Improvements in Hydro-carbon Locomotives.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydro-carbon Locomotives.
A communication by FRITZ DÜHR of 191 Lubeckerstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Engineer.
I, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M.I.M.E., of W. P. Thompson & Co., the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Man-
chester, both in the. County of Lancaster; 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, 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:-
Thi: invention has for its object a hydrocarbon locomotive consisting on the one
hand of a motor constructed more particularly for driving vehicles and on the
other hand of a peculiar transfer mechanism, by the use of which even when the
high number of revolutions of the motor remains the same, the speed of the vehicle
may be altered at any time..
In the construction of this hydrocarbon locomotive attention is more particularly
paid to making the motor as light and small as possible and preventing vibration
of the carriage or vehicle. As regards the transfer mechanism attention is also
paid to avoiding the deleterious action of the vibration or joltings arising whilst
running.
In order to obtain a small and light motor, one with two cylinders is employed,
each of which cylinders works independently in a two stroke cycle and acts on a
common balancer or beam, the oscillating motion of which is conveyed to a crank
shait mounted between the cylinders and converted into a rotary movement. The
flywheel is mounted between the two cylinders in such a way that the parts of the
latter in no way project beyond the outer periphery of the flywheel.
The whole special construction of the cylinders by which a special movement in
two stroke cycle is obtained for each, requires considerably less dimensions than
ali forms of construction hitherto known so that the weight of the motor may be
reduced to a certain minimum limit.
The peculiarly constructed transfer mechanism ensures not only an alteration
of the speed of travel during the journey but also a very steady running.
The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 shows the motor partially, in elevation and partially in vertical section;
Figure 2 is a cross section of Figure 1 on the line a b; and
Figure 3, a similar one on the line cd;
Figure 4, a plan view of the motor arrangement, shown in combination with the
transfer mechanism;
Figure 5, a side view of Figure 4;
Figures 6 and 7 show two further arrangements of the motor.

page_text: Figures 8 and 9 show an improved frition garing employed in the transfer
mechanism; whilst
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are respectively longitudinal sections and side views of
the actual transfer mechanism.
The arrangement of the motor is as follows:-
Each of the two working cylinders A which are arranged side by side is provided
at its lower end with a suction valve 2 through which the mixture of gas may be
drawn. A passage 3 leads from the lower end of the working cylinder to the
space 4 of the hollow cylinder cover which is provided internally with heating
ridges 5 in order to be more effective for the process of working hereinafter
described. A passage 6 lying in the cylinder runs from the chamber 4 and
establishes a communication between chamber 4 and the interior of the cylinder
as soon as the piston 1 has almost, reached the position of the lowest dead point.
For this object the piston is provided with a passage 10 into which
pipe 12 arranged in the centre of the piston opens The pipe 12
is inserted in a pipe 13 arranged in the dome of the cylinder cover.
upper end of the piston has openings 7 on its periphery, which openings coincide
in the lowest position of the piston with similar openings 8 formed in the walls of
the cylinder, which latter openings open into a chamber or passage placed.round
the cylinder.
The
The two pistons 1 are connected with an oscillating balancer or beam B, on the
shaft of which a crank G is mounted. This crank is in turn connected by means
of a connecting rod D with the crank shaft on which the fly wheel F is mounted.
The working of the motor is as follows:-
During its upward movement, the piston 1 draws in through the valve 2 the
imixture of gas, that is, a mixture of air and any suitable hydrocarbon gas (such as
petroleum, spirit, benzine or the like vapour) and on its downward movement the
piston forces the said mixture through the passage 3 into the upper chamber 4
of the cylinder cover. The gas mixture is warmed in the chamber 4 of the cylinder
cover which has been heated by the previous periods of working and is provided
with ridged heating bodies 5 so that a thorough diffusion of gas and air is obtained
and in the later process a more favourable combustion of the mixture is ensured.
The warmed gas mixture then passes from the chamber 4 into the passage 6.
