Year: 1896

page_text: I, DUGALD CLERK, of Driffold Villa, Manor Hill, Sutton Coldfield, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to that type of engine in which an explosive mixture of air
and oil vapour or gas is formed, and ignited to give the required impulse or
impulses, and where the necessary oil vapour or gas is produced as required from
liquid petroleum.
This invention consists of improved methods of producing the oil vapour or gas
from the liquid petroleum and supplying it to the engine cylinder. These improved
methods are easily applicable to any of the well-known gas engine cycles at present
in use such as the "Otto," "Clerk," or "Robson."
In carrying my invention into effect according to one modification arranged in
an engine of the "Robson" cycle, I proceed as follows. An engine with a single
cylinder and piston is provided, the back portion of the cylinder acting as the
motor end while the front portion opens out into an enclosed crank chamber. The
motor impulses take place every-revolution behind the piston, while the air in front
is compressed into the crank chamber to a few pounds above atmosphere. The
piston over-runs an exhaust port at the end of its stroke, when the pressure at the
motor end falls to atmosphere, and at this time the compressed air in the crank
chamber blows open a non-return lift valve (preferably placed in the piston) so
that the air from the crank chamber flows into the motor end of the cylinder, and
scavenges out the burnt gases through the exhaust port.
An air suction valve is arranged in the crank chamber so that on every back
stroke of the piston air is drawn in.
To produce the oil vapour as required for supplying the engine, I proceed as
follows. I arrange a small reservoir of oil (the ordinary lamp oils of high flashing
points in use in this country being preferably employed) with its surface kept
under a constant air pressure of from 10 to 30 lbs.
I further arrange a vapour lamp of a somewhat similar construction to that
known as the "Wells," consisting of a metal coil having one end communicating
with the oil reservoir, while the other end leads to a nozzle burner fixed centrally
underneath the coil. The lamp is put into action by a preliminary heating before
oil is admitted from the reservoir; when the oil is admitted, the hot coil at once
vapourizes it, and a jet of vapour at high velocity issues from the burner. This
jet is lit and passing through the coil keeps up the production of vapour as long as
the lamp is kept burning. I so arrange the nozzle burner, with a conical sleeve
around it, that a current of air is induced by the high velocity of the vapour jet to
mix with it and thus produce a Bunsen or reducing flame instead of a luminous
one... On the side of the nozzle burner is fixed a small bye pass pipe which leads
to a small chamber. This chamber is of sufficient size to hold one charge of. vapour
for one impulse of the engine and has on its side a small valve opening into the
combustion and ignition tube of the engine bereinafter referred to. The bye pass
pipe allows the chamber to fill up with oil vapour at a similar pressure to that in
the nozzle burner and it is evident that as this supply is drawn off to feed the engine

page_text: the bye pass will at once fill it up again. The size of opening from either end
of the bye pass pipe may be arranged with an adjusting device.
On the end of the motor cylinder I arrange an extension (preferably tubular) of
the combustion or compression space, and I cause the Bunsen lamp flame to impinge
on this tube so that it forms, a combined.combustion and ignition tube. The oil
vapour from the chamber is admitted at the termination of exhaust and scavenging
into this tube, but as sufficient air is not present, no ignition takes places; however
on the back stroke of the piston air is forced into the tube and mixing with the
vapour at the hot end explosion takes place and thus a motor impulse is provided.
By so arranging the length of the tube and the extent and position of heating the
explosions may be accurately timed.
I may produce the oil vapour in the first instance in a separate chamber fed
from the oil reservoir under pressure and feed the heating lamp from this chamber
and also the engine by various measuring devices such as opening a valve for a
constant duration of time or sucking through holes of certain size from an
intermediate chamber kept at constant pressure by an antifluctuator.
It is to be clearly understood that the above methods of producing the oil
vapour may be applied to motors of any class actuated by the ignition explosion
and expansion of a mixture of oil vapour or oil gas and air.
Dated this 18th day of January 1896.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
1, DUGALD CLERK, of 41 Bedford Square, London W.C., Engineer (formerly
of Driffold Villa, Manor Hill, Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick) 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:-
My invention relates to that type of engine in which an explosive mixture of
air and oil vapour or gas is formed, and ignited to give the required impulse
or impulses, and where the necessary oil vapour or gas is produced as required
from liquid petroleum.
This invention consists of improved methods of producing the oil vapour or gas
from the liquid petroleum and supplying it to the engine cylinder. These
improved methods are easily applicable to any of the well-known gas engine cycles
at present in use such as the "Otto," "Clerk," or "Robson."
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrate my invention carried into effect
according to one modification adapted to au engine of the "Robson" cycle.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the engine.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section.
Figure 3 is a detail view.
The engine has a single cylinder A and piston B as shown on Figures 1 and 2,
the back portion C of the cylinder acts as the motor end while the front portion
opens out into an enclosed crank chamber D. The motor impulses take place
every revolution behind the piston B, while the air in front is compressed into the
crank chamber D to a few pounds above atmosphere. The piston B over-runs an
exhaust port E at or about the end of its stroke, when the pressure at the motor
end falls to atmosphere, and at this time the compressed air in the crank chamber
blows open a non-return lift valve F (preferably placed in the piston as shown) so

