Obtaining Motive-power in an Efficient, Economical, and Convenient Manner from the Combustion of Petroleum or other Liquid Fuel under Pressure.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 17th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 17th Mar., 1888
Obtaining Motive-power in an Efficient, Economical, and Convenient
Manner from the Combustion of Petroleum or other Liquid
Fuel under Pressure.
I, ALFRED SPENCER JONES, of No. 25 Vernon Street, in the Parish of Saint Peter,
Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Model-maker (Engine), do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has partial reference to that class of caloric or hot-air engine in
which the air furnished by a supply pump is in the first instance used more or less for
supporting combustion, the heat thereby generated causing the expansion of a larger
volume of air by admixture with the products of combustion, the resulting pressure
being applied to operate a piston in the usual way.
The essential feature, however, of my invention consists in providing for the
application of hot air, either alone or in conjunction with super-heated steam, of
considerable density to drive a piston almost exclusively by its expansive action in
the cylinder. The manner in which I accomplish this end is as follows:-
"
(a) By causing the piston to compress a cylinder-full of the air, or air and steam,
of the previous stroke and of the pressure of the atmosphere, into a cushioning
space" at the end, or ends, of cylinder of more or less capacity according to the degree
of pressure proposed to be used.
(b) By admitting only for a brief interval at the commencement of each effective
stroke the ingress of pressure from the Generator (hereafter described) into the
aforesaid "cushioning space" to further compress and reinforce, as it were, and at
the same time to reheat to a limited extent, the volume of air, or air and steam,
already compressed by the piston into the said "cushioning space.'
"
(c) To obtain greater efficiency from a given size of engine, I cause the hot
products of combustion from the Generator (which is simply a strong metallic shell
containing a peculiar kind of burner composed of wire-gauze, over the surface of
which the liquid fuel is evenly diffused by the current of compressed air, which is the
supporter of the most perfect combustion by virtue of its passing in a condensed form
through the thousands of meshes in the said burner into the dense flame-atmosphere

page_text: 66
immediately above it) to raise super-heated steam by contact with fine watery spray ;
the injection of which, as to quantity, being automatically adjusted in such a manner
by means of a thermostat," that the initial temperature of the pressure of air and
steam on entering the aforesaid "cushioning space," shall be maintained practically
constant at any point determined by the 'set' of the "thermostat ;" which also does
duty as a safety expedient by controlling the rate of combustion to prevent the
temperature rising to an injurious degree when no spray is being used, or in case it
should chance to fail in supply.
The engine is governed simply by the rate of combustion of fuel, the Governor
acting somewhat on the "cataract" principle; and consists of a small force-pump
driven by the engine, a fixed volume of some fluid being delivered into a small
receiver at each stroke, which is again discharged through an orifice governed by a
cock, or valve, by which the engine-speed can be timed whilst running. The
accumulation, or non-accumulation, of fluid in the small receiver aforesaid, due to
variations in rate of engine-speed, regulates, by suitable means, the flow of liquid fuel
to the Generator.
The "cushioning space" above described communicates by means of a valve with
a chamber several times the capacity of the working-cylinder, in order to avoid the
resistance to turning the engine by hand when starting, which would otherwise result
from the compression of air in the working-cylinder. The engine can then be made
to work up its normal pressure in the "cushioning space" by gradually closing the
valve above mentioned.
The supply-pump requisite with my invention is much smaller than usual in
relative capacity.
Dated th: 10 dom of nh1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Obtaining Motive-power in an Efficient, Economical, and Convenient
Manner from the Combustion of Petroleum or other Liquid
Fuel under Pressure.
I, ALFRED SPENCER JONES, of No. 25 Vernon Street, in the Parish of St. Peter,
Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Model-maker (Engine) do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for OBTAINING MOTIVE-POWER FROM PETROLEUM, OR OTHER
LIQUID FUEL, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention is primarily a hot-air engine of the class which employs the products
of combustion under pressure in lieu of heating surface for effecting the expansion of
air against a piston in order to perform mechanical work. But it differs essentially
from any kind of engine at present in use in the novel and important particular of
provision being made for the application in a cylinder of hot-air either alone or in
conjunction with super-heated steam, and of considerable initial density, for the
purpose of driving a piston almost exclusively by its expansion in the cylinder in
doing mechanical work. That this invention may be a thoroughly practical one and
may fully realize its title as such, it is not only a high-speed type of engine in itself,
but is also, of necessity, on the following essential points, perfectly automatic in its
operation.
(a) The rate of combustion of the liquid fuel, and consequent generation of heat,
under pressure, is determined simply by the Governor of the engine.
