IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF HEAT IN GENERAL
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
PIERRE GILLARD, of Rue Martignac, in the City of Paris, Professor of
Mathematics and Philosophy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eleventh day of February, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Pierre Gillard, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Pierre
Gillard, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Pierre Gillard, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION OF HEAT IN GENERAL;" in which said Letters Patent there
is contained a proviso that I; the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: Joseph Pierre Gillard, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists of producing heat for heating apartments, rooms,
kitchens, steam engines, forges, manufactories, large foundries, and in general
everything that is susceptible of being heated by pure hydrogen, pure hydrogen
and air, or by pure hydrogen and oxigen, and intended as a substitute for all
other kinds of fuel.
PART 1.-A NEW-METHOD-OF-OBTAINING. PURE HYDROGEN.
I
Three methods are generally given in the different works on physicks and
chemistry for obtaining hydrogen from the decomposition of water. The first
consists in employing sulphuric acid, diluted with from five to twelve times its
volume of water, poured on small particles, of zinc. The gas obtained in this
way is not pure; it contains a small portion of arsenic, which is injurious to
health. Instead of zinc, the shavings or filings of iron may be employed; but
the gas will still be impure, and will give out particles of sulphur, which might
be injurious to health. Another way is to conduct watery vapour on charcoal
heated to redness; but there will be carbonic acid formed, which will also be
detrimental to health. The second and third way of obtaining hydrogen
consists in decomposing water by means of electricity and magnetism, or by
conducting watery vapour into an iron tube heated to redness. The latter of
these two ways seems to me to be the most convenient and the least expensive,
for which reason I prefer it to the others, without, however, rejecting electricity
and magnetism. The principle of decomposing being admitted, the following is
the new method which I employ for obtaining pure hydrogen :-Into a furnace
(Figure 1) heated with pure hydrogen and air united, or with a common
furnace (see further on), I pass the vapour of water from a boiler. (c) into two,
four, six, &c. retorts, the insides of which are lined with plates of iron, forming
furrows, or with a hellicoid of the same metal (iron) heated to redness; or
the retorts may be filled, or nearly-so, with shavings or finings of iron, equally
heated to redness. The decomposition of the water takes place, the oxigen
unites with the iron, and the free hydrogen passes through a tube (F), and
goes to a gasometer destined to receive it. An extractor is adapted to the
retorts, that they may not be forced. This, however, is not absolutely necessary,
though it would be of use, because, after extracting the hydrogen from the

page_text: retorts, it forces it into the gasometer. Instead of a boiler placed in the
middle of the furnace. I also employ a steam engine, separated from the
furnace, the object of which is, first, to extract the gas from the retorts;
second, to force it into the gasometer; third, to supply the retorts with vapour.
It thus answers three purposes."
Means of surety. An instrument (manomêtre) is adapted to the tube
which conducts the vapour to the retorts, for the purpose of measuring its
pressure. Another is adapted to the tube which conducts the hydrogen from
the retorts to the gasometer after it has passed through a refrigerent and a
gas measurer. There is equally a measurer for the water. In a word, every
precaution is taken, as in a gas manufactory.
PART 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE APPARATUS.
"
Figure 1 represents a furnace, cut longitudinally. The letter (c) shows
the steam engine, placed in the middle of the hearth, between two retorts.
(The furnaces may contain two, four, six, &c. retorts.) D, D', shows two
retorts, in which the water, in a state of vapour, is decomposed. a, a', a",
shows a free space for the circulation of the flame which is in contact with the
retorts, and which is prevented from escaping by the roofs rising only four or
five inches above the retorts. H¹, H, H, H, shows the tubes in which
comes the hydrogen, and j', j", j¹, , those in which comes the air; the
hydrogen and air are mixed in the flame in the free space a, a', a¹¹, or they
may be mixed when they are escaping from the conductors H and j. H and j
are conductors, one for hydrogen, the other for air, coming each from its
gasometer in the following proportion:-One volume of hydrogen to two of
air, or even more air if the pressure be sufficient. b, 61, 61, 6¹¹¹, shews a space
for the hot air above the roof which, envelopes the retorts, which air serves
to heat the furnace, as well as to keep it at an elevated temperature.
0, 0, 0, 0, shews the circular openings at which the gas is burnt that
serves to heat the retorts and the steam engine. The gas is lighted with a
rod of iron, to the end of which is fastened a bit of sponge or a linen rag
dipped in alcohal.
Figure 1st has only four gas burners, but the manner of heating the retort
D is the same as that employed for heating D and C. The furnace must be
hermetically closed, so as to exclude the surrounding air. Some tubes are
adapted to the roof B, B¹, B", the extremities of which are furnished with
safety valves, so as to give vent to the excess of nitrogen, and at the same
time to exclude the external air. The nitrogen, however, if necessary, may be
employed as a meter.

