A New or Improved Heat Engine or Thermic Motor.
Year: 1893

page_text: te of Application. 23rd May, 1893-Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Heat Engine or Thermic Motor.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Emile Gobbe of Jumet in the
Kingdom of Belgium Engineer) and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a heat engine or thermic motor which as described by
my foreign correspondent derives its motive power from the expansion of solid
bodies in distinction from the motive power engines heretofore constructed which
utilise the expansion of air gases or vapours.
Take a wire or preferably a bundle or coil of wires of considerable length
having one extremity attached to a fixed joint whilst the other extremity is
arranged to act upon a crank pin. By so arranging the wire as to admit of its
being quickly heated and cooled alternately successive expansions and contractions
will be produced of sufficient amplitude to produce a reciprocating movement.
analogous to that of the piston of a steam engine. In fact by employing steel
wires 100 metres in length for example and raising their temperature to the extent
of 300 degrees centigrade the resulting expansion produces an elongation of the
wire of about 40 centimetres (0m 40) and on cooling the power developed is equal
to 0m 40 multiplied by the load which the wires are capable of sustaining. This
load being considerable it will be understood that the power thus obtained will be
great provided that the bundle of wires can be heated and cooled with sufficient
rapidity which can be readily accomplished as wires possess the property of very
rapidly absorbing heat from flames or hot gases with which they are brought in
contact.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now.
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same numerals of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates in longitudinal vertical section
an example of a motor constructed according to this invention and acting as a
horizontal engine the section being taken on the line A-B Figure 2.
Figure 2 represents this motor in plan and Figure 3 represents the same in
horizontal section.
Figure 4 represents the motor in longitudinal section on the line C-D
Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents the motor in end elevation.
Figure 6 illustrates the motor in transverse section and Figure 7 shows certain
parts in their extreme position as hereinafter explained.
Figure 8 drawn to a larger scale illustrates a detail hereinafter referred to.
Figure 9 illustrates in side elevation and partly in vertical section another
arrangement constituting a motor arranged to act vertically.
Figure 10 represents this arrangement in transverse section.
Figure 11 is a view of the lower part of one end of this motor.
Figure 12 drawn to a larger scale illustrates a detail hereinafter explained.
Referring to the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 the motor is provided
with two series of wires 52 and 52' arranged in coils attached to the extremity of
a strong shaft or bar 1 and coiled upon curved plates 2 supported by small rollers 3.
The said wires form coils arranged similarly to those of a hoist the curved plates 2
representing the sheaves and the rollers 3 representing the spindles of the latter
the movement of the wires being relatively small so that the plates 2 do not require
to form a complete circle as they are but slightly, displaced from their original

page_text: position to which they return after each change of temperature. The object of
this arrangement is to enable bundles or coils of wires of great length to be arranged
in the smallest possible space.
Figure 7 represents the plates 2 and rollers 3 in the extreme position which they
occupy when the wires are at the limit of their stroke or movement in one direction
the plates at the other end of the apparatus occupying a corresponding position as
may be readily understood.
The rollers 3 supporting the curved plates are illustrated in Figure 8 drawn to a
larger scale and are provided with grooves which maintain the wires at the correct
distance apart and cause the sliding friction to be replaced by a rolling friction
which absorbs less power. Moreover as the plates partake of all the movements of
the wires the resistance produced by the flexure of the latter is very slight being
produced solely at the points where they enter upon and leave the plates. The
displacement of the plates relatively to one another is very slight the whole com-
bination being caused to move in the same direction by the expansion and again in
the opposite direction by the contraction.
The wires 52 and 521 after passing over the two series of plates 2 are carried
over cast iron rollers 4 and are all connected together at 5 to a crosshead forming
a connecting rod or pitman 6 whereby the movement of the wires is transmitted
to the pin of a crank 7 fixed on a shaft 8.
As the wires act by traction only it is adviseable to provide two series of wires
attached to two cranks 7 and 71 (Figure 2) fixed on the same shaft 8 and to so
arrange them that one series is heated whilst the other is cooled so that a con-
tinuous action on the motor shaft can be produced. The said wires are enclosed in
sheet metal casings 9 and 91 Figures 3 and 5 which may be provided with an
asbestos lining in order to prevent loss of heat by radiation.
