AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinando Tommasi, of Paris, in the Department of the
Seine, and Republic of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of " AN IMPROVED
HYDRO-THERMIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE."
Sealed the 28th March 1877, and dated the 3rd October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinando Tommasi at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd October 1876.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic
of France, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE."
Instead of using toothed wheels, pinions, and racks to accelerate the motion of a
hydro-thermic motive-power engine, it is preferable to use water or any other liquid
driven into one or more hydraulic cylinders by pumps set at work directly by the
pistons of the hydro-thermic cylinders by the aid of a balance or beam. The pistons
of the cylinders of the hydraulic engine are coupled on the shaft, the speed of
rotation of which should be greater than that which would have been given to it
by the hydro-thermic pistons if they had been directly coupled to its elbows or
cranks. The rotary speed of this shaft will then be as much greater as the capacity
of the hydraulic motive-power cylinders will be smaller compared with that of the
pumps set in motion by the hydro-thermic pistons. Thus, supposing that these
latter accomplish a to-and-fro or reciprocating movement in one minute, and that
the capacity of the pumps which they set in motion is 120 quarts, there will be a
compression of 240 quarts per minute, the pumps being double acting. Now, if the
hydraulic motive-power cylinder, the piston of which is actuated by the force of
these pumps is double acting and of the capacity of one quart, it will be compelled
to make 120 come-and-go motions in one minute to drive out the 240 quarts of
liquid which have been given to it by the pumps in the same space of time. The
result is that the shaft will make 120 revolutions in the same space of time as that
taken by the bydro-thermic pistons to accomplish a single to-and-fro movement.
The same liquid may be used indefinitely by making the pumps in question con-
stantly suck the liquid which escapes from each of the cylinders of the hydraulic
motive-power engine, but it is preferable to use this escape liquid as a source of cold
by employing it in the consecutive and alternate cooling of the oil contained in the
hydro-thermic cylinders; in this case it is evident that the liquid should be cold
water.

page_text: The profitable working of my hydro-thermic motive-power engines may also be
increased.-
1°. By using the escape steam from any kind of steam engine instead of using
steam taken directly from the boiler the working of the bydro-thermic pistons
becomes absolutely gratuitous.
2°. By coupling on the same shaft the pistons of the cylinders of the hydraulic
motive-power engine and those of the cylinders of the steam engine. In this case
the escape steam from these latter acts as a source of heat in the hydro-thermic
cylinders, the working of which thus becomes absolutely gratuitous. The engine
in this case takes the name of "mixed engine."
3°. By introducing into an ordinary condenser the cold water and partially con-
densed steam issuing separately and alternately, but alway at the same time from
the two hydro-thermic cylinders. In this case the steam completely condensing by
contact with the cold water firstly in the small tubes and then in the condenser
produces a vacuum, which is at the same time profited by the pistons of the steam
cylinders and those of the hydraulic cylinders. The result of this arrangement is
that not only is the working of the hydro-thermic pistons absolutely gratuitous, but
also that the steam and hydraulic pistons enjoy economical advantages, resulting from
the vacuum produced by the condensation of the steam.
The distribution of the steam and of the cold water is made by the two double
boxes or chests, as shown Figure 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying two Sheets of
-Drawing. When the lower beam reaches the end of its journey it compels the
upper beam to change its position. The two aforesaid-double-chests.are.compelled
to change their distribution according to the position of the upper beam.
If from any cause whatever, after the distribution is changed, the piston which
should lower still persists in rising, the pressure of the nut A on the beam produces
no other effect than that of causing the pivoting of the counterbalance B, the beam
being stopped by the piece C. The weight of this counterbalance is so calculated
that it cannot pivot excepting in the aforesaid case, and it should be sufficient to
permit the nut A to cause the descent of the beam to concurrence with the regular
stroke, that is to say, until the inoment when the beam comes against the piece C.
In Figure 2 (Sheet II.) the Drawing is stopped at the joint D to which the water is
driven by the pumps E. The joint D is then put in communication with an
ordinary hydraulic motive-power engine placed on the two cylinders F at the spot
indicated by G, G, G, G. Upon the shaft of this engine is coupled the steam piston
if the engine is to be a "mixed engine" instead of a simple hydro-thermic motive-
power engine, the title of which I now modify by giving it that of "thermo-dynamic
motive-power engine."
Figure 3 is an elevation of the pumps showing details of tubes and valves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ferdinando Tommasi in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
April 1877.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic
of France, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE."
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a motive-power engine embodying my Invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of same in which a part of one of the cylinders Fis in section
to show the copper tubes with which it is filled, as herein-after explained, and upon
which the beams H and I are not shown in order to prevent confusion.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the water pumps, and shows in detail the tubes and
valves necessary to their working.
The cylinders F and the cylinders K fitted thereupon are filled with oil, or any
other liquid which experience may prove to be preferable to oil for the working of

