A NEW APPLICATION OF MOLTEN METALS WITH STEAM OR GAS AS MOTIVE POWER FOR A STEAM ENGINE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otto Trossin of 113 Fenchurch Street in the City of
London for an Invention of "A NEW APPLICATION OF MOLTEN METALS
WITH STEAM OR GAS AS MOTIVE POWER FOR A STEAM ENGINE OF NEW
CONSTRUCTION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otto Trossin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1883.
OTTO TROSSIN of 113 Fenchurch Street in the City of London A NEW
APPLICATION OF MOLTEN METALS WITH STEAM OR GAS AS MOTIVE POWER FOR
A STEAM ENGINE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
The object of this invention is to employ Gas or Steam as a moving power by
way of molten metal.
The metal to be employed must be easily fusible, for instance, lead or tin, or
some fusible alloy of two, or several metals.
An ordinary boiler is placed on a superheater supplied with a fire-door and a fire-
grate. This superheater contains a great quantity of fusible metal which is brought
to melting through the influence of the strong heat produced in the fire-box. The
superheater is also provided with a clack-gear, which communicates both with
interior of the superheater itself and with a larger reservoir, composed of two
round plate-shaped parts screwed together. The reservoir contains an over-shot
wheel, the axle of which issues out of the reservoir after having passed through a
stuffing box.
At the extremity of the axle projecting out of the reservoir is adapted a toothed
wheel fitting into the teeth of another little wheel, on the axle of which is the
fly-wheel.
The steam produced in the steam-boiler escapes, when the stop-valve has been
opened, into the superheater, presses on the molten metal and drives it through
the clack-gear into the large reservoir; there the molten metal falls into the

page_text: buckets of the shotwheel; by opening a regulating apparatus adapted under the
shotwheel, the superheated steain flows into the inferior buckets of the wheel
which is supposed to turn. Each bucket filled with steam, is driven upwards by
the latter with a force equal to the weight of the volume of the molten metal
. displaced by the steam.
The total of the strains of all the buckets on one side which are filled with
Steam, represents the moving power, that, by means of the toothed wheels, is
transported on the fly-wheel. Above, the buckets of the wheel are filled with
molten metal, by which the steam flows out and escapes into the condensator or
into the open air.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Otto Trossin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th November
1883.
OTTO TROSSIN, of 2 King Street, Finsbury Square (formerly of 113 Fenchurch
Street) in the City of London A NEW APPLICATION OF MOLTEN METALS WITH
STEAM OR GAS AS MOTIVE POWER FOR A STEAM ENGINE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
The object of this invention is to use steam or gas as a motive power by means
of fluid metal.
The use of steam or gas as a motive power by means of fluid metal is effected
in specially constructed cellular (bucket-) wheel-engines. These are constructed
on two different fundamental principles; the first kind of bucket wheel-engines
acts by the buoyancy of steam or gas in a metallic fluid, the second kind acts by
the gravity of a metallic fluid by means of steam or gas.
As metallic fluid molten lead, tin or any other metal that melts easily can be
used; but it is much better to use one of the known alloys of lead and tin; of
course any other metal and their alloys can be employed.
In the annexed drawings Fig. I and II represent a machine which acts by the
buoyancy of superheated steam in a metallic fluid. Fig. I is a vertical section at
the dash-punctuated line drawn in Fig. II. Fig. II is a sideview, one half being
intersected at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. I.
-A is an ordinary boiler with a shutoff-valve-b-and flue-10-placed on
the superheater-D-. Inside the superheater is a fire-grate-d, in the circular
space of the superheater there is a certain quantity of easily meltable Metal which
is to melt through the effect of the heat of the fire. In the superheater there is
further a tube-f-which communicates by a cockcase-g-with a large vessel―
B-consisting of two circular pieces screwed together which are supported by feet
by which they are connected with the bottom plate. This vessel-B-has an
extension at the top, which is closed by a lid. The latter is open in the middle
ath. In the vessel-B-there is a cellular (bucket-) wheel-C-; the cells or
buckets on the left side of the wheel are directed downwards, see Fig II; the
shaft i, Fig. I, made tight by a packing box-k-leaves the vessel and turns on.
the bearings-and-m-, the dented wheel-n-is fixed on the shaft and this
wheel turns the smaller dented wheel-o-, which is fixed on the shaft--; this
shaft likewise turns on bearings-p-and q-. -E-is a driving wheel
firmly connected with the shaft, at the other end of the shaft-r-is a conical
dented wheel-s, that moves a second conical dented wheel-t-, the vertical
shaft of the latter rests at-u-and goes through plate--to turn a steam engine
governor of ordinary construction which is not drawn.
