CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MAKING AND PREPARATION OF SODA WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS IMPREGNATED WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS
Year: 1814

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FRANCIS HAMILTON, of Asylum Buildings, Westminster Road, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
June, in the fifty-fourth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
William Francis Hamilton, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said William
Francis Hamilton, my exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of
years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales; and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MAKING AND PREPARATION OF
SODA WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS IMPREGNATED WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS;" in
which said Invention; there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said William
Francis Hamilton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had)
may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Francis Hamilton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particu-
larly described and ascertained in manner following (that is to say) :-

page_text: I do make or prepare soda water and other liquids, before mentioned, by
forcing the same, along with carbonic acid gas, by the use or action of a syringe
or syringes, or pump or pumps, and the valves or stops of any other descrip-
tion, tubes and other fit and needful apparatus thereunto belonging, into a
receptacles or reservoir subjected to agitation, and thence into bottles or other
suitable vessels for preserving or transporting the same, as hath, in and as to
the said several respects, matters, and things, been heretofore known, done,
and practised; but that my said improvements do consist in making or
constructing the said syringe or pump, or syringes or pumps, and the valves or
stops of any other description, tubes and other fit and needful apparatus there-
unto belonging, or therewith to be used, and also the said receptacle or
reservoir, in and as to all and every such part of the same as shall or may in
the use or action thereof be touched.or come into contact by or with the said
carbonic acid gas, or the water or liquid impregnated or intended to be im-
pregnated with the same, and to be drawn off for consumption, of glass or of
close well-made china or pottery, or of precious metals, as herein-after
declared; and I do accordingly construct or make the said syringe or pump,
syringes or pumps, and the valves or stops of any other description, tubes and
other fit and needful apparatus thereunto belonging, or therewith to be used,
and also the said receptacle or reservoir, of glass, or of close well-made china
or pottery, or of precious metals, as aforesaid; and in the use of my said
Invention I do avoid the danger and unpleasantness which can or may arise
from the effects of mutual or chemical action between the included fluids and
the machinery commonly used, and formed of coarser metals, or of wood or
other substances most commonly adopted or applied for impregnating liquids
with carbonic acid gas. And that farther, although in my said improvements
I have found that glass of a moderate thickness is capable of supporting and
resisting with great safety an internal pressure very much exceeding any pres-
sure which can be needful for the strongest supersaturation of water and other
liquids with carbonic acid which can in practice be required, and that I do
accordingly in preference make use of strong glass, without any external
defence in the manner of counter-pressure, yet that I do, when required or
requested so to do, avail myself of strong cases or vessels surrounding the said
parts so constructed of glass as aforesaid, and do allow certain portions of gas
or liquid under pressure to escape from the syringe or pump by a side valve or
otherwise into the space or spaces between the glass and the surrounding cases
or vessels aforesaid, and thereby to press against and support the said glass
externally: And farther, in order more fully and particularly 'tó explain the
nature of my said Invention, I do herewith, and by means of the Drawings

page_text: hereunto annexed; shew the. form and construction of an apparatus in which
my said improvements are seen as carried into effect. And I do further
declare that the said apparatus and improvements are capable of being varied
and changed in form or dimensions, and in other respects, according to the
conveniences or exigencies of the cases respectively, still preserving the con-
dition that the gas and liquor included in the said apparatus, and intended for
consumption, shall, in the use and practice of and with the said apparatus
as herein set forth, be brought into contact with glass or close well-made china
or pottery, or precious metals only; and the said variations or changes may
with facility be adopted and carried into practice by any competent operator
from the Specification of the matters and things herein-before contained.
A, gas holder supplied with carbonic acid gas. B, cistern containing the
solution carefully prepared in the usual way. C, induction tube, admitting
carbonic acid gas at the capillary termination a, and solution at the perforation b,
connected with D, the tubulated piston (receiving its motion from a crank
above). E, collar nut. F, F, packing, G, collar in two parts bolted together,
which, grasping the piston firmly at the neck, admits of a junction with the
induction tube C, perfectly air-tight. H, induction valve surrounding the
piston and moving within! I, the cylinder, separated by the perforated bearing
plate J from the valve chamber K, containing the eduction valve L, which is
covered by the perforated top plate M. N, N, are conducting tubes lodged
within metallic or other work, or framing or support, having a centre of
motion at O, the junction of the fixed and pendulous parts of the apparatus.
P, packing to ease the centre of oscillation. Q, reservoir for combination
under pressure, having R, a safety valve, constructed on a double tube with
perforations, so as to suffer gas or solution in preference to escape, accordingly
as the latter may be greater or less in quantity than is found convenient for
the agitation, which is effected by the distending cross piece S having a common
centre of motion with the parts already mentioned, extending downwards to
lay hold upon the reservoir, and upwards to a crank, from which it acquires its
oscillating power, and having T, an adjusting nut, which serves to render the
packing at the centre of motion air tight, and to give a considerable degree of
firmness to the entire apparatus in its oscillation. U, U, conducting tubes
similar to those marked N, N, having their centre of motion at V, the junction
of the fixed and pendulous parts, as at O. W, packing as at P. X, decanting
valve, the screw part and handle being metallic, and the remainder of glass,
rendered air-tight in its motion by Y, a collar nut, and Z, packing.
And lastly, I do declare that I do also make and construct the parts which
have been herein-before mentioned as made of the precious metals of gold, of

page_text: silver, or of platina, either wholly or in part, and that the said precious metals
may be more particularly used where glass, or china, or pottery cannot with
facility be obtained or worked, or more particularly likewise in the construction
of such of the parts of the said apparatus as could or might with advantage
be formed, or would be more durable or less liable to accidents if made of
such or the said precious metals.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Francis Hamilton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fourteen.