page_text: .
my thermo-dynamic motive-power engine. Into this oil dip a certain quantity of
small copper tubes all bent over upon themselves into a very elongated U shape.
The two ends of each tube terminate in one of the two basins formed upon a
bronze washer (upon which washer all the ends of these tubes are fixed and
soldered) by another washer which fits upon the first in such wise that this latter is
divided into two compartments perfectly separated the one from the other (see
Figure 4). Upon the compartment intended for the successive and alternate
admission of steam and cold water (as will be herein-after explained) are fixed
the two tubes which bring or feed this cold water and this steam upon the
other compartment intended for their exit after they have circulated in the
small tubes there is but one tube. The result of these arrangements is that
by introducing steam into the small tubes contained in one of the two cylinders
F this steam condenses in these tubes and cedes to the oil into which these small
tubes dip the greatest part of its heat; the heated oil dilates or expands and
forces the piston contained in the cylinder K to rise and push upward the beam
H upon which it is jointed. At the moment that this beam reaches the end of
its stroke it by means of the rods and nuts A compels the beam I to change its
position, which brings about a change of position of the valves contained in
the distributing boxes and consequently the passage of steam where the cold
water was passing. The result is that the piston which had risen immediately
descends from the effect of the condensation of the oil which the contact of cold
water reduces to its first volume, and at the same time the piston which was down
immediately rises by the effect of the expansion of the oil, caused as aforesaid by the
cession of heat made by the steam in condensing in the small tubes. The oscillation
produced by this manoeuvre upon the beam H drives the pistons of the water pumps
E which suck water and drive it compressed into a hydraulic cylinder which is
coupled to the actual driving shaft of the machine.
The speed of rotation of the shaft relatively to that of the oscillations of the beam
H will be all the more considerable the smaller the capacity of the hydraulic
cylinder compared with that of the pumps E. Thus assuming that the pistons
of these latter accomplish a come-and-go movement in one minute, and that
their capacity is 120 quarts each, there will be a compression of 240 quarts per
minute, the pumps E being double action pumps. Now if the hydraulic cylinder,
the piston of which is set in motion by this compressed water, is a double action
cylinder and of the capacity of one quart, it will be compelled to make 120 come-
and-go or reciprocating movements in a minute to yield the 240 quarts of water
which have been supplied to it by the pumps E in the same space of time. The result
is that the shaft will make 120 revolutions in the same space of time in which the
thermo-dynamic pistons accomplish a single come-and-go movement. The cold
water which escapes at each stroke of the hydraulic cylinder is led to the box
L, from whence it distributes itself alternately into the small tubes of the cylinders
F to cool the oil expanded by the condensation of the steam. This steam will be
taken from the escape of any kind of steam engine, or there may be coupled to the
driving shaft by the side of the hydraulic cylinder a steam cylinder, the escape of
which is led into the distributing box or steam chest M from whence this steam dis-
turbutes itself alternately into the small tubes of the cylinders F in order to there
condense and yield its heat to the oil, the expansion of which is to do the
work. The escape tubes N are put in connection with a closed receiver, and
are provided with a suction pump. The result of these arrangements is that
not only the working of the thermo-dynamic motive-power engine is essentially
gratuitous, but also that the steam engine of which it utilizes the escape of steam
becomes by this fact a condensating engine. If from any cause whatever after the
change of distribution the piston which should lower persists in rising (which is
however almost impossible) the pressure of the nut A upon the beam I produces no
other effect than that of making the counterweight B pivot, the beam I being
arrested by the piece C to avoid all danger to the distributing boxes. The weight
of the counterbalance B is so calculated that it can pivot only in the aforesaid case,

page_text: and it should be sufficient to enable the nut A to cause the descent of the beam I
until in concurrence with its regular stroke, that is to say, until the moment when
the beam comes against the piece C, in Figure 2 the drawing stops at the joint
D to which the water is driven by the pumps E.
The joint D is placed in communication with the distributing boxes of the
hydraulic cylinder coupled to the driving shaft. This shaft and this cylinder, as
well as the fly wheel and the other accessories are placed upon the cylinders F at
the spot marked by four G's. The piston of the steam cylinder will be coupled
upon this shaft if instead of taking the escape steam from an independent engine it
is preferred to take it from a steam cylinder, the piston of which accomplishes a
work in unison with that of the hydraulic piston set in motion by the thermo-
dynamic cylinders. In this case the engine instead of being termed a "thermo-
dynamic engine" should be termed a "mixed engine."
I have deemed it needless to show upon the accompanying Sheet of Drawing
the hydraulic and the steam cylinders, the shaft, the fly wheel, and other parts
common to most engines, and which form only an absolutely accessory part of my
Invention.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before set forth, as such may be
varied without departing from the principle of my Invention, and that I claim as
_secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent the application of
hydraulic apparatus to hydro-thermic motive-power-engines, substantially as and for
the purposes herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witnesses,
C. GOUPEE.
J. B. GIRARD.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI. (LS.)