Improvements in Apparatus for the Aeration of Liquids.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Aeration of Liquids.
I, JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE, of Boston, Massachusetts, a citizen of the
United States at present residing at 3 College Terrace, Harrow, Middlesex,
Architect do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to apparatus for the preparation of aerated or gaseous
liquids, and is more directly applicable to those double-chambered gasogenes or
seltzogenes for household usage in which a given quantity of water, in the one
chamber, is aerated by the formation, in the other chamber, of carbonic acid gas
through the chemical combination of an acid and an alkali.
The method of charging such gasogenes has hitherto been as follows: Both
chambers having been emptied, the one is filled with the water to be treated, while
into the other, still dry, are introduced a solid acid (usually tartaric) and a solid
alkali (usually bicarbonate of soda). The gasogene being thereupon closed by
screwing down the tap attached to the tube through which the aerated water is to
be drawn, the apparatus is so inverted that a sufficient quantity of the water flows
from the one chamber into the other, where, by the action of the acid upon the
alkali, carbonic acid gas is evolved. A disadvantage of this system is the fact
that, as: both acid and alkali must, necessarily be solid and dry,-in order to obviate
the formation of gas before the apparatus is closed, the employment of cheaper
acids in a liquid state is precluded.
My invention has for its purpose to provide an apparatus for the preparation of
aerated waters in which a liquid acid can be conveniently and advantageously
employed, inasmuch as the two chemicals are not brought into contact until the
gasogene has been closed. This end I attain by so arranging and constructing the
chamber which receives the chemicals that the gas generated by their combination
must, when the apparatus has been closed, pass through a syphon cup provided for
the reception of the acid, and before so passing force up and eject the liquid acid
from the cup by which it had previously been introduced and retained, thereby
causing it to come into contact with the alkali. The admixture of the acid and
the alkali, and the consequent formation of gas, will thus take place after the
gasogene has been closed, and not before. As soon as a drop of the acid reaches
the alkali gas will be evolved, and this gas cannot escape from the chemical
chamber otherwise than by forcing out the liquid acid which intervenes as a sealing
charge between this chamber and the water container. In order, after filling my
apparatus, to get up that small degree of pressure which is requisite to expel. the
Grst few drops of acid from the cup, the air in the chemical chamber may be
slightly warmed, as for instance by laying the hand upon it, or a drop of acid may
be added to the alkali before closing the gasogene. It will, however, generally, be
found that the stock of acidulated alkali remaining in the chemical chamber from
the preceding filling will suffice to generate gas enough to commence the ejection
of the fresh charge of acid,-which ejection, when once started, will proceed
rapidly.
A convenient mode of carrying my invention into effect in a gasogene of the
customary type is to half fill the chemical chamber, or upper globe, with some
strong and cheap alkali, such as carbonate of soda, adding water to stand somewhat
above the bottom of the acid cup, but below its brim. This acid cup, preferably

page_text: formed of glass, is attached to the draw tube in such wise that when in place,
with its base submerged in the alkali solution, there is no communication between
the air space of the upper globe and that of the lower globe, or water container,
otherwise than through the acid cup. To bring this about the acid cup is formed
with a vertical outflow, or syphon, which opens at its lower end near the bottom
of the acid cup, and communicates at the top (above the surface of the acid) on
the one hand with the air tube leading, at a still higher level, to the lower globe,
and on the other hand with the alkali solution at a lower level. Before introducing
the draw tube the acid cup is filled to a gauge mark near its rim with a suitable
liquid acid, preferably sulphuric or hydrochloric, either in full strength or in any
determined degree of dilution. The cup itself thus forms a measure of the
quantity of acid which is to be employed. After the draw tube, together with the
acid cup attached thereto, has been put in place and screwed down, any pressure
in the upper globe, whether caused by the expansion of the air through warmth
or by the formation of gas, will force the acid up the vertical outflow, or syphon,
so that it runs over the inner brink of the cup and down into the alkali solution.
