IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER AND IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Astrop, of Homerton, in the County of
Middlesex, Paper Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOTIVE POWER AND IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED
99
Sealed the 25th November 1870, and dated the 27th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Astrop at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1870.
I, WILLIAM ASTROP, of Homerton, in the County of Middlesex,
Paper Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER AND IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OB
APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," to be as follows (that
is to say) :-
This Invention has reference, firstly, to obtaining motive power from
carburetted hydrogen gas through the medium of any hydrocarbon
liquid, and in the machinery, apparatus, or appliances to be used therefor

page_text: or in connection therewith, and the following is a description of this
part of the Invention and of a simple means of carrying the same into
effect.
Conveniently near the machinery or apparatus, through the medium
of which the motive power is to be utilized, is stored in any suitable
receptacle a convenient quantity of any hydrocarbon liquid, such as
spirits of petroleum, though I prefer to use a hydrocarbon liquid.
obtained from shale or shist. From this receptacle the said hydrocarbon
liquid is conveyed in suitable quantities by a pipe or other suitable con-
triva ice or means into an air-tight generating chamber, and cither on
its road there or when in the chamber is generated or converted into
carburetted hydrogen gas by the application of heat. This gas is then
let or forced out of the said generating chamber, and conveyed by a
pipe or other suitable contrivance or means to an explosion chamber
which is made very strong and of any suitable size and material, and
either on its road to the said explosion chamber, or when there, the said
gas is mixed by a fan or other suitable contrivance or means with a
proper quantity of atmospheric air or of pure oxygen gas, and as soon
as the said carburetted hydrogen gas and the atmospheric air or oxygen
gas, as the case may be, which has been introduced, are mixed in the
proper proportions ignition takes place through the medium of an
electric spark or other suitable contrivance or means, and an immediate
explosion ensues, which by being made to act on a piston or by other
suitable contrivance or means, forces a volume of atmospheric air into
an air-tight reservoir or chamber, and thus by the above process of
generating and exploding, the said gas being continuously repeated at
intervals regulated at pleasure by controlling the passage of the said
hydrocarbon liquid to the said generating chamber, or of the said gas to
the said explosion chamber, the said air-tight reservoir is charged with
atmospheric air to any required pressure, and thus charged is made to
communicate with any ordinary non-condensing steam or other suitable
engine, when the said compressed air acting the part of steam will work
the engine in a similar manner.
Secondly. This Invention has reference to obtaining motive power
from carburetted hydrogen gas obtained by the application of heat to
a mixture of crystallized acetate of soda, caustic alkali, and quicklime.
40 parts of acetate of soda, 40 parts of caustic alkali, and 60 parts of

page_text: quicklime are found to be good proportions in which to mix these sub-
stances, but I do not confine myself to such proportions.
This gas
when produced is exploded and utilized in a manner the same as herein-
before described.
This Invention is also applicable for fire engines and numerous other
purposes, as the said explosions may be made to act on or force water
or any other elastic or inclastic fluid instead of atmospheric air, as
herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Astrop in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ASTROP, of 27, Oriel Road, Homerton, in the County of Middlesex,
Paper Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Astrop, Her special licence that I,
the said William Astrop, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Astrop, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER
AND IN MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Astrop, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Astrop, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 reference, firstly, to obtaining motive power from
carburetted hydrogen gas through the medium of any hydrocarbon
liquid and in the machinery, apparatus, or appliances to be used therefor
or in connection therewith, and the following is a description of this part
of the Invention, and of a simple means of carrying the same into effect.
Conveniently near the machinery or apparatus through the medium
of which the motive power is to be utilized is stored in any suitable
receptacle a convenient quantity of any hydrocarbon liquid, such as,
spirits of petroleum, though I prefer to use a hydrocarbon liquid
obtained from shale or shist. From this receptacle the said hydrocarbon
liquid is conveyed in suitable quantities by a pipe or other suitable
contrivance or means into an air-tight generating chamber and either on
its road there or when in the chamber is generated or converted into
carburetted hydrogen gas by the application of heat. This gas is then
let or forced out of the said generating chamber and conveyed by a pipe
or other suitable contrivance or means to an explosion chamber which is
made very strong and of any suitable size and material, and either on
its road to the said explosion chamber, or when there, the said
gas is
mixed by a fan or other suitable contrivance or means with a proper
quantity of atmospheric air or of pure oxygen gas, and as soon as the
said carburetted hydrogen gas and the atmospheric air or oxygen gas, as
the case may be, which has been introduced, are mixed in the proper
proportions ignition takes place through the medium of an electric spark
or other suitable contrivance or means, and an immediate explosion
ensues, which by being made to act on a piston or by other suitable con-
trivance or means forces a volume of atmospheric air into an air-tight
reservoir or chamber, and thus by the above process of generating and
exploding, the said gas being continuously repeated at intervals regulated
at pleasure by controlling the passage of the said hydrocarbon liquid to
the said generating chamber, or of the said gas to the said explosion
chamber, the said air-tight reservoir is charged with atmospheric air to
any required pressure, and thus charged is made to communicate with
any ordinary non-condensing steam or other suitable engine, when the
said compressed air acting the part of steam will work the engine in a
similar manner.

