CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BARNETT, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Iron Founder, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Royal
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date the Eighteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
eight, did give and grant unto me, the said William Barnett, my exors,
aditiors, and assigns, Her special licence, full power, sole privilege and autho-
rity, that I, the said William Barnett, my exors, admors, and assigns, during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within that part of Her said United Kingdom called
England, Her Principality of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MOTIVE POWER;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said William Barnett, particularly to describe the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same Letters Patent, relation
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Barnett, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention of
"Certain Improvements in the Production of Motive Power," and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, is ascertained and described in and by

page_text: these Presents and the Drawings hereunto annexed, and herein referred to by
way of explanation, illustration, and example.
My said Invention consists in certain methods of producing and employing,
as a prime mover of machinery, the explosive or expansive force of certain
inflammable gasses, as hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen gas, mixed with
oxygen or atmospheric air in such proportions as to form an explosive mix-
ture, the various proportions and explosive force of which are well known to
chemists generally; and I shall now proceed to describe my said Invention,
and to shew, by the assistance of the Drawings, in what manner it is to be
performed, first observing that the form, arrangements, and construction of
the several parts of the apparatus may be varied and modified according to
the size of the apparatus, the situation in which it is placed, and other circum-
stances governing the same, without at all deviating from my Invention, as
the same is defined in and by these Presents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The Drawings Figures 1 and 2, in the Sheet marked A., represent a single-
acting explosive engine on the principle of my Invention, Figure 1 being a
longitudinal section, and Figure 2 an end view, of the engine. a is the cylin-
der open at top; b, the piston; c, a double-acting pump, which serves both to
supply atmospheric air (to form one portion of the explosive mixture), and to
draw off from the cylinder, during the descent of the piston b, the products
or any portion of the unconsumed gas which may remain after the explosion
of the mixture has taken place. The air enters the lower part of the pump
by the valve d during the ascent of the piston f; and upon the descent of the
piston the air is forced through the valve g into the receiver h situated below
the cylinder. Figure 2, is a pump for supplying the hydrogen or other
inflammable gas which forms the other portion of the explosive mixture. The
gas enters the pump by the valve k, Figure 2, upon the ascent of the piston
or plunger of the pump, and by the descent of the same is forced through a
delivery valve (not seen in the Drawings) into the receiver h; l is the slide-
valve case, communicating at the bottom with the receiver h, at the middle
part with the cylinder by the passage m, and at the top with the inlet valve n
of the pump c, by means of the eduction pipe o; p is the delivery valve to the
upper part of the pump opening into the waste pipe r; s is the slide valve, by
the motion of which the internal portion of the cylinder, below the under side
of the piston b, communicates alternately with the receiver h and the eduction
pipe o; t is a gas burner, at which a small jet of gas is kept burning during
the time the engine is in operation; vis the igniting cock for the purpose of

page_text: igniting the explosive mixture, the mode of effecting which, and the construc-
tion of the cock, will be best understood by a description of Figures 3 and 4,
which are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a transverse section, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section, of the
cock. is the shell of the cock. It has two long narrow slits or apertures,
one of which w applies to a corresponding aperture in the cylinder or in the
slide case, and the other aperture x is immediately over the gas burner t. y is
the plug of the cock. It is hollow, and has a slit or aperture z, which, once
in the revolution of the fly wheel, accordingly as the plug is turned, communi-
cates with the slit wor the slit x; j is a gas burner screwed into the end of the
cock, and entering within the plug. From this burner a jet of gas issues
which, when the slit z corresponds with the slit x, becomes ignited, and upon
the plug being turned quickly, so as to bring the slit z to coincide with the
slit w, the flame within the cock sets fire to the mixture within the cylinder,
and causes it to explode. The slide valves, and the igniting cock, are moved
by means of a cam or eccentric on the fly-wheel shaft. The motions of both
should be rapid, and the cock should not open to the cylinder until the slide
valve is fully open, or nearly so. The operation of this engine is as follows:
-Let it be supposed that in the position of the engine shewn in the Draw-
ing, the receiver h is charged with the explosive mixture. If the fly wheel be
turned so as to raise the slides, the gasses in the receiver / will flow into the
cylinder, and upon the igniting cock being turned so as to fire those gases,
the explosion and expansion consequent upon the ignition will impel the
piston to the top of its stroke, after which the impetus of the fly wheel will
force the piston to the bottom of its stroke. During the ascent of the piston
the pumps c and i have been drawing in air and gas below their pistons
respectively, at the valves d and k, and the pump c has also expelled any air
or gas above its piston through the valve p. On the descent of the piston 6,
the pumps
i and care respectively forcing air and gas into the receiver h, and
the latter pump is also drawing off a portion of any gases remaining in the
cylinder below the piston 6, through the eduction pipe o and valve n.
Instead
of connecting the eduction pipe to the pump c, its end may remain open or
closed by a light snift valve, or it may be connected to a separate exhausting
pump.
The Drawings, Figures 5 and 6, in the Sheet marked B, represent a double-
acting explosive engine. Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the engine, and
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the frame and pumps. a is the cylinder; b,
the slide-valve case connected with the two receiving chambers c, c, into which

