Improvements in Carburetting Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carburetting Apparatus.
A communication. by THE RANSOM GAS MACHINE COMPANY, of 372, East Water
Street, Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, G, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in carburetting apparatus.
The chief objections heretofore raised to machines or apparatus of this class are
found in the fact that, as heretofore constructed, they have been considered to
so increase the danger from fire that insurance companies have refused to insure
property containing the same. Also in the fact that it has heretofore appeared
impossible to produce an automatic apparatus which is capable of regularly pro-
ducing a gas of uniform quality and pressure, without being at the same time
too complicated to be durable or reliable, and too expensive for practical use.
The object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus which is
simple in its construction and both reliable and safe in its operation, and by
means of which a gaseous product may be obtained of uniform quality and
pressure.
In the following description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention showing the various chambers
partly in section, to disclose the interior construction.
Figure 2 is a detail view of the inlet and exhaust valve of the lifting-jack.
Figure 3 is a section view of the same.
Like parts are identified by the same reference letters throughout the several
views.
-
1 is a supporting stand, upon which are located water-tanks 2 and 3, prefer-
ably cylindrical in form and provided respectively with reciprocating air-
chambers 4 and 5, which are open at their lower ends and so arranged that their
lower edges will be submerged or sealed in the water of their respective tanks
at all times.
The chamber 4 is secured to the upper end of a piston-rod 6 of a hydraulic
lifting-jack 7 and is provided with a metallic block or weight 8 which tends to

page_text: drive the chamber downwardly into the water of the tank 2 when not supported
or lifted by the liquid in the jack.
It will be observed that the piston-rod of the jack enters the tank 2 through
a tubular opening 10 which extends upwardly in the tank to a point above the
water-line, thus preventing any leakage of the tank water and furnishing guide-
bearings, 11, for the piston-rod. The tank 3 is provided with a similar opening,
as hereinafter explained, and the chambers' 4 and 5 are also provided with depend-
ing tubes 4 and 5 respectively, which cover the tubular openings in the tanks
and prevent the air of the chambers from escaping therethrough. This con-
struction is especially important in the construction of the chamber 5.
For admitting air to the chamber 4 during its upward movement, an air-inlet
pipe 12 is provided which extends upwardly through the bottom of the tank 2
to a point above the water-line. This pipe is provided with a check valve 13
which admits air to the pipe and chamber, during the upward movement of the
latter. During the return movement of the chamber, the air is expelled through
the pipe 12, check 14 and pipe 15, which latter pipe leads upwardly through the
bottom of the tank 3, to a point within the air-chamber 5 above the water-line. It
is, therefore, obvious that during the return movement of the chamber 4, the air
therein will be driven into the chamber 5 to raise the latter.
The valve mechanism of the lifting-jack is operated from the air-chamber 5.
This chamber is provided with a depending valve-controlling rod 16 which extends
downwardly in the central tubular opening 17 through the bottom of the tank 3,
and is coupled loosely to a valve-lever 18, the latter being pivotally secured to
the valve-stem 19 (see Figures 2 and 3) and adapted to engage underneath a
shoulder 20 on a pivotally supported bracket 21, supported from the cylinder
of the jack, which shoulder serves as a fulcrum for the lever. 22 is an adjusting
screw for regulating the engagement of the lever under the shoulder 20. The
inlet valve 23 and exhaust valve 24 are both located in a vertically disposed cas-
ing, which is attached to the side of the jack cylinder and provided with an inlet
port 25 communicating therewith at its lower end. The valve-stem 19 is nòr-
mally held by a spring 26 in a raised position, with the inlet closed and exhaust
open. The downward movement of the chamber 5 depresses the valve-stem 19
against the resistance of the spring 26 through the medium of the rod 16 and
lever 18 and when such movement is partially completed the stem is depressed
sufficiently to close the exhaust valve and subsequently force open the inlet as
shown in Figure 3, thus permitting the power-water to enter the lifting-jack
underneath the piston 9 and elevate the chamber 4. The continued downward
movement of the chamber 5 depresses the lever 18 sufficiently to withdraw its
short end from engagement with the shoulder 20, when the valve-stem is re-
turned to its normal position by the reaction of the spring 26, thus opening the
exhaust and permitting the inlet valve to close with the pressure of the supply
water. The weighted chamber 4 then descends by gravity and re-fills the cham-
ber 5, as heretofore explained. As the chamber is raised, the short end of the
lever 18 is re-engaged under the shoulder 20, the bracket 21 being permitted to
move sufficiently on its pivot to permit the end of the lever to pass.
