Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
RESERVE CO
I. PAUL JOSEPH VERMANI), of Cherbourg, France, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved hot air engine in which the atmospheric air
is compressed at a sensibly constant temperature of about 300° C., a condition which
has never hitherto been realized in engines of this kind. The air is heated by the
combustion of petroleum introduced into the air reservoir by a spray producer and
passes from said reservoir or heater into the engine cylinders. The engine thus con-
sists essentially of a compresser, a heater, and an expander. The number of motor
cylinders or compressers employed would depend on the power of the engine. In its
most simple form, the engine would comprise one motor cylinder, one compressing
cylinder, one water pump for the compresser, one heater and one reservoir intermediate
of the heater and compresser.
AL
The motor cylinder differs only from an ordinary steam cylinder by the absence of
a jacket which is unnecessary, any suitable non-conducting lagging being substituted.
The cylinder is provided with an ordinary expansion slide-valve. The compressing
cylinder would not generally be jacketted, but it may have one traversed by
current of cold water supplied by a separate pump or otherwise. The compresser
may be single or double acting. In the former case the piston would carry the air
inlet valves and the end of the cylinder the delivery valves and in both cases pipes
are provided for the supply of cold water under pressure, to cool the air during its
compression. The piston is faced with felt on each side, kept constantly moist. The
air and water on leaving the compresser, pass into a separator provided with a draw-
off cock at bottom by which the water may be continuously extracted, the air
passing thence into an intermediate reservoir serving to retain the air during the
intervals of working and also to equalize the pressure. It is constructed of one
or more cylinders of steel plate and is provided with valves both at the inlet and
outlet
The heater consists of a cylinder of steel plate lined with fire-brick and with which
is connected a pipe of large diameter for the compressed air and a number of

page_text: atomizers for injecting air and petroleum, the supply of both of which is regulated
by cocks. The flames are lighted from the exterior by uncovering a small orifice
placed opposite one of the atomizers. The pump for the supply of water under
pressure is single-acting and is provided with an air chamber for equalizing the
pressure.
The motor and compressing cylinders, as well as the injection pump, and the cir-
culation pump, if any, are mounted on the same shaft; and, in order to vary the
speed of the engine, it is therefore necessary to first reduce the admission by the
cut-off and to adopt, separately or together, the following methods: -(1) limit, by
means of a valve, the admission of air to the compressor, and (2) limit the quantity of
petroleum consumed in the heater. The pressure is maintained in the reservoir during
the intervals of working, by means of a hand pump. At starting, the reservoir is
charged in any suitable manner. Metallic packings would be employed for the
stuffing boxes, but asbestos may also be used, especially for the joints.
As compared with a steam engine, this improved engine effects a saving both in
weight and fuel and affords greater security. By a slight modification, which con-
sists in sending to the compresser the air which is exhausted from the expander, and
to the atomizers compressed air or oxygen stored beforehand in reservoirs, the engine
will work in situations where a supply of ordinary air is not available or where the
discharge of vitiated gases is not admissible, as in the case of submarine boats or
mine galleries. In the latter case, it can also act as a powerful ventilator as
well as a motor whilst for a submarine boat it will form the lightest engine yet
known.
P. J. VERMAND
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: I, PAUL JOSEPH VERMAND, of Cherbourg, France, 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 an improved hot air engine in which the atmospheric air
is compressed at a sensibly constant temperaturo of about 300° C. to a pressure of at
least 85 lbs. per square inch. The air is heated by the combustion of petroleum or
other liquid or solid fuel introduced into the air reservoir by a spray producer, in the
case of liquid fuel, or by means of a distributing slide valve, in the case of solid fuel,
and passes from said reservoir or heater into the engine cylinders. The engine thus
consists essentially of a compresser, a heater, and an expander.
One or more compressers and one or more expanders acting in the same way or by
alternate compression and expansion would be employed according to the power of the
engine.