As soon as the piston 1 is at a short distance from the end of the stroke it uncovers
by means of its openings 7 the openings 8 situated in the cylinder walls so that the
consumed gas remaining in the interior of the cylinder from the previous explo-
sion can escape through the passage 9. When the cylinder has moved further
downwards its passage 10 comes opposite the passage 6 and the gas mixture
contained in this latter will, in consequence of its pressure pass through
the piston pipe 12 and the pipe 13 arranged in the cylinder cover
1. the direction indicated by the arrows i into the inner cylinder chamber H
from which the products of combustion of the last stroke were expelled.
When the piston again moves upwards the mixture of gas contained in the
cylinder is again compressed, whilst on the other side of the piston the gas
mixture is drawn in. The ignition of the gas mixture takes place in the upper
dead point position by means of any one of the usual or well known igniting
devices 14 which may be arranged at any other suitable place, the explosive gas
inixture then comes into action and completes its work.
The method of working hereinbefore described is repeated in each of the two
cylinders alternately, and causes no interruption of the action of the motor so
that the flywheel may be made very light as it only has to bring the crank over the
dead point.
On closer consideration of these statements it appears that by mounting the
crank shaft between the two cylinders a smaller and by the choice of the special
construction of the cylinders and pistons a lighter, and, by the utilization of the
cylinder cover for warming the gas mixture a more economically working motor is
produced such as is necessary for use with motor cars.

page_text: The transfer of the movement, of the motor to the axle or wheels of the vehicle
may be effected in various ways. In Figures 4 and 5 the axle 15 of the vehicle
is provided with a double clutch mechanism r and s which is connected with a
crank shaft 18 by means of a slide lever 16 and link 17. This shaft 18 is rotated
from the fiy wheel shaft by means of a friction gearing and a flexible shaft or
hinged transmission device 19, so that the speed may be diminished by the friction
The latter causes an oscillating motion of the levers 16, whereby the
clutch mechanism s is set in operation and an alternate progressive but
continuous forward movement of the axle 15 takes place.
gear x.
In the form of construction shown in Figure 6 the fly wheel shaft is directly
geared to the friction gear and the movement of the latter is transmitted to the
Clank shaft 18 by means of the flexible shaft or jointed transmission element 19.
The movement of the crank shaft g may however also be conveyed by means of
hevel wheels z to the crank shaft 18 as shown in Figure 7 but such a means of
iransfer has considerable drawbacks more particularly in view of the high number
of revolutions of the motor so that the form of construction shown in Figures 4
to 6 is to be preferred.
The friction gearing is arranged as follows:-
As shown in Figures 8 the ordinary driving friction wheel 20 which is formed
with a wedge shaped rim engages in a friction wheel consisting of two half discs 22
adjustable against one another on the shaft 21. The two halves of the discs are
pressed equally against the friction surface of the wheel 20 by means of springs 23
by which means an even wear and tear of the friction surfaces is ensured. An even
and steady transfer of power also takes place as the gearing automatically adjusts
itself without displacing the axles or naves.
In the form of construction shown in Figure 9 a similar gearing is shown with
more friction wheels.
In all friction gearings hitherto known more particularly pulleys, with wedge
shaped rims, it was impossible even with the most careful work to prepare the
engaging parts so exactly that all the surfaces come evenly in contact. In the
friction gearing shown in Figures 8 and 9 the surfaces in question must come in
contact as they only partly belong to a rigid body.
With a gearing such as shown in Figures 8 and 9 the driven wheel may con-
sist of two parts or halves having a spring action one against the other in which
case the driving wheel assumes the form of the driven wheel shown in Figures 8.
and 9.
The clutch mechanisms r and s consists as shown in Figures 10 and 11 of two
sleeves 25 adjustable on the axle or shaft 15, which sleeves bear against friction
cones or shoulders 26 on the shaft and may be pressed against the same by means
of a screw 27 provided with a right and left hand thread. On the screw 27 there
is mounted a sickle shaped lever 28 which is connected with one of the two slide
levers 16 by means of a draw bar or link 29 by a pivotal connection. If the link 29
be moved in the direction or arrow 30 the two sleeves 25 are pressed against the
friction cones and a short rotation of the shaft takes place. If the link 29 be
moved in the direction of arrow 31 the screws 27 are loosened and the sleeves 25
release the friction cones 26.
