The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-19
POWER OUT OF COAL
ELECTRIC BATTERY FROM
WASTE GASES OF THE FUEL.
Invention Is . wonder-Is Able to
Eliminate Steam Wherever
Power Is Necessary for
Operation.

ZIP on the 1ourtn moor OF the city nail
10 working model Of a battery produc-
ing electricity from coal. which Hugo
Jone. the inventor, claims will revolu-
tionize present power machines, and elm
mate steam from locomotives, ships and
public works, where power is necessary
for operation. City Electrician Elhcott
says Mr.. Jone has done more to solve the
problem OF producing electrical energy
from coal more directly than II can De
done by steam engine or dynamo than
any other chemist or electrician who has
ever turned his attention toward captur-
ing the waste gases ffom coal. In case
the success on a small scale in the city
hall 10 repeated on railroads or ships the
city will get the benefit Of the invention
without having to pay royalties, and a
saving Of 100000 year In coal will be
the result
Hugo Jone is a chemist in the city lab
oratory. He has been working on bis dis
covery for several years. His first bat
terry was somewhat crude. but he kept
pegging away until he finally interested
the city electrician in his plans. Mr..
Elliott recognized that It would be worth
while for the city to spend a little money
to find out II the discovery was valuable.
Mr. Jone signed an agreement that the
city would not have to pay royalties II the
COHl DAttSEy was SUCCESS. he CITY
spent SEQ for the working model of cell.
which Mr.. Ellicott Gays Is success. II
this success Is repeated oil a larger scale
the city will save much money in the OPP
GRAFTON Of it's pumping stations and cleo
trio lightirts plant.
Process 10 Secret.
The chemicals used and the method Of
using them to generate electricity from
the gas heat are the secret of the inven-
tor. Mr.. Jone believes that the end of the
gas engine, steam engine and dynamo is
near,
II feel confident that ] now have bat
terry" said Mr.. Jone yesterday. (which
will produce electricity from gas made
from ccal, in suflicient quantity TO run
street cars. locomotives light TIE streets,
propel ships and turn the wheels of large
factories. The Yield II q s. per cent Of the
energy Of the gas used up in my battery.
This Is about two and one-half times as
much as is obtained from the best en-
gines hitherto in use. The ordinary gas
engine Yields Is per cent. The best gas
engines of latest construction yield q per
cent of the energy Of the gas used up.
The efficiency of steam engines is still
lower. since they produce only about 10
per cent OF the energy of the coal they
cor sumo. The new battery Ia of practical
and convenient form and easy to work.
It In dihlcult to see how the invention, II
introduced In the city's lighting plants
and pumping stations, car fail to save the
city $500, 900 annually for coal.
II cannot give the details of the inven-
ton yet, because certain foreign coun-
tries refuse patents on Inventions after
the details of the latter have been pub
lished. I have applied for nine patents
in the United States, all Of which are
pending.
ION railroads stationary generators can
be used giving from to times as much
power from a ton of coal as locomo-
tive. On ships the battery will be pro-
vided with a special appliance which in
creases the current strength. 30 that a
powerful current can be obtained from a
small CELL As a result all the cells need
cd to propel a ship will occupy a compar-
atively small space
City will Benefit.
City Electrician Ellicott said that he had
no personal interest in the invention, but
that the city would benef to a great ex-
tent IL the succesS obtained by the model
was carried out on larger scale.
THE ecu we are using in the city hail."
he said, has a capacity of five ampheres
Of current at a pressure of one volt. The
test made Of heat absorbed and given out
Is on the basis of 40 per cent efficiency.
This is very much greater than the eff
flciency Of the steam engine or any other
power. The heat unit In the cell pro-
duces the electricity after being COM
bined with certain chemicals in a secret
process. BY chemical reaction the same
chemicals resume their natural state after
contact with the heat and can be used
over and over again. This proves that
the electricity 10 generated from the heat
of the coal. The current decreases as the
heat dies down. 1t 10 a question, of
course, as to whether O battery can be
constructed on a big scale without losing
a large number Of heat upits, and from
the escape Of fue gases. Chemically, Mr..
Jone has worked out his theory perfectly.
He has done more than all other chemists
and investors toward solving the prob
lem involving the capture of escaping
gas from coal I feel sure that from the
success achieved with the working model
that Mr.. Jone will have 20 difficulty in
getting an experiment made on large
scale"
Mr.. Jone was born in Germany, but he
has spent most of his life in the United
States. He studied in the University OF
Chic ago. He was employed as chemist
by the Consumers Ice Company in 1885,
and 1897. Previous to that time he wae
chemist for the United States Sugar Re-
finery Company at Waukegan. He also
conducted experiments for the City OF
Louisville. KY, In connection with its
water supply. He has been chemist IN
the city laboratory for three years.