AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING LouD FUELS.”
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horatio Nelson Crellin, junior, of Parkside, Kew Road,
Richmond, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, and Charles Spencer Rolfe,
of 5, Westminster Chambers, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for
an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING
LouD FUELS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horatio Nelson Crellin,
junior, and Charles Spencer Rolfe at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 29th March 1881.
HORATIO NELSON CRELLIN, junior, of Parkside, Kew Road, Richmond, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, and CHARLES SPENCER ROLFE, of 5, Westminster
Chambers, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING LIQUID FUELS."
This Invention relates to an improved method and apparatus or lamp for the
combustion of liquid fuels, whereby a nearly perfect and economical form of com-
bustion is secured, and the dangers and inconveniences hitherto incidental to the
use of liquid fuels are obviated.
The fuel used in this improved method and apparatus is by preference what is
commonly known as paraffin oil," but any combustible liquid may be used, and
our improved method and apparatus for effecting the combustion of such fuels is as
follows:-
A boiler constructed either as a coil or tubular or otherwise or in conjunction
with heating pans or furnaces is placed in such a position that the flame from the
improved lamp or apparatus hereinafter described can be caused to heat it. Into
this boiler or receptacle we preferably inject small quantities of water as required,
but in special cases, where absolute safety is not deemed essential, the boiler may be
partially filled with water. A pipe leads either directly or indirectly, as herein-
after described, from this boiler to an arrangement of nozzles or jets, and which in
combination with pipes, jets, or nozzles communicating with the liquid fuel

page_text: reservoir would cause steam from the boiler to act after the manner of the well
known perfume diffusers or the injectors. We sometimes find it necessary to carry
the pipe which delivers the steam to the nozzles or jets through the flame of the
lamp either straight or in the form of a coil in order that the steam may be highly
superheated, and thus admit of the use of liquid fuels having very high flashing
points, or even such as are usually deemed inapplicable to such purposes. Such
nozzles or jets are placed near to or surround a flat or annular burner, preferably
with a wire gauze or other suitable wick, which burner is employed, firstly, to
sufficiently heat the boiler to enable a start to be made, and also to ignite the jets
of fluid, which are by the aid of the steam finely divided and heated to the
flashing point and without which it would be impossible to insure ignition. In
cases where we desire to use the steam generated as a motive power, a pipe
conveys it directly to the engine, from which the whole or a portion may be
condensed or allowed to escape and the remainder passed through the heating
arrangement herein described, or a portion only may be permitted to pass to the
engine and the remainder directly through the heating apparatus.
In combination with this arrangement we use a force pump for injecting small
quantities of water into the boiler as required, and which is driven by an eccentric
or crank on the main shaft of the engine connected to the pump plunger by a ball
and socket joint. In this eccentric is a slot, along which the shaft (which is
square at this point) is free to slide, but is kept at one end of the slot by the
pressure of a spring. In the event of undue pressure occurring in the boiler the
spring is compressed, and thus the stroke of the eccentric reduced and the quantity
of water injected automatically regulated. A similar arrangement is applicable for
controlling the steam entering the cylinder of the engine or of engines worked on
the ordinary system. An injector may be used instead of or in combination with a
force pump for supplying the boiler.
The action is somewhat as follows:-Upon a lever which is connected with the
pump being moved forward a small quantity of water, previously heated by the
waste heat from the lamp burner, is forced into the already somewhat highly
heated boiler. The action of the lever having opened a direct communication
between the boiler and the "lamp jets" the steam passes through them and a large
and powerful flame or flames is created, which almost instantly heats the boiler to
a high temperature. Upon injecting another portion of water the direct passage
for the steam through the jets, is partially or entirely closed, and the steam being
permitted to enter, the engine cylinder moves the piston, and finally is discharged
in whole or in part, as previously described, through the jets; and again the
temperature of the boiler being greatly raised the revolution of the engine causes
the pump to throw in a small quantity of water, which is immediately converted
into steam, and so on. It will be understood that in the event of the engine being
stopped for a period the boiler remains charged with steam by virtue of the wick
portion of the lamp constantly heating it, and hence the engine is ready to start at
any moment without repeating the manual injection of the first increments of
water. Moreover, the intense portion of the flame ceasing directly the steam
is shut off insures safety, and not only is the water injected automatically
controlled, as herein described, but the liquid fuel used is heated to the point of
ignition only at the moment it is to be consumed. During temporary stoppages
all action ceases but that of the wick burner.
In cases where we apply our improved system to the propulsion of vehicles, we
preferably employ an arrangement we have devised for increasing the power
developed as required in order to surmount hills or obstructions. This consists in
making the driving wheels free to turn on the axle or shaft, and connecting them
therewith by means of an arm or arms fastened to the shaft or axle, and connected
to the wheel by means of spiral or other springs. On this arm or arms is a pin
which fits into a V shaped slot in the eccentrics, and which is made free to slide on
the shaft, as previously described. In the event of the wheels meeting with
resistance the springs are proportionately compressed or extended, and the pin
"

