Garrett’s’ Gauge

Here’s a complete hydrogen/oxygen system (refer to Figure 22) all wrapped up in a neat little package. It was an ingenious concept, all the basic elements are there. But it went the way of countless other inventors’ dreams, doomed to fail only because of lack of vital technology. Charles Garrett originally patented this gadget back in 1932 (US Patent 2,006,676), terming it an
“Electrolytic Carburetor.” He proposed charging the electrodes with a “storage battery”, a hopelessly inadequate power source.
Lead plates served as the water capacitor and weak sulfuric acid as electrolyte. Since the water chamber has to be electrically non‐conductive, it was constructed of bakelite (an early‐day form of plastic). An electric motor drove a gear with an offset pin and linkage, actuating a switch to reverse battery polarity to the plates. (Mechanically creating a very low frequency, low voltage, pulse). Water level was mechanically controlled by means of a float and needle valve assembly designed to restrict the water inlet port.
Looking at the Garrett Gadget, we can see that the basic concept of a water powered engine is not a new idea by any means. He was on the right track: all he needed was 70 more years of evolving technology.