Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Carburetting Air.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Carburetting Air.
A communication from ADOLPHE LEFEBVRE, of 3, Rue Simart, Paris, in the
Republic of France..
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of a carburetter or
apparatus for the evaporation of liquid hydrocarbons at a low temperature by
means of air, the vapour obtained being available for lighting purposes or for use
as the motive power in an explosion engine.
The carburetter comprises a metal box, of any suitable shape, divided by
horizontally placed baffle-plates. Under the lowest plate is a perforated tube,
preferably placed at one end of the box, which communicates with the exterior
and serves for the admission of air: it may be provided with a non-return valve
to prevent any escape of hydrocarbon from the carburetter. On the top of the
carburetter is an outlet for the carburetted air. Between the outlet and the box
a sieve of wire gauze is placed to prevent the carrying over of any hydrocarbon
in a liquid state with the escaping vapours, and sponges, may, if desired, be also
used with the wire gauze.
The outlet may be provided with a spring valve to prevent any return of the
gases into the carburetter. A pipe is also provided for filling the box with the
liquid hydrocarbon.
Between the strainer and the outlet there may be a space of greater transverse
area than the outlet; for instance the outlet may be at the top of a dome.
A gauge glass may be provided for indicating the level of the liquid in the
carburetter and a waste or draw-off cock placed in its bottom.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The carburetter is filled with liquid
hydrocarbon to about three fourths of its height. The air, cither sucked in, or
blown in through the perforated tube before described, is forced by the baffle
plates to make a prolonged travel through the liquid before reaching its surface,
and so becomes strongly charged with the hydrocarbon vapour before it passes
off through the dome by the exit tube.
As it is desirable that the liquid in the carburetter should be maintained at
a fairly constant level, a reservoir may be provided connected with the carburetter
by a feed controlled automatically.
The automatic feed comprises a float, carrying a vertical stem ending in a
conical point, which forms the plug of a valve, controlling the connecting tube
between the reservoir and carburetter. The float works in a glass tube, forming

page_text: part of the valve-chamber, and the lower end of the chamber is connected by a
tube with the lower part of the carburetter. The float may be furnished with
an index point and the glass tube can be graduated, and if desired protected by
a metal casing.
The tube containing the float is placed on such a level in relation to the car-
buretter that when the liquid within the latter is at the proper height, the float
holds the valve tight on its seat, and so shuts off the communication with the
reservoir. Any lowering of the liquid level in the carburetter, by lowering the
float, so operates the valve as to allow the passage of liquid from the reservoir
until the level is again normal.
When used for supplying an explosive mixture to a motor the passage of the air
through the carburetter may either be caused by the employment of pressure,
or the suction set up by the running of the motor may be relied on.
When employed on a motor bicycle the carburetter may conveniently be attached
beneath the connecting tube of the frame, the motor being attached to the back-
bone and a cylinder for compressed air behind the seat tube. Graduated valves
are attached conveniently on the connecting tube behind the handle bar socket,
for the purpose of regulating the supply of air to the carburetter and of mixed
gases to the motor. The reservoir and automatic feed are preferably not employed,
a gauge glass being used to indicate the liquid level in the carburetter. Pressure
gauges may be provided placed in a convenient position for instance over the
centre of the handle bar to indicate the pressures in the air cylinder and car-
buretter.
The compressed air cylinder may be supplied by means of a pump, preferably
attached to the front of the seat tube and geared in any convenient manner to the
motor. To avoid over pressure it is furnished with escape valves to regulate
the suction by the pressure in the air cylinder, and the latter is also supplied with
an escape valve.
The air may also be supplied to the carburetter by the suction caused by the
running of the motor, and for this purpose a flap valve may be placed on the
supply tube of the carburetter facing in the direction the machine will run,
a fan may be used worked from the axle of the running wheel.
or
An extra valve may be provided in the top of the carburetter and connected
with the lamp of the cycle to supply the burner with gas. The lamp may be so
attached to the frame as to be unaffected by the vibration of the machine and
may be provided with two lenses one in front as usual, the other in the back,
provided with a reflector to throw the light on the pressure gauges and graduated
valves.
