IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS IN WHICH HEATED AIR IS EMPLOYED FOR PROPELLING ROAD VEHICLES AND TRAMWAY CARS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM PADDOCK of N° 34 Bordesley Green Birmingham in the County of
Warwick. Machinist do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS IN WHICH HEATED AIR IS
EMPLOYED FOR PROPELLING ROAD VEHICLES AND TRAMWAY CARS" to be as
follows:-
My improvements consist in constructing and arranging in the manner herein-
after described the parts of machinery and apparatus for propelling road vehicles
and tramway cars by the use of heated condensed air.
According to my improvements I employ a pump for pumping and condensing
atmospheric air which condensed air is heated by being passed through a furnace
the condensed air thus heated being employed to actuate the motive power engine
by which the road vehicle or tramway car is propelled and the condensing pump
worked.
The condensing pump and the motive power engine may be of the construction
described in the specification of Letters patent granted to me bearing date the
28th day of December 1883 N° 5888 but I do not limit myself to any particular
kind of pump or motive power engine. By means of the pump, air is collected and
condensed and forced through the furnace either directly through the burning fuel
in the furnace or through pipes heated by the furnace. When the condensed air
passes directly through the furnace it is necessary that the furnace should be air-
tight. In this case the furnace and ash pit are enclosed in a chamber surmounted
by a hopper containing the fuel. The condensed air is forced wholly or in part
from the ash pit through the burning fuel valves or stopcocks determining the
relative proportions of air which pass respectively through and above the burning
fuel. The hopper from which the fuel is supplied is situated immediately above a
feeder. which feeder either by a rotary or a reciprocating motion receives from the
hopper a measured portion of the fuel and delivers it into the furnace without
putting the furnace into communication with the atmosphere. When the condensed
air is heated by being passed through pipes I use one or more helical coils of iron
or steel piping situated either vertically or horizontally in the furnace. When the
said coils are situated vertically I prefer to arrange them concentrically and to
Prine 871

page_text: make the body of the furnace of a cylindrical figure. When the said coils are
situated horizontally I prefer to arrange them in layers crossing each other each
layer consisting of two or more interlaced coils that is the convolutions of one coil
are in part situated between the convolutions of the adjacent coil. In this case
I prefer to make the body of the furnace rectangular.
Instead of coils a series of pendent tubes closed at bottom and opening at top
into a common chamber may be employed. In the axes of these pendent tubes
are other smaller tubes opening at top into a common chamber and opening at
bottom into the said pendent tubes and near their bottoms The condensed air is
passed through the smaller tubes and becomes beated in its ascending motion
through the pendent tubes from the chamber of which it passes to the motive
power engine. When the condensed air is heated by being passed through tubes
it is not necessary that the furnace should be enclosed in an air tight case and the
air tight fuel feeding hopper hereinbefore described may be dispensed with.
The action of the machinery and apparatus is as follows:-The motive power
engine is geared to and propels the road vehicle or tramway car and also geared to
and works the condensing pump. By the motion of the motive power engine.air.
is condensed by the pump and heated in the manner herein before described by
which henting its volume is increased and this increased'volume is delivered into
and works the motive power engine.
Tind this tments füb dew of June 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I WILLIAM PADDOCK of N° 34 Bordesley Green, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Machinist do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS IN WHICH HEATED AIR IS EMPLOYED FOR
PROPELLING ROAD VEHICLES AND TRAMWAY CARS and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
"
My improvements consist in constructing and arranging in the manner herein
after described the parts of machinery and apparatus for propelling road vehicles
and tramway cars by the use of heated condensed air.
According to any improvements I employ a pump for pumping and condensing
atinospheric air which condensed air is heated by being passed through a furnace
the condensed air thus heated being employed to actuate the motive power engine
by which the road vehicle or tramway car is propelled and the condensing pump.
worked.
The condensing pump and the motive power engine may be of the construction
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me bearing date the
28th day of December 1883, N° 5888 but I do not limit myself to any particular
kind of pump or motive power engine. By means of the pump, air is collected
and condensed and forced through the furnace, either directly through the burning
fuel in the furnace or through pipes heated by the furnace. When the condensed
air passes directly through the furnace it is necessary that the furnace should be
air tight. In this case the furnace and ash pit are enclosed in a chamber
surmounted by a hopper containing the fuel. The condensed air is forced wholly
or in part from the ash pit through the burning fuel; valves or stopcocks deter-
mining the relative proportions of air which pass respectively through and above
the burning fuel. The hopper from which the fuel is supplied is situated imme-
diately above a feeder which feeder either by a rotary or a reciprocating motion
receives from the hopper a measured portion of the fuel and delivers it into the
furnace without putting the furnace into communication with the atmosphere.
When the condensed air is heated by being passed through pipes I use one or more
helical coils of iron or steel or other metal piping situated either vertically or
horizontally in the furnace. When the said coils are situated vertically I prefer
to arrange them concentrically and to make the body of the furnace of a
cylindrical figure.
When the said coils are situated horizontally I prefer to arrange them in layers
crossing each other, each layer' consisting of two or more interlaced coils, that is,
the convolutions of one coil are in part situated between the convolutions of the
adjacent coil. In this case I prefer to make the body of the furnace rectangular.
Instead of coils a series of pendent tubes closed at bottom and opening at top
into a common chamber may be employed. In the axes of these pendent tubes are
other smaller tubes-opening at top into a common-chamber and opening at bottom.

page_text: into the said pendent tubes and near their bottoms. The condensed air is passed
through the smaller tubes and becomes heated in its ascending motion through the
pendent tubes from the chamber of which it passes to the motive power engine.
When the condensed air is heated by being passed through tubes, it is not
necessary that the furnace should be enclosed in an air tight case and the air tight
fuel feeding hopper herein before described may be dispensed with.
The action of the machinery and apparatus is as follows. The motive power
engine is geared to and propels the road vehicle or trainway car and also geared to
and works the condensing pump. By the motion of the motive power engine, air
is condensed by the pump and heated in the manner herein before described by
which heating its volume is increased and this increased volume is delivered into
and works the motive power engine.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in longitudinal vertical
section and Figure 2 in horizontal section, partly in plan, the actuating or driving
part of machinery constructed according to my invention for propelling road
vehicles and tramway cars; Figure 3 represents an end elevation of a portion of
the driving gearing; Figure 4 represents a transverse vertical section of the
machinery taken through the secondary driving spindle; Figure 5 represents
elevations of the handle by which the vehicle is started and stopped and its motion
reversed and Figures 6 and 64 represent details of the motive power engine..
The other Figures represent different forms and modifications of the apparatus
which I use for heating the compressed air before it is supplied to the motive
power engine, the said heating apparatus being represented detached from the
actuating or driving part of the machinery.
I have not thought it necessary to represent the carriage by which the machinery
and apparatus represented are supported as my improvements may be combined
with a carriage of any desired construction.
I will first describe the actuating or driving mechanism represented in Figures 1,
2,3 4, 5, 6, and 64, in which Figures the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts. A is the pump for pumping and condensing the atmospheric
air prior to its being heated and passing to the motive power engine F for actuating
the said motive power engine. By means of the said motive power engine F the
vehicle or tramway car is propelled and the condensing pump A actuated, the said
engino F and pump A being coupled together by the shaft c. Air on entering the
pump A at the pipe & passes through a liquid preferably consisting of a mixture of
oil and water contained in the tank t by which it is deprived of dust and charged
with vapour which is carried forward by the incoming air and acts as a lubricant.
The said air passes from the tank t through the hollow and perforated part of the
axis c into the body of the pump A as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The
liquid in the tank is heated by part of the exhaust heated air from the engine F
which air passes through the pipes t' in the said tank. The pump A resembles in
all essential respects the pump described, represented and claimed in the specifi-
cation of the patent herein before referred to, excepting that the air passes through
the ports B and C situated respectively on opposite sides of the diaphragm D
instead of passing through the hollow sphere E as in my said former patent. In
order to preserve the close working of the sphere E on its bearings I make the
Buid sphere in two parts as represented. The said two parts may be pressed
asunder so as to keep them properly seated on their bearings by means of coiled or
other springs. The separation and close working of the two parts of the sphere E
is also promoted by the compressed air passing along the passage E². The air
collected and condensed by the pump A is forced through any of the arrangements
of heating apparatus herein after described and the air thus heated is conducted by
a pipe or pipes to the motive power engine F the said condensed heated air entering
by the ports G G. In order to work the condensed heated air supplied to the
engine expansively I employ annular plates or internal hoops HH shown
separately in Figures 6 and 64. These hoops extend around one half or other
portion of the interior of the case of the engine according as it is wished to cut off

page_text: the air at half or other portion of the stroke. It will be seen by reference to
Figure 1 that when the ports G G are opposite the hoops HH the said ports, are
virtually closed and the air in the engine acts expansively. When however the
ports GG are not opposite any parts of the hoops H H the air has freo access to
the ports GG. The hoops HH may be made separable from the case of the
engine and fixed therein by screws or otherwise; or they may be cast with and
form part of the case of the engine.
