A Method of and Apparatus for Improving the Action of Explosion Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Improving the Action of Explosion
Engines.
A communication from abroad by FERNANDO ALSINA, of Barcelona, in the
Kingdom of Spain, Engineer.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House, Victoria
Embankment, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from
abroad) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements applied to explosion engines, such for
example as those. worked by petroleum, gasoline, coal-gas, acetylene-gas and the
like, the essential feature of the invention being to provide an improved means
by which water and a hydro-carbon can be simultaneously injected into the explo-
sion chamber and be diffused therein in connection with the explosive charge pre-
viously drawn into said chamber. The main object of the invention is to ensure a
gradual, instead of an instantaneous, explosion, contrary to what is the case in the
explosion engines usually employed at the present time. Another object is to
increase the expansive force of the explosive charge and thus to enhance the useful
effect of the motor.
The means employed for ensuring a combined and simultaneous injection of
the water and of a hydro-carbon are the following: and I shall first show how
the water alone is injected.
A portion of the water which circulates in the cylinder jacket space is injected
into the explosive chamber. The molecules of the injected water distributed
over the gaseous charge have the tendency of retarding the spread of the explosion
and owing to the surplus of heat produced at the moment of the explosion this
injected water is converted into steam the expansive force of which contributes
to the driving of the working piston and in thus transmitting to the fly wheel
a greater amount of energy.
To further retard the explosion I arrange rings upon the piston, which are
adapted to engage with other similar rings, fitted to the bottom of the cylinder;
these rings thus act as obstacles serving to obstruct the explosion to a certain
extent.
By the employment of my invention I obtain the following results:
1). I prolong the period of the explosion, while utilizing its maximum working
effect.
2). I transform into useful working effect, the greater part of the heat which,
in the case of explosion engines employed at the present time, has only the
noxious effect of heating the cylinder walls and the refrigerating water circulating
in the cylinder jacket.
This invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in which
Ricure 1 shews nart of the cvlinder in longitudinal section.

page_text: Figures 2 and 3 represent in front and side elevation respectively, the mechanism
by which the injection valve is actuated.
I draw the water to be injected into the explosion chamber from the space
formed between the jacket C and the cylinder C.
A suitable number of concentric rings are provided which engage each other
and are respectively fitted to the rear surface of the piston E and to the inner
surface of the cover C; these rings may however be formed upon the piston
only. The water is injected into the jacket space of the cylinder C by the aid
of a cam driven pump and of a tubular connection or by any similar means. In
the hollow space formed in the end cover C", a conduit is fitted in which moves
the spindle of the valve V. The hot water, contained in the upper part of the
jacket space, passes into this conduit y' by appropriate connection and at the
moment of the injection this water forces the valve Vi open and enters the cylinder
proper. A spring V is provided which closes the valve as soon as the injection
has ceased.
The pump mechanism or similar device for working the injection valve, is so
adapted that the injection of the water takes place just before the explosion
commences and so that the quantity of water injected is just sufficient to regulate
the explosion under the best suited conditions. The water which enters the
cylinder under pressure is forced against the piston face and is diffused throughout
the volume of the explosive charge, and owing to the high temperature of the
interior of the cylinder, it is converted into steam, the expansive force of which
contributes to the working of the driving piston, while at the same time it acts
as an inert or non-explosive body thus retarding the developement or spread of
the explosion.
The gradual development of the explosion is further enhanced by the arrange-
ment of concentrical rings E fitted to the bottom of the piston E, and of rings
on cover C. The rings E" enter the space left between the rings on cover Cit
By this arrangement of rings I present as it were an obstacle to the spread of
the explosion from the centre towards the periphery so that the period of the explo-
sion is further lengthened.
D
If the water to be injected into the cylinder is placed under a pressure higher
than the pressure in the interior of the cylinder, the pump or equivalent mechan-
ism may be dispensed with.
To ensure a better diffusion of the water injected, I may arrange upon the
bottom of the piston E, rings of triangular section, so placed as to present their
inclined faces in line with the jet of water injected so that the latter as it arrives
in contact with the piston and with the cylinder wall is further divided and more
thoroughly diffused.
As I cause hot water to be injected from the jacket space into the cylinder,
I practically utilize this portion of the heat which would otherwise be lost and facili-
tate the change of this water into steam. The steam thus enters into intimate
mixture with the gaseous explosive charge and in acting as an inert body upon
the latter, retards the speed with which the explosion spreads.
Now order to enrich the explosive charge with a hydro-carbon such as
petroleum, benzine or the like and to thus improve the effect of the explosive
charge, I employ the following means.
The spindle of the water injection valve V is perforated throughout its
length and receives a second spindle Z of a valve Z¹¹, kept closed by the spring 7.
The conduit of the spindle V communicates through the medium of the tube P
with a hydro-carbon forcing pump. I combine the two pumps, one to serve for
the water and the other for the hydrocarbon; these two pumps are arranged
on one single pump rod or plunger Q worked in downward direction by a cam T
through the intermediary of a fly F and of latch or click R turning on the shaft R¹,
guided in its movements by the columns P. The latch or click R carries a tail 5
piece R connected to a lever arm, not represented in the drawing, and which is
worked by the gas distributing mechanism so that this latch or click R will not

page_text: occupy the position represented in the drawing until gas is admitted to the cylinder.
When on the other hand there is no admission of gas, the latch or click R is so
displaced by the distributing apparatus as not to abut against the pump rod Q
and the pumps consequently remain inactive. The fly F and the latch or click R
rise under the action which the cam T¹ exerts upon the double ring F, whilst
the pump rod Q ascends under the action of a fork Q' connected to the pivot F
of the fly for which purpose the cross head of the rod is provided with a screw nut,
the position of which can be regulated at will.
The same device may be employed for moving a single pump instead of two.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion (as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same is to
be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The method of causing the explosion in an explosion engine to be gradual
instead of instantaneous and at the same time of intensifying the explosive effect,
which consists in simultaneously injecting water and a hydro-carbon into the
explosion chamber substantially as set forth.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts for simultaneously injecting water
and a hydro-carbon into the explosion chamber substantially as set forth.
3. In an explosion engine the employment of a cylinder cover having a con-
duit in the centre thereof and also two valves fitting one into the other and kept
closed by springs substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The apparatus for simultaneously injecting water and a hydro-carbon into
the explosion chamber of an engine substantially as described and illustrated
in Figures 2 and 3.
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent.