IMPROVED MEANS OF PRODUCING OXYGEN
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, of the Firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF
PRODUCING OXYGEN."-A communication from abroad by Cyprien Marie
Tessié du Motay and Charles Raphael Maréchal, both of Metz,
France.
Sealed the 4th October 1867, and dated the 6th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1867.
I, CLINTON EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF
PRODUCING OXYGEN," to be as follows:-
Starting with the idea that atmospheric air is the richest and most natural
source of oxygen gas, a process for the production of this gas has already been
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to A. S. Brooman, on the
10th January 1866, No. 85, for an Invention also communicated by the
present Inventors. In the preceding process oxygen was absorbed from the
atmosphere by particular chemical compounds, and there were produced com-
binations not very stable, which have the property of readily giving off their
oxygen at a greater or less temperature in presence of a current of steam.

page_text: The new process is founded on the same principle, and oxygen is taken
from the atmosphere by means of the decomposition and recomposition of
sulphuric acid. The principle feature of this process lies in the employment
of oxide of magnesium, which as yet has not been used for this purpose. This
oxide absorbs and reabsorbs sulphurous acid, and thus permits, although
indirectly, of taking from the atmosphere a part of the oxygen which it
contains.
All the oxides or silicates of metals, such as the oxides of aluminium, iron,
and zinc, and the silicates of alumina, for example, which at a dull or bright
red heat cease to unite with sulphuric acid, decompose this acid into sul-
phurous acid and oxygen; the oxygen and the sulphurous acid thus generated
are collected in vessels containing oxide or carbonate of magnesia. The
sulphurous acid is thus transformed into sulphite of magnesia, while the
oxygen set free is collected in a gasholder. The sulphite of magnesia pro-
duced by this reaction is heated in a retort and decomposed therein. The
regenerated sulphurous acid is conducted into a leaden vessel or into any
other apparatus for producing sulphuric acid. In contact with air, steam,
and nitrous gases the sulphurous acid is transformed into sulphuric acid,
while the magnesia set free is again ready for use in the next following opera-
tions: The regenerated sulphuric acid on issuing from the leaden chamber
is again decomposed into sulphurous acid and oxygen, and the operation may be
continued as long as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CLINTON
EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Clinton
Edgcumbe Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe
Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
'said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: 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 "IM-
PROVED MEANS OF PRODUCING OXYGEN," (communicated to me from abroad by
Cyprien Marie Tessié du Motay and Charles Raphaël Marechal, both of
Metz, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Clinton
Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors or administrators, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
Starting with the idea that atmospheric air is the richest and most natural
source of oxygen gas, a process for the production of this gas has already been
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to A. S. Brooman, the
10th January 1866, No. 85, for an Invention also communicated by the
present Inventors. In this preceding process oxygen was absorbed from the
atmosphere by particular chemical compounds, and there were produced com-
binations not very stable which have the property of readily giving off their
oxygen at a greater or less temperature in presence of a current of steam.
The new process is founded on the same principle, and oxygen is taken
from the atmosphere by means of the decomposition and recomposition of sul-
pburic acid. The principal feature of this process lies in the employment of
oxide of magnesium, which as yet has not been used for this purpose; this
oxide alternately absorbs and reabsorbs sulphurous acid, and thus permits,
although indirectly, of taking from the atmosphere a part of the oxygen which
it contains.
All the oxides or silicates of metals, such as the oxides of aluminium, iron,
and zinc, and the silicates of alumina, for example, which at a dull or bright
red heat cease to unite with sulphuric acid, decompose this acid into sul-
phurous acid and oxygen; the oxygen and the sulphurous acid thus generated
are collected in vessels containing oxide or carbonate of magnesia. The
sulphurous acid is thus transformed into sulphite of magnesia, while the oxygen
set free is collected in a gasholder. The sulphite of magnesia produced by this
reaction is heated in a retort and decomposed therein. The regenerated sul-

page_text: phurous acid is conducted into a leaden vessel or into any other apparatus for
producing sulphuric acid. In contact with air, steam, and nitrous gases the
sulphurous acid is transformed into sulphuric acid, while the magnesia set
free is again ready for use in the next following operations:-The regenerated
sulphuric acid on issuing from the leaden chamber is again decomposed into
sulphurous acid and oxygen, and the operation may be continued as long as
required.
The applications of the oxygen thus economically obtained are very
numerous; it may be employed in metallurgical operations for the fusion of
metals at a high temperature; in chemical operations it will naturally serve
ns a very powerful agent of oxidation; this oxygen will also be of great
utility for lighting by carburetting it with gases, oils, hydrocarburets, or other
combustible fluids. In this case I can employ with advantage a solid body
introduced into the flame, for example, a crayon formed of a terrous oxide,
such as magnesia, lime, or strontian, and an agglutinant matter such as coal,
resin, or other animal or vegetable combustible matter.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the "Improved
Means of Producing Oxygen,"-
First, the employment of oxides of aluminium and of zinc to decompose
sulphuric acid into its two component parts, that is to say, sulphurous acid
and oxygen.
Secondly, the employment of oxide of magnesium to absorb and reabsorb
sulphurous acid, and allow the oxygen set free from the said sulphurous acid
to be collected in the state of purity in a receiver.
In witness whereof, I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.