Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in the Production of Oxygen or other Gases.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
PROVIDIUNAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in the Production
of Oxygen or other Gases.
We, FREDERICK BROWN, of 13, Gate Street, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and FREDERICK JOSEPH STEDMAN, of 11, Rose Terrace,
Surrey Lane, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Electrician, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for use in the manu-
facture or production of oxygen gas or other gases which can be produced by
the application of heat to chemical compounds in the form of cakes or charges
whereby a continuous supply of gas may be obtained, the apparatus working
automatically or otherwise.
In carrying out our invention we provide a closed casing adapted to receive
charges or cakes of material adapted to give off oxygen gas on the application
of heat thereto, these charges being supplied to the apparatus through a tube
or hopper or arranged within the casing itself in such a manner that they may
be successively brought into position above a Bunsen burner or other heating
device arranged outside 1..e casing, cach charge when it has given off its gas
being discharged into a chute or receiver in order to make way for the following
charge.
A convenient form of apparatus consists of a rectangular metal casing, having
on the top towards one end a tube adapted to contain a series of cakes or tablets
of oxygen producing material, such as a mixture of dioxide of manganese and
chlorate of potash, the tube being closed at the top by a screw plug, or other
air-tight closing device. Beneath the casing, and at the front portion thereof,
is arranged a Bunsen burner, or other heating device, whilst at the back is
arranged a cam or other device adapted, when it is operated, to press forward
the bottom cake of material into position over the burner, whereupon the heat
applied causes oxygen to he given off, a suitable outlet being provided for
leading the gas away to a purifier, if necessary, and then to a burner, or to
the place where it is desired to be used or stored. By the time or before the
cake has given off all its oxygen, the cam is again operated, whereby the next
cake is fed forward into position, the first cake being pushed into or deposited
in a chute or receiver, which may be provided with a hermetical closing door,
it being connected to the receiver in a gas-tight but preferably detachable
manner, so that when not in use, the apparatus may be stored in a small
compass.
Whilst it is found in practice that the cam forms a satisfactory means for
feeding forward the cakes or charges of oxygen producing material, this operation
may also be performed by a plunger, rack and pinion, lever or levers, wheel,
or by a spring or springs or like means. Instead of arranging the cakes of
material in a vertical tube, above and extending into the casing, they may be
arranged in an inclined chute or horizontally, being pressed downwards or
DQ77

page_text: forwards by a spring or the like, or the tube may extend downwards from the
bottom of the casing the cakes being pressed upwards by a spring or equivalent.
Whilst the feeding forward of the cakes may be effected manually, or by
clock-work mechanism, it is preferable to combine the apparatus with a gas
bag or collapsible gas receiver, into which the gas is introduced as it is generated,
the movement of the gas-bag operating the device for feeding forward the cakes
thereby rendering the apparatus automatic and self-regulating. For this
purpose the cam or other device may be operated directly or indirectly from
the gas-bag or container. For instance, the connection between the two parts
may be by means of levers, a chain, cams or gearing. It is preferable that the
capacity of the gas container should be such that one charge of oxygen producing
material should be capable of giving off sufficient gas to fill the container, the
connection of the gas bag to the feeding device being such that as the gas
produced, by, say, the first charge, is consumed, the bag will collapse, and
when it is partly or nearly empty, will operate the feeding device to bring a
second charge over the burner, whereupon the gas will be again produced and
the bag will become again gradually inflated.
Dated this 6th day of October 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in the Production
of Oxygen or other Gases.
We, FREDERICK BROWN, of 13, Gate Street, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and FREDERICK JOSEPH STEDMAN, of 11, Rose Terrace,
Surrey Lane, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Electrician, 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 improvements in apparatus for use in the manu-
facture or production of oxygen gas or other gases which can be produced by
the application of heat to chemical compounds in the form of cakes or charges
whereby a continuous supply of gas may be obtained, the apparatus working
automatically.
In carrying out our invention, we provide a closed chamber adapted to receive
charges or cakes of material adapted to give off oxygen gas on the application
of heat thereto, these charges being supplied to the apparatus through a tube
or hopper or arranged within the chamber itself in such a manner that they
may be successively and automatically brought into position above a Bunsen
burner or other heating device arranged outside the casing, each charge when
it has given off its gas being discharged into a chute or receiver in order to
make way for the following charge.
