AN IMPROVED GENERATOR OF EXPANDED GASES INTENDED TO REPLACE STEAM GENERATORE, AND APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Voley de Mignot, Merchant, and
Jacques Ganter, Mechanical Engineer, both of Bordeaux, in the
Department of the Gironde, in the Republic of France, for the
Invention of AN IMPROVED GENERATOR OF EXPANDED GASES INTENDED
TO REPLACE STEAM GENERATORE, AND APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF ENGINES,"
"

page_text: inlet for air pump; S, gas inlet for gas pump; T, pipe bringing the
carbonic acid gas to the bottom of the receiver; U, eye hole; X, Y, Z;
cocks. The pumps F and E should be in the relation of 1 to 8. This
applies also to the receivers C and B. The receivers A, B, C, D, should
be provided with a pressure gauge.
The generator is calculated for a pressure of from 8 to 10 atmospheres
and a three horse power.
Figure 4 (Sheet II.) is an elevation of a part of our machine termed
the electric valve; Figure 5 (Sheet II.) is a section of same at A, B,
Figure 6; and Figure 6 (Sheet II.) is a sectional plan of same at C, D,
Figure 5; Figures 4, 5, and 6 are drawn full size.
T, conduit of copper leading the carbonic acid gas issuing from the
combustion chamber into the main receiver; J, electric valve; K, catchi
of valve; L, spring opening or closing the electric communication by
the aid of the catch; M, electric contacts and their fitting; N, valve
rod; O, chamber in which works the catch.
Figure 7 (Sheet II.) is a sectional elevation at A, B, Figure 9, of a
part of our machine termed the safety valve; Figure 8 (Sheet II.) is
a section of same at C, D, Figure 9; and Figure 9 (Sheet II.) is a plan of
same; Figures 7, 8, and 9 are drawn to a scale of 1.
T, opening for admitting the carbonic acid gas into the main receiver;
T¹, pipe leading the gas to the bottom of the receiver; K, inlet for
carbonic acid gas; C, counterweight of the valve-6=900 for 10
atmospheres; S, valve.
Figure 10 (Sheet III.) is a section at A, B, Figure 15, of a part of
our machine termed the combustion chamber; Figure 11 (Sheet III.)
is a plan of same; Figure 12 (Sheet III.) is a section at C, D,
Figure 15; Figure 13 (Sheet III.) is a plan of same; Figure 14
(Sheet III.) is a sectional elevation of combustion chamber; Figure 15
(Sheet III.) is a sectional plan of same.
Figure 16 (Sheet III.) is a section and end view of a part of our
machine termed the eye hole.
Figure 17 (Sheet III.) is a section and end view of a part of our
machine termed the inflammator.

page_text: Figures, 10 to 15 inclusive are drawn, to a scale of and Figures 16
and/17 full size, 7 m
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A, combustion chamber; B, lid of same "C, eye hole; D, tens of
same; E, electrical inflammator; F, ring receiving the gas by tlie
pipe X, and burning it by means of the burners U; G, ring receiving
the atmospheric air by the fork Z, for effecting the combustion of the
gas; H, inlet for carbonic acid gas into main receiver; K, refrigerator;
M, safety cock; E', porcelain or biscuit for insulating the electric
conductor; U, gas burners, 80 in number; V, openings for the passage
of the atmospheric air, to the number of 70.
The apparatus is set on a cast-iron stand, and may be placed in any
spot, provided that it be not too far from the engine to which it is to
give its 'force.
The apparatus is composed, 1°, of a main receiver A containing the
expanded gases in compression, this receiver should always contain at
least 40 times the volume of the cylinder or cylinders of the driving
engine on which it is applied. Like steam generators this receiver
should be tested, and be provided, 1°, with a pressure gauge, 2º, with
a safety valve, and finally with all the details herein-after mentioned.
To put the receiver A in pressure we employ bi-carburetted hydrogen
gas, whether made on the spot by known processes, or taking it from the
lighting-gas mains.
General rule. For each nominal horse power, including the motor of
the gas compressing apparatus ten gas burners are required. But as
lighting gas from gas works is not always supplied at a suitable pressure,
we use a pump F for compressing the gas, and say, that the gas from
the gas works is supplied at a pressure of
F
a pump
yielding a litre, and as our thirty gas burners will consume ten litres of
gas in a minute, and so as not to run short we should cause our pump
to make twelve compression movements per minute.
we use
'1000,
As the bi-carburetted hydrogen gases will not burn within a receiver
without the aid of atmospheric air, we have an eight litre pump E which
.will also make twelve compression strokes per minute, which will
therefore give us 96 of atmospheric air for 12 of bi-carburetted hydrogen

