IMPROVEMENTS IN US MANHAMIDE OF
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Clarence Shepard, of Duke Street,
in the City of Westminster, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN US MANHAMIDE OF "
Sealed the 28th June 1853, and dated the 4th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Clarence
Shepard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th January 1858.
I, EDWARD CLARENCE SHEPARD, of Duke, Street, in the City of West-
minster, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS" to be as follows (that
is to say):
My said Invention consists of a mode or modes of producing certain
gases by the action of currents of electricity upon water having chemical
matters dissolved in or mixed, with it, and then combining or mixing
the gas or gases thus produced with a gaseous hydro-carbou, and either
with or without a portion of atmospheric air, for the purpose of enabling
the mixed or combined gases, when burnt, to produce a larger quantity
of light or heat.

page_text: The currents of electricity employed may be obtained from any of
the well-known sources, but I prefer to produce such currents by a
machine made according to the Invention comprised in my Letters
Patent bearing date the sixth day of July last. The chemical matters
which I use I dissolve in or mix with the water for the purpose of
facilitating the production of the gases which result from the decompo-
sition of water, and also for the purpose of rendering such gases non-
explosive or less explosive, and more capable of combining with or
taking up carbonaceous or hydro-carbonaceous matters. Several com-
binations or mixtures of chemical matters may be used for these
purposes. One of such combinations or mixtures consists of sulphate
of ammonia mixed with caustic ammonia. Another of such mixtures
consists of a mixture of sulphuric acid or any other mineral acid with
oxalic acid or any other vegetable or organic acid. The water mixed
with or holding in solution any of the above chemical mixtures may be
placed in any convenient vessel in which it may be subjected to the
action of the electric current or currents, means being provided for the
gases to escape or pass from the generating vessel into some convenient
receptacle. The gases thus produced by the decomposition of water I
then mix or combine with some hydro-carbon in a gaseous state. Any
gascous hydro-carbon may be used for this purpose, if it be sufficiently
rich in carbon. But the following is a mode which I have adopted for
the purpose of producing such a gaseous hydro-carbon: I take resin, tar,
pitch, or any other solid hydro-carburet, and subject it to heat in any
convenient apparatus, so as to convert it, or as much as practicable of
it, into a gaseous hydro-carbon. In converting the hydro-carburet into
a gaseous hydro-carbon I prefer to cause the fumes arising from the
heated hydro-carburet in a retort or other vessel to pass through a
metallic sponge or other porous body, heated to such a temperature as
shall be sufficient to convert the fumes into a permanent gas. I then
combine or mix the gas produced by the decomposition of water with
the gaseous hydro-carbon and atmospheric air for the purpose of forming
a mixture or combination of gases applicable for producing light by its
combustion, or for any other purpose for which coal gas is applicable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Clarence Shepard in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 4th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD CLARENCE SHEPARD, of Duke Street, in the City of Westminster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Clarence Shepard, Her
special licence that I, the said Edward Clarence Shepard, iny
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Clarence Shepard, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF
GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Clarence Shepard, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 I, the said Edward Clarence Shepard,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be perfornied, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:
My said Invention consists of a mode or modes of producing certain
gases by the action of currents of electricity upon water having
chemical matters dissolved in or mixed with it, and then combining or
mixing the gas or gases thus produced with a gaseous hydro-carbon,
and either with or without a portion of atmospheric air, for the purpose

page_text: of enabling the mixed or combined gases, when burnt, to produce a larger
quantity of light or heat.
The currents of electricity employed may be obtained from any of the
well-known sources, but I prefer to produce such currents by the
machines made according to the Invention comprised in my Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October One thousand
eight hundred and fifty, and the Sixth day of July One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-two. The chemical matter which I use I dissolve
in or mix with the water for the purpose of 'facilitating the pro-
duction of the gases which result from the decomposition of water,
and also for the purpose of rendering such gases more capable of
combining with carbonaceous or hydro-carbonaceous matters. Several
combinations or mixtures of chemical matters may be used for these
purposes by combining a mixture of a mineral acid,-I prefer sul-
phuric acid, with an organic or vegetable acid, of which I prefer
oxalic acid, in such a manner that the proportions of the acids and the
water should be in relation to the intensity of the decomposing current;
the following proportions are those I have employed, but I do not
confine myself to them (that is): one twentieth of sulphuric acid, or
other mineral acid, with nineteen twentieths of oxalic acid or other
vegetable or organic acid; the oxalic acid shall be pure, well
crystallized, and dissolved in water, of a sufficient quantity that the
liquid shall be saturated at the temperature of fifteen degrees of the
thermometer centigrade, before adding the sulphuric acid. The water
mixed with or holding in solution any of the above chemical mixtures
may be placed in any convenient vessel in which it may be subjected
to the action of the electric current or currents, means being provided
for the gases to escape or pass from the generating vessel into some
convenient receptacle. The gases thus produced by the decomposition
of water I then mix or combine with some hydro-carbon. Any hydro-
carbon (if it be sufficiently rich in carbon) may be used for this purpose.
But the following is a mode I have adopted for the purpose of producing
a gaseous hydro-carbon: I use the essence of resin at the temperature of
its ebulition, with metallic sponges. These metallic sponges are prepared
by soaking pieces or fragments of coke prepared from pit coal. They

page_text: are soaked in a solution of nickle or cobalt, well saturated, and heated
in covered crucibles. I then put the essence of resin with the metallic
sponges into a copper or other convenient vessel, and subject it to heat,
so as to convert it, or as much as practicable of it, into a gaseous hydro-
carbon. I then combine or mix the gases produced by the decompo-
sition of water with the gaseous-hydro-carbon, and with or without a
portion of atmospheric air, for the purpose of forming a mixture or
combination of gases for the purposes required.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, I declare
that the Improvements which I claim as constituting my said In-
vention to be:-
First, I claim the addition of a vegetable or organic acid with the
mineral acids and water in the apparatus for decomposition for the
purpose of producing a gas or mixture of gases, as herein-before
described.
Second, I claim the use of metallic sponges in the process of con-
verting the essence of resin into a hydro-carbon gas, us herein-before
described.
Third, I claim the combining or mixing the gases produced by the
action of currents of electricity upon water, and the gaseous hydro-carbon
obtained as before described, together with or without a portion of
atmospheric air, for the purposes of heating and lighting, as before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Clarence Shepard, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, Anno
Domini One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
E. CLARENCE SHEPARD. (L.S.)