Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
I, CARL HEINRICH OFFEN, Merchant, of Lemsahl, Holstein, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.—
The object of the present invention is a motor apparatus for cycles and similar
vehicles in which acetylene is employed to produce the motive power
The object of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
partly in section
The apparatus consists of a strong vessel 1 of suitable material and size to
serve as a receptacle for the calcium carbide to generate the acetylene gas.
Above this vessel and fitting closely to it is a further vessel 2 which contains
water. The flow of this water, which by means of a special contrivance only
takes place diop by drop, is regulated from above by means of a valve worked
by the handle 3. By the flow of the water into the vessel 1e, on to the carbide
the necessary acetylene gas for working the motor is generated.
The motor 4 18 set in motion by the acetylene generated, the piston rod of this
motor being prolonged upwards for working the air pump 5, which supplies air
for working the main motor 12
The gas used in the motor 4 passes through the tube 6 into the explosion
vessel 7, which has very stout walls From this the gas at a high pressure,
occasioned by continuous explosions passes into the main motor 12, the valve
mechanism of which is arranged in any convenient method eg the slide valve 9
Into the vessel 7 aur, which is forced in by the pump 5, passes by means of
the tube 10 as well as the gas which enters through the tube 10, and tho
resulting mixture of gases 18 continuously ignited The pressure resulting
from this, as before mentioned, is used for working the main motor 12 by means
of a suitable svetem of valves, while the power produced is transmitted by means
of long lever arms to the crank 11 of the cycle To effect this the single arm
lever 13 18 fixed to the cycle frame by a suitable clamp. This 18 worked by the
piston rod and the connecting 1od 14 on the pin 15 and transmits its motion
through the connecting rod 16 to the clank 11 By altering the position of the
connecting link 17 on the lever 13 the throw of the motor 12 can be adjusted
All the vessels and motors are provided with the usual safety contrivances,
especially safety valves to render bursting from high pressure impossible
The motor is started by the lever 18 which remains in its proper notch when
the cycle is out of use The cycle is set in motion in the ordinary way by this
lever the ignition valve 19 being opened by it and the mixture of gases in the
vessel 7 ignited
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:

page_text: and a water reservoir, for generating the gas to work the air pump (5) and
the motor (4) whereupon the gas and compressed air pass through tubes (6 and 10)
into the pressuie-vessel (7) in which they are continuously ignited with the object
of transmitting the high pressure occasioned by the combustion through the
cylinder 12 to the crank (11) of the cycle
CARL HEINRICH OFFEN,
By George Barker,
Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham