Improvements in and Apparatus for the Supply of Liquid Fuel in Motor and like Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 18C9
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1900-Accepted, 16th June, 1900
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Supply of Liquid Fuel in
Motor and like Apparatus.
I, GEORGE ELI WHITNEY, of 32, New Street, Boston, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Inventor, temporarily residing at 70, Guilford Street,
Russell Square, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In a motor in which liquid fuel is employed as the combustible matter
especially adapted for use where a head cannot be conveniently obtained, in order
to force the liquid fuel to the place where it is to be consumed instead of using
air pressure applied either by muscular power or the power of the motor as has
usually been done I have devised means by which air presure may be dispensed
with except for starting the consumption of the liquid fuel, by utilizing thermal
action to expel the liquid fuel from its receptacle and to feed it to the place of
consumption.
I enclose the liquid fuel in a gas tight receptacle and apply thermal action,
preferably the exhaust or waste heat of the engine to turn the liquid fuel or a
portion of it in the gas tight liquid fuel receptacle into a gas the pressure of such
gas acts to expel the liquid fuel to the point of consumption.
In a construction to carry out the invention I have employed a switch valve or
three way cock by which I may direct the exhaust of the motor or a portion of
it so that when desired it may act to heat the liquid fuel and thereby create
pressure thereon and expel the same from its receptacle to the place to where it
is to be consumed and when such pressure has reached the limit desired I may
direct the waste of the exhaust or a portion of it away from the liquid fuel
receptacle where it will have no effect upon the liquid fuel.
This switch valve or three way cock may be operated manually or by auto-
matic means to be described.
I will now describe more definitely a specific means which I have used, but
to which I do not limit my invention; thus:-I have used an expansible
medium motor as a steam engine, a boiler, a steam generator, a liquid fuel
receptacle, a burner and a water tank to supply water to the boiler. I enclose
my liquid fuel receptacle within the water tank. I conduct the exhaust of my
engine through said water tank by means of a pipe or conducting channel and
thence preferably to the stack or other convenient outlet where the exhaust
mingles with the products of combustion and is thus rendered invisible, or by
means of the switch valve or three way cock I may switch the exhaust directly
to the stack cutting it off from the circuit in the water tank or I may direct the
exhaust partly to the circuit in the water tank and partly more or less directly
to the stack thereby heating the water in the tank to a greater or less degree.
When the exhaust passes through the circuit in the water tank it heats the feed
water, heat is communicated from the water which surrounds the liquid fuel
receptacle to the liquid fuel therein and changes a portion of it into gas the pres-

page_text: sure of which expels the liquid fuel to the place where it is to be consumed.
It is obvious that the amount of pressure on the liquid fuel depends on the heat
and the extent to which liquid fuel is turned into gas, and the amount of heat
depends on the length of time that the exhaust is in contact with the circuit
in the water tank, also upon the amount of the exhaust which is switched into
said circuit.
I accomplish several useful purposes by this means, first I expel the liquid
fuel to the place where it is to be consumed. Second I heat the liquid fuel
thus making it the more ready to be turned completely into a gas, in which form
it is consumed. Third I heat the feed water for the boiler, all of which is done
by the waste of the exhaust, and finally I more or less condense the exhaust,
preferably that portion which is completely condensed being discharged through
the stack in the form of water and that portion which still retains the form of
steam or very minute particles of water is dried out by the hot products of com-
bustion which pass out through the stack.
For convenience of discharge of condensed steam as referred to I may in a
motor for a road vehicle, employ a downturned stack.
In order to automatically control the pressure within the liquid fuel recep-
tacle when desired, instead of doing so manually. I arrange a diaphragm to
connect with and control the switch valve or three way cock above mentioned;
the pressure of the gas or liquid fuel which pressure is produced as above men-
tioned tending to move said diaphragm and connected valve or three way cock
in a direction to switch the exhaust away from the water tank circuit or liquid
fuel receptacle while a tension spring is so arranged as to tend to force the
diaphragm and connected switch valve in the opposite direction and to turn the
exhaust into the water tank circuit or liquid fuel receptacle or so that the heat
of the exhaust may act upon the liquid fuel as above described.
By properly arranging the tension of the spring I may keep the pressure of
the liquid fuel at such a predetermined point as may be found best in practice for
feeding the fuel to the burner or this may be effected by any equivalent auto-
matic means.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Supply of Liquid Fuel in
Motor and like Apparatus.