page_text: Figure 2nd represents a retort cut longitudinally. e, e¹, ell, ell, shows the
circular plates of iron destined to decompose the water in the retorts. The
oxide of iron which is formed, and which adheres to the plates, requires every
hour or two to be brushed off. If, instead of the circular plates, a revolving
hellicoid be employed, once every eight or ten hours will be often enough
to clean it. M, M', shows the longitudinal tube into which penetrates the
vapour which goes into the retort by the small holes made along the sides of
this tube. V, V', shows the conductor of the vapour, which comes from the
steam engine, and goes into the tube M, M'. H, H, H", shows the tubes of
hydrogen and of air, seen in Figure 1st. N, N', N", shows the arch which
covers the furnace, and underneath the tubes, with its different branches, going
to heat the furnace. The tubes H, H¹, H", and j, j, j", are distributed on
the retorts, and on the generator of vapour carrying heat to them. Qshows
the hand lighting the gas holding the rod with the sponge at its end, to the
openings o, o¹, o¹¹, o, of Figure 1st. F shows the conductor, by which the
hydrogen gas goes to the gasometer, after its formation in the retorts. L, L',
shows the instrument for measuring the pressure of the vapour and of the
hydrogen. K is the tube by which comes the vapour.
Figure 3rd. This Figure represents a chimney appropriated to the new
Invention. It is composed of two, four, six, &c. gas burners (a, a, a, all),
throwing the flame on brass balls (b, 6, 6, 6). The flame spreads around
the brass balls, and reddens them; and the heat, by means of a parabolical
mirror placed behind the balls in the chimney, is thrown out in the apartment.
A shows the parabolical mirror; C shows the brass balls; R, R', R", R,
shows the cocks to be opened to light the fire, to be shut to put it out,
or turned a little to moderate it. Instead of brass balls, pieces of brass
resembling charcoal may be employed, or conical plates, or vases like flower
pots, or objects of any form made of the same metal, cast iron, porcelain,
refractory earth, or platina, may be made use of, on which the burning gas
is precipitated. The flame may even be introduced into hollow balls, and thus
diminish its brilliancy.
Figure 4th: By uniting the four or six jets of gas (C), and directing the
flame on a large brass ball (D), a circular fire considerable in its extent is
produced, which, if placed conveniently in an apartment, for instance between
two statues, as indicated in Figure 4th, presents a very agreeable aspect. It
is hardly necessary to enumerate the advantages of such a kind of fuel; it is
sufficient to say that it is eighty per cent. cheaper than any other heretofore
made use of; besides, it gives a much greater heat without any danger, without
smoke, smell, or any unhealthy exhalation. There can be no danger even

page_text: should the hydrogen gas escape, because, being 14 times lighter than air, it
ascends immediately, and goes out of the apartment by an air-hole destined
for its escape. The system of conducting the gas from the manufactory to
the places to be heated is the same as that for conducting the lighting gas,
except that the tubes are made of caoutchouc, and cannot cause any accidents.
Even in supposing the gas to inflame and burst them there is then less danger
than with wood, charcoal, or any other combustible, since in the latter case
accidents might happen from the falling of a coal or the flying of sparks,
&c. &c.
For the method of decomposing water I have pointed out sulphuric acid
poured on five or six times its volume of water, in which is put small pieces
of either zinc or iron. I have equally said that water will be decomposed in
bringing the vapour of it in contact with burning charcoal, or it might be
decomposed by means of electricity or magnetism. When I employ for decom-
posing water a combustible containing carbon, I first transmit its vapour into
the retorts containing the combustible (charcoal, pit coals, coke, graphite or
anthracite coals, pulverized, and injected into the retorts, and proportioned
to the quantity of vapour, &c.) The result of the operation is two gases;
hydrogen charged with carbon, and carbonic acid gas. I pass these through a
purifier, where the carbonic acid is absorbed, the hydrogen charged with carbon
returning to cylinders kept at a high temperature. There it comes in contact
with watery vapour, which is decomposed by the carbon which is mixed with
the bydrogen. By this operation the hydrogen, losing the carbon, becomes pure,
and the hydrogen resulting from the decomposition of the watery vapour, and
separated from the oxygen, becomes also pure. There is two quantities of pure
hydrogen and two of carbonic acid, the latter formed by the combination of
the oxigen of the vapour, and the carbon which is mixed with the hydrogen.
By passing the gases through a second purifier, the carbonic acid is absorbed,
leaving the hydrogen pure, which is conducted to the gasometer. It is evident
that I have obtained a double quantity of pure hydrogen proportionable to the
quantity of carbon contained in the combustible employed for the decomposition
of the water; it is therefore easy to ascertain the quantity of hydrogen
produced (see Figure 8).
In my new application of hydrogen and air to the general purposes of
fuel I do not reject as useless any of the means for decomposing water
I have just mentioned; and if I give the preference to any particular one
of them, I by no means exclude all the others, and thus admit of another
Patent being taken out alongside mine, because the method employed

