IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING HYDROGEN. AND IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO LIGHT- ING AND HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Pierre Gillard, of Paris, (France,) Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING HYDROGEN.
AND IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO LIGHT-
ING AND HEATING PURPOSES,"
Sealed the 8th April 1859, and dated the 16th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Pierre Gillard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th October 1858.
1, JOSEPH PIERRE GILLARD, of Paris, (France,) Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENE-
RATING HYDROGEN, AND IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING THE
SAME TO LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to improvements in generating hydrogen by the
decomposition of steam, by causing the same to come in contact with
charcoal or any other suitable material at a suitable degree of heat;
also in improvements in the apparatuses for making this hydrogen sub-
servient to lighting and heating purposes. For obtaining the hydrogen
as much as possible free from oxide of carbon. I cause the steam properly
regulated and superheated to come in direct contact with the decom-
posing material, this steam being properly divided over the material, by

page_text: means of suitable perforated tubes, in such manner that the quantity of
steam injected on any point is in due relation to the heat in that point,
thus causing a regular and equal degree of heat to be obtained in the
various points where the decomposing of the steam takes place. The
tubes for superheating or drying the steam are situated in the interior
of the brickwork of the furnace for preventing any undue loss of heat,
suitable flues serving for distributing this latter in a regular manner
over the retorts in which the decomposition of the steam takes place;
these latter being partially covered with fire-bricks to avoid their quick
destruction by the fire. The gas apparatus is connected with an
exhauster for drawing off the gas from the retorts, which exhauster
forms a sort of small gasometer interposed between the retorts and
the ordinary gasometers, thus preventing the pressure in the retorts to
descend below a certain point; the gas is also passed through a purifier
arranged in such manner as to cause the gas to pass through the purify-
ing materials only when ascending the purifying materials are either
hydrate of lime only, or hydrate of lime and carbonate of soda employed
separately and successively, or acetate of lead. In order to have an
casy means of giving an additional weight to the gasometer, a reservoir
on the top of this latter may be filled with water when an additional
pressure is required or caused to run out of this reservoir, when this
additional pressure may be done away with. The burners in which
platina wire gauze serves for increasing the illuminating, power of the
hydrogen require a great nicety in the relative size of their various
parts; I have by experience found certain fixed dimensions to answer
the purpose better than others. I also make, in some instances, these
burners from glass, and the wire gauze wick I prefer manufacturing
from an alloy of platina and iridium, or of well purified platina con-
taining no silver or other alloy, and I give these wicks the form of a
truncated conc. The hydrogen manufactured by my method and
apparatuses may serve as well for heating as for lighting purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Pierre Gillard in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, JOSEPH
PIERRE GILLARD, of Paris, (France), Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second

page_text: year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, Her special licence that
I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GENERATING HYDROGEN. AND IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING THE
SAME TO LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that 1. the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 in great part to improvements on a Patent
obtained by me on the 22 of November 1849; in which Patent a descrip-
tion is given of apparatuses, modes of acting, and materials I make use
of for manufacturing hydrogen gas by the decomposition of steam.
In the present. Specification I will give a description of improve-
The steam is
ments in the said apparatuses, modes of acting, &c.
obtained from any suitable boiler or generator, heated by the lost heat
of the furnace; and in order that by introducing this steam at once in
the retorts the heat of these latter should not be lowered too much; I
cause the steam previously to entering into the retorts to pass through
tubes situated in the interior of the piers or buttresses of the brickwork
of the furnace, by which means this steam will become sufficiently super-
heated so as not to cause the charcoal to cool too quickly, or other
material with which the interior of the retorts is provided for obtaining
the decomposition of the said steam, which latter is introduced in the
retorts by means of tubes provided with perforated roses or other suit-
able openings, and situated in the interior of the retorts, which tubes
extend over the entire length of the layer of charcoal or other decom-
posing material in the interior of these latter.
An essential part of the Invention consists in distributing the steam

