US1913962A - Means for making ferric hydroxide and resulting products - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1933. E H R LE 1,913,962

MEANS FOR MAKING FERRIC HYDROXIDE AND RESULTING PRODUCTS Filed May 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z4 22 12 my.

a e 'a e 15 INVENTOR Mar/6.

June 13, 1933. A. E. SHARPLES 1,913,962

MEANS FOR MAKING FERRIC HYDROXIDE AND RESULTING PRODUCTS Filed May 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '"IIEIIIIIHIHF r I i I a! -wmmm m w INVENTOR t *It is a Patented .lune13,

PATENT OFFICE.

- 7 ARTHUR'EJSHARIELES, orennw YORK, Y.

1 MEANsFoR MAKINGrEnaIc 'HYDROXIDE AND RESULTING PRODUCTS Application filed May present invention relates to methods and apparatus forv the production of ferrichydroxide directly from the basic substances of iron: and water, and of the other products and by-products resulting from the employinent ,of' such methods and apparatus.

It is the object of thepres'ent invention to V devise methods for producing suchfproducts in a simple "and convenient w ay,"which may be practiced everywhere that an electric current is'availabl'e, and which do notrequire any skill to practice;

It: is als o an object ofthepresent inven-.

tion to devise apparatus for the practice of 15 the methods aforesaid, which. elficient, compact, convenient'to handle, economical to produce, and-which may operate on small quantities."

furtheriobjectfof the presentinvention to provide'electrically prepared, colloidal, ferric hydroxide, in pure form, as well asin'solution ;in water in combination with other substances, by-products of 7 its production, which solutions possess many desirable chemical and medicinal properties, such as will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates. p

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating" a preferred'embodiment of the apparatus ofthe present invention; one which is wells'uited for the practice of the methods of thepresent invention, 7 v i r r Fig: 1 is; a top plan View of the apparatus;:

Fig. 2-"is a side elevational' View of the same; a Fig.3 isa transverse sectional vie'wof the operating part of the apparatus of the present invention; and j Fig. is a cross-sectional line 4:& of Fig.3; and;

Fig.,-5 is a schematic view circuit of the apparatus of the present in= vention;

view takenalong the electric .1980. Serial No. 456,182.

In the accompanying drawings, the nu-" meral'll designates a rectangular platform or stand of wood or other suitable material, having mounted thereon, atone of its edges, adjacent one corner, the upright panel, 12, of insulating material, which is firmly held in place by means of the angle bars 13" and 14. Fixed securely to the panel 12is an electric motor, 15, which may be of any kind, adapted to the nature of the electric current with which it is intended to be used, or a universal motor, the said motor-15 having an adapter, 16, which carries ashaft, 17, on which is mounted the gear wheel, 18.

Mounted also on opposite edges of theplatform 11, are the two facing posts, 19 and 20, having at their'up'per extremities the recesses, 21 and 22, respectively, which are adapted to receive the reduced ends, 23 and 24, of a cross bar, 25. 20, as well as the cross bar, 25, may be of The posts,19 and ,7

metal, such as brass, or of any other suitable of. the'thumb screws, 27' and 28, which pass,

respectively, through the openings provided therefor in the reduced ends, 23 and 24, of the cross bar, 25, and into the threaded screw seats in vthe posts, 19 and 20.

Fixed to the under-side of the cross bar. 25,'is the disc or cover, 29, of an insulating material, such as fibre, which is adapted to serve asa cover and fit closelyin the opening of acontainer or jar, 30, of glass or other suitable non-conductive material which will readily hold water, and which is lating flooring 26. Underslung below the cover 29, by means ofthe posts, 31, 32, 33, and'34, and adapted to fit within the jar,

freely and removably placed on the insu- 30, is another circular disc of non-conductive material, 35. i

The upper surface of the disc or cover, 29, carries a metal ring, 36, circular in shape, and being of an electro-conductive metal, such as copper or the like. The 011"- cular ring 36, has a plurality of perfora trodes, 40, Which maybe slipped into and held in position by such perforations.