page_text: Secondly. This Invention has reference to obtaining motive power
from carburetted hydrogen gas obtained by the application of heat to a
mixture of crystalized acetate of soda, caustic alkali, and quicklime;
forty parts of acetate of soda, forty parts of caustic alkali, and sixty parts
of quicklime are found to be good proportions in which to mix these
substances, but I do not confine myself to such proportions. This gas
when produced is exploded and utilized in a manner the same as herein-
before described.
This Invention is also applicable for fire-engines and numerous other
purposes, as the said explosions may be made to act on or force water or
any other elastic or inelastic fluid instead of atmospheric air as hercin-
before described,
:
I now proceed to describe the construction and working of the said
Invention I first charge a cistern or other suitable vessel with the
required quantity of hydro-carbon liquid; from that I carry a small
tube with taps to regulate the supply to the generating chamber, which
being heated by a lamp, or any other means, to the required temperature,
say, from 120° to 160° (but I do not confine myself to those tempera-
tures), they hydro-carbon liquid will be converted into gas, in quantities
proportionate to the supply of the liquid and the heat sustained, which
can be adjusted to any quantity required. When sufficient gas has been
generated it will pass into a gas holder, which I prefer should be made
of caoutchouc or leather, on the bellows principal, though any other
description may be used; or the gas may be drawn direct from the
generating chamber by the pump herein-after described. For measuring
the proper quantities of air and gas or gases, I use separate pumps, which
may be made on any approved principle; the air pump drawing from
the atmosphere or from an oxygen gas holder, the gas pump drawing
from the generating chamber or gas holder. The air or oxygen pump
must be of much larger dimensions than the gas pump, to give a
sufficient quantity of either of those elements to form a proper explosive
mixture. Both pumps, to be provided with a simple method of altering
and regulating the length of stroke, so as to effectually measure the
required quantities, according to the quality of the gas, and the holding
capacity of the two pumps, or any number that may be used combined,
should be a little in excess of the dimensions of the explosion chamber.
The air and gas, or the carburetted hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, will
then as they are forced from the pumps meet in regulated quantities in

page_text: a mixing chamber in which should be a small fan or a series of revolving
jets or some similar contrivance enclosed in a case provided with
suitable inlet and outlet. The force of the mixture from the pumps will
cause the fan or jets to revolve very rapidly, thus amalgamating the
two fluids as they pass through a series of perforated plates or layers of
wire gauze into the explosion chamber. The perforated plates or wire
gauze will further facilitate the mixing; and also with the addition of
a check valve in the tube will thoroughly prevent any possibility of a
backward explosion. When the explosion chamber is thoroughly
charged the mixture is exploded by any suitable medium; but I prefer
an outside light, either an electric spark or otherwise, placed near a
touch-hole which should be near the top of the explosion chamber (the
touch hole should have a valve, very small, to prevent air entering the
chamber). The whole effective power of the explosion can thus be made
to act on any well-known machine or engine for transmitting power,
such as the cylinder and piston of an ordinary high-pressure steam
engine, or any modification thereof, or a turbine or other rotary engine,
or to compress air into a receiver, which will then act as a substitute for
steam to an ordinary engine, or to raise and force water for the purpose
of transmitting power, or to be used as a fire engine, or for other
purposes, such as supplying towns, buildings, &c. with water, and
further it can be used effectively for ejecting a stream of engine with
great force for the propulsion of ships or vessels of any description.
Thus, the gas being generated as described the pumps draw and measure
the quantities of air and gas or gases, they are mixed in the mixer, the
explosion chamber is charged, an explosion takes place, the power is
transmitted to some engine, the pumps are attached to the said engine
which will keep them at work alternately filling and discharging into
the explosion chamber and so keeping up a continual power as long as
the heat and supply of hydrocarbon liquid is continued. The pumps
will require to be started by hand, but after the first explosion takes
place the power generated by it will suffice to maintain their working.
To stop the engine it will be necessary only to stop the supply of gas,
which can be done instantaneously. As the explosion chamber at first
starting is charged with atmospheric air the explosive mixture will of
course force it and through a valve at the top, but I prefer only to work
the gas pump until the first explosion has taken place.
The novelty consists of, first, the generating gas; second, measuring
the quantities to form the explosive mixture; third, the mixing beforo