I, GEORGE ELI WHITNEY, of 32, New Street, Boston, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 more particularly to motor vehicles of the type wherein
the power is provided by a steam or other expansible medium motor burning
hydrocarbon or other liquid fuel; and it has for its objects, primarily, the utili
zation of heat, preferably from the motor, to create a pressure sufficient to effect
the feed of the fuel to the point at which it is used, and secondarily, the heating
of the feed water and, if desired, the condensation of the exhaust of the motor
more or less completely, the several features being adapted to be employed with
special advantage in motor vehicles. It is well known that in such vehicles

page_text: a gravity feed of the liquid fuel can be used to a very limited extent, if at all,
pressure upon the fuel being utilized to feed the same; but this pressure has
been heretofore created manually by suitable pumping devices manipulated from
time to time, as required. In my present invention I create or generate pres-
sure upon the liquid fuel sufficient to effect feed thereof by or through thermal
action, preferably by utilizing the exhaust of the motor, means being provided
for automatically controlling or governing the generation of the feeding pres-
sure by or through the variation of such pressure.
I effect such thermal action by the exhaust of the motor, thus increasing the
efficiency of the apparatus by making otherwise waste heat perform useful work.
Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of a sufficient portion of a motor vehicle and motor
to be understood with one embodiment of my invention applied thereto, the body
of the vehicle being shown, and the feed-water tank partially broken out,
Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in section of the three-way cock for controlling the
feed pressure on the liquid fuel.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown
in Fig. 1 to be referred to.
Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of the apparatus shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is substantially the same as Fig. 1 with the addition of an automatic
controlling device for regulating the generation of pressure on the liquid fuel
for the motor.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the automatic controlling device.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail in plan of a portion of the automatic controlling
device with a bye pass and a manually operated controller therefor to be described,
Fig. 8 is a partial side elevation of the motor, the feed water tank, and the
controlling device with the various connections shown in Fig. 5.
Any suitable steam-motor, or other expansible medium motor may be employed
comprising a steam or other generator and an engine, and such a steam motor
may be used as shown and described in British Patent No. 6947 of 1898, and
in Fig. 1 the boiler M, stack or flue M³ for the escape of the products of com-
bustion, a hood or jacket M₁ surrounding the cylinders and valve chests of the
engine, and mounted on the boiler, may be substantially as shown and described
in said patent the exhaust passing through a muffler B of any suitable con-
struction, to deaden the sound of the exhaust, and in my present invention the
exhaust preferably passes thence to the means for utilizing the exhaust to effect
the feed of the fuel, to be described.
I have herein shown the motor as mounted on cross-bars F secured to the
body F of a motor vehicle, the wheels W being partially indicated by dotted
lines in Fig. 1 and the boot or back of the body is in the present instance shown
as provided with a tank F for the feed-water the top or cover of the tank being
partially broken out, the said tank being suitably connected with the boiler.
A preferably cylindrical receptacle C for naptha or other liquid fuel is herein
arranged to be heated by the exhaust from the motor, and a convenient means
to achieve this end is to mount the receptacle C in the tank, so that the water
in the latter will more or less surround said receptacle, a manually operated air
pump P being connected with the latter by a pipe p to generate the necessary
pressure when raising steam in the motor, and a filling inlet e is provided for
the receptacle.
Inasmuch as it is also advantageous to heat the feed-water I have herein shown
the apparatus so constructed that the feeding pressure for the liquid fuel is
created or generated by the heating of the feed-water, and in connection with
the latter if the exhaust steam from the motor is used such exhaust steam may
be more or less condensed, so that when it finally escapes into the atmosphere
there is little or no visible vapour.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, a pipe d enters the feed-water tank F2 and is con-
nected with a series of bends d' therein, preferably extended lengthways thereof,
the end of the bends passing out of the tank and into the pipe 8 thus connect-

page_text: ing with the stack or flue M, while the pipe communicates with the source
of the heating medium, through a three-way cock T, and the muffler B, if the
motor exhaust is utilized.
A pipe 8 leads from the three-way cock to the stack of the motor, so that by
means of the cock the exhaust can be turned into either the pipe d or directly
into the stack through the pipe 8, or partly to each, the construction of the valve
being shown clearly in section in Fig. 2, wherein the communication is shown
as direct from the muffler through the valve to the pipe bends d¹ in the tank F2.
A pipe c Figs. 1 and 4, leads from the receptacle C, to the furnace of the motor,
not shown in detail, at which the fuel is to be utilized, and of any suitable con-
struction.
As to the operation of the apparatus herein illustrated the necessary feeding
pressure on the fuel is generated by the pump P when it is desired to first start
the motor, and thereafter the pressure is generated or maintained by or through
heating of the liquid fuel in the receptacle C, the apparatus shown being adapted
to heat such receptacle by the rise in temperature of the feed-water due to pas-
sage of the motor exhaust through the bends d'.
After the apparatus has been running and has been brought to a standstill
there would be no exhaust; and the water in the tank would gradually cool,
with a consequent reduction of the feed pressure on the fuel, and to obviate
the use of the pump or other manual pressure generator to restore such pressure
and also maintain the motor in condition for instant use, I have provided means
for maintaining the requisite fuel feeding pressure by or through the thermal
action of the live steam or other medium of the motor.
For this purpose I herein connect the steam space of the boiler M and the
pipe d by a branch 20, Figs. 1 and 3, a valve in the branch permitting the
live steam to pass to the pipe d, or cutting off communication between said pipe
and the branch, as would be the case when the apparatus is running under
ordinary conditions.
Obviously the three-way cock T must be so turned to prevent the passage of the
live steam from the branch do directly out through the stack, when feeding pres-
sure is generated by the described action of live steam.
The regulation of the temperature is controlled by the three-way cock T, as
by means of the latter the heating medium can be directed wholly to the pipe
bends or partly thereto and partly to the stack of the motor, or it may be shut
off altogether from the bends and directed wholly to the stack.
Referring to Fig. 2, the valve of the three-way cock is provided with suit-
able ports, 2, 3, so constructed and arranged that the herein before described
operation of the cock will effect the desired results.
By the construction now to be described the variation of pressure upon the
liquid fuel is made to automatically control the generation of such pressure.
It is to be understood that while I have shewn the herein described apparatus
as constructed and arranged to utilize the motor exhaust as the medium for
generating feeding pressure for the fuel, my invention is not restricted thereto,
as live steam or other heating medium could be employed.
A pipe e Fig. 5, leads from the receptacle C to the furnace of the motor, not
shown, at which the fuel is to be utilized, and of any suitable construction and
between this pipe and the muffler B I interpose an automatic controlling device
which governs the effective operation of the exhaust to generate feeding pres-
sure upon the liquid fuel.
Referring to Fig. 6 the illustrated form of controlling device comprises a pre-
ferably annular casé H having an inlet segmental in form forming a part of a
valve seat within the case, said seat having two opposed bevelled faces 2, 3,
for a disc-like valve, peripherally bevelled, as shown, and dividing the case
into two compartments h2, h3 having outlet ports 20, 30, respectively.
When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the inlet port h commu-
nicates with the compartment hand when the valve is seated on the seat face 3

page_text: the compartment 2 communicates with the inlet port, the latter being shown as
connected by a pipe 5 with the muffler B.
A pipe 6, partially shown in dotted lines Fig. 5, connects the port 20 with the
stack or flue M, and the port his connected by pipe d with the heating bends d¹.
A standard H¹ on the exterior of the valve case has a tubular portion con-
centric with the valve stem h³ and is enlarged at its upper end as at 6 to form
one wall of a chamber, the other wall being formed by a recessed cap * secured
to the enlargement ho.
The chamber thus formed is divided transversely by a flexible diaphragm 18
held at its edges between the parts h and h and having secured to its inner
side the valve stem h5, which passes through a boss into the compartment h² and
the tubular part of the standard H¹.
A nut his screwed into the open end of the tubular part, and between the
nut and an annular flange or disc 10 fast on the stem is interposed a spring S,
the tension thereof being adjusted by the nut, said spring normally holding the
valve in the position shown, to close the compartment h².
The compartment at the outer side of the diaphragm is connected by a branch
pipe with the fuel feed pipe c, Fig. 5 so that a pressure in the fuel recep-
tacle C greater than the force of the spring S will flex the diaphragm 18 and
move the valve h* from its position shown in Fig. 6 on to the face 3 of the valve
seat h¹.
con-
This operates to shut off the motor exhaust from the bent piping or
denser and to turn it directly into the stack M³, in the present instance, or
to any other desired exit, the inlet and the ports h2, h30 being made large
enough to prevent any throttling of the exhaust.
