IMPROVEMENTS IN PETROLEUM MOTORS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PETROLEUM MOTORS" (a communi-
cation to me from Julius Söhnlein a person resident at Schierstein in the Empire
of Germany,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a petroleum engine wherein finely divided petroleum in
the form of a conically diverging spray like jet is injected into a chamber filled
with compressed air and is fired electrically at the point of its greatest density and
during the time of its formation. The expansion resulting from the combustion is
utilised for mechanical work and the regulation of this and the combustion may
take place either in the cylinder or in a separate chamber whence the gases under
pressure pass to the cylinder.
I will describe the former method first. At the outer end of the cylinder there
is an explosion chamber of conical form communicating by its larger end with the
working space of the cylinder of which said chamber forms a continuation. The
cylinder is cooled by a jacket but the explosion chamber is surrounded by
a petroleum and air reservoir which is in communication with a valve chamber
beyond the end of the explosion chamber. A rotary disc valve turns within the
valve chamber on an axis which passes through the end of the explosion chamber
and terminates just within the smaller end of the said chamber in a notched disc
against which presses a spring the disc and spring being respectively in electrical
connection with the two poles of a dynamo machine.
The valve is revolved by gearing from the main shaft and makes one revolution
to four of the said shaft. The valve is provided with two through ports or chargo
chambers filled with wire gauze and set diametrically opposite one another which
chambers as the valve revolves in the petroleum at the lower part of the valve
chamber become filled or saturated with a sufficient quantity for an explosive
charge. The valve is also provided with two air ports which are diametrically
opposite one another but at a different radius to the charge chambers. The valve
is also provided with a concentric cavity of small radius for a purpose hereafter
mentioned.

page_text: The seat or face against which the valve works has a port to which the charge
chambers in the valve come opposite by the rotation of the valve said port leading
to a tubular nozzle which projects within the explosion chamber in such position
as to direct the jet close to the edge of the olectric circuit breaking disc at or near
the point of contact of the spring the nozzle being fitted to slide in its socket in
the end of the explosion chamber and act as a valve for the purpose hereafter
mentioned. There is also a through port in the end of the chamber which by the
rotation of the valve alternately communicates with one of the through air ports
and the central cavity above mentioned the latter at same time communicating
with another port connected by an air inlet pipe with an air supply chamber in the
bed of the engine opening to the external air by a small orifice, and communicating
with the opposite end of the cylinder to that at which the explosion chamber is
situated.
The walls of the conical explosion chamber have inwardly projecting conical or
trumpet shaped gills or deflectors having their smaller ends directed towards the jet
nozzle and co-axial therewith. These gills or deflectors are perforated and are so
shaped and situated that whilst leaving a through passage axially for the central
portion of the jet, they deflect the outer portions of the jet towards the walls of
the explosion chamber and produce a whirling motion which is favorable to rapid
combustion at the same time that by becoming heated during the working they
operate as regenerators and evaporate the outer portions of the jet.
By this means and by the petroleum reservoir surrounding the explosion chamber
the waste heat of the combustion is utilized.
The operation of the engine is as follows. On the forward stroke of the piston
air is drawn into the explosion chamber from the air supply chamber and on the
return or backward stroke the valve cuts off and remains closed until the
air behind the piston in the explosion chamber is compressed to about three
atmospheres. The valve then opens to the valve chamber behind the valve and
remains open until the end of the stroke the compressed air thus passing out of
the cylinder into the valve chamber. On the next forward stroke the valve cuts
off the compressed air port and a charge chamber of the valve filled with petroleum
comes opposito the port leading to the jet nozzle whereupon the compressed air
behind the valve drives the petroleum out of the charge chamber through the jet
nozzle whence it issues in the form of a divergent jet or spray which moistens the
circuit breaking disc. At the same time the circuit is broken by the contact spring
falling into a notch of said disc causing an electric spark which in passing over to
the pole moistened with petroleum partially evaporates and fires the latter thereby
causing a slight local explosion which determines the total explosion of the jet.
The explosion forces the jet nozzle backwards in its socket causing it to cut off the
communication with the valve chamber and the expansion of the gases does the
work in the cylinder. On the next return stroke of the piston the contents of
the cylinder with the exception of the residue in the explosion chamber are
discharged through tho central cavity of the valve and the exhaust ports.
