IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND MECHANISM FOR GENERATING BUCH POWER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Horace Brandon, of 13, Rue Gaillon,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND
MECHANISM FOR GENERATING BUCH POWER." A communication by
Madam Charles Errani, Widow, of 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire
:
of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Horace
Brandon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd November 1869.
Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the
I, ALEXANDER HORACE BRANDON, of 13,
Empire of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MEANS
AND MECHANISM FOR GENERATING SUCH POWER," a communication to
Price 8d 1

page_text: Madam Charles Errani, Widow, of 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire of
France, to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to that class of motive engine in which
power is generated by the explosion of gas within a closed cylinder.
The gas required for this purpose is produced by drawing a current of
atmospheric air through liquid hydrocarbon, such as spirit of petroleum,
directly into a cylinder, and there such air charged with explosive
vapour is ignited by means of a current of hydrogen gas directed on a
small platinum sponge. This ignitor is placed within a slide working
with a to-and-fro motion in such a manner that at each stroke of
the engine the air charged with the gases is, first, drawn into the cylinder,
secondly, closed within the cylinder, thirdly, ignited, and fourthly, dis-
charged after the explosion. In order to prevent at any time a vacuum
from forming behind the piston there is adapted to the cylinder an
atmospheric valve, which being lifted by the vacuum admits air into the
cylinder.
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Horace Brandon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
HORACE BRANDON, of 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the
me, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, Her
special licence that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Horace Brandon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
Inven-

page_text: tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND
MECHANISM FOR GENERATING SUCH POWER," a communication to me by Madam
Charles Errani, Widow, of 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, in the Empire of France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Horace Brandon, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
These improvements relate to that class of motive engine in which
power is generated by the explosion of gas within a closed cylinder.
The gas required for this purpose is produced by drawing a current of
atmospheric air through liquid hydrocarbon, such as spirit of petroleum,
directly into a cylinder, and there such air charged with explosive
vapour is ignited by means of a current of hydrogen gas directed on a
small platinum sponge. This ignitor is placed within a slide working
with a
to-and-fro motion in such a manner that at each stroke of
the engine the air charged with the gases is, first, drawn into the cylinder,
secondly, closed within the cylinder, thirdly, iguited, and fourthly, dis-
charged after the explosion. In order to prevent at any time a vacuum
from forming behind the piston there is adapted to the cylinder an
atmospheric valve, which being lifted by the vacuum admits air into the
cylinder.
And in order that the improvements may be clearly understood, I will
proceed to explain them conjointly with the four Figures in the accompanying
Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan partly in section through
A, A, Figures 2 and 3, of the new engine or motor, such parts
only being shown as are necessary for the explanation thereof; Figure 2
is a partial longitudinal elevation of the same with recipient in
section through B, B, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation
through C, C, Figure 1; and Figure 4, a detailed part on an enlarged
scale. These three first-Figures represent the mechanism for a motive-power

page_text: engine made in accordance with the said improvements provided
with two slides, of which one is for the inlet of inflammable mixture
and for the outlet after the piston has finished its stroke of the gases
generated by the ignition, and the other is for the purpose of igniting the said
inflammable gases. In these Figures A is the recipient, containing the liquid
hydrocarbon; B, the cylinder; C, the piston; D, the slide for dis-
tribution of gases; E, the slide for igniting the same in the
cylinder; and F, the main shaft. The recipient A is a closed metallic vessel,
in which the liquid hydrocarbon (preferably spirits of petroleum, specific gravity,
from 600 to 700) is represented by the horizontal shaded lines;
internally it contains, first, two perforated metallic plates a, a, and
lastly a series of metallic discs b, b, partly cut away alternately at
each side; and externally it is provided, firstly, with a tube c, to which is
attached a valve box d containing an atmospheric valve d¹, metallic
grating e, and screwed plug f, and secondly with a vertical pipe g,
with stop-cock h, atmospheric valve i in a box i¹ connected directly to slide
bonnet . The cylinder is an ordinary open-ended cylinder. The piston
which should be metallic, may be of any known or approved construction.
The slides E and F are quadrangular in shape fitting accurately in
their boxes in which they are ground; the eccentrics D¹ and E¹ impart
to them their requisite to-and-fro motion. Whilst the piston is travelling
from the cylinder cover k to the position shown at Figure 1 the passage
1 in the slide D is placed so that it establishes a direct communication
between the cylinder and the recipient, whilst the slide f completely closes
its opening; consequently during the said advance of the piston air will be
drawn through the grating e and valve f down the passage m through
the hydrocarbon, and from thence through the alternate openings in the
plates b, b, will enter the cylinder after passing the cock h, and after raising
the atmospheric valve. The valves d¹ and f are for the purpose of prevent-
ing any back current, the grating e for preventing any accidental ignition
of hydrocarbon; similar safety grating is also placed at the flange joint
where the valve box is connected with the slide jacket j.
and b, b, are for the purpose of preventing the priming of the hydrocarbon.
When the piston has attained about the position indicated at Figure 1 the
slide D closes its port, and immediately afterwards the igniting slide E
advances until its opening e' corresponds with its port ea in the cylinder,
whereby the charge is immediately ignited, the explosion of which drives
the piston to the end of its stroke, its return stroke being effected
The plates a, a,