page_text: should not be the one made use of in my manufactory. I therefore beg of
Her most Gracious Majesty to grant me a Patent for heating by means of
hydrogen and air, or hydrogen only, whichever of the means enumerated
above be employed; and be it understood that if I choose to decompose
water by bringing the vapour of it in contact with iron heated to redness, I
reserve the right of employing the other methods also, or even of combining
them.
A
I have already shewn that hydrogen gas may be obtained by means
of hydrogen itself; that is, the retorts may be sufficiently heated by burning
hydrogen to decompose water. This is the manner that will be employed;
but I make use of another way besides, which consists in heating the
retorts with pit coals, coke, or other combustible. In like manner I make
use for heating steam engines of coals or coke, and the hydrogen gas which
I produce, thus uniting the two kinds of combustibles; the more hydrogen
there is to burn, the less coals there will be required.. It is well understood that
the machine is first heated with coals or coke, and when the retorts in the
hearth (or furnace) are sufficiently red they can then be supplied with vapour
which is decomposed by either iron or charcoal heated to redness. As there
are two conductors leading from the manufactory, one for the gas, the other
for the air, I beg of Her most Gracious Majesty to accord me a Patent for
cooling apartments in summer. The air aspirated by the gasometer, having
passed through refrigerents, descends to rather a low temperature, and, ejected
in the apartments, cools the air, so that in summer apartments might be kept
at an agreeable temperature at a trifling expense. Of course it is only the air
cock that is in this case to be opened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE APPARATUS.
لوان
The retorts are cylindrical, tapering at one end, giving it the form of a bottle.
There are two openings; one at the base as large as the diameter of the retort,
and by which the chains are put in; the other, which is quite small, is in the
apex. The retorts are placed perpendicularly; the sinall ends below, the large
uppermost, so as to facilitate the instantaneous raising and taking out of the
chains, and of their being replaced immediately by others. The vapour is
introduced into the retort by the small end by a second opening, so as to
traverse all the chains in its ascent. The opening already spoken of being
stopped, is occasionally opened to let out the oxide of iron, which is detached

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE FUEL AS APPLIED TO THE HEATING OF STEAM ENGINES,
FORGES, LARGE FOUNDRIES, MANUFACTORIES, &c. &c.
I take steam engines as they are at present; and in slightly modifying the
the hearth and the tender I heat them with great intensity, if necessary, and
with little expense (see Figure 5th). The vapour, which comes out of the
cylinders furnished with pistons (P), and which escapes by the chimney (C),
is conducted by the tube (a) into retorts which are placed in the centre of
the hearth (F), and in which it is decomposed. The hydrogen goes to
a small gasometer placed on the tender G. A represents an air gasometer,
fed by two pumps worked by the steam engine, and which requires but little
force, as the pressure of the air is not very considerable. A bellows with a
double blast might also be employed, like that of Enfer and Doreum's, or even
one or two double pumps might be sufficient to feed the air conductors.
However, there would be a continual oscillation in the flame if the air did not
first go to a receiver kept at about the same pressure. The fire under the
retorts, which consists of a hundred, a hundred and fifty, two hundred, &c.
gas burners, sufficiently heats the retorts, and the caloric circulating in the
tubes of the boiler keep it constantly at the same temperature. T, T', T",
show the different gas conductors. Tubes are equally placed on the sides of the
hearth, or below it if necessary. The hearth F encloses two, three, four, &c.
retorts, according to the quantity of gas-required. The hearth of the steam
engine, in my system, is elongated, because the retorts are placed horizontally,
for the conveniency of the service. M shows the hearth cut longitudinally,
with four retorts in it. Figure 9, S shows the tube, by which comes the
vapour to feed the retorts. However, the hearths can be arranged as necessity
may require. N shows the fore part of the steam engine; and Q, the tube
which conducts the vapour to the retorts, instead of letting it escape into the
air. The disposition of the hearth is nearly the same for steam boats: The
air and hydrogen receivers will be placed as may be most convenient. The
hearths of forges; of manufactories, of extensive foundries, &c. will also be
placed as necessity may require. The chimnies are suppressed in steam
engines, and in all other places where they now exist.
DESCRIPTION OF THE GAS BURNERS.
Figure 6. A represents two gas burners, in which the hydrogen and air are
mixed in leaving the embranchment a, a. B shows two gas burners, each of
which is formed of concentric tubes, and in which the hydrogen and air do not

