IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND OTHER ALKALIES BY THE PROCESS OF ELECTROLYSIS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Morgan (Secretary of the Inventors' Patentright
Association, Limited), of 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND OTHER ALKALIES BY THE PROCESS OF
ELECTROLYSIS." A communication from abroad by Nicolas Glouchoff, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Morgan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1880.
THOMAS MORGAN (Secretary of the Inventors' Patentright Association, Limited),
of 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND OTHER ALKALIES BY THE
PROCESS OF ELECTROLYSIS." A communication from abroad by Nicolas Glouchoff,
of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Numerous attempts have been made to employ the method known by the name
of electrolysis, or the decomposing action obtained by means of electricity for
effecting the separation of soda and other alkalies from their saline combinations.
These attempts have however proved unsuccessful on account of the polarization
of the electrodes by the gases generated by the decomposition. In order to
eliminate this defect the present inventor, Nicolas Glouchoff, in conjunction with
Theodore Wastchuk, invented a process (for which Provisional Protection was
granted, bearing date December 9th 1879, No. 5030), which consisted in drawing
off the gases as soon as they appeared, but the apparatus failed to give a
satisfactory result. The present inventor having now further investigated the
subject, has invented certain modifications and improvements in the decomposing
apparatus, which improvements form the object of this Invention.
It having been observed that the iron employed as electrode was scarcely
susceptible of polarization in the decomposition of common salt or chloride of
sodium, it is proposed to employ iron vessels in carrying out the new process.

page_text: Two modifications of apparatus may be employed for the purposes of this Invention,
as hereinafter-described.
According to the first of these modifications a vessel of porous material is
arranged concentrically within an iron vessel. The carbon employed as the
positive electrode is placed in the inner vessel, and the iron of the outer vessel
forms the negative electrode.
According to the other modification the decomposing apparatus may be composed
of two separate parts, the carbon or platina forming the positive electrode being
contained in a glass or porcelain cylinder arranged at the side of iron cylinder
which forms the negative electrode. These two cylinders are each provided with
lateral holes forming sockets, in which are inserted glass tubes connected together
end to end in pairs by india rubber collars, and care is taken to insert a thin
partition of porous material in the collar between the ends of each pair of tubes.
In both of the apparatus hereinbefore described the vessels are closed at their upper
ends by suitable covers, through which the said vessels communicate with inde-
pendent pipes for the escape of the gases. The second arrangement affords greater
facilities for the escape and collection of the gases than the one first described.
In both cases the hydrogen escapes through pipe communicating with the iron
vessel, and the oxygen and chlorine escape through pipe leading from the glass or
porcelain vessel, or vessel of porous material.
These gases are collected in suitable gas reservoirs, and are subsequently dis-
tributed to the receivers of the gas batteries, which may be of any suitable
construction, and do not require description. The electric current generated in
these batteries is utilized in turn to decompose a soda lye and manufacture soda
by the process of electrolysis. Gas batteries not ordinarily possessing sufficient
power to enable the entire quantity of gases generated during the process of
electrolysis to combine again with sufficient rapidity, it is advantageous to employ
a condenser in conjunction with the batteries, which, by reason of the extra
current, expends a larger quantity of gas in a given unit of time, and adds to
the power of the batteries. By these means the gases are rapidly consumed.
A series of these apparatus for decomposing by electrolysis is employed with gas
batteries arranged between them, each battery receiving and consuming the gases
generated in the apparatus next before it, the current furnished by the battery
being then employed to work the succeeding apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Morgan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th May
1881.
THOMAS MORGAN (Secretary of the Inventors' Patentright Association, Limited,
of 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND OTHER ALKALIES BY THE
PROCESS OF ELECTROLYSIS." (A communication from abroad by Nicolas Glouchoff,
of Paris, in the Republic of France.)
Numerous attempts have been made to employ the method known by the name
of electrolysis, or the decomposing action obtained by means of electricity for
effecting the separation of soda and other alkalies from their saline combinations.
These attempts have however proved unsuccessful on account of the polarization
of the electrodes by the gases generated by the decomposition. In order to
eliminate this defect the present inventor, Nicolas Glouchoff, in conjunction with
Theodore Wastchuk, invented a process, for which Provisional Protection was
granted, bearing date December 9th 1879, No. 5030, which consisted in drawing off
the gases as soon as they appeared; but the apparatus failed to give a satisfactory
result. The present inventor having now further investigated the subject has
invented certain modifications and improvements in the decomposing apparatus,
which improvements form the object of this Invention.
It having been observed that the iron employed as electrode was scarcely
susceptible of polarization in the decomposition of common salt or chloride
of sodium, it is proposed to employ iron vessels in carrying out the improved
process.
Two modifications of apparatus may be employed for the purposes of this
Invention, as hereinafter described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. According
to the first of these modifications a vessel B of porous material is arranged con-
centrically within an iron vessel. The carbon employed as the positive electrode
is placed in the inner vessel, and the iron of the outer vessel forms the negative
electrode. According to the other modification the decomposing apparatus may
be composed of two separate parts, as shown in Fig. 2, the carbon or platina C
forming the positive electrode being contained in a glass or porcelain cylinder B
arranged at the side of the iron cylinder A which forms the negative electrode.
These two cylinders are each provided with lateral holes a and b forming sockets,
in which are inserted glass tubes c, c, connected together end to end in pairs by
india-rubber collars d, and care is taken to insert a thin partition e of porous
material in the collar between the ends of each pair of tubes. In both of the
apparatus hereinbefore described the vessels are closed at their upper ends by
suitable covers D, E, through which the said vessels communicate with inde-
pendent pipes F, G, for the escape of the gases. The second arrangement affords
greater facilities for the escape and collection of the gases than the one first-
described. In both cases the hydrogen escapes through the pipe F communicating
with the iron vessel, and the oxygen and chlorine escape through the pipe leading
from the glass or porcelain vessel, or vessel of porous material. These gases are
collected in suitable gas reservoirs, and are subsequently distributed to the receivers
of the gas batteries, which may be of any suitable construction, and do not require
description. The electric current generated in these batteries is utilized in turn
to decompose a soda lye and manufacture soda by the process of electrolysis. Gas
batteries not ordinarily possessing sufficient power to enable the entire quantity
of gases generated during the process of electrolysis to combine again with sufficient
rapidity, it is advantageous to employ a condenser in conjunction with the batteries,

page_text: which, by reason of the extra current, expends a larger quantity of gas in a given
unit of time, and adds to the power of the batteries. By these means the gases are
rapidly consumed. A series of these apparatus for decomposing by electrolysis is
employed with gas batteries arranged between them, each battery receiving and
consuming the gases generated in the apparatus next before it, the current furnished
by the battery being then employed to work the succeeding apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim, the improved process for manufacturing
soda and other caustic alkalies by electrolysis, characterized by the arrangement
of the decomposing apparatus, combined and operating according to the conditions
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Morgan, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.