IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GASES
Year: 1886

page_text: I JOSEPH SANJURJO BADIA, Mechanical Engineer of City of Philadelphia in
the State of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America do hereby declaro
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR
GENERATING GASES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus containing material for
the formation of gases and mechanism for automatically liberating and mixing the
same and thereby filling or charging bags or other receptacles which, being applied
to the body of a person, vessel, portable bridge, or other object, will render the
same buoyant or unsinkable in water.
A further object of my invention is to provide means for the inflation of canvas
boats or rafts sent to the rescue of wrecked crews or vessels in danger; and for the
propulsion of torpedoes and other marine or sub-marine vehicles and for the
inflation and propulsion of aerial machines, or canvas cushions for deadening the
fall of persons leaping to the street from a burning building, for a motive power
and for operating such various other machines and apparatuses as my invention
may be applicable to; and to that end it consists in the construction, combination
and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims
The apparatus constituting the most essential elements of my invention consists
of a capsule or case adapted primarily for application to a bag, tank or other
receptacle for expanded gases, which may be made an appurtenant part of a life-
preserver, or which is adapted to be applied or attached to, or contained in a boat,
raft or other vessel or object contingently subject, or liable to contact with, or sub-
mersion in deep and dangerous waters. The capsule is designed to contain any
suitable gas liquified under pressure, such as ammonia, nitrous oxide or carbonic
acid gas in one compartment, while an adjoining compartiment contains a suitably
prepared powder or other self-burning material (adapted to burn in a closed
Mechanism
vessel) and a frictionally ignitible preparation for lighting the same.
adapted to automatically ignite the said preparation and thereby effect the' com-
bustion of the powder is held in check by a disk of absorbent or unsized paper or
its equivalent, which may be ruptured or disintegrated when moistened, and which
then allows the compressed gas liberating, and powder igniting mechanism to act
simultaneously, and the bag or other gas receptacle to become charged with the
mixed gases thereby generated as hereinafter described.

page_text: Referring to the drawing in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the
apparatus, and Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, are detail views, A represents the shell, casing
or capsule which is preferably of conical form, and is provided with a convex head
in the top and a concave one in the bottom, both reinforced by internal braces w;
and with a brim o¹, and projections d, which serve in combination with the cover
or cap C, to hold the capsule in position.
Through the aforesaid heads, and in the middle of the capsule A, is fitted or
screwed a cylinder B, having the lower end open, the top being provided with a
head placed a little lower than the top level of the capsule, the said head having
an internal boss g¹, with a cavity or hole in its center.
The capsule A, is also, provided in the bottom with two elbow shaped tubes j,
screwed to it, each one having placed in it an internally soldered thin lead cap or
thimble i A safety valve x, is also screwed in the bottom of the capsule, to
prevent an explosion should the temperature and pressure of the liquified gas rise
by reason of an accidental fire or other cause beyond the safety limit. The valve
is composed of a nut with a central hole, a portion of the exterior being made
smaller to receive the lead cap q', which operates as a valve by bursting outward
and thus allowing the gas to escape.
The small hole e, serves to charge the annular chamber U, with a liquified gas
and the pin o, to close the same after having been charged. Another hole vi, in
the bottom, serves for the purpose of discharging mercury introduced beforehand
into the capsule (to exclude the air therefrom) and expelled by the pressure of the
entering gas; the hole being closed also with a tight pin the moment that all the
mercury has been expelled.
"
The cylinder B, is screwed into the casing A thus dividing the capsule into two
chambers or compartments, one annular U, adapted to contain a liquified gas; and
the other O adapted to hold a compressed and self-burning material such as
powder prepared to burn slow, in a measurable time, such as is employed in
making rockets; adding to it if necessary some resin to still longer retard its
combustion.
The powder in burning produces a gas that unites with the expanding liquified
gas simultaneously released as hereinafter set forth, but the primary purpose for
which I use the powder, is not for merely producing a gas, but especially in order
to generate heat to be communicated to the expanding liquid gas thus preventing
the same remaining in part liquid or even freezing by its rapid evaporation when
released from pressure.
The quantity of powder used in the capsule is regulated so that the temperature
of the gases formed by mixture of both gases shall nearly equal the normal outside
temperature, at the end of the expansion, and the volume of the same, the size of
the prepared bag or receptacle H; for which purpose certain proportions of gas
and powder have to be used when charging the capsule.
On the lower surface of the powder packed in the chamber O, there is a ring 9,
of phosphoric paste or other frictionally ignitible material in the path of the
friction head e, except where the friction head e¹, of the arm ½ rests on the
powder.
A coat v, of a heat non-conducting material covers the inside walls of chamber 0,
to prevent the communication of heat to the gas in the chamber U, when the
powder is burning.
In the top of the capsule A, is glued a disk n, of prepared paper provided with
a hole in the middle for the rod S, and with radial cuts whereby the disk may
adapt itself to the convex shape of the capsule, covering when in place the head of
the cylinder B, but being at a distance from the same.
The object of the disc n, is to hold in check (as long as it is in a dry state) the
mechanism that operates the gas producing chemicals contained in the capsule, and
(as soon as it becomes wet) to release the same automatically playing therefore a
most important and delicate part in the action of the apparatus, and to that end a
good quality of blotting paper or equivalent may be used in its construction, or

