Improvements in Auto-luminous Compositions.
Year: 1897

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required by
the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 7th day of April 1898.
Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Auto-luminous Compositions.
We, ALEXIS SYSSOYEFF, and LOUIS BRALY, both of Lyons, in the department of
the Rhone, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a novel auto-luminous chemical composition
which has the property of becoming automatically and spontaneously incandescent
when simply brought into contact with any combustible gas in presence of air
without any outside lighting mechanism.
This incandescence continues indefinitely without interruption or feebleness for
so long as the composition remains in contact with the gas employed.
The said composition results from the combination in suitable proportions of the
oxides of the rare metals such as thorium, cerium and the like with metals obtained
by the reduction of the soluble salts of rhodium and ruthenium.
In order to obtain this composition we prepare two solutions as hereinafter
described.
The first is any luminous solution to which we add in suitable proportions a
solution of soluble salts of iridium and soluble salts of vanadium.
As an example we may indicate the following mixture:-
luminous solution
soluble salts of thorium
"
"
"
solution {
cerium
iridium
"
"
"
vanadium
"
"
دو
.200
parts
1. .
part
0-2
parts
0.002
وو
The second solution is formed of a mixture in suitable proportions of the follow-
ing bodies, purified from all elements foreign to their group or family.
The soluble salts of rhodium, and the soluble salts of ruthenium to which are
added the soluble salts of cerium and the soluble salts of vanadium.
As an example we may indicate the following mixture:
Soluble salts of rhodium
"
"
»
"
"
"
"
"
ruthenium-
cerium
vanadium
50
50 parts
"
"
2
1 part
We then take one of the fabrics usually used for making incandescent mantles or
other suitable porous body and dip into the first solution. After drying, we give
it a shape suitable to the use to which it will be put and then by means of a brush
or otherwise we coat any suitable portion with the second solution preferably
reduced to a syrup-like consistence.
077

page_text: We then destroy by any one of the known methods the organic material serving
as a support to the composition and carry to a stove in which it is first submitted
to the action of the vapours of ethyl alcohol and then to that of a current of pure
hydrogen until complete reduction of the reducible metals employed. Any other
method of reduction may be employed.
An auto-luminous composition is thus obtained which has the property of be-
coming automatically and spontaneously incandescent by contact with any
combustible gas in presence of air and which may also be utilised for automatically
lighting the said gases.
This composition may indifferently be applied to all methods and systems_for
the combustion of gases whatever may be the burners used whether for the produc-
tion of incandescence or for lighting or heating.
It may be of any suitable shape and be carried in any suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we are aware that it
has been previously proposed to coat a mantle with soluble salts of certain members
of the platinum group, and we wish it to be understood that we make no claim
to the use of any salts of this group other than those of rhodium ruthenium and
iridium as above set out, and we declare that what we claim is:-
-
1. The novel auto-luminous composition resulting from the combination in
suitable proportions of oxides of rare metals such as thorium, cerium and the like
with the metals obtained by the reduction of the soluble salts of rhodium and
ruthenium.
2. The first solution herein described which is composed of any luminous solu-
'tion and of a mixture in suitable proportions of soluble salts of iridium and
vanadium.
3. The second solution herein described formed of a mixture in suitable propor-
tions of the soluble salts of rhodium and ruthenium freed from all elements foreign
to their group or family with the soluble salts of cerium and vanadium in suitable
proportions.
4. The process of manufacture of an auto-luminous composition which consists in
dipping one of the tissues used for the manufacture of incandescent mantles or
other suitable body into the first solution, allowing it to dry and giving it a suitable
shape, then coating any suitable portion with the second solution suitably reduced;
then destroying its organic matter by one of the known means and then submitting
it in a stove to the action of the vapours of ethyl alcohol and then to that of a
current of pure hydrogen until complete reduction of the reducible metals all
substantially as described.