The regulating of the engine.-A great advantage of these machines is, that,
while a perfect effect of expansion of the steam is attained, all parts of the gear are.
done away. with, which formed the chief impediment to the use of superheated
steam as a motive power. Thus no gear, but simply a regulating of the working of
the engine is required. The movement of this kind of engines can be regulated in
different ways: 1.) by a flat-slider, 2.) by a piston-slider, 3.) by a valve apparatus,
4.) by a conical cock, and 5.) by a throttle-flap.
Straight through the vessel-B-there is carried steam tight a regulating
apparatus. In Fig. III. IV. and V. the apparatus is drawn on a larger scale.
Fig. III is a longitudinal section at the dash-punctuated line in Fig IV; Fig. IV
is a ground sketch of the apparatus as it appears when the vessel-B-is intersected
at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. III; Fig. V. is a cross-section at the dash.
punctuated line in Fig. IV.

page_text: The regulating apparatus-g-consists of a cock-case Fig. III, the flange of
which-w-is screwed tightly to the outside of the vessel-B-;-x-x-are the
intersected sides of the vessel-B-; the tube-f-is screwed into the other end
of that case, in it is the slightly conical cock-y-worked in so as to be steam
tight. The plug of the cock made tight by a packing-box-z-is carried to the
outside and touches there the point of a screw-1-by the aid of which the cock
can be pressed more or less against the side of the case so as to effect a good
keeping in of the steam; at the end the cock-plug-2-is firmly connected with a
lever which is attached to the governor by a rod-Should the machine go too fast,
the cock-y is more or less closed by the governor. The consequence of that is
that less steam flows into the buckets of the wheel--C-by which the power of the
engine is diminished. For instance if the cock be only half opened only half as
much steam leaves it as when the cock opening is quite free. If the engine goes
slower again, the contrary of course happens and the cock opening gets more or less
free by which more steam can go out etc.
To start the machine a fire is made up in the usual way on the grate-d-, after
having opened the smoke flap-c-entirely and smoke-flap-9-half. During
the process of burning the fire gases escape chiefly through the flue-10-; at the
same time a part of them is carried through the opening-11-of the boiler-A-,
goes along the machine and escapes through flue-12-into the chimney. By this
the machine is slowly and well warmed. As soon as this is done, flap-g-is closed.
When the steam pressure in Boiler-A-has attained the desired height, the metal
in the superheater-D-will be molten and on opening the shut-off valve-b-
steam flows through tube-13-into the superheater-D-and presses there on the
molten metal which thereby is pushed through the tube--and cock-y-into
the great vessel-B-. The buckets of the wheel-C-Fig. II are now mostly
filled with molten metal. As soon as all the metal has been carried into the vessel
B-, superheated steam will at once run into the machine and fill the buckets of
the wheel C-which is already in motion (for through the entering of the molten
metal into the vessel-B-the air in the buckets on the left side of the wheel is
shut off whilst the buckets on the right side were filled with metal; thus the
engine must get into motion by the buoyancy of the air that is shut up in the
cells). Each of the steamfilled buckets is pressed upwards by the steam and that
with the force equal to the weight of the volume of fluid which is removed by the
steam. The rotatory motion of the wheel-C-is transferred to the shaft--by
means of the two dented wheels-n-and-o-in order that the driving wheel-E-
obtains the sufficient number of revolutions. Of course the two dented wheels-
n-and-o-and the shaft-r-can be dispensed with and the driving wheel can
be fixed directly to the shaft-i-, if the revolutions of the driving wheel are not
to be more than 30 per minute.
