AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING GAB
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Hengist Orsat, of Rue de la Victoire,
No. 19, at Paris, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING GAB."
Sealed the 28th October 1873, and dated the 22nd May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Hengist Orsat at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd May 1873.
I, LOUIS HENGIST ORSAT, of Rue de la Victoire, No. 19, at Paris,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING GAS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus for
analyzing gases, which from its simplicity of construction and facility
of manipulation, as compared with such apparatus heretofore employed,
may be readily used even by unskilled persons, and which will enable
comparative analyses to be quickly obtained of the principal gases

page_text: produced in industrial manufactures, without sacrificing to any great
extent the accuracy of the results.
The improved apparatus consists of a graduated measuring tube
enclosed in a vessel filled with water, and communicating at its upper
end by means of a pipe, with the sources of the gases to be analyzed,
and by branch pipes with a certain number of bell jars immersed in
water, while at the lower end it communicates by means of a flexible
pipe with the bottom of a moveable vessel half filled with water, so
that by raising or lowering such vessel more or less water may be
made to pass therefrom into the measuring tube, and vice versa, for
the purpose of drawing the gases into or expelling them from the
measuring vessel.
The apparatus is ordinarily provided with two of the before-mentioned
bell jars communicating with the gas supply pipe by means of capillary
tubes provided with stop cocks, but a greater number of such bell jars
may be employed. One such bell jar is filled with a solution of caustic,
potash, or soda, so that the gases forced into the interior thereof from
the measuring tube by the action of the before-mentioned moveable
vessel are rapidly deprived of the carbonic acid gas that they may
contain, and to accelerate such absorption the bell jar is filled with
small glass tubes open at each end which greatly increase the absorbing
surface.
The second bell glass contains a solution of hydrochlorate of ammonia,
and instead of the glass tubes has within it a roll of copper wire gauze
which presents large absorbent surface. The solution in the latter jar
absorbs oxygen as rapidly as that in the former absorbs carbonic acid
and it absorbs also carbonic oxide.
In cases where it is desired to measure separately the oxygen and
the carbonic oxide a third bell jar may be employed, having within it
a number of glass tubes, in each of which is placed a small piece of
phosphorus; or, pyrogallate of potash may be used instead of phosphorus,
but the latter is preferable, as it does not soil the jars.
It may readily be understood that by passing the gas through each of
the bell jars a sufficient number of times to secure the complete
absorption of the different gaseous ingredients the quantity of each is

page_text: ascertained by the difference of measure in the measuring jar, the
nitrogen remaining therein unabsorbed.
A like process with the same apparatus serves for other gases, such as
sulphurous gases from lead chambers, or chlorine for bleaching, suitable
absorbents being employed in the bell jars. In this manner may be
tested gases for supporting combustion, or those resulting from it, the
gaseous products of furnaces generally, and those of fermentation or
putrefaction. The carbonic acid used in various branches of manufacture
as in sugar works, or for preparing aerated waters and alkaline
carbonates, chlorine, sulphuric acid, and other chemical gases used in
the arts, the gases evolved from mine workings, or the foul air of
hospitals or of other structures.
In connection with the gas tubes I place a water pipe and funnel,
whereby by opening proper stop cocks I am enabled to cleanse the
interior of the apparatus and tubes. The whole apparatus is mounted on
one framing, and being small and light can be readily moved from place
to place without breaking the connections of its parts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Hengist Orsat in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
HENGIST ORSAT, of Rue de la Victoire, No. 19, at Paris, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Louis Hengist Orsat, Her
special license that I, the said Louis Hengist Orsat, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Hengist
Orsat, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter.

page_text: 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
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING GAS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Louis Hengist Orsat, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 1
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Hengist Orsat 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 thereof, reference being had to the accom- 1
panying Sheet of Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :—
My Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus for
analyzing gases, which from its simplicity of construction and facility
of manipulation, as compared with such apparatus heretofore employed, 2
may be readily used even by unskilled persons, and which will enable
comparative analyses to be quickly obtained of the principal gases
produced in industrial manufactures without sacrificing to any great
extent the accuracy of the results.
The improved apparatus consists of a graduated measuring tube 2
enclosed in a vessel filled with water, and communicating at its upper
end by means of a pipe, with the sources of the gases to be analyzed,
and by branch pipes with a certain number of bell jars immersed in
water, while at the lower end it communicates by means of a flexible
pipe with the bottom of a moveable vessel half filled with water, so 3
that by raising or lowering such vessel more or less water may be
made to pass therefrom into the measuring tube, and vice versa, for
the purpose of drawing the gases into or expelling them from the
measuring vessel.
T
The apparatus is ordinarily provided with two of the before-mentioned 3
hell iars communicating with the gas supply nine by means of capillary

