IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY HEATED AIR, OR BY COMBINATIONS OF AIR AND STEAM
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY
HEATED AIR, OR BY COMBINATIONS OF AIR AND STEAM."-A communication
from Jacques Belou, C. E., residing at No. 12, Rue Saint Georges,
Paris, France.
Sealed the 11th July 1862, and dated the 28th January 1862.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 28th January 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGINES ACTUATED BY HEATED AIR, OR BY COMBINATIONS OF AIR AND STEAM,"
communicated to me by Jacques Belou, of Paris, Civil Engineer, and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that it is a communication.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the
Figures of the accompanying Drawing, and to the letters marked thereon, that
is to say:
The essential feature of these improvements in caloric and certain other
types of motive engines, is the conversion of the separate pump and driving
-cylinders into a single body, in which are exerted at the same time, the suction
and forcing of the cold air supplied to the furnace, and the working power of
the heated air proceeding therefrom. By this arrangement the temperature
of the inner surfaces of the cylinder is reduced, the action of the piston facili-
tated, and a considerable economy is realized in dimensions and cost over the
motors of this class as hitherto constructed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in vertical section the
principal details of a single-action caloric engine, comprising the present
improvements. A is the cylinder, in which are exerted on one hand the
suction and forcing of the cold air, and on the other, the motive power of the
heated air; B, C, is a differential piston, developing in its stroke two
volumes, the larger for the hot, and the lesser for the cold air, the disc B is
provided with ordinary metallic packing; D, stuffing box, with packings of
hemp or metallic tresses, or again of elastic metallic circles, similar to those of
ordinary pistons; E, E', inlet and outlet valves for the hot air; F, F, suction
and forcing valves for the cold air. These valves may be replaced by slides,
or other suitable arrangement.
The furnace and other parts of the machinery are omitted from the Drawing,
being too well known to require description.
Double-action engines may be formed by the coupling of two single-aeting
cylinders constructed as above.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, represent a double-action engine with a single cylinder,
the distribution being effected by special slide valves. A, cylinder, B, C, B,
double differential piston. The two discs B, B, of this piston are similar to
that above described, and the tube C by which they are connected, slides in
an annular socket D, fitted with an elastic packing; M, N, inlet, and P, Q,
eduction slide valves for the hot air; R, suction valve for the cold air from
the exterior; and S forcing or eduction valve. These slides may be formed
of different materials, such as cast iron, copper, bronze, steel, or again
of glazed or enamelled ceramic or vitreous matters, such as porcelain,
crystal, &c. &c.

page_text: The cylinder instead of being divided by the annular socket D as seen in
the Drawing, may be constructed of two separate parts, set end to end, more
or less closely to each other, and forming as it were the coupling of two single-
action cylinders in opposite directions. If so desired, the ordinary means of
distribution for the hot and cold air may be substituted to the arrangement
above indicated. In this engine, as in the preceding case, the known
secondary details of the mechanism are for the most part omitted from the
Drawing.
Figure 6 represents an arrangement which differs from that just described,
by the adjunction of a case or reservoir charged with oil, or other suitable.
liquid, and fitted with valves for the suction and forcing of the cold air.
A cooling medium is thus established between the air and the discs of
the piston, and the action of the latter is transmitted by the liquid, the rise
and fall of which produces the suction and forcing of the air in the working
of the engine. When charged with impurities, the liquid is drawn off by
purge cocks, and replaced by a fresh supply. The reservoir may surround the
cylinder either wholly or in part, be incorporated with it, or kept separate at
will. The engines constructed as above may be started, and their movement
regulated by a supply of air contained in a reservoir of suitable capacity, in
which the pressure is kept uniform, or nearly so, by means of a column of
liquid proceeding from an upper recipient.
The different arrangements above described, may be adopted in the construc-
tion of all locomotive, stationary, or marine engines in which heated air is
employed as motive agent.
They may also be applied to engines in which air and steam have a common
or combined action, in which case, the working power of the steam, or of its
mixture with the air, is exerted in the same manner as that of the hot air in
the preceding examples.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said improve-
ments, and the manner of carrying them into effect, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the details of construction and arrange-
ment above laid down, as these may be modified without deviating from the
principle of the Invention according to the special requirements of each
application; but what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent is,―
1stly, the conversion of the separate pump and driving cylinders of caloric
engines as hitherto constructed into a single body, in which are exerted at
the same time the suction and forcing of the cold air supplied to the furnace,
and the working power of the hot air proceeding therefrom, substantially

page_text: as above described and represented in the Figures of the accompanying
Drawing.
2dly, the application of the same principle to the construction of engines
actuated by combinations of air and steam.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have 5
hereto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
M. F. MENNUNS. (L.S.).