IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING HOT AIR, AND OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER THEREPROM
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Arnier, of Marseilles, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING HOT AIR, AND
OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER THEREPROM."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Louis Arnier at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 25th February 1856, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; Louis
ARNIER, of Marseille, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS. I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONDENSING HOT AIR, AND OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER THEREPROM," and have
Petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made. solemni
Declaration that I am the first and true inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Arnier, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification under my band & seal fully describes
and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My condensed hot air apparatus consists of, first, a rarefier A in which the
atmospheric air is heated and gets its expansive power.
Second, a cylinder B, provided with a driving piston which is acted upon
by the air coming from the rarefiér.
Third, a conderser C, which sucks the air out of the driving cylinder when

page_text: part of the expansive power has been wasted, and at the time the piston has
reached the end of its run.
Fourth, an air pump D, which sucks the air out of the condenser.
The rarefier A consists of a cast-iron chamber coated all round with sheet
iron, enclosing a fire-place E, the side walls of which are made of fire bricks;
round this rarefier there are vertical flues F through which the smoke goes
before reaching the chimney G. The rarefier, as may be seen, is laid bencath
the foundation plate II of the machine; its bottom is concave in order to form
a sort of vault above the fire-place for the flame staying there the longer
possible before entering the flues F, hence to fly out through the chimney G.
In the inside of the rarefier there is a bundle of wire gauze I through which
the air must go before reaching the driving cylinder B, said wire gauze being
calculated to secure a same & constant temperature to the motive
gas. The
cylinder is fitted on the foundation plate of the machine, it's distributing box X
is communicating on one side with the rarefier which generates the motive gas,
and on another side with the condenser which sucks the air at every stroke of
the piston. In the inside of the cylinder there is the driving piston, to which
are jointed two rods L, L, connected with the rectangular piece M, itself in
connexion with the shaft of the machine, which it operates by means of
á crank. On the same rectangular piece, which is animated with 'a to & fro
motion, the piston rod o of the air pump is fitted; the length of stroke of
the two pistons (the pump pistou and the cylinder piston) is the same, the only
difference is in their size or diameter. The condenser C consists of tubes
inserted into larger tubes which are laid in a reservoir R, said reservoir being
filled with cold water, which may be renewed. The smaller tubes S convey
the atmospheric air to the rarefier. The larger tubes T serve to lead to the
condenser the heated air that evolves from the motive cylinder when part of
its expansive power has been wasted in working the piston. The condensed
air pump is laid on the foundation plate, and is made to communicate with the
condenser arranged beneath the said foundation plate. On the slide box of
the same pump is the tube U for emitting the condensed air, and also a
clack-valve intended to prevent the atmospheric air from being put into com-
munication with the inside of the pump on that very side where a vacuum bas
just been effected, till, by the progress of the piston, the internal air is placed
in equilibrium with the external air. Over the condenser there is a valve V
communicating with the tubes that serve for the admission of tlie atniospheric
air into the rarefier.
I shall now describe the manner in which the machine is worked. When
the rarefier and the cylinder are sufficiently heated, and a proper vacuum hás

page_text: been effected in the condenser, the valve V is opened; the slide boxes having
been suitably regulated, the vacuum in the condenser, and consequently on one
side of the piston, together with the atmospheric pressure on the other side of
the same, are the two united powers that set the machine in motion; but the
atmospheric air must, in order to be admitted on that other side of the piston,
pass through the rarefier, in which it gets expanded by heat. When the
piston has reached the length of its stroke the distributing box X shifts, and
the heated air which has been acting upon the piston rushes into the condenser
deprived of air, and another stroke of the piston takes place. The air passes
from the cylinder into the condenser through the larger tubes that contain the
tubes for admitting the atmospheric air, and which are dipped into the cold
water of the reservoir. In this manner part of the heat is imparted to the air
passing through the central tubes, whilst the remaining heat is lost by its
mediate contact with the surrounding cold water. Thus the heated air reaches
the condenser, and thence is sucked out, being deprived of that part of its bulk
it had got on its progress through the rarefier. This very difference of bulk
in the admitting and the emitting process constitutes the chief power of the
machine. When the machine is desired to be stopped the valve V is opened,
which valve also serves to regulate the more or less speed of the said machine.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is, or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, as such
may be varied or modified without departing from the principle of action
thereof. Likewise, I do not confine myself to the strict figure or form of any
apparatus, or proportions of apparatus herein described; but I claim as new
and of my Invention:—
First, condensing hot air after it has wasted part of its expansive power in
working the piston.
Second, the general arrangement of each of the four parts which my motive
apparatus consists of, not confining myself, however, to the actual size and
figure or form, which may be varied or modified according to the wants, use,
& power required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Arnier, have hereunto set my hand
and scal this 15th day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
L'ARNIER. (L.S.)