Improvements in Hydro-carbon or Petroleum Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydro-carbon or Petroleum Engines.
I, JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, of California Works, Stoke-on-Trent, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to petroleum or hydro-carbon engines of the type indicated
in the Specification of Patent No. 11395 of 1889 granted to me, and its object is
to simplify the arrangements there described; to improve the economy; and to
increase the useful efficiency of engines of that kind. The general arrangements
and combination of parts is similar in my present invention to those described in
that Patent; but instead of using the separate vaporizer only when starting the
engine with separate oil feeding apparatus for the oil supply, I now use the
vaporizer continuously or work directly into the engine as heretofore, and I use
only one automatic oil supply which serves both for starting and working
continuously. The charge proceeding from the oil vessel carries a regulated proportion
of oil from the gauze disc or sheet, partly as vapour, partly as spray, and this spray
is further vaporized by passing through a chamber containing pellets or gauze or
other fragments exposing a sufficient surface. This answers well; but in some
cases it is found that a very considerable proportion of oil still remains as spray,
when the charge enters the cylinder, especially so before the cylinder is heated with
its work and this of course leads to waste of fuel. To avoid this difficulty 1 now
pass the whole or a portion of the charge-after leaving the pellet chamber-
through a vaporizing chamber of which a portion of the surfaces are heated by the
hot exhaust gases. A portion of the surface of this vaporizer is so arranged that
it can be heated by a lamp and so furnishes a vaporizing surface to supply vapour
enough to start the engine when it is cold.
A suitable aperture is provided by which oil can be introduced by hand in
sufficient quantity to assist the engine to start. Sometimes I cause the internal
and external surfaces of the vaporizer, either or both, to be formed with ribs or
projections producing ledges or receptacles upon which the oil can rest and from
which it can readily evaporate. Such ledges or receptacles are caused to communi-
cate with each other by suitable holes or channels, and the oil escaping from one
ledge or receptacle passes on to another so that it thereby spreads over a large surface
till it is all evaporated. The vaporizing vessel is also fitted with suitable directing
or deflecting plates which cause the charge before entering the engine cylinder to
pass over the whole effective heating and evaporating surface. I sometimes employ
in the vaporizer a cock similar to the one described in my previous Patent whereby
I can pass the charge on leaving the pellet chamber directly into the cylinder,
without its passing through the vaporizer or through the vaporizer and thence into
the cylinder at will.
In carrying out this invention I also simplify the construction of air heating
arrangements described in my said Specification No. 11395 of 1889 by dispensing
with the annular passages surrounding the combustion chamber and accomplishing
almost the entire heating of the inlet air before it reaches the oil vessel. To do
this I construct a vessel of suitable metallic material which I divide longitudinally
by a partition provided with radiating ribs. The exhaust gases are discharged
through one half of this vessel and heat it up thoroughly; while the air supply enters
the other half of the vessel, and is heated on its passage through it by contact with
the radiating ribs and sides. To obtain the preliminary heat required for starting
I sometimes inject through the passages traversed by the exhaust gases a flame

page_text: saturated by petroleum and air spray or by a lamp, this I shut off before starting
the engine.
In using petroleum engines of the construction described in my Specification
No. 11395 of 1889 I have experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining a uniform
heating effect upon the incandescent igniting tube due to the heating of the oil
vessel supplying the lamp flame and the consequent charring of the wick.
One part of my present invention overcomes this difficulty by water jacketing the
lamp and including the water jacket in the water circulating system of the engine
cylinder or circulating water separately through it. I also water jacket the oil
chamber feeding the lamp. By using this simple device and keeping the oil in the
lamp at a constant level by a regulated feed from a larger reservoir I secure an
uniform flame and an efficiently heated incandescent tube. The lamp may be fed
at constant level in several ways; but I prefer to use an oil reservoir on the "bird
fountain" principle consisting of a closed vessel having a valve fitted in its lower
portion, which valve opens on placing it within an outer vessel and maintains the
level in that vessel constant on the well known "bird fountain" principle. The
outer vessel communicates by a pipe with the lamp and so a constant oil level is
maintained so long as the supply in the inverted vessel lasts. The lamp is suitably
connected to the engine as to permit it to be swung aside for ready examination of
the wick quite free from obstruction by the incandescent tube.