The sleeves 25 may of course be arranged to press inwards instead of as shown.
The adjustment of the sleeves outwardly or inwardly may also be effected by means
of an eccentric which bears laterally against the sleeve
The sleeves 25 may also be directly provided with screw threads on their peri-
phery as shown in Figure 12 so that the lever 28 in this case is mounted on the
sleeves and produces an axial adjustment of the same. In any case the friction
between the springs and sleeves must then he greater than that of the thread.
In order that the sleeves 25 shall not slip on the shaft 15 at the commencement
of the forward movement of the lever 28 they are held fast by springs 32 attached to
the cones or shoulders 26.
The clutch mechanism and s may be altered, as regards its movement and the

page_text: speed of the vehicle thereby varied by adjusting the link 29 by means of a screw
spindle 33 (Figure 5) or like adjusting mechanism, in such a way as to alter the
leverage of the slide 16.
The clutch mechanism r and s may also be mounted on a separate shaft from
which motion may be transmitted to the carriage axle and wheels by means of
chain gearing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. A hydrocarbon locomotive consisting of a double cylinder two stroke motor
connected with a clutch mechanism mounted on the axle of the wheels or on a
special axle in such a way that the rotary movement of the motor or rather of its
shaft is converted into a progressive constant one, the power being conveyed
from the motor to the clutch mechanism by means of a friction gearing composed
of spring parts and by means of a flexible shaft or the like in combination there-
with substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a locomotive such as herein described, the use of a motor characterised
by the fly wheel shaft being connected with both pistons by means of a balancer
or beam and being so mounted between the cylinders that the various parts of the
motor fall in the circuit of the flywheel with the object of reducing the cubical
space necessary for the motor to a minimum substantially as described
3. A motor such as herein described operating in a two stroke cycle by the gas
mixture which is drawn in being conveyed after the change of stroke into a
chamber arranged in the cylinder cover, warmed therein and in the lower position of
the piston conducted in consequence of its increased pressure, through a central
pipe arranged in the piston and cylinder cover into the working cylinder where it
expels the products of combustion of the previous stroke and is compressed after
the change of stroke has taken place and ignited with the object of causing the
explosion substantially as herein before set forth.
4. In a motor such as described, the arrangement of one ог more heating
chambers 4 with heating ridges 5 with the object of suddenly and rapidly increas-
ing the pressure of the expanding medium of power and of favourably influencing
the diffusion of the gas mixture in order to allow the same to come more favour-
ably into action on the delivery of power which afterwards takes place, substan-
tially as described.
5. In a locomotive such as described, the arrangement of a clutch mechanism
characterised by one or more friction sleeves or discs loosely mounted on the
shaft to be revolved being pressed, by means of an oscillating lever mechanism
which operates the said sleeves or discs by means of pressure screws or eccentrics,
against cones or shoulders fixed on the shaft, in such a way that in one direction of
movement of the lever mechanism the shaft is carried with it, whilst in the opposite
direction of movement the friction sleeves or discs are released with the object of
enabling the oscillating movement to be converted into a rotary one, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
6. In the clutch mechanism herein described, the arrangement of drag springs
mounted on the projections 26 of the shaft 15 and pressing on the friction sleeves
or discs with the object of avoiding any deleterious slipping of the sleeves in the
direction of work at the commencement of the lever motion substantially as
described.
7. In a locomotive such as described, a friction gearing characterised by the
driven or the driving part consisting of two halves for each wedge rings, said
halves being axially adjustable on the shaft and pressed by springs against one
another to grip the wedge ring with the object of affording an automatic adjust-
ment of the gearing without displacing the shaft bearings and of reducing to a
a minimum the pressure otherwise normally directed against the shaft and to

page_text: insure an even and certain transmission of power substantially as hereinbefore
described.
1
01
.
1907
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.