During the downward movement of the chamber 5, the air therein is driven
through a generator or carburetting chamber 27 into a gas supply-pipe 28 leading
to the place or places of use. The generator is preferably located within the
chamber 5 and partially submerged in the water of the tank 3. It is constructed
with a large number of small air ducts 29, leading from, the upper surface of the
chamber 27 to a point underneath the surface of the gasoline or carburetting
liquid in the chamber, the supply of liquid being shallow and maintained at about
the same level, as hereinafter explained. The air being thus thoroughly sub-
divided and driven through the gasoline in numerous small jets, it becomes
immediately charged with the vapour of the latter and the gaseous mixture thus
produced is expelled from the upper portion of the carburetting chamber 27

page_text: through the gas supply pipe 28, under the continuous pressure of the air in the
tank 5.
The
In order to maintain the supply of carburetting liquid in the generator, pro-
vision is made for recharging the latter from a storage tank 30.
pump 31 is used to supply the generator 27 from the storage tank 30.
A diaphragm
diaphragm 32 is actuated in one direction by power-water from the lifting jack
cylinder, which enters one chamber of the pump 31 through a pipe 33, and in
the opposite direction by a spring 34 acting when the power-water exhausts
through the pipe 33, and the exhaust valve of the lifting jack. When the
diaphragm is actuated by the spring, á supply of carburetting liquid is drawn
from the storage-tank into the pump on the opposite side of the diaphragm
from that occupied by the power-water, through the
pipe 35, and when the diaphragm movement is reversed by the power-water
valved suction-
entering from the lifting jack cylinder, the carburetting liquid is driven from
the pump into the generating chamber through the valved pipe 36. It will,
therefore, be seen that the generator is recharged intermittently and in corres-
pondence with the reciprocal movement of the air-chambers.
To prevent the generator from becoming overcharged the same is provided
with an over-flow pipe 44, which projects upwardly from the bottom of the gener-
ator to the height at which it is desired to maintain the liquid and communicates
with the suction-pipe 35 of the pump at a point 45 above the check valve 37,
which thus prevents the return of the overflow to the storage-tank.
As the overflow from the generator is somewhat deteriorated in quality, through
the evaporation of the lighter portions thereof, my correspondents regard the
connection of the pipe 44 with the suction-pipe 35 at a point above the check
valve 37 as of great importance in maintaining a uniform quality of gasoline in
the generator. If this pipe is connected with the storage-tank the supply of gaso-
line therein deteriorates in quality, while with the construction described, all
liquid drawn from the storage-tank is of the original grade and the supply in the
generator is, therefore, kept at a uniform grade, as the latter contains but a
small quantity of the liquid at any given time.
It will be observed that my correspondents have provided the tanks 2 and 3
with a connecting pipe 46 at the water line, with a branch 47 leading to the
waste-pipe 48 of the jack 7. As the leakage of the jack escapes into the tank 2,
it is expedient to provide such pipes, in order that both tanks will be supplied
therefrom and their overflow prevented.
Briefly reviewing the operation of this machine, it will be observed that, after
being once started, its operation is entirely automatic. The downward move-
ment of the chamber 5, as the air therein is expelled through the generator is
communicated to the valve mechanism of the jack 7, through the rod 16 and
lever 18 to admit the power-liquid to the jack and elevate the chamber: 4, the
latter drawing in a charge of air through the valve 13. The chamber 4 remains
in its raised position until the continued downward movement of the chamber 5
releases the lever 18 from the shoulder 20, when the spring 26, by closing the
inlet and opening the exhaust valves of the jack, permits the weighted tank 4 to
return by gravity to its normal position and drive the air contained therein into
the chamber 5, to again raise the latter. At the same time that the tank 4 is
raised by the power-water in the jack to draw in a fresh supply of air, the water
enters the diaphragm-pump 31 from the supply in the jack and forces a new
charge of gasoline into the generator. The use of the overflow pipe 44 connected
with the suction-pipe of the pump 31, enables my correspondents to dispense with
nice adjustments of the parts, as it is impossible to overcharge the generator with
this construction.
It will be observed that the generator and gasoline pump are entirely sealed
and have no communication with the outside atmosphere, and there is no possi-
bility of the escape of any of the gasoline, or its vapour. The generator being

page_text: partially submerged in the water of the tank 3, the temperature of the gasoline
is not subject to the extreme variation in the temperature of the atmosphere, and
the air which is passed through it is equalised in temperature by the water of the
tanks.