page_text: gas. The pump F will compress the bi-carburetted bydrogen gas in a
receiver C at any desired pressure, provided always that it is at least
more than 1000 above that of the atmospheric air in the receiver B, the
reason for which difference we will now explain.
J3
It is evident that if the bi-carburetted hydrogen gas of the receiver C
and the atmospheric air of the receiver B were equally compressed the
gas could not burn in the combustion chamber herein-after described,
because there would be equilibrium between it and the atmospheric air.
A difference of at least half an atmosphere should also exist between
the pressure of the receiver D and that of the main receiver A.
With regard to the volume of the pumps for compressing the gases
we would observe that the yield of from one to eight is not imperative;
a supply of from 1 to 8 might be obtained from pumps of equal volume
by a more or less rapid movement of the pumps. Thus supposing for a
generator of three horse power the pump F is of the volume of one litre
and the pump E of the volume of two litres, inasmuch as in one minute
the pump F must supply 12 litres and the pump E 96, it is evident that
if the pump F yielding one litre has but to make 12 strokes, the pump E
which instead of 8 will give but 2 must compensate its lack of volume
by multiplying its strokes, that is to say, make four times as many,
or 48 strokes, which multiplied by 2, which is its volume in litres, will
be 96.
General rule.--The yield of two pumps should always be in the ratio
of 1 to 8, and the same rule applies to the effective contents of the
receivers B and C. Now suppose the receivers B and C to be in
pressure, C at six atmospheres, to obtain pressure in the main receiver A,
we shall open firstly the cock X, the pumps continuing their regulated
movement; when the pressure gauge of the receiver D or combustion
chamber also indicates 6 atmospheres, and when it has been ascertained
that the electric battery P works properly, we shall open at the same
time the two cocks X and Z, and ascertain by the eye hole U whether
the combustion of the hydrogen gas is taking place, then closing the
safety cock G we open the cock Y; at this moment the alarm O will
cease to work, and will not begin again unless the pressure in the main
receiver A becomes greater than that in the combustion chamber D,
which would necessarily occur if from any cause the gas should not
burn. At the signal given by the alarm O the cock Y must be at once

page_text: shut, then the cock Z, the cock G be then opened, and finally the
cock X be closed.
1
Description of the Combustion Chamber D.-We have now explained
the manner of putting the hydrogen gas and the atmospheric air in
compression. We have also already cursorily indicated the working of
the combustion chamber D, of the electric valve H, and of the alarm O;
we will now however describe these parts in their details. The com-
bustion chamber D is a cylinder shown in its entirety and its minute
details, Figures 10 to 15, inclusive. Within this combustion chamber D
is placed a ring or lamp with 30 gas burners, this ring is of cast iron,
and the burners of bronze screwed on the ring. The hydrogen gas
coming from the receiver C is brought to the combustion chamber by
a conduit X screwed beneath the combustion chamber, and thereby
fixing the foot of the lamp as shown in the section C, D. Besides this
gas lamp a ring G pierced with 70 openings of about 6 milli-
metres in diameter distributes beneath the lamp the atmospheric air
coming from the receiver B. The air is brought into the interior of this
ring by the forked conduit Z. Cocks X and Z. serving to regulate the
-emission of the gas and air are fitted on these conduits. The gas is lit
by an inflammator N having a constant electric current. This. in-
flammator is composed, as shown on Sheet No. III, 1°, of a bronze
armature, and 2°, of a piece of porcelain known as biscuit, in the
centre of which is a platinum wire ending in a fork. A refrigerator K
in which will be established a constant current of water envelops the
combustion cylinder, the water should constantly cover the top of the
combustion chamber about 10 centimetres (4 inches); this cylinder as
well as the casing of the refrigerator will be of cast iron, and be fixed on
the main receiver by means of a collar and bolts, as shown on Sheet III.
An eye hole C passing through the refrigerator at the height of the gas
burners, and furnished with a glass lens of about an inch (25 millimetres)
in thickness will permit supervision of the combustion within the com-
bustion chamber.
The dimensions of the combustion chamber will always be calculated
so as to contain 4 times the volume of the cylinder of the driving
engine upon which the generator is to be applied.
'
The dimensions of the eye hole will always be the same; those of the
inflammator will only vary in the length of the biscuit coil, according to

page_text: the greater or lesser thickness of the casings of the combustion cylinder,
and of the thickness of the layer of water of the refrigerator, which will
also be calculated according to the power of the apparatus.
On issuing from the com-
We will now describe the electric valve.
bustion chamber by the conduit T the expanded gases on their way to
the main receiver A must pass by an electric valve H, shown in detail,
Figures 4, 5, and 6, Sheet No. II. Figure 4 represents this valve in its
entirety. Within the conduit T is fitted the bronze valve J provided
with a rod N and a catch K. So long as the pressure of the combustion
chamber exceeds that of the main receiver the valve will be kept
uplifted and the gases will pass, then the copper plate L acting as a
spring will leave one of the copper points of contact M leading to the
electric alarm O, the current will be broken and the alarm at rest. If
on the contrary the pressure of the combustion chamber becomes less
than that of the main receiver the valve will lower, the catch K will
pass on the plate L, the electric current will be established, and the
alarm will sound until the cocks X, Y, and Z are closed, and until the
safety cock G has been opened.
With regard to the safety valve of the main receiver. This valve,
shown Figures 7, 8, and 9 (Sheet II.), is an ordinary valve with lever
and weight, such as are in actual use in steam generators. Any other
suitable arrangement may be given to this valve.
Driving Engine of the Two Pumps for Compressing the Gases.-This
engine, simply shown, Sheet 1, may be of any kind. It will be preferable
to have an independent engine for the two gas compressing pumps; this
engine will be of half horse power for apparatus of 3 horse power,
but this is however not indispensable. This power may be drawn from
the main engine for which the generator will be fitted, only during the
non-working hours the pressure will fall, and it will be necessary to
have recourse to the crank M of Figure 3 (Sheet 1), as at the beginning
of the operation.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, we
would have it understood that we do not claim as our Invention the
special construction of the gas compressing pumps, electric batteries,
or driving engines, neither do we confine ourselves to any precise
dimensions of parts or other the precise details herein set forth, as