page_text: tubes provided with stop cocks, but a greater number of such bell jars
may be employed. One such bell jar is filled with a solution of caustic,
potash, or soda, so that the gases forced into the interior thereof from
the measuring tube by the action of the before-mentioned moveable
vessel are rapidly deprived of the carbonic acid gas that they may
contain, and to accelerate such absorption the bell jar is filled with
small glass tubes open at each end which greatly increase the absorbing
surface.
The second bell jar contains an ammoniacal solution of hydro-
chlorate of ammonia, and instead of the glass tubes has within it a roll
of copper wire gauze, which presents large absorbent surface. The
solution in the latter jar absorbs oxygen as rapidly as that in the former
absorbs carbonic acid, and it absorbs also carbonic oxide.
In cases where it is desired to measure separately the oxygen and
the carbonic oxide a third bell jar may be employed, having within it
a number of glass tubes, in each of which is placed a small piece
of phosphorus; or, pyrogallate of potash may be used instead of
phosphorus, but the latter is perferable as it does not soil the jars.
It may readily be understood that by passing the gas through each of
the bell jars a sufficient number of times to secure the complete
absorption of the different gaseous ingredients, the quantity of each is
ascertained by the difference of measure in the measuring jar, the
nitrogen remaining therein unabsorbed.
A like process with the same apparatus serves for other gases, such as
sulphurous gases from lead chambers, or chlorine for bleaching, suitable
absorbents being employed in the bell jars. In this manner may be
tested gases for supporting combustion or those resulting from it, the
gaseous products of furnaces generally, and those of fermentation or
putrefaction. The carbonic acid used in various branches of manufacture
as in sugar works, or for preparing aerated waters and alkaline,
carbonates, chlorine, sulphuric acid, and other chemical gases used in
the arts, the gases evolved from mine workings, or the foul air of
hospitals or of other structures.

page_text: interior of the apparatus and tubes. The whole apparatus is mounted on
one framing, and being small and light can be readily moved from place
to place without breaking the connections of its parts.
The Figure on the Sheet of Drawing hereunto annexed represents a
side view of the improved apparatus for analysing gases.
. A is a graduated measuring glass tube enclosed in a glass casing B
which may be filled with water. The tube A is connected at bottom by
a flexible tube F with a cistern G containing water. The cistern G.can
be raised or lowered by hand, so as to expel gas from the tube A, or to
draw gas into it. The upper part of the measuring tube A com.
municates by a pipe L with the source of the gas to be analysed, and by
branches c and d, provided with glass stop cocks c¹ and d¹, with the
testing vessels, of which two are shewn in the Figure, but of which there
may obviously be a greater number if required.
1
The first testing vessel C consists of a bell glass immersed in a test
jar H. When this vessel is intended for the absorption of carbonic acid
from the gas it is charged as above described with a solution of caustic,
potash, or soda, and in order to augment the absorbing surface it may 2
be filled with a number of glass tubes h open at both ends.
The second testing vessel D consists likewise of a bell glass immersed
in a test jar I, and is charged as described above for the absorption of
oxygen and carbonic oxide, with an ammoniacal solution of hydro-
chlorate of ammonia, with the absorbing surface extended by introducing 2
a roll of copper gauze i. J is a pipe connected to a funnel and outlet,
and by a branch provided with a cock to the gas pipe L, whereby water
can be introduced to cleanse the pipes and apparatus. K is the stand on
which the several parts of the apparatus are mounted.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what 3
manner the same is to be performed, I claim the use for analysing gases
of an apparatus consisting of a measuring glass, which can be filled or
emptied of gas by lowering or raising a cistern connected to it, and
which communicates by pipes with the source of the gas, and with two

page_text: or more test vessels, the whole mounted on one stand so as to render it
conveniently portable, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Hengist Orsat, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
LOUIS HENGIST ORSAT. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
of 32, Boulevard Magenta,
at Paris.