page_text: moving in the slot increases or reduces the throw of the eccentric, and thus more
or less water is delivered to the boiler. In some cases we directly control the
steam during admission to the cylinder by a similar arrangement, in conjunction
with our or other system.
Where necessary to control the speed of the engine we prefer to use a link
driven at one end and centred at the other, and in the slot of which the pump
connecting rod is raised or lowered by means of an ordinary governor, and thus
increase or diminish the supply of water.
Our improved apparatus can be made of any convenient size, and is portable and
can be moved from place to place. Our improved method and apparatus is
applicable with advantage to a great variety of purposes, not only for generating
steam of motors and other purposes, but for smelting and all purposes where a safe,
intense, and pure heat is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Horatio Nelson Crellin, junior, and Charles Spencer Rolfe in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th September 1881.
HORATIO NELSON CRELLIN, junior, of Parkside, Kew Road, Richmond, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, and CHARLES SPENCER ROLFE, of 5, Westminster
Chambers, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING LIQUID FUELS."
"
This Invention relates to an improved method and apparatus or lamp for the
combustion of liquid fuels, whereby a nearly perfect and economical form of
combustion is secured, and the dangers and inconveniences hitherto incidental to
the use of liquid fuels are obviated.
The fuel used in this improved method and apparatus is by preference what is
commonly known as "paraffin oil," but any.combustible liquid may be used, and
our improved method and apparatus for effecting the combustion of such fuels is as
follows:
=
A boiler constructed either as a coil or tubular or otherwise, or in conjunction
with heating pans or furnaces, is placed in such a position that the flame from the
improved lamp or apparatus hereinafter described can be caused to heat it. Into
this boiler or receptacle we preferably inject small quantities of water as required,
but in special cases, where absolute safety is not deemed essential, the boiler may
be partially filled with water. A pipe leads either directly or indirectly, as berein-
after described, from this boiler to an arrangement of nozzles or jets, and which in
combination with pipes, jets, or nozzles communicating with the liquid fuel
reservoir would cause steain from the boiler to act after the manner of the well
known perfume diffusers or the injectors. We sometimes find it necessary to carry
the pipe which delivers the steam to the nozzles or jets through the frame of the

page_text: lamp either straight or in the form of a coil, in order that the steam may be highly
superheated, and thus admit of the use of liquid fuels having very high flashing
points, or even such as are usually deemed inapplicable to such purposes. Such
nozzles or jets are placed near to or surround a flat or annular burner, preferably
with a wire gauze or other suitable wick, which burner is employed, firstly, to
sufficiently heat the boiler to enable a start to be made, and also to ignite the jets
of fluids which are, by the aid of the steam, finely divided and heated to the
flashing point, and without which it would be impossible to insure ignition. In
cases where we desire to use the steam generated as a motive power, a pipe conveys
it directly to the engine, from which the whole or a portion may be condensed or
allowed to escape, and the remainder passed through the heating arrangement
herein described, or a portion only may be permitted to pass to the engine, and the
remainder directly through the heating apparatus.
In some cases we find it preferable to employ an auxiliary boiler or coil, which
alone shall be heated by the wick portion of the lamp, whilst the jet portion is
employed to work another boiler either in connection with or independent from
the other.
In combination with this arrangement, we use a force pump for injecting small
quantities of water into the boiler as required, and which is driven by an eccentric
or crank on the main shaft of the engine connected to the pump plunger by a ball
and socket joint. In this eccentric is a slot along which the shaft (which is square
at this point) is free to slide, but is kept at one end of the slot by the pressure of a
spring. In the event of undue pressure occurring in the boiler, the spring is
compressed, and thus the stroke of the eccentric reduced, and the quantity of water
injected automatically regulated. A similar arrangement is applicable for con-
trolling the steam entering the cylinder of the engine, or of engines worked on the
ordinary system. An injector may be used instead of or in combination with a
force pump for supplying the boiler.
.
The action is as follows:-Upon a lever which is connected with the pump being
moved forward, a small quantity of water previously heated by the waste heat
from the lamp burner is forced into the already somewhat highly heated boiler.
The action of the lever having opened a direct communication between the boiler
and the lamp jets," the steam passes through them, and a large and powerful
flame or flames is created, which almost instantly heats the boiler to a high
temperature. Upon injecting another portion of water, the direct passage for the
steam through the jets is partially or entirely closed, and the steam being permitted
to enter, the engine cylinder moves the piston, and finally is diccharged in whole or
in part as previously described through the jets; and again the temperature of the
boiler being greatly raised, the revolution of the engine causes the pump to throw
in a small quantity of water which is immediately converted into steam, and so on.
It will be understood that in the event of the engine being stopped for a period,
the boiler remains charged with steam by virtue of the wick portion of the lamp
constantly heating it, and hence the engine is ready to start at any moment
without repeating the manual injection of the first increments of water. Moreover
the intense portion of the flame ceasing directly the steam is shut off insures safety,
and not only is the water injected automatically controlled as herein described, but
the liquid fuel used is heated to the point of ignition only at the moment it is to
be consumed. During temporary stoppages all action ceases but that of the wick
burner.
In cases where we apply our improved system to the propulsion of vehicles, we
preferably employ an arrangement we have devised for increasing the power
developed as required, in order to surmount hills or. obstructions. This consists in
making the driving wheels free to turn on the axle or shaft, and connecting them
therewith by means of an arm or arms fastened to the shaft or axle, and connected
to the wheel by means of spiral or other springs. On this arm or arms is a pin
which fits into a V shaped slot in the eccentrics, and which is made free to slide
on the shaft as previously described. In the event of the wheels meeting with