page_text: that the air from the crank chamber D flows into the motor end C of the cylinder,
and scavenges out the burnt gases through the exhaust port E.
An air suction valve G is arranged in the crank chamber D so that on every
back stroke of the piston air is drawn in.
To produce the oil vapour as required for supplying the engine, I proceed as
follows. I arrange a small reservoir of oil H as shown in detail Figure 3 (the
ordinary lamp oils of high flashing points in use in this country being preferably
employed) with its surface kept under a constant air pressure of from 10 to 30 lbs.
by means of an ordinary air pump such as I.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 a vapour lamp J of a somewhat similar con-
struction to that known as the "Wells" as illustrated. It consists of a metal
coil K having the end L communicating with the oil reservoir H, while the other
end M leads to the nozzle burner N fixed centrally underneath the coil.
In the lamp J shown on the drawings the coil K for convenience of making and
cleaning is formed by drilling straight holes leading one into the other. Any
number of these coils may be used. The lamp J is put into action by a preliminary
heating before oil is admitted from the reservoir H. When the oil is admitted up
past L the hot coil at once vapourizes it, and a jet of vapour at high velocity
issues from the burner N. This jet is lit and passing through the coil K keeps up
the production of vapour as long as the lamp is kept burning. I so arrange the
nozzle burner K with a conical sleeve round it that a current of air is induced by
the high velocity of the vapour jet to mix with it and thus produce a Bunsen or
reducing flame instead of a luminous one. An adjusting device to regulate the
supply of air to the flame may be fitted on the lamp J. On the side of the nozzle
burner N is fixed a small bye-pass pipe O which leads to a small chamber P.
This chamber is of sufficient size to hold one charge of vapour (for one impulse of
the engine) at a pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure, and has on its end two
small valves S and T opening into the combustion and ignition tube space of the
engine herein referred to and controlled by the governor. The bye pass pipe O
allows the chamber to fill up with oil vapour at a similar pressure to that in the
nozzle burner and it is evident that as this supply is drawn off to feed the engine
the bye pass will at once fill it up again. The size of opening from either end of
the bye pass may be arranged with an adjusting device such as R.
On the end of the motor cylinder A, I arrange an extension O (preferably
tubular) of the combustion or compression space, and I cause the Bunsen lamp
flame to impinge on this tube so that it forms a combined combustion chamber and
ignition tube. The oil vapour from the chamber P is admitted at the termination
of exhaust and scavenging into this tube Q, but as sufficient air is not present, no
ignition takes place; however on the back stroke of the piston air is forced into
the tube Q and mixing with the vapour at the hot end explosion takes place and
thus a motor impulse is provided. By so arranging the length of the tube and the
extent and position of heating the explosions may be accurately timed.
I may produce the oil vapour in the first instance in a separate chamber fed
from the oil reservoir under pressure, feed the heating lamp from this chamber and
also the engine by various measuring devices such as opening a valve for a constant
duration of time or sucking through holes of certain size from an intermediate
chamber kept at constant pressure by an antifluctuator.
It is to be clearly understood that the above methods of producing the oil vapour
may be applied to motors of any class actuated by the ignition, explosion, and
expansion of a mixture of oil vapour or oil gas, and air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. A vaporiser for oil engines forming the lamp for heating the igniter while
also supplying the engine with inflammable vapour substantially as herein before"
described

page_text: 2. In oil engines the governing and supply of, the oil vapour for motive power to
the engine, by admission..from a reservoir containing oil vapour, undera pressure
greater than atmosphere.so proportioned that upon; opening to the engine cylinder,
the excess pressure gives one charge.
.3..In 1oil. engines the combined lamp and vaporiser in which the oil is heated
under pressure.in tubes, coils or similar, devices, to supply, vapour for-the-lamp, the
engine, and to heat, the ignition tube.
4. In oil, engines the combination of coils K, flame nozzle J, vapour reservoir P,
regulator R, and oil reservoir and pump.H and I, as and for the purpose, herein-
before described.
!
5. The. oil engine herein before described and illustrated on Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying. drawings.
,
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,. and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.