Thus the combination of the chemicals takes place only after the gasogene has
been closed. When the sealing charge of acid in the cup has been entirely blown
out into the alkali a free air passage will have been established between the two
globes of the gasogene, through which the aeration of the water in the lower globe
can proceed without hindrance.
It is obvious that this my invention of a syphon cup containing a sealing charge
of liquid acid, automatically ejected by the formation of gas in the chemical
chamber after the apparatus has been closed, may be carried into equivalent effect
in gasogenes of other types, and with a different arrangement of parts, than that
which has been above described by way of example.
Dated this 5th day of September 1894.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Aeration of Liquids.
I, JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE, of College Terrace, Harrow, Middlesex,
Architect, 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 relates to apparatus for the preparation of aerated or gaseous
liquids, and is more directly applicable to those double-chambered gasogenes or
seltzogenes for household usage in which a given quantity of water, in the one
chamber, is aerated by the formation, in the other chamber, of carbonic acid gas
through the chemical combination of an acid and an alkali.
The method of charging such gasogenes has hitherto been as follows: Both
chambers having been emptied, the one is filled with the water to be aerated, while
into the other, still dry, is introduced a solid acid (usually tartaric) together with
a solid alkali (usually bicarbonate of soda), in a powdered form or in crystals.
The gasogene being thereupon closed by screwing down the tap attached to the
tube through which the aerated water is to be drawn, the apparatus is so inverted
that a sufficient quantity of the water flows from the one chamber into the other,
where, by its admixture with the acid and the alkali, carbonic acid gas is evolved.
A disadvantage of this system is the fact that, as both acid and alkali must
necessarily be solid and dry,-in order to prevent the formation of gas before the
apparatus can be closed, an employment of the cheaper liquid acids is precluded.
My invention has for its purpose to provide an apparatus for the preparation of

page_text: nerated waters in which a liquid acid can be conveniently and advantageously
employed, inasmuch as the two chemicals are not brought into contact until the
gasogene has been closed. This end I attain by so arranging and constructing the
chamber which receives the chemicals that the gas generated by their combination
must, when the apparatus has been closed, pass through a syphon cup provided for
the reception of the acid, and before so passing force up and expel the liquid acid
from the cup, by which it had been previously introduced and retained, thereby
causing it to come into contact with the alkali. The admixture of the acid and
the alkali, and the consequent formation of gas, will thus take place after the
gasogene has been closed, and not before. As soon as a drop of the acid reaches
the alkali, gas will be evolved, and this gas cannot escape from the chemical
chamber otherwise than by forcing out the charge of liquid acid which intervenes
as a sealing charge between this chamber and the water container. In order, after
filling my apparatus, to get up that small degree of pressure which is requisite to
expel the first few drops of acid from the cup, the air in the chemical chamber
may be slightly warmed, as for instance by laying the hand upon it, or a drop of
acid may be added to the alkali before closing the gasogene. It will, however,
generally be found that the stock of acidulated alkali remaining in the chemical
chamber from the preceding filling will generate enough gas to bring the fresh
charge of acid into contact with the alkali.
When the acid
Figure 1 represents, in section, a gasogene of the customary two-globe type
provided with means for carrying my invention into effect. In this gasogene the
chemical chamber, or upper globe 1 is filled with sufficient solution of some strong
and cheap alkali, (such as carbonate of soda) to stand at the level 2, this level
being somewhat above the bottom, but below the brim of the acid cup 3, when
this is in place. The said acid cup 3, preferably formed of glass, is connected to
and supported by the draw tube 4 in such wise that when the base of the acid cup
is submerged in the alkali solution 2 there is no communication between the air
space of the upper globe 1 and the lower globe 5, other than through the acid
cup 3. To bring this about, the acid cup 3 is provided with an outflow or syphon 6,
formed as a concentric double shell in the inner wall of the acid cup. This outflow
or syphon 6 has its lower opening near the bottom of the acid cup 3.