In other vehicles the motor and air cylinder and pump may be conveniently
placed beneath the seat, over the hind wheels, the carburetter being placed over
the front wheels.
When used for lighting purposes, the air may be blown through the carburetter
by any convenient means. By using gazoline in the carburetter and employing
an Auer burner in the lamp a first rate light is obtained which may be carried to
incandescence.
1
1
וי
1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A communication from ADOLPHE LEFEBVRE, of 3, Rue Simart, Paris, in the
Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered 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 ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of a carburetter, or
apparatus for the evaporation of liquid hydrocarbons at a low temperature by
means of air, the vapour obtained being available for lighting purposes or for use
as the motive power in an explosive engine.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2,
Figure 2 a plan of a carburetter constructed according to this invention,
Figure is a longitudinal central section of a float valve for regulating the
supply of hydrocarbon to the carburetter, and
Figure 4 is a detail of part of the valve,
Figure 5 shows diagrammatically a convenient method of applying the inven-
tion to a motor cycle,
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section and,
Figure 7 a cross section of a carburetter adapted for use with a bicycle, and,
Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the invention applied to a road vehicle.
Like letters indicate like parts in all figures.
The carburetter comprises a metal box or case A conveniently oblong in shape
divided horizontally into compartments by baffle plates B, which have both sides
and one end fixed to its walls. The plates B are fixed alternately to opposite
ends of the case A, their free ends leaving spaces B₁, forming a communication
between each compartment. Across the closed end of the bottom compartment
is placed a tube or chamber C, provided with a number of small holes C¹ and
communicating with the outside of the carburetter by a tube C2 which is carried
up above the level of the top of the case A, either within it, as shown in Fig. 1,
or outside of it as most convenient. The tube C2 serves for the introduction of
air and may be provided with a back pressure valve C3 to prevent the accidental
escape of hydrocarbon from the carburetter. Conveniently it may be provided
with a finely meshed sieve, as shown at C to prevent the introduction of dirt and
foreign bodies along with the air.
The top of the carburetter is provided with a dome D, with the top of which
is connected a pipe D', which serves for the issue of the carburetted air, and is
carried in any convenient manner to the feed pipe of the motor or to a gas holder
or burner of a lamp according to the use to which it is intended to be put.
The opening between the case A and dome D) may be provided with a metal
gauze sieve D2 to prevent the carrying over of liquid particles along with the
vapours, and a like spring valve 13 may also be provided to prevent the evapora-
tion of the hydrocarbon when the apparatus is not in use, or a back rush of burning
gas into the carburetter.
In order to feed the carburetter whilst in operation and maintain the liquid
hydrocarbon at a constant level therein, it may be connected with a reservoir of
any size or form but placed at a higher level so that the liquid hydrocarbon will
flow into the carburetter by gravity, the feed being regulated automatically by a
float valve such as shown in Fig. 3.

page_text: The valve comprises a metal casting E, having its upper part formed with two
recesses E¹ E2, to receive the pipes G and H, leading respectively from the reservoir
and to the carburetter. The recesses E E2 are connected by a passage-way E³
constructed to be closed by the needle F working vertically in a passage-way
formed in the body of the casting E. The lower end of the needle F is provided
with a float F¹, carried in a chamber formed by the glass tube I connected with
the bottom of the casting E and with the fitting E. Conveniently the glass tube
is surrounded by a metal casing J as shown in Fig. 3, the glass with suitable
washers being received in recesses in the casting E and the fitting E, the joint
being made by screwing the fitting E4 into the casing J which is screwed or
otherwise fixed on the casting E. The metal casing is provided with an opening J¹
through which the movements of the float F¹ can be observed, the float being
conveniently fitted with an index point F2 to indicate the level of the liquid in the
glass which may be provided with register lines.
The fitting E is connected with the tube E³ leading from the lower part of
the carburetter.