The effect of the steam and of the metal on the wheel is according to the afore-
said the following: at the beginning before steam enters into the machine and the
buckets on both sides of the wheel are not filled with air but with fluid metal, the
self acting revolving of the wheel is impossible, as the wheel is only immerged in
fluid metal and the buoyancy of the wheel in the metallic fluid is on both sides the
same and acting in the same direction. Consequently the wheel remains at rest,
but this changes as soon as steam flows into the buckets of the wheel; the steam
which pushes the fluid metal aside fills the buckets on the left side of the wheel,
whilst those on the right side of the wheel remain filled with metal. Each bucket
on the left side of the wheel is pushed upwards by the buoyancy of the steam in
it; when for instance the volume of steam in one bucket is 1 cub. foot, the
buoyancy of this volume of steam amounts to about 650 lbs. Now as the buoyancy
of the steam takes place in all the buckets on the left side of the wheel, the wheel
must get into motion, as the resistance to which the wheel is exposed is smaller
than the combined force of the steam in all the steamfilled buckets. When the
engine is started, the proportion of the entering of steam changes; for the regulating
cock
is so arranged, that every bucket which passes it is only partly filled'

page_text: with steam and while each bucket goes up, the steam expands and transfers
thereby all power of expansion to the wheel. As soon as each steamfilled bucket
comes to the top, its opening is directed upwards, in consequence of which metal
at once flows into it and pushes out the steam which then fills the space of the
vessel B-above the wheel; each bucket as it ascends to the top increases the
amount of steam above the wheel; through this a slight pressure is caused by
which the steam is pressed through the finely perforated funnel-14-(which is to
prevent the carrying away of small particals of metal with the steam), and through
tube-h-into a condensator, preheater, or into the air, according to the construction
of the machine. An overflowing of the metal is impossible; for even if the level of
the fluid which is not high above the wheel should be raised a little by the steam
that enters below it is kept at the same height by continuous entering of the metal
into the buckets of the wheel on top.
•
:
:
Fig. VI, section at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. VII, and Fig. VII, section at
the dash-punctuated line in Fig VI represent the regulating of the influx of steam
by means of a flat-slider.-A-is a tube communicating with the superheater which
bas an opening with the mouth downwards; on the lower plane of this tube-A-
the hollow slider-c-is moved to and fro by the governor; the slider being hollow
is tightly pressed on its place by the metallic fluid surrounding it; an; iron
frame-d-encompasses the slider, a rod-e-screwed into the frame is carried
outward through a packing box-f-and is here connected by a lever-g-with the
governor in such a way that the slider is moved to and fro by the latter. If the
engine does not move quick enough, the governor moves the slider to the left, see
Fig VI; through this the opening of the channel gets larger and more steam can
escape through the channel-h-into the buckets of the wheel; if the machine
moves too quickly, the contrary happens etc..
Fig. VIII and IX represent an engine which likewise acts by the buoyancy of
superheated steam in a metallic fluid. Fig. VIII is a vertical section at the dash-
punctuated line in Fig IX; Fig IX is a sideview, one half being intersected at the
dash-punctuated line in Fig. VIII. The letters and numbers in these figures
denote similarly constructed parts as those described in Fig. I and II, so far as
letters and numbers correspond with those in Fig I. and II.-It happens very often,
that the boiler cannot stand near the engine. For this case the double wheel-
engine is constructed of which the following is the description: in the super-
heater-D-, Fig VIII there is a valve apparatus-15-; the valve is cast hollow
so that it swims easily and safely on the fluid metal. The valve is in a cylinder
which is slightly opened at the top and which serves to steady. the valve. Below
round the valve this cylinder has oblong openings-16-through which the metal
enters and flows into the channel-17-. The latter communicates with a
vessel B almost equally constructed as the one drawn and described in Fig I.
