IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Clarence Shepard, of Trafalgar
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."-A communi-
cation.
Sealed the 19th December 1853, and dated the 2nd July 1853..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Clarence
Shepard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd July 1853.
J, EDWARD CLARENCE SHEPARD, 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, which currents may be
obtained from any of the well-known sources. Several combinations or
mixtures of chemical matters may be used for these purposes, as the
mixtures of mineral acids with vegetable or organic acids for facilitating
the production of the gases, as was described in my. Letters. Patent

page_text: bearing date the fourth day of January last; but, in addition to the
mixtures of mineral and vegetable or organic acids with water, one of
the mixtures which I use is concentrated sulphuric acid, at 66 degrees
according to Beaume's scale, and very pure, which should be saturated
with liquid ammonia, also pure, to which a little salts may be added to
increase the electricity. Another mixture may be made with the salts
composed of acids and of alkaline or earthy bases with liquid ammonia
to form solutions having variable densities with their nature, and which
is placed in the apparatus for decomposition. The water mixed with or
holding in solution any of the above mixtures is placed in a proper
apparatus or vessel, so that it may be subjected to the action of the
electric current or currents, and then passed from thence into the
gasometer; the gas or gases thus produced may then be combined
with a portion of atmospheric air, and afterwards carbonised, if necessary.
The chemical mixtures are introduced into the water to facilitate its
decomposition by the magneto-electric or the galvanic currents. The
introduction of the chemical agents has this double aim, that besides
that these chemical agents facilitate the decomposition of water, they
experience themselves a partial decomposition, and it is thus rendered
non-explosive, but combustible.
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 2nd January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD CLARENCE SHEPARD, of Trafalgar Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
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, my executors, admi-

page_text: nistrators, 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 there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Clarence Shepard,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention relates to that mode of manufacturing gas which con-
sists in causing water to be decomposed by currents of electricity; and
I did, in the Specification of a Patent granted to nie on the Fourth day
of January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, describe means
of improving such mode of manufacturing gases, which consisted of
combining with the water to be decomposed various chemical matters,
consisting partly of mineral, vegetable, and organic acids; and at the
same time I described the mixing of such gases with gaseous hydro-
carbons, with or without a portion of atmospheric air. Now the
present Invention consists of decomposing water combined with the
matters herein-after described by electric currents obtained by any of
the means heretofore used for that purpose; but I prefer to employ a
magneto-electric machine, such as is described in the Specification filed
in pursuance of the proviso in Letters Patent granted to me and dated
the First day of July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. The
water to be employed according to this Invention I combine with concen-
trated sulphuric acid, as pure as may be, marking about 66° of Beaumé,
which I saturate with liquid ammonia, also pure; and of this compound

page_text: I mix one part by measure with five parts of water. I do not, however,
confine myself to these proportions; and I cause the water thus combined
or mixed with the other matters to be decomposed by electric currents;
and I employ the gases thus obtained in the manner described in the
Specification of my former Patent of the Fourth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is, the manufacturing of gas by decomposing, by
electric currents, water combined with the matters herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Clarence Shepard, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
EDWARD CLARENCE SHEPARD. (L.S.)