page_text: the same may be manufactured of strong and long fibred materials, well felted and
calendered, free from grease or oil and slightly sized with crude starch.
The central cavity of the boss g¹, is occupied by a rod S, said rod having a
head, at the lower end, to which is attached a curved and flexible arm h, pro-
vided at its extremity with a friction head c¹; the other end of the rod projects
through the head of the cylinder B, and has soldered on it a metallic disc m, that
rests on the prepared paper disc n. Between the head of the cylinder B, and
disc m, there is on the rod 8, a rubber ring u, for the purpose of making a gas and
water-tight joint around the rod when the disc m, falls and presses on it, in order
that the gas from the bag H, when charged may not escape thereby. A spring 1,
coiled on the rod S, has one end , soldered to the head of the cylinder B, as
shown. The other end t, passing through a hole ¹, in the head of the rod S,
projects downward a little from the same.
Before soldering the metallic disc m, to the rod S, the spring 1, is put under
axial and radial tension by giving one or two turns to the rod S, pressing at the
same time the spring down into the cavity so that the arm h, is brought to the
proper place and is caught in the notch d of the boss g¹, at which time the disc m,
is soldered to the rod. The paper disc n, will now bear-the axial strain of the
spring 1, and hold it in check as long as it remains dry, and on becoming wet it
will be torn apart and the spring , will exert its force downward on the rod S, .
thereby releasing it) and the rotation of the friction head e¹, subsequently by the
spring, will cause the phosphoric paste and powder to become ignited.
"
Under the capsule A, and between the elbows j, there is a curved spring f, and a
rod c, provided with a hook that engages with the pin t. The spring f, is placed
in such a manner that one end is held against one of the protecting pieces c', adjacent
to the caps i, and thus prevents the bursting of the same from the pressure of the
liquid gas, while the other end presses against the hook head of the rod c, the
latter end of which protects the opposite cap i, in the same manner.
The rod c, and spring f, are not in a straight line and would fall apart but for
the pin t, (of the spring 1, coiled on the rod S, sustained by the disc n,) that holds
the rod c, and keeps both in check as long as the rod S, does not turn. When
however the rod S, is released, the eccentrically situated pin t, will unhook itself
from the rod and the rod together with the spring f, will fall apart and the
protectors will drop, leaving the caps i, unprotected, in which case the
compressed gas will burst the same and thereby escape and become mixed with
the gas from the burning powder simultaneously escaping into the receptacle.
A perforated annular disc k, held by and placed over the elbows j, serves to
protect the burning powder from being impaired by direct contact with the very
cold released liquid gas. A second disc p, pierced annularly with holes, is held in
a circumferential recess of the capsule A, as shown, protecting the lower mechanism
of the capsule and at the same time preventing the hot gas from the burning
powder coming out through the hole of disc k, directly into the receptacle H, but
causing it on account of striking first against the unpierced central part of the
disc p, to spread radially and mix with the expanding cold liquid gas, the two
gases becoming equalized in temperature, and passing to the bag through the holes
of the disc p.
A ring D, has in its lower side a dependent flange made internally tapering to
accommodate the capsule A, and externally threaded for the attachment of another
ring E, the mouth of the receptacle or bag H, being fastened between these two
rings as shown.
In the upper side of ring D, there is another vertical flange, forming near its
root two opposite internal and external grooves, the metal between being pierced
with holes b' around the whole ring as shown. Above the internal groove, another
recessional groove or concave recess is formed, leaving space for the water to
circulate and pass between said groove and brim o¹, of the capsule A, after entering
through the holes b'. The said flange also is externally provided with a screw thread
for fitting the cover or cap C, to the same as shown. The cap C, milled on the