In one of the modes of governing described in my Specification to which I have
hereinbefore referred the exhaust gases are alternately expelled from and drawn
into the cylinder, while the governor acts to limit speed; this I find is liable to
cause the exhaust valve to be overheated and to obviate this; I apply a valve
permitting atmospheric air to be so drawn in as to cool instead of heat the
valve, and I sometimes close the inlet valve by a spring arrangement when the
governor acts.
Dated this
davefur. 1000
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydro-carbon or Petroleum Engines.
I, JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, of California Works, Stoke-on-Trent, in the
County of Stafford, 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 petroleum or hydrocarbon engines of the type indicated
in the Specification of Patent No. 11395 of 1889 granted to me, and its object is
to simplify the arrangements there described; to improve the economy ;, and increase
the useful efficiency of engines of the kind. The general arrangement and the
combination of parts is similar in my present invention to those described in that
Patent but instead of using the separate vaporizer only when starting the engine
with separate feeding apparatus for the oil supply I now use the vaporizer con-
tinuously or work directly into the engine as heretofore, and I use only one
automatic oil supply which serves both for starting and working continuously. The
charge proceeding from the oil vessel carries a regulated proportion of oil from the
gauze disc or sheet partly as spray, partly as vapour and the spray is further
vaporized by passing through a chamber containing pellets or gauze or other
fragments exposing a sufficient surface. This answers well, but in some cases it is
found that a very considerable proportion of oil still remains as spray when the
charge enters the cylinder, especially so before the cylinder is heated with its work
and this of course leads to waste of fuel..
Referring to the three sheets of accompanying drawings which illustrate the

page_text: application of my invention to a petroleum engine Figures 1 to 8 inclusive relate to
my improved vaporizing and air heating arrangements intended to obviate this loss.
Figures 9 to 13 inclusive relate to my improved governing devices. Figure 14
is a section showing my air suction valve as applied to admit cold air to the cylinder
while governing and Figures 15 to 17 inclusive relate to my improvements in lamps.
To avoid the difficulty of imperfect vaporizing I pass the whole or a portion of
the charge after leaving the pellet chamber through a vaporizing chamber of which
a portion of the surfaces are heated by the hot exhaust gases. This chamber is
shown at Figures 2, 3 and 4 marked A and it is preferably made in a piece with
chambers A and E' the chambers being separated by ribbed partition walls A³, A*.
In Figure 1 the engine bed is seen in longitudinal section indicating the novel
parts, Figure 2 is a transverse section through the vaporizer at the cock G and
Figure 3 is a sectional plan through the centre of the air heater C. Figure 4 is
the same section of the vaporizer as in Figure 2 but on a larger scale. Figure 5 is
a sectional plan showing one of the vaporizer ribs with holes in it. Figure 6 shows
the cock G in one position and Figure 7 shows it in another. Figure 8 is a trans-
verse section through the air heater.
The exhaust gases on leaving the engine cylinder B pass away through the pipe e
Figures 1 and 3, enter the chamber E² (Figures 2, 3 and 4) and discharge into the
side E of the air heater C by the passage Es leaving E and passing into the
atmosphere by the pipe e'. The air heating vessel C is divided longitudinally by
the partition D (Figures 3 and 8) forming two chambers one for the discharging
exhaust gases and the other for the entering air. The partition D carries ribs as
shown at Figures 1, 3 and 8 on both sides. The wall A' of the vaporizer chamber A
is thus heated by the exhaust gases and the ribs on one side absorb heat while those
on the vaporizer side evolve heat to vaporize the oil and heat up the air. A
portion of the surface of the vaporizer A. the ribbed wall A³ is arranged so that it
can be heated by the lamp I Figure 1 and so furnishes a vaporizing surface to
supply vapour enough to start the engine when it is cold. An aperture is provided
into which the pipe M is inserted and through this oil is introduced in sufficient
quantity to assist the engine to start. The internal and external surfaces of the
vaporizer walls are ribbed as shown to give a sufficient heat absorbing and emitting
surface and also to produce on the interior ledges or receptacles upon which the
oil can rest and from which it can readily evaporate. The ledges or receptacles
are caused to communicate with each other by suitable holes or channels the oil
escaping from one ledge or receptacle on to another so that it thereby spreads over
a large surface till it is all evaporated. This is shown at Figure 5 where a rib is
seen in plan, a section being taken through one of the walls of the vaporizer parallel
with the rib, the rib y. has a hole y which leads to the rib below and the next rib
has a hole y' shown in dotted lines leading to the one below it while that rib has the
hole y. In this manner the oil passes from one rib to another until evaporated.
The vaporizer is fitted with suitable dividing or deflecting plates shown in
Figures 1 and 4 at Aº, A' and these plates sometimes having ribs also to cause the
air entering the vaporizing vessel to pass over all the heating surfaces. I sometimes
employ in the vaporizer a cock G Figures 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 similar to the one
described in my previous Patent whereby I can pass the charge on leaving the
pellet chamber S' directly into the cylinder without it passing through the vaporizer,
or through the vaporizer and thence into the cylinder at will. In this invention I
also simplify the construction of the air heating arrangements described in my said
Specification No. 11395 of 1889 by dispensing with the annular passages surround-
ing the combustion chamber and accomplishing almost the entire heating of the
inlet air before it reaches the oil vessel. To do this I construct a vessel C to which
I have already referred. It is divided longitudinally by the partition D having
ribs on both sides. The exhaust gases pass through one half E of this vessel and
heat it up thoroughly while the air enters the other half F and is heated on its
passage by contact with the radiating ribs and sides. To obtain the preliminary
heat required for starting the engine I sometimes inject through the passage Es

page_text: traversed by the exhaust gases, into the chamber E, a flame produced by petroleum
and air spray or by a lamp, this flame I shut off before starting the engine. The
air and oil spray to form a flame may be injected from the pipe E Figure 3 shown
on a larger scale at Figure 34 through the cock E into the passage E³ and the
chamber E and when the heat imparted is sufficient the flame is shut off, the cock E³
closed and the engine started.
It will be readily understood that with these arrangements the engine may be
operated in three ways, first generally for starting when cold; the surface A' of
the vaporizer A is heated up by the lamp I, and sometimes also the surface A* and
the air heating chamber by a flame as I have just described. The engine may
then be started by placing the cock G so as to open the vaporizer to the passage H
leading to the suction inlet valve of the engine and also to the pellet chamber S'
and oil vessel L as shown in Figure 4. Petroleum may then be introduced into the
vaporizer by the pipe M whence it passes from ledge to ledge evaporates and
impregnates the air passing to the engine which is thus supplied with imflammable
mixture. Second the engine, may be supplied from the oil vessel L with rotating
gauze feed, through the pellet chamber S¹ and through the vaporizer A without
having additional oil supply by M or third by placing the cock G as shown in
Figures 2 and 6 the air charge passes through the vessel L and the pellet
chamber S¹ direct into the cylinder B by the passage H without passing through
the vaporizer.
When the engine is working at full load, however, I prefer to work with the
vaporizer in combination with the oil feed vessel L and the pellet chamber S¹.
The air supply first enters the chamber F and is heated by the ribs and walls, it
then passes through A2 and enters the chamber A' where it is suitably deflected by
a plate a, comes in contact with the heating ribs of the wall A³ and enters the
pipe R leading into the oil feed vessel L, from L it passes having taken up its oil
charge by the pipe S to the pellet chamber Si, thence by the cock G to the
vaporizer A passing round the deflecting plates A, A' and taking the direction
indicated by the arrows marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of Figure 4. The charge is then
thoroughly vaporized and arrives at the inlet valve of the passage H.
It is to be noted that the oil feed vessel L and the pellet chamber S¹ are of the
same construction as described in my Specification already referred to and are
similarly lettered.
