Improvements in the Generation of Fluid Pressure and Apparatus Therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in the Generation of Fluid Pressure and Apparatus
Therefor.
I, DAVID DUNCAN Esson, of 30, Sharsted Street, Kennington Park, in the County
of London, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the generation of gaseous fluid pressure for motive power
purposes, and has for its objects to provide a mode of generation whereby a high
pressure can be quickly obtained and generating apparatus which will occupy a
relatively small space.
In carrying out my invention I make use of the gases produced by the combustion
of a material which possesses sufficient oxygen to burn in a closed chamber and
which generates large volumes of gas, and by the injection of water spray which
is converted into steam and which serves primarily to prevent the overheating of
the chamber in which the combustion takes place.
A form of apparatus which I have found in practice gives good results comprises
a congeries of tubes for containing the combustible compound or fuel and a chamber
into which all the said tubes open and which serves as a reservoir for the produced
gases. The water spray is introduced into this chamber by any suitable means,
for instance by a pump operated by the fluid pressure generated and in such
quantities that directly it comes into contact with the hot gases of combustion it
is converted into steam which, together with the said gases of combustion, is con-
ducted through pipes to any desired point where the pressure is to be utilized.
In practice the water passes through a coil in the reservoir so that it is heated
before escaping in the form of spray and if desired it may be also caused to flow
over the exterior of the congeries of tubes.
The several tubes of the congeries and which are designed to contain the com-
bustible compound are provided with means whereby their communication with
the interior of the reservoir shall be cut off, for instance when the contents of the
several tubes are to be consumed successively. I have found that caps on the inner
ends of the tubes answer the purpose, which caps are blown off by the pressure
when the compound is ignited."
Suitable means such as an electric spark are provided for igniting the
compound.
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Generation of Fluid Pressure and Apparatus
Therefor.
I, DAVID DUNCAN ESSON of 30 Sharsted Street, Kennington Park, in the County
of London, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the generation of gaseous-fluid pressure for motive-power
purposes, and has for its object to provide a mode of generation whereby a high
pressure can be quickly obtained and generating apparatus which will occupy a
relatively small space.
In carrying out my invention I make use of the gases produced by the combustion
of a material which possesses sufficient oxygen to burn in a closed chamber and
which generates large volumes of gas, and by the injection of water-spray, which
is converted into steam and which serves, primarily, to prevent the overheating of
the chamber in which the combustion takes place.
A form of apparatus which I have found in practice gives good results comprises
a series or congeries of tubes for containing the combustible compound or fuel and
a chamber into which all the said tubes open and which serves as a reservoir for
the produced gases. The water-spray is introduced into this chamber by any
suitable means, for instance, by a pump operated by the fluid-pressure generated
and in such quantities that directly it comes into contact with the hot gases of
combustion it is converted into steam, which together with the said gases of com-
bustion, is conducted through pipes to any desired point where the pressure is to
be utilized. The several tubes of the series or congeries are provided with means
whereby their communication with the interior of the reservoir shall be cut off,
for instance, when 'the contents of several tubes are to be consumed successively.
I have found that discs on the inner ends of the tubes answer the purpose, the
said discs being so held that they can be blown off by the pressure when the
compound is ignited. Suitable means, such as an electric current, are provided
for igniting the compound.
To enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of apparatus suitable for use in carrying out
my invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are left and right hand end views, respectively, of the apparatus
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of a detail drawn to a larger scale than the other figures.
a, a are the tubes of the congeries, which tubes extend through and are securely
fixed in the tube-plate b. c is the chamber into which the said tubes open, the
said chamber having one end formed by the tube-plate 6 and being at the other
end contracted and fitted with a screw-nipple d, through which extend two
tube e, f, the former serving for conveying water into the chamber and the
latter for the exit of the fluid-pressure from the chamber.