A furnace or fireplace 10 is located between the two series of wires being a gas
generating furnace with a thick layer of fuel supplied with air under pressure from
a fan 12 through an ashpit 11.
The fan is worked by two springs 13 and 13¹ Figures 1 and 2 which are deflected
or compressed by wipers or rollers 14, 14¹ and 29, 29¹ on a fly wheel 15 fixed on
the driving shaft 8. These springs act on pawls 16 driving ratchet wheels 17 to
which a powerful impetus is given at each rebound of the springs thereby imparting
a rapid rotary motion to the fan. This arrangement constitutes a simple mechanical
device for converting a slow speed into a high one.
The air supplied by the fan 12 passes in part into the ashpit of the gas generating
furnace being previously brought into contact with the sides of the said furnace in
order to cool them and recuperate the heat. A valve or register 18 (Figure 4)
enables the amount of air supplied to the furnace to be regulated.
The other part of the air supplied by the fan enters a box 19 whence it is guided
by a valve or damper 20 to one or the other of the two series of wires which it
cools and by which it is heated before being consumed with the gas rising from the
furnace.
The products of this combustion descend in the direction indicated by the arrows
in the drawing (Figure 4) through the series of wires opposite to that by which
the air is heated and after heating these wires escape through a flue 21 to a
chimney 22 (Figure 1).
The furnace is provided with a cast iron lid or cover 23 formed with ribs or
webs (as represented in Figure 4) for storing up a certain amount of heat so as to
equalise the temperature and prevent burning of the wires. A similar effect is
obtained by means of plates 24 situated above the boxes 19 and 19¹. This motor
consequently utilises the principle of the Siemens double regenerator commonly
employed for manufacturing purposes. The application of this principle is necessary
in order to obviate excessive consumption of fuel.
The valve 20 serves to reverse the currents of air and products of combustion
and requires to be shifted from one position to another at each half revolution of
the crank. For actuating the valve a series of levers and connecting rods 25,

page_text: 26, 27 and bevil wheels 28 and 28¹ are employed.. The two rollers 29 and 29¹
(Figure 2) on the fly wheel or pulley 15 are made longer than the rollers 14
and 14 carried by this pulley so that they are enabled to act upon bent levers 25
and 25 Figures 2 and 4 whilst the rollers 14 pass by these levers without touching
them.
These rollers 29 and 29¹ are situated at opposite extremities of a diameter of the
fly wheel being arranged on opposite sides of the wheel so that they act upon the
levers 25 every time that the fly wheel describes half a revolution and, the wires
have arrived at the end of their stroke. When the roller 29 comes in contact with
the lever 25 the rod 26 is rapidly raised which causes the extremity of the lever 27
fixed on the shaft a of a bevel wheel 28 to describe an arc of a circle, the said
bevel wheel transmits this motion to a wheel 28' fixed on the shaft b of the
valve 20 (Figure 4).
A counter weight 30 Figures 3 and 4 is provided on the extremity of a lever
likewise keyed upon the shaft and when this weight passes beyond the dead point
in the vertical line it falls over and completes the movement of the valve 20 and
afterwards maintains it in place until the roller 29' acts in its turn upon the series
of links and levers 25, 26, 271, and wheels 28 and 28¹ so as to cause the valve to
return to its original position and so on causing the air and gases to act on the two
coils or series of wires alternately.
In order to enable the motor to work correctly it is indispensable to make the
wires as tight as possible without straining them. With this object the extremities
of the shafts or bars 1 supporting the curved plates 2 are connected to powerful
screws 31 and 311 (Figure 2) by means of which the wires can be tightened and
may also be slackened when required in order to relieve them from strain when
the motor is not in use although this is not absolutely necessary owing to the
elasticity of wires under tensile strain. This elasticity of the wires has the
additional advantage of imparting great suppleness or pliancy to the motor and
enables it to exert variable power regulated by the tension of the wires and the
temperature to which they are heated. Moreover this elasticity of the wires
enables the motor shaft to continue to rotate without breaking the wires even when
the latter are not heated to a sufficiently high temperature to cause them to be
elongated to an extent equal to the throw of the cranks 7 and 71. In fact if the
elongation produced by the elasticity of the wires is not equal to the diameter of
the circle described by the crank pin the speed acquired will cause the revolution
to be completed by stretching the wires by traction and the power absorbed in
such stretching will be immediately returned owing to the elasticity of the wires
which enables them to act as springs.
The speed of the motor can be controlled by the damper 18 which regulates the
amount of air admitted to the ashpit of the furnace and by the damper 32 which
regulates the supply of air for cooling the wires and also by means of a damper
which may be provided in the chimney.
It is not necessary to provide this motor with a governor as its speed varies
within very narrow limits owing to a certain time being alway consumed in heating
and cooling the wires (about one second being required for wires of a diameter of
half a millimetre) and this time corresponds exactly with one revolution of the
crank. In the accompanying drawing the wires are assumed to be about 5 milli-
metres apart in order to avoid confusion but they could easily be brought nearer
together or even be placed at a tangent to one another in which case in order
that the transmission of heat may take place properly it is advisable to separate
them by a suitable number of distance pieces as represented at 34 and 35 Figure 1
the wires being passed alternately under and over the latter.
In this way or by simply enlarging the coil of wires the power of the motor may
be readily increased without greatly adding to the weight and powerful motors of
relatively light weight are obtained which are well adapted for the traction or
propulsion of vehicles on account of their great suppleness.
A vertical engine or motor with a vertically reciprocating connecting rod is

page_text: represented in Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings being constructed on the
same principles as the motor herein before described.
According to this arrangement the wires 52 in place of being, wound in the same
way as the rope of a hoist are coiled in a spiral upon a central drum similarly to
a clock spring, but as the wires are not sufficiently stiff or rigid to act under flexure
in the same way as a spring the convolutions are maintained at the requisite
distance apart by means of a series of rollers 41 and 42 so arranged as to recipro-
cally support and retain each other in position. These rollers are represented
. drawn to a larger scale in Figure 12. The roller 42 arranged in pairs are
connected at their extremities by very light connecting plates which maintain them
at the proper distance apart without impeding their rotation and notwithstanding
the tendency of the following roller to separate them.
As in the preceding arrangement all the rollers are impelled at the same time
and in the same direction as the expansion or contraction of the wires with a
relatively slight displacement and a rolling friction of insignificant amount.
The wires are connected at one extremity to the central part of the sheet metal
case and are coiled in a spiral passing successively over the loose rollers 41 and
afterwards over the rollers 42 arranged in pairs finally reaching a drum 44 provided
with a number of rollers, the last roller 45 being employed to tighten the wires so
as to enable them to develope the greatest possible amount of power. The tension
of the wires is adjusted by means of a key fitting the square head of the extremity
of the roller 45 and a small ratchet wheel prevents the roller from turning back
when the wires are tightened. The square head of the roller 45 being situated
inside the sheet metal casing it is necessary to provide a door in the side of the
case opposite to the roller 45 to allow of the introduction of a key when the wires
are to be tightened.
Another series of wires similar to that. hereinbefore described is coiled in like
manner but in the opposite direction and its free extremity passes over the drum 44¹
and tightening roller 45.
The drums 44 and 44' being both keyed upon the same shaft 46 and an arm 47
being fixed on one extremity of the said shaft it results from the successive cooling
of the two series of wires that the said arm 47 is caused to partake of an oscillating
motion whose amplitude is proportionate to the length of the wires and the degree
to which their temperature is raised.
A connecting rod 48 is jointed at one end to the arm 47 and at the other
.extremity is connected to the crank 50 of a driving shaft 49 which describes one
complete revolution every time that the wires are heated and cooled.
A furnace 51 (Figure 9) generating gas or flame or other form of heating media
is connected to the casings containing the wires 52 and 521 by a flue 53 provided
with a damper 54.
The ash pit of this furnace is supplied with air from a fan 55 the amount of air
being controlled by a valve 56. This fan also supplies the air for cooling the
heated wires the air being directed to the two series alternately by the action of
a valve 58 and the amount of air is regulated by a valve 57.
