AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBONIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EFFERVESCING OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND FOR THE APPLICATION OF SUCH LIQUIDS TO VARIOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR
PRODUCING CARBONIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EFFERVESCING OR
GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND FOR THE APPLICATION OF SUCH LIQUIDS TO VARIOUS
PURPOSES." -A communication from abroad by Anet Jacques Nadaud,
of Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 29th July 1870, and dated the 2nd February 1870.
'S
·PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lako
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd February 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
5 Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBONIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EFFER-

page_text: VESCING OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND FOR THE APPLICATION OF SUCH LIQUIDS TO
VARIOUS PURPOSES," a communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a new arrangement of apparatus chiefly
designed for facilitating and accelerating the manufacture of Setzer
water, the whole being actuated automatically. This apparatus is also
applicable to other purposes hercin-after specified..
In order that the said apparatus may be well understood I have shewn
one example of it in the accompanying Drawing.
:
Figure 1 shows the-whole of the apparatus partly in elevation and
partly in section. Figure 2. shows a modification which may be-made.
in the said apparatus to introduce the water which is to be acidulated
by the carbonic acid in solution. In these two Figures like letters of
reference indicate the same parts scen from different sides.
a is a cylinder lined with lead containing the sulphuric or other acid,
which is introduced by the funnel b. This cylinder is provided with a
valve c which serves to regulate the flowing of the sulphuric acid as
.herein-after explained; d is a pipe attached to the cylinder a and con-
veying the sulphuric acid into the boilere lined with lead and containing
the carbonate of lime or marble. This cylinder e is furnished with an
agitator mixing thoroughly and in the proportions required the
sulphuric acid with the carbonate of lime. On the cylinder is fixed a
safety valve and a guage. 7 is the shaft. of the agitator put in motion by
hand or by mechanism of any kind; are receiving, washing, or cleansing
cylinders for purifying the carbonic acid evolved by the sulphuric acid
poured upon the carbonate of lime and for removing any trace of sulphuric
acid. This carbonic acid once cleansed passes through a pipe into a tank i;
j is a safety valve; and k, a gauge attached to the tank i. This sul-
phuric acid filling up the tank i passes out through the valve pipe l, and
flows down through another pipe m into a chamber a containing water.
Into the exterior of this chamber is inserted a pipe o, in which sprinklers
or diffusers p are arranged, separated by rings or supporting discs
facilitating the complete mixture, and in consequence the perfect
solution of the sulphuric acid in the water. On the pipo o is fixed a
pipe conveying the water acidulated with carbonic acid into a receiving
tank 8, this water passing also through the mixing worm to complete
und finish the solution. The receiving tank s is provided with a suction

page_text: #
3
pipe through which the syphons or bottles are filled by any of the
means hitherto employed. When the water contained in the pipo o
diminishes, it causes the fall of a float provided for opening the ad-
mission valve & conveying the pure water through the tube y into the
chamber n to be acidulated by carbonic acid. This water flows in from.
two chambers which are automatically filled in the following manner :-
a¹ is a float in the interior of the lower chamber = floating on tlie
surface of the water; this float in falling causes the spout 6' to open or
close more or less thereby allowing the water in the upper chamber to
pass into the lower chamber. The upper chamber is fed through a
funnel c¹ which is charged with water through the pipe d'. This funnel
as soon as it empties itself draws down a float e' which opens a tap f¹
fixed on the pipe d³, the latter causes the funnel to be fed automatically
and in a regular manner. Taps g¹, as shewn in Figure 2, may also be
used instead of floats, which would be opened alternately to effect the
feeding. The pure water will be introduced under the pressure of the
carbonic acid gas into the lower chamber without this chamber being
in contact with the exterior. The whole being thus arranged if sul-
phuric acid is put into the cylinder a it will descend through the pipe d
into the cylinder e furnished internally with the agitator f. When the
pressure of the carbonic acid becomes too great in the cylinder e, the
india-rubber valve c will expand and will cause a rod to descend, to
which rod is attached a valvoj³ which closes the aperture whereby the
entrance of the sulphuric acid into the cylinder e is permitted. As soon
as the sulphuric acid comes into contact with the carbonate of lime the
mixture must be stirred by the agitatorf, which may be either vertical
or horizontal and put in motion by hand or by any other motive power.
Thence the carbonic acid which is formed passes into the purifying
cylinders h, and thence into the tank i. The carbonic acid coming into
this tank passes out through the pipe 2 provided with a closing spring
valve and passes through the pipe m into the chamber n, where it fills
the pipe o, in which are arranged the discs or rings q and the sprinklers
or diffusers p serving to throughly mix the carbonic acid with the water.
in order to obtain its solution. When this pipe o contains carbonic acid
in too great quantity it presses on the regulating valve which in
rising causes the valve A to close. When this water is well acidulated
it passes through the piper into the chambers in order to be afterwards
drawn into syphons or bottles. The level of the water falling causes the

