IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND TREATMENT OF CARBONIZED MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR FILTRATION AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRICAL BATTERIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSESed
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PRODUCTION AND TREATMENT OF CARBONIZED MATERIAL TO BE USED
FOR FILTRATION AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRICAL BATTERIES AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES Communicated to him from abroad by Alexandre
Caron of Paris in the Republic of France
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1882.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND TREATMENT OF CAR-
BONIZED MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR FILTRATION AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ELECTRICAL BATTERIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES A communication to me from
abroad by Alexandre Caron of Paris in the Republic of France
"
This Invention has for its object to produce a carbonized material more
especially adapted for electrical purposes but also capable of being employed for
filtering or as a substitute for asbestos and for other purposes.
The said material consists of a carbonised fabric and is manufactured preferably
by the means hereinafter described :—
In carrying out this Invention fibres such as those of flax, hemp, jute, phormium-
tenax and the like are employed as the original material and these are woven into
a fabric. This fabric in large or small pieces is then arranged in the form of rolls
or superposed layers with or without folds care being taken to interpose pulverized.
wood charcoal or any other suitable material between the adjacent parts of the folds
rolls or layers so as to separate the said folded rolled or superposed parts and prevent
all direct contact between them The materials thus prepared are then placed in closed
muffles preferably of fire clay in such a manner that the tissues are preserved as
much as possible from contact with the air
To further this the muffles may be filled up with pulverized charcoal or any
other suitable substance or with a gas such as carbonic acid gas or if necessary a

page_text: vacuum may be produced in the interior of the muffle in short any means that
will have the effect of preserving the fabric in the closed vessel from contact with
the air may be employed in carrying out this process:-
The muffles are then placed in a furnace and heated under such conditions as to
cause the fabric to become carbonized or converted into Carbon in the interior of
the muffles without losing its form as a woven fabric
A fabric burnt in contact with the atmosphere would also become converted
into carbon but this carbon would be consumed in such a manner that a light dust
alone would remain when carbonized in a closed vessel in the manner and under
the conditions hereinbefore described the threads of the fabric become converted
into carbon and are contracted in such a manner as to impart strength or firmness
to the product. This contraction or shrinkage which always takes place during
the carbonising process is increased when the heat is allowed to act slowly by
being gradually raised and the temperature allowed to attain a very high elevation.
The contraction not only contributes to the firmness or solidity of the product but
also to increase its capacity for conducting heat or electricity in consequence of the
shrinkage and condensation of the woven materials during the process of
carbonization :-
When the operation of carbonizing is concluded (for which about three hours are
sufficient) the muffles are taken out of the furnace and allowed to cool and after
cooling the product may be taken out and is then ready for use:-
:-
This carbonized fabric possesses peculiar and distinguishing catalytic and gas
absorbing properties and these properties are especially useful in electrical
operations connected with the action conservation and generation of electricity:-
It is found that the catalytic power of the product increases in proportion to the
elevation of the temperature employed for the carbonization and the speed with
which that temperature is attained but as this result ensues from the lesser degree
of contraction of the materials the latter are less firm and possess lower conducting
power.
The useful purposes to which this new product is applicable are numerous and
important for example by imparting to the product a suitable conducting and
catalytic power it may be employed in the construction of primary or secondary
electric batteries:―
When the product is destined to be employed in operations such as filtration
which involve the employment of a material possessing sufficient strength to be
capable of resisting a certain amount of pressure the carbonising must be
conducted slowly and a red heat will be found sufficient
It may be observed that the employment of the carbonised fabric is attended
with great advantages in preventing polarization in primary and secondary
batteries generally and especially in batteries in which one liquid is employed:-
In making anodes for treating alcohols in place of causing the alcohol to circulate
between the plates of platinum receiving the current in the usual manner a filter is
constructed composed of two anodes separated by cloth or fabric, the liquid
traversing this filter is thus brought into direct and forced contact with the gases
The surfaces of the carbonised fabric are capable of being metallized and this
will be found desirable in several of its uses and applications:-
The carbonised fabric may also be employed with advantage in substitution for
asbestos in the manufacture of chemicals asbestos being extremely costly and not
possessing greater strength or solidity than an equal weight of fabric :-

