Apparatus for the Production of Ozone from Phosphorus for Disinfecting Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: · Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Production of Ozone from Phosphorus for
Disinfecting Purposes.
I, SÖREN FENBEN KATTENHOY, Merchant of 26 Liebigstrasse Berlin, in the
Empire of Germany, 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 :--
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus constructed according to this invention
and
Fig. 2 is a section of a locking apparatus.
An apparatus constructed according to this invention consists of a glass vessel a
with a pierced porcelain cover 6 and a glass rod changing down in the vessel, and
the lower end of which, by means of side arms c¹, supports small glass vessels d
containing pieces of phosphorus e. The cover b which is attached to the vessel a
by the bayonet fastening fis provided with air holes and the top piece / in which
the glass rod c is held, an india rubber stopper i making the joint air tight. At
the side of his a funnel piece k for filling the vessel with fluid. The phosphorus
glasses d have at the bottom small openings to admit the fluid and are covered
with glass caps m which are provided on the top with two small open tubes n n'.
The opening of one of the tubes n is lower than that of the other n'. The lumps of
phosphorus rest on small ridges o pressed in the glass sides so that they may be
entirely surrounded by the fluid. As phosphorus, in consequence of its poisonous
properties, must not be made accessible to free use, the vessel is closed by an
arrangement p in which only a special key will fit as shown in Fig. 2.
For use, the vessel a is filled with a solution of permanganate of potassium in
ten per cent. sulphuric acid, until the lumps of phosphorus e only just project at their
upper ends above the surface of the liquid.
The action is as follows:-The phosphorus takes up acid from the air coming
slowly through it to the lower inlet tube n above the liquid, and gradually changes
into phosphoric acid, which rises in a thin vapour out of the somewhat higher fixed
tube piece n', moves at the top towards the glass sides of the vessel a and iu
proximity thereto sinks to the level of the liquid. The phosphoric acid which in
this manner reaches the liquid effects a slow and equal decomposition thereof,
whereby ozone is produced which passes out through the openings 9 in the cover
and serves for the purification of the air in the room. The action is marked by a
gradual clearing of the original dark red liquid, which finally becomes as clear as
water. In order that the apparatus may work continuously permanganate of
potassium must be added through the funnel k as soon as the liquid becomes of a
pale violet colour.
Corresponding to the higher level of the liquid the phosphorus holder c d is
drawn up slightly higher each time, so that the pieces of phosphorus always
project a little above the liquid.
The arrangement of the phosphorus holder in this apparatus is important. In
similar previous apparatuses the phosphorus laid quite freely on its holder, and
consequently ignited, not infrequently, in the air. This had a disquieting effect on
the untechnical public (for instance when used in private houses) and stood in the
way of the general introduction of these apparatuses. With the present apparatus
the inverted glass caps m prevent this ignition, as the phosphorus is always in direct
contact with only a small quantity of air. In order not to reduce thereby the

page_text: production of ozone, two or more and preferably three phosphor glasses d are
used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A disinfecting apparatus for the automatic production of ozone by means of
phosphorus and a solution of permanganate of potassium comprising several pieces
of phosphorus in small glasses d provided with inlet holes at the bottom and
attached to an adjustable rod c, being freely surrounded by the liquid and which
for the purpose of preventing their self-ignition have the top part which projects
out of the liquid into the air, covered by a small cap m which allows the entry of
the air in small quantities through a small opening n and the outlet of the
phosphoric acid thereby produced through a second and somewhat higher opening n'
substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for the production of ozone from phosphorus for disinfecting 1
purposes arranged constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.