A convenient form of apparatus consists of a rectangular metal casing, having
on the top towards one end a tube adapted to contain a series of cakes or tablets
of oxygen producing material, such as a mixture of dioxide of manganese and
chlorate of potash, the tube being closed at the top by a screw plug, or other
air-tight closing device. Beneath the casing, and at the front portion thereof,
is arranged a Bunsen burner, or other heating device, whilst at the back is
arranged a cam or other device adapted, when it is operated, to press forward
the bottom cake of material into position over the burner, whereupon the heat

page_text: applied causes oxygen to be given off, a suitable outlet being provided for
leading the gas away to a purifier, if necessary, and then to a burner, or to
the place where it is desired to be used or stored. By the time or before the
cake has given off all its oxygen the cam is again operated, whereby the next
cake is fed forward into position, the first cake being pushed into or deposited
in a chute or receiver, which may be provided with a hermetical closing door,
the chute or receiver being connected to the casing in a gas-tight but preferably
detachable manner, so that when not in use, the apparatus may be stored in a
small compass.
Whilst it is found in practice that the cam forms a satisfactory means for
feeding forward the cakes or charges of oxygen producing material, this operation
may also be performed by a plunger, rack and pinion, lever or levers, wheel,
or by a spring or springs or like means. Instead of arranging the cakes of
material in a vertical tube, above and extending into the casing, they may be
arranged in an inclined chute or horizontally, being pressed downwards or
forwards by a spring or the like, or the tube may extend downwards from the
bottom of the casing the cakes being pressed upwards by a spring or equivalent.
Whilst the feeding forward of the cakes may be effected automatically by any
means clock-work mechanism for instance-it is preferable to combine the
apparatus with a gas bag or collapsible gas receiver, into which the gas is intro-
duced as it is generated, the movement of the gas-bag operating the device for
feeding forward the cakes thereby rendering the apparatus automatic and self-
regulating. For this purpose the cam or other device may be operated directly
or indirectly from the gas-bag or container. For instance, the connection
between the two parts may be by means of levers, a chain, cams or gearing.
It is preferable that the capacity of the gas container should be such that one
charge of oxygen producing material should be capable of giving off sufficient
gas to fill the container, the connection of the gas bag to the feeding device
being such that as the gas produced, by, say, the first charge, is consumed, the
bag will collapse, and when it is partly or nearly empty, will operate the
feeding device to bring a second charge over the burner, whereupon the gas
will be again produced and the bag will become again gradually inflated.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure is a perspective view of one construction of apparatus according to
this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the centre of a portion of
the apparatus shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 3 is a sectional plan on the line 33 of Figure 2.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.
A and A are boards between which an expansible gas container B is situated.
The gas container B is made of gas-tight fabric and is provided with an elastic
band B, which causes the container when it collapses to fall together com-
pactly. Guide rods A2 are attached to the board A and in conjunction with
groove pulleys A carried by brackets A³ upon the board A¹, form guides for
the latter when it travels up and down according to the amount of gas in the
container B. The weight of the board A¹ and the apparatus which it carries
serves to drive the gas from the container through an outlet A at an approxi-
mately constant pressure; this action may be assisted by placing a spring
inside the container in such a manner that it tends to draw the ends of the
container together.
Supported upon the board A¹ by pillars A is a chamber C leading at one end
to a box or receiver C, which is attached to the chamber C by a Hanged-joint
as at C2 and provided with a gas-tight door C. A portion of the chamber C is
adapted to be heated as by the Bunsen burner D and, in order that the heat
shall be confined as much as possible to that part of the chamber, an opening
is made in the bottom of the chamber C and a plate C, formed of a metal which

page_text: is a good conductor of heat-say gun-metal-is inserted, insulated all round
its edges as at C5 by asbestos or other material which is a bad conductor of
heat. The plate C is attached to the bottom of the chamber C by bolts and
nuts C. A pipe C7 affords communication between the chamber C and the
gas container B.
E is a shaft passing through the lower portion of the chamber C and journalled
in the sides thereof; for convenience a portion of one side of the chamber C
is cut away and a plate E' is bolted on so that by detaching the plate E¹ the
shaft E and its appurtenances may be bodily removed. Upon the shaft E is
a cam F formed of two plates F¹, having rollers F2 mounted between them in
order to diminish friction when the cam is working. A handle E2 is mounted
upon the end of the shaft E outside the chamber, C and the shaft also carries
a lever G. This lever may be fixed in any desired position relatively to the
shaft E by means of a screw G¹. The lever G carries at the end remote from
the shaft E a disc or roller G2 adapted to run in the channel of a guide A
fixed to the board A. A spring H, one end of which is attached to the board A',
while the other is fastened to the lever G, tends to pull the latter downwards
and consequently to rotate the shaft E in a clock-wise direction.