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th March 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND TREATMENT OF CARBONIZED
MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR FILTRATION AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRICAL
BATTERIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES a communication to me from abroad by
"3
Alexandre Caron of Paris in the Republic of France
This Invention has for its object to produce a carbonized material more
especially adapted for electrical purposes but also capable of being employed for
filtering or as a substitute for asbestos in chemical operation and for other
purposes. The said material consists of a carbonized fabric and is manufactured
preferably by the means hereinafter described.
. According to this Invention vegetable fibres such as those of flax hemp jute
phormium tenax and the like are employed as the original or raw material and
these are woven or interlaced into a fabric. This fabric in large or small pieces is
then arranged in the form of rolls or superposed layers with or without folds care
being taken to interpose pulverized wood charcoal or any other equivalent
material between the adjacent parts of the folds rolls or layers so as to separate
the said folded rolled or superposed parts and prevent all direct contact between
them. The materials thus prepared are then placed in closed muffles preferably of
fireclay in such a manner that the tissues are preserved as much as possible from
contact with the air. To further this the muffles may be filled up with pulverized
charcoal or any other suitable substance or with a gas such as carbonic acid gas or
if necessary a vacuum may be produced in the interior of the muffle-In short,
any means that will have the effect of preserving the fabric in the closed vessel
from contact with the air may be employed in carrying out this process.
The inuffles are then placed in a furnace and heated under such conditions as to
cause the fabric to become carbonized or converted into carbon in the interior of
the muffles without losing its form as a woven fabric.
A fabric burnt in contact with the atmosphere would also become converted into
carbon but this carbon would be consumed in such a manner that a light dust
alone would remain; when carbonized in a closed vessel in the manner and under
the conditions hereinbefore described the threads of the fabric become converted into
carbon and are contracted in such a manner as to impart strength or firmness to
the product This contraction or shrinkage which always takes place during the
carbonizing process is increased when the heat is allowed to act slowly by being
gradually raised and the temperature allowed to attain a very high elevation. The
contraction not only contributes to the firmness or solidity of the product but also
to increase its capacity for conducting heat or electricity in consequence of the
shrinkage and condensation of the woven materials or fibres during the process of
carbonisation.
When the operation of carbonising is concluded (for which about three hours
are sufficient) the muffles are taken out of the furnace and allowed to cool and
after cooling the product may be taken out and is then ready for use.
This carbonised fabric possesses peculiar and distinguishing catalytic and gas
absorbing properties and these properties are especially useful in electrical
operations connected with the action conservation and generation of electricity. It
is found that the catalytic power of the product increases in proportion to the
elevation of the temperature employed for the carbonisation and the speed with

page_text: which that temperature is attained but as this result ensues from the lesser degree
of contraction of the materials the product is less firm and possesses lower
conducting power
The useful purposes to which this new product is applicable are numerous and
important for example by imparting to the product a suitable conducting and
catalytic power it may be employed in the construction of primary or secondary
electric batteries.
When the product is destined to be employed in operations such as filtration
which involve the employment of a material possessing sufficient strength to be
capable of resisting a certain amount of pressure the carbonising must be
conducted slowly and a red heat will be found sufficient.
It may be observed that the employment of the carbonised fabric is attended
with great advantages in preventing polarisation in primary and secondary
batteries generally and especially in batteries in which one liquid such as bichromate
is employed. In making anodes for treating alcohols in place of causing the alcohol
to circulate freely between the plates of platinum receiving the current in the
usual manner a species of filter is constructed composed of two anodes separated
by cloth or fabric the liquid traversing this filter is thus brought into direct and
forced contact with the gases.
The surfaces of the carbonized fabric are capable of being metallised and this
will be found desirable in several of its uses and applications as is well understood.
The carbonized fabric may also be employed with advantage in substitution for
asbestos in the manufacture of chemical products, asbestos being extremely costly
and not possessing greater strength or solidity than an equal weight of fabric.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is :-
The production of a carbonised fabric or material by treating woven or inter-
laced vegetable fibres as hereinbefore described and the employment of the
carbonised fabric or material so produced for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this Fifth day of March One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
T