With the controlling device herein described its normal condition is shown in
Fig. 6 but when the pressure to which the fuel is subjected has risen to a pre-
determined point, governed by the tension of the spring S, the valve will be
operated as described to shut off the heating medium from the bends d'.
The fall in the temperature of the fuel in the receptacle will be accompanied
by a corresponding decrease in pressure on the fuel, until the spring S can
operate to move the valve into its former position.
It will thus be obvious that the operation of the means for heating the fuel
and generating feeding pressure thereupon is automatically controlled by a
through variation of such pressure in the fuel receptacle or its connections.
If it is desired to control the generation of such pressure manually rather than
by the automatic controlling device described, the third port of the three-way
cock T of usual construction will be connected by a bye-pass 10 with the pipe 6
leading to the smoke flue M* as shown clearly in Fig. 7.
When the automatic controlling device is operative, communication from the
muffler to the valve case H will be effected through the cock T the bye-pass 10
being closed thereat but to prevent the operation of or throw-out of action the
automatic controller the valve-handle Fig. 7 is turned to closed the passage
from the muffler to the valve case and to open the passage to the bye-pass.
The heating medium will then pass through the three-way cock to the bye
pass and out through the stack, the heating means being cut out, so that there
will be no operation of the diaphragm 18 in opposition to the spring S, feeding
pressure upon the fuel being maintained by a suitable pump.
I prefer to use such a diaphragm in the automatic controlling device as will
operate with a quick snap to thereby change the position of the valve rapidly
instead of by a gradual movement.
My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement
shown, as the same may be modified or re-arranged without departing from the
spirit and scope of my invention, and so far as I am aware it is broadly new
to subject the liquid fuel of a motor to feeding pressure generated or created
by or through thermal action as herein described and so far as I am aware it

page_text: is broadly new to automatically govern the generation of feeding pressure upon
the fuel, due to thermal action, by or through the variation of such pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a motor-vehicle, a receptacle for liquid fuel, means to subject the liquid
fuel to feeding pressure by or through thermal action, and a controlling device
to automatically govern the thermal action by or through variation of the feeding
pressure.
2. In a motor-vehicle, an expansible medium motor, a receptacle for liquid
fuel therefor,. means to subject the liquid fuel to feeding pressure by or through
thermal action of the motor exhaust, and a controlling device to automatically
govern such thermal action by or through variation of the feeding pressure.
3 In a motor vehicle, a receptacle for liquid fuel, and means to heat said recep-
tacle, and thereby create pressure within it to effect feed of the fuel therefrom,
combined with a controlling device to automatically govern the heating means
by or through variation of the feeding pressure.
4. In a motor vehicle, an expansible medium motor, a liquid fuel receptacle
therefor, means to utilise heat from the motor to create feeding pressure upon
the liquid fuel, and a controlling device governed by variation of such pressure
to regulate the utilization of the heat from the motor.
5. In a motor vehicle, a steam motor, a feed-water tank, a liquid fuel recep-
tacle therein, means to utilize the motor-exhaust to heat the contents of the tank,
the heating of the feed water operating to create pressure within the receptacle
to effect feed of the liquid fuel and a controlling device to automatically govern
the operation of said means by or through variation of the feeding pressure.
6. In a motor-vehicle, a steam motor, a feed-water tank, a liquid-fuel recep-
tacle, means to utilise the motor exhaust to heat the feed-water and create pres-
sure upon the liquid fuel to effect feed of the same, and a controlling device to
govern the operation of said means by or through variation of the feeding pressure.
7. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor, a liquid-fuel receptacle, means to utilize
the motor-exhaust to create feeding pressure upon the liquid fuel, and a control-
ling device governed by variation of such pressure to regulate the utilization of
the motor-exhaust.
8. In a motor-vehicle, a steam motor, a feed-water tank, means connected with
the motor exhaust to heat the contents of the tank, a liquid fuel receptacle in
said tank, a valve to govern the passage of the exhaust to said heating means,
and a valve-actuator operated by or through variation of pressure in the liquid-
fuel receptacle, to close the valve when a pre-determined pressure is attained
and to open the same when the pressure falls.
9. In a motor-vehicle, a steam motor, a feed-water tank, means to heat the
contents of the tank, a liquid fuel receptacle within the tank, and means to
govern the heating of the tank by or through variation of the pressure in the
liquid-fuel receptacle.
10. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor having a stack, a feed water tank, heat-
ing means therefor, connections between the motor-exhaust and said heating
means and stack, a liquid-fuel receptacle in the tank, a controlling device to
govern automatically the passage of the exhaust to the heating means and stack,
and independent manually-operated means to deflect the exhaust wholly to the
stack.
11. A steam motor, a feed-water tank therefor, a liquid fuel receptacle in the
tank, the pressure in said receptacle varying according to the temperature of the
feed-water, independent means to raise the pressure in the receptacle, a heater
in the feed-water tank, connected with the exhaust of the motor a controlling de-
vice operated by or through variation of pressure in the receptacle to automati-

page_text: cally govern the operation of the heater, and means to cut out said controlling
device and govern the operation of the heater manually.
12. In a motor vehicle, a steam-motor having a stack, a feed-water tank, a
condenser therein connected with the exhaust of the motor, a liquid-fuel recep-
tacle in said tank, a valve to control the passage of the exhaust to the condenser
or the stack, operated automatically by or through variation in pressure in the
receptacle, a by-pass between the exhaust and the stack, and a manually-operated
three-way cock to control the passage of the exhaust independently of the auto-
matic controlling device.
13. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor having a stack, a feed-water tank, a
heater therein, a liquid-fuel receptacle within the tank, a valve-case communica-
ting with the exhaust of the motor, a valve dividing said case into two compart-
ments, a connection between one compartment and the heater, and a connection
between the other compartment and the stack, and an actuator for the valve,
controlled by or through variation of pressure in the fuel-receptacle, to govern
the passage of the exhaust into one or other compartment in the valve-case.
14. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor, a body, a feed-water tank carried
thereby, a liquid-fuel receptacle in the tank, means connected with the exhaust
of the motor to heat the contents of the tank, and a controlling device governed
by the pressure in the liquid-fuel receptacle to regulate the passage of the
exhaust to the tank-heating means.
15. An expansible-medium inotor, a receptacle for liquid fuel therefor, means
to conduct said fuel to the point at which it is utilized, and means utilizing the
exhaust of the motor to heat extraneously the said receptacle and by partial
vaporisation of its contents create pressure upon and to effect feed of such
liquid fuel contents through the conducting means therefor.
16. In a motor-vehicle, an expansible medium motor, a receptacle for liquid
fuel therefor, and means to subject the liquid fuel to feeding pressure by or
through thermal action of the motor-exhaust extraneously applied to the said
receptacle.
17. In a motor vehicle, a steam motor, a feed water tank, a liquid fuel receptacle,
and means to heat the feed water and thereby create pressure within the
fuel receptacle to effect feed of the fuel.
18. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor, a feed water tank, a liquid fuel re-
ceptacle, and means to utilize the exhaust from the motor to heat the feed water
and thereby create pressure within the fuel receptacle to effect feed of the fuel.
19. In a motor vehicle, a steam motor, a feed-water tank, a liquid-fuel
receptacle therein, and means to utilize the motor-exhaust to heat the contents
of the tank, the heating of the feed-water operating to create pressure within the
receptacle to effect feed of the liquid fuel.
20. A steam motor, a feed-water tank therefor, heating means for the feed-
water, connected with the motor-exhaust, a liquid fuel receptacle in the tank,
to be heated by the contents of the latter, and a manually-actuated controlling
device to govern the passage of the exhaust to the tank-heating means.
21. In a motor-vehicle, a steam motor having a stack, a feed-water tank, a
condenser therein, connections between the motor exhaust and said condenser and
stack, a liquid fuel receptacle in the tank, and a manually actuated controlling
levice to govern the passage of the exhaust to the condenser and stack.
22. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor, a liquid fuel receptacle, means to
generate feeding pressure on the liquid fuel by extraneously heating the receptacle
by the motor-exhaust, and also extraneously by live steam from the motor, and
ndependent controlling devices to utilise live or exhaust steam for such extraneous
eating.
23. In a motor-vehicle, a steam-motor, a feed-water tank, a condenser therein,
onnected with the exhaust of the motor, a liquid-fuel receptacle in said tank, to
e heated by the feed-water, whereby the pressure created in said receptacle will

page_text: effect feed of the liquid fuel, and a controlling device to regulate the operation of
the condenser.
24. An expansible medium motor, a receptacle for liquid fuel therefor, means
to conduct said fuel to the point at which it is utilized, and means utilizing the
exhaust of the motor for the purposes herein described, the exhaust pipe d² being
carried into the stack to deliver the exhaust steam there, substantially as set
forth.
1000
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.