Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Sept. 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates generally to gas engines of that class in which a liquifiabic gas
is used expansively, then condensed, then returned and by heating again converted
into gas and thus used over again indefinitely; such matter as for instance sulphide of
carbon or naptha being suitable for the purpose.
The invention relates more especially to an engine in which the heat necessary for
converting the liquid into gas is obtained by the combustion of a portion of the said
gas itself.
The object of the present invention is to provide certain improvements in the con-
struction of the engine with a view to make it compact; avoiding the effect of the
dead point of the stroke; locating its parts conveniently for manipulation; facilitating
the control of the slide valves for regulating the speed and the forward and reverse
movement of the engine so as to adapt it particularly well for use to run the propeller
of a launch boat or other vessel; and also to transmit noiselessly the necessary
positive movement from the main shaft to the valve shaft.
A hollow frame or box shaped casting is employed to encase the engine; its lower
portion being made somewhat in the shape of a trough, bolted by flanges to the
middle portion and extending, longitudinally so much farther rearward than the
middle portion as to leave room for placing the oil pump vertically above the main-
shaft. On top of said middle portion is bolted a valve chest face or slide plane on
which the slide valves work and on top of the said plate or plane is bolted a hollow
cover which forms the valve chest or valve chamber.
From the bottom of the trough which also serves as the base or bedplate of the
engine, project upward cross-partitions which serve as rests for pillow-blocks or
bearings of the main-shaft which is arranged horizontally and is coupled to and in
line with the propeller shaft by a key or spline within the hub of the oil pump
eccentric as will be further described.
A

page_text: The main and propeller shafts have bearings in the end of the lower part of the
frame in stuffing boxes and from the front end of the shaft motion is transmitted to a
valve shaft for operating the slide valve.
The said valve shaft is arranged above and parallel with the main shaft longi-
tudinally of the valve chest and has its bearings in the ends of the same the front end
of the valve shaft projecting through a stuffing box above the main shaft. The valve
shaft is further steadied from lateral deflection by resting in jaws or pillow-blocks
cast upon the slide plane.
The piston cylinders are three in number open at their lower ends and closed at
their upper ends by being bolted through flanges to the under side of the slide plate
the only communication from the valve chest to the cylinders being through the inlet
port which port in a certain position of the valve forms communication between the
cylinder and the exhaust by way of the exhaust port which is also formed in the slide
plate.
The main shaft has three cranks which by pitmans are connected to corresponding
pistons numbered. The cranks are arranged at an angle to each other of 120 degrees
or set as three radii dividing a circle in three equal parts. The valve shaft has three
cranks for regulating the throw of the valves and which are also arranged at an angle
of 120 degrees to each other to correspond with the cranks of the pistons and cylinders
whose valves they are to regulate and are preferably set a little in advance of the
lower cranks so as to give lead to the valve, and thereby effect a free exhaust and an
end-cushion on the up-stroke of the pistons and a cut-off for utilizing the gas
expansively on the downward stroke of the pistons.
The ends of the piston rods or pitmans are ball shaped and simply lodge in corre-
sponding sockets in the pistons a firmer connection not being needed inasmuch as the
working pressure is always upon the pistons on the down stroke only.
By arranging the main and valve shafts parallel with each other the cylinders
vertical and the valve plane horizontal it will be seen that the motion of the slide
valves is at right angles to the motion of the pistons and to the axes of the shaft
thereby facilitating the advantage of a comparatively large and rapid movement of
the valve at the end of the stroke of the piston when the movement of the latter is
slow and small and thereby also enabling a quick opening and cut off of the inlet port
as well as of its communication with the exhaust port into the exhaust chamber which
is simply the interior of the hollow frame or casing.
The slide valves are cach provided with two parallel upright lugs forming a guide
jaw in which is fitted a square slide-block bored through horizontally to receive the
corresponding crank-pin of the valve shaft.
The pistons are all single acting namely on the downward stroke only and each in
turn is moved upward by the down stroke of the others; but their active paths (i.c.
effective to turn the cranks) lap one another whereby the rotary motion produced is
unaffected by the dead points and continues uniform without the use of a fly-wheel.
The automatic oil pump is arranged as before stated upon the rear end of the lower
portion of the frame work above the main shaft and in line with the row of cylinders
in a manner to cause no lateral projections on the frame.