.Passing through the center of the crossbar, 25, of the cover, 29, and of the disc, is a freely rotatable shaft, 41, held in posi- 'tion' by means of the collar, 42,, fixed there-' to immediately below the" cover, 29. This shaft, 41,.isinsulated from the rest ofthe apparatus, except as hereinafter set out, and carries at its upper end agear wheel, 43, which is adapted to mesh with the gear wheel 18, of the motor, 15 It may here be.

statedi 'that the posts, '19 and 20, are, so placed. with respect to the motor, 15, tl iat when. the cross bar 25, is placed in position betweenflthe posts,'the gear wheel 43, Wlll exactly mesh with the gear wheel, 18, of the motor 15. Itmay also be here stated that the-jar, 30, since itis freelymovable and unattached to any other part'of the apparatus,

maybe readily. placed in position below the cover, 29, before the same 1s fixed in place.

. --:Fixed to a flattened or recuced' portion of the shaft, 41, whichportion may be at any POlllt'lOIl the'shaft', between the cover 29. and. the disc,- 35, is an L shaped bar, 44, to

which isattached a spring bar, 45, which extends across'thcshaft, 41, and carries on itspfreeend a contact member, 46. The

spring bar, 45, is sufficiently long so that the contact memberat its end, will contact and pass successively, each of the electrodes, 40, when theshaft 41, is rotated in the proper direction, The shaft, 41, also serves during suchrota-tion to support the spring bar, 45,

' and to prevent its breaking,

ThGQCOntZlCt member, 46-,jand each of the electrodes, 40, are terminals, in an electric circuit, which w1ll hereinafter be more fully described. The contact member, 46, the

spring bar,;45, and the shaft 41, are brought into the circuit by means of-the metal, electro conductive ring, 47, set into the cover, 29-, surrounding, and alwaystouching the shaft 41, at its point of entry into the cover,-

29. The ring, 47 ,is connected by means of the screw, 48, to..the: connecting bar, 49, on theunder side of the cover, 29, which is-connected, by the screw, 50, tothe electro-com ductive *spring contact member, .51, which contacts, when the cross bar is fixed 1n posltlon, wlththe insulatedterminalpest, 52,

of the electricjcircuit. Similarly, each of the electrodes,40, is always in contact, particularly when pressed by the contact member, 46, with the ring, 36, which is connected by the screw, 53, to the connecting bar, 54, on the under side of the cover, 29, which is 1n turn connected by the screw, 55, to the spring contact member, 56, which contacts, when the cross bar, 25, is in position, with another insulated terminal post, 57, of the electric circuit.

\Vhileit would bep ossible to operate the part j'of'the apparatus just described by rotating the shaft, 41, by any means whatever, I prefer to have the same turned by an electric motor, which motor I also prefer to have operate on the same circuit with the rest of the apparatus. For that purpose I have devised the electric circuit which is diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The circuit commences with the cable, 58, which'enters the platform 11, at the opening, 59, from which it goes to the toggle switch, 60. From the switch, a wire, not appearing in the drawings, except dia grammatically, leads to a fuse, 62, in a fuse socket, 63, whence another wire, not shown, lea'elsto a bus bar, below the platform, 11.

From the bus bar, 64, the current flows in two parallel circuits. One circuit goes to the motor 15, by means of thewire, 65,and thence to the bus bar,'66, from which it goes back to the cable, 58; The other circuit goes from the bus bar 64, to the terminal post 52, tov the connecting bar, 48, to the disc, 47 to the shaft, 41, to the contact member, 46, which, when themotor operates and turns the shaft, 41, contacts intermittently and successively with each of the electrodes, 40, to which the current passes. From the electrodes, 40, the current goes to the ring, 36 to the connecting bar, 53, to the spring. contact bar,,56, to the terminal post,-57, from which itpasses through a resistance coil, 67, in'ta. socket, 68, and to the bus bar, 66, and on r 7 It may here be stated, that the resistance coil, 67, may be varied to suit the current used, and may be single or double, in parallel or in series, and may be fixed in the circuitin'any manner. I prefer, however, to have itset in a socket, 68, which is mounted on two parallel bars, 69 and 70, one end of each of which rests on the panel, 12, the other ends on the posts, 71 and 72. I ,Inpractical operation of the apparatus just described,.the jar, 30, is filled with the desired quantityv of water, which may be plain, filtered or distilled, as may be desired, and placed on the insulated flooring, 26. The cover, 29, is then placed on'the jar, with the disc, .35, and'the electrodes, 40, inside the jar, with the contact member, 46, and a portionof each of the electrodes, at

least, submersed in the water. The jar is then adjustedin position, so thatthecross bar, 25, may be adjusted in position-between the posts, 1 9'and 20', and vsecuredin position by the thumbscrew's,-27; and 28. When the :bar- '25 is in position, the gear wheels. 43, and,,18, mesh. The -switch '60 'is ther thrown, theimotor, started, and'the sparking circuitcharged.