For the purpose of starting the vehicle or tramway car or for giving additional
power on ascending a hill, a band condensing pump or a foot blower may be
connected with the tank t of the pump.
The motion of the shaft c is transmitted at a reduced speed to the travelling
wheels of the road vehicle or tramway car and the vehicle or car started and its
motion stopped and reversed without stopping the engine F by the following
mechanism.
b
On the shaft c of the motive power engine is a right and left handed worm a, b
(sce Figure 1) connected to the said shaft by a sliding key so that while revolving
with the shaft it is capable of a limited longitudinal motion for preventing end
thrust upon the shaft. The said worm a, b gears with the two toothed wheels d, e
genring with one another and rotating in opposite directions. The toothed
wheels d, e are secured to the cross hollow spindles d², e³, d² being the main driving
spindle and e¹ the secondary spindle. Near one end of the main spindle d², a disc f
is fixed (see Figure 2) the said disc being faced with a leather washer g. At a
short distance from the disc f is a similar disc h faced with a leather washer g³, the
said disch being secured to the spindle ³ by a sliding collar h³. A coiled spring ³
bearing at one end against the collar h³ presses by its other end the disc h, thereby
causing the said disc h and the disc f to work tightly against their washers g³, g.
Between the friction discs f, h is the chain (or other) wheel i, i² from which motion
is transmitted to the travelling wheels of the vehicle. One side i of the wheel is
formed into a spur wheel and the other part into a chain wheel i as best seen in
Figure 3. The friction discs f, h being pressed towards each other as herein before
described causes the transmitting wheel i, 3 to be gripped between them so that
the said wheel is geared to and rotates with the spindle d'. When however tho
friction discs are separated from one another the transmitting wheel i, i is ungeared
from the spindle in the manner hereinafter described and the latter revolves without
communicating motion to the said wheel i, i³.
The mechanism for starting the vehicle and for stopping and reversing its
motion without stopping the motive power engine F is operated by the hand lever
shown separately in Figure 5 and the said mechanism is constructed as follows:-
Upon one end of the secondary spindle e³ a small toothed wheel or pinion is
fixed with which a similar toothed wheel or pinion gears. This toothed wheel
or pinion is carried upon the crank stud m³ of the crank m (see Figure 4) the.
spindle n of the said crank m passing through the hollow spindle e. Upon the
other end of the spindlen a band lever p is secured (shown separately in Figure 5).
Upon the said hand lever p and opposite the centre of the main spindle d³ is an.
inclined side cam p³ which said cam p² when the lever p is depressed forces the
sliding bolt q which passes through the hollow main spindle d' against the outside
friction disc thereby causing the friction discs f, h to separate and ungear the
transmitting wheel i, is from the driving spindle d as before described. By further
depressing the hand lever p the angular motion given to the crank m through the
shaft n causes the pinion on the crank stud m³ to be brought into gear with the
part of the transmitting wheel i, i and the motion of the said wheel i, i will be
reversed in consequence of the said wheel being now driven from the secondary
spindle (which revolves in the opposite direction to that of the spindle d')
through the pinions k, as will be understood by referring to Figures 2 and 3..
The motion of the hand lever p is limited and made steady by the curved slot p³
into which the fixed pin p' takes (see Figures 2 and 5). Thus, by operating the

page_text: hand wheel p the vehicle may be started and its motion stopped and reversed
without stopping the engine F.
I will now describe my improved air heating apparatus. Figure 7 represents in
vertical section and Figure 8 in plan partly in horizontal section, an air heating
apparatus in which the condensed air is forced through burning fuel and thereby
heated; Figure 9 represents parts of the fuel feeder detached.
a is the outer case of the heater and e the ash pit having an opening and cover
at e²; g is the furnace and f the fire bars on which the burning fuel is supported;
Zis the hopper and n the fuel chamber above the furnace. The fuel is supplied
from the hopper / by means of the air tight fitting rotary valve m which is pressed
to its seat by springs m², one of which is seen in Figure 9. Or the proper fitting
of the valve m may be secured by making it and its bearing slightly conical. The
said rotary valve m by its motion delivers measured quantities of fuel at the
required rate into the fuel chamber n. The valvom has a slow rotary motion
given to it by hand or by the motive power engine. The condensed air from the
pump A enters the apparatus by the tube a² and passes down the annular space d
into the ashpit e and rises between the fire bars fand through the burning fuel in
the furnace g. The air thus hoated ascends through the annular space / containing
asbestos or other filtering material in order to clean the heated air of dust and the
said heated air finally passes by the pipe i to the motive power engine F Figures 1
and 2.