(b) In the generation of steam by the use, or employment, of water in the form of
spray injected amongst the hot products of combustion under pressure, the quantity
of spray injected is determined by the use, or employment, of a "thermostat," so
adjusted, or set, that the initial temperature of the volume of pressure successively
admitted into the cylinder of the engine shall be maintained practically constant at a
suitable working temperature.
(c) To avoid all danger from over-heating when no spray is being used, or in case
it should chance to fail in supply, the 'thermostat' employed for regulating the
quantity of spray injected, also does duty as a safety expedient by controlling the
rate of combustion by diminishing, or even cutting off altogether, the supply of liquid
fuel to the Generator (hereafter described) until the temperature is reduced to its
normal working point. An independent thermostat' may, however, be used for
this purpose.
The manner of carrying my invention into practical effect is as follows:
The generation of heat from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure is effected
within a casing of some refractory and non-conducting material contained within a
strong metallic shell termed the Generator. The liquid fuel may either be delivered
to the said Generator by being passed into and through the condensing air-pump, or
pumps, which supply the current of compressed air requisite for supporting its

page_text: combustion under pressure, or by means of a separate pump or its equivalent. The
combustion of the liquid fuel is effected from a surface, or surfaces, of wire-gauze, or
other equivalently perforated or porous material, arranged preferably in a horizontal
position; the liquid fuel being conveyed to the reverse side of said wire-gauze, or its
equivalent, to that on which combustion takes place, and being diffused over its
surface, or surfaces, by the direction and velocity given to the current of compressed
air, aforesaid, by forcing it through a contracted pipe, or pipes or over a deflecting
surface, or surfaces, or the equivalent thereof, perfect combustion is secured by virtuo
of the intimate admixture which takes place between the vaporised fuel and compressed
air by passing through the innumerable meshes of the wire-gauze, or its equivalent,
aforesaid, into the zone of combustion.
In order to readily ignite the liquid fuel under the conditions above described, as
well as to prevent the possibility of combustion ceasing from any cause whilst the
engine is in work and thus bringing it to a stand, I provide each gauze surface, or
equivalent thereof (according to extent of surface), with one or more small ignition
wicks, composed of any durable capillary material, each wick fitting a small tube
fixed in the gauze surface, or equivalent thereof, and just protruding on its com-
bustion side. These said ignition wicks are fed with liquid fuel from an independent
and constant source, so that they will remain alight as long as sufficient air is present
in the Generator to support combustion.
The 'thermostat' employed for regulating, adjusting, or apportioning the quantity
of spray injected amongst the hot products of combustion under pressure to the
quantity of heat generated and contained thereby at any particular time, so as to
ensure a practically uniform temperature to the pressure of air and super-heated
steam delivered to the engine, may be of any convenient type or arrangement.―The
expansion of the delivery pipe to the engine, or of a rod of suitable metal running
through it in contact with the hot current of pressure, may be utilised for this purpose
through the intervention of a system of levers for producing sufficient motion, on a
slight variation of temperature, to effect the necessary regulation, adjustment, or
apportionment of spray to the quantity of heat evolved at any particular time in the
Generator before described.
The
"
" thermostat may be set, or adjusted, experimentally, by observing, at a
suitable place on the cylinder or delivery pipe, the fusion of a metal, or alloy,
provided to melt at the maximum temperature proposed to be used in the cylinder of
the engine and, as a safety expedient to prevent over-heating from any cause, the
"thermostat," at the above-mentioned maximum temperature (whatever it may be,
say 500° F.), commences to control the supply, and consequent rate of combustion, of
the liquid fuel, as before mentioned.
Referring to the drawings the small scale Fig. 3 to the left hand of plan (Fig. 2)
shows an elevation of the system of levers for controlling the rate of combustion of
liquid fuel whenever there is danger of overheating from any cause. Now, in the
drawings, the expansion of the delivery pipe c c by heat is designed to act as a
thermostat; first, for determining, in the manner before described, the proper quantity
of spray to be injected by the pipe p p in order to generate super-heated steam of a
suitable initial temperature in admixture with the products of combustion, and,
secondly, for the purpose, as above stated, of preventing over-heating, by controlling,
through the intervention of the system of levers 11, 22, 33 and 44, the flow of liquid
fuel to the Generator W and combustion surface by way of the thermostat cock U
with which the lever 33 is connected. The thermostat cock U is normally held open
by the weight 9, a stop being provided (as at 5) to keep it in that position when the
temperature in C C is not sufficiently excessive to cause CC to expand against N
which gives motion to the levers 11, 22 and connecting-rod 44 for producing a
multiplied effect upon the lever 33 which turns the plug of the thermostat cock U.