Figure 7 shows the position of the plug of the cock G when both vaporizer and
pellet chamber are closed from the cylinder.
In one of the modes of governing described in my Specification No. 11395 of
1889 the exhaust gases are alternately expelled from and drawn into the cylinder
while the governor acts to limit speed; this I find is liable to cause the exhaust
valve to be overheated and to obviate this I apply a valve permitting atmospheric
air to be so drawn in as to cool instead of heat the valve and I sometimes close the
inlet valve by a spring arrangement when the governor acts.
Figure 9 is an end elevation of the new governing arrangement. Figure 10 is a
side elevation, Figure 11 a separate elevation on a larger scale of the exhaust valve
stem and governing gear as in Figure 9. Figure 12 is a similar elevation to
Figure 10 of the parts indicated in Figure 11 on the same scale. Figure 13 is
the same view as Figure 11 but showing the exhaust valve held up by the
governor.
Figure 14 is a section through the exhaust and air admission valves. The
charge inlet valve f Figures 9 and 10 is actuated by the lever g working on the
fulcrum 9 and operated by the face cam and the roller g'. The shaft is
the valve motion shaft rotating at half the speed of the engine. The fulcrum g² is
carried on the sliding rod 93 which rod is held fast when the charge inlet valve
is to be actuated but is allowed to move when that valve is to remain closed.
The governor acts as described in my Specification already referred to and by
the lever places the hook k into position to hold open the exhaust valve,-
(Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13). In Figure 11 the catch hook k is clear of the

page_text: exhaust valve catch plate 12 but in Figure 13 k has engaged and the exhaust
valve is held open. When this occurs one edge of 12 is lifted clear of a notch in the
sliding rod 93 as seen in Figure 13. The spring which pulls the rod into position
is arranged to be weaker than the spring which closes the charge inlet valve and
so when is lifted out of the notch in g³ the face cam lifts the roll g¹ and
pivots from the end of the spindle of the valve the inlet valve ƒ therefore remains
closed and the rod g³ is moved against the spring g'. So long as the governor
holds up the exhaust valve and prevents the admission of a charge, so long does the
valve remain closed and thus no petroleum vapour can find its way into the
cylinder. When the governor k² however causes the position of the lever k' shown
in Figure 13 then the catch hook k comes out and the catch plate 12 enters the
recess g in the rod g³ as at Figure 11 and the inlet valve f is opened positively to
admit charge till the governor acts again.
In these figures m is the exhaust valve casing, the exhaust valve stem and 7
the exhaust valve spring.
Figure 14 shows an arrangement of air inlet valve to enable the piston to draw
cold air into the cylinder when the exhaust valve is held up. The air valve n
leading to the atmosphere by the pipe o is opened during every alternate forward
stroke of the engine and is closed on every back stroke so that it does not interfere
with the exhausting of the engine. When the exhaust valve m' is held up in
governing the engine the air passes by o and e to the engine cylinder on every
forward stroke exhaust gases being prevented from passing back by the flap valve p
held lightly to its face by the spring p. This enables the cylinder and valve m' to
be kept sufficiently cool.
Sometimes I operate the flap valve p by a cam in which case it is arranged to
close when the air is to be drawn into the cylinder.
In using petroleum engines of my former construction I have experienced
considerable difficulty in obtaining a uniform heating effect upon the incandescent
igniting tube due to the heating of the oil vessel supplying the lamp flame and the
consequent charring of the wick. One part of my present invention overcomes this
difficulty by water jacketing the lamp and including the water jacket in the water
circulating system of the engine cylinder or circulating water separately through
it. I also water jacket the oil chamber feeding the lamp. By using this simple
device and keeping the oil in the lamp at a constant level by a regulated feed from
a larger reservoir I secure a uniform flame and an efficiently heated incandescent
tube. The lamp may be fed at constant level in several ways but I prefer to use
an oil reservoir on the bird fountain principle consisting of a closed vessel having a
valve fitted in its lower portion, which valve opens on placing it within an outer
vessel and maintains the level in that vessel constant on the well known bird
fountain principle. The outer vessel communicates by a pipe with the lamp and
so a constant oil level is maintained so long as the supply in the inverted vessel
lasts.