The sooner the jet is fired after its formation, the less will be the charge
consumed and the lower the resulting temperature and pressure, and upon this fact
is based the following mode of governing the engine. The electrical contact spring
is fixed in an insulated plug capable of sliding in a socket and moved in or out by
the ball governor whereby the position of the contact spring relatively to the
notched disc is varied according to the speed of the engine thus causing the jet to
be fired at an earlier or later period after its formation and consequently. varying
the charge exploded. A constant level of petroleum in the valve chamber is
maintained by means of a reservoir above the valve chamber and communicating
therewith by a small orifice at the bottom provided with a cock through which
petroleum may flow in small quantities slightly in excess of the rate of con-
sumption, and also by a return pipe which dips down to the intended level in the
yalve chamber and rises within the reservoir to a point above the level of the
petroleum therein. Thus the level in the valve chamber rises until the lower end

page_text: of the said pipe is immersed and when upon each second return stroke of the
piston a fresh quantity of air is forced into the valve chamber the unbalanced
pressure therein forces the excess of petroleum back through the pipe to the
reservoir.
As the air inlet pipe to the explosion chamber and the front end of the cylinder
both communicate with an enclosed air supply chamber any vapours that might
leak past the piston are received in said chamber whence they are again drawn into
the explosion chamber and burnt. This enclosed air chamber also has the effect of
lessening the noise,
The second mode of carrying out the principle of this Invention, by the employ-
ment of a separate explosion chamber is as follows. The construction of this
particular engine is substantially the same as that of a single cylinder air
compressor for working by steam with this difference that in this case the
compressed air discharges into the valve chest which again communicates with
the explosion chamber. The valve is a reciprocating slide having the usual lap.
At the front side of the piston the Engine acts as an air pump and at the other
side it receives the expansive pressure of the gases.
The explosion chamber is pear shaped and has double walls the space between
which at the lower part contains petroleum said chamber being provided internally
with conical deflectors or gills the construction being substantially the same as
before described the chamber being however vertical with its smaller end upwards
and is surmounted by a valve and charge chamber with which is combined a jet
nozzle and electric circuit breaker. The valve is a conical lifting valve and its rod
passes through the charge chamber and is connected loosely with the sliding jot
nozzle. Between the valve and the passages, leading to the jet nozzle is a charge
chamber filled with wire gauze.
The nozzle itself carries one contact piece the other being supported in a
suitable position opposite the orifice of the nozzle to enable the first one to
make contact therewith when the nozzle is in its lowest position, at which time
it is in communication with the chamber containing the charge of petroleum. The
operation is as follows. The pistern in its forward stroke pumps air into the valve
chest and the explosion chamber which communicates therewith. At the other end
of the cylinder the air is compressed by reason of the lap at one end of the slide
valve, the compressed air passing by a pipe into the upper part of the space
forming a petroleum reservoir between the double walls of the explosion chamber:
There is consequently a higher pressure in the petroleum reservoir than in the
explosion chamber which continues during the return stroke of the piston.
At the beginning of the pistern stroke the valve above the charge chamber is
opened by the main shaft, whereupon petroleum is forced from the reservoir
through a pipe into the valve chamber, past the valve into the charge chamber, at
the same time that compressed air also enters through another pipe from the upper
part of the petroleum reservoir, and the air and petroleum together pass from the
charge chamber through suitable passages to the jet nozzle whence it issues into
the explosion chamber past the electrical contact pieces which it moistens as before.
After the valve has opened a certain distance, as above described, it raises the jet
nozzle thus breaking electrical contact and causing a a spark which determines the
explosion of the jet, whereupon the nuzzle is forced upwards still further and the
jet cut off. At this moment the engine piston is at the beginning of its stroke,
the slide valve commences to open, the pressure generated in the explosion chamber
is admitted to the cylinder and acting on the piston drives it forward at same time
that a fresh quantity of air is forced out of the other end of the cylinder into the
explosion chamber and the action recommences as above described.
The performance of the engine depends as before on the duration of the jet
which is regulated by the time of firing which is in turn dependent on the rate at
which the petroleum and air valve is lifted. The valve motion may be of any
known kind used for steam engines, and may be controlled by a governor and
noods no further description..

page_text: Instead of petroleum being employed for working the engine any other hydro-
carbon or a mixture of different hydro-carbons, may be taken, whether derived
from organic or mineral sources or more or less volatile than petroleum provided
that it, or they, be capable of fine division mechanically and perfectly combustible.
Instead of producing the excess pressure used for forcing in the jet in the case of
the two methods of application herein described, by the means set forth, a second
smaller cylinder may be employed. which directly operates the forcing in of the jet,
or in the former arrangement the engine may in a manner easily contrived be
caused to act in front of the piston for the purpose of producing the excess pressure.
Similarly instead of the particular engine described under the second arrangement
a rotary motor may be employed which either arranged singly alternately com-
presses air and works like the first arrangement, or arranged in duplicate the one
giving power and the other delivering compressed air for the petroleum reservoir.