Its upper
opening is above the level of the acid standing in the cup 3.
contained in the cup 3 is, by pressure of the gas formed in the globe 1, ejected
through the upper opening of the syphon 6, it will drip down into and commningle
with the alkali solution 2 in the globe 1. After forcing out all the acid contained
in the cup 3, the gas formed in the upper globe will find free passage through the
syphon 6 and 'through the stand pipe 8 to the lower globe 5, in which the aeration
of the beverage takes place. Before introducing the draw tube 4 into the gasogene,
the acid cup 3 attached to it is filled to a gauge mark near its rim with any
suitable liquid acid, (such as sulphuric or hydrochloric) either in full strength or
in any desired degree of dilution. Thus the cup 3 itself forms a measure of the
amount of acid which is to be employed for each charge. After the draw tube 4,
together with the acid cup attached thereto, has been put in position and screwed
down, air-tight, in the usual manner, any pressure in the upper globe 1, (whether
caused by the expansion of the air within it through warmth, or by the formation
of gas from the old alkali solution) will force the acid 7 up through the vertical
outflow or syphon 6, so that it runs over the inner rim of the cup 3 and down into
the alkali solution 2. Thus the admixture of the chemicals will take place only
after the gasogene has been closed by the screwing down of the draw tube 4.
When the sealing charge of acid 7 has been entirely ejected from the cup 3 into
the alkali 2, a free air passage through the syphon 6 will have been established
between the two globes of the gasogene, and the aeration of the water 9 in the
lower globe will thenceforth proceed without hindrance.
It is obvious that the quantity of alkali put into the chemical chamber at the
first filling may be greatly in excess of the quantity required to convert the acid
introduced for each charge of the gasogene ;-the volume of carbonic acid gas

page_text: formed being solely dependent upon the charge of acid measured out into the
cup. Thus it will be possible to aerate many successive charges of water in the
lower container without renewing the alkali solution. This facility of renewal
constitutes one of the practical advantages of the system of aeration proposed by
this invention. A further advantage is the fact that it is. not necessary to invert
the gasogene during the process of recharging with acid.
In Figure 2 is shown, likewise in section, an equivalent method of carrying this
invention into effect. In this arrangement of parts the acid cup 10 is attached to
the draw tube 11. above the level of the air tube 12, and the syphon is formed by
hanging into the cup 10 the retroverted end of a cylinder 13, the lower end of
which is sufficiently long to dip into the alkali solution 14 when the draw tube 11
is screwed down into the apparatus. It will not be necessary to make any rigid
attachment between the retroverted cylinder 13 and the acid cup 10. By forming
the retroverted end of the cylinder 13 with a slightly wavy or uneven edge, as
shown in Fig. 2, sufficient space will remain between its surfaces, which do not fit
accurately upon the surfaces of the acid cup.10 to permit the outflow of the acid,
and the subsequent passage of the aerating gas. The admixture of the acid 15.in
the cup 10 with the alkali 14 will, in the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 2,
take place in precisely the same way as has been described in connection with
Fig. 1.
In the gasogenes here described by way of example the method of filling the
lower container with water, the method of introducing the alkali into the chemical
globe, the screwing down of the inserted draw tube, and the arrangement of the
draw tap at the upper outlet of this tube (not shown in the drawing) will be the
same as in the gasogenes at present in usage, and form no part of the present
invention.
The customary two-globe gasogene has, in the above illustrations, been taken as
a typical and simple vessel for the manufacture of aerated liquids. It will, however,
be obvious that the proposed method of admixing a fluid acid to the alkali, after
the sealing of the gasogene, is equally applicable to apparatus of other forms.
The requisite variations in the shape and arrangement of the parts will for each
particular case readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and these
variations may be adopted without departing from the spirit of this invention, the
essential feature of which is the provision of a cup or equivalent receptacle capable
of containing a sealing charge of acid which is expelled into the alkali by the
formation of a pressure of gas in the.chemical chamber. In all cases it will be a
fundamental principle that no communication must exist between the chemical
chamber and that container in which the water is to be aerated, otherwise than
through the overflow or syphon by which the acid is emptied into the alkali.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1
In apparatus for the aeration of liquids the construction of a receptacle for a
fluid acid, from which the acid is expelled into the alkali by the pressure of gas
formed after the closing of the chemical chamber, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 5th day of June 1895.
JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE.