AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CARBONIC ACID OF ANY TENSION, AND APPLYING THIS ACID IN A COMPRESSED STATE TO PRODUCE MOTIVE POWER, EXTINGUISH FIRES, AND TO OTHER INDUSTRIAL AND SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Agency, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CARBONIC
ACID OF ANY TENSION, AND APPLYING THIS ACID IN A COMPRESSED STATE
TO PRODUCE MOTIVE POWER, EXTINGUISH FIRES, AND TO OTHER INDUSTRIAL
AND SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES."-A communication from Henry Beins,
Doctor of Medicine, residing at Groningen, in the Kingdom of
Holland.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd October 1873.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency,
5 at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANU-
FACTURING CARBONIC ACID OF ANY TENSION, AND APPLYING THIS ACID IN A COMPRESSED

page_text: is heated in a furnace or forge, whereby the carbonic acid is continuously
disengaged into the water under pressure. The development of the acid
is effected in a short time, the lime remaining is completely calcined and
can easily be slacked.
The carbonic acid obtained by means of this furnace is for all ordinary
cases sufficiently pure to bi-carbonate ordinary soda salt. It may
perhaps contain a small quantity of fire-gases which are observed by the
smell, but which are of no consequence. The carbonic acid disengaged
contains some carbonic oxide (CO), the carbonates employed being
always mixed with organic matter. When iron retorts are employed
carbonate of iron is often produced, principally during the first work,
afterwards the retorts are lined with a coating of silicate and they are
glazed if made of clay.
In special cases the carbonic acid obtained may be washed in any
convenient manner, or be absorbed by carbonate of soda, from which it
can be reproduced completely pure by slightly heating the mass. By
this method carbonic acid is obtained at a very moderate price, the cost
of manufacture being almost covered by the value of the caustic lime
which is obtained at the same time; in the same way bi-carbonate of
soda can be manufactured.
Ammonia, common salt, and a surplus of carbonic acid mixed together
in suitable proportions furnish bi-carbonate of soda and salammoniac,
which is of small value, but mixed with lime or magnesia and heated,
the ammonia is restored. The chloride of calcium or tho chloride of
magnesium produced is worked and employed in the usual way. The
pure bi-carbonate of soda obtained by this method, or common bi-
carbonate of soda as known in the trade, if sufficiently heated in closed
vessels will be decomposed in carbonate of soda and free carbonic acid,
and by this method the disengaged carbonic acid can be had under any
pressure. More or less heating gives corresponding degrees of tension
of the carbonic acid. A temperature of O' = 100° C., corresponds to a
pressure of 3-4 atmosphere, wheroas a heat of 350-400° gives an acid
of very great tension. If this carbonic acid is collected at ordinary
temperatures, say_15 degrees, it is received in a fluid state under a
pressure of 60-70 atmosphere.
1
If the receiver of the carbonic acid can be refrigerated to 0°, the
pressure of the fluid is only of 37 atmospheres, namely, the same under

page_text: which the carbonic gas becomes fluid, therefore fluid carbonic acid may
be had of any desired tension. The carbonic acid fluid thus obtained is
called carboleum, a name which can be easily understood and adopted in
trade (carbonic oil).
For industrial purposes the carbonic acid can by this method be
obtained of various tensions, but that in a fluid state is the most
important.
For use in connexion with this Invention there is employed a cock of
peculiar construction, namely, that all flanges and glands are packed
with lead, the union screws in connexion with the cocks are also
furnished with leaden washers which insures an hermetic joint. A pipo
of wrought iron open at one end is heated throughout its length, tho
open end extending beyond the fire. Through this end I introduco a
convenient iron box containing bi-carbonate of soda, and close the
opening by a screw fitted with leaden rings which are kept tight by a
small jet of water. Immediately the proper heat is obtained the gas
is produced and is conducted by a pipe soldered to the open end of the
retort pipe to a receiver furnished with a glass guage and manometer.
The receiver must not be quite filled as the heated carboleum is
extremely expansive. The receiver must always be cool and kept as
far as possible from the furnace and retort. The receiver is by preference
made of a series of small reservoirs, thus offering a greater surface,
being at the same time more compact, and in proportion lighter than
one largo receiver.
For testing I take simply a strong glass pipe as a receiver. This pipe
is somewhat warmed and joined to the iron retort by means of ordinary
sealing wax. The apparatus being constructed in tho said manner, and
the conducting pipes cooled sufficiently, fire is brought to 350-100° C.
The manometer stops then, and the carbolcum flows down in the receiver
like water; it will be seen to drop down and increase visibly; it is
clearer than water. Bi-carbonates used for the manufacture are distilled
in a few minutes. The third part of the volume or the one quarter of
the weight of the pulverized bi-carbonates being distilled to carbolcum,
the cock is closed and the charge of bi-carbonate in the retort removed.
The same may be continued in like manner until the desired quantity
of carbonic acid is obtained and received in a liquid state as carbolcum.
It may be easily understood that carbonic acid produced in this way is
very cheap, and as carboleum owing to its great tension, very fit to use as

