The daily gazette., 1879-07-21
FIFTH EDITION.
Cos ~ . Baotlve Power.

THE OTTO SILENT ENGINE DESCRIBED.
In twelve feet square brick building
that stands in the Gas Company's yard
q. what is called the slower tank" at
and Wilson streets, is an en-
gine, the motive power Of which is gas,
whose every movement is of the smooth
est and most satisfactory nature.
A reporter of this paper was shown the
workings of the engine on Saturday by
Superintendent Curley of the Gas Com.
pany, who explained the secrets Of the
wonderful piece of machinery. 1t is
called the "Otto" Silent Engine, and is
made by Schleicher, Schuman q Co., Of
Philadelphia.
The engine In all its parts is most
ingenious contrivance andthe idea of util
ed out to be q decided success. The
piston and cylinder in the engine are the
same as in steam engine, and the mo
tive power is secured from a sustained
pressure working in the cylinder. Just
here, difference between the two kinds
Of engines may be stated: Steam pres
sure is generated in boilers and utilized
after passing into the cylinder the pres
sure in the engine is generated and util-
lied In the cylinder itself. D.
The pressure Is the result of the COM
bustion Of diluted and compressed COM
pound OF common air and gas. The
quantity of air and gas admitted are In
such relative proportions as will cause
an expl0si0n when compounded together
and ignited by . gas jet kept constantly
h,rr Tho ftDv, nf a otr q nd On
needed are about 10 to IA parts Of the
former to one of the latter. The running
Of the engine, creates suction which
draws both air and gas into the cylinder.
The gas is admitted through a gauge (;
when this is open the amount Of gas ad-
mitted is under control Of governor. BY
this the speed is regulated to nicely
and perfect regularity of motion is se-
cured by the momentum Of the fly
wheel.
It has been number of years since
these engines have been in use. 1t is q
German invertion and has been much
improved on by English ingenuity. II
has only been in this country for abou'
a year. The engine is Of about two
horse power and makes one hundred ant
eighty revolutions per minute. 1t il
used In pumping gas from the work
at the foot of Madison street to the hol
der close by the engine house. Itpump
about 49, 600 feet per hour.
One thing surpriring about the engin
is the small cost in running it. BY
metre fastened to the supply-gas pipe
it Is ascertained that it consumes jus
seven cents worth of gas every hour
it ran ten hours day the cost woult
only be seventy cents if it ran all tn
time the cost would only be $1.6S pc
twenty four hours.
But this is not the only economics
feature. With . steam engine, much {
one person's time is required to attend
it, but here all you have to do is turn o
the gas, light the jet which ignite
the combination of gas and air, and Civ
the fly wheel turn. The engine wi
then run from morning till night, will
out any more. attention, as the gas an
air supply is constant and as it is sci
oileT. l.--,--r-.-----
The trouble of "patching the boiler,
, which is q we'll known trouble to all wi
: have anything TO DO with steam engine
Is also avoided.
r The cost ofthis engine is very sma
the one just, described being furnis b
for $500. 4fI- srfs.