Improvements in Motive Power Engines particularly adapted as Motors for Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motive Power Engines particularly adapted as
Motors for Road Vehicles.
I, GEORGE ELI WHITNEY, of 88, Falcon Street, East Boston, County of Suffolk,
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention has for its object the production of a novel engine of great power,
economy, strength and simplicity, compact and of light weight, and particularly
adapted for use as a motor for vehicles.
I have herein, shown my invention as provided with means whereby the speed
may be varied, the engine reversed, the supply of water regulated automatically,
the sound of the exhaust deadened, and the exhaust steam dried so as to become
invisible before it is discharged into the atmosphere.
It is essential in the production of a practical horseless vehicle propelled by steam,
which for many reasons, I consider the most economical, and easily controllable
motive power, that the motive mechanism should possess the greatest possible
economy of fuel and water, which has to be carried in the vehicle, and the greatest
possible lightness and compactness consistent with strength and durability.
In this connection I deem of great importance the arrangement of one or more
cylinders and valve chests within a jacket connected with the boiler shell at one
side, for thereby it becomes possible, by connecting the jacket with the interior
of the boiler, to cause the hot water and steam when at boiler temperature to
surround the cylinder and valve chest, thus acting to prevent condensation and to
dry the steam in the cylinder, so that the exhaust steam contains less moisture
and thereby decreases the waste of water, as well as aids in rendering the exhaust
steam invisible, when further treated as hereinafter described.
The use of an upright boiler is considered by me essential in steam propelled road
vehicles, as thereby considerable variation of water level, caused by passing over
inequalities in the road, is of no consequence, and the arrangement of the engine
on the side of the boiler affords at once lightness, strength, durability, and
compactness.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and partly in section, of an engine embodying my
invention;
Fig. 2 is a partial top or plan view thereof, broken out and with the bonnet
removed;
Fig. 3, in side elevation and partial vertical section, represents the engine shown
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the reversing mechanism;
Fig. 5, in elevation and partially in section, represents the boiler, with the feed
water controlling device;
Fig. 6, in side elevation, represents a throttle actuating device whereby a very
slight movement of the throttle is effected,
071

page_text: rig. shows the throttle in vertical section enlarged;
Fig. 8 is a section of the valve enlarged and detached;
Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the muffler for the exhaust steam, shown
in elevation in Fig. 1;
Fig. 10 is a modified form of construction of the expansion member of the boiler,
to be referred to.
I have herein shown the boiler of my engine as of the upright tubular type, and
comprising a preferably cylindrical steel shell A. and water leg B surrounding the
fire box or chamber B', the water leg forming the sides of the fire chamber.
The water leg is composed of concentric steel shells b, b, rivetted together at their
lower ends as at 5 and strengthened and stiffened in usual manner by stay bolts 6,
a lower tube head 62 being rivetted at 7 to the upper end of the inner shell b',
and forming the top of the fire chamber.
A series of very thin, long copper fire tubes * are secured at their lower ends in
the head 62, and at their upper ends in the upper or top head 63, see Fig. 3, the
latter being rivetted, as at 8, to the boiler shell A, a bonnet D surmounting and
closing the top of the boiler, and connected with the downturned flue D10, for the
escape of the products of combustion.
It is well known that the copper has a much greater rate of expansion than steel,
and great trouble has been experienced, in using copper tubes of any length, in
firmly and rigidly securing thein to the heads.
In fact, it is impossible to maintain copper tubes tight in boilers as now con-
structed, and consequently steel tubing is used, which is not only much more
expensive than copper, but owing to the liability of steel to corrode if made very
thin, the steel tubes must be made much thicker than is necessary with copper.
The increased thickness of steel tubes decreases the heating effect of each tube,
and the boiler makes steam much more slowly.
The thinner copper tubes possess not only the non-corrosive and quicker heating
qualities, but the further manifest advantage that a greater number of such tubes
of a stated interior diameter can be inserted in a given boiler, thereby greatly
increasing the heating surface.
have devised novel means whereby the copper tubes may be used without
leakage, and owing to the thinness of the copper, a boiler made in accordance with
my invention will steam very quickly and economically.