Upon the top of the chamber C is mounted a tube C8 attached to the chamber
by a flanged-joint, as at C; this tube projects into the chamber C and is cut
away at the bottom to allow for the passage of the cam F (see Figures 2 and 3).
A screw cap C10 closes the top of the tube C8 and the rod C12 of a plunger Cu
passes out at the top of the cap.
Glands or stuffing boxes are fitted where necessary to prevent the escape
of gas.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Charges J of the material either in the form of cartridges or cakes or contained
in cups or similar receptacles, are placed in the tube C8, the cap C10 and
plunger C being of course removed for that purpose and then replaced. It will
be noticed (see Figure 2), that if the shaft E is rotated far enough in a clock-
wise direction, the cam F is brought clear of the tube C8 and consequently the
pile of charges will fall down the tube C8 until stopped by the ledges C13 which
are so placed in the tube that the bottom of the lowest charge is level with,
or slightly higher than the heated portion of the chamber C. If now the
shaft E be turned backwards the cam F will push the lowest charge from under
the pile on to the heated portion C³, see dotted position in Figure 2,-in starting
this is done manually by means of the handle E2. The gas generated by the
heated charge fills the container B which thereupon expands and gradually
carries the apparatus upwards (as illustrated in Figure 1 the apparatus is nearing
the end of its upward motion). As the apparatus rises the lever G passes up
the guide A until it reaches the top. The spring H then keeps the lever G
in contact with the top of the guide A7, a roller A8 being interposed to lessen
friction, and as the apparatus continues to rise the shaft E is rotated by the
action of the spring H. Before the container B has risen to its full extent, the
continued rotation of the shaft E withdraws the cam F from under the lowest
As the
charge and the pile of charges consequently again falls in the tube 08.
gas is used from the container B, the latter collapses and the board A with
the apparatus thereon descends causing backward rotation of the shaft E which
results when the container is nearly empty-in the cam F pushing another
charge from under the pile on to the heated portion C of the chamber C. The
apparatus now rises again and the cycle of operations is repeated.
Each fresh charge as it is pushed by the cam F on to the heated plate C
causes the remains of the exhausted charges, or the cup containing them to pass
along and fall into the box or receiver C¹ whence they may be removed when
desired through the door C³.
The plunger C assists the downward movement of the charges J in the
tube C, and it is found convenient to graduate or mark the plunger rod C

page_text: so that it may give an indication of the number of charges remaining in the
apparatus.
Although the apparatus illustrated shows the feeding mechanism operated
and controlled by the gas container, it is in some cases, convenient to operate it
by other means, for instance by clockwork. In such cases the capacity of the gas
container would preferably be considerably larger in proportion to the amount
of gas given off by one charge, than is the case in the example above described,
and the gas container would be provided with a safety valve or equivalent
apparatus for preventing undue increase of pressure.
The various parts of the apparatus are preferably so constructed that they
may be readily detached and packed in a small space for convenience in
transport.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Apparatus for the production of gas in which charges of the material
within a closed chamber are automatically and successively moved to a heated
portion of the chamber.
2. In apparatus for the production of gas the combination of a closed chamber,
means for heating a portion of such chamber, a series of charges within the
chamber, and an automatic feeding device for moving the charges successively
to the heated portion substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for the production of gas the combination of a closed chamber,
means for heating a portion of such chamber, a series of charges within the
chamber an automatic feeding device for moving the charges successively. to
the heated portion, an expansible gas container communicating with the cham-
ber, and an operative connection between the gas container and the automatic
feeding device substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for the production of gas the combination of a closed chamber
Chaving a tubular extension C8, a series of charges of the material in the
tubular extension, means for heating a portion of the chamber, an automatic
feeding device such as the cam F for bringing the charges successively to the
heated portion, an expansible gas container and an operative connection such
as the lever G and spring H between the gas container and the automatic
feeding device whereby the rate of production of the gas is regulated sub-
stantially as described.
5. In apparatus for the production of gas the combination with a closed
chamber containing the charges of material of a plunger having a graduated
rod such as C (12 substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The complete apparatus for the production of gas substantially as described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of July 1099.
F. BROWN,
FREDERICK J. STEDMAN.
Hoult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.