An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Producing Gases from Water.
Year: 1895

page_text: ; Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Producing Gases from
Water.
We, JOHN HENRIQUE DUNN of 8 Spencer Road Holloway in the County of
London, Surveyor and Accountant, and JOHN PARSONS, of 272 Holloway Road,
Holloway, aforesaid, Auctioneer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
-
The object of our invention is for: a process or system of combustion by the use
of the electric arc or other form of electricity for an improved process of and
apparatus for producing gases from water.
We employ retorts with necessary outlets to collectors and condensors, and so
constructed to receive electrical conductors arranged on parallel or otherwise either
by the arc, incandescent or other system.
The water is then placed in the retorts or retort surrounding 'the electrical
conductors and upon the electric current being introduced the water is disentegrated
and turned into its component gases.
Dated this 24th day of Jonuor 1805
F
An Improved Process of and Apparatus for Producing Gases from
Water.
...
"s
We JOHN HENRIQUE DUNN of 8 Spencer Road Holloway in the County of
London Surveyor and Accountant and JOHN PARSONS of 272 Holloway Road in
the County of London Auctioneer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for the production of
gases from water by means of electricity and consists in providing in the water
from which the gases are to be obtained electric conductors for forming electric
arcs whereby the water in close proximity to the electric conductors will be rapidly
decomposed and the component gases oxygen and hydrogen be obtained.
We will describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
which illustrates an apparatus suitable for carrying out our invention but we do
not restrict ourselves thereto as various forms of apparatus may be employed for
the purpose.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a longitudinal section and a transverse section
of a cylindrical vessel having in its diametrical opposite sides openings a provided
with stuffing boxes through which pass to the interior of the vessel electric
conductors bb arranged in pairs to form electric arcs between the opposing ends of
the two series of conductors 6 b' after the manner of electric arc lamps. Water is
admitted to the interior of the vessel by the pipe c the water being maintained at

page_text: such a level, that the electric conductors-are well-covered by the water. The
carbons or electric conductors may be carried -in insulated holders fitted to
slide in the stuffing boxes and when more than one pair of carbons or electric
conductors are employed they may be worked either in parallel or in series as
desired.
11
When the current is turned on, the water in proximity to the arcs formed
between each pair of conductors, is, by the heat produced, rapidly decomposed and
the component gases, oxygen and hydrogen obtained, the oxygen gas being
produced at the positive conductors b and the hydrogen gas being produced at
the negative conductors 61. Arranged above the point or end of each of the
conductors and b₁ is a pipe (d d) preferably enlarged or bell shaped at its lower
end to facilitate the entrance thereinto of gases produced. The said pipes d in
connection with the series of conductors 6 communicate at their upper ends with a
pipe or passage e, into which the hydrogen gas passes and is conducted therefrom
by a pipe f to the place of utilisation or storage. In like manner the pipes d in
connection with the series of conductors b' communicate with a pipe or passage el
into which the oxygen gas enters and is conducted therefrom by a pipe f¹ to the
place of utilization or storage. The heat generated by the electric arcs in the
water necessarily generates steam which is conducted from the vessel by the pipe
or passage g and if it be desired to utilize the steam produced by this process the
pipes and through which the gases are conducted from the apparatus and
also the pipe or passage for the escape of steam may be provided with valves
as shewn for example at h. h¹ and g¹ so that by closing the valves h. h¹ the escape
of gases can be prevented and by weighting the valve g' the steam generated may
be confined in the vessel until it attains a useful pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1st. The production of gases from water by forming in the water electric arcs
which will produce the necessary heat to decompose the water and separate the
component gases substantially as herein before described.
2nd. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus for producing gases
from water by means of electricity substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of November 1895.
J. H. DUNN.
JOHN PARSONS.