IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING IRON WIRE, AND COLLECTING THE WASTE HYDROGEN GAS INCIDENT TO SAID PROCESS
Year: 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Hewitt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1880.
WILLIAM HEWITT, of the City of Trenton, State of New Jersey, and United
States of America, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING
IRON WIRE, AND COLLECTING THE WASTE HYDROGEN GAS INCIDENT TO SAID
PROCESS."
The object of my Invention is to provide a mode and apparatus for collecting
and utilizing, for the purpose of fuel, waste hydrogen gas usually generated in
the process of cleaning iron and steel wire, and iron and steel plates and, the
like.
In the processes incident to the manufacture of iron and steel wire, plates, and
kindred articles, it is well known that they, under certain circumstances, become
coated with scales of oxide of iron, which scales are generally in practice removed
by immersing the wire or plates in an open bath of dilute sulphuric, muriatic,
or other acid, with the result that the acid permeates the scales of oxide of iron,
and attacks the iron or steel beneath, whereby the iron or steel is oxidized at the
expense of the water of hydration, and large quantities of hydrogen gas are liberated
and sulphate of iron formed.
Heretofore the hydrogen gas above mentioned has been allowed to
become lost for all useful purposes.
escape,
and
My Invention provides a method of and apparatus for collecting and utilizing.
this gas for the purpose of fuel.
In Figure 1 of the Drawing is shown a central view, partly in section and partly
in elevation of my apparatus, in which A is a cleaning tub or vessel, formed of
such proper material as to withstand the action of acids as above mentioned, and in
the present instance of such size and form as to receive coils of wire for treatment
with acid.
This vessel is provided with a cover B hinged at such distance horizontally
from the edge of the tub as to allow the cover to be turned up and away from
the tub sufficiently far to permit the coil of wire to be freely placed in and removed
from the same.
To the front part of the cover B is attached a cord or chain C, which is passed
over a pulley located on the upper end of the standard D, to this cord or chain is

page_text: attached a weight E, sufficient to counterpoise the weight of the cover and hold it
in any desired open position.
The cover B is provided with a flange or extension F, which fits downwardly
within the tub, and extends into the body of the acid within the same, thereby
forming an air and gas tight joint between the tub and its cover.
The cover is provided with two openings or cocks G, H, the former of which is
for the purpose of allowing of the escape of air from the tub at the beginning of
the cleaning process, and the latter is for the escape of hydrogen gas.
The cover may be secured in place on the tub by means of a latch or other
suitable device.
I is a gas conduit leading from the cock H, and opening into the gas reservoir J,
which latter is of the usual construction.
In the Drawing, Figure 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of a
furnace for burning hydrogen gas, and
Figure 3, a vertical central cross section of the same through the combustion
chamber.
In this furnace K represents the combustion chamber and L the bridge.
This chamber is filled with loose brickwork M in such manner as to allow of the
upward ascent of gas through the same, the gas being fed through the gas port N
at the bottom of the chamber.
0, 0, 0, are tuyeres through the back wall. of the furnace, and opening into the
combustion chamber above the top of the loose brickwork therein.
In use air is supplied through these tuyeres and mingles with the hydrogen
gas at the top of the combustion chamber, which mixture when ignited provides
a flame, the intensity of which may be regulated by the supply of gas and
blast.
The construction of the furnace shown in the Drawings, otherwise than as above
described, is well known.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
1. The mode of utilizing waste hydrogen gas generated in iron and steel cleaning
and like processes, which consists in collecting the same in a proper reservoir,
and burning it as fuel in a furnace, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. An apparatus for cleaning wire and such articles, and for collecting the waste
hydrogen gas evolved in such process, which consists in an acid proof tub provided
with an air tight cover, which cover is provided with air and gas cocks, and is
hinged at a point horizontally remote from the edge of the tub, substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
3. An apparatus for cleaning wire and such articles, and for collecting the waste
hydrogen gas evolved in such process, which consists in the acid proof tub A
provided with the air tight cover B hinged at a point horizontally remote from
the tub, and provided with the cocks G & H, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hewitt have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of October, A.D. 1880.
(TS)
WILLIAM HEWITT