When working the carburetter case A should be filled with liquid hydrocarbon
up to or slightly above the top baffle plate B and the float valve must be so placed
in relation to the carburetter that when the latter holds a proper supply of liquid
the needle F will be held by its float F¹ in position to close the passage E³.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Air is forced or sucked through the pipe C into the pipe or chamber C, from
which it escapes in small bubbles through the holes C¹ and traverses successively
the whole length of each of the compartments formed by the plates B as shown
by the arrows in Fig. 1. By this prolonged travel through the liquid the air
becomes thoroughly charged with hydrocarbon vapour and in this state passes
into the dome D and pipe D¹ in a condition for use either as an illuminant or
for actuating an explosion engine. As the hydrocarbon is evaporated and the
level of the liquid falls in the case A, the float F¹ and needle F fall corre-
spondingly, permitting the passage of liquid from the reservoir through the pipe G
passage and pipe H into the carburetter until the level is restored to normal.
When used for supplying an explosive mixture to a motor the passage of the
air into and through the carburetter may either be caused by the employment
of pressure, or the suction set up by the running of the motor may be relied
upon.
When employed with a motor cycle or road vehicle the reservoir and float valve
are preferably omitted.
Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a convenient manner of applying the invention
to a bicycle of the diamond frame type. The carburetter A is fixed by straps A¹
beneath the top stay and the motor K to the backbone, a compressed air reser-
voir L and its air pump M being fastened respectively to the back and front of
the seat pillar.
It is formed
The carburetter is shown on a larger scale in Figs. 6 and 7.
without a dome and is provided with a gauge glass A³, which should be protected
by a metal covering, on which a graduated scale may be marked to verify the
rate of consumption of the liquid.
Fixed conveniently on the top stay is a graduated valve N (Fig. 5) connected
by a pipe N¹ with the compressed air reservoir and by pipe N2 with the back
pressure valve C³ on the inlet tube C2 of the carburetter.
The motor K is connected with the carburetter by the pipe K³, and valve K².
The pipes N¹ and K' are connected by branch pipes with pressure gauges placed
in a convenient position, for instance over the centre of the handle bar on a
support fixed on the top stay as shown at O, Fig. 5.
The burner of the lamp P, may be connected with the carburetter by a pipe P₁
controlled by the valve P³. The lamp should be so attached to the frame so as
to be unaffected by the vibration of the machine, and may be provided with two

page_text: lenses one in front as usual, the other in the back, provided with a reflector to
throw the light on the pressure gauges and graduated valve.
The carburetter
may be provided with a relief valve Q controlled by a spring of requisite strength
and fitted with a tube Q', serving to lead the vapour behind the saddle when the
valve blows off.
The air pump M may be operated from the crank axle of the motor in any
suitable manner. It should be provided with a relief valve, controlled so as to
blow off when the compressed air reservoir L is at its desired pressure.
latter may also be provided with a relief valve.
The
Instead of using a compressor the suction caused by the working of the motor
may be relied on for drawing the air through the carburetter, and for this purpose
a flap valve would be placed on the air supply pipe of the carburetter, facing
in the direction the machine will run, or a fan may be used worked from the axle
of the driven road wheel instead of a pump.
The carburetter is provided with a cock R for filling purposes.
Figure shows diagrammatically a convenient arrangement of the apparatus
when employed on a road vehicle. The carburetter A is placed under the front
seat, and the motor K, air pump M, and air reservoir L under the back seat of the
carriage. The graduated valve N may conveniently be placed on a standard S
which may form the steering tube and is connected with the air reservoir and
carburetter by the pipes N1 N2 respectively, the motor K being connected with
the carburetter by the pipe K¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:.
-
1. In a carburetter the combination of an air-tube or chamber such as C and
partitions such as B arranged to cause air to pass in a zigzag course through a
hydro-carbon in a carburetter substantially as described.
2. The combination with a carburetter of a float valve having a sight index
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination with a carburetter of the float valve, substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a motor-cycle or other motor road vehicle the combination with a motor
an air-reservoir and an air pump of a carburetter of the kind described, the whole
arranged and operating substantially in the manner described and illustrated in
Figure 5 or in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The complete carburetter substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 or in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dotad this 24th day of Fabrum 1898
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.