Thus forming an automatic safety expedient.
The use or employment, expansively, in a cylinder, of considerable initial pressures
generated as above described is a vitally important principle in the economy of
my invention in fuel, and is effected in the following novel and peculiar manner --

page_text: Assuming that a piston in my invention to have completed an effective, or work-
performing, stroke by all but a very small fractional part thereof, the eduction passage,
or passages, will then commence to open to the atmosphere, and the excess of pressure
remaining after having expanded against the piston will escape. Now the eduction
passage, or passages, instead of remaining open to the atmosphere until the return
stroke of the piston is nearly completed-as in the steam-engine-is closed again as
soon as possible after the piston commences its return stroke, thereby confining a large
volume, relatively, of the fully expanded but still hot air, or equivalent elastic-fluid,
which is immediately compressed by the piston into a cushioning-space provided in the
cylinder of more or less capacity according to the degree of compression employed
therein.
The power requisite for effecting the compression of a volume of elastic-fluid into
the cushioning-space of the cylinder is, plus the inevitable friction of the engine
caused thereby, borrowed from the fly-wheel of the engine, or an equivalent thereto,
and is paid back again, so to speak, during the next effective, or work-performing,
stroke of the piston, but, minus the power inevitably lost by friction in doing so.
But the gain in economy of heat is, by this important principle of my invention, so
vastly in excess of the loss caused by friction, that the latter, in value, is unimportant
compared with the former. As the eduction of pressure in my invention takes place
for only a brief interval at, and near, the termination of each effective, or work.
performing, stroke of the piston, so, in like manner, the admission of pressure from the
Generator, before described, upon the volume of compressed elastic-fluid confined in
the cushioning-space, before mentioned, of the cylinder at the commencement of each
effective, or work-performing stroke of the piston, takes place in an equally brief
interval while the piston is at, and near, the commencement of each effective, or work-
performing stroke ;--thus causing the piston to be driven almost its entire stroke by
the expanding pressure alone.
By the above described method of generating considerable initial pressures in a
separate Generator, and also of using them expansively in a cylinder in the manner
above described, I claim to secure in practice the following direct and indirect
advantages:
(a) A smaller relative capacity of air-pump sufficing than is the case with other
hot-air engines.
(b) The generation and employment of higher initial pressures with safety and with
far greater efficiency, economy, and convenience than has hitherto been attained in
practice.
(c) The facility and convenience with which the engine can be governed simply
and directly by the rate of combustion of liquid fuel.
(d) The loss in economic efficiency through cylinder radiation being rendered nil
on account of the retention in the cylinder of the heat contained in the volume of hot
air, or equivalent elastic-fluid, employed, after compression in the cylinder, for the
purpose of receiving the direct energy of the initial pressure from the Generator
at the commencement of each effective, or work-performing stroke of the piston.
(e) The reduction to a minimum of all radiating surfaces by virtue of the concen
trated nature, and eminently high-speed character, of my invention.
(f) The greater simplicity of parts together with its suitability and adaptability for,
and to, all general purposes for which power is in demand and wherever liquid fuel
can be obtained.
The Governor for timing the engine-speed and determining the rate of combustion
of the liquid fuel by the regulation of its supply to the Generator, before described,
must of necessity be extremely sensitive in its operation.
The fundamental principle of its action consists in preventing the flow of liquid fuel
to the Generator, aforesaid, until the engine has nearly attained its normal speed, and
then holding the rate of its supply between the exceedingly narrow limits of a few
revolutions faster or slower than the normal speed. By this method of controlling
the supply of liquid fuel to the Generator, all danger and inconvenience from its being
flooded thereby is entirely prevented. The Governor is simply a small force-pump

page_text: driven by the engine and arranged to deliver at each stroke a small volume of some
fluid elastic or otherwise into a small receiver, from which it is again discharged
through a small cock, or valve, the closing of which more or less against the discharge,
causing, when the engine is running at a uniform velocity, a certain definite pressure
in the small receiver aforesaid; which said pressure I cause to act upon one end of
a small piston-valve (the other end being open to the atinosphere and reacted upon
by the elasticity of a spiral spring, or its equivalent) having an annular space inter-
mediate between its two ends, into which, through a small orifice, the liquid fuel flows
from a suitable vessel, or reservoir, containing a store of it. When the engine is
running at its normal velocity the aforesaid orifice is more or less contracted by
the piston-valve above described; but as the said piston-valve is reacted upon by the
spiral spring, or its equivalent, above-mentioned, whenever the pressure in the small
receiver, before alluded to, becomes less through the engine-speed diminishing, it
follows that the flow of liquid fuel will be greater, up to a certain point (when it will
begin to diminish, and finally cease if the engine-speed falls considerably), on account
of the small orifice, above-mentioned, into the annular space surrounding the piston-
valve, aforesaid, becoming less contracted, and vice versa if the engine-speed increases.