Between the lower end of the shell A and the upper end of the outer shell b of
the water leg, I have herein shown a thin resilient ring 610 preferably of steel,
rivetted to the two parts at 9, 10, respectively, said resilient expansion ring being
shaped in cross section substantially as shown, or two parallel flanges connected by
a reverse-curved web, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.
The walls b, 61, of the water leg B are not connected at their upper ends, and as
the lower tube head 6 forms a rigid part of the water leg, while the upper head b³
forms a rigid part of the boiler shell A, the latter being supported by the expansion
ring 60, the latter permits the longitudinal expansion of the tubes 6, and takes
up the contraction, completely preventing disruption, or any leakage at the points
where the tubes are secured to the heads.
It is obvious that the longitudinal expansion of the tubes may be provided for by
making an integral portion of the boiler shell serve as the expansion member, as
for instance by making an annular bend in the shell between the portions to which
the tube heads are secured, one form of such modification being shown in Fig. 10.
A main crank shaft C is supported in suitable bearings C* secured by
brackets 120 to the water leg, the preferably quartering cranks C₁ and 3 being
connected with the piston rods P1, P2, by connecting rods c³, c³, cross heads ³, A,
rigidly secured to the piston rods sliding on vertical guides 5, c6, secured by
brackets 12 and 13 to the shell A and water leg respectively.
Inasmuch as the expansion member of the boiler is located between the crank
shaft bearings C*, to which the lower ends of the brace rods a are attached, and the
rigid points of attachment of their upper ends, the variation in the distance between

page_text: these points of attachment, due to action of the expansion member, is provided for
by the brackets 120, which while rigid laterally are sufficiently flexible in a vertical
direction.
The brackets 12 and 13 which support the guide rods and co in like manner
yield sufficiently to prevent any distortion of the said guide rods.
The two cylinders P, P are mounted in and supported by a jacket E preferably
comprising Hanged top and bottom members e, e, rivetted to the boiler shell, as
herein shown, and a vertical side wall ², rivetted at top and bottom to said members
and at its ends to the shell A, making a rigid and strong, yet light, support.
Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the flanged ends of the cylinders are
screwed to the members e and e¹, which have openings therein to receive the flanged
cylinder heads p, p', bolted in place.
The vertical brace rods a, a¹, passing through the jacket bottom e¹, and secured
to the cylinders and to the crank shaft bearings C* hold the crank shaft in
position.
Referring to Fig. 3, openings 3 are shown in the shell A, which communicate
with the interior of the jacket E, so that the hot water and steam from the boiler
will surround the cylinders and their valve chests, of ordinary construction, thus
preventing cooling by radiation and condensation and maintaining the cylinders at
high temperature, and greatly increasing the economy of the apparatus, by drying
the steam in the cylinders.
The brace rods a are arranged in pairs, and each pair has rigidly secured thereto
outwardly extended stands F which provide bearings for the valve actuating
shaft f*, shown separately in Fig. 4.
This shaft has cranks f¹, f, for the connecting rods f³, f, jointed in turn to the
valve stems v1, v2, working in the valve chests V.
The shaft f✶ is elongated at one end, as at f³, Fig. 4, to receive a sleeve fo,
longitudinally movable thereon and connected to and to rotate with the shaft by a
key f, said sleeve having, as herein shown, a cam groove 8 in its outer surface.
A sprocket wheel has an elongated hub f10 which receives the sleeve f6, a lug
or projection f¹ on the hub entering the cam groove f8, said sprocket being connected
by a suitable sprocket chain f13 with a sprocket wheel c* on the crank shaft C.
Rotation is thus transmitted from the latter to the valve actuating shaft f*,
which operates the valves, and by moving the sleeve f6 by any suitable means in
or out on the valve shaft, the latter through the projection f12 and cam groove f
acts to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft and thereby change the valves
to reverse the engine.
