Improvements in Vapourizing Apparatus for Explosion Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vapourizing Apparatus for Explosion Engines.
WALTER ROWBOTHAM 27, Vittoria Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
To carry out my improvement in vapourizing or gas-generating apparatus I coat
& insulate the interior of the combustion chamber with porcelain or other suitable
refractory material, my object being to confine the heat to this particular part of
the engine. My vapourizer consists of a. rod or bar of iron (or of other suitable
metal) of approved length with a flange at one end & another flange. about
midway. In between these flanges I wind a conducting wire, suitably insulated,
with the ends left free for connection to an electric generator. The end without
the flange. is passed through & fitted in an insulated collar in the wall of the
combustion chamber & extends nearly across it. The oil or spirit inlet is placed
in such a position as to, enable the oil or spirit to be dropped or sprayed on the
inserted end of the metal bar. The ignition is effected after vapourization by any
known electrical ignitor.
Instead of winding the conducting wire on the metal bar I sometimes wind it, on
a portion of the oil or spirit supply pipe. The end of this portion is insulated
from & inserted in the cylinder & has a suitable valve worked by some moving
part of the engine.. I also fit, a self-acting valve in the supply pipe just above
the coil.
Dated this 8th dow of Inly 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vapourizing Apparatus for Explosion Engines.
I, WALTER ROWBOTHAM; of 27 Vittoria Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Electrical 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 vapourising devices for explosion engines in which the
body which is intended to form the vapouriser is heated electrically to enable the
engines to be started at once while cold.
Hitherto electrically heated vapourising devices have contained a coil of wire
to be heated by the passage of an electric current, and this coil of wire has been
arranged within the combustion chamber, or any passage open to it, so that the said
coil is exposed to the operating explosions actuating the engine. This causes a
difficulty due to the rapid deterioration of the wire.

page_text: The object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty and produce an
accurately adjustable and reliable arrangements which is not deteriorated by the
explosions.
:
In carrying into effect my invention in vapourising or gas generating apparatus
according to one modification, I coat and insulate the interior of the combustion
chamber with porcelain or other suitable refractory material in order to confine the
heat to this particular part of the engine.
My vapouriser consists of a rod or bar of iron (or other suitable metal) of a
length sufficient to project within the cylinder while a portion remains outside. At
one end, the outer end,. I arrange a flange, aud about midway along the bar or rod
I attach another flange. Between these flanges I wind a conducting wire suitably
insulated with the ends left free for connection to an electric generator. The end
without the winding is passed through and fitted within an insulated collar in the
wall of the combustion chamber, and it extends nearly across.it.. The oil or spirit
inlet is placed in such a position as to enable the said oil or spirit to be dropped or
sprayed on the inserted end of the metal bar. The ignition is effected after
vapourisation by any well known electrical ignitor.
Instead of winding the conducting wire on the metal bar I sometimes wind it on
a portion of the oil or spirit supply pipe. The end of this portion I insulate and
insert in the cylinder, and I provide a suitable valve worked by: some moving
part of the engine. I also fit a self-acting valve in the supply pipe just above
the coil.
...
Referring to the two accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate three
modifications of my invention herein before described
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic section illustrating the first modification..
Figure 2 is a similar section illustrating the second modification, and
Figures 3 and 4 are similar sections illustrating two forms of the third
modification."."
.2.
The iron bar A, Figure 1, projects within the cylinder or combustion space. B,
and passes through a non-conducting sleeve in a pressure tight manner. Its outer
end is heated by the coil A surrounding it'; this coil A³ being of sufficient
resistance to attain a considérable temperature when a suitable electric current is
passed through it. The outer end of the rod or bars A is thus heated, and the
inner end becomes hot by conduction.
Oil is then sprayed upon A within the combustion-space, and it is vapourised.
It forms an explosive mixture and after compression the mixture is exploded, and
'the engine starts."
A A¹ are flanges enclosing the coil. C is the porcelain or other insulating
lining. D D are fingers from the engine pistons, (in this case two opposing
pistons) which serve to make contact and cause an electrical current to pass
through the coil. When the engine operates the contacts are broken, and less
and less current passes through the coils, and so reduces the electrical heat
supply when it can be nearly or altogether dispensed with.
In Figure 2 the oil vapour chamber E has two valves Ę and G, respectively
outer and inner; the chamber E is heated electrically..by. the surrounding coil A
and oil is injected into E. The oil vapourises, and on opening the valve G it
. reaches the combustion chamber B.. The chamber. B. is lined with insulating
material C, as in Figure 1. The valve G. is actuated positively but. F may be
automatic. By this arrangement the oil is, vapourised before it is allowed to enter
the cylinder.
Referring to Figure 3 the coil A³ is placed within a tube A so that the coil
projects within. the cylinder, and is protected from the action of the hot gases by
the tube A. The oil is then vapourised on the surface of A within the cylinder.
This is a modification of the method shown in Figure 1.
:
Referring to Figure. 4, here also the coil' As is placed within a tube, the tube
- being marked A, and the internal part being laid horizontally instead of vertically;
as in Figure 3

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
(1.) A vapourising apparatus for an explosion engine consisting of a metal
piece projecting partly within the combustion space or cylinder in which the metal
piece is heated electrically by a coil of wire outside the cylinder, and the internal
part is heated by conduction from without, the internally projecting part being
used to vapourise oil within the cylinder as set forth.
(2.) A vapourising apparatus for an explosion engine consisting of a vapourising
chamber without or within the cylinder heated electrically by a coil of wire
substantially as described.
(3.) The electrically heated vapourising devices hereinbefore described as
illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1806
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.