The regulating cock in combination with a valve shutting off the metal is
drawn on a larger scale in Fig. X and XI; Fig. X is a longitudinal section, Fig XI
a cross-section at the dash-punctuated line drawn in Fig. X. 18 is the
regulating cock, the plug of which-19-made tight by packing box-20-is
carried outside. At the end of this plug is the lever 21-which is connected in
the usual way with a good steam engine-governor. Screw-22-opposes the
steam pressure which acts against the cock,-23-is the valve-, made tight by a
packing box-24-, which serves to close the channel-25-, through which the
fluid metal flows into the vessels-B-and B'-; through channel-26-the steam
flows into the cock. The steam which has been generated in a boiler situated at
some distance flows through. a tube-13-, shut off valve b-, into the steam
superheater D, where there is a small fire, and presses there on the metal,
which is already molten. Accordingly the metal flows through the open
channel-17 of the valve apparatus-15-and through the open valve 27-
into both vessels B-and-B'. This is possible because the valve; swims on
the fluid metal. When the level of the fluid is so low that nearly all the fluid
:
Fig. VIII

page_text: metal is transferred into the vessels-B-and B₁, the steam would soon flow out;
but this is prevented by the valve which has sunk at the same rate as the level of
the fluid and is now pressed tightly upon its place by the steam. The buckets
of the wheels-C-and-C are thereby sufficiently filled with metal. (The
contents of the buckets of the broader wheel is double the contents of the buckets
of the smaller wheel; the direction of the buckets is in both wheels the same.)
If one opens the cock-18-, Fig. ✗, steam flows through the regulating cock into
the buckets of the smaller wheel-Fig VIII. While the buckets are going
upwards, the steam partly expands and goes out of the buckets at the top through
the perforated funnel-14-and through the tube-28-into the channel-29-
which opens below into the broader wheel and enters there directly into the
buckets of the wheel-C¹- (as the steam possesses still enough force to surmount
the pressure of the fluid in the vessel-B'-). Whilst the buckets ascend, the steam
expands completely, leaves the buckets on the top of the wheel-C-and escapes
through the perforated funnel-30-and tube-h-into the condensator, preheater or
into the air. From the foregoing description one can easily see, that the height of the
· fluid in the vessels-B. and B'-depends upon the steam-pressure in the boiler; for the
steam must at least have a pressure equal to the pressure of both columns of fluid
in the vessels-B-and B', measured from the height of the fluid-level in the
superheater D-to the fluid level in the vessel-B--and from the mouth of
channel 29 to the fluid level in the vessel-B-. If it happens that the steam
pressure gets less than the pressure of both columns of fluid, metal flows from the
vessels Band-B¹-through the valve which then opens into the super-
heater D-until the steam pressure balances again the columns of the fluid etcª. .
On shutting the valve-27-the fluctuations of the fluid level take place only in s
the vessel B-and if the valve-27-and the valve-23, Fig. X, are shut, the
valve-apparatus-15-is deprived of action. On the shaft--both the bucket
wheels C-and-C-are fastened; the necessary tightening between the two
vessels B-and-B¹-is obtained simply by the thicker part of the shaft-i-,
at-31-,being pressed softly against the side of the vessel; a small screw-32-at
the end of the shaft effects this pressure. The shaft-i-turned by the bucket-
wheels sets by means of the dented wheels-n-o-the shaft r―in motion.
Fig. XII is a section at the dash-punctuated line to be seen in Fig. XIII,
Fig. XIII is a sideview in which the one half is intersected at the dash-punctuated
line drawn in Fig. XII. Both figures represent an engine which acts through the
buoyancy of superheated steam in a metallic fluid. The construction can be seen
from the drawing. Two parts are screwed together and form the vertical
vessel-A-; at the bottom there is a shaft placed on a-and-b-on which the
square block-c-is; at the top there is another shaft, placed on-d-e-, to
which the block--is attached; the shaft-g-goes-made tight by the packing
box-h-out of the vessel; to this shaft the driving wheel-B-and the pulley-i
are attached, (the latter serves to propela steam engine-governor which is not
drawn); the boxes-k-k- which serve to receive the steam are joined to
each other like an elevator. For the generating and superheating of the steam
a tube-system is bricked in; the necessary water for the formation of superheated
steam continually enters the tube in such quantities that the steam pressure in this
tube remains always the same. The supply of the water is effected by a new and
peculiar pump, a quicksilver pump.
.