page_text: descent of the float which opens the valve ; the latter conveys
another quantity of water to bo acidulated, the same float opens the
tap which introduces carbonic acid, and this acid presses upon the
water contained in the reservoir to cause it to descend, and so on.
This apparatus may be used in cases of fire, but for this purpose it
may be simplified and mounted upon wheels. It will be superior to those
heretofore used which inject simply water, as with my apparatus I
can inject water acidulated with carbonic acid, and in default of water
carbonic acid alone,
This apparatus automatically producing carbonic acid may be used
for the purification of corn attacked by weevils or otherwise infected..
For this purpose the reservoir i will be divided into two parts or com-
partments, and receive into its interior the infected corn. The pressure
and the treatment by the carbonic acid will be in one compartment,
whilst the second is being emptied and refilled. To avoid loss of gas the
same can be made to pass from one compartment into the other by
means of tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st August 1870,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, ler heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Ier special licence, that
1, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as 1, the said William Robert Lake, 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
.

page_text: gris the shaft of the agitator, which is put in motion by hand or by
mechanism of any kind; are receiving, washing, or cleansing cylinders.
for purifying the carbonic acid evolved by the sulphuric acid poured
upon the carbonate of lime, and for removing any trace of sulphuric.
acid. This carbonic acid once cleansed passes through a pipe into a
tank . j is a safety valve, and k a gauge attached to the tank i. This
sulphuric acid filling the tank i passes out through the valvo pipe 7, and
flows down through another pipe m into a chamber n containing water.
At the exterior of this chamber is placed a pipe o, in which sprinklers p
are arranged separated by rings or supporting discs q for facilitating the
compléto mixture, and in consequence the perfect solution of the sul-
phuric acid in the water. On the pipe o is fixed a pipe for conveying
the water acidulated with carbonic acid into a receiving tank 8, this
water passing also through the mixing worm t to complete and finish
the solution. The receiving tank & is provided with a suction pipe u,
through which the syphons or bottles are filled by any of the means
hitherto employed for that purpose. When the water contained in the
pipe o diminishes it causes the fall of a float provided for opening the
admission valve a, admitting the pure water through the tube y into the
chamber to be acidulated by carbonic acid. This water flows in
from two chambers, which are automatically filled in the following
manner :—a¹ is a float in the interior of the lower chambers resting on
the surface of the water. This float in falling causes the aperture ¿¹ to
open or close more or less, thereby allowing the water in the upper
chamber to pass into the lower chamber. The upper chamber is fed
through a funnel c', which is charged with water through the pipe -d'.
This funnel as soon as it emptics itself draws down another float e¹
which opens a tap f fixed on the pipe d'; the latter causes the funnel
to be fed automatically and in a regular manner. Taps g', as shewn in
Figure 2, may also be used instead of floats, such taps being opened
alternately to effect the feeding. The pure water will be introduced
under the pressure of the carbonic acid gas into the lower chamber
without this chamber being in contact with the exterior. The whole
being thus arranged if sulphuric acid is put into the cylinder a it will
descend through the pipe & into the cylinder e furnished internally with
the agitator. When the pressure of the carbonic acid becomes too
great in the cylinder e the india-rubber valve c will expand and will
'cause a rod i¹ to descend, to which rod is attached a valve j¹ that closes
&

