternately a continuous
supply of gas may be maintained.
In a modified form of generating apparatus we propose to employ a single acid
tank in combination with preferably two or more generating chambers. The said
generating chambers are similar to those previously described and have connected
therewith a pipe for the passage of the acidulated water and a second pipe for the
passage of the gas therefrom.
The acidulated water is drawn up from the acid tank or reservoir preferably by
means of a force pump and is discharged into either of the said generating chambers
at will, by means of a suitable cock or other device. The gas evolved in the
generating chambers passes through the gas pipe which is also provided with a
suitable cock so that either of the said chambers may be connected at will with the
main or common gas pipe.
A pipe passes from the acid tank to each of the generators the said pipes forming
syphons through which the acidulated water in the generating chamber may return
with any superfluous gas in the said chamber.
The action of the apparatus is similar to that already described and will be readily
understood without detailed description of the same.
Dated this 1st day of July 1805
HORN & SON,
Applicants' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Generators to be used in the Production of
Hydrogen Gas.
We, WILLIAM HAWKINS and THOMAS HAWKINS, both of 38 Queen's Road,
Buckland, Portsmouth in the County of Hants, Mechanicians, and HENRY FULLER
and WALTER HENRY FULLER, both of Commercial Road, Landport, Portsmouth
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 which is based upon that described in the Specification of our
former Letters Patent . 14051 A.D. 1891, relates to improvements in generators
to be used in the production of hydrogen gas and more particularly to that class of
apparatus adapted to be employed in the evolution of the said gas by the action
of diluted sulphuric or muriatic acid upon metals such as zinc or iron, and our
invention consists in the details and combination of parts hereinafter described and
set forth.
In order that our invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings wherein like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout
the several figures and in which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a generator constructed in accordance with our
said invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line y y in Figure 1.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate respectively a front and side elevation and a section
of a modified form of apparatus hereinafter described.
Our improved generator consists of a vessel A, of copper (which we find will
resist the action of the acid sufficiently for our purposes) or of iron lined with
lead or any suitable acid resisting material preferably rectangular in shape, the
said vessel A being divided by a vertical partition or diaphragm B, the said vessel

page_text: being further divided into upper and lower compartments C, D, E and F respectively
upon each side of the said diaphragm B. The upper compartments C, D are
intended for use, as receptacles or tanks for acidulated water, the lower com-
partiments E, F forming the generating chambers in which are placed the metal or
inetals employed.
A pipe G leads from the acid tank C to the generating chamber E for the
passage of the acidulated water and H is a similar pipe communicating with
the acid tank D and generating chamber F. A pipe leads from the upper
portion of the generating chamber E for the passage of the gas while a similar
pipe provides for the passage of the gas from the chamber F, the said
pipes I and J being connected to a common or main pipe from which it is delivered
to the apparatus in which it is collected or used. Suitable pipes L are also
provided in the lower portion of each compartment for drawing off the liquid when
required.
A perforated shelf N is placed in the lower part of each of the generating
chambers for supporting the metals which are placed therein. The vessel is also
provided with suitable manholes for the insertion and the removal of the metal.
There are also provided upon the upper face of the vessel one or more apertures for
the charging of the acid tanks.
The method of using the apparatus is as follows:-
The lower or generating chambers E, F, are charged with a suitable quantity of
metal, the said metal being placed upon the perforated shelves N within the said
chambers. The upper chambers C, D, forming the acid tanks are charged with
a suitable volume of acidulated water as before mentioned. The apparatus is then
ready for use.
When it is required to produce the gas the acidulated water in the acid tank C,
is allowed to flow through the pipe G leading to the generating chamber E by
opening a valve or cock g in the said acid pipe. The gas evolved by the contact of
the acidulated water and the metal within the generating chamber, will pass out
of the said chamber through the pipe I before referred to, the said pipe being also
controlled by means of a suitable valve i. The upper end a of the acid pipe is
placed in such a position that only a definite quantity of acidulated water shall pass
into the generating chamber through the said pipe thereby economising the quantity
of acidulated water required.
Should the gas be produced in a greater volume within either of the generating
chambers than can escape through the gas outlet pipes leading therefrom, the
acidulated water in contact with the metal within the chamber will, by the pressure
of the gas, be driven off the said metal through pipes O provided for the purpose
through which the said acidulated water returns to the acid tanks.
The said pipes O remain permanently open so that the volume of gas for which
there is no escape through the gas pipes may readily pass out of the generating
chambers after driving off the acidulated water into the acid tanks; the gas passing
through the pipes O into the acid tanks and from thence into the atmosphere
through the vents d.
When the production of the gas in the generating chamber E becomes slow, the
valve in the gas pipe I is closed which causes the acidulated water to be driven
off the metal in the said generating chamber in the manner described. At the same
time the production of gas may be continued in the other generating chamber F,
in a similar manner to that already described, and thus by working the generating
chambers alternately a continuous supply of gas may be maintained.
In the modified form of generating apparatus illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6,
we employ a single acid tank P in combination with preferably two generating
chambers R, S, the said generating chambers are similar to those previously
described and have connected therewith a pipe for the supply to the said
chambers of the acidulated water, and a pipe for the passage of the gas from
the said chambers.
The acidulated water is drawn up from the acid tank or reservoir P, through the

page_text: pipe T preferably by means of a force pump U, and is discharged into either of
the said generating chambers R, S, at will by means of a suitable cock or other
device W. The discharge pipes may terminate in a rose to distribute or spray the
liquid if desired.
The gas evolved in either of the generating chambers passes through the gas
pipes leading therefrom to a suitable cock by means of which either of the
said generating chambers may be connected at will with the main or common
gas pipe.
Pipes V pass from the acid tank to each of the generating chambers, the said
pipes forming syphons through which the acidulated water in the said chambers
may return to the said tank by the pressure of any superfluous volume of gas in
the said chambers.
The action of the apparatus is similar to that already described and will be readily
understood without detailed description of the same.
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 manufacture and use of apparatus constructed as herein described, and
suitable for being employed in the production of hydrogen gas, the whole being
constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The manufacture and use of apparatus suitable for being employed in the
production of hydrogen gas and consisting of two or more generating chambers in
combination with an acid tank a pipe from the said acid tank to a pump a discharge
pipe from said pump communicating with each of the said generating chambers a
pipe for the passage of the gas from said chambers and an open pipe from each
chamber to the acid tank the whole being constructed and operating substantially
as described and illustrated.
Dated this 5th day of August 1892.
HORN & SON,
Applicants' Agents.