The pump cylinder is provided near its upper end with oppositely placed nipples
for the attachment of in and out-let valves and also oil pipe leading from the tank to
the retort. The pump piston is an ordinary solid plunger which is connected by an
eccentric strap to an eccentric which has a long hub split along one side and
provided with lugs by which and bolts through the said lugs it is tightly clamped
around the adjoining ends of the main shaft and the propeller--haft the aforesaid key
being fitted in a corresponding groove in the hub and in the two shafts thus securing
the three together. At opposite sides through the valve chest are horizontal openings
the former for attaching thereto a pressure guage and the latter for the safety valve.
One opening has a seat at its inner end to receive a valve whose stem works in a
stuffing box a spiral spring (of suitable strength to yield when the pressure of safety
is exceeded) being put upon the valve stem and interposed between the said stuffing
box and the valve proper. A vertical channel connects the horizontal channel with

page_text: the exhaust chamber and the condenser so that when under an excess of pressure the
safety valve opens the overheated gas passes direct through the two channels from the
valve chest to the condenser until safe pressure is restored. The motion from
the main shaft is transmitted to the valve shaft from a crank or wheel upon the
former shaft and a crank or wheel upon the latter through intermediate cog wheel or
bar. If the motion is transmitted by cogwheels the intermediate wheel may be
mounted to turn upon a stud secured to the frame. The upper and lower cranks may
be connected by a bar which has one or more lateral extensions whose ends are con-
nected by cranks of the same length as the cranks on the main and valve shafts to
stationary pins or pivots around which the said cranks revolve.
The same steadiness of movement may be obtained without cog wheels and without
the lateral arms.
This is done by pivoting the centre of the bar to a pin secured to a
parallel piece or block fitted to slide in a vertical slot on the frame. When this
modification is used the upper and lower cranks must turn in opposite directions
instead of both turning in the same direction as they do when the former device is
used and when the cog wheels are used.
In order to regulate the slide valves so as to stop and start and reverse the move-
ment of the engine I have provided the following means:-A crank or wheel is free
to turn upon the valve shaft and to it is secured a block which is of size and shape
adapted to fit and slide in a circular slot in another wheel which latter wheel is
rigidly secured or keyed on the valve shaft. Upon the block is a pin on which is
mounted free to turn a pinion which gears in a cog segment within the rim of the
fast wheel and also with a larger pinion whose hub is bored and fitted to turn freely
upon the elongated hub of the said fast wheel. Upon the hub of the said toothed
wheel is secured a hand wheel by which the gears are manipulated. This consists of
a disc with wooden rim which is fastened by screws through a metallic ring to a
metallic central disc the latter being that portion of the hand wheel by which it is
secured upon the hub of the aforesaid wheel. The central disc has sockets in which
there are spiral springs. The said sockets are covered and the springs compressed
from the outside by a metallic disc which by a nut screwed upon the outer threaded
end of the valve shaft is forced against the said springs thereby also compressing the
central disc of the hand wheel against the adjoining rim with sufficient friction to
cause the said wheels to turn together uniformly as if they both were fastened upon
the valve shaft until sufficient force is applied to the hand wheel to overcome the said
friction. When the parts are together and the engine started the motion imparted to
the wheel or crank is in turn imparted by the latter to the fast wheel upon the valve
shaft by the block upon the wheel or crank which when having travelled to the end of
the circular slot in the wheel carries the latter with it to revolve the shaft and operate
the slide valves. If it is desired to reverse the engine it is only necessary to turn the
hand wheel (or hold it back a little against the motion of the engine) so that by
means of the cog wheel pinion and cog segment the fast wheel will advance on the
motion of the crank or wheel so that the block lodges against the opposite end of the
circular slot thereby turning the valve shaft and consequently reversing the valves
and thereby the engine.
By turning the wheel so that the block be moved to about the middle of the slot the
valve will get in such position that the engine will instantly stop one of the pistons
then being at the end of its stroke and the other pistons having both pressure on to
counteract each other. The combustion chamber is arranged upon the valve chest,
the central nipple upon the top of the valve chest serving to attach the pipe from the
vapor chamber. The feed pipe from the oil pump and naphtha tank enters the lower
end of the combustion chamber, it then runs upward and connects with the upper
end of a pipe which is coiled and the lower end of which again connects with a pipe
of larger size and coiled in an opposite direction to the former pipe and surrounds the
coil thereof.