•
Fig. XIV, section at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. XV, and Fig XV, section
at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. XIV, represent the Quicksilverpump on a
large scale. In the vessel-A-there are three rollers-a-b _, round which an
endless band is put; to this band many small boxes-d-d are attached,
which are only on one side open; this open side is directed on the right side down-
wards and on the left side upwards. Up to the point-e-Quicksilver stands in
the pump, that is, if it is in action ;--is a short tube through which the water
is carried into the pump; the water fills the space above the quicksilver. The

page_text: channel-g-at the lower part of the vessel-A-carries the water through the
valve-h, through the short channel and through the tube-into the super-
heater C, Fig XII; there the water changes quickly into steam and this steam
by being carried along the other parts becomes strongly superheated. By means
of the spindle-k-, Fig XV, which is made tight by the packing box--the
supply of water is partly regulated. The roller-a-is on a shaft-m-which,
made tight by packing box-n-is carried outside the vessel. This shaft is directly
connected with the shaft of the driving-wheel of the engine. When this shaft
turns, the little boxes d-d.. are carried continually on the right side down-
wards and on the left side upwards. For this kind of engine there is a valve-gear,
represented in Fig XVI, section, and Fig. XVII, ground plan. The construction
of the same can be clearly seen from the drawing. On the lower shaft-a;
Fig. XII, of the engine there is an uncircular disc--which opens the valve-p-
Fig. XVI; the valve is closed through the hollow cylinder-q-which swims in the
metallic fluid and lifts the valve thro' which it is closed.
To start the machine, the flap--Fig. XII is shut, on the other hand flaps-
are opened and a fire lit in the usual way on the grate-u-. The fire gases flow
through channel--to the bottom and rise through the channel-w-along the
machine and through the tubes-x-y-into the space--in which the super-
heater is; thence they escape through the channel-1-and tube-2-into the
chimney. After the metal in the engine is melted, the flaps-s-t-
-are closed and
the flap-r-opened. The fire gases now rise direct into the space--, heat the
superheater-Cand escape through the tube-y-into the chimney. Thereupon
some water is introduced into the superheater-C-which rapidly changes into
steam, and while it flows through the superheater, it is strongly superheated, rises in
the tube-3-and enters at-4-into the channel-5-. At-6-the steam enters
into the valve apparatus-7-, Fig XVI, and flows through the channel-8—through
the opened valve-p-into the channel--and thence direct into the buckets of
the engine which one by one get partly filled with steam. The effect of the steam
and the escape of the same is just the same as described in Fig. I. and II.
The further supply of water to the superheater-C-is obtained as before said'
through the Quicksilver-pump and that in the following way: When the engine
goes, the roller-a-Fig. XIV likewise turns; through this the small boxes are
carried through the quicksilver from the top downwards in the channel-10-. As
there is at the beginning still some air above the quicksilver, all the little boxes in
the channel-10-are filled with air. As soon as they have passed the half of the
lower roller-c-, their opening is directed upwards; through this the quicksilver
enters into the little boxes and pushes the air out of them. In a short time the
air above the quicksilver is so thin that the pump has drawn water through a tube
connected with-f.. The water fills now the space above the quicksilver; as
soon as each little box has reached the upper part of the roller-a-, the quick-
silver flows out and it is filled with water. Now while they pass through the
channel-10-, the water remains in the boxes, but as soon as they have passed
half the roller-c-, quicksilver flows in at once and the water escapes in the
channel-g-, fills it soon, lifts the valve-hand escapes through the channel-11-
and the tube-i-, Fig XII into the superheater-C-; the spindle-k-is now
so arranged that only so much water is introduced into the superheater, as is
necessary for the generation of steam of a certain pressure; as is easily understood,
the steam pressure in the superheater-C-depends upon the height of the quick-
silver-column in the pump-A-and it is not through the spindle--which only
helps to regulate the water but through the quicksilver-column in the pump-A-
that the steampressure is regulated. For as soon as the steampressure in the
superheater is ever so little stronger than the pressure of the quicksilver-column,
the valve-h-shuts at once and no water can get into the superheater-C-; if
on the other hand the steam pressure in the superheater gets a little reduced, the
pressure of the quicksilver-column is stronger and the water is pressed into the

page_text: superheater. The superheater--C-has of course a safety-valve so as to let off
eventually superfluous steam.
Fig. XVIII and Fig XIX represent an engine which acts by means of superheated
steam through the gravity of a metallic fluid. Fig XVIII vertical section at the
dash-punctuated line in Fig. XIX, Fig. XIX sideview in which one half is
intersected at the dash-punctuated line in Fig. XVIII.
