IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND OTHER PURPOSES,
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isham Baggs, of High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Practical Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND OTHER PURPOSES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isham Baggs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1873.
.
I, ISHAM BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Practical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND OTHER
PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention partly consists in certain improvements in the method
of and apparatus for generating hydrogen gas by the decomposition of
water at a high temperature, and whereby the gas is manufactured with
great speed and economy. For this purpose retorts are employed which

page_text: expose a large internal surface of iron, the same being so disposed that
the hydrogen and carbonic acid gases (obtained as herein-after mentioned)
may alternately be quickly projected from the retorts as soon as they are
formed.
One method by which this object may be effected is as follows:-The
retorts may be vertical or horizontal, and contain arranged throughout
their length iron sheets, wires, tubes, or channels, the same being
packed together so as to offer a multiplicity of parallel or other channels
to ensure the rapid flow or transit of the steam and gases. The steam,
by preference superheated steam, and which may be generated by any
suitable and known method is turned on into the retort, the steam then
turned off and, the carbonic oxide turned on, the former in its passage
through the channels producing hydrogen gas and magnetic oxide of
iron, and the latter producing carbonic acid and restoring the iron to
its metallic condition, as described in the Specification of an Invention
for "Improvements in the Manufacture of Inflammable Gases, and in
their Application to Useful Purposes," for which Letters Patent were
granted to me bearing date the 21st day of October 1865, No. 2719.
Another method of producing carbonic oxide and hydrogen gas in two
separate reservoirs is as follows:-A jet or jets of steam is or are blown
or projected by any suitable means upon a surface of incandescent coke,
charcoal, or other suitable carbonaceous material in a retort or other
vessel or receptacle, but in such a manner that the steam is deflected
from the surface thereof, and passes out as quickly as possible so as not
to traverse the bulk or body of the red hot coke, charcoal, or other
carbonaceous material. The result of this operation will be the
production of hydrogen and carbonic acid gases which must be cooled as
quickly as possible, and then blown through perforated shelves on which
are placed crystals of carbonate of soda, so as to form a scrubber of that
material. The water of crystallization is given off, and the carbonic acid
absorbed, forming bicarbonate of soda, whilst the hydrogen gas passes
off to a gas hölder provided for that purpose. When the salt is saturated
with gas it is placed in a retort and brought to a red heat, when it will
give off all the gas absorbed, and the carbonic acid upon being passed
through red hot coke is converted into carbonic oxide. This process
may also be used for purification.
In some cases I use for the last-mentioned purpose strong solutions of

page_text: gas, and are converted thereby into bicarbonates, and on afterwards
heating the solutions half an equivalent of carbonic acid is given off,
lcaving sesqui-carbonate in solution. These solutions are used when
cold to consume carbonic acid, and when heated to give off the whole of
the gas.
Another mode which is employed for separating the gases is as
follows:-The gases are forced by means of pumps actuated by any
suitable motive power into strong iron vessels which contain water
under pressure, so as to pass through the water. The carbonic acid
When the
is absorbed and the hydrogen escapes by a safety valve.
water is saturated with the carbonic acid at the pressure employed, a
second iron vessel containing water is brought into requisition and the
gas from the first vessel is allowed to escape by relieving the pressure,
and to find its way through a mass or masses of incandescent coke or
other suitable carbonaceous material, when it is doubled in volume by
being converted into carbonic oxide. The iron vessels are thus used
alternately.
In those cases in which vertical retorts are used it is preferred to
employ in connection therewith a circular bridge or collar of fire-brick
placed around the exterior of the body of the retort, so as to deflect the
flame and heated gascs to which the same is subjected, and to cause
them to impinge more directly upon the metal and increase the heat.
For the purpose of superheating the steam for the purposes of this
Invention, copper or brass vessels are by preference employed in place
of iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Isham Baggs in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd October 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISHAM
BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Practical Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the

page_text: thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Isham Baggs, Her special licence
that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors, adminis-
trators; 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 THE MANUFACTURE
of Gas For ILLUMINATING AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executor 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