The following special characteristics of the engine may be shortly noticed.
1st Dispensing with the preliminary heating and dispensing with the use of any
auxiliary substances for the first starting which is rendered practicable by the use
of a petroleum jet, and the peculiar method of firing the same at the point of its
greatest density and within the time of its formation.
2nd The production of vapour from, and perfect combustion of, the petroleum
supplied in a cold state, in such manner that the combustion of the spray like jet
takes place under an excess of oxygen.
3rd The greatest possible useful effect which is obtained by the combustion of
the spray like jet in compressed air the application of light, finely divided spray
jets the heating of the jet within the cylinder by means of a regenerator, the
utilisation of the excess heat of the combustion space, the method of regulating and
the simplification of the valve mechanism.
4th The perfectly certain electric firing effected by the contacts moistened with
petroleum.
5th The independence of the firing with respect to the quantity of the gases
which in addition to the air mingled with the jet are present in the combustion
chamber, such independence being attained by firing the jet within the time it is
still suspended as a whole in the combustion chamber.
6th The proportion in the explosive mixture of the difficult volatilising to the
readily volatilising petroleum hydro-carbons is caused to be the same in all the
charges, by reason of the natural mechanical distribution of the fluid petroleum.
7th The prevention of the disagreeable smell of petroleum by means of a
petroleum tight closure separating the engine container from the space in which
the engine works which closure is rendered practicable by the method of firing.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort-on-the-Main in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of
the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PETROLEUM MOTORS" (n communication
to me from Julius Söhnlein, a person resident at Schierstein in the Empire of
Germany) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to a Petroleum engine wherein finely divided petroleum in
the form of a conically diverging spray-like jet is injected into a chamber filled
with compressed air and is fired electrically at the point of its greatest density and
during the time of its formation. The expansion resulting from the combustion is
utilized for mechanical work and the regulation of this and the combustion may
take place either in the cylinder or in a separate chamber whence the gases under
pressure pass to the cylinder.
The first method is illustrated in figures 1 to 13 of the accompanying drawings
and the second method in figures 14 and 15. Referring to figures 1 to 13, it
should be observed that figures 8 to 12 are sections through the valve chamber
taken at random and each representing only those particular parts which come into
operation at the different phases of the working of the engine as hereafter described,
without regard to the other parts. At the outer end of the cylinder C there is an
explosion chamber A of conical form, communicating by its larger end with the
working space of the cylinder of which said chamber A. forms a continuation. The
cylinder is cooled by a jacket but the explosion chamber is surrounded by a
petroleum and air reservoir B3 which is in communication with a valve chamber B
beyond the end of the explosion chamber A. A rotary disc valve S turns within
the valve chamber B on an axis which passes through the end of the explosion
chamber A. and terminates just within the smaller end of the said chamber in a
notched disc P against which presses a spring Q, the disc and spring being
respectively in electrical connection with the two poles of a dynamo machine.
The valve S is revolved by gearing from the main shaft and makes one revolution
to four of the said shaft. The valve is provided with two through ports or charge
chambers K K¹ filled with wire gauze and set diametrically opposite one another,
which chambers as the valve revolves in the petroleum at the lower part of the
valve chamber, become filled or saturated with a sufficient quantity for an explosive
charge. The valve is also provided with two air ports d which are diametrically
opposite one another, but at a different radius to the charge chambers. The valve
is also provided with a concentric cavity 6 of small radius for a purpose hereafter
mentioned.
The seat or face F against which the valve works has a port g to which the
charge chambers K K¹ in the valve come opposite by the rotation of the valve,
said port leading to a tubular nozzle D which projects within the explosion chamber
in such position as to direct the jet close to the edge of the electric circuit breaking
disc Pat or near the point of contact of the spring Q, the nozzle being fitted to
slide in its socket in the end of the explosion chamber and act as a valve for the
purpose hereafter mentioned. There is also a through port c in the end of the
chamber, which by the rotation of the valve alternately communicates with one of
the through air ports d, d, and the central cavity e above mentioned, the latter at
same time communicating with another port connected by an air inlet pipe a with
an air supply chamber G in the bed of the engine, opening to the external air by a
small orifice o and communicating with the opposite end of the cylinder to that at
which the explosion chamber is situated.
The walls of the conical explosion chamber A have inwardly projecting conical
or trumpet shaped gills or deflectors k having their smaller ends directed towards
the jet nozzle and co-axial therewith.

