Improved Means of Generating Gases Under Pressure for Obtaining Motive Power.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ALFRED NOBEL, of 53, Avenue Malakoff, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
Improved Means of Generating Gases Under Pressure for Obtaining
Motive Power.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The motive power produced by the use of compressed air, liquid carbonic acid,
and electric primary or secondary batteries, has been found inadequate for pro-
pelling submarine torpedoes and balloons, wherein the weight to be carried must
necessarily be limited, while the cost of propulsion is of comparatively slight
importance.
It is now proposed to develop, for such and analogous purposes, the motive
power needed by decomposing water or other liquids, such as spirits of wine,
through the action thereon of metallic sodium, potassium, finely-divided manganese,
or other metals having a like affinity for oxygen. It is a well known fact that said
metals, in decomposing water, liberate hydrogen gas, which, owing to its lightness,
and the great amount of heat developed in the reaction, realises an enormous
expansion, and consequently possesses much motive force. The great facility
wherewith said metals decompose water at the ordinary temperature, allow of
rendering the construction of the chamber wherein the gas is developed, extremely
simple. It suffices, in fact, to regulate the inflow of water meeting the sodium or
similar metal, in order to obtain, gradually, exactly the amount of gas needed to
feed a cylinder or other recipient designed to work a suitable engine for driving a
torpedo, balloon, or other vehicle.
Since bydrogen gas, developed as above described, is a permanent gas, and since
the inflow of water to the aforesaid metals can be regulated as to liberate hydrogen
under any desired pressure, there is no absolute need to let said gas act on an
engine. It may, indeed, be allowed to escape through a fine outlet, for direct
utilisation of its repulsive power.
The motive power produced by contact of one of the aforesaid metals with water,
or other liquid, such as spirits of wine, may also be used for the purpose of feeding
air guns of the class known as dynamite guns, which impart velocity to projectiles
by means of highly compressed air. The operation of feeding such a gun will be
very simple, and necessitates no other apparatus than a steel cylinder wherein the
requisite quantities of soditum, or equivalent metal, and water, are brought into
contact.
Dated this lot dan of Tul 1901
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Generating Gases Under Pressure for Obtaining
Motive Power.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, l'atent Agent, 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 :-
-
The motive power produced by the use of compressed air, liquid, carbonic acid,

page_text: and electric primary or secondary batteries, has been found inadequate for pro-
pelling, to a great distance, submarine torpedoes, and other explosive missiles, &
for controlling the course of balloons, wherein the weight to be carried must
necessarily be limited, while the cost of propulsion is of comparatively slight
importance.
It is now proposed to develop, for such and analogous purposes, the motive power
needed, by decomposing water or other liquids rich in oxygen, such as diluted
spirits of wine, through the action thereon of metallic sodium or potassium, either
alone or in combination, or finely divided manganese, or other metals having a like
affinity for oxygen. It is a well known fact that said metals, in decomposing water,
liberate hydrogen gas, which, owing to its lightness, and the great amount of heat
developed in the re-action, realizes an enormous expansion, and consequently
possesses much motive force.
The readiness with which water is decomposed at the ordinary temperature, by
mere contact with the said metals, renders it unnecessary to use other than very
simple apparatus for generating the motive power gas, which is to be used after the
manner of compressed air, as a propeller. It suffices, in fact, to regulate the inflow
of the metal to the water, or vice versa, in order to obtain the exact amount of gas
needed to feed a cylinder or other recipient designed to propel either with or
without the use of an engine, a torpedo or other missile, or a balloon or other
vehicle.
Since hydrogen gas developed as above described, is a permanent gas, and since
the contact of water with the aforesaid metals can be so regulated as to liberate
hydrogen under any desired pressure, there is no absolute need to use said gas in
connection with an engine for developing motive power.
It may, indeed, be
allowed to escape through a fine outlet, for direct utilization of its repulsive
power.
The motive force produced by contact, in a confined space, of one of the aforesaid
metals, with water or other liquid, such as diluted spirits of wine, may also be used
for the purpose of feeding air guns of the class known as dynamite guns, which
have hitherto imparted velocity to projectiles by means of highly compressed air.
The operation of feeding such a gun will be very simple, and necessitates no other
apparatus than a steel cylinder wherein the requisite quantities of sodium, or
equivalent metal, and water, are brought into contact.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown, in sectional elevation, suitable
means for generating gas at a high pressure, for this and kindred purposes. A is a
steel cylinder formed with rounded or dome-shaped ends, and made sufficiently
strong to resist the extreme pressure of the gas which is to be generated therein.
Fitted to this cylinder or gas generator, is a small pendent cylindrical chamber B,
for receiving the sodium or potassium, or an alloy of the two metals, used for
decomposing the water contained in the cylinder A, and supplied thereto by a
pipe a. It may be here remarked, that the quantity of water present in the vessel,
should be sufficient to dissolve, as it is formed, 'the metallic oxide (due to the
chemical action set up), in order to prevent said oxide coating the metal (potassium
or sodium), and thus hindering the re-action. The cylindrical chamber B is closed,
at top, by a cover, which is fitted with a gland to receive the rod of a piston C,
which is intended to act as a propeller, causing the plastic metal to ooze out at
openings made in the bottom of the cylindrical chamber B. D is a valve chamber
communicating with the vessel A by means of a valve d, regulated by a hand screw,
for the purpose of determining the pressure of gas that shall be maintained in the
chamber. A pipe leading off from this chamber D serves to conduct the gas to a
dynamite gun, or, it may be, to a motive power engine. The vessel A is provided
with a manhole a' for the inspection of the interior, and a discharge pipe a at
bottom. It is also fitted with a pressure gauge E, for indicating to the attendant
when a fresh discharge of the metal into the water or other liquid to be decomposed
is required. The piston rod is fitted with a handle by which the. attendant is
enabled to depress the piston with facility, and discharge, from time to time, a fresh

page_text: supply of the plastic metal into the liquid, or the delivery of the metal to the liquid
to be decomposed may be effected automatically, when that is desired.
It will be readily understood that means for bringing the metal into contact with
the water may vary according to circumstances, a continuous delivery being some-
times required, and, for some purposes (as the discharge of projectiles)-an inter-
mittent delivery, to the water.
When pulverized manganese is employed, the. delivery may be effected by a
stirrer or equivalent means, mere pressure being inapplicable for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me from
abroad, I declare that what I claim is :-
The means above described for generating, in a closed vessel, gas at a high
pressure, for motive power purposes, without the application of external heat.
Dated this 29th day of April 1892.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.