Improvements in Petroleum or Hydrocarbon Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petroleum or Hydrocarbon Engines.
I JAMES ROOTS 19 St. Mary's Road Westbourne Park W. Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This engine is intended to consume the cheaper crude brown or black petroleums
whether natural or manufactured from coal or shale. The petroleum reservoir which
is fed from the main tank on the fountain principle, or other convenient method, is
fixed as close as possible to the admission valve of the cylinder. It is made with a
double wall or fitted pipe on one side of it so that the air when suction occurs passes
down one side of the wall through the petroleum and up through the centre of the
petroleum on the other side in the reservoir. Fixed in a wooden frame floating on the
petroleum, and fitting the reservoir sufficiently closely to compel the air to pass
through the gauze and yet to rise and fall with the level of the oil and the pressure of
the air beneath it, are two or three pieces of wire gauze, the lowest of which may be
when the air pressure is not exerted upon it just in contact with or immediately above
the level of the oil, so that if in contact with the oil the meshes are filled by capillary
attraction with oil, when the pressure of the air occurs and lifts the frame and gauze
above the oil or just out of it, and the air passing through the meshes carries with
it into the cylinder particles of oil. The one piece of gauze is fixed at about an
inch above the other. In a modification the lower piece of gauze may be allowed a
movement in the frame sufficiently to lift it out of contact with the oil. In employing
a method of feed from the tank whereby the oil in the reservoir may be kept at one
level or nearly so, such as the fountain method, the gauze may be fixed either just
in contact with the oil or immediately above the surface, in the latter case the pressure
of the air forces down the oil in the side passage before mentioned, momentarily
raises the level of the oil in the reservoir and brings it in contact with the gauze, and
moreover the uprush of the air caused by the suction throws up or splashes the oil on
the surface of the gauze. The air is first heated by the exhaust and then passed
through the channels in the cover described in my former specification 11067 of 1888,
whence it passes to the cylinder by one of the valves on the two valved spindle
described in my specification 9311 of 1888 but which is fitted more closely to the
cylinder side to shorten the passages and to reduce the cooling surface or the
mixture of air and oil may be taken through the said channels. The igniting tube is
enclosed in a cover or small chamber attached to the cylinder cover, and the exhaust
products pass an ejector nozzle which tends to create a vacuum in the igniting tube
chamber, causing an inflow of air to the chamber which is directed on to the dame
from an oil lamp the burner of which projects into the chamber, or in causing an
inflow of the mixture from the reservoir.
1000
:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petroleum or Hydrocarbon Engines.
I, JAMES ROOTS, of 19 St. Mary's Road, Westbourne Park, W. 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 following
statement:-
This engine is intended to consume the cheaper crude, brown or black petroleums
whether natural, or manufactured from coal or shale.

page_text: My invention will be understood by the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a petroleum engine.
A is the cylinder and B the feed valve at the bottom thereof. The feed
passage C is in connection with a reservoir D provided at about its mid height
with a gauze partition E stretched to a buoyant frame F to keep it near the level
of the petroleum which is in the lower part of the reservoir D. The level may be
maintained at an uniform height by a supply from a main cistern or tank by a siphon
arrangement of piping G.
The reservoir D has one H of a pair of coupled valves in it to close the passage
into the channel C when the engine goes too fast, or such as when the governors I
rise sufficiently, the other of the valves J being then removed from its seat in the
upper part of the channel C for the engine to draw air only into the cylinder.
The valve B has a return spring K to close it against the return pressure of the
piston.
L is the exhaust.
The construction of the reservoir is more clearly shown at Figures 2 and 3 which
are at right angles to that shown at Figure 1.
The air for the admixture is sucked or drawn through the aperture M and it passes
through the oil in the compartment under the lip of the partition N and through the
oil up into the space above, the suction pressure being sufficient to agitate the oil and
the air to be moistened, and as a quantity of oil in fine division rises with the air from
the splash action against the gauze E a proportion of the spray is taken with the air
into the cylinder for explosion and for power purposes.
Figure 4 represents the means for heating the firing tube P from the flame of an
oil lamp when injected against it partly by suction due to the exhaust in the pipe L
and partly due to the inrush of air by the nozzle R.
The firing tube P is enclosed in another tube S and a branch pipe T therefrom
terminates in the exhaust L by which the vacuum is formed as the exhaust passes it.
Instead of air passing through the nozzle R a mixture of air and petroleum vapour
may be drawn in from the reservoir D for consumption with the flame of the oil
lamp for producing additional heating properties to the firing tube P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. In a petroleum engine, a floating frame carrying gauze on or above the level of
the oil in the supply reservoir, as described and substantially as shewn on the annexed
drawings.
2. The lipped partition in reservoir D and its connection with syphon feed and air
supply for impregnation due to suction and consequent spray of petroleum for use in
combined form in the cylinder, as described.
3. The employment of two valves, acting as and for the purposes described, when
fitted to a petroleum engine, as set forth.
4. The arrangement for heating the firing tube by lamp flame supplied with air or
petroleum spray due to vacuum created by exhaust.
This 15th day of March 1890.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said James Roots.