In motor vehicles particularly, passing as they must over various kinds and
varieties of road-beds, it is evident that the boiler will be subjected to more or less
vibration or jarring, which has a tendency to cause foaming, and should priming
take place, the water passing over into the cylinder will usually terminate in an
accident to the mechanism.
Instead, therefore, of taking the boiler steam from a single point, I connect the
steam pipe d, Figs. 2 and 3, with a plurality of tubular branches do which enter
the steam space at different points, and I thus almost entirely prevent the outflow
of the steam from taking water over into the engine cylinder, even should foaming
take place under ordinary circumstances.
To still further guard against the entrance of water to the steam pipe, I place
a suitable baffle plate (20 below the inner end of each of the various branches d¹º,
and by the distribution of the steam outlets over different portions of the steam space
of the boiler, assisted by the baffle plates, I am enabled to operate the engine and
boiler with entire safety and without fear of priming even should considerable
foaming occur.
The steam pipe d is provided with a throttle valve having a stem t, said pipe
leading from the top of the steam space of the boiler to the valve chests, as
described, and making an independent steam connection between the boiler and
valve chests.

page_text: The jacket E is provided with a man-hole E' and cover plate 12, by which access
may be had to the interior of the jacket when necessary.
By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that when the cover plate E² is
removed, direct access may then be had to the valve chests to examine the same
or to adjust the valves even while steam is up and full pressure on in the boiler,
for the steam in the jacket is not admitted to the space between the valve chests
thus left open by the removal of the cover.
So, too, if for any reason is necessary to have access to the cylinder while the
steam is up, the cylinder heads may be removed as there is no direct communication
between the jacket and the cylinders, the steam admitted to the valve chests and
cylinders being controlled by the throttle.
The power is transmitted from the crank shaft C in any suitable manner, and as
herein shown by a sprocket wheel C³, if it is desired to apply the engine to a
vehicle to drive the same.
An upright 70, see Fig. 6, is erected on the upper end of the cylinder jacket on
which is fulcrumed at 71 a lever 72, jointed at one end to the throttle valve stem t,
the other end of said lever being jointed at 73 to one arm 74 of a toggle, the other
arm 75 being fulcrumed at 76 to a fixed upright 77.
By straightening or breaking the toggle, the lever 72 will be rocked to move the
throttle, and when the toggle is nearly straight, very slight movement will be
imparted to the throttle valve so that it may be regulated with great nicety, while
its movement is greater when the toggle is bent more.
A link 78 connects the joint of the toggle with an arm 79 on a rock shaft 80
having a bearing in the upright 70, and said rock-shaft has attached to it an
arm 13, operated by a link 112, whereby the rock-shaft is turned by a suitable
connection with a controlling device, not herein shown.
Figs. 7 and 8 show details of the throttle. It consists essentially of an outer
case marked d in which is mounted a valve seat 17.
The valve stem t within this case has on its end a valve composed of a flat faced
disc 18, having on its side or edge guiding projections to bear against the interior
of the case.
The valve is closed tight by the contact of the flat seat and face, and opened by
separating them.
In order to be able to separate the flat seat and face without a powerful rush of
steam entering through the throttle into the cylinder and thus making the vehicle
start with a jump, when the engine is applied to a vehicle to provide the motive
power therefor, I place on the centre of the face of the valve a conical projection (19,
which when the valve is closed, stands in and substantially fills the upper part of
the opening in the valve seat.
By the addition to the valve of the said projection, it is possible when opening the
valve, by separating the flat face and seat, to leave a much smaller passage for the
steam than would otherwise be left, thus to ensure the very gradual and slow
passing of the steam through the seat to the cylinder, or, in other words, the said
cone so fills the seat that the steam can issue but slowly until after the flat part of
the valve has been moved for a considerable distance from the said seat.
By the mechanism shown in said Fig. 6, the throttle is under complete control,
but to attain greater refinement of movement of the said throttle, which is necessary
in order to start a motor vehicle slowly, or to move very slowly as may be necessary
with such a vehicle in crowded streets, I also make use of the mechanism shown in
Figs. 7 and 8.
In Fig. 1 the exhaust pipe E10 leads from the valve chests to the flue D10 on the
exterior of the boiler shell.
Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown a pipe 40 opening into the top of the boiler,
said pipe at its other end opening into one end of a chest or chamber 41, arranged
horizontally and at the normal water level.
The other end of the chest is connected by a return pipe 42 with the lower
portion of the water leg B, so that the water may freely find the same level in the

page_text: 5
pipe 40 that is maintained in the boiler, and while freely finding such level the
water in these pipes and in the chamber 41 does not circulate otherwise than very
slowly, it remains practically dead, and therefore at a much lower temperature
than the water and steam in the boiler.
The chest is provided with a gland or stuffing box 43 through which passes an
expansion rod 44, secured at its inner end, and at its free end attached to a valve 45
in the feed-water supply pipe 46, which connects the water tank with the boiler at
a suitable point.
A supply pump constantly in operation is attached to the feed water pipe 46 at
a suitable point between the valve 45 and the boiler.
Now when the water is at the proper level, and therefore standing in the chest 41,
the expansion rod will maintain the valve 45 closed, but when the water level falls,
steam passes from the boiler into the chest, and by its greater temperature causes
rod 44 to expand and open the valve, admitting an additional supply of feed-water
to the supply pump and boiler, the valve being automatically shut when the water
is raised high enough to fill the chamber 41.
The expansion rod may be made of aluminium which I find will give highly
satisfactory results, or it may be made of other metal having the requisite degree of
expansion.
By means of valves at 40* and 42*, the automatic controller for the feed-water
may be shut off from the boiler.
It is obvious that the feed water regulator herein described, may be applied to
any type of steam boiler, wherein it is desired to automatically maintain a
substantially constant water level.
I prefer to heat the boiler by naptha, kerosene, or other suitable liquid fuel,
supplied to the combustion chamber or furnace within the water leg B, and
provided with suitable burners, not shown, and I have herein shown a feed
regulator for the fuel, see Fig. 5, the same not being herein described in detail as
it forms no part of this invention.
I prefer to mount the engine and boiler on a road vehicle in such a manner that
the same will be partly within and partly below the body thereof.
For the purposes of obtaining greater comfort to the occupants, compactness,
improving the looks of the vehicle to which my present invention may be applied,
and making it less unlike ordinary vehicles, I construct the flue D10 as in Fig. 1,
with its discharge opening at the lower end of the boiler, so that the slight gaseous
products of combustion may pass off beneath the vehicle out of the sight and smell
of the occupants.
In order to induce a downward draft, I insert a downwardly pointed steam jet D14
connected with the boiler, in the flue D10 at about the point shown in Fig. 1.
Now, in using a steam motor for such vehicles, it must be born in mind that a
cloud of escaping steam from the exhaust, especially if accompanied with the
puffing noise usual in the exhaust of high pressure engines, would be very
objectionable, mainly on the ground that it would be unsightly and would frighten
passing horses.
By the prevention of priming in the manner described and by exhausting the
steam in a substantially dry state from the cylinder, due to the jacket described,
there is very little moisture to be condensed, and the exhaust is further dried by its
entry into the flue D10, preferably at a point as near the top as possible, where it is
acted upon by the hot gaseous products of combustion, so that there is practically
under ordinary circumstances no visible exhaust issuing from the flue.
The puffing noise, however, must be obviated by other means, and for this
purpose I have devised a muffler and pressure equalizer, interposed in the exhaust
pipe E10 between the valve chest and the flue D10, the muffler serving to completely
deaden any sound from the exhaust.
The muffler is shown in section in Fig. 9, as a metal cylinder M into the ends of
which the exhaust pipe E10 is tapped, and the cylinder is filled with fibrous
material M*, preferably curled hair.