page_text: -
the air and gases are forced by the three pumps d, e, and f; d is a double-
acting pump, which draws in air at the valves 9 and h, and forces it into the
receivers through the valves i and k; e, Figure 6, is a pump open at 'top
which draws in hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen at the valve, and delivers
it by another valve (not seen in the Drawings) into the same box as the
valve i, whence it passes into the lower receiver c; f, Figure 6, is a pump
open at bottom, the piston rod of which works through a stuffing box in the
top of the pump. This pump draws in hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen at
the valve m, and delivers it into the upper receiver c by the pipe n, which is
connected to a valve fixed at the aperture o. These pumps, by means of the
spur wheels p and q (indicated by red circles in Figure 5), make their ascend-
ing and descending strokes simultaneously with the ascending and descending
strokes of the piston r. s is a pipe prodeeding from the slide case to convey
the products of the explosion, or any unconsumed portions of the explosive
mixture from the cylinder, and having at its extremity a light hanging valve
opening outwards; t, t, are two igniting cocks, the construction of which has
been already explained. These cocks are placed over the gas burners v, v, in
the position shewn in the Drawing. The cocks being open to the atmosphere,
the gas within them is ignited by the flame from. the burners v, v, and by
turning the cock the flame communicates with the interior of the cylinder.
is the pipe which supplies the hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen gas to the
pumps and f. The operation of this engine is as follows:-Let it be supposed
that the lower receiver is charged with the explosive mixture, and that the
slide valve be then moved so as to open the communication between the lower
receiver and the cylinder at the under side of the piston, whilst the cylinder
upon the upper side of the piston communicates with the exit pipe S, the
mixture in the lower receiver will immediately flow into the cylinder, and
upon turning the lower igniting cock the mixture will ignite, and, by
exploding, will expand and impel the piston to the top of its stroke, any air
which may be above it being expelled through the eduction pipe s. During
the ascent of the piston the pumps e and d are drawing in air and gas respec-
tively, and the latter pump and the pump faro forcing air and gas respectively
into the upper receiver c. Upon the piston reaching the top. of its stroke the
slide is reversed, the explosive mixture is admitted above the piston, and upon
the explosion taking place, the piston is driven to the bottom of its stroke.
If proferred, the eduction pipe may be connected to a double-acting air pump,
so as to exhaust the products of the explosion, or any unconsumed portion of
the explosive mixture, from the cylinder on the eduction side of the piston.