page_text: a motive power. A litre of carboleum, specific weight 0-8 at 12° 0.,
gives 400 L gas, and 16 L gives a horse-power per hour, heated 10 L,
may be sufficient. The cost of fuel is reduced to one-third of that wanted
to produce steam, and besides that, the weight of the machine, for
instance of a steamer of 100 horse-power with coals for 240 hours is
reduced to four-fifths. The licat wanted to expand the carbolcum in
the working machines is taken from the receiver; for small machines it
will be found sufficient; large machines will require additional heat.
In some cases the carbonic acid may escape into the open air; in
others it is retained, the carbonate again bi-carbonized, and in this way a
continuous regeneration produced which is very cheap. In other cases
the pulverized bi-carbonate is not heated, but a solution of it employed
for the regeneration.
In cases where the carbonic acid is employed as gas, as in the manu-
facture of soda water, the resulting carbonate can be regained with
small loss after its having been heated if it is bi-carbonized in the before
described furnaces.
In most cases the carboleum can replace steam as a motivo power,
and it can be employed in many instances where steam cannot be
employed. It is suitable for use for locomotives, steam ships, manu-
factories, small workshops, sewing machines, locomobiles, fire-engines,
and as an extinguisher of fires carbonic acid is an excellent medium.
As moving power carboleum is the most economical means, also to
obtain electricity for telegraphs, for illuminating, and other purposes;
its explosive and projecting force is one hundred times cheaper than
gunpowder, and it is suitable for submarine navigation, for scientific
and military purposes, and can also be employed to aĉrostatic navigation;
it is also suitable for ice machines and soda water manufactories, and
may be employed in labaratories and for scientific and other useful
purposes. The raw material from which carbonic acid may be obtained
is everywhere to be had in great quantities.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Scal Patent Office of
on the 20th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, at 4
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc- ]
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special
licence that I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frank Wirth, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF MANUFACTURING CARBONIC ACID OF ANY TENSION AND APPLYING THIS ACID IN A
COMPRESSED STATE TO PRODUCE MOTIVE POWER, EXTINGUISH FIRES, AND TO OTHER
INDUSTRIAL AND SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES," a communication from Henry Beins,
Doctor of Medicine, a person resident at Groningen, in the Kingdom of
Holland, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, tho said Frank
Wirth, my exccutors 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, tho said Frank Wirth, do hereby declare the
nature of tho said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement :-
The object of this Invention is the manufacture of carbonic acid by
heating carbonate of lime in a closed retort of suitable material, and
conducting the produced acid through a pipe under the pressure of the

page_text: gas generated into a refrigerated reservoir where the carbonic acid is
collected in a compressed state. The retort having been filled with
lime is tightly closed, and only one or more holes left by which the
carbonic acid (CO) can escape. The material being heated to light
white heat the development of acid begins, and is continued until
all CO, is disengaged. This is effected under a low pressure and there
remains in the retort nothing but caustic lime which is of very good
quality, slacked it is perfectly whito, soft and fat, being free from
ashes.

page_text: The carbonic acid obtained by means of this furnace is for all ordinary
cases sufficiently pure to bi-carbonate ordinary soda salt; it may perhaps
contain a small quantity of fire-gases which are observed by the smell,
but which are of no consequence. The carbonic acid disengaged
contains some carbonic oxide (CO) the carbonates employed being
always mixed with organic matter. When iron retorts are employed
carbonate of iron is often produced principally during the first work,
afterwards the retorts become lined with a coating of silicate and they
are glazed if made of clay.
In special casos the carbonic acid obtained may be washed in any
convenient manner or be absorbed by carbonate of soda from which it
can be reproduced completely pure by slightly heating the mass. By
this method carbonic acid is obtained at a very moderate price, the cost
of manufacture being almost covered by the value of the caustic limo
which is obtained at the same time; in the same way bi-carbonate of
soda can be manufactured.
Ammonia, common salt, and a surplus of carbonic acid mixed together
in suitable proportions furnish bi-carbonate of soda and salammoniac
which is of small value, but mixed with lime or magnesia and heated
the ammonia is restored. The chloride of calcium or the chloride of
magnesium produced is worked and employed in the usual way.
The pure bi-carbonate of soda obtained by this method, or common
bi-carbonate of soda, as known in the trade, if sufficiently heated in
closed vessels will be decomposed in carbonate of soda, and free carbonic
acid, and by this method tho disengaged carbonic acid can be had under
any pressure. More or less heating gives corresponding degrees of
tension of the carbonic acid. A temperaturo of C=100° C., correspond
to a pressure of 3-1 atmospheres, whereas a heat of 350-400° gives
an acid of very great tension. If this carbonic acid is collected at ordinary
temperature, say 15°, it is received in a fluid state under a pressure
of 60 70 atmosphere.
-
If the receiver of the carbonic acid can be refrigerated to O³, tho
pressure of the fluid is only of 37 atmospheres, namely, the same under
which the carbonic gas becomes fluid, therefore fluid carbonic acid may
be had of any desired tension. The carbonic acid fluid thus obtained is
called carbolcum, a name which can easily be understood and adopted in
trade (carbonic oil).

page_text: For industrial purposes the carbonic acid can by this method be
obtained of various tensions, but that in a fluid state is the most
important.
For use in connexion with this Invention there is employed a cock of
peculiar construction, namely, that all flanges and glands are packed
with lead, the union screws in connexion with the cocks are also
furnished with leaden washers which ensures an hermetic joint. A pipo
of wrought iron open at one end is heated throughout its length, the
open end extending beyond the fire. Through this end I introduce a
convenient iron box containing bi-carbonate of soda and close the
opening by a screw fitted with leaden rings, which are kept tight by a
small jet of water. Immediately the proper heat is obtained the gas is
produced and is conducted by a pipe soldered to the open end of the retort
pipe to a receiver furnished with a glass guage and manometer. Tho
receiver must not be quite filled as the heated carboleum is extremely
expansive. The receiver must always be cool and kept as far as possible
from the furnace and retort. The receiver is by preference made of a
series of small reservoirs, thus offering a greater surface, being at the
same time more compact and in proportion lighter than one larger
receiver.
For testing I take simply a strong glass pipe as a receiver. This pipe
is somewhat warmed and joined to the iron retort by means of ordinary
sealing wax. The apparatus being constructed in the said manner and
the conducting pipes cooled sufficiently fire is brought to 350-400° C.
The manometer stops then and the carboleum flows down in the receiver
like water; it will be seen to drop down and increase visibly; it is
clearer than water. Bi-carbonates used for the manufacture are
distilled in a few minutes. The third part of the volume or the ono
quarter of the weight of the pulverized bi-carbonates being distilled to
carboleum, the cock is closed and the charge of bi-carbonate in the
retort removed. The same may be continued in like manner until the
desired quantity of carbonic acid is obtained and received in a liquid state
as carboleum.
It may be easily understood that carbonic acid-produced-in-this-way
is very cheap, and as carboleum owing to its great tension very fit to
use as a motive power, a litre of carboleum specific weight 0-8 at
12° C. gives 400 L gas, and 10 L gives a horse-power per hour,

page_text: heated 10 L may be sufficient, the cost of fuel is reduced to one-third
of that wanted to produco steam, and besides that the weight of the
machine, for instance, of a steamer of 100 horse-power with coals.
for 240 hours is reduced to four-fifths. The heate wanted to expand the
carbolcum in the working machines is taken from the receiver; for
small machines it will be found sufficient; largo machines will require
additional heat.
In some cases the carbonic acid may escape into the open air, in
others it is regained, the carbonato again bi-carbonized, and in this way
a continuous regeneration produced which is very cheap. In other cases
the pulverized bi-carbonato is not heated but a solution of it employed
for the regeneration.
In cases where the carbonic acid is employed as gas, as in the manu-
facture of soda water, the resulting carbonate can be regained with
small loss after its having been heated if it is bi-carbonized in the
before described furnaces.
In most cases the carbolcum can replace steam as a motivo power,
and it can be employed in many instances where steam cannot be
employed. It is suitable for use for locomotives, steam ships, manu-
factories, small workshops, sewing machines, locomobiles, fire engines,
and as an extinguisher of fires carbonic acid is an excellent medium.
As moving power carboleum is the most economical means, also to
obtain electricity for telegraphs, for illuminating, and other purposes;
its explosive and projecting force is one hundred times cheaper than
gunpowder, and it is suitable for submarine navigation, for scientific
and military purposes, and can also be employed to acrostatic navigation.
It is also suitable for ice machines and soda water manufactorics, and
may be employed in labaratories, and for scientific and other useful
purposes. The raw material from which carbonic acid may bo obtained
is everywhere to be had in great quantities.
Iaving now described the nature, object, and purposes of this
Invention, what I claim as new and the Invention communicated to mo
by Doctor Henry Beins, of Groningen, is,―
Firstly. The herein-before described method of manufacturing carbonio
acid under pressure by means of a closed vessel or retort in which bi-
carbonates are reduced without gas or steam jets simply by heating
them in a furnace.