page_text: in such manner over the decomposing material that an equal degree of
heat is kept up on the entire surface of the decomposing material,
whereby an equal decomposition of the steam and evolving of hydro-
gen will be secured and the generating of carbonic oxide in great
measure prevented. For this purpose the tubes are provided with per-
forated roses or other suitable openings, distributed in such manner
over the length of the tube that in the same ratio as the temperature in
certain parts of the retort exceeds that of other parts in this latter, more
steam will be injected on these parts than on the remainder, which
regulating may be effected by increasing in these spots either the
diameter or the number of the holes, slits, or other perforations through
which the steam is projected on the decomposing material; I prefer,
however, increasing the number of perforations rather than increasing
the diameter or surface of them, as it is desirable the steam should be
injected in a very divided state.
In Figs. 3, 3, 3, of the annexed Drawings are shown some of the
various forms that may be given to the injection tubes; Fig. 2 shows a
longitudinal plan view of such tube, which in the Figs. 4 and 5 is shown
on a smalier scale respectively in end and in longitudinal sectional view,
and which tube situated in the interior of the decomposing retorts;
Fig. 6 shows a perforated rose or spout for projecting the steam on the
decomposing material. In these Figs. corresponding parts are indicated
by the same letters of reference. a is the decomposing retort, provided
in with charcoal or other suitable decomposing material, on which
the steam is projected by means of the perforated injection tube c,
which latter may be divided in two or more branches or arms, as shown
in Fig: 2; the steam arrives in the injection tube c by means of a super-
heating tube d connected therewith, the greater part of the length of
which latter is inserted in the interior of the piers of the division walls
A of the furnace, as may be seen from Fig. 1, which Fig. shows a trans-
verse vertical sectional view of the furnace. Each retort has its own
superheating tube, all of which tubes may be laid in series of two or more
arms in the interior of the brickwork; thus. for instance, in Fig. 1, e, e,
are the two arms of the superheating tube for the retort a; e', e', those
for the retort a'; and e, e, those for the retort a'; e, e, those for the
retort ; e³, e, those for the retort a; and et, e', those for the retort a'.
But I prefer having each superheating tube forming 3 or more arms on
each side of the brickwork, in order suitably to increase the length of
the tube the steam has to pass through before being projected on the
charcoal, and thus have the same better superheated.
In Fig. 1 is shown a transverse, and in Fig. 1 a longitudinal
sectional view, of such arrangement of superheating tube for one retort,

page_text: the 4 arms of which tube correspond in such manner that the steam
entering, for instance in P in the arm 1, strikes through this arm, at the
other end of which the same rises by means of the vertical branch 1*,
into the arm 2, at the other end of which the same passes by means of the
horizontal branch 2 into the end of the arm 3, at the back end of which
the same descends by means of the vertical branch 3* into the arm 4.
at the front end of which the steam being sufficiently superheated is
transferred by a connecting tube provided with proper stop-cocks to the
injection tube in the retort.
The superheating tubes must be properly covered by fire-bricks or
fire-clay, so as not to be liable to injury; I prefer to have them inserted
into fire-bricks suitably perforated for this purpose, so as to allow of
removing the tubes therefrom without injuring the remainder of the
brickwork. The injection tubes c may be of cast or sheet iron. and
have properly inserted therein one, two, or more series of roses or spouts
of china or fire-clay, provided with fine holes for the steam to be pro-
jected through, but I prefer using tubes made entirely of china or fire-
clay, and of any suitable form, thus, for instance, as those shown in
Figs. 3, 3, 3; each rose or spout is provided with a large or central
opening for conducting the steam to the projecting holes. As already
mentioned, the number of perforations or holes through which the steam
is projected from the roses or from the tubes directly on the decom-
posing material in the retorts is to be regulated according to the heat of
the various parts of the retorts; the openings of these holes or perfora-
tions must further be in such directions as to distribute the steam as
equally as possible over the surface of the decomposing material, and
instead of providing the sides of the tube directed towards the decompos-
ing material with spouts or roses. the sides themselves may be provided
with proper perforations; the spouts or roses ought always to be made
of china or fire-clay, and properly set in the cast-iron or other tubes, so
as not to allow any steam to escape through other than the projecting
holes.
Another part of my improvements consists in the general construction
of the furnaces, and in the manner of preserving the retorts « from
the destructive action of the fire. For this purpose these latter are pro-
vided over the greater part of their surface with a cover of fire-bricks.
I further increase the height of the furnace, and instead of allowing
the heated air at once to rise to the top of this latter. I cause the same
to pass from the fire-place in the manner as shown by the arrows,
through the flues to the upper part of the furnace from where the
same arrives by the descending flues into the horizontal flues j, and
finally enters into the chimney. By this arrangement the retorts

