Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Hydro-carburetted Air for Motive Power Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Hydro-carburetted Air
for Motive Power Purposes.
1, GEORGE WILKINSON, of 95, Hubert Grove, Stockwell, S. W., in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of and means for producing hydro-
carburetted air from liquid hydro carbons such as petroleum, for the purpose of
operating motive power engines.
In order to set forth the invention in a clear and concise manner I will
describe an apparatus embodying my improvements, although it is obvious that
my invention may be carried out in many ways, and I do not confine myself to
the use of any number or to any particular shape of vessels pipes or chambers.
The apparatus consists of a vertical chamber which is heated in any convenient
manner but preferably by the exhaust gases from the engine or engines; within
the chamber a number of tubes are fixed which communicate with a novel form
of mixing apparatus fixed on the top cover of the vertical chamber wherein the
air and liquid hydro carbon are intimately mixed; the mixing chamber com-
municates with a receiver fixed within the heated vertical chamber in which
receiver the hydro-carburetted air is stored and from which the supply for the
engine or engines is taken.
I do not employ pumps to force the air or liquid hydro-carbon into the
apparatus, the air is drawn through the apparatus by the suction of the engine
piston or pistons and I obtain the required head or pressure on the liquid hydro-
carbon by placing the supply tank above the apparatus, and the pressure may be
adjusted by varying the height of the tank; where this method is not convenient
I may employ a tank fitted with a weighted ram or plunger or I may store the
liquid hydro-carbon in a flexible bag and employ weights or springs for producing
the necessary pressure. The air inlet is controlled by a valve and the liquid
hydro carbon inlet within the mixing chamber is controlled by a concentric taper
plug, this plug is connected with the valve controlling the air inlet in such a
manner that the opening or closing of the air valve will produce approximately
a proportionate expansion or contraction of the hydro carbon inlet. For the
purpose of operating the valve a shaft is provided with a suitable cam or cams
and the shaft is driven round by the engine or engines preferably by means of
a pitch chain and in such a manner that the valve is opened simultaneously with
the suction of the engine piston or pistons. To control the speed of the engine
or engines I employ a governor which regulates the lift of the valve so that when
the engine runs above its normal speed the valve is partially closed and the charge
attenuated or vice versu.
Dated this 28th day of June 1900
GEORGE WILKINSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Hydro-carburetted Air
for Motive Power Purposes.
I, GEORGE WILKINSON, of 95, Hubert Grove, Stockwell, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, 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 :—
My invention relates to an improved method of, and means for, producing hydro-

page_text: carburetted air from liquid hydro-carbons such as petroleum and the like, for the
purpose of operating motive power engines.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have appended the
accompanying sheets of drawings, in which
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation of part of one form or type of the
device, or, contrivance, and, Figure 2 is a, diagrammatic view representing the
connections necessary for utilising the heat from a hydro-carbon motor.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of a modification of Figure 1,
hereinbefore referred to.
C
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a vertical chamber A Figure 1
in which a number of tubes B are placed, communicating with the mixing
chamber C, which is fixed to the top of A, upon the cover D', and in which the
air and the hydro-carbon liquid are intimately mixed. The mixing chamber C
communicates with a receiver D, fixed within the heated chamber A, and is used
for the purpose of storing the hydro carburetted air, and furnishing the necessary
supply for the engine or motor. The liquid hydro carbon is supplied to the
mixing chamber C by means of a tube a communicating with a tank or reservoir
in which the required head or pressure is maintained by the higher level of said
tank, or the pressure of a weighted plunger or the like, or a weighted bag, or
an equivalent device for the same purpose. The liquid hydro-carbon descends in
the annular space & surrounding the taper plug c and issues from the nozzle din
the form of an attenuated ring jet, which is directed upwards by the shield e
attached to the plug, the movement of which serves to regulate the volume of
the jet. A conical sheath or sleeve fis fitted upon and surrounds the nozzle d
and is free to move up and down upon it, said movement controlling the air
supply to the mixture. It is an essential feature of my invention that I do not
employ pumps or similar appliances to compress the air, and deliver it to the
mixing chamber under pressure, but instead thereof, I arrange the connections
between the apparatus and the engine or motor so that the suction of the piston
or pistons produces a partial vacuum in the receiver D, which causes the air to
pass from the atmosphere into the chamber C through the tubes B, becoming
heated in passing. From thence it passes through the ports or openings
the sleeve or valve f, and also into D between the valve f and the neck thereof,
in both cases being intimately mixed with the hydro carbon spray. In order to
effect the regulation of the supply of air and hydro carbon liquid according to
the requirements of the work to be done, I connect the sleeve or air valve f
to the taper plug c by means of studs and a yoke i, and may attach thereto
a coned disc j, by means of which a vertical reciprocatory movement is imparted
to f and c by the rotation of the engine, in such a manner that the flow and
mixture takes place simultaneously with the suction of the piston or pistons of
the motor or motors, a cam shaft, driven by a pitched chain, or equivalent means,
from the main shaft being the preferable mode of operating the device. The
synchronous movement of the taper plug c and the sleeve or air valve produces
an approximately proportionate expansion or contraction of the hydro carbon inlet,
relatively to the air supply, and by a suitable attachment to the governor of the
motor by which the vertical stroke off and c is increased or diminished according
to the speed of the engine or motor, said speed may be effectively regulated, so
that when said speed increases above the normal rate, the supply of hydro-carbon
is attenuated, or cut off, and vice-versa, a lateral movement of the cam lever
across the face of the coned disc j effecting this, or any other suitable appliance
may be adopted therefor.
с
in
A modification of the apparatus hereinbefore described is shewn by the vertical
section, Figure 3, Sheet 2, in which A is the vertical chamber, heated by the
waste products from the motor or motors, or by any other suitable means, and
which may or may not be provided with tubes. The liquid hydrocarbon is
supplied from a tank or reservoir, or other device whereby a head or pressure
may be maintained to a vessel or chamber E, by means of a pipe k. The orifice