page_text: An envelope M¹ of wire gauze preferably surrounds the fibrous material, maintain-
ing it in place in the cylinder and preventing its passage into the exhaust
pipe E¹º.
In actual practice the exhaust steam passes in successive puffs from the cylinder
to the muffler, and the fibrous material M* seems to so break up or disintegrate the
same that it issues therefrom into the flue 1 1 in a steady, continuous stream
without the least noise.
The passage of the steam from the exhaust into the flue is thus continuous, and
thereby the hot gases of combustion coming down the flue have time to dry and
evaporate the exhaust steam or particles of water condensed therefrom, rendering it
invisible.
This the hot gases would not have so good an opportunity of doing if the steam or
particles of water condensed therefrom were forced into the flue in successive
intermittent puffs.
My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement of the
various parts herein before set forth, as obviously, changes in the construction and
re-arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of my invention.
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: :-
In a motive power engine particularly adapted as a motor for a road vehicle.
1. A steam boiler comprising a fire chamber, water leg, and shell, the water leg
having inner and outer walls joined at their lower ends and forming the sides of the
fire chamber, the outer wall being a continuation of said shell, a lower tube head
attached to the inner wall of the water leg and forming the top of the fire chamber,
an upper tube head attached to the upper portion of said shell, fire tubes con-
stituting a rigid connection between said heads within the boiler shell, and
communicating with the fire chamber, the tubes being composed of a material
having a different rate of expansion from that of the material of the shell, and an
expansion member interposed between the parts of the boiler which support the tube
heads, whereby the difference of expansion between the parts joining the peripheries
of the said heads and the tubes joining the interior portions of the heads is permitted
without injury.
2. In an apparatus of the class described, an upright boiler, an engine mounted on
the shell thereof, a jacket surrounding the engine cylinder and secured to the
boiler shell, said jacket communicating with the interior of the boiler, and an
independent steam supply connection between the cylinder and the boiler.
3. A steam boiler shell, an external chamber or jacket secured thereto, the boiler
shell forming the rear wall of the jacket and having openings thereinto, respectively
above and below the normal water level, and a cylinder within the jacket and
detachably secured to the ends thereof, and an independent steam supply connection
between the cylinder and the boiler.
4. A boiler shell, an exterior jacket, a cylinder and valve chest supported by and
enclsed in said jacket, a steam supply connection between said chest and boiler,
and an independent connection between the interiors of the shell and jacket,
whereby the hot water and steam may circulate around the cylinder and valve
chest.
5. In an apparatus of the class described, a boiler, an engine mounted thereon
wholly exterior thereto, a jacket secured to the boiler shell and communicating
with the interior thereof, the engine cylinder being attached to the jacket ends, and
cylinder heads externally removable and adapted to be secured to the cylinder ends.
6. The boiler shell having attached jacket ends e and e¹, and the cylinder having
its flanged heads and ends bolted to said jacket ends, a side wall
interposed between the jacket ends and connected therewith and with
the boiler shell, steam tight, thus forming a jacket enclosing said

page_text: cylinder, the interior of the jacket communicating with the boiler above and
below the normal water level, whereby hot water and steam therefrom circulate
about and surround the cylinder, and an independent steam supply connection
between the cylinder and the boiler.
7. A tubular boiler comprising a shell and tube heads secured to the upper and
lower portions thereof, tubes rigidly attached to the heads, and having a different
rate of expansion from the shell, an expansion member for the shell, between the
tube heads, an engine mounted exteriorly on the shell, and connections between
said engine and shell laterally rigid and adapted to yield vertically to permit the
operation of the expansion member of the boiler.
8. Propelling mechanism for road vehicles, comprising an upright boiler, an
engine mounted externally on said boiler, its cylinder and main shaft, a jacket
surrounding and supporting the cylinder and secured to the boiler, bearings for the
main shaft, a support for said bearings laterally rigid and adapted to yield
vertically, and secured to the boiler shell, and upright brace rods rigidly connecting
said bearings and cylinder.
