System for fuel supplementation

Claim 2

An improved wet plate battery for use with an internal combustion engine carburetor and adapted to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas for enriching the air/fuel mixture inducted into the internal combustion engine, comprising: a case; a plurality of electrical generating cells separated by a plurality of separating walls within said case, each having positive and negative plates, said plates being immersed in a dilute electrolyte; a plurality of air tubes extending into said cells, each tube extending into one cell and said air tubes each having one end open to atmosphere exteriorly of said case and having the other end open below said electrolyte level in said cell, below said plates and being immersed in said electrolyte; a gas discharge port disposed on the top of said case above the electrolyte and adapted to be connected to a source of vacuum at the carburetor, each of said cell separating walls having an aperture above the electrolyte; means disposed within said separating wall apertures for permitting the gases collecting above said plates to pass to said gas discharge port while restraining passage of the electrolyte; a plurality of intake shrouds positioned above said air tubes, said shrouds having a plurality of apertures communicating a plurality of said tubes with atmosphere; a gas discharge tube sealably connected at one end to said gas discharge port, said gas discharge tube adapted for connection to the carburetor of the engine; and a check valve inserted intermediate the ends of said discharge tube.

Claim 3

In combination with an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine, an improved wet plate battery comprising: a molded case; a plurality of electrical generating cells within said case, each cell including positive and negative plates; a plurality of wall members separating each cell within said case, each wall member having an aperture thereby placing the area above each cell in communication with the adjacent cell; a plurality of air tubes extending from the top of said case downwardly within each of said cells, said air tubes being open at their ends with the lower end terminating adjacent the bottom of said case; a gas discharge port formed in the top of said case; means disposed within said cell wall apertures for permitting the gases collecting above said plates to pass to said gas discharge port while restraining passage of electrolyte; a gas exhaust tube connected at one end to said port and at the other end to said air cleaner assembly, said air cleaner assembly including an outwardly extending air intake snorkel, said other end of said tube being connected to the inlet of said snorkel whereby at least a portion of the air requirements of the engine are supplied by air drawn downwardly through said air tubes and through said battery, said snorkel having an aperture therein downstream of the snorkel inlet communicating the interior of said snorkel with ambient air; and a damper valve means disposed within said snorkel and having a valve element for partially or wholly closing said ambient air aperture and for varying the ratio of ambient air to gases from said battery supplied to said engine as a function of intake manifold pressure and engine temperature.

Claim 4

In combination with an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine, an improved wet plate battery comprising: a molded case; a plurality of electrical generating cells within said case, each cell including positive and negative plates; a plurality of wall members separating each cell within said case, each wall member having an aperture thereby placing the area above each cell in communication with the adjacent cell; a plurality of air tubes extending from the top of said case downwardly within each of said cells, said air tubes being open at their ends with the lower end terminating adjacent the bottom of said case; a gas discharge port formed in the top of said case; means disposed within said cell wall apertures for permitting the gases collecting above said plates to pass to said gas discharge port while restraining passage of electrolyte; a gas exhaust tube connected at one end to said port and at the other end to said air cleaner assembly, said air cleaner assembly including an outwardly extending air intake snorkel, said other end of said tube being connected to the inlet of said snorkel whereby at least a portion of the air requirements of the engine are supplied by air drawn downwardly through said air tubes and through said battery, said snorkel having an aperture therein downstream of the snorkel inlet communicating the interior of said snorkel with ambient air; and a damper valve means disposed within said snorkel and having a valve element for partially or wholly closing said ambient air aperture and for varying the ratio of ambient air to gases from said battery supplied to said engine as a function of intake manifold pressure and engine temperature.

Claim 5

The combination definded by claim 2 wherein said valve means includes: a damper valve element rotatably mounted within said snorkel; resilient means connected to said valve element for biasing said valve to a position wherein substantially all the air requirements are supplied from the ambient air; and adjustable valve position means mounted to said snorkel and engaging said valve element for selectively varying the position of said valve element as a function of intake manifold pressure and engine temperature thereby varying the ratio of ambient air to gases from said battery supplied to said engine.