The storage-tank may, of course, be located at any convenient point distant
from the remainder of the machine, being preferably buried in the ground
exterior to the building in which the machine is located.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
-
1. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber adapted to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator in communication therewith; a gas supply-pipe leading from the
generator; and means for automatically maintaining a supply of air in said
chamber, whereby the pressure of said chamber expels the air continuously
through the generator, at a uniform pressure.
2. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator located in said chamber and in communication therewith; a gas
supply-pipe leading from the generator; and means for automatically maintain-
ing a supply of air in said chamber, whereby the pressure of said chamber expels
the air continuously through the generator, at a uniform pressure.
3. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator in communication therewith; means for automatically recharging
the generator with liquid hydro-carbon; a gas-supply pipe leading from the
generator; and means controlled by the air-supported chamber for automatically
maintaining a supply of air in said chamber, whereby the pressure of said cham-
ber expels the air continuously through the generator, at a uniform pressure.
4. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a water-tank; a reciprocating air-
supported and actuated chamber, open at bottom and sealed in the water of said
tank, and arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein; a gener-
ator located in said chamber in communication therewith, and partially sub-
merged in the water of said tank; a gas supply-pipe leading from the generator;
and means controlled by said air supported chamber for automatically maintain-
ing a supply of air in said chamber, whereby the pressure of said chamber
expels the air continuously through the generator, at a uniform pressure.
5. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator located in the air-chamber and in communication therewith; a gas
supply-pipe leading from the generator; water-actuated mechanism for recharg-
ing the air-supported chamber with air, and the generator with liquid hydro-
carbon; supply and exhaust valves controlling the admission and exhaust of the
power-water to and from said water-actuated mechanism; and connections for
actuating said valves alternately in opposite directions from the air-supported
chamber.
G.. A carburetting apparatus, comprising one or more water-tanks; a generator
partially submerged in the water of one of said tanks; a reciprocating air-
chamber open at bottom and covering said generator, with its lower edges sealed
by the water in said tank; a primary gravity-actuated air-chamber for recharg-
ing said first-mentioned air-chamber with air; a hydraulic lifting-jack for rais-
ing said primary chamber; a pump operated by the power-liquid of said lifting
jack, to recharge the generator with hydro-carbon; and means for controlling
the inlet and exhaust of said jack from one of the air-chambers.
7. A carburetting apparatus, comprising one or more water tanks; reciproca-
ting air-chambers, open at bottom with their lower edges sealed in the water of

page_text: the tank or tanks; a valved air-passage communicating between the chambers;
a valve for admitting air to one of the chambers; means for reciprocating said
chamber to supply the other chamber with air, and connections for controlling
its movement in both directions from said other chamber; a generator in com-
niunication with the last-mentioned chamber; a gas supply-pipe leading from
said generator; a supply-tank for carburetting liquid; and means controlled by
one of the air-chambers for intermittingly charging the generator from the
supply-tank.
8. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous downward pressure upon the
air therein; a generator located in said chamber and in connection therewith;
a gas supply-pipe leading from said generator; a reciprocating air-forcing cham-
ber provided with a valved inlet and valved pipe-connections with the air-
supported chamber; and means for automatically controlling the movement of
the air-forcing chamber in both directions from the air-supported chamber.
9. A carburetting apparatus, comprising one or more water-tanks; reciproca-
ting air-chambers open at bottom and having their lower edges sealed in the
water of the tank or tanks; a valved air-passage communicating between the
chambers; a valve for admitting air to one of the chambers; means for recipro-
cating said chamber, and connections for controlling its movement from the other
of said chambers; a generator in communication with said last mentioned cham-
ber and adapted to receive air therefrom; a gas supply-pipe connected with the
generator; a supply-tank; a pump controlled by one of said air-chambers for
charging the generator from the supply-tank; and an over-flow communicating
between the generator and the inlet or suction-pipe of said pump.
10. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator in communication with said chamber and provided with a gas
supply-pipe leading therefrom; a reciprocatory air-forcing chamber provided
with a valved inlet; and valved connections with the air-supported chamber;
a hydraulic lifting-jack for raising said air-forcing chamber; and means for
communicating the downward movement of the air-supported chamber to actuate
the valves of said lifting-jack successively in both directions, whereby said jack
and air-forcing chamber are actuated to supply the air.
11. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a reciprocating air-supported and
actuated chamber arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the air therein;
a generator in communication with said chamber and provided with a gas
supply-pipe leading therefrom; a reciprocatory air-forcing chamber provided
with a valved inlet and valved connections with the air-supported chamber; a
hydraulic lifting-jack for raising said air-forcing chamber; a hydraulic pump
for recharging the generator with liquid hydro-carbon, arranged to be actuated
by the liquid supply of the lifting-jack; and means for communicating the down-
ward movement of the air-supported chamber to actuate the valves of said lift-
ing-jack successively in both directions, whereby said jack and air-forcing cham-
ber and hydro-carbon pump are actuated to supply the air-supported chamber
with air, and the generator with liquid hydro-carbon
12. A carburetting apparatus, comprising one or more tanks; a primary air-
chamber open at bottom and having its lower edges sealed in the water of one
of the tanks; an air inlet-valve for said chamber; a lifting-jack adapted to
raise said chamber to draw in air from the exterior; a secondary air-chamber
open at bottom and sealed in the water of one of the tanks: a valved pipe-con-
nection between the air-chambers, said primary air-chamber being heavier than
the secondary chamber, and adapted to force its contained air into said secondary
chamber; means for contrelling the operation of said jack from the secondary
air-chamber: a generator in communication with said chamber; a gas supply-
pipe in communication with the generator, a supply-tank; and means for charging.
the generator therefrom.

page_text: 13. A carburetting apparatus, comprising one or more water-tanks; a primary
air-chamber having an opening sealed in the water of one of the tanks; an air-
inlet valve for said chamber; inlet and exhaust valves for said lifting-jack; one
or more valve-actuated rods provided with a spring or springs for holding said
valves normally with the inlet closed and exhaust opened; a secondary air-
chamber, also having its open side sealed in the water of the tank or tanks; a
rod depending from said chamber; a valve-actuating lever loosely coupled to the
rod and pivotally secured to the valve-stem or stems; and a swinging bracket
provided with a shoulder adapted to serve as a temporary fulcrum for said lever;
together with a generator in communication with said secondary air-chamber;
and a gas supply-pipe leading therefrom to the place or places of use.
14. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a generator; fluid-actuated mechanism
for forcing air through the generator; and a pump for charging the generator
with liquid hydro-carbon, said pump being in communication with the power-
chamber, of the air-forcing mechanism, and adapted to be actuated by a portion
of the power-fluid therefrom.
15. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a generator; fluid-actuated mechanism
for forcing air through the generator; and a diaphragm pump for charging
the generator with liquid hydro-carbon, said pump being in communication with
the power-chamber of the air-forcing mechanism and adapted to be actuated by
power-fluid therefrom.
16. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a generating chamber having a
plurality of small air inlet-openings for the admission of air to the interior of
the chamber, at points near its bottom; means for forcing air through said open-
ings; a gas supply-pipe leading from said chamber; a supply-tank for carburet-
ting liquid; a pump for recharging the generator from the supply-tank; and an
overflow leading from the generator and communicating with the pump-supply,
substantially for the purpose set forth.
17. A carburetting apparatus, comprising a generating chamber, having a
plurality of small air inlet-openings for the admission of air to the interior of
the chamber; means for forcing air through said openings; a gas supply-pipe
leading from said chamber; a source of hydro-carbon supply for said chamber;
and means for limiting the supply of hydro-carbon in the chamber, whereby the
same is maintained at a uniform shallow depth, sufficient to cover the mouths
of the air inlet-openings, substantially for the purpose set forth.
18. In a gas apparatus, the combination of one or more tanks; primary and
secondary air-chambers open at bottom and having their lower edges submerged
in the water of said tank or tanks; tubular openings leading through the bottom.
of said water-tank or tanks, to the interior of said chambers; rods extending
through said openings and connected with said chambers; an air inlet-valve
for the primary chamber; a valved air-passage leading from said chamber to the
secondary chamber; means for temporarily applying power to the rod of the pri-
mary chamber to lift the same; and connections for communicating the motion
of the secondary rod to control the power applied to the primary rod.
19. In a gas apparatus, the combination of one or more water-tanks; primary
and secondary air-chambers open at bottom and having their lower edges sub-
merged in the water of said tank or tanks; tubular openings leading through
the bottom of said tank or tanks, to the interior of said chambers; rods extend-
ing through said openings and connected with said chambers; an air inlet-valve
for the primary chamber; a valved air-passage leading from said chamber to the
secondary chamber: means for applying power to the rod of the primary cham-
her to temporarily lift the same; and connections for communicating the motion
of the secondary chamber, to control the power applied to the primary rod; to-
gether with a generator in communication with the secondary chamber, and
adapted to receive air therefrom.
20. In a carburetting, apparatus, the combination of a generator: means for
forcing air through the same; a tank for containing a supply of liquid hydro-

page_text: carbon; a pump for charging the generator from the supply-tank; and an over-
flow leading from a point in the generator to a point in the suction-pipe of said
pump.