There is a second orifice for permitting the liquid fuel to pass away to the pump or its
equivalent, which delivers it to the Generator, which said orifice is preferably situated
in the same plane across the cylinder in which the aforesaid piston-valve plays as the
first-mentioned orifice for admitting the liquid fuel into the annular space of the said
piston-valve; so that the two orifices are closed simultaneously either by the elasticity
of the spiral spring, or equivalent, above mentioned, whenever the speed of the engine
falls considerably below its normal rate, or, whenever the normal rate of engine-speed
is exceeded.
The liquid fuel is thus under perfect automatic control, and no danger, or incon-
venience, can possibly result from an excess of liquid fuel in the Generator at any
time.
The before-described compression of an elastic-fluid in the engine-cylinder is more
or less an inconvenience when starting the engine by hand, and is overcome as
follows.
A receiver or air-vessel is provided of sufficient relative capacity to that of the
engine-cylinder, and caused to communicate therewith by means of a cock, or valve,
or equivalent, as will sufficiently reduce the resistance due to the said compression of
an elastic-fluid in the engine-cylinder aforesaid.
Now in starting the engine the hot-air will be of low pressure, but sufficient for the
purpose as the other resistances are small, and when its normal speed is attained, the
cock, or valve, above mentioned, is gradually closed, a part of the power of the engine
is suppressed for a short period, and the pressure in the Generator rises until it
exceeds, more or less (according to the power required) the above-mentioned com-
pression in the engine-cylinder. In order to be able to start the engine with a full
load on it, a reservoir of compressed air of the requisite pressure must be provided.
The drawings represent the simplest form of this invention, of which Fig. 1 is a
sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan the same letters refer to both drawings.
AA is the air supply pump for furnishing air under pressure to Generator W W
containing the combustion chamber B and combustion surface hh with igniting
wick g, which is fed with liquid fuel from the well beneath it; a is the air admission
valve to the above named pump from the atmosphere and a¹ the delivery valve to same
opening towards the air-chamber E E; the arrows show the direction of the current
of compressed air, which is also the medium for conveying the liquid fuel to the
surface hh, over which it is diffused by the current of compressed air, before
mentioned, and being vaporised by the heat and in thorough admixture with the
compressed air, perfect combustion takes place in B.
The several valves necessary in the apparatus are all cushioned by means of spiral
springs, as will be seen by reference to the drawing Fig. 1,—this prevents noise
and shock in working.
HH is the Governor pump for delivering at each stroke of the engine a small, but

page_text: constant, volume of air to the receiver k; and the cock K permits the air to escapo
again; but as it may be closed more or less at pleasure, it is clear that there must
result, when the engine speed varies, a variable pressure upon the piston-valve J J
which is opposed to such pressure by the elastic force of its spring o o, and the ono
force reacting upon that of the other, and vice versa, causes the flow of liquid fuel
through the annular space of the piston-valve J J and small pipe jj to be at all times
exactly proportionate to the demands of the engine. The speed of the engine is thus
determined and measured, or timed, by the degree of contraction, by the cock K, of
the aperture for the escape of air from the receiver k.
bb is a small trough for properly conveying the liquid fuel into the air supply
pump A A, which it also lubricates.
CC is the delivery pipe to the engine cylinder D D by way of the slide-valve L
which is actuated by the tappet M and cushion m.
dd is the cushioning space to the cylinder D D, and y y a series of holes opening
into the air-casing into which, through the holes y y, the excess of pressure above
the atmosphere after expanding against the piston, escapes, and away by the exit
pipe S.
II is the spray pump, which has no suction valve proper, but being a metallic fit a
suction aperture is uncovered at about two thirds of its stroke, and air and water
admitted in regulated quantities according to the degree of expansion of the delivery
pipe CC; which forms a thermostatic regulator, in conjunction with the levers 1, 22,
and 33, for preventing overheating also, by controlling the rate of supply of liquid fuel
from the vessel R R by the cock Ù.
