IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR GENERATION OF SUL- PHUROUS ACID GAS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Vine Tuson, of the Royal Veterinary College,
Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Chemistry, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR GENERATION OF SUL-
PHUROUS ACID GAS."
Sealed the 25th March 1879, and dated the 16th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Vine Tuson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1878.
RICHARD VINE TUSON, of the Royal Veterinary College, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Professor of Chemistry. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARA-
TION OR GENERATION OF SULPHUROUS ACID GAS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the preparation or generation of sul-
phurous acid gas, and consists in decomposing a metallic or quasi-metallic sulphite,
bisulphite, or hyposulphite, for example, sulphite, bisulphite, or hyposulphite of
sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, barium, and the like, or a
mixture or mixtures of these compounds with sulphate, chloride of aluminum,
persulphate or perchloride of iron, persulphate or perchloride of manganese (oxalic,
tartaric, or other solid acid), or mixture of these.
I prefer to employ a mixture of sulphite of lime and perchloride of iron, or a
mixture of bisulphite of sodium and sulphate of aluminum.
For the preparation of my gas I take the ingredients in suitable quantities and
thoroughly mix them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Vine Tuson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th June
1879.
RICHARD VINE TUSON, of the Royal Veterinary College, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Professor of Chemistry. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARA-
TION OR GENERATION OF SULPHUROUS ACID GAS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the preparation or generation of sul-
phurous acid gas, and consists in decomposing a metallic or quasi-metallic sulphite,
bisulpuite, hyposulphite, or thio-sulphite of sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium,
magnesium, barium, zinc, iron, lead, and the like, or a mixture or mixtures of these
compounds with sulphate, nitrate, chloride, or acetate of aluminum-persulphate,
pernitrate, perchloride or peracetate of iron, or persulphate, pernitrate, perchloride
or peracetate of manganese, or oxalic acid, or tartaric acid, or other solid acid, or a
mixture or mixtures of these.
I prefer to employ a mixture of equal parts of sulphite of lime and perchloride of
iron, or a mixture of twelve and a half parts of bisulphite of sodium and seven parts
of sulphate of aluminum.
For the making of any of the preparations or mixtures I prefer to separately and
thoroughly dry the ingredients, then to rapidly mix them, and finally to pack the
mixture or mixtures in a vessel or vessels from which the air can be as far as
possible excluded.
For the preservation of either of the mixtures it is desirable to keep them in air-
tight vessels.
The generation of sulphurous acid gas from the said mixtures or from any one of
them is effected simply by exposure to the air. If a more rapid disengagement of
sulphurous acid gas be required the mixture or mixtures should be sprinkled with
water. The decomposition of the mixtures or of any one of them and the consequent
evolution of sulphurous acid gas depends on or are brought about by the said
mixture or mixtures absorbing water.
For the preparation of a bath or solution of sulphurous acid I prefer to add the
mixture of bisulphite of sodium and sulphate of aluminum already described to
water, glycerin, or other suitable solvent at the rate of about one or two pounds of
the said mixture to one gallon of the solvent.
The various mixtures herein named or described are capable of being used as
convenient sources of sulphurous acid for disinfecting, deodorising, antiseptic,
bleaching, and other purposes for which sulphurous acid either in the state of gas or
in solution is or may be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Vine Tuson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
40, Fleet Street,
London.
RICHARD VINE TUSON. (L.S.)