In its most simple forin, the engine would comprise one motor cylinder, one con-
pressing cylinder, one water pump for the compresser, one heater, and one reservoir
intermediate of the heater and compresser..
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specifica-
tion, which represents a sectional view of one example of my improved hot air
engine.
The motor cylinder A differs only from an ordinary steam cylinder by the absence
of a jacket which is unnecessary, any suitable non-conducting lagging being sub-
stituted. The cylinder is provided with an ordinary expansion slide-valve.
The compressing cylinder B would not generally be jacketted, but it may have a
light jacket traversed by a current of cold water supplied by a separate pump or
otherwise. The compresser may
be single or double acting, the latter being always
the case when the engine is horizontal. In the single-acting engine, the piston n
would carry the air inlet valves o and the end of the cylinder the delivery valves p;
and in the double-acting engine, each end of the cylinder would be provided with
inlet and outlet valves, slide valves being, in certain cases, employed with advantage
as admission valves. In both kinds of engine, pipes a are provided for the supply of
cold water under pressure, to cool the air during its compression. The piston is
faced with felt on each side kept constantly moist. The air and water on leaving
the compresser pass into a separator C provided with a draw-off cock q at bottom by
which the water may be continuously extracted, the air passing thence into an inter-
mediate reservoir D serving to retain the air during the intervals of working and
also to equalize the pressure. It is constructed of one or more cylinders of steel
plate and is provided with valves e e both at the inlet and outlet.
The heater E consists of a cylinder of steel plate lined with fire-bricks and with
which is connected a pipe c of large diameter for the compressed air and a number of
atomizers F F for injecting air and petroleum, the supply of air from pipe being

page_text: regulated by cocks t and that of the fuel from pipe by cocks u. The flames are
lighted from the exterior by uncovering a small orifice s placed opposite one of the
atomizers. The pump H for the supply of water under pressure is single-acting and
is provided with an air chamber for equalizing the pressure.
The motor and compressing cylinders A B as well as the injection pump H and the
circulation pump, if any, are connected with the same shaft. In order to vary the
speed of the engine, it is necessary to simultaneously limit (1) the admission of air
to the compresser and (2) the quantity of petroleum consumed in the heater. The
pressure is maintained in the reservoir during the intervals of working, by means of
a hand pump. At starting, the reservoir is charged in any suitable manner. Metallic
packings would be employed for the stuffing boxes but asbestos may also be used,
especially for the joints.
The following are the principal advantages of this engine :-
1st. Considerable economy, both in weight and cost of fuel, the consumption of
petroleum being under 0.55 lbs. per horse power per hour.
2nd. Avoidance of undue wear of boilers by working under forced draught, as in
the case of torpedo boats for example.
3rd. No stoking required, so that a much smaller staff is necessary.
4th. Rapidity with which the engine can be got under pressure, as the engine
may be started at full speed in fifteen minutes after the order is given to light up.
5th. Absence of funnel, which is of especial advantage in the case of torpedo boats
which are visible at long distances by the smoke and flame issuing from the funnel
when working at a forced draught.
This improved engine has the advantage over a steam engine in weight, fuel, cost
of working, and safety.
By a slight modification, which consists in sending to the compresser the air which
is exhausted from the expander and to the atomizers compressed air or oxygen stored
beforehand in reservoirs, the engine will work in situations where a supply of
ordinary air is not available or where the discharge of vitiated gases is not admissible
as in the case of submarine boats or mine galleries. For a submarine boat it will
form the lightest engine yet known.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A hot air engine in which the air is compressed to a pressure of at least 85 lbs.
per square inch and heated by the combustion of petroleum or other fuel in the
compressed air reservoir, the engine consisting essentially of a motor cylinder, com-
pressing cylinder, a water pump a heater, and a reservoir intermediate of the heater
and compresser all combined to operate substantially as described and shewn in the
drawings.
Dated this 21st day of February 1889
P. J. VERMAND.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.