page_text: by the momentum of a fly wheel on the main shaft. After effecting the
ignition as above stated the slide E returns, closing the opening until
another charge drawn into the cylinder has to be ignited, whilst the slide D
remains closed only until the cylinder has completed its half stroke;
it then commences opening and remains open to the atmosphere
until the piston has returned to the cylinder head ready for a second
inhalation of gases; this communication with the atmosphere is effected by
the slide entering its box until its edge 11 passes the port. The
ignition of the charge is effected by a current of hydrogen gas passing
through the pipes m and m¹, and directed on a small platinum sponge n
set within the slide E. The branch pipe m' is flexible in order to allow
of the to-and-fro motion of the slide. The outer extremity of the pipe m
is connected with a closed vessel in which the said hydrogen gas
is generated in any convenient manner, say by means of zinc filings
immersed in a mixture of sulphuric acid and water in the usual manner.
At any part of the pipe m, but preferably as near to the slide as possible,
is adapted a box containing metallic grating for the purpose of ar-
resting any downward current of flame. The extremity of the pipe m¹
where it enters the slide is pierced with a capillary hole for the purpose of
directing the hydrogen gas immediately on the platinum sponge n: this latter
is held in place by a platinum wire, the extremities of which are attached to
the metallic fork o. The straight part of the pipe m is also at p pierced
with capillary holes; this pipe is for the purpose of injecting a
second current of gas on the platinum during such time as it passes to and fro
before the said pipe.
Instead of the arrangement above described for igniting the charge
electricity is also employed, in which case the slide E and the con-
comitant parts are dispensed with. For this purpose electricity is generated
by means of two rotating discs of hardened india-rubber. the surfaces
of which turn in close proximity, but without actual contact. these discs
being rotated by the engine itself in any convenient manner. A rubber
or cushion is pressed against the lateral surfaces of one of these discs,
whilst from the other induced electricity is obtained, which is conducted
to a wire q set into a plug s, see Figure 4, which latter is screwed fast
into the cylinder at the position shown in Figure 2; the wire q is cemented
into the glass cylinder r, which latter is cemented into the plug. The
spark flying to the piston which has just passed the wire is sufficient

page_text: for igniting the charge, but for complete security it is preferred to attach
to the cylinder a small metallic rack t, thus all uncertainty of ignition is
avoided.
In order to diminish the richness of the gas composing the charge
and thereby diminish also the force of explosion, a small hole is made
in one side of the cock h, and in one side of its plug h¹, see Figures 2
and 3, so that when the plug is turned one half turn these two holes will
coincide. When such is the case a certain portion of pure atmospheric air will
be drawn in with the air charged with hydrocarbon vapors and thus produce
the desired effect; this effect can be limited by turning the plug so that the
said holes coincide more or less. In practice it has been found that the
atmospheric valve mentioned as being attached to the cylinder itself may be
dispensed with.
For the purpose of increasing the power as well as for obtaining
greater regularity in the emission of power two ог more single-
acting engines are adapted as above described to one driving shaft. A motor
of this kind has many advantages over both steam and ordinary gas
engines worked by gas drawn from the mains both for stationary
purposes, navigation, and traction engines, for the latter application more
particularly. Among some of the most prominent of these advantages
I will enumerate the absence of a boiler, diminished weight and con-
sequently increased space available for traction purposes, suppression of
of fuel and water carried for feeding, facility for starting at any moment
without any preliminary operation, such as filling boiler, firing, getting steam
up, etc.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying it into practice, I would have it understood
that what I claim is,-
Firstly. The arrangement and construction of the recipient A.
Secondly. Its connection with the cylinder B, whereby by the conjoint action
of the piston C and the slide D a charge of inflammable gas is drawn into the
cylinder by the motion of the piston.
Thirdly. The means indicated for reducing the inflammability or explosive
force of the gas.
Fourthly. The construction and arrangement of parts for igniting the charge
by means of a current of hydrogen gas as described.

page_text: And, fifthly. The ignition of the inflammable gases by means
dynamical electricity generated by induction in
in the
described.
of
the manner above
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Horace
Brandon, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
Witness,
D. H. BRANDON,
13, Rue Gaillon,
Paris.
A. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)