The outer coiled pipe is connected at its upper end by a casting (in about the shape
of a reverted elbow-joint with the pressure tube or vapor chamber which from there
continues downward centrally through the inner coil and is closed at its lower end

page_text: with the exception of a central pipe by which it is connected to the nipple reading
to the valve chest.
Within the vapor chamber is a tube of smaller diameter. This rests with its
open lower end upon the bottom of the chamber and is partly cut out or notched at
its edge where it joins the chamber leaving openings. The upper end of the tube
is closed except having a central perforation through which a downward tapering
tube is inserted whose upper end is threaded from the inside into á nipple on the
aforesaid casting of a reverted elbow-joint shape to which nipple is threaded from
the outside a coupling of a pipe connecting the tube with the injector.
The tapering pipe or tubo serves two purposes; by its taper to make a tight joint
without extra packing in the end of the tube into which it enters and at the same
time to retain the said tube in an upright position centrally within the vapor
chamber so as to make the annular space between them uniform. An injector valve
serves to stop, start and regulate the flow of the gas to the burner, a vent coupling
serves to admit air forming the connection between the injector and the pipe.
leading to the burner.
The burner is simply an annular casting held in place by being arranged to
surround the pipe at the bottom of the vapor chamber and rest upon the nipple of
the valve chest. The upper surface of the burner is provided at its circumference
with a series of outward flaring holes through which the flame throws against the
coils and other parts of the retort for heating the oil and reverting it into gas.
By this construction the oil entering through the pipe leading to the retort first
passes downward through the entire inner coil thence upward through the entire
outer coil of larger pipe (the said pipo being increased in diameter so to, as near as
possible, correspond with the increased volume of the oil as it is converted into gas
first of lower and then of higher grade or less density) thence down into the vapor
chamber and through the annular space between the said tubo and the inner tube ;
thence the greater portion and the densor portion of the gas enters through the
openings at the bottom edge of the inner tube and through the pipe leading to the
steam chest and thence through the cylinders.
At the same time a portion of the highest grade of the gas or that which has the
least density passes up into the inner tube and thence to the injector in passing
through which latter owing to its velocity it draws air through the vent and thus
charged with air passes illuminating gas into the burner. Draught for the burner is
provided by side openings at the lower end of the combustion chamber and the gases
of combustion pass up through the sinoke stack on the upper end of the combustion
chamber.
The manner of starting the engine is as follows:-By means of a hand pump air
is forced through pipes connected by three-way cock to the oil tank. A portion of
the oil thereby vaporized returns through another pipe to the retort. The upper end
of the return pipe is perforated so that by igniting the gas issuing therefrom a flame
is started to heat up the retort. The oil valve is then opened and the oil hand-pump
is worked a little to pump oil from the tank to the retort.
sufficiently heated by the flame from the aforesaid pipe the oil converted into gas
passes through the injector and pipes leading to the burner drawing air through the
vent to keep up the flame. The action then continues automatically and the engine
may be started.
When the latter has been
The aforesaid three-way cock is for the purpose also of connecting the air-hand-
pump with a pipe which leads to a whistle and at the same time cutting off the
connection between the pipes leading from the air-pump to the oil tank so that the
air from the hand-pump will rush to the whistle instead of to the oil tank.
Exhaust pipes are used by which the exhaust chamber is connected to the condensing
oil tank.

page_text: A communication from THE GAS ENGINE AND POWER COMPANY, of New York, in
the United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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:
The invention relates generally to Gas Engines of that class in which a liquifiable
gas is used expansively, then condensed, then returned and, by heating, again
converted into gas, and thus used over again indefinitely; such matter as, for instance,
sulphide of carbon, or naphtha, being suitable for the purpose. The invention relates
more especially to an engine in which the heat, necessary for converting the liquid
into gas, is obtained by the combustion of a portion of the said gas itself. The object
of my present invention is to provide certain improvements in the construction of the
engine, with a view to make it compact avoiding the effect of the dead point of the
stroke; locating its parts conveniently for manipulation; facilitating the control of
the slide-valves for regulating the speed and the forward and reverse movements of
the engine, so as to adapt it particularly well for use to run the propeller of a launch,
boat or other vessel; and also to transmit, noiselessly, the necessary positive movement
from the main-shaft to the valve-shaft.
