AN, IMPROVED, METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARBU-- RETTED HYDROGEN GAS
Year: 1879

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LETTERS PATENT to William Robert.Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"
AN, IMPROVED, METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARBU--
RETTED HYDROGEN GAS." A communication from abroad by Ludwig Scholl, of
Heidelberg, Germany.
Sealed the 6th February 1880, and dated the 4th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th September 1879.
I
".
WILLIAM, ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING CARBURETTED HYDROGEN GAS." [A communication from
abroad by Ludwig Scholl, of Heidelberg, Germany.],
This Invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for the manufac-.
ture of lighting gas of a high illuminating power without the application of heat by.
saturating pure hydrogen gas with a slightly volatile carburet of hydrogen, such as.
benzine, petroleum ether, or petroleum-naptha. I am aware that attempts have.
heretofore been made to produce a lighting gas by carburetting atmospheric air.
without the application. of heat. This gas, however has various disadvantages, but
by the employment of carburetted hydrogen-gas and by the special construction and
arrangement of my improved apparatus I am enabled to obtain a very satisfactory
result.
l
.. 11
In carrying the said Invention into practice I generate hydrogen-gas from sul-
pliuric acid and iron, or from this acid and zinc, or from hydro-chloric acid and iron
or zinc, according to the relative prices of these reagents. For this purpose I use a
cast iron gas-generator, which is lined with lead, and which may be of any desired
construction. This generator, which is constructed of suitable proportions, is pro-
vided with a movable basket in which the metal is placed, and which basket can be
easily lifted out of the fluid without opening, the cover of the gas-generator when it
is desired to interrupt the manufacture of the gas.
From the aforesaid generator the gas passes into a syphon or chamber, where it,
deposits the fluid which it contained; the said fluid can be let out from time to time
by removing a screw at the lower end of the said syphon. The hydrogen-gas in its
thus purified condition can then, if it should be deemed necessary, be passed through
a washer in order, to free it from foreign matter.
7
"
The gas is then conducted into a small gas-holder, which is at least from eight..
to ten times, the capacity of the gas generator, and which serves as a regulator,
whereupon the gas, with an equal pressure of about 30 to 40% and well cooled
enters a carburetter, where it is saturated with the vapours of the volatile carbu-
retted hydrogen-gas.
m
This carburetter and its relative position to the other parts of the apparatus form

page_text: an important part of the said Invention, since experiments have shewn that the
position assigned to it behind the gas-holder is the most suitable, as a gas-holder
must be inserted between it and the generator.
I also employ in connection with my improved apparatus a large gas-holder, and
it is very important that the hydrogen-gas should be carburetted between the afore-
said small regulating gas-holder and the large gas-holder, out of which the finished
gas flows into the main.
The carburetter above referred to consists of a shallow rectangular box made of
zinc or some other suitable metal, and closed perfectly air-tight and soldered very
carefully. The box is fitted length wise with three or more partition plates, between
which the hydrogen-gas circulates. These partition plates serve to prolong the
passage of the gas through the carburetter. In the channels formed by the partition
plates in which the fluid prepared for carburetting the hydrogen-gas stands to a
certain fixed height I arrange other partition-plates, which alternately fit against
the cover and the bottoin, and which thus divide the carburetter into separate divi-
sions or compartments. In the first division the fluid stands to a certain point, at
which height an outlet screw or a cock can be placed; or the edge of the fluid can
be maintained at a uniform height by means of a pipe dipping into it, and con-
nected with a closed vessel. Then bubbles of gas will continue to enter the pipe,
and consequently a certain amount of fluid will follow till the opening in the pipe.
is again closed by the fluid. In small apparatuses however it will be sufficient to
fill the apparatus at regular intervals up to the blow-off screw. There are small
holes near the bottom of the small partition-plates to enable the fluid to be in com-
munication with all the divisions.