- It may here be stated that the dire'ctior, ofirotationof the motor is such thatiwhen it operates, the gear wheel 4 3- is turned in such a direction that when the contact member, 46,.is incontactw'ith any otthe electrodes, 40, the spring bar,45-, is pressed back against the shaft 41, which supplies aiful crumv for the spring bar,-which"bends;the spring. bar, and permits the contact member to-Vslippast.- such electrode. v

;;Wl1en the contact member connects with any of theelectrodes whilethe current is on, an electric spark or arc is produced, and 'as the contact member rotates and contacts successively with all thaelectrodes, a succession of intermittent sparks or ar'cs'results; Ijhaveffound that during'the sparking or arcing of the iron electr odes, various physi-p cal: and; chemical changestake place, and

' certainnew products result, llVhile the exact nature of all of the changes isnot clearly understood, nor all Of'lJllG resulting products 'or theirproperties definitely known, Ihave found thatat the location oitheelcctric' spark or .arc, the iron is burned, andis transformed by reaction with r the water, into ferric hydroxide. 'During the process, ozone-in a nascent state, as well yas hydrogen, is produced.

1 Th ferri hydroxide, 4 it; produced,

, goesintosolution in theiwatenuntil the waterbecomes saturated, when the ferric by droxide begins to ,form a colloidal solution with the water. The ozone and hydrogen, indwhatever other products are formedldnn ing the reaction, also go into solution in the water, until the water, becomes saturated with respect to them. The excess of these substances escapes.

In the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, wherein the motor has been reduced and geared to rotate-theshaft 41 at the rate of about ten revolutions per minute, and where there areten electrodes provided, and one contact member, it has been found that it takes between tw enty and stwenty-five minutes to produce a saturated colloidal so lution'of ferric hydroxide, ozone and hydro I gen. vAfter that timethereris precipitation.

It hasalso been found that the solution thus formed maystand forabout half an hour without losing any "of-its properties. 7

The solution thus formed,and g'the various products entering therein, probably be:

cause of'the method of producing them, are

foundto contain'many a dvanta, ,;e s and su perior-ities over the solution or any of the 7 While the foregoingiis descriptive of the preferred embodiment of the '7 apparatus of thepresent invention,of theimethods .of its practice, and ofthe resulting products, it

is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to such 'embodimenty;asaobviously, others ,may be made, without the exercise of the inventive faculties, and within the of the present invention. a v -lVhatI claim is: a I .1 i v 1. Apparatus of thee-character described, comprising a-containerfor water, means for holding a plurality'of electrodes within the saidcontainer, a plurality of iron electrodes, each forming a terminal'inan electric circuit, positioned in the said electrode holding means, a contact member forming another terminal in the said electric circuit, and means to bring the said contact member in contact successively with each of the said electrodes. V v I 2. Apparatus-of the character described,

comprising a container for water,'meansfor holding an electrode within the said conta1ner,.an iron electrode, forming a .ter'mi- Vnal in an electric circuit positioned in the the said electrode.

' "Apparatus of the character described, comprising a containerfor water, means for holding-a plurality of electrodeswithin thev said container, a plurality of iron electrodes scope each forming a terminal in an electric 'circuit, positioned in the {said electrode holding means, a movable contactmember form inn-another terminal in the-saildelectric circuit,-and means to; move said contact member to bringitin contact successivelywith each of the "saidfielectrod'es.

