Improvements in Means for Propelling Liquids, applicable for Use in the Propulsion of Vessels, the Pumping of Liquids, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July. 1898
Oth An 1000
Accented
7th Cant
1000
Date of Application, 7th July. 1898
Complete Specification Left, Oth Apr., 1990 Accepted, 7th Sept.,
4000
Improvements in Means for Propelling Liquids, applicable for Use in
the Propulsion of Vessels, the Pumping of Liquids, and the like.
I, EDWIN TATHAM, of Colfe Lodge, Lewisham Hill, in the County of Kent,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:―
This invention has for its object to effect the propulsion of liquids by force
due to the expansion generated by the ignition of combustible gases acting
directly upon the liquid to be propelled, fresh charges of the liquid entering
the space from which liquid has been expelled, these fresh charges being in
turn expelled by the expansion due to the ignition of succeeding charges of
combustible gases. The invention is applicable for use in the propulsion of
vessels on water, in pumping liquids, and the like.
The arrangement may be as follows; but I do not limit myself to this
arrangement.
Presuming the invention to be used for the propulsion of a vessel; the charge
of combustible gases is forced into a combustion chamber, which is the upper
end of a tube whose other end terminates at, or is directed towards, the stern
of the vessel, the external water entering the said tube. When the charge of
combustible gases is ignited the expansion forces the water from the tube
and propels the vessel. A fresh charge of water then enters the tube, which
may be effected by means of an inlet tube which is provided with a non-return
valve and air cushioning arrangement and communicates with the first named
tube, preferably by surrounding it at a part where it is provided with perfora-
tions at, or about, the water level. The fresh charge of water which so enters
the second tube and valve forces out the burnt gases and fills the tubes to the
water level and then a fresh charge of combustible gases is admitted and
ignited and this expels the water, and so on during the action of the apparatus.
By providing means for diverting the direction of the projected water the
direction of the vessels motion can be altered as desired.
When the apparatus is used for pumping liquid the combustion chamber is
situated at the top of a bend in a tube communicating on the one hand with
the suction pipe, and, on the other, with the rising main, both being provided
with non-return valves, so that at each ignition of a charge of combustible
gases in the combustion chamber liquid is forced up the rising main, and,
after each ignition, a fresh charge of liquid passes into the space from which
liquid was expelled, to be in its turn expelled on the ignition of the next
charge of combustible gases, and so on whilst the apparatus is in use.
There may be more than one tube and combustion chamber arranged in
succession to act in a cycle.
Dated this 7th dow of Tul. 1800
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Means for Propelling Liquids, applicable for Use in
the Propulsion of Vessels, the Pumping of Liquids, and the like.
I, EDWIN TATHAM, of Colfe Lodge, Lewisham Hill, in the County of Kent,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to effect the propulsion of liquids by force
due to the expansion generated by the ignition of combustible gases acting
directly upon the liquid to be propelled, fresh charges or supplies of the liquid
entering the space from which liquid has been expelled, these fresh charges
or supplies being in turn expelled by the expansion due to the ignition of
succeeding charges of combustible gases. The invention is applicable for use
in the propulsion of vessels on water, in pumping liquids, and generally in
cases where the force imparted to the propelled liquid can be utilized.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an arrangement whereby
apply my invention to the propulsion of a vessel, Figures 2 and 3 represent
the pumping device for the gases the combustion of which is to provide the
propelling force, Figure 4 is an arrangement whereby the gases, or either of
them, can be supplied at a regulated pressure, Figure 5 shews the invention
applied to the pumping of liquid, Figure 6 is a section of a mixing nozzle for
the gases. Referring first to Figure 1 the charges of combustible gases are
forced into a combustion chamber A, which is the upper end of a tube B,
whose other end terminates at, or is directed towards, the stern of the vessel,
the external water entering the said tube. When each charge of combustible
gases is ignited the expansion forces the water from the tube and propels the
vessel. A fresh charge of water then enters the tube B which may be effected
by means of an inlet tube C which is provided with a non-return valve c and
air cushioning arrangement 2 and communicates with the outside water pre-
ferably near the keel C2. The said tube C communicates with the tube B
preferably by surrounding it (as at 62) at a part where it is provided with per-
forations at, or about, the water level. The fresh charge of water which
enters the tube Cand valve a forces out the burnt gases and fills the tubes B C
to the water level as shewn in the drawing and then a fresh charge of com-
bustible gases is admitted and ignited and this expels the water from the
tube B, and so on during the action of the apparatus.
The pumping apparatus by which the gases for the explosive mixture are
forced into the combustion chamber may be of any suitable description.
Although any suitable explosive mixture can be employed such as a mixture
of hydrocarbon gas and air yet I generally prefer to use a mixture of oil gas
and oxygen and in the drawings I have illustrated an arrangement for supply-
ing the requisite charges of these gases. The oxygen and oil gas may be
supplied from any suitable source. For instance they may each be supplied
from a container and be led therefrom through a pipe d which passes into an
open tank D and is provided with a tap (Figure 4) which is controlled by
the float the said pipe passing up from the tank D and opening into the
upper part of a second tank D2 which is closed except that it communicates at
bottom by a slot d with the tank D. Water, or other liquid, in the tanks
covers this slot and rises above it to a sufficient extent to prevent the said slot
being at any time uncovered by the liquid.