The hydrogen-gas which enters the first division of the carburetter rises through
the fluid and passes over the first partition-plate into the second. division, and dis-
places the fluid in the same to such an extent that it can escape through to the third
division, although it has to pass through the fluid; this is repeated in the different
divisions, and the forward pressure will continually decrease, and consequently the
amount of dip of the partition-plates must be lessened. No other kind of contact of
the gas with the carburetting fluid will accomplish the purpose with so much
certainty as the above described arrangement with the partition-plates, where the
gas passes again and again over the fluid, and has to pass through the same at the
dipping-plates.
The gas finally passes out at an aperture in the last division of the carburetter
proportionally and sufficiently saturated with carburet of hydrogen, and then enters
the large gas-holder; where it is collected to be forced 'into the main under a suitable
pressure.
The collection of the finished gas in the gas-holder is of great importance, since
the gas is there evenly mixed and completely cooled, and flows into the mains under
a steady pressure.
f..
A pressure-governor can be inserted in the main behind the gas-holder, by means
of which the least variations can be equalized. Such a governor however would not
be needed in small mains. . Manometers are fixed or may be fixed on the different
apparatuses to enable the pressure existing in each apparatus to be observed.
With this improved apparatus the gas can be made for one evening and stored
up, and the generation of hydrogen-gas interrupted. The gas however may equally
well be generated during the time it is being consumed. If it should be required
to interrupt the generation of gas, this may be effected in different ways, as, for
instance, the acids can be let out of the generator, and the metal (zinc or iron) thus
freed from the action of the said acids; or the generator can be so arranged that
the metal can be lifted out or put in as desired; thus the speed of the gas genera-
tion is completely under control: The metal can be placed in a leaden-cage or
basket, which can be lifted up by means of a rod which passes through the neck
of the cover, and the said rod can be made tight by means of a stuffing box or sealed
by liquid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
March 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING CARBURETTED HYDROGEN GAS." A communication from
abroad by Ludwig Scholl, of Heidelberg, Germany.
This Invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for the manu-
facture of gas of a high illuminating power without the application of heat by
saturating pure hydrogen-gas with a slightly volatile carburet of hydrogen, such as
benzine, petroleum-ether, or petroleum-naphtha. I am aware that attempts have
heretofore been made to produce an illuminating gas by carburetting atmospheric
air without the application of heat; such gas however has various disadvantages, but
by the employment of carburetted hydrogen-gas and by the special construction and
arrangement of my improved apparatus I am enabled to obtain a very satisfactory
result.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in vertical section shewing the general arrange-
ment of my improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line A*, B*, Figure 3, of my improved
carburetter; and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I generate hydrogen-gas from sul-
phuric acid and iron, or from this acid and zinc, or from hydro-chloric acid and iron
or zinc, the choice being determined according to the relative prices of these re-
agents. For this purpose I use a cast iron gas-generator A, which is lined with
lead, and which may be of any desired construction. This generator, which may be
made of any suitable proportions, is provided with a moveable basket, wherein the
metal is placed; this basket can be easily lifted out of the fluid without opening or
removing the cover of the gas-generator when it is desired to interrupt the manu-
facture of the gas. From the generator A the gas passes into the syphon
or chamber B, where it deposits the fluid which it contained; the said fluid can
be discharged from time to time by removing the screw b. The hydrogen-gas in its
thus purified condition can then, if it should be deemed necessary, be passed through
a washer in order to free it from all foreign matter.
•
The gas is then conducted into a small gas-holder, which should be at least from
eight to ten times the capacity of the gas generator, and which serves as a regulator
from which the gas with an equal pressure of about 30 to 40 and well cooled
enters the carburetter D, where it is saturated with the vapours of the volatile car-
buretted hydrogen gas.
This carburetter and its position relatively to the other parts of the apparatuses
form an important part of the said Invention, experiments having demonstrated
that the position assigned to it behind the gas-holder C is the most suitable, as a
gas-holder must be inserted between it and the generator. I also employ in con-
nection with my improved apparatus a larger gas-holder E, and it is very important
that the hydrogen-gas should be carburetted after it leaves the aforesaid small regu-
lating gas-holder C and before it enters the large gas-holder E, from which the
finished or purified gas flows into the main F.