A hollow shaft-A-is carried at-b-by a bearing, at-c-it rests on two rollers,
which rest on bearings-d-d. With this shaft the bucket wheel-B-is
connected; a tube-system-C-for the superheating of the steam is fastened on
the shaft and bricked in, and below the superheater is the grate-e-. The buckets
or cells-f-f... of the wheel-B-are divided by the partitions-z-z
into two communicating parts. Parallel with the buckets-f-runs a
continuous channel-g-; each bucket has an opening-h-h-which open into
the channel-g-, from the periphery of the wheel-B-inside each bucket there.
leads a channel-i-to the centre of the wheel and is here closed by a cock-k-,
Fig XVIII, the latter is firmly connected with the tube--which-made tight by
the packing box-n-leaves the interior of the shaft and opens into the
tube mBy the screw-1-the cock-k-is more or less pressed against the
side of the case, through which a good shutting off of the steam is attained; the
gear-cock-k-(for this kind of engine a gear is necessary) is represented in
Fig. XX, cross-section, and in Fig XXI longitudinal section. On top and at the
bottom it has two incisions--o-p-; through the lower one-p-the steam
enters into the channels i-i. and through the upper one-o-the steam
leaves the engine.
•
To start the engine, the fire is lit in the usual way on grate-e, the slider-q-
is shut, but the slider-r-left open; the fire gases flow through the channel-s-
which goes upwards in a zig-zag and warm thereby the whole surface of the bucket-
wheel. As soon as the metal in the same is melted, the slider-q-is opened and
the slider shut; whilst the machine is getting heated, steam is generated in a
boiler of the usual construction near or at a distance. On opening a shut-off valve,
which is not drawn, steam flows out of the boiler through the tube-t-(which is
made tight by the packing-box-u-) into the hollow shaft-A-of the engine, and
enters at-vw-into the tubes of the superheater. Whilst the steam flows
through the superheater, it gets strongly superheated; it then enters at-x-y—
into the second part of the hollow shaft, thence through the cock-incision
-p, Fig XX into a channel-i.-which opens into the lowest bucket--flows
here into the smaller part of the bucket-f-pushes away the metal which is in it
and fills this part almost entirely with steam, and this happens with each bucket
that arrives below.-The metal pushed out of the buckets by the steam flows through
channel-g-to the top and enters through the opening-h-into each bucket as it
arrives at the top, pushing out the steam which escapes through the tube-i-, cock
-k, Fig XVIII and tubes-1-and-m-into the condensator, preheater or into
the air. While each bucket ascends, the steam in it expands and thus the volume
of steam in each bucket-f-f- . . becomes larger the farther the bucket moves
upwards. But by this more and more metal is pushed out of the bucket so that 4
when the buckets arrive on top they are entirely filled with steam; on top the
buckets are filled again, as already described, with metal; the result of the effect
of the steam in the wheel is therefore, as can be easily seen, that all the buckets on
the left side of the wheel are more or less filled with steam and all the buckets on
the right side entirely filled with metal; the difference in the weight of both halves
of the wheel which thus results forms the motive power. The wheel will
consequently turn in the direction of the arrow, Fig. XIX. This movement is
transferred by means of the two dented wheels-2-and-3-to the shaft-4-
The Quicksilver-pump-D-and steam generator and superheater-C-can of
course be connected with all the engines described above.
As is apparent, engines can be constructed after both of the described bucket.
5

page_text: wheel-systems in which not the whole circumference of a wheel has buckets (cells)
and one can therefore construct bucket wheel engines where only two or three
buckets turn with a shaft.
CLAIMS OF PATENT:
The new application of molten metals with steam or gas as motive power in
cellular (-bucket-) wheel engines which act either through the buyoncy of
steam or gas in a metallic fluid or by means of steam or gas through the
gravity of a metallic fluid-and in connection therewith the following parts of
the machines:
The superheater as constructed for melting the metal
The valve apparatus--15-Fig VIII for transferring and regulating the
metal in the vessel-B.
The Quicksilver pump. .
In witness whereof my hand and seal, London, this seventeenth day of October
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three
OTTO TRANSTAL