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW HEARTHS.
F, F, represent the two furnaces, in which the combustible is burned. The
arrow shows the movement of the heat going to the retorts, and then darting
to the chimney A from both sides in coming from the furnaces. C, C, C, C, C, C,
show the retorts that are placed in the furnaces, either in one straight line, or
in two parallel ones. E, E, E, E, E, E, represent the upper half of the
retorts. C¹, C¹, C, C, C, C', show the cover of the retorts. G, G, G, G, G, G,
show the openings made in the covers of the retorts, and the conductors by
which the gas goes to the refrigerants, and from there to the gasometer.
V, V, V, V, V, V, show the tubes for the vapour; and V, V, V, V, V, VI,
the small conductors, carrying vapour from the vapour tubes to the retorts
as is seen in the first; the hydrogen set free escapes by the small holes in the
plate P which supports the chains, and then goes out through the covers of the
retort by the conductor G, indicated above, going to the refrigerant, and from
there to the gasometer. R shows a plate full of holes, to let the vapour into
the retorts. 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, show the openings in the apex of the retorts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW APPARATUS FOR DECOMPOSING WATER BY MEANS
OF EITHER CHARCOAL, PIT COALS, COKE, ANTHRACITE OR GRAPHITE, WELL
PULVERIZED, AND INJECTED INTO THE RETORT PROPORTIONED TO THE
QUANTITY OF WATERY VAPOUR.
Figure 8. A shows the steam engine. L, L', the tubes, carrying vapour to
the retorts C, and to the cylinder B, B'. C, the retorts into which the
pulverized charcoal is injected with the watery vapour. E, E', the purifier
filled with bine water. F, the tubes carrying hydrogen, charged with carbon
and carbonic acid to the purifier (E). G, a tube carrying bydrogen charged
with carbon to the curved cylinder B, B', where it mixes with the watery
vapour, and where the result of the change is pure hydrogen and carbonic acid.
H, H, a tube carrying pure hydrogen and carbonic acid to the purifier (E).
K, a tube carrying pure hydrogen to the gasometer. O, O', shows the shutting
above and below of the retort.

page_text: For domestic and other purposes, this kind of fuel does away at once with
several inconveniences. There is no smoke, no ashes nor cinders, no need of any
kind of fire-irons, no danger of fire, no disagreeable or unhealthy exhalations,
no need of carrying coals for steam engines, for they are heated by the vapour
they produce, which vapour is afterwards converted into gas. In forges,
manufactories, and large foundries, it is infinitely cheaper than coal, the smoke
of which blackens everything, and besides its offensive smell. It can be
applied easily, and at a trifling expense, to any purpose whatever, and in any
place, or any kind of apartment, with or without a chimney. The heat is
immediate, and very intense, and may be augmented or diminished at will.
This fuel is eighty per cent. cheaper than any other heretofore known.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
JOSEPH PIERRE (L.S.) GILLARD.
Taken and acknowledged by Joseph Pierre Gillard
(party hereto) at Paris, in the Kingdom of France,
this 7th day of August 1846, before me,
THOMAS PICKFORD,
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Paris.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the oath of William Henry
Ritchie, the Specification aforesaid was enrolled, word for word, as above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.