My improved carburetter, herein before referred to, consists of a shallow rectangular
box D, made of zinc or other suitable metal, closed perfectly air tight, and soldered

page_text: very carefully. This box is fitted lengthwise with three or more partition-plates
Z, Z, Z, between which the hydrogen-gas circulates in the direction indicated by the
arrows. These partition-plates serve to prolong the passage of the gas through the
said carburetter. In the channels formed by the partition-plates, and in which
the fluid prepared for carburetting the hydrogen-gas stands to a certain fixed height,
I arrange other partition-plates, which alternately fit against or are attached to the
cover and the bottom of the said carburetter, and thus divide the carburetter into
separate divisions or compartments, 1 to 17. In the division 1 the fluid stands to a
certain height, at which height an outlet-screw or a cock can be placed; or the edge
of the fluid can be maintained at a uniform height by means of a pipe dipping into
it, and connected with a closed vessel D¹, Figure 1. Then bubbles of gas will con-
tinue to enter the pipe, and consequently a certain amount of fluid will follow till
the aperture in the pipe is again closed or sealed by the fluid. In a small apparatus
however it will be sufficient to fill the same at regular intervals up to the blow-off
There are small holes near the bottom of the small partition-plates to allow
the fluid to be in communication with all the divisions.
screw.
The hydrogen-gas which enters at d' rises through the fluid and passes over the
first, partition-plate into the division 2, and displaces the fluid in the same to
such an extent that it can escape through to the chamber or division 3, although it
has to pass through the fluid; this action is repeated in the different divisions, and
the forward pressure will continually decrease, and consequently the amount of dip
of the partition-plates must be diminished. It has been found in practice that no
other manner of ensuring the contact of the gas with the carburetting-fluid will
accomplish the desired purpose with so much certainty, as the above described
arrangement with the partition-plates, where the gas passes repeatedly over the
fluid, and has to pass through the same at the dipping-plates.
The gas finally passes out through an aperture in the last division of the car-
buretter proportionally and sufficiently saturated with carburet of hydrogen, and
then enters the large gas-holder E, where it is collected to be forced into the main
under a suitable pressure.
The collection of the finished gas in the gas-holder is of great importance, since
the gas is there evenly mixed and completely cooled, and flows into the mains under
a steady pressure. A pressure-governor can be inserted in the main behind the
gas-holder, by means of which variations in pressure can be prevented. Such a
governor however will not be, needed in small mains. Manometers or gauges are
fixed or, may be fixed on the different parts of the apparatus to enable the pressure
existing in each part thereof to be observed.
With this improved apparatus the gas can be made for one evening and stored
up, and the generation of hydrogen-gas interrupted. The gas however may equally
well be generated during the time it is being consumed. If it should be required
to interrupt the generation of gas, this may be effected in different ways, as, for
instance, the acids can be discharged from the generator, and the metal (zinc or iron)
thus freed from the action of the said acids; or the generator can be so arranged
that the metal can be lifted out or put in as desired; thus the rate or rapidity of
the. gas generation is completely under control. The metal may be placed in a
leaden-cage or basket, which can be lifted by means of a rod passed through the
neck of the cover, and the said rod can be made tight by means of a stuffing box or
sealed by liquid.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,―
First. Carburetting bydrogen-gas by means of volatile liquid compounds of car-
buret of hydrogen, such as petroleum-ether, petroleum-naphtha, benzine, benzole, or
the like, in the manner and by the apparatus above described.
Second. The arrangement and combination of the parts of the apparatus, that is
to say, the gas-generator, the syphon, the regulating gas-holder, the carburetter;

page_text: and the storing gas-holder in the relative position or order above specified, an
important feature being the placing of the carburetter between the two said gas-
holders.
Third. The construction of the carburetter, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.