When the gas, entering the tank D2 by the pipe d, exceeds a certain pressure

page_text: it presses liquid from the tank D2, through the slot d, into the tank D, and
so raises the level of the liquid therein that the float d³, operates the tap d³,
so as to contract the passage for gas through the pipe d. The apparatus
Figure 4 therefore constitutes an automatic arrangement for regulating the
pressure of the gases which pass to the pumping apparatus and thence to the
combustion chamber A, preferably through a mixing nozzle illustrated in sec-
tion in Figure 6 consisting of series of slits e e² opening respectively into the
spaces into which respectively open the pipes g g for the respective gases
so that the oil gas passes by alternate slits and the oxygen by the other slits
and issuing from these slits become thoroughly mixed in the passages leading
to the combustion chamber. A which, passages, are provided with a non-return
valve m to prevent back firing.
The pumping apparatus shewn consists of two cylinders E and F one for
the oil gas admitted by the pipe ex and one for oxygen admitted by the pipe f
and controlled by taps ex f3 which taps and also the outlet taps ex f on the
pipes g and g² leading the oil gas and oxygen gas to the combustion chamber A
are operated by the cam groove H in a cam disc working in unison with
the pumps, the said cam acting on a rod h which, through a bell-crank
lever h², operates a rack bar with which engage toothed pinions / con-
nected to the plugs of the taps ³, e, f, f, the said cam groove H being so
timed as to admit a charge to the combustion chamber at the requisite inter-
vals. The igniter can be of any suitable description such for example as an
electric igniter which can be operated by a cam H2 on the same cam disc
which acts on a lever i (returned by a spring ) to make a contact at J so that,
at the proper time for igniting the charge, an electric circuit is completed to
cause an igniting sparking to take place in the combustion chamber A. The
electric current for this purpose may be derived from a battery, or it may be
generated by an electric machine such as is indicated in dotted lines at K in
Figure 1 driven by a donkey engine or other motor or, in a small vessel, by
the propeller and shaft k, the said donkey engine or propeller also driving the
pumps through the gearing shewn in Figure 1, the cranks of the pumps or
the crank of one of the pumps being preferably connected to the piston rod
by a slotted connection which will allow the strokes of the pumps to be adjusted
to pass the requisite proportion of the gases. 7 is a clutch lever by which the
clutch shewn in Figure 1 can be operated to put the pumps out of gear with
the propeller for starting the engine which can be done by hand, or by a
donkey engine or otherwise.
By providing means for diverting the direction of the projected water, such
as by swivelling the outer end of the tube B, by which the water is expelled,
the direction of the vessels motion can be altered as desired.
Referring to Figure 5, shewing the apparatus arranged for pumping liquid,
the combustion chamber A is situated at the top of a bend in a tube B com-
municating on the one hand with the suction pipe C (provided with an air
cushioning arrangement ²) and on the other hand, with the rising main B2,
both being provided with non-return valves c and 62, so that, at each ignition
of a charge of combustible gases, in the combustion chamber A, liquid is forced
up the rising main B2, and, after each ignition, a fresh charge of liquid is, by
the partial vacuum thus produced, caused to pass up the tube C into the space
from which liquid was expelled, to be in its turn expelled on the ignition of
the next charge of combustible gases, and so on whilst the apparatus is in use.
There may be more than one tube and combustion chamber arranged in
succession to act in a cycle, the rising main of the one arrangement supplying
liquid to be drawn in, and pumped into another rsing main, by the succeeding
arrangement.
The liquid propelled by the force due to the combustion of gases, as afore-
said, can be used for propelling turbines, or for any purpose where such liquids
can be utilized.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An apparatus for propelling liquids consisting of, or comprising, a com-
bustion chamber with an inlet and an outlet for liquid, and with a non-return
valve, or non-return valves, so arranged that, at each explosion, or combus-
tion, of a charge of gases, in the combustion chamber, liquid is expelled by
the outlet and, after each such explosion, or combustion, a fresh charge of
liquid is drawn in to be expelled by the next explosion, or combustion; sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
2. An apparatus for propelling vessels consisting of, or comprising, an
arrangement of combustion chamber and inlet and outlet tubes, or passages,
for water and a non-return valve; substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting a propelling appa-
ratus for vessels consisting of a combustion chamber with an inlet and an
outlet for liquid and a non-return valve on the inlet and means for regulating
and supplying gases to the combustion chamber and for igniting the gases
therein, and a propeller for driving the pumps all substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. An apparatus for pumping liquids consisting of, or comprising, an
arrangement of combustion chamber and suction and outlet tubes, or passages.
and non-return valves, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.