Patent GB-176510-A (GB)
Title: Method of and apparatus for the production of motive force
IPC: F03G7/06
Filed: 1920-12-08
Abstract: 176,510. Merz, F. Dec, 8, 1920. Addition to 142,429. Engines working on s p e c i a l s y s t e m s etc.; flexible chamber engines; vapour engines.-In apparatus of the kind described in the parent Specification wherein closed deformable power vessels containing a vaporizable substance are alternately subjected to two fluids of different temperatures, hydraulic transmission is used in lieu of mechanical transmission. Vessels 21, Fig. 1, are immersed in liquid on either side of a partition 46 in a closed chamber 45 around the lower and upper sections of which circulate respectively cold and hot liquid. The alternate inflation and contraction of the vessels 21 as they rise and fall cause the reciprocation of the piston 54 and rotation of the shaft 55. Apparatus for producing a continuous flow of liquid to operate a turbine is shown in Fig. 2. The vessels 21 rise and fall in a chamber 45 supplied at its upper and lower ends respectively with hot and cold liquid by circulating pipes 63, 62 immersed in circulating hot and cold liquids in tanks 65, 64. Liquid is drawn in at 56 and discharged at 57. A construction is described wherein vessels 21 are caused to rise and fall by oscillating guides engaging wheels on elliptical springs secured to a holding-carriage. The warm liquid may be produced in this construction by the introduction of a vapour. The pressure of dilation may be used on a reciprocating wall, or the connection cut-off and the apparatus used to produce a flow of pressure liquid for a turbine. Two or more apparatus may work in conjunction. Apparatus for using large quantities of liquid differing in temperature by a few degrees is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and comprises two similar alternately operative elements. The vessels 21 enter hot and cold chambers 83, 84 and are enclosed therein by plates 94, 95 which engage a dividing plate 93. The chambers 83, 84 are supplied respectively with hot and cold liquids through pipes 80, 81, and have a common siphonacting discharge 82. The liquid-connections are controlled by valves 85, 86, 89, 90 actuated by a cam 117, Fig. 7, through levers and springs 87, 91. A second cam 115, Fig. 6, on the shaft 116 actuates a piston 112 which alternately reciprocates through hydraulic pressure the vessels 21 of the two elements. Cylinders 102 containing floating pistons 103 are arranged above the chambers 83, and communicate past valves 104, 106, 106<1> with pipes 105, 108, 109 communicating respectively with the cold liquid supply, the chamber 84 of the adjacent element and a point utilizing pressure fluid. On the dilation of vessels 21 in the chambers 83, fluid originally supplied to cylinder 103 through pipe 105 is forced out through pipes 108, 109, the fluid passing through pipe 108 enters the adjacent chamber 84 when the vessels 21 therein contract and the valves thereof are closed. In a further modification, two deformable vessels are maintained immovable in two chambers which are supplied alternately with hot and cold liquids from pairs of reservoirs containing circulating-means, and which are alternately put into communication with the chambers and sources of hot and cold liquid by valve-boxes containing a series of cam-actuated lift valves. The pressure-liquid supply is effected by spring- pressed plungers working in cylinders communicating with the hot-liquid reservoirs. The vessels 21 may comprise flexible walls secured to annuli mounted on a rod recessed to supply the working fluid, which may consist of carbonic acid, ether, ethyl chloride ammonia, or liquid air. Coupled apparatus with different vaporizable liquids may be used.