IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND DIFFUSING CHLORINE OR OTHER SUITABLE GAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUMIGATING AND DISINFECTING ROOMS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Johnson and Lee Robertson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1878.
EDWARD JOHNSON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Sanitary Engineer,
and LEE ROBERTSON, of the same Place, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND DIFFUSING CHLORINE OR OTHER
SUITABLE GAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUMIGATING AND DISINFECTING ROOMS."
The object of this Invention is to provide in a safe and portable form an apparatus
for the immediate purification and disinfection of human habitations and other
enclosed spaces.
For this purpose we use, by preference, chlorine gas, the disinfecting properties of
which are well known.
In order to obtain a supply of this gas in a safe and portable form under proper
control, we use a strong glass or other bottle of any required size and shape to suit
the special purpose in view, the interior and exterior of the neck of which is well
and accurately ground and fitted with a stopper of glass, earthenware, or other
suitable material accurately ground to fit the bottle. The bottle is further pro-
vided with a close fitting cap of glass, earthenware, or other suitable substance,
enclosing the stopper and neck of the bottle, which latter should not exceed one
inch internal diameter, and be at least one inch long and the stopper extend to the
bottom thereof. We then make a small lateral hole of about, say, one-sixteenth of an
inch in diameter through the side of the bottle neck, say, about a quarter of an inch
from the base thereof. On the side of the stopper we cut a small horizontal or
nearly horizontal inclined plane or volute, the width of which coincides with the
small lateral opening in the side of the neck of the bottle. The inclined plane o:
volute may be carried, say, a quarter or any desired distance round the stopper less
than the circumference. From the bottom of the inclined plane or volute we form
a vertical or inclined groove extending to the bottom of the side of the stopper, or
a hole may extend from the deeper end of the inclined horizontal groove. By this
arrangement it will be seen that when the stopper is in position, if the inclined
:

page_text: plane or volute coincides with the side opening in the neck of the bottle by turning
the stopper the discharge of gas from the interior of the bottle may be graduated
from the most infinitesimal quantity to the full capacity of the discharge orifice in
the side of the bottle neck.
The object of the glass or other cap is to prevent possible leakage when the bottle
is not in use, and to serve as a sort of collecting chamber or reservoir for any gas
that may leak through the sides of the stopper.
The gas (chlorine) may be generated by means of any one of the following
the stopper the discharge of gas from the interior of the bottle may be graduated
from the most infinitesimal quantity to the full capacity of the discharge orifice in
the side of the bottle neck.
The object of the glass or other cap is to prevent possible leakage when the bottle
is not in use, and to serve as a sort of collecting chainber or reservoir for any gas
that may leak through the sides of the stopper.
The gas (chlorine) may be generated by means of any one of the following
formulæ :-
Sodic chlorine
1 Manganic oxide
Hydric sulphate
Water
Common salt
2 Manganese
Sulph. acid
Water
-
-
-
-
-
-
30 grammes.
M
30 ditto.
-
60 cub. centimetres.
-
60
"
"
1 part.
1
2
2
"
"
"
3 Manganese
Muriatic acid
4 Bleaching powder
Sulph. acid
1 part.
"
"
-
1
"
We then place the manganese and salt properly mixed or the bleaching powder
in the bottle, and moisten the same with a little water.
The sulp. acid and water, after being mixed and allowed to cool, or the muriatic acid,
whichever is most convenient to use) at the time, we place in a small separate
bottle or flask made of very thin glass and sealed under the blow pipe or gas jet.
This bottle or flask must be of a size and shape to allow of its holding the proper
quantity of acid and passed with its contents through the neck into the body of
the bottle.
The bottle is then closed and the stopper luted, the lower part of the cap being
also luted.
In this form the bottle is ready for use whenever required, and may be safely
stored for any length of time.
When the gas is required a sharp blow on the bottle with the hand will be
sufficient to shatter the internal flask and liberate the acid; chemical combustion is
then set up and the chlorine gas is freely given off. By removing the cap and
turning the stopper for a second or two, sufficient gas will be discharged through
the small aperture to freshen and purify a fair sized room. The quantity discharged
may be regulated according to the size of the room and the sanitary requirements
of the case. Should any difficulty occur in breaking the internal flask, the stopper
may be withdrawn and an instrument used for the purpose. After breaking
the flask the stopper must of course be carefully replaced so as to seal up the
bottle.