Daily Republican., 1879-05-28
WONDERS OF GAS.
New Motive Power for Machinery
How Gas - Utilised I'm Place Of

Fuels
For considerable time back the de-
velopmsnts that have been made in
the use of gas as an article of family as
well as public use have been exciting
considerable interest. Its full capa-
bility as an agent for comfort and labor
saving servic. has not been attained
and every new innovation which tends
towards the doing away Of expense and
unnecessary labor will be received with |
appreciation. The Gas Company of
this city have recognized this fact, and
for public benefit have taken the agen-
cy for all the new improvements that
have been made in this line.
In conversation with Mr.. Thomas
Curlsy. the Superintendent, we learned
much that was new and interesting.
By him we wero informed of the intro
duction at the retort at Fourteenth
and Walnut streets, Of new engine,
two horse power by which gas forms the
motive power. We were favored with
view of it. Its manner of running is
novel and something new in the de-
partment of mechanics. Its machinery
is simple and the secret of its power
lies in the end of the cylinder, which is
covered by slide valve. In connection
with this valve there is a burning jet,
working the flame is carried back and
forth. The motive pow er comes from a
pressure on piston in the cylinder, ,ex-
actly on the same principal as in a
steam engine. This pressure is gener
ated and utilized in the cylinder itsell
and is the result of the combustion Of
} diluted and compressed compound Of
common gas and air.
3 This compound is drawn into the
cylinder by the action Of the piston
: which serves as pump and motor at th'
q same time, the former forms a gas pipe
the latter being simply the air will
t which the engine is surrounded. Thes'
e two are drawn into the cylinder in al
S exact quantity to form a powerful ex
plosive. By the action Of the slid
o valve, the flame, spoken of above il
q carried to an aperture or touch hole il
e the cylinder through which the explo
sive compound is about to issue, an'
combustion takes place. An explosion
y follows. By the force Of the explosion
r the piston is forced back and the driv
1t ing power is thus obtained. On tn
k inward stroke the effects of the com
% bustion are removed. The cylinder
:. again filled with the compound, the &C
'e ton of the slide valve is repeated an
the piston is again forced outward
The motion is noiseless and rniforr
one, giving forcing power Of 100
IS feet per hour.
& The engine is used to force gas fror
la the mains leading from the works i
at West Wilmington into the holder a
e. the place above mentioned, the fol
is cling power being obtained from ia
le worked by the consuming engine
,g This engine can also be used for genel
r al purposes. 1t does away with the e1
lg penses attending the running of stea'
is engine, such as are used for coal, woo
d, and engineers services, to say nothin
On of ashes and dirt. The expense a
tending its running is only seven cen
n. an hour. The company have also
ny their Office atThird and Shipley street
of on exhibition, patterns ofthe new sun
ne mer cooking arrangements. They al
cA attached by means of a pipe to con
.at mon metre, and are set in cooking ord
,ly at the will of the possessor.
tic They have every convenience II
.st cooking, and the heat is secured fro
to burning jets. After the cooking
tn through with the gas can be turned 9
he and there is LETT no evidence of dirt
use smell. The cooking is done satistactorl
,a- and is not in the least tainted by al
he flavor of gas. The cost for prepar1l
meal by this operation is two cent
on and is done much quicker than by Il
ed old method.