page_text: These gills or deflectors are perforated and are so shaped and situated that whilst
leaving a through passage axially for the central portion of the jet, they deflect the
outer portions of the jet towards the walls of the explosion chamber and produce a
whirling motion which is favorable to rapid combustion, at the same time that by
becoming heated during the working they operate as regenerators and evaporate
the outer portions of the jet.
By this means and by the petroleum reservoir surrounding the explosion chamber,
the waste heat of the combustion is utilized.
The operation of the engine is as follows:-On the forward stroke of the piston H,
air is drawn into the explosion chamber from the air supply chamber G as shown
in figure 8, and on the return or backward stroke, the valve S cuts off and remains
closed until the air behind the piston in the explosion chamber is compressed to
about three atmospheres.
The valve then opens to the valve chamber B behind the valve and remains
open until the end of the stroke, the compressed air thus passing out of the
cylinder into the valve chamber, as indicated in figure 9. On the next forward
stroke, the valve cuts off the compressed air port c and a charge chamber K or K¹
of the valve filled with petroleum comes opposite the port g leading to the jet
nozzle D, whereupon the compressed air behind the valve drives the petroleum out
of the charge chamber through the jet nozzle whence it issues in the form of a
divergent jet or spray which moistens the circuit breaking disc P as shown in
figure 10. At the same time the circuit is broken by the contact spring Q falling
into a notch m or n of said disc, causing an electric spark which in passing over to
the pole moistened with petroleum, partially evaporates and fires the latter, thereby
causing a slight local explosion which determines the total explosion of the jet.
The explosion forces the jet nozzle backwards in its socket as shown in figure 11,
causing it to cut off the communication with the valve chamber B and the expansion
of the gases does the work in the cylinder. On the next return stroke of the
piston, the contents of the cylinder with the exceptions of the residue in the
explosion chamber, are discharged through the central cavity e of the valve and
the exhaust ports as shown in figure 12.
The sooner the jet is fired after its formation, the less will be the charge
consumed and the lower the resulting temperature and pressure, and upon this fact
is based the following mode of governing the engine. The electrical_contact
spring Qis fixed in an insulated plug O capable of sliding in a socket and moved
in or out by the ball governor T whereby the position of the contact spring
relatively to the notched disc is varied according to the speed of the engine, thus
causing the jet to be fired at an earlier or later period after its formation and
consequently varying the charge exploded. A constant level of petroleum in the
valve chamber is maintained by means of a reservoir R above the valve chamber
and communicating therewith by a small orifice v,t at the bottom, provided with a
cock through which petroleum may flow in small quantities slightly in excess of
the rate of consumption, and also by a return pipe u, s which dips down to the
intended level in the valve chamber and rises within the reservoir to a point above
the level of the petroleum therein. Thus the level in the valve chainber rises until
the lower end of the said pipe is immersed and when upon each second return
stroke of the piston, a fresh quantity of air is forced into the valve chamber, the
unbalanced pressure therein forces the excess of petroleum back through the pipe
to the reservoir.
As the air inlet pipe a to the explosion chamber and the front end of the
cylinder both communicate with an enclosed air supply chamber G, any vapours
that might leak past the piston are received in said chamber, whence they are
again drawn into the explosion chamber and burnt. This enclosed air chamber
also has the effect of lessening the noise.
The second mode of carrying out the principle of this Invention, by the
employment of a separate explosion chamber is represented in figures 14 and 15.
The construction of this particular. engine is substantially the same as that of a

page_text: single cylinder air compressor for working by steam, with this difference that in
this case, the compressed air discharges into the valve chest which again communi-
cates with the explosion chamber. The valve is a reciprocating slide having the
usual lap. At the front side of the piston the engine acts as an air pump and at
the other side it receives the expansive pressure of the gases.
The explosion chamber A is pear shaped and has double walls X, the space B
between which at the lower part contains petroleum, said chamber being provided
internally with conical deflectors or gills k, the construction being substantially the
same as before described. The chamber is however vertical with its smaller end
upwards and is surmounted by a valve V and charge chamber K with which is
combined a jet nozzle D and electric circuit breaker P P¹. The valve V is a
conical lifting valve and its rod w passes through the charge chamber and is
connected loosely with the sliding jet nozzle. Between the valve and the
passages c, c¹ leading to the jet nozzle is a charge chamber K filled with wire
gauze.
The nozzle itself carries one contact piece P the other P¹ being supported in a
suitable position opposite the orifice of the nozzle, to enable the first one to make
contact therewith when the nozzle is in its lowest position, at which time it is in
communication with the chamber containing the charge of petroleum The
operation is as follows. The piston in its forward stroke, pumps air into the valve
chest and the explosion chamber A which communicates therewith. At the other
end of cylinder Ċ the air is compressed by reason of the lap at one end of the slide
valve, the compressed air passing by a piper into the upper part of the space
forming a petroleum reservoir, between double walls of the explosion chamber.