page_text: entering the explosion chamber; fourth, a separate explosion chamber
which may be of any required capacity. The advantages are economy
with an almost unlimited power.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner it is to be performed and carried out, I wish it to be clearly
understood that I simply claim the Invention as a prime mover apart
from all methods or means of application or of transmitting the power,
nor do I limit myself to the details in the Drawings, as they may be
altered without departing from the principle of the said Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is the plan, the letters and figures are the same as in Figure 2;
Figure 2 shows sectional elevation; A is the cistern or reservoir of
hydrocarbon liquid, a' tube with regulating tap to supply generating
chamber, B is the generating chamber with a lamp or other means of
heating the same underneath, for the purpose of converting the hydro-
carbon liquid into gas; b¹ is a pressure guage to indicate the pressure
of gas in chamber; 6" is a safety valve for the double purpose of
allowing the atmospheric air to escape whilst the chamber is being
first charged with gas, and also to prevent an undue pressure of gas;
Z is a tube leading from the generating chamber to the gas holder, or
when the holder is not used to be taken direct to the gas pump; 6111 is
a stop-cock to shut off the supply of gas which will stop the operation;
X is the gas holder; C, C, are a pair of pumps or a series of pumps,
as may be required, secured on a frame or standards for drawing and
forcing the explosive mixture through the mixer into the explosion
chamber, thus measuring and mixing in its transmission; c' is a slot
cut in a crank or disc fitted with a stud screw and nut attached to the
pump rod, for the purpose of shortening or lengthening the stroke as
may be required, and as both or all the pumps are fitted in the same
manner the throw can be regulated at pleasure; c¹¹ is the driving pulley
which is attached to the transmitted power by a strap or otherwise to
the shaft of which is also attached a handle for first starting the pump
as before described; c¹¹¹, c, are the ejection tubes from the pumps
meeting at an angle previous to entering the mixer; D is the mixer,
which is a small fan in a cylindrical case with a rotary motion given by
the blast from the pumps; d, d¹, d³, are a series of perforated plates
or layers of wire gauze; d" is the tube from the mixer to the explosion
chamber, which is supplied with a check valve and a stop-cock, and also

page_text: with layers of wire gauze to prevent a backward explosion; E is the explo-
sion chamber which must be made very strong; e¹ is a cock to be
opened when necessary to expel the atmospheric air; e" is the touch.
hole fitted with a very small and light valve, so that the least pressure
is inside the chamber will open it; e¹¹¹, el, are the points for an electric
or other light to ignite the explosive mixture when the chamber is
fitted; is the escape passage of the explosion; F is a check valve
with a long shank to prevent the back passage of the foul air produced
by the explosion; H is a cylinder and piston. The space in the cylinder
above the piston is filled with atmospheric aid admitted through the
valve ¹, and when the piston is forced up by the power of the explo-
sion, this air is expelled through the valve h¹ and compressed into the
air reservoir K, the piston will then return by its own weight and
atmospheric pressure, at the same time ejecting the foul air through
the valve and tube, and so on alternately with every explosion.
The air can be thus compressed to any degree) and may be employed in
lieu of steam to work any ordinary engine.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Astrop, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM ASTROD
WILLIAM ASTROP. (L.S.)