page_text: The Drawings in the Sheet marked C exhibit an arrangement of a double-
acting explosive engine upon the principle of my Invention, in which the
explosive mixture is ignited by coming in contact (whilst under pressure) with
spongy platina. In this arrangement no receiving vessels are employed, but
the gases are forced direct from the pumps into the cylinder. Also all the
valves employed are self-acting. Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the
engine. Figure 8, an end view of the same, with a transverse section of
the pumps. Figure 9 is a ground plan, with a horizontal section of the pumps
taken through their stuffing boxes, and Figure 10 is a vertical section of the
pumps through their valve boxes. In all the Figures the same letters of
reference indicate the same parts. a is the cylinder; b, the pump for
supplying atmospheric air to the cylinder. During the ascent of the plunger
nir is drawn into the pump at the valve c, which air, on the descent of the
plunger, is forced through the valve d, and passing along the pipe e, enters
the cylinder by the upper and lower passages f,f, alternately. g, Figure 8, is
a pump which in like mannner supplies the hydrogen, or other inflammable
gas, to the cylinder, drawing in the gas at the valve h, and expelling it at the
valve i, Figures 9 and 10. k is an exhausting air pump to draw off the gases
remaining in the cylinder after the explosion. This pump is connected by the
eduction pipe to an aperture m in the cylinder, situated midway between
the passages ff. The eduction pipe, at its junction with the pump, is closed
by a valvez, Figure 10, opening upwards. Upon the ascent of the plunger
a portion of such gases as are on the eduction side of the piston is drawn into
the pump, and upon the descent of the plunger they are driven through the
delivery valve n into the waste pipe o. The pumps are all attached to one
cross head, which is connected by the side rods p to the crank 7, on the shaft
of which is fixed a spur wheel r (Figures 8 and 9), which is driven by
another wheels on the end of the fly-wheel shaft. These two wheels aro
indicated by the red circles in Figure 7. The diameter of the wheels is equal to
twice the diameter of the wheel r; the plungers, therefore, make two ascents and
two descents for each revolution of the fly wheel, and they are arranged so as
to complete their descending stroke by the time the piston has arrived within
about two inches of the top or bottom of the cylinder, by which time the
eylinder is fully charged with the explosive mixture, which is prevented by
the stop valves t, t, from, returning into the pumps upon the ascent of the
plungers. u is a cavity in the cylinder cover, closed by a cap containing the
platina by which the explosion is to be produced; and v is another aperture,
likewise closed by a cap, at which similar material is introduced at the bottom

page_text: of the cylinder. The operation of this engine is as follows:-if the cylinder
be considered as charged when the piston is in the position shewn in the
Drawing, and that the piston is ascending, by the time the piston has com-
pleted its ascent, the contact of the platina with the explosive mixture, aided
by the compression of the latter, produced by the ascent of the piston, causes
the mixture to ignite and explode, and the sudden and powerful expansion of
the gases thus produced impels the piston to the bottom of its stroke. During
the first half of the descent of the piston, the exhausting air pump is
exhausting the cylinder, at the under side of the piston, of the products of a
prior explosion, and the atmospheric and hydrogen pumps are becoming
respectively charged with air and gas. During the latter half of the descent of
the piston the exhausting air pump is expelling the air or gas it has withdrawn
from the cylinder below the piston, whilst the other two pumps are forcing the
mixed air and gas into the cylinder below the piston, and at the completion of
the stroke the mixture is again exploded, the piston forced upwards, and
similar operations and effects are produced and continued. Instead of con-
necting the eduction pipe with an exhausting air pump, its extremity may
be open to the atmosphere, or closed by a light snifting valve. In engines
which have between the pumps and the cylinder intermediate chambers to
receive the gas from the pumps, as in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet A, and 5 and 6,
Sheet B, in lieu of the igniting cocks there shewn, platina may be employed
to ignite the explosive mixture in the manner described with reference to the
engine represented in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, Sheet C; but I consider the
action of platina in all its applications to be slow, and occasionally uncertain,
and I prefer the other mode, wherever it can without inconvenience be adopted.
In such engines, also, instead of the slide valves shewn in the Drawings for
the purposes of opening and shutting the communications with the cylinder,
three-way cocks may be employed, which must be placed between the receivers
and the cylinder, and so constructed as to present at one moment a passage
for the transit of the explosive mixture from the receiver to the cylinder, and
upon the turn of the cock to shut the communication with the receiver, and
open one between the cylinder and the eduction pipe; the pipe for the intro-
duction of the explosive mixture in such case being connected to the shell at
the side, and not at the end of the cock. In engines in which no such inter-
mediate chambers or receivers are employed, but the explosive mixture is
forced directly into the cylinder, as in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, such mixture
may also be exploded by means of an igniting cock, instead of platina. The
pumps herein-before described are employed for the purpose, not only of