9. In an upright, tubular steam boiler, the throttle, and a plurality of tubular
branches in the upper part of the boiler leading to a single inlet to the throttle
from different points of the upper tube head and communicating with the steam
space, whereby passage of water to the throttle is prevented.
10. In an upright, tubular steam boiler, the throttle, a plurality of tubular
branches leading to a single inlet thereto from different points of the steam space,
the inner ends of said branches being held in the upper tube head, and baffle plates
located below the tube head and the inner ends of the branches, to thereby prevent
passage of water with the steam to the throttle.
11. In a steam engine, its throttle, a lever connected therewith and having a
fixed fulcrum, a toggle one arm of which is jointed to said lever, the other arm
having a fixed fulcrum, and means connected with the joint of the toggle, to
straighten or break the latter and thereby rock the the throttle actuating lever.
12. A steam boiler and engine having a steam drying apparatus consisting of a
cylinder and a valve chest enclosed in a steam jacket mounted upon and connecting
with the interior of the boiler, whereby the steam in the cylinder and valve chest
is kept hot and dry, a flue for the escape of the products of combustion, a steam.
exhaust pipe leading from the cylinder and opening into said flue, and a muffler
and pressure equalizer in said pipe between the cylinder and the flue, whereby the
exhaust of the steam into the flue is made continuous instead of intermittent,
and the steam, or particles of water condensed therefrom is dried and made
invisible.
13. An upright boiler, an external jacket or chamber secured thereto, a cylinder
within the jacket, a throttle to control the steam supply for the cylinder, means to
draw steam from a plurality of points in the boiler steam space for the throttle
supply, and to prevent passage of water thereto, and a connection between the jacket
and boiler.
14: An upright boiler, an external jacket or chamber secured thereto, a cylinder
within the jacket, a throttle to control the steam supply for the cylinder, means
to draw steam from a plurality of points in the boiler steam space for the throttle
supply and to prevent passage of water thereto, and connections between the jacket
and boiler, respectively above and below the water level, whereby hot water and
steam may surround the cylinder and valve chest.
15. An upright boiler, an engine mounted exteriorly thereon, an external
chamber or jacket enclosing and supporting the cylinder and valve chest of the
engine and located near the upper end of the boiler shell, a crank shaft supported on
the lower portion of said boiler, a throttle for the cylinder, means to draw steam
from a plurality of points in the boiler steam space for the throttle supply and to
prevent passage of water thereto, and a connection between the interior of the boiler
and the jacket.
16. A boiler shell, an exterior jacket, a cylinder and valve chest supported upon

page_text: and enclosed in said jacket, a connection between the interior of the shell and the
jacket a throttle to control the supply of steam to the valve chest and cylinder,
and means whereby access may be had to the valve chest through the side wall of
the jacket.
17. A boiler, an engine mounted thereon wholly exterior thereto, a jacket secured
to the boiler shell and communicating with the interior thereof, the engine cylinder
being attached to the jacket ends, cylinder heads externally removable and adapted
to be secured to the jacket ends and cylinder a valve chest within the jacket, a
removable cover for an opening in the jacket adjacent the valve chest, and a
throttle to control the entrance of steam to the valve chest and cylinder whereby
access may be had to either the valve chest or cylinder while the steam in the boiler
and in the jacket surrounding the cylinder and valve chest is under pressure.
18. A boiler shell having an external jacket or chamber, attached to the side
thereof and comprising jacket ends flanged at their front, side and rear edges, the
rear flanges being attached to the boiler shell, and an interposed wall between said
jacket ends and connected with the front and side flanges thereof, the ends of said
walls being flanges and attached thereat to the boiler shell, the whole forming a
steam-tight jacket a cylinder supported and enclosed within said jacket, and a
communication between the interiors of the boiler and jacket.
-Ա
best day of match 1.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.