The invention will be hereinafter fully described and specifically pointed out in the
claims reference being had to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which:
Fig. represents a side-clevation of this improved Gas-Engine mainly in section,
taken on the line of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same taken
on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the valve-chest-face showing the
surfaces on which the slide-valves work. Fig. 4. is an end-view of the engine showing
iny improved device for communicating motion from the main shaft to the valve-shaft.
Fig. 1 shows a modification of the same. Fig. 5 is a top view of one of the valves
detached. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the oil-pump, main-shaft and eccentric the
section being taken on the line of Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 is an inside view of the hand-wheel of the reversing gear, showing its central
and intermediate pinions. Fig. 8 is a side-view of the slotted cog-segment into
which the pinion of Fig. 7 gears. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the same on the
line v v.
Fig. 10 is a side-view of the wheel or crank which carries the block and stud of
the intermediate pinion which works in the slot and segment shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the chimney and the retort by which the gas is
generated, the same being shown in position on the engine proper. Fig. 12 is a
perspective view of the engine and chimney seen toward the side and rear of a boat

page_text: or launch in which it is indicated as being placed. Fig. 13 is an explanatory view of
the relative positions of the slide-valve and valve-cranks corresponding to the positions
of the pistons indicated in Figs. 1 & 2. Like letters of reference indicate like parts
in the several figures.
A is a hollow frame or box-shaped casting which encases the engine; its lower
portion A' being made somewhat in the shape of a trough, bolted, by flanges, at a to
the middle portion and extending, longitudinally, so much further rearward than the
middle portion as to leave room for placing the oil-pump vertically above the main-
shaft. On top of the said middle portion is bolted the valve-chest-face or slide-
plane A on which the slide-valves work, and on top of the said plate or plane A² is
bolted a hollow cover B which forms the valve-chest or valve-chamber. From the
bottom of the trough A¹, which also serves as the base or bed-plate of the engine,
project upward, cross-partitions a' which serve as rests for pillow-blocks or bearings
of the main-shaft C, which is arranged horizontally, and is coupled to, and in line
with the propeller-shaft (" by a key and spline c within the hub of the oil-pump-
eccentric, as will be further described. The shafts CC have bearings in the ends of
the lower part A', in stuffing boxes, as shown in Fig. 1, and, from the front end of
the shaft, motion is transmitted to a valve-shaft D for operating the slide-valves. The
said valve-shaft is arranged above and parallel with the main shaft C, longitudinally
of the valve chest B, and has its bearings in the ends of the same, the front-end of
the valve-shaft projecting through a stuffing-box above the main-shaft C, as in Fig. 1.
The shaft D is further steadied from lateral deflection by resting in jaws or pillow-
blocks a² cast upon the slide-plane A². The piston-cylinders E are three in number,
open at their lower ends and closed at their upper ends by being bolted through flanges
to the under-side of the plate A2, the only communication from the valve-chest to the
cylinders being through the inlet-port e, which port, when the slide-valve is in the
position shown in Fig. 2 forms communication between the cylinder and the exhaust,
by way of the exhaust-port e', which is also formed in the plate A. The main
shaft C, has three cranks c¹ c² ³, which, by pitmans, e³, are connected to the corre-
sponding pistons numbered 123. The cranks c¹ care arranged at an angle to
each other of 120 degrees or set as three radii dividing a circle in three equal
parts.
The valve-shaft D has three cranks d for regulating the throw of the valves, and
which are also arranged at an angle of 120 degrees to each other, to correspond with
the cranks of the pistons and cylinders, whose valves they are to regulate, and are
preferably set a little in advance of the lower cranks so as to give lead to the valve,
and thereby effect a free exhaust and an end-cushion on the upstroke of the pistons,
and a cut off for utilizing the gas expansively on the downward stroke of the pistons.
The ends of the piston-rods or pitmans are ball-shaped and simply lodge in corre-
sponding sockets in the pistons, a firmer connection not being needed, in as much as
the working-pressure is always upon the pistons on the downstroke only. By arranging
the crank-shafts (D), parallel with each other, the cylinders vertical and the valve-
plane horizontal, it will be seen that the motion of the slide-valves is at right angles
to the motion of the pistons and to the axis of the shafts, thereby facilitating the
advantage of a comparatively large and rapid movement of the valve at the end of
the stroke of the piston when the movement of the latter is slow and small, and
thereby also enabling a quick opening (and cut off) of the inlet-port, as well as of its
communication with the exhaust-chamber, A³, which is simply the interior of the
hollow frame or casing A.