page_text: carbonic oxide (which has been previously produced and is contained in
a reservoir provided for that purpose) turned on, the former in its
transit through the channels producing hydrogen gas and magnetic
oxide of iron, and the latter producing carbonic acid and restoring the
iron to its metallic condition, as described in the Specification of an
Invention for " Improvements in the Manufacture of Inflammable
Gases, and in their Application to Useful Purposes," for which Letters
Patent were granted to me bearing date the 21st day of October 1865,
No. 2719.
Another process embraced by this Invention, and of producing
carbonic oxide and hydrogen gas in two separate reservoirs is as
follows: A jet or jets of steam is or are blown or projected by any
suitable means upon a surface of incandescent coke, charcoal, or other
suitable carbonaceous material in a retort or other vessel or receptacle;
but in such a manner that the steam is deflected from the surface
thereof and passes out as quickly as possible so as not to traverse the
bulk or body of the red hot coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous
material. The result of this operation will be the production of
hydrogen and carbonic acid gases which must be cooled as quickly as
possible, and then blown through perforated shelves on which are placed
crystals of carbonate of soda, so as to form a scrubber of that substance.
The water of crystallisation is given off and the carbonic acid absorbed
forming bicarbonate of soda, whilst the hydrogen gas passes off to a
gas holder provided for that purpose. When the salt is saturated with
gas it is placed in a retort and brought to a red heat when it will give
off all the gas absorbed, and the carbonic acid gas upon being passed
through red hot coke, charcoal, and other carbonaceous material is
converted into carbonic oxide. This process may also be used for the
purification of gas.
In some cases I use for the last-mentioned purpose strong solutions of
the alkaline carbonates. Such carbonates rapidly absorb carbonic acid
gas and are converted thereby into bicarbonates, and on afterwards
heating the solutions half an equivalent of carbonic acid is given off
leaving sesqui-carbonate in solution. These solutions are used when
5 cold to condense carbonic acid, and when heated to give off the whole of
the gas.
Another mode which I employ for separating the gases is as

page_text: suitable motive power into a strong iron vessel which contains water
under pressure, so as to pass through the water. The carbonic acid is
absorbed and the hydrogen escapes by a safety valve. When the water
is saturated with the carbonic acid at the pressure employed a second
iron vessel containing water is brought into requisition, and the gas
from the first vessel is allowed to escape by relieving the pressure and to
find its way through a mass or masses of incandescent coke or other
suitable carbonaceous material, when it is doubled in volume by being
converted into carbonic oxide. The iron vessels are thus used
alternately.
In those cases in which vertical retorts are used it is preferred to
employ in connection therewith a circular bridge or collar of firc-brick
placed around the exterior of the body of the retort so as to deflect the
flame and heated gases to which the same is subjected, and to cause
them to impinge more directly upon the metal and to increase the 1
heat.
For the purpose of superheating the steam for the purposes of my
said Invention, copper or brass vessels are by preference employed in
place of iron.
· Greater illuminating powers are given to the gases herein-before 2
mentioned by combining them with the vapour of petroleum or other
suitable hydrocarbons, and the gas or gases are also employed either
alone or in a carburized condition for the general purposes of heating or
for producing power to be employed for gas engines.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention 2
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The method of and apparatus for producing hydrogen gas with 3
rapidity and for subsequently reducing the oxide of iron resulting from
such method, substantially as herein-before described and set forth.
Secondly. The methods and processes of making and separating hydrogen
and carbonic acid gases by means of the decomposition of steam and
the absorption and subsequent liberation of carbonic acid gas, sub- 3
stantially as herein-before described and set forth.
;

page_text: Thirdly. The application and use of the said circular bridge or collar
f fire-brick for deflecting the flame in heating vertical retorts, sub-
tantially as herein-before described.
And, Fourthly. The combination and arrangement of apparatus for
he several purposes aforesaid, substantially as described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isham Baggs, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the
year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.