Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-09
Gas AND STEAM MOTOR.

The gas engine, at first noisy, unreli-
able motor of only one or two horsepower,
has within the past few years been greatly
improved, and in its latest forms becomes
a reliable and useful machine having a
power equal to eight horses, and is gradu-
ally finding place in small manufactures
wherever a cheap and easily managed mo-
tor is required. The most important step
in this improvement was III the suppression
of the noise, and in the new silent gas en-
gines this great objection to these motors
is removed The latest form of gas engine
goes one step further and becomes a CON-
bined gas and steam engine, the con-
sumption of gas producing the heat
needed to make the steam, and with
out the aid of separate fire. There is no
boiler, in the ordinary sense, the boiler be-
ing contained in the engine and the steam
being used in the cylinder in which the gas
is burned, the combustion OF the gas at the
same time producing more steam. Like
other gas engines, this motor employs one
siDgle-action cylinder and depends on the
momentum of a fy-wheel to continue the
stroke and restore the cylinder to its acting
position The motor consists of two up
right cylinders placed side by side in an
iron frame that carries at the bottom and
beneath the cylinders the shaft to which
the connecting rods of both cylinders
are directly connected. The smaller of
these cylinders is the compressor for
mixing and COMPRISING the air and
street gas that are to be burned in the
longer or motor cylinder. On turning the
balance-wheel the piston of the cylinder is
drawn out, forming vacuum into which
the air and gas are admitted in the right
proportions. The return of the piston
congresses the mingled air and gas, and as
they are prevented from escape by the way
they entered, they pass through other con-
nections into the large motor cylinder.
There they meet the lighted gas-iet and
take fire, and in burning force the piston
downward and thus impart motion to the
machine. On the up-stroke of the piston
in this cylinder, the burned-out gas,
still retaining nearly all its heat, passes
upward into a reservoir or boiler placed on
top Of the cylinder. Each of the two cyl
inders has water-jacket that communi-
Gates with the water in this boiler and by
extracting heat from each assists to raise
steam in the boiler and at the same time
keep the cylinders cool. Suitable slides,
governed by eccentrics on the shaft, con-
troll the movements of the gas from one
cylinder to the other, and thus make the
motion continuous. A governor is also
supplied to regulate the supply of gas to
the engine. After one or two turns the
engine becomes self-acting, and runs con-
tinuously, as long as the gas supply is
maintained Ia short time after the en-.
CINE has started. the heat of the burning
gas, escaping through the exhaust into the
boiler. raises steam, and the steam is
taken to the motor cylinder and admitted
at the same instant that the compressed
air and gas enter and are famed. The
steam assists in driving the engine without
in any way interfering with the burning
gas. and alter being used passes on with
the productions OF combustion to the boiler
to assist in raising more steam. In Its
other parts, the device OF maintaining
liqbted let of gas, etc., the motor resembles
the former styles of gas engines. Its chief
interest lies in the combination OF gas
and steam engine in one, without the AID
of an extra fire. The steam IS said to act
as an excellent lubricant in the cylinder
and to prevent the soiling of the parts oc-
casioned by the burning gas. Motors OF
this style have been made up to eight
horse power, and are reported to be easily
started and TO be efficient in action.