Figure 10 represents in vertical section another construction of feeder for the
heating apparatus Figures 7 and 8 and Figure 11 represents in plan a part of the
same. In this modification the rotary valve p works in a horizontal plane under
the bottom of the hopper q; ris a packing plate of the same shape as the valve p
but having only one opening, which plate is pressed upon the said valve by two or
more coiled springs 8 so as to make it work air tight.
Figure 12 represents in vertical section and a part in plan, another form of
feeding valve in which a reciprocating rectilinear motion is employed instead of a
rotary motion; t is a sliding plate the opening in which is made coincident or non-
coincident with the opening in the bottom of the hopper u by a sliding motion
given to it by the rod t; vis a packing plate to secure the air tight working of
the valve t.
In Figure 7 the fire brick lining w of the furnace g is represented as supported
by an iron casing between which and the outer casing a the air enters. The
iron casing & may however be dispensed with as represented in the vertical section
Figure 18 in which the fire brick lining w³ has a series of vertical passages w³
made in it down which the air passes. Or the air may be introduced directly
into the ash pit by means of a pine as represented in Figure 13.
I prefer to mould the fire brick lining in its place from a plastic mass. For this
purpose I use dry fire clay to which is added a solution of silicate of soda commonly
called water glass, so as to form a plastic mass.
Figure 14 represents in vertical section and Figure 15 in plan, a heating apparatus
in which an arrangement of vertical coils is employed. The said coils consist of a
large outer coil and a series of smaller inner coils m, m, the lower half of the
larger outer coil being embedded in the fire brick lining of the furnace. The series
of smaller coils m may be arranged in layers crossing each other each layer con-
sisting of two or more interlaced coils as illustrated in a portion of Figure 15. The
condensed air enters the outer coil at and after traversing the said coil and
being thereby heated passes out of the apparatus at 13 and is conducted to the
motive power engine. The condensed air enters the smaller coils m at m² and
the heated air escapes from them at m³; g is the furnace containing the burning
fuel; the fire bars and e the ash pit. Air for supporting the combustion of the
fuel in the furnace g is supplied to the ash pit e through the door e³.
In this arrangement the chimney p may be hinged and the fuel supplied to the
furnace ġ by turning aside the chimney on its hinge:

page_text: The heating tubes may be arranged in the body of the furnace concentrically as
represented in Figure 16.
Figure 17 shows an arrangement of conical heating coils whereby economy of
fuel is obtained. Any number of these coils may be mounted one above the other
as represented with respect to two coils in Figure 17 according to the height of
the furnace with which they are used."
Figure 18 represents in vertical section and Figure 19 partly in plan and partly
in horizontal section, an arrangement of heating apparatus in which pendent tubes
are used,
b
a are the outer pendent tubes closed at bottom and opening at top into the
chamber c and b are the smaller pendent tubes situated in the axes of the tubes a.
The smaller tubes 6 open at top into the chamber d and at bottom into the outer
tubes a; fis a rotary valve for admitting the condensed air into the apparatus.
The said valvef by means of its rotary motion may be made to direct the stream
of condensed air from the pump either into the upper chamber d only, in which
caso air is directed only into the inner tubes b; or into the lower chamber c only;
or by another position of the said valve air may be directed into both the inner
and outer tubes or chambers c, d and in another position of the valve the passage
is closed, thereby cutting off the condensed air from the furnace and stopping the
engine. In this case a store of condensed air may be accumulated in the pump
and its connections for convenience in starting the engine. The fuel is in this
arrangement supplied to the furnace g through the fire door at a
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim of "Improvements in machinery and apparatus in which heated air is
employed for propelling road vehicles and tramway cars" is
First The general arrangement and combination of the parts of the machinery
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 6ª of the
accompanying Drawings for propelling road vehicles and tramway cars.
Secondly-The arrangement or combination of parts hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings for transmitting the
motion of the motive power engine to the travelling wheels of road vehicles and
tramway cars and for actuating the air condensing pump.
Thirdly-The arrangement or combination of parts herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings for starting
the road vehicle or tramway car and for stopping and reversing its motion without
stopping the motive power engine.
Fourthly The several arrangements and combinations of the parts of furnaces,
tubes and valves to be employed for heating condensed air to be supplied to motive
power engines for propelling road vehicles and tramway cars herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 7 to 13 both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
Lastly The several arrangements and combinations of the parts of furnaces,
coils and pendent tubes and valves to be employed for heating condensed air to be
supplied to motive power engines for propelling road vehicles and tramway cars
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 14 to 19 both inclusive of the
accompanying Drawings.