IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF ENDOSMOSE ACTION TO APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF HYDRO- GENOUS GASES IN MINES OR ELSEWHERE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Webster, the younger, of Wyberton House, Lee,
Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF
ENDOSMOSE ACTION TO APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF HYDRO-
GENOUS GASES IN MINES OR ELSEWHERE."
Sealed the 12th January 1877, and dated the 16th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Webster at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th October 1876.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, the younger, of Wyberton House, Lee, Kent, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF ENDOSMOSE ACTION TO APPARATUS FOR
DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGENOUS GASES IN MINES OR ELSEWHERE."
This Invention of improvements in the application of endosmose action to
apparatus for detecting the presence of hydrogeneous gases in mines or elsewhere,
consists in the means by which such action is made available to produce complete
electric circuits in connection with a suitable electric battery, and by means of this
said battery to produce signals, whether by a dial, an indicator, or alarum bell or
otherwise, so as to indicate the presence of hydrogenous gases in the locality of the
mine or other place where it is desired that its presence should be made known.
Practically, endosmose action in the relation of hydrogen gas to atmospheric air,
hereafter termed air, amounts to this, that a suitable porous vessel closed except by
its pores and filled with air and placed in an atmosphere partially or wholly
composed of hydrogen, will discharge its contained air into the hydrogen, but at
the same time will more rapidly imbibe the hydrogen, consequently the vessel
rapidly fills with hydrogen gas mixed with air under considerable pressure; that
pressure is procured and applied in the manner herein-after described, and in the
manner of procuring and applying that pressure the Invention partly consists.
If during the tension of the gas within the vessel the surrounding hydrogen is
removed and air supplied in its place, the contained hydrogen escapes more rapidly
from the porous vessel than the outside air passes into the vessel, and the result is
a partial vacuum in the vessel in a short time; nevertheless the air is again absorbed,
within the vessel until equilibrium of pressure in or out of the vessel is attained.
The Invention also consists in applying the partial vacuum caused in the vessel for
the purposes above stated in connection with the battery.
[Price 6d1

page_text: On the above principles and to meet the following conditions the apparatus is
constructed -
A normal condition in the mine or elsewhere where air alone or with a small
amount of hydrogen is present.
An abnormal condition, where hydrogen is present in quantity to make it
desirable that it should be indicated, and a return to the nominal condition when
the air shall have entirely, or nearly so, replaced the hydrogen.
The Invention comprises the following improvements :-
Firstly. The method of constructing the vessel or vessels to receive and contain
the pressure of the gas or the partial vacuum mentioned.
Secondly. In the method and means by which that pressure and vacuum is made
available to make and break contact with a battery for giving the force necessary
for the indicating signals.
Thirdly. In the special application of electro bells, dials, or indicators to indicate
the presence of hydrogen gas in a mine or elsewhere, the alarum bells or indicators
being fixed in any desired locality on the surface of the mine and at any required
distance from the porous vessel, the only communication between the two places
being one or more wires insulated in the ordinary manner of telegraphic wires.
The first improvements consist in the preparing the porous vessel or vessels with a
porous diaphragın which is to receive the gas and within which the pressure is made.
I have discovered that by using a suitable varnish over a portion of the vessel, and
which I find may be composed of mastic, shellac, and gamboge in spirit, that I can
very much increase the pressure within the vessel; and, secondly, that in filling the
vessel with some suitable material, preferably cotton wool, that can get a more
sensitive action and also greater pressure.
My second improvement relates to the way in which the pressure within the
porous vessel is utilized. I connect the vessel in one case by air-tight junctions
with an inverted syphon which I prefer to be made not in the ordinary U shape
but with right angles at the bends. In this tube I place mercury, and when the
pressure depresses the mercury in one leg, the mercury in the other will rise. The
lower part of the mercury lying in the horizontal limb is in connection with an
electric battery, and the complete electric circuit is made on the rise of the mercury
in the other limb when it reaches a wire in the limb which is arranged to complete
the circuit. Or in another manner I complete contact by placing the porous vessel
prepared as before described mouth downwards in a reservoir of fluid, preferably
mercury, the pressure of the gas causing the vessel to rise and make the battery
circuit; or I provide that the pressure of the gas shall cause the mercury to rise in
the tube and then overflow, either over the end of the tube or escape by a junction
tube, the overflow of mercury then being conducted to the circuit wires at a small
distance apart, the mercury making the contact between them and completing the
circuit. In this way the apparatus once completing the circuit the battery contact
will remain in force till the mercury which has overflowed is returned back to
the syphon tube.
In some cases I place on the surface of the mercury a small ball of iron, either
magnetic or not, a magnetic needle or bar of iron, or more than one needle or bar of
iron being suspended on a centre or centres in close proximity to the tube, so as to
be acted upon by different levels of the mercury lifting or lowering the ball of iron
whereby, in a manner well known to electricians, I can make, break, or reverse the
current as the ball of iron rises or falls, and cause to be indicated three distinct
conditions of the apparatus, the nominal level of the mercury, its greatest height
under pressure, and its lowest point when acted upon by the vacuum.
The third improvements consist in placing the dial indicators or alarm bells in
the office say of the mine, and so arranging the circuits and the action of the instru-
ment in the mine upon the mercury, or by its rising the vessel, or by means of the
ball of iron or magnet, that the required signals shall be made in the office or
elsewhere when the instrument in the mine receives a current of hydrogen, and shall,
by putting the required batteries in operation, ring the alarum bells, and cease to

page_text: do so when air has replaced the hydrogen, or otherwise shall continue to ring the
alarm until the apparatus has been restored by the attendant to its original state;
or I make the signals to shew, firstly, the arrival of gas at the instrument or pressure
stage; next, the return of the air or vacuum stage; and, thirdly, the return of the
5 instrument to its normal condition; and I also, by arranging the apparatus in
connection with a timepiece and a Morse or other telegraphic instrument, cause a
register of the condition of the mine to be made whether the attendant at the office
is there or not, so that the condition of the mine as to influx of hydrogen gases may
be permanently recorded,
"6
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of, the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th April
1877.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, the younger, of Wyberton House, Lee, Kent, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF ENDOSMOSE ACTION TO APPARATUS for
DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGENOUS GASES IN MINES OR ELSEWHERE."
This Invention of improvements in the application of endosmose action to
apparatus for detecting the presence of hydrogenous gases in mines or elsewhere,
consists in the means by which such action is made available to produce complete
electric circuits in connection with a suitable electric battery, and by means of the
said battery to produce signals, whether by dial, an indicator, or alarum bell or
otherwise, so as to indicate the presence of bydrogenous gases in the locality of the
mine or other place where it is desired that its presence should be made known.
Practically endosmose or osmose action in the relation of hydrogen gas or
mixtures of hydrogen with small quantities of carbonic and other gases hereafter
termed gases, to atmospheric air hereafter termed air, amounts to this, that a suitable
porous vessel closed except by its pores and filled with air and placed in an
atmosphere partially or wholly composed of gases will discharge its contained air
into the gases, but at the same time will more rapidly imbibe the gases lighter than
air, consequently the vessel rapidly fills with the lighter gases under considerable
pressure; that pressure is procured and applied in the manner herein-after described
and in the manner of procuring and applying that pressure the Invention partly
consists. This action is vice versa in the case of carbonic gases or gases heavier
than air.
If during the tension of the gases within the vessel the surrounding gases are
removed and air supplied in its place, the contained gases escape more rapidly from
the porous vessel than the outside air passes into the vessel and the result is a
partial vacuum in the vessel in a short time, nevertheless the air is again absorbed
within the vessel until equilibrium of pressure in or out of the vessel is attained.
The Invention also consists in applying the partial vacuum caused in the vessel for
the purposes above stated in connection with the battery.
On the above principles, and to meet the following conditions, the apparatus is
constructed:-
A normal condition in the mine or elsewhere where air alone or with small
amounts of hydrogen gases are present.
An abnormal condition where gases are present in quantity to make it desirable
that they should be indicated, and a return to the normal condition.
The Invention comprises the following improvements
Firstly. The method of constructing the vessel or vessels to receive and contain
the pressure of the gases or the partial vacuum mentioned.
Secondly. In the method and means by which that pressure and vacuum is made
available to make and break contact with a battery for giving the force necesary
for the indicating signals.

page_text: Thirdly. In the special application of special electric bells, dials, or indicators, to
indicate the presence of gases in a mine or elsewhere, the alarum bells, dials, or
indicators being fixed in any desired locality on the surface of the mine, and at any
required distance from the porous vessel or vessels, the only communication between
the two places being one or more wires insulated in the ordinary inanner of tele-
graphic wires.
The first improvements consist in the preparing the porous vessel or vessels with
a porous diaphram which is to receive the gas and within which the pressure is
made, I have found in practice the best result from using a red clay porous vessel
and have discovered that by using a suitable varnish over a portion of the vessel,
3/4 outside and 1/, inside, and which varnish I find may be composed of mastic,
shellac, and gamboge in spirit, that I can very much increase the pressure within the
vessel; and, secondly, that in filling the vessel with some suitable material, preferably
cotton wool, that I can get a more sensitive action and also greater pressure.
The second improvement relates to the way in which the pressure within the
porous vessel is utilized. I connect the vessel in one case by air-tight junctions with
an inverted syphon which I prefer to be made, not in the ordinary U shape, but
with one right angle, and one obtuse or one acute angle, so as to give an increased
length of stroke to the mercury by its change of level; at the bends in this tube I
place mercury, and when the pressure depresses the mercury in one leg, the mercury
in the other will rise, the lower part of the mercury lying in the horizontal limb is
in connection with an electric battery, and the complete electric circuit is made on
the rise of the mercury in the other limb, when it reaches a wire in the limb which
is arranged to complete the circuit or in another manner, so that the pressure of the
gas shall cause the mercury to rise in the tube and then overflow either over the end
of the tube or escape by a junction tube, the overflow of mercury then being con-
ducted to the circuit wires at a small distance apart, the mercury making the
contact between them and completing the circuit. In this way the apparatus once
completing the circuit the battery contact will remain in force till the mercury
which has overflowed is returned back to the syphon tube by the attendant.
In some cases I place on the surface of the mercury a small ball of iron, magnetic
or not, a magnetic needle or bar of iron being suspended on a centre or centres in
close proximity to the tube, so as to be acted upon by different levels of the mercury
lifting or lowering the ball of iron, whereby, in a manner well known to electricians,
I can make, break, or reverse the current as the ball of iron rises or falls, and cause
to be indicated three distinct conditions of the apparatus, the normal level of the
mercury, its greatest height under pressure, and its lowest point when acted upon
by the vacuum.
The third improvement consists in placing specially constructed dial indicators or
alarum bells in the office, say above the mine, and so arranging the circuits and the
action of the instrument in the mine upon the mercury, or by its rising the vessel or
by means of the ball of iron or magnet, that the required signals shall be made in
the office or elsewhere when the instrument in the mine receives a current of gas,
and shall by putting the required batteries in operation ring the alarum bells, and
cease to do so when air has replaced the gas, or otherwise shall continue to ring
the alarum until the apparatus has been restored by the attendant to its original
state; or I make the signals to show, firstly, the arrival of the gas at the instrument
or pressure stage next the return of the air or vacuum stage; and thirdly, the return
of the instrument to its normal condition, and I also by arranging the apparatus in
connection with a timepiece and a Morse or other telegraphic instrument cause a
register of the condition of the mine to be made whether the attendant at the office
is there or not, so that the condition of the mine as to influx of gases may be
permanently recorded.
The apparatus is constructed in such manner, but it can be taken to pieces at any
time and put together again, properly adjusted and levelled to its normal condition,
by weights or plumb bobs in a few minutes; it is also protected by wire and
wooden coverings in such manner that no damp or rain can affect its properties of

page_text: osmose, and the apparatus acts the best when a kind of pent house over the porous
vessel to some extent confines the action of the gas to the porous vessel.
In the Drawings attached and forming part of this Specification like letters
showing like parts.
Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus.
Figure 2, section of the porous vessel.
Figure 3, view of one form of one limb of the mercury tube.
Figure 4, end view of the apparatus to show the pent house form for holding the
gases in contact with the vessel.
A is the wood support for the different parts of the apparatus; b, c, the zinc metal
or other ends of the pent house; d, the sloping roof of pent house; c, the porous
vessel; e¹, inner coat of varnish; e², outer coat of varnish; es, the packing of cotton
wool; f, the mercury tube; g, the bell magnet and hammer; h, the bell; i, wires
for forming the battery connections; j, binding screws to be used as desired for
connecting the communicating wires; k, the overflow by which the escaping
mercury connects the two wires i, i, for continuous ringing, the mercury after the air
has returned to its normal state is returned to the mercury tube by the attendant
rotating the portion of this tube above the dotted lines k¹, k¹, to the position shown
by the dotted lines 3, 3, and again bringing it back to the position shown, Figure 3.
The upper part of this tube rotates in the stuffing glands ², 2. The dotted lines
at show another form of the mercury tube.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the Invention and
the means for carrying it into effect, I would have it understood that I do not claim
the principle of osmose or endosmose action of gases to detecting gases in mines or
elsewhere, but what I do claim and desire to secure in the part herein recited Letters
Patent is,---
Under my first improvement,-
Firstly. Preparing the porous vessel with a partial coating of varnish inside and
outside, substantially as described.
Secondly. The filling of the said vessel with cotton wool or similar substance,
substantially as described.
Under my second indicated improvements,―
Thirdly. The means provided for the overflow of mercury, whereby the alarum
apparatus shall be set ringing until the attendant has visited the apparatus and
restored it to its normal condition, substantially as described.
Fourthly. The use of the ball of iron or bar on the surface of the mercury in
the tube for the purposes set forth, substantially as described.
And, under my third improvement,―
Fifthly. The combining the several improvements indicated and before claimed
with apparatus in the office at the surface of the mine in connection with a
timepiece, and a recording telegraph instrument for permanently recording the
variations of the instrument in the mine, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Webster, the younger, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
117 THEDOND TR