NN acts both as a lever to give motion to the other levers 1, 22, and 33 for receiving
the multiplied effect due to the expansion of the delivery pipe CC when, through
partial overheating, it touches NN; and also as an air-admission valve to suction
aperture of pump II when the delivery pipe C C does not touch N N. Now it is
clear that the pump I I will not take in water if it can get air freely, consequently it
follows that when the temperature in C C is below its normal point there will be, on
account of CC being less in length than when its temperature internally is at its
maximum, a free admission of air by to I I, and the action of the pump will be
suspended so far as water is concerned; but as CC begins to grow longer by the
Generator sending forth more heat in obedience to the Governor, will become more
or less throttled at N and the pump I I will commence to take in a little water along
with its air and to deliver it into the valve-box 7 from which it is discharged, with a
small amount of air which facilitates its conversion into spray, along the pipe pp,
terminating in a small jet, into the bend of CC amongst the hot products of combus-
tion from B, and being injected with some velocity is broken into spray and rapidly
converted into super-heated steam in and by admixture with the products of
combustion.
P P is a receiver formed by the base of the apparatus for the purpose of being put
into communication, by means of the cock O, with the cushioning-space dd of the
cylinder D D in order to overcome the inconvenience due to the volume of elastic
fluid confiued in the cylinder D D, when turning the engine by hand in starting.
The cock O is slowly closed against P P after the engine has attained its normal
velocity.
F is the lighting-slide, which is raised by means of the lifting-piece G for the purpose
of igniting
the wick g when about to start the engine; and f is a dise of thick glass set
in F for viewing the state of combustion in B.
e is a small air-vessel placed in the well for the purpose of causing ii (which
always remains full) to overflow with sufficient liquid fuel to start the engine again
after having let off the pressure.
vvare brackets for supporting R R at a suitable height to enable the liquid fuel to
flow freely into and through J J.
U is the thermostat cock; and V the hand cock for shutting off the supply of liquid
fuel from R R and to J J.
T is a funnel piece for filling R R.

page_text: The engine is started by lighting the wick g, as described, and turning the fly-
wheel Y Y a few revolutions by hand, the cock O being open, or a communication
established between D D and P P, for the reason explained. Heat will rapidly bo
generated from the combustion of the liquid fuel from the surface h h, resulting in a
considerable expansion of the air forced into the Generator; and, in the direction of
the arrows, the pressure thus produced passes successively through the slide-valve L,
by means of the tappet motion described, into the cylinder D D at the commencement
of each outward stroke of its piston, which is completed expansively in the manner
described; and so on for every stroke performed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what l
claim is :
1. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus, for obtaining motive-power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of a volume of elastic fluid in a
cylinder, or cylinders, for the purpose of receiving, after having undergone compression
by the piston, or pistons, therein, the energy of a superior pressure for a brief interval
at, and near, the commencement of each effective, or work-performing, stroke of the
said piston, or pistons, in order to work expansively in the manner substantially as
described.
2. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus, for obtaining motive power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of a surface, or surfaces, of wire-
gauze, or other equivalently perforated, or porous material, together with the use, or
employment, of an ignition wick, or wicks, attached thereto, for the purpose of effect-
ing the combustion of liquid fuel diffused over such surface, or surfaces, in the manner
substantially as described.
3. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus, for obtaining motive-power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of water in the form of spray,
injected amongst the hot products of combustion under pressure, together with the
use, or employment, of a "thermostat" for effecting the automatic regulation, adjust-
ment, or apportionment thereof to the quantity of heat evolved during the combustion
under pressure, at any particular time, of more or less liquid fuel, for the purpose of
generating elastic-fluid pressures of any uniform initial temperature, substantially as
described.
4. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus for obtaining motive-power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of a "thermostat," for the purpose
of automatically controlling the rate of combustion of liquid fuel whenever a safe
maximum initial temperature is reached, substantially as described.
5. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus, for obtaining motive-power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of a Governor depending upon the
principle of the constant rate of discharge of a fluid in equal times, under equal
pressures, through apertures, or orifices, of equal areas and configurations, for the
purpose of conveniently timing and governing the speed of engine simply and directly
by the rate of combustion of liquid fuel, substantially as described.
6. The use, or employment, in engines, or apparatus, for obtaining motive-power
from the combustion of liquid fuel under pressure, of an enlarged cushioning-space,
or what is equivalent thereto, to a cylinder, or cylinders, communicating therewith
only by the opening of a cock, or valve, or equivalent thereof, for the purpose of
conveniently overcoming the resistance, in turning the engine by hand when starting,
resulting from the compression of an elastic-fluid in the cylinder, or cylinders, aforesaid,
substantially as described.