page_text: of the pipe may be coned to form a seating for a valve attached to the top
of a float within the vessel E, so that a level or head of liquid is maintained
therein. I do not employ the vessel E in all cases, but may adopt any other
method of or means for maintaining an approximately equal and regular pressure.
or head of liquid hydro-carbon. The float, valve, and seating are shewn by the
dotted outline. From the vessel E, or its equivalent, the liquid hydro-carbon is
conveyed to a nozzle Pupon the cover G, from which the flow is regulated by
means of a tapered plug c provided with a screw thread to allow of said regula-
tion. The fine jet thus obtained impinges upon a conical diverter d within the
mixing chamber C, and is spread and diverted thereby, becoming partially mixed
with the air entering at the air orifice F. A suitable number of perforated
mixers e ele are placed in the chamber C below d, and are divided from each
other by means of distance rings or collars f and f¹, so as to provide intermediate
mixing spaces. The perforations in the mixers e e¹ el are inclined toward the
centre, so that the jets of partially mixed air and liquid hydrocarbon converge,
and impinge upon each other, effecting the perfect mixture and atomization of
the combination, rendering it suitable as a charge for the motor or motors. I
may place any number mixers e between the nozzle F and the receiver D,
the converging jets issuing from the lower mixer being spread and diverted by
the conical diverger d' within D. The air is drawn into the mixing chamber C
through the orifice F by the partial vacuum caused in D by the suction of the
piston or pistons of the motor or motors, which are connected to said receiver D
by the opening H, to which may be attached any suitable device for governing
or regulating the speed of the engine by controlling the admission of the charge.
The receiver D is maintained at a high temperature by being surrounded by a
heated medium in A, such as the exhaust from the motor or motors being allowed
to enter at I and escape at J.
In order to utilise the heat absorbed by the cylinder or cylinders of a motor,.
for the purpose of heating the air before it is mixed with the hydrocarbon, as
herein before described, I may adopt an apparatus as shewn by the diagrammatic
view, Figure 2 Sheet 1, in which A is a tank or other vessel filled with water,
communicating with a chamber B by means of tubes or pipes a and b. Two
tubes d and e connect said chamber B with the jacket c of the engine or motor
cylinder C. Said chamber B is provided internally with air tubes ƒ and g or a
sheaf of tubes, so that the air passing through them is heated by the water in B.
A float F placed below the level of the water in A closes the orifice of the
pipe a and prevents or retards circulation under the ordinary conditions of fluid
pressure. Before the motor is started, and the cylinder is consequently cold,
heat may be applied to the chamber h, heating the jacket c and the fluid contained
therein, and starting the circulation of said fluid by connection. When the motor
is working, the heat absorbed by the jacket from the interior of the cylinder is
sufficient to maintain the required circulation, and heat the air passing through f
and g to the mixing chamber C of the apparatuses hereinbefore described. If
the temperature of the chamber B becomes raised to boiling point so that steam
is generated, the float F is forced down by the pressure and circulation is set
up with the body of fluid at a comparatively lower temperature in A, thus
maintaining an equal and regular temperature of the air, and preventing the
generation of a large volume of steam." A pipe i may be connected to B for the
purpose of conveying steam to the outer chamber of the mixing apparatus, for
heating the air tubes, or receiver of the same.
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 I
claim is;
First. The method of, and means for, atomizing and mixing liquid hydrocarbon
with air at normal atmospheric pressure, for motive power purposes; the current of

page_text: air, liquid and mixture being induced by the suction of the piston or pistons of a
motor, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
Second. In an apparatus for producing hydro carburetted air, the combination of
a plug e Figure 1, Sheet 1, attached to an air valve f with a heating chamber A
with or without tubes B, and a receiver D, substantially as described and shewn,
and for the purposes specified.
Third. In an apparatus for producing hydro carburetted air, the construction and
use of mixers e e e Figure 3, Sheet 2 and diverters d d in combination with a
mixing chamber C, heating chamber A and receiver D substantially as herein
described with reference to the drawings.
Fourth. The method of, and means for utilising the heat derived from a motor
cylinder, comprising the use of a water reservoir A, heating chamber B and air
tubes and g, with a jacketted cylinder or cylinders, and connections thereto,
substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2, Sheet 1 of the appended
drawings.
Dated this 26th day of March 1891.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.