The cold air supplied by the fan 55 passes through the passage containing the
valve 57 to the valve 58 by which it is directed into the casing containing the
wires 52 for example where it becomes heated by contact with the said wires and
afterwards mixes at 59 with the gases or heating agents proceeding from the
furnace 51. The hot gaseous mixture thus produced transfers its heat to the
wires 52' and proceeding in the direction indicated by the arrows in the drawing
passes on the other side of the valve 58 through a flue 60 located between the
two casings and escapes into the chimney.
When the wires 52 are cooled and the wires 52¹ heated the valve 58 describes a
quarter of a revolution and is caused to change into the reversed position by
mechanism hereinafter described. The cold air from the fan 55 then passes through
the series of wires 52¹ flue 59 wires 52 and valve 58 to the chimney 60.
In this arrangement the principle of double regeneration of heat is likewise

page_text: applied in order to reduce as much as possible the expenditure of fuel. The
fan is driven directly from the motor shaft by a belt 63 running on pulleys 61
and 62.
The valve 58 is fixed on a rock shaft 70 projecting at the exterior of the sheet
metal casing enclosing the wires and has fixed on its extremity two levers 71
and 71 and a counterweight 72. Either the lever 71 or the lever 71' is always in
contact with a fixed stop 65 against which a spring 64 on the end of a lever 66
also bears and the valve 58 is suddenly thrown over from one position to the other
when the spring 64 escapes from the fixed point 65 and pushes against the lever 71
or the lever 71. The lever 66 is fixed on a shaft 74 to which motion is imparted
by a bevil wheel 67 gearing with a wheel 73 keyed upon the shaft 46 of the
rollers 44 and 41¹.
The shaft 46 being caused to partake of the movements of the extremity of the
series of wires the bevel wheel 67 receives a corresponding movement from the
wheel 73 and transmits the same to the lever 66 the parts being so adjusted that
the spring 64 escapes from the stop 65 precisely at the moment when the wires
and cranks are at the extremities of their strokes.
The reversal of the currents of air and of the products of combustion is thus
produced instantaneously by the rebound of the spring 64 against the lever 71
which is directly connected to the valve 58; the counterweight 72 completes the
movement commenced by the spring and maintains the valve in position until it is
again shifted. When the fly wheel of the engine or motor has described half a
revolution the spring 64 acts upon the other side of the stop 65 and acts on the
lever 71' when it escapes from the said stop thereby throwing over the valve 58
to its former position these operations being automatically repeated during the
working of the engine.
To obtain a motor of considerable power relatively to its weight it is necessary
as in the arrangement hereinbefore described to bring the wires as near together
as possible and if necessary increase the width of the casings 52 and 52¹ as well as
the length of the rollers supporting the wires which may be done without any
material alteration in the other parts of the motor. In order to regulate the
speed it is simply necessary to adjust the valve 56 so as to accelerate or retard the
combustion in the furnace 51 or the valve 57 may be adjusted with the same object
so as to regulate the rate at which the wires are cooled or again the tension of
the wires may be adjusted by means of the rollers 45 and 45'.
The furnaces or fireplaces hereinbefore described may be dispensed with by
simply substituting a pipe supplying gas which can be burned with the air heated
by contact with the wires or a carburetter may be employed for the purpose of
still further reducing the weight of the motor but in the latter case it is necessary
to employ light oils as fuel which would be more expensive than solid fuel.
According to another arrangement the wires may be heated by the waste heat
given off from furnaces employed for various manufacturing purposes or even by
the products of combustion escaping from the furnaces of steam generators whose
temperature is sufficient to heat the wires from 2 degrees centigrade to about 300
and in this case the wires could not be burned as it would be impossible for them
to be heated to an injuriously high temperature.
The exhaust steam of ordinary steam engines may also be utilised for working
motors constructed according to this invention and in this case the wires act as a
powerful condenser of the said steam being cooled by air supplied by a fan.
The wires which form an essential part of the motors according to this invention
may be replaced by thin bands or strips of steel for example by slightly modifying
the construction of the apparatus hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Obtaining motive power by the expansion of solid bodies and in particular

page_text: by the expansion of thin metal sheets or plates or preferably by the expansion of
wires coiled or wound and subjected to tension in any suitable manner so as to
occupy a small space and reduce the friction as much as possible substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The arrangements and combinations of parts forming the improved thermic
motors hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1892
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.