5 l; Apparatus of the character described, comprising a container for water, means for holding a plu'ralit ofelectrodes within the said container, a plurality of irony electrodes, each forming a terminal in an -electric circuit, positioned in said electrode holding.

means arotatable shaft passing through the center of said electrodevholding means. said shaft being in the electric circuit andcarrying a contact member'adapted to rotate with tie shaft and to contact successively with each of the. said electrodes when thesaid shaft'is'rotated. I 1

5. Apparatus of the character. described, comprising a container for water,- means for holding a plurality-of electrodes within the saidIcontainer, a plurality of iron elec', trodes,:.:each forming a terminal in "an "elec-;

trio l circuit, circularly disposed in the said electrode'holding means, azrotatable shaft Dassing through the center of said electrode holding means, said shaft. being in the electric circuitand 'c'arryinga contactmember adapted to rotate with the'said shaftand to contact successively with each of the said electrodes and' intermittentlv make and break-the electric circuit when the said shaft is rotated. V a t 7 6.;Apparatus of the character described, comprising a container for water, m'eansfor holding a pluralitv of electrodes Within the v said container, a plurality of iron electrodes, each forming a terminal in an electric C1I' cuit, circularlv disposed in such electrode holding means, a rotatable shaft passing through the center of said electrode holding means; said shaft being connected in the electric circuit and carrying a'contact member adapted to rotate with the said shaft and to contact successively with each of the said electrodes and intermittently make and "break the electriccircuit', and means to rotate said shaft, suchrotating means comprising a gear carried on therotat ng shaft, said gear being adapted tomesh with a gear carried on-the shaftof an electric motor.

8. Apparatus of the character described,

comprising a container for water and associated means for creating intermittent electric sparks on iron electrodes within the said container, such means comprising a lid of non-conductive material for the container, and underslung non-conductive disc attached to the said lid, acircular ring of GlCtIWCOIlCllIQtiVG material on the upper surface of the said lid, said ringbeing connected in an electric circuit,'a corresponding ring of electro-conductive material on the upper surface of the said disk, a plurality of perforationsthrough the said lid and r ng carried thereon, said perforations being adapted to have a lurality of electrodesinserted therein and to have said electrodes comein contact with the electro-conductive ring, and a pluralitv of correspondin perforations in the disk ring, such perforations forming seats-for theendsof the, in-

serted electrodes, a plurality of iron electtrodes. positioned in said perforations, said electrodes being in the electric circuit, a rotating shaftpassing through'the center of the lid, such shaft being connected in the electric circuit and carrying a contact member, which member is ada ted to rotate with the shaft and tocontact successively and intermittently with each of the said'electrodes, and intermittently make and break the electric circuit, and means to rotate the said rotatable shaft. 7

9.1 Apparatus of the characterdescribed, comprising a container adapted to hold a liquid, means for holding an electrode Withinjthe'said container, an electrodeformin'g a terminal in an electric circuit positioned in the said electrode holder,'a contact member forming another terminal in the said electric circuit, and means to bring the said contact member intermittently in contact with the said electrode. r

10. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a container 'adapted'to hold a liquid, means for holdinga plurality of electrodes within the said container, a plurality of electrodes, each forming a terminal in an electriccircuit, positioned in the saidelectrode holding means, a contactmember forming another terminal in the said electric circuit, and means to bring the said contact member in contact successively with eachm of the said electrodes.

' 11. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a container adapted to hold a liquid, means for holding a plurality of electrodes within the said container, a plurality of electrodes, each forming a terminal in an electric circuit, positioned in the said electrode holding means, a movable contactv member in the said container, forming an other terminal in the said electric circuit, and mean to move the said contact member to bring it in contact successively with each of the said electrodes.

12. Apparatus of the character described, comprising acontainer" adapted to hold a liquid, means for holding a plurality of elec-- trodes within the said container a plurality of electrodes, each forming a terminal in ah electric circuit, positioned in the said electrode holding means, a rotatable shaft passing through the center of the said electrode holding means, said shaft being iii the said electric circuit and carrying a contact member' adapted to rotate with the shaft and to contact successively witheach of the said electrodes when the said shaft is rotated.

13. Apparatus of the character described,

comprising a container adapted to hold a liquid, means for holding a plurality of electrodes in a circular arrangement, a plurality of electrodes pOSltlOIlGCl'lIl thesaid electrode holding 11163118,.621Ch forming a terminal in an electric circuit, a rotatable shaft passing through the center of the said electrode,

holding means, said shaft being in the said electric circuit and carrying a contact member adapted to rotate iththe said shaft and to contact successively with each of the v r said electrodes and intermittently make and break the electriccircuit'when the said shaft is rotated. w a y In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 20th'day of May; 1930. 1

r ARTHURE. SHARPLES.

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