It will be noticed that the pipe e is coiled within the chamber c, so that the water
is heated before escaping from the spray rose or nozzle g. If desired, however,
the water may be caused to flow around the congeries of tubes in order to heat
it prior to entering the chamber c, or it may be heated by passing it over any
other heated part of the apparatus.
h, are the discs which are fitted against the ends of the tubes a, a within the
chamber c, and which are blown off by the pressure generated when the com-

page_text: bustible compound in the several tubes is ignited, the said discs being held in
position by a ring or collar i, screwed onto the end of the tube and adapted to
slightly engage with the disc around its edge, so that under the pressure generated
in the tube when the combustible compound is ignited the disc will be blown out
of position.
indicates a disc of asbestos or other non-conducting material placed behind
the dise and serving to prevent the heat which is within chamber c from
prematurely igniting the compound in a closed tube.
It is obvious that the combustible material used in my apparatus must be one
which is capable of gradually burning without the liability of exploding, and any
composition capable of fulfilling this condition may be used in my apparatus.
A composition which answers my purpose well is described and claimed in the
specification of my application of even date with this application No. 20895.
The compound referred to consists of nitroglycerine, dry guncotton, vaseline,
and camphor in about the following proportions: nitroglycerine, by weight, fifty-
five parts dry gun-cotton, by weight, thirty parts; vaseline, by weight, ten
parts; camphor, by weight, five parts. The camphor delays the combustion of
the material, so that the production of gases is not so sudden as to cause an
explosion and by varying the proportion of camphor the combustion can be
retarded or accelerated, if desired. In combining these ingredients I prefer to
intimately mix the nitroglycerine, guncotton, and a portion of the camphor and to
use the other portion of the vaseline and the camphor as a coating for the main
part of the compound. This composition is made up into sticks or rods and a
number of these sticks or rods are packed in each tube, the spaces around and
Fetween the rods being filled up, say, for instance, with vaseline, which assists
in delaying the combustion of the composition. In practice the said sticks or rods
are made of varying lengths in order that the area of the surface of the combustible
compound shall gradually decrease as it burns back into the tube. The several
tubes are connected with a battery or electric generator (not shewn) by means of
wires k, (see Figure 1), so that they can be ignited successively or simultaneously
or in any desired combination, according to the pressure required or the duration
of time during which pressure is to be maintained.
The ignition of the composition takes place immediately behind the disc, so
that the high pressure produced by the burning of this compound serves for
blowing off the disc.
When the composition in one or more of the tubes is ignited, the heated gases
due to the combustion rush out of the tube or tubes and meet the water-spray
injected into the chamber c through the nozzle g, the quantity of water injected
This mixture
being so regulated that the whole of it is converted into steam.
of steam and gases then flows through the pipe f to the apparatus wherein the
pressure is to be utilized.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The process of generating fluid-pressure which consists in burning a mixture
or compound such as that hereinhefore described, in an inclosed space, and in-
jecting a spray of water into the gas formed by the combustion of said mixture,
substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for generating fluid-pressure comprising an inclosing casing,
a series of feeding-tubes communicating at one end with said casing and closed at
their outer ends, igniting devices for said tubes adjacent to their communication
with said casing, and a water-spraying device within said casing and a discharge-
passage for said casing, substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for generating fluid pressure comprising an inclosing casing,
a series of feeding-tubes communicating at one end with said casing and closed at
their other ends, removable discs for closing the communication between said tubes

page_text: and said casing, detachable securing devices for holding said discs in position, a
water-spraying device in said casing, igniting devices for said tubes and a discharge
passage for said casing, substantially as described.
4. An apparatus for generating fluid pressure comprising an inclosing casing,
a series of feeding tubes closed at their outer ends and having their inner ends
opening into said casing, controlling devices for the inner ends of said tubes for
establishing communication between said tubes and the casing, a water-spraying
uevice in said casing, igniting devices for said tubes and a discharge passage for
said casing, substantially as described.
5. An apparatus for generating fluid pressure comprising an inclosing casing,
means for holding a gas-producing material communicating with said casing, a
water pipe having a portion coiled within said casing terminating at its inner end
in a spraying device, an igniting device for said material and a discharge passage
for said casing, substantially as described.
Dated the 19th day of June 1897.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.