page_text: periphery h¹, to aid in its manipulation, is made slightly oval in form to correspond
with the upper part of the capsule A; the object of the cap being to hold the capsule
in place but also to leave a small space between the two by resting upon the circum-
ferential projections d, on top of the said capsule. The capsule A, is also provided
with a rubber band a¹ in order to make a perfect gas and water-tight joint between
the capsule and flange D, when the former is pressed down into place by the cap
as shown, in order that the gas may not escape from the receptacle or bag H, when
charged.
Another purpose of the cap C, is to protect the paper disc n, from injury, or from
moisture occassioned by water casually falling on it. A further protection for the
disc n, is provided by means of the brim o¹, as should a few drops of water
accidentally enter the holes 61, at any time the water passing in through some of
the holes b¹, finds in the brim o', an obstacle, and at the same time a path that
guides it around the capsule and allows it to escape through other holes 61, in the
lower side, without touching the paper disc n, which is only affected when the
water entirely fills the capsule.
The annular chamber U, of the capsule A, should never be filled entirely with
gas but a portion of it must be left empty to allow for the expansion of the gas
caused by the changes of temperature.
After the bag has been inflated, it can again be emptied if so desired by
unscrewing the cap and taking out the capsule. The capsules that have been used
can be again recharged making them once more serviceable.
In certain cases where an automatic action of the capsule is not desired, devices
(as a modification of my invention) may be provided to operate the mechanism
by hand.
The capsule as well as the cap and flanged rings shown and described herein-
before can be altered and modified in shape according to the size, place and purpose
to which the capsule is to be adapted.
Among the special uses, in addition to those above named, to which the capsule
can be put, are the filling all the empty spaces or compartments in vessels with
capsules so that in case they are exposed to the water, yet the gas tight bags will
still serve to keep the vessel afloat.
Canvas boats, rafts or torpedoes when put into the water can also be auto-
matically inflated as stated, and at the same time propelled through the water
with a second capsule adapted, by discharging the gases under the water for this
purpose, for use in the coast life saving stations or naval warfare.
Life preservers provided with capsules no larger than a watch can be made in
the shape of a belt to be worn all the time by the crew and passengers on board
of ships.
Portable self inflating aerial machines or war baloons, floating bridges, wagons,
field carriages and guns can be made for war purposes.
When using the capsule as a source of motive power the gases generated must
be directed to exert their expansive force into an engine or motor as for example
fire engines or fire ladders, in the manner steam is used, the capsule being in this
case like a small boiler.
The pressure in fire extinguishers necessary to eject the liquid may be obtained
by the use of my capsule. By placing the capsule in the required position it may
indicate an unusual height of water by blowing a whistle or operating an alarm
mechanism by the gases generated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A capsule for use substantially as described, the same comprising a casing
subdivided into separate compartments for gas and powder respectively, and
provided with mechanism adapted to generate mixed gases from the said gas and
powder, said mechanism being held in check by a disk of paper or its equivalent,

page_text: adapted to break or become ruptured when moistened, and automatically releaso
said mechanism so that gases will be generated and at the same time mixed, and
their temperature equalized, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a capsule containing gas producing chemicals and a self-operating
mechanism, the combination of a liquid gas under pressure, with a self-burning
material, the latter being adapted when ignited to develop gases sufficiently heated
that when mixed with the released liquid gas the same will rise in temperature as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a capsule comprising a casing subdivided into separate
compartments, one O for powder, and the other U, provided with the open channels
or elbows j, for gas, of mechanism, substantially as described, adapted to hold the
mouth of the elbows closed, and also adapted when operated to open the mouth of
the elbows and to ignite the powder, said mechanism being held in check by a
disk of paper, adapted to break when moistened, and automatically release said
mechanism substantially as described.
4. The combination of a capsule containing gas producing chemicals, and of
automatic generating mechanism held in check by a disk of paper adapted when
moistened to automatically liberate said mechanism and allow the chemically
produced gases to escape, with a flanged ring D, provided with a seat whereby
the said capsule may be held, and also having an upper grooved flange pierced
with holes b¹, and adapted to fit a cover or cap C, as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1886.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.