There is consequently a higher pressure in the petroleum reservoir than in the
explosion chamber which continues during the return stroke of the piston.
At the beginning of the piston stroke, the valve V above the charge chamber is
opened by the main shaft, whereupon petroleum is forced from the reservoir
through a pipe ² into the valve chamber, past the valve into the charge chamber,
at the same time that compressed air also enters through another pipe ' from the
upper part of the petroleum reservoir, and the air and petroleum together pass
from the charge chamber through suitable passages co' to the jet nozzle whence it
issues into the explosion chamber past the electrical contact pieces which it moistens
as before.
After the valve has opened a certain distance as above described, it raises the
jet nozzle D thus breaking electrical contact and causing a spark which determines
the explosion of the jet, whereupon the nozzle is forced upwards still further
and the jet cut off. At this moment the engine piston is at the beginning of its
stroke, the slide valve commences to open, the pressure generated in the explosion
chamber is admitted to the cylinder and acting on the piston drives it forward at
same time that a fresh quantity of air is forced out of the other end of the cylinder
into the explosion chamber, and the action recommences as above described.
The performance of the engine depends as before on the duration of the jet,
which is regulated by the time of firing, which is in turn dependent on the rate at
which the petroleum and air valve is lifted. The valve motion may be of any
known kind used for steam engines, and may be controlled by a governor and
needs no further description.
Instead of petroleum being employed for working the engine, any other hydro.
carbon or a mixture of different hydro-carbons, inay be taken whether derived from
organic or mineral sources or more or less volatile than petroleum, provided that
it, or they, be capable of fine division mechanically and perfectly combustible.
Instead of producing the excess pressure used for forcing in the jet in the case of
the two methods of application herein described, by the means set forth, a second
smaller cylinder may be employed which directly operates the forcing in of the jet,
or in the foriner arrangement, the engine may in a manner easily contrived be
caused to act in front of the piston for the purpose of producing the excess pressure.
Similarly instead of the particular engine described under the second arrangement

page_text: a rotary motor may be employed which either, arranged singly, alternately com-
presses air and works like the first arrangement, or, arranged in duplicate, the one
giving power and the other delivering compressed air for the petroleum revervoir.
The following special characteristics of the engine may be shortly noticed.
1st Dispensing with the preliminary heating and dispensing with the use of any
auxiliary substances for the first starting which is rendered practicable by the use
of a petroleum jet, and the peculiar method of firing the same at the point of its
greatest density and within the time of its formation.
2nd The production of vapor from and perfect combustion of the petroleum
supplied in a cold state, in such manner that the combustion of the spray-like jet
takes place under an excess of oxygen.
3rd The greatest possible useful effect which is obtained by the combustion of
the spray-like jet in compressed air, the application of less dense, finely divided
spray jets, the heating of the jet within the cylinder by means of a regenerator, the
utilisation of the excess heat of the combustion space, the method of regulating
and the simplification of the valve mechanism.
4th The perfectly certain electric firing effected by the contacts moistened with
petroleum.
5th The independence of the firing with respect to the quantity of the gases
which in addition to the air mingled with the jet are present in the combustion
chamber, such independence being attained by firing the jet within the time it is
still suspended as a whole in the combustion chamber.
6th The proportion in the explosive mixture, of the difficultly volatilising to the
readily volatilising petroleum hydro-carbons is caused to be the same in all the
charges, by reason of the natural mechanical distribution of the fluid petroleum.
7th The prevention of the disagreeable smell of petroleum by means of a
petroleum-tight closure separating the engine container from the space in which
the engine works, which closure is rendered practicable by the method of firing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a petroleum engine, the application of a spray like jet which is forced
through the nozzle into the combustion chamber and the firing of the same during
the time of its formation and at the point of its greatest density, for the purpose
of enabling the engine to be set in motion without previous heating and.of enabling
explosive mixtures containing gas to be used.
2nd The herein described method, which consists in moistening the electric
circuit breaker with petroleum for the purpose of firing less dense petroleum
mixtures.
3rd The means herein described for feeding, and consisting essentially of the
charge chambers formed in the valve and filled with wire netting, as also the
means for the constant maintenance of petroleum in the valve space, consisting in
the connection of the valve chamber with the oil reservoir through the pipe u. s
and through the small orifice tv provided with a cock, substantially as described.
4th The application as regenerators of conical gills or deflectors arranged within
the combustion chamber in such a manner that they at the same time allow of the
explosion of the whole mixture in the manner described.
A
1004