The lamp is suitably connected to the engine as to permit it to be swung aside
for ready examination of the wick quite free from obstruction by the incandescent
tube.
Figures 15, 16 and 17 illustrate my improved lamp. Figure 15 is a part
section of the oil reservoir and hot tube funnel and part elevation, Figure 16 is a
plan, and Figure 17 is an elevation showing in dotted lines a part swung clear.
The inverted oil vessel g has a valve r which is opened when y is placed in
position in the casing 9. Oil runs out by an aperture till the level marked s' is
attained and oil then fills the lower part of the vessel g' and the annular space s
within the lamp s² up to that level. This level is constantly maintained from the
vessel by the aperture 72 which allows air to pass up whenever the level falls a
little. In this manner the oil level in the lamp is kept very nearly constant.
2
The water jacket t surrounds the vessel q and communicates with a water jacket
in. the lamp by the tubes t¹, t² and so the oil is kept cool. The whole lamps with
vessel 9 and swivels from the pin v Figure 16 and works upon the screw incline ⟫*

page_text: so that when swung out of place as shown in dotted lines at x, a¹ Figure 16 it falls
away from the funnel st. The bonnet u swivels from the pivot u by the arm u²
and the fork w Figures 15 and 16 serves to hold it truly central.
The bonnet u may be swung aside for examination of the wick as indicated at
Figure 17 in dotted lines. The incandescent tube s is surrounded by the funnel st
lined with non-conducting material, and the funnel s is attached to the cylinder
cover by the bracket s³.
In Figure 16 the bonnet u is shown swung clear of the lamp s to allow free
access.
By these convenient arrangements I am readily enabled to inspect the lamp and
I obtain a uniform and easily applied heat to keep the tube incandescent.
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
(1) In a petroleum or oil engine the vaporizing arrangement consisting of the
following essential parts in combination,
(a) An oil vessel with a gauze disc or sheet through which air passes and
carries off finely divided oil;
(b) A chamber containing pellets, gauze or fragments exposing sufficient
evaporating surface through which chamber the charge from (a) passes as
described and claimed in my Patent No. 11395 of 1889;
(c) A vaporizing vessel having ribs or ridges or other surfaces with or without
deflecting plates, the whole heated by exhaust gases or by a separate lamp,
the gases from (b) pass through (c) in order to complete the vaporizing,
mixing and heating the oil and air charge before entering the cylinder.
The whole arrangement (a) (b) (c) being constructed substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated.
(2) In a petroleum or oil engine, a vaporizer with ledges or projections upon
which the oil spreads from one to another in order to expose the liquid oil to a
large heating surface with dividing plates or partitions by which the passing air
charge is directed to the evaporating surfaces substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the drawings.
(3) In a petroleum or oil engine an air heater consisting essentially of a vessel
divided by a partition and having ribs or corrugations on the surfaces of both
divisions to enable the air passing on one side to be heated by the exhaust gases
passing on the other side substantially as described.
(4) In lamps for heating the igniting tubes of petroleum or oil engines, the use
of water jacketing as and for the purposes herein before described.
(5) The lamp with its water circulating and oil level maintaining arrangements
hereinbefore described and illustrated special reference being had to Figures 15, 16
and 17 of the drawings
(6) In petroleum or oil engines which govern by holding open the exhaust valve,
the use of an auxiliary air valve to admit air to the cylinder in order to keep the
exhaust valve cool, substantially as described and illustrated.
(7) In petroleum or oil engines which govern by holding open the exhaust valve
an arrangement for operating the charge inlet valve actuated positively in such
manner that when the exhaust valve is held up a movable fulcrum yields and the
inlet valve remains closed and when the exhaust valve operates as usual a catch
plate or other piece holds the movable fulcrum and so allows the inlet valve to be
opened substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described reference being
had to Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of June 1801
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.