page_text: resistance, the springs are proportionately compressed or extended, and the pin
moving in the slot increases or reduces the throw of the eccentric, and thus more
or less water is delivered to the boiler. In some cases we directly control the
steam during admission to the cylinder by a similar arrangement in conjunction
with our or other system.
Where necessary to control the speed of the engine, we prefer to use a link driven
at one end and centred at the other, and in the slot of which the pump connecting
rod is raised or lowered by means of an ordinary governor, and thus increase or
diminish the supply of water.
Our improved apparatus can be made of any convenient size, and is portable
and can be moved from place to place. Our improved method and apparatus is
applicable with advantage to a great variety of purposes, not only for generating
steam for motors and other purposes, but for smelting and all purposes where a
safe, intense, and pure heat is required.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we have shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed several illustrations
of suitable forms of apparatus for carrying out our Invention.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews one of the simplest forms of our apparatus. A boiler
in the form of a coil, as shewn, or of the other forms shewn in Figures 2 and 3,
Sheet 1, or otherwise, is placed over a suitable lamp so as to be heated thereby.
The steam generated is caused to pass through one or more jet arrangements, which
draw up the fluid from the lamp or reservoir and divide and heat it whilst dis-
charging it over or near to the lamp flame, whereby it is ignited and acts in
conjunction with the lamp flame or independently for heating the coil or boiler.
Figure 2, Sheet 1, shews a form of our apparatus when used for working
steam engines, and the whole of the waste steam employed to work the jet
arrangement.
Figure 3, Sheet 1, shews a similar arrangement in which a portion of the steam
generated is employed as motive power, and a portion used to work the jets.
Figure 4, Sheet 1, illustrates a combination of the previous arrangements by
which they can be worked together or independently.
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1, represent our improved apparatus as applied to cooking
or heating pans or open boilers.
Figure 7, Sheet 1, shews our arrangements applied to reverberatory or other
furnaces for treating metals, and Figure 8, Sheet 1, the same as applied to
blast furnaces; the use of steam can if desirable be partially or wholly dispensed
with.
Figure 9; Sheet 1, shews our arrangement applied to heating hot air circulating
coils for drying and heating purposes.
Figure 10, Sheet 1, shews our arrangement applied to the ordinary form of
steam boilers, either in conjunction with or independently from the usual heating
arrangements.
Figure 11, Sheet 1, shews a form of our apparatus, in which A is a chamber
containing water; B, the first portion of the boiler; C, a coil continuation of the
same; and D, the lamp with the arrangement of nozzles or jets.
Figure 12, Sheet 1, shews a modification of the same apparatus, in which A. is
the water space; B, the coil heated by the lamp flame; C, the boiler or boilers
heated by the jet arrangement; and D, the lamp.
Figure 13, Sheet 1, represents an arrangement with both the first and second
portions of the boiler formed of coils of tubes.
Figure 14, Sheet 1, shews an arrangement of which the first portion is formed,
as in Figure 12, whilst the boiler is formed of a series of horizontal straight tubes
passed through end plates and connected in pairs by bends.
Figure 15, Sheet 1, represents our arrangement as applied to marine or other
similar boilers.
Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19, Sheet 1, represent various forms and arrangements
of nozzles or jets, each of which can be either circular, square, or oblong, or may be

page_text: formed by pressing or pinching a tube nearly together so as to leave a narrow
oblong orifice, or, as shewn in Figure 20, Sheet 1, they may be formed of plates of
metal or rings having spaces between them.
Figure 21, Sheet 1, represents in plan a large steam jet having a number of fuel
jets or air and fuel jets arranged round it. :
Figure 22, Sheet 2, represents the arrangement we have devised for increasing
the power developed when a vehicle which is being propelled is required to ascend
hills, &c., or surmount obstructions.
Figure 23, Sheet 2, shews our arrangements for automatically controlling the
speed of the engine and the throw of the eccentric.
Figure 24, Sheet 2, represents one form of our apparatus, as hereinbefore
described, for the generation of steam as applied to motive power, A being the lamp;
B, the boiler; C, the engine; D, the regulating eccentric, as herein before described;
E, pump; and F, condenser; G, water space; H, fuel reservoir.
In witness whereof, we, the said Horatio Nelson Crellin, junior, and Charles
Spencer Rolfe, have hereto set our hands and seals, this Twenty fourth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South St.,
Finsbury,
London.
H. N. CRELLIN, JR.
C. SPENCER ROLFE.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)