page_text: supplying or forcing into the cylinder or receiving vessels the air and gases, by
the combination of which the explosive mixture is formed, but also to regulate
the due proportions of each. Those proportions, as I have before stated, are
familiar to practical chemists; and the pumps should be constructed of such
relative proportions to each other as the nature of the gases employed for the
purposes of the Invention may require. The proportions of atmospheric air
to carburetted hydrogen, which I generally adopt, is as one part in volume of
carburetted hydrogen to nine of atmospheric air, but the pumps may be con-
structed with moveable or adjustable stops or tappets on the rods which connect
them with the cross head, so that the length of the stroke, and consequently the
capacity of either pump, may be varied at pleasure. When it is desired to
reverse the operation of the machinery, the action of the igniting cock and the
valve for admitting the explosive mixture into either end of the cylinder (as
the occasion may require), may be prevented or suspended until the piston
has taken its stroke; or other appropriate means may be adopted by many of
the contrivances usually employed in steam engines for effecting the same
object. The several parts of the pumps herein-before described, which are
colored green, denote water which is introduced and used therein for the
purposes of expelling the whole of the gases drawn in at each stroke,
and also of sealing the passages at the moment when the explosion takes
place. For the purpose of explaining more clearly the construction and
action of the igniting cock, I have shewn it as being attached at the sides of
the cylinder; but its more appropriate place is at the bottom of the cylinder.
in single-acting, and at the top and bottom of the cylinder in double-acting
engines.
Now whereas, I, the said William Barnett, have, by these Presents and the
Drawings hereby referred to, in compliance with the said proviso, described
the nature of my said Invention of "Certain Improvements in the Production
of Motive Power," and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim
as my Invention,--
First, the employment of a mixture of atmospheric air or oxygen with
hydrogen, or carburetted hydrogen, to give motion to machinery by their
explosive force within a cylinder, or other close vessel, and whether producing
a rectilinear or rotatory motion.
Secondly, I claim the employment of pumps to supply the requisite
quantities of air and inflammable gases, and to regulate their several pro-
portions, whether such air and gas be delivered by the pumps directly into the.
cylinder, or into an intermediate vessel; but I do not claim nor limit myself.
to the particular construction of pumps shewn in the Drawings.
'

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the construction and application or employment of the
igniting cock shewn in Figures 4 and 5, and already described, as having
within it a jet of gas which communicates alternately with a flame placed
beneath the cock, and with the interior of the cylinder.
And I claim such cock, whether it be applied to engines in which the
explosive force of the mixed air and gases constitutes the motive power, or
whether it be applied to engines in which inflammable gas is employed to
create a partial vacuum, and thereby render the pressure of the atmosphere
ävailable as a motive power. I also claim its application as a valve to
regulate the passage of steam or fluids for any purpose to which it may easily
be adapted.
:
Lastly, I claim the application, to the purposes of my said Invention, of the
mode described of igniting, by platina, the explosive mixture of gases, and the
general combination of the several parts, or any equivalent mechanical
arrangement of the machinery, for carrying my said Invention into effect, or
for the purpose of forming or constituting an engine to be operated upon
by the explosive force of inflammable gases; but I do not claim any of the
parts separately when applied to other purposes, or the general purposes of
motive power produced by different means, except the igniting cock above
mentioned.
.
And I further declare that the mechanical arrangements, herein-before
described, are illustrative and explanatory only, and that I do not intend in
all cases to limit myself thereto.
Now, such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new and never before used in that part of Her Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her said Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be my
Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specifi-
cation doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise,
with the proviso in the said heroin-before in part recited Letters Patent
contained, wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and
privilege to my said Invention.
And lastly, I declare that I do not claim originality in the use of any of the
substances or fluids employed either for the ignition of gases or the construction
of the apparatus, save and except and so far as relates to my said Invention;
and although I have described many parts of the said apparatus, and shown
the means of connecting them, which are not new, I have done so solely for
the purpose of rendering my Invention clearly understood, and to shew the
different combination of many of the parts, and not as claiming them; and I.

page_text: accordingly disclain the same, and do not confine myself to the particular
modes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Barnett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-eight.
WILLIAM (L.S.) BARNETT.
Signed, scaled, and delivered in the