page_text: receive the heat all round. In case of smaller furnaces in which only
3 retorts are used, the horizontal flue is situated between the two
lower retorts and under the upper one. The same arrangement is made
use of in furnaces with two retorts, with this difference only, that the
arches or vaults are surbased and not so high. The flues ought to be
constructed of fire-bricks of such form as to fit partly into and overlap
cach other, and have their joints exactly filled up, these flues collect
together at the back end of the furnace into an ordinary shaft, and
they are provided with proper dampers for regulating the draught. In
furnaces with 5 retorts, the two descending flues i are separated from
each other by a partition K of fire-bricks, as the evolution of the gas
in the retorts takes place with great rapidity. Another part of the
Invention relates to the arrangement of a regulator for keeping up the
pressure in the retorts between certain limits so as to prevent either a
partial vacuum or an over pressure to take place in the interior of them.
For this purpose I cause a regulator or small gasometer to be con-
nected on one side with the gas arriving from the retorts, and on the
other side with the gas going towards the purifiers and gasholders,
which regulator causes the pressure in the interior of the retorts to be
kept up between proper limits. This arrangement is represented in
plan view in Fig. 7, in which L represents the aspirator connected with
the tubes and l, the valve M. and the retorts, while N is the regulator
connected likewise to these tubes and ', and further to the purifiers
and the gasholders; the gas before arriving into the purifiers and gas-
holders is obliged to pass through the small regulating gasometer acting
in such manner that should the pressure in the interior of the retorts
descend below the required limits, say, for instance below 1 inch, the
gas will return from the purifiers into the conveying tube on which the
exhauster acts, and then passing through the small regulating gasometer,
and thereby cause the required pressure to be re-established in the
retorts; should, on the contrary, the gas in the retorts have a pressure
exceeding the required limit, for instance 1 inch, the accelerated
extractor will keep up this latter pressure in the retort.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved purifier; this
latter is represented in longitudinal vertical sectional view in Fig. 8,
and is composed of two compartments R and R', or separate purifiers,
in which the gas is purified by passing through each of them from the
bottom towards the top; each compartment is provided with four per-
forated iron plates n forming trays, on the top of which is spread out a
layer of hydrated lime of about 4 inches in depth, which the gases evolved
in the retorts have to pass through during their ascent in the purifier,
whereby the carbonic acid combining with the lime will form carbonate
.

page_text: of lime, while the hydrogen mixed with the small quantities of carbonic
oxyde that might have been evolved in the retorts, pursues its course
towards the gasholders. The purifier is provided with a lid S, the rim
of which enters into a hydraulic joint S', provided round the top of the
apparatus. The under side of this lid S is further provided with a
vertical plate S', entering also into a hydraulic joint S", forming the top
of the side S' of K', by which arrangement the apparatus is divided
into two separate purifiers K and K. This side S does not extend
entirely to the bottom of the apparatus, but a sufficient opening S
is left, and also one S“, between the opposite side S' of the purifier K',
and the outside casing S of the apparatus, so as to allow the gas after
having passed through the trays of the purifier K, and having arrived
at the top of this purifier to strike through the open space S, and from
there to ascend again through the trays of the purifier K, from the top
of which the same passes through the openings S, and leaves the
apparatus by the exit tube S", in order either to enter into other purify-
ing apparatuses, or into the gasholders. I prefer giving a conical form
to the outside casing of the apparatus and the purifiers.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved method of
purifying the gas evolved in the retorts. For this purpose I make use
of a mixture of carbonate of soda and hydrated lime or lime water.
The carbonate of soda is transformed by the carbonic acid of the gas
into bicarbonate of soda, which bicarbonate of soda by being submitted
to a degree of heat sufficient to expel one equivalent of carbonic acid
becomes again carbonate of soda, by this means the same quantity of
carbonate of soda or nearly so, may be used over and over again for the
purification of the gas; this transforming of the bicarbonate of soda into
It will
the carbonate may be effected by the lost heat of the furnace.
be useful after the gas has been purified in this manner, to cause the
same to pass through one or more purifiers provided with lime only, in
order to prevent the gas carrying particles of soda with it.
Another mode of purifying consists in causing the gas to pass through
a solution of tribasic acetate of lead, which latter may be obtained by
dissolving litharge in acetic acid, so that the solution marks 18° B.
In Fig. 9 is shown a vertical longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus
I make use of for this purpose, the same consists of a vessel A pro-
vided with a lid B, with hydraulic joint C; in this vessel the solution of
acetate of lead is introduced by a tube D with stop-cock, and the same
may be drawn off by a tap E with cock. In the vessel A the gas may
enter by the tube F, from which the same is obliged by means of the
descending tubes G plunging into the solution to pass through this
latter, after which the gas leaves the vessel by the exit pipe H; I is a

