AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSUMING 'FIRE- DAMP, AND APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Guido Körner, in the City of Freiberg, Saxony, German
Empire, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSUMING 'FIRE-
DAMP, AND APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
"AN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Guido Körner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th February 1880.
GUIDO KÖRNER, in the City of Freiberg, Saxony, German Empire.
IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSUMING 'FIRE-DAMP,' AND APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to certain means whereby practical means are provided
for the consumption of fire damp in mines and such like places.
This method of consuming fire damp depends upon the nature of platinum and
other metals of the same character, such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium,
iridium. Owing to the condensation of atmospheric oxygen on a platinized surface
a process of silent combustion of the fire damp goes on. The condensation of oxygen
on platinum is increased by heating the latter, and on this account more fire damp
will be consumed when the platinum is heated. The temperature of the platinum
(or palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium) must however not reach a higher tempera-
ture than a cherry-red, otherwise there will be danger that the fire damp be exploded.
Any of the above mentioned metals can be equally well used as platinum. The
heating of these metals can be accomplished by different methods, as for instance,
by means of the galvanic current. To apply this method of heating a bad conductor
of heat and electricity, such as glass, will be coated with one of the above men-
tioned metals, and a galvanic current passed through the film of metal, the degree
of heat developed being regulated by the strength of the current.
Another method of producing a sufficiently high constant temperature of the
required character is as follows:-
The metals of the platinum class (platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, and
ridium) have the power of oxydizing the vapours of hydrocarbon (kohlenwasser-
toffverbindung), such as alcohol, petroleum, ligroine, benzine, and the like by virtue
of the condensed oxygen, at the same time heat being produced, but not enough to
verheat the platinum.
For this purpose, upon the burner of a lamp which is filled with alcohol, petro-
eum, ligroine, benzine, or the liko, is placed a ball of glass, or better, a closed

page_text: cylinder of asbestos or porous carbon, which is coated with one of the platinum
class of metals.
The hydrocarbon (kohlenwasserstoffverbindung) vapours issuing from the oil in
the lamp must pass into the cylinder, and from it into the atmosphere through the
asbestos. They will be oxydized by contact with the metallic coating of the
cylinder, and develope so much heat that the platinum glows cherry-red. Now if
fire damp is present in the air it will be oxydized by contact with the heated
metallic coating; but the temperature will only be slightly elevated, not so much
as to cause the metal coating to be white hot, and is therefore not high enough to
cause explosion. If it is desired to set the apparatus in operation the porous
cylinder is heated in the flame of a spirit lamp, and it is then placed in a position
where fire damp is likely to occur.
Also in the case of those safety lamps in which the air is introduced above the
flame this principle can be applied. For this purpose a ring of platinized, or, for
instance, palladinized asbestos, is placed above the flame, so that the air which
supplies the flame must first pass through this asbestos. The asbestos is heated by
the flame, its oxydizing powers being thereby intensified, and the fire damp in the
air being consumed by this means, and then the purified air meets the flame. If
highly explosive gases are present carbonic acid is supplied to the flame, being
produced by the oxydation of the fire damp, and the lamp is thereby quietly
extinguished.
The quantity of fire damp destroyed by one lamp in this manner will bo very
great, and the application of this principle by me to this purpose is purely new and
original.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Guido Körner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th August
1880.
GUIDO KÖRNER, of the City of Freiberg, Saxony, German Empire. "AN
1MPROVED METHOD OF CONSUMING FIREDAMP, AND APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
This method of consuming firedamp depends upon the nature of platinum and
other metals of the same character, such as (platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium,
iridium). Owing to the condensation of atmospheric oxygen on a platinized surface
a process of silent combustion of the firedamp goes on. The condensation of oxygen
on platinum is increased by heating the latter, and on this account more firedamp
will be consumed.
The temperature of the platinum (or palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium) must
however not reach a higher temperaturo than a cherry-red, otherwise the firedamp
will be exploded. Any of the above mentioned metals can be as equally well used
as platinuin.
Of the several methods to heat the platinum and keep it on a constant tempera-
ture I mention the following:-To produce the heat of the platinum by an electric
current a bad conductor of heat and electricity, such as glass, must be coated with
one of the above mentioned metals, and a galvanic current passed through the film
of the metal; the degree of heat developed can be regulated by the strength
current.
the
Another method of producing a sufficiently high and constant temperature is as
follows:-
The inetals of the platinumn class, such as (platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium,
and iridium) have the power of oxydizing the vapour of hydro-carbon, such aș
alcohol, petroleum, ligroine, benzine, also the hydrogen by virtue of the condensed
oxygen, at the same time heat being produced, but not enough to overheat the
platinum. In order that my Invention may be fully understood I hereunto annex
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof.
For this purpose, upon the burner of a lamp (which is filled with alcohol, petro-
leum, ligroine, benzine, or with hydrogen) is placed a ball of glass, or preferably a
cylinder of abestos, which in the lower part is more porous and allows diffusion
more freely, or a cylinder of porous carbon (see Fig. 1, 2, 3, in the annexed Drawing),
which is coated with one of the platinum class of metals.
The hydro-carbon vapour emitted from the oil in the lamp inust pass into the
cylinder, and from it into the atmosphere through the abestos; it will then be
oxydized by contact with the metallic coating of the cylinder, and develope so much
heat that the platinum glows cherry red. If firedamp is present in the air it will
be oxydized by contact with the licated metallic coating; the temperature will only
be slightly elevated, and never high enough to cause an explosion. If it is desirous
to set the apparatus in operation the porous cylinder is heated in the flame of a
spirit lamp, and it is then placed in a position where firedamp is likely to occur.
The platinum may also be heated in other ways. Also in the case of safety lamps,
in which the air is introduced above the flame, this method may be applied. For
this purpose a ring of platinized or palladinized abestos is placed above the flame,
so that the air which supplies the flame must first pass through the abestos (see
Fig. 4 & 5). The abestos are heated by the flame, oxydizing powers being
thereby intensified, and the firedamp in the air being consumed the pure air meets
the flame.
If highly explosive gases are present carbonic acid is supplied to the flame, the
carbonic acid being produced by the oxydization of the firedamp; the lamp is
thereby quietly extinguished, and by this the miners are warned of danger.

page_text: Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said Invention,
I would have it understood that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The method of destroying firedamp by means of its contact with metals
of the platinum class (such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium)
heated to a cherry red heat, by whatever means this heat is produced.
Secondly. A lamp for consuming firedamp without danger, as described and
illustrated, especially by means of the porous cylinders.
Thirdly. A ring of abestos coated with one of the before mentional metals
(platinum, palladium, osmium, 1hodiunı, iridium, as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Guido Korner, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
GUIDO KOERNER. (L.S.)

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