Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-06
WITHOUT A BOILER.
A Boat propelled by Gas Generated from
Crude Petroleum.

Crude Petroleum.
Albany journal
An unpretentious-lookin canal boat
bearing the name City of Chicago re =
Gently ploughed its way up the Hudson
and anchored to a post at the Ferry
street dock, Bath. There was nothing
specially remarkable in its appearance.
1t WAS built like canal boat and looked
and sailed like a canal boat But how
the craft managed to cover distance
without the assistance of a tug, sails
or visible engine was u mys-
terry. At close quarters a
hoarse, coughing sound was audible
and one might notice churDlng In the
water under the stern. As soon as the
! affair was stationary Journal reporter
olambered aboard on a tour of investiga-
tion. Making his way aft he descended
into a small chamber redolent with the
fumes OF petroleum and Uttered with
queer-looking objects. This was the
place whence the motive power proceed
ed. In the center Of the room, In an oily
blouse, was a stalwart individual
with a big monkey-wrench In his
hand, bending over an elliptical iron drum.
When he had been acquainted with
the object OF the scribe's business he
thumped the drum with his fist and re-
marked; 1.-THE principal thing about this
engine Is that 1t dlspenses with boiler
aud burns crude petroleum instead OF
coal and Is run by hydro-cirbon gas gem
Grated by burning the petroleum with
condensed air. There's no complicated
machinery to get out OF order and the
machine runs very easily" Under the
guidance of Mr.. 4. w. Potter, part
owner in the engine, who is making the
trip from New York to Buffalo, the visitor
made an examination of the engine and
was made acquainted with the manner OF
running 1t.
The engine proper Is all inclosed In the
oblong drum In the center OF the room
This drum is heavy cast-iron shell 40x2l
inches, inclosing two cylinders, each
l5xl5 inches, Each OF the cylinders is
inclosed by jacket, and the space be
tween 1t and the jacket is kept full of cold
water. In the middle of the top OF the
drum Is what is known as the fire cham.
Der, with valves opening into the
cylinders. In this chamber Is
y perforated metal disc which is
covered with kind OF wicking. This
wicklng is supplied with oil from tiny
supply pipe that admits few drops at a
time. Another supply pipe of similar
dimensions admits the air from a neigh.
boring tank. When the fire Is to be
started a small lever at the side OF the
chamber is pushed to one side, DISCLOSING
a vent, to which the light Is applied
There Is no waiting to get up steam, for
as soon as the fire Is lighted the engine Il
Ieldy to start. The cylinders are con
nected with the propeller shaft by cranks
from the bottom. At the side
oil the engne-room are the oil aud all
tanks, OF the former there is one having
a capacity OF sixty gallons. OF the latter
there are three, two reserves and work
Ing tank. A pressure OF ninety pounds Ii
kept on the air tanks, In the engine-roon
are two long levers. BY using one th,
boat n started ahead. BY the other the
engine Is reversed, and when neither 1,
touched the engine runs free
without turning the propeller. The con
nection Of the shaft with the propeller /.
by friction clutch, which Is thrown OF
or OF by the movement of the levers
With everything in perfect condition the
engine running at full speed makes liz
turns OF the propeller per minute. Tn,
pistons are driven by the expansion o.
the hydro-carbon gas precisely the sam,
as by stesm and not by the explosion o.
the gas. The gas exhausts into q larg,
tank In the stern, which causes hoerse
coughing sound.