Improvements in Hydrogen-gas Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th May, 1894
*Complete Specification Left. 15th May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
Improvements in Hydrogen-gas Machines.
I, HENRY ROBERTSON POMEROY of No. 84 North Alabama Street Indianapolis
in the County of Marion and State of Indiana, United States of America, Journalist,
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 :-
My invention relates to that class of gas machines in which hydrogen gas is
produced by the action of dilute acid upon iron chips; said hydrogen gas being
afterwards enriched by passing through a chamber containing a hydro-carbon, as
kerosene or gasoline.
In this class of machines, as heretofore constructed, the production of hydrogen
is very much retarded, or is stopped altogether, by the coating of the iron particles
with sulphate of iron and other products resulting from the decomposition of the
material used, the iron being thus protected from the action of the acid.
The object of my improvement is to provide means whereby the coating of
inert matter may be removed from the iron particles while in position in the
machine.
The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention.
The figure represents a central vertical section of the apparatus.
In the drawing, A indicates an open tank, in which is arranged a metallic
cylinder, B, closed at the top and open at the bottom, and constituting a reservoir
for hydrogen gas. Arranged within reservoir B, and raised above the bottom of
the tank A, is a generating tray, C, having a perforated bottom.
Arranged above tray C, is a rake, or stirrer, D, mounted upon the lower end of
a shaft, E, which is suspended in a bearing, F, so as to revolve and slide
longitudinally therein. The upper end of shaft E is provided with a crank G,
so that the shaft may be moved longitudinally, or revolved in its bearings.
Arranged above reservoir B and connected therewith by pipes H H is the
carburetting chamber I, which is provided with a discharge pipe J, having a
stop-valve K.
The operation of my device is as follows:-
The tray, C, is first filled with a mixture of iron chips and small pieces of
silicious stone or other gritty matter which will resist the action of acids.
Reservoir B being in position over the tray, tank A is partly filled with dilute
sulphuric acid, which, passing beneath the lower edge of the reservoir, rises
through and above the tray and attacks the iron chips therein, thereby producing
hydrogen gas, which passes through the pipes H to the carburettor I from whence
it is discharged through the pipe J. Valve K being closed, the accumulation of
gas in the reservoir presses the acid out of the reservoir till its surface is below the
trav: thus stonning the production of gas.

page_text: During the action of the acid upon the iron chips, they have become coated with
the products of decomposition. For the purpose of removing this deposit while
the pressure of gas is still maintained, the stirrer D is rotated and pushed
downward into the mass of material in the tray, which, being violently agitated,
the grit or stone contained therein operates to scour the deposit from the particles
of iron; which deposit is afterwards washed out of the tray by the ebb and flow of
the acid through the perforations in the bottom of the tray.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a gas machine of the class described, the combination, with the reservoir,
the generating tray arranged therein, and the gas producing material contained in
said tray, of the gritty material, as broken stone, intimately mixed with said
gas-producing material, the stirrer arranged to engage said mixture, and means for
operating said stirrer from the exterior of the reservoir, whereby the gas-producing
material may be scoured, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a gas machine, the tank, the tray arranged therein, the reservoir enclosing
the tray, the mixture of gas-producing material and broken stone contained in said
tray, the revoluble shaft mounted in the reservoir and projecting therefrom, and
the stirrer secured to said shaft and arranged to engage the material in the tray,
all combined and arranged to co-operate substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of May 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.