page_text: "
the aperture whereby the entrance of the sulphuric acid into the
cylinder e is permitted. As soon as the sulphuric_acid-comes-in
contact with the carbonate of lime the mixture must be stirred by the
agitator f, which may be either, vertical or horizontal, and is put in
motion by hand or by any convenient motive power. The carbonic
acid which is formed passes into the purifying cylinders h' and thence
into the tank i. The carbonic acid coming into this tank passes out
through pipe provided with a closing spring valve, and through
the pipe in into the chamber n, where it fills the pipe o, in which are
arranged the discs or rings q and the sprinklers or diffusers p serving to
thoroughly mix the carbonic acid with the water in order to obtain its
solution. When this pipe o contains carbonic acid in too great quantities
it presses on the regulating valve k³, which in rising causes the valve ♬
to close. When this water is well acidulated it passes through the
piper into the chambers in order to be afterwards drawn-into syphōns
or bottles. The level of the water falling causes the descent of the float
which opens the valve ; the latter admits another quantity of water
to be acidulated; the same float opens the tap 4, which introduces
carbonic acid, and this acid presses upon the water contained in the
reservoir to cause it to descend, and so on.
.
"
This apparatus may be used in case of fire, but for this purpose it
may be simplified and mounted upon wheels. It will be superior to those
heretofore used, which inject simply water, as with my apparatus I can
inject water acidulated with carbonic acid, and in default of water,
carbonic acid alone.
This apparatus automatically producing carbonic acid may also be
used for the purification of corn. attacked by weevils or otherwise in-
fected. For this purpose the reservoir i will be divided into two parts
or compartments and receive into its interior the infected corn. The
pressure and the treatment by the carbonic acid will be in one com-
partment, whilst the second is being emptied and refilled. To avoid
loss of gas the same can be made to pass from one compartment into
tlic other by means of tubes.
:
As I have herein-before stated the said apparatus may serve for injecting
water to extinguish fires or for other purposes. I-can-give motion by
tho-pressure of the carbonic acid in the main reservoir to a pump

page_text: :
arranged to suck in water and discharge it in cisterns, wherein takes
place the mixture of the water and the carbonic acid; or instead of this
pump I may employ a Giffards' " injector or other injector to effect the
mixture of the carbonic acid and water..
"
Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings illustrates the arrangement
of the apparatus for injecting or discharging the water. a is the cylinder
containing the sulphuric acid; is the tube for conveying the sulphuric
acid into the cistern c furnished with an agitator and containing the
carbonate of lime; d is the pipe for conducting the carbonic acid dis-
engaged in the cistern c to the boiler or main reservoir e; fis the motor
pump moved by the pressure of the carbonic acid gas which enters_
by the tube g; h is the exhaust pipe for the carbonic acid after it has
acted in the motor pump f; i, i, are purifiers for the carbonic acid; jis
the water reservoir; is a filter; is the automatic water distributor.
The motor pump communicates with this distributor by a suction pipe.
22 is a worm, which-on the one hand receives water by the pipe 12 of the
motor pump and on the other hand the carbonic acid gas coming from
the purifiers by the pipe o..In this worm is effected the mixture of the
water and the carbonic acid gas, which is discharged by the pressure
of the pump in the cistern p by the pipe q. This cistern may or may
not be furnished with an agitator to complete the mixture and escape
öftlic carbonized water or the carbonic acid gas under the pressure of
the pump by the piper which is furnished with a suitable cock. The
agitator of the cistern c and that of the cistern 2 may be actuated by
the shafts of the motor pump through the medium of driving belts.-
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
ime by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it under-
stood that the distinctive character of the said apparatus consists in its
being automatic, that is to say, it is distinguished from other apparatus
of the same kind by the fact that the pressure of the gas produced
causes the automatic movements, resulting in the production, the
regulation, and distribution of the sulphuric acid of the water, of the
carbonic acid, and of the carbonized liquid; and I claim,—
First. Such an apparatus with a continuous action and saturation

page_text: Second. The application of the said apparatus for throwing carbonized
water upon fires, or for injecting carbonic acid gas for the purification
of grain, or for other purposes.
1
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and soventy.
Witness,
D. L. WAGNER.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)