page_text: large opening, or sort of man-hole for cleaning the vessel. The gas in
passing through the solution is deprived of its carbonic acid, and this
latter combining with the oxide of lead forms carbonate of lead, whereas
the acetic acid is set free and precipitates at the bottom of the solution,
from where the same may be drawn off by the tap E, and may then
serve for dissolving fresh quantities of litharge, in this mode the same
quantity of acetic acid may be used over and over again with only a
small loss.
Another part of the Invention consists in an improved mode for
increasing or decreasing with facility the pressure in the gasholders.
For this purpose, I provide the top of the bell of the gasholder with a
vessel which is to be filled more or less with water according to the
pressure required. This arrangement is shown in vertical sectional
view in Fig. 10, A representing the bell of the gasholder, the top of
which bell is provided with a vessel B, which may be more or less filled
with water by any suitable means; the vessel may be formed simply by
putting a rim round the top of the bell, so as to form thereon a reservoir
of the required bulk, to hold the water by means of the weight by which
the bell may be caused to dip more or less according to the pressure with
which the gas requires to be issued from the gasholder, and by which
method the pressure may consequently be regulated with the utmost
nicety and facility.
Another part of my Invention relates to certain improvements in the
burners and other apparatuses for applying the hydrogen gas obtained
by my method, to lighting or other purposes.
Having observed that the ordinary perforated iron ring of the argand
burner became very soon deteriorated. I replace this ring of iron by one
of platinum, platinated iridium, or other suitable inoxidizable metal.
I further have found by experience that the diameter of the air tube,
the circle of holes or perforations through which the gas issues, and the
breadth of the ring must be in a proper ratio to each other, thus for
instance, the 20 holes, 16 holes, and 12 holes burners, ought to have the
diameters of their air tubes respectively about 10. "/10, and / of an inch,
the diameter of the circle of holes about 1 inch, / of an inch and 6/10
of an inch, and the breadth of the hole-plates about "//m. and 1/100
of an inch; the height of the burners must be about 10 of an inch, the
diameter of the holes about / of an inch, and they require to be at
about 1 of an inch distance from each other. In general, argand
burners are preferable to bats wings or other burners. I also propose
to use burners of china or of crystal, which latter particularly offer the
great advantage of projecting less shade than the ordinary brass burners.
Another description of burner is represented in side view in Fig. 11,

page_text: the same consists of a small burner W, in the top of which are inserted
a series of very fine tubes V, from which the p gas issues.
Another part of
my Invention relates to platina wicks or wirework
for imparting luminousness to the hydrogen flame.
I propose to make
these wicks of an alloy of platinum and iridium, which is less liable to
become injured by the action of the flame than the common wicks of
platinum. Instead of iridium any other suitable inoxidizable metal
may be alloyed with the platinum. I further give to tlie wicks a conical
instead of the cylindrical form hitherto made use of, so as to give to the
diameter at the top of the wick about 1/100 of an inch more than that at
the base, and make the first one correspond nearly with the diameter of
the circle of the holes of the burner. The height of the wick ought to
be from 10 to 10 of an inch. The wicks may however have any suit-
able form, say, for instance, round, oval, flat, or other, though I prefer
the round conical form. The wires of the wirework must be laid in a
slanting instead of in the vertical direction as was done hitherto, see Y,
Fig. 12. The hydrogen gas manufactured by my process being very
pure, may be applied to any domestic, culinary, or industrial heating.
purposes, such for instance, as the heating of rooms, churches, or other
confined spaces, for cooking, for soldering, ironing, or smelting purposes.
I can impart to my gas, which is without smell, any odour that might be
required either by the gasometer or the pipes in the houses of those
requiring it.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe as many variations may be made therefrom without deviat-
ing from the principles or main features of the Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
1°, the mode of superheating the steam before injecting the same in
the decomposing retorts.
20, the mode described for duly regulating the injection of the steam
on the decomposing material in the retorts, and the arrangement of the
injection tubes.
3°, the general arrangement of the furnace and the superheating
tubes, and the mode of setting the retorts so as to preserve them from
the direct action of the flame.
4°. the arrangement of the exhauster or aspirator in combination with
the regulators, for keeping the pressure in the retorts within any
limit's

page_text: 5°, the arrangement and mode of acting of my improved purifiers.
6°, the improved modes for purifying the hydrogen gas manufactured
by my process.
70, the mode described for regulating the pressure of the gasholders.
8°, the improvements described in the construction of the burners.
and wicks.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Pierre Gillard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Vitness,
GEO. WHITE.
J. GILLARD.
(L.S.)