Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-07
A woRKINc suN ENGINE.
The Latest Invention OF ths vetera

The Latest Invention of the Veteran
Ericsson-A Machine for the Tropics.
Few persons know that the well known
hot-air engine of various makes. Of which
thousands have been sold for pumping
purposes within the last few years, saws
the New York EUeHing Post, grew out of
Capt. EricssOn's experiments with a sun
motor. The model Of Ericsson's first
working sun engine still stands under a
glass case IN big, Old-fashiOned parlOr
at No. IS Beach street, where Capt. Erics-
son lives all the year round The model
is not more than eight inches high. vet
under hot sun it can work at a rate
which shakes the heavy table upon which
il stands.
1t occurred to Capt. Ericsson that by
turning his solar engine upside down and
getting heat from coal fire or a flame of
oil or gas instead of from the sun, he
could accomplish more in this climate
ana the useful Ericsson pumping engine
is the result. A practicable sun engine.
TO be used where there is no coal or wood
10 be had, and plenty of sun. has been a
problem upon which Capt. Ericsson has
been at work for % wears. His studies as
to the amount Of heat radiated by the sun
have been of the most exhaustive descrip-
ton, and the published results have led
capt. Ericsson into controversies with
French and Italian scientists as to the
heat OF the sun, the French savans con-
tending that the sun is not so hot as Capt.
Ericsson estimates. During the present
summer Capt. Ericsson hopes to deter
mine by methods which cannot be ques-
toned the exact heat at the surface Of
the sun.
The solar engine, as practicable work
ing machine, was finished last summer
and worked regularly in the back yard of
No. 30 Beach street. Similar engines can
now be built whenever there is any need
for them. Capt Ericsson gives the
following description of this first ma
chine: q
''This mechanical device for utilizing
the SUMS radiant heat is the result of eX-
periments conducted during a series of
20 years; a succession of experimental
| machines of similar general design, but
varying in detail, having been built dur
ing that period. The leading feature of
the sun motor is that of concentrating the
radiant heat by means of a rectangular
trough having a curved bottom lined on
the inside with polished plates so arranged
that they reflect the SUMS rays toward a
cylindrical heater placed lOngitudinally
above the trough. This heater, it is
scarcely necessary to state, contains the
acting medium, steam or air, employed to
transfer the solar energy to the motor, the
| transfer being effected by means of cylin-
ders provided with pistOns and valves re-
sembling those of motive engines of the
ordinary type. The bottom of the rectan-
! gular trough consists of straight wooden
slaves, supported by iron ribs of para
bolic curvature secured to the sides of the
| trough. On these slaves the rejecting
| plates, consisting of fat window glass
sllvered on the under side, are fastened.
1t will be readily understood that the
method thus adopted for concentrating the
radiant heat does not call for a structure
of great accuracy, provided the wooden
slaves are secured to the iron ribs in such
position that the silyered plates attached
to the same reflect the solar rays toward
the heater. The trough, IL feet long and
l6 feet broad, including parallel opening
in the bottom u inches wide, is sustained
by light truss attached to each end, the
heater being supported by vertical plates
secured to the truss. The heater is 81
inches in diameter, II feet long, exposing
13Ox9.o-1,274 superficial inches to the ac-
ton of the reflected solar rays. The re-
flecting plates, each inches wide and %
| inches long, intercept a sunbeam of 130x
1893, 400 square inch section. The
trough is supported by a central pivot
round which it revOlves. The change of
inclination is effected by means of hori-
ZOntal aXle-cOncealed by the trough
the entire mass being so accurately bal
anced that pull of pounds applied at
| the extremity enables person to change
the inclination or cause the whole to re-
volye. A single revolution of the motive
engine develops more power than needed
to turn the trough and regulate its incli-
nation so as to face the sun during DAVIS
operation. The motor is a steam engine,
the working cylinder being inches in di-
n m wit fV,Ch zAw
| rod, passing through the bottom OF the
cylinder, operates force pump of 3 inches
In diameter. BY means of an ordinary
crosshead secured to the piston rod below
the steam cylinder, and by ordinary con-
Meeting rods, motion is impaired to
crank-shaft and fiy-wheel, applied at the
| top of the engine frame, the object of this
arrangement being that of showing the
| capablllty Of the engine to work either
pumps or mills. The average speed Of the
engine during the trials last summer was
12O turns per minute, the absolute pres
sure OF the working piston being 80
| pounds per square inch"
Capt. Ericsson concludes from the work
| OF his engine last summer in pumping
water, that the sun motor of the type
| described will be a valuable machine for
| tropical countries where coal and wood
are scarce. From the heat obtained from
| solar rays for working his engine he bases
| the calculations which lead him to fl X the
| degree of heat at the surface of the sun at
| 1908, $40 degrees Fahrenheit. This years
| experiments will, he hopes, dispose of
some doubts as to the exactitude of these
calculations, and also enable him to take
into account certain factors which have
not yet been considered.
The famous builder of the monitors is
now in his SD year, but is as active in mind
and body as man of 60. He has lived for
the last quarter of a century in the big
house in Beach street "a fashionable
neighborhood when he moved there-de-
voting his whole day to scientific research
and experiment, assisted by his secretary
| and some draughtsmen and machinists.
He never goes out during the day, but
takes stroll every evening. His health
is excellent, and his interest in scientific
matters of all kinds unabated.