The slide-valves Fee Figs. 2 & 5) are each provided with two parallel upright
lugs forming a guide-jaw in which is fitted a square slide-block bored through hori-
zontally to receive the corresponding crank-pin of the valve-shaft D; f is the induction-
opening of the valve, which, when above the port e, admits the live or pressure-vapor
from the valve-chest to the cylinder; between the lips of the valve is the ordinary
arch or channel which, when in the position shown in Fig. 2, forms communication
between the port e and the exhaust port e'.
In the diagrams, in Fig. 13, the relative positions of the cranks of the valve-shaft,

page_text: and those of the main shaft are shown, respectively, in the circles above and below
the valve-port sections, and the first three of these latter indicate the corresponding
positions of the respective valves in accordance with the positions of the pistons 1, 2, 3,
in Figs. 1 & 2, and, for convenience of comparison, are marked with the respective
numbers on the pistons, the arrows indicating the direction of the motion. It will be
seen that the cylinder of piston 1 is about to receive live pressure-gas and the
piston about to start on the downstroke: Nr. 2 has started on the upstroke and is
exhausting: Nr. 3, which is at the same elevation as Nr. 2, but yet moving downward,
has its inlet-port e closed by the valve and is impelled by the expansion of the enclosed
or cut off vapor. The three last or lowest valve-port-sections in Fig. 13 indicate the
relative positions of the valves at the end of one-fourth revolution. The valves of
Nr. 1 & 2 are moving in directions opposite to those before; piston Nr. 1 is half way
on the down stroke and its valve has cut off; Nr. 2 is about of its way on the
upstroke and is yet exhausting and Nr. 3 has started on its upstroke and is also
exhausting. The pistons are all single-acting, namely on the downward stroke only,
and each, in turn, is moved upward by the downward stroke of the others; but their
active paths (i.e. effective to turn the cranks) lap one another, whereby the rotary
motion produced is unaffected by the dead points and continues uniformn, without the
use of a fly-wheel. The automatic oil-pump is arranged, as before stated, upon the
rear end of the trough A¹, above the main shaft and in line with the row of
cylinders E, in a manner to need no lateral projections on the frame.
G is the pump-cylinder, shown in Fig. 6 with the cap removed and provided near
its upper end with oppositely placed nipples g for the attachment of in- and outlet-
valves (not shown in the drawing, except at G in fig. 12) and an oil-pipe, n, leading
from the tank to the retort.
The pump-piston is an ordinary solid plunger which is connected by an
eccentric-strap g² to an eccentric H which has a long hub h split along one side and
provided with lugs h' by which, and bolts through the said lugs, it is tightly clamped
around the adjoining ends of the main-shaft C and the propeller-shaft C, the aforesaid
key c being fitted in a corresponding groove in the hub h and in the two shafts; thus
securing the three together, as plainly shown in Fig. 1 & 6. At opposite sides
through the valve-chest are horizontal openings 6', the former for attaching thereto
a pressure guage W, (see Figs. 2 & 12) and the latter for the safety-valve. The
channel b has a seat at its inner end to receive the valve b, whose stem works in a
stuffing-box 63, a spiral spring d' (of suitable strength to yield when the pressure of
safety is exceeded) being put upon the valve-stem and interposed between the said
stuffing-box and the valve proper b. A vertical channel 62 connects the channel b
with the exhaust-chamber A³ and the condenser, so that, when, under an excess of
pressure, the safety-valve bopens, the over-heated gas passes direct through the
channels 6 from the valve-chest to the condenser until safe pressure is restored.
The motion from the main shaft C is transmitted to the shaft D from a crank or
wheel J upon the former shaft, and a crank or wheel I upon the latter, and an inter-
mediate cog-wheel J, or bar K. In Figs. 1 & 12 the motion is shown as transmitted
by cog-wheels; the intermediate wheel J being mounted to turn upon a stud secured
to the frame A but as the gear-wheels, although they work very satisfactorily, make
some noise during their movement other means have been devised (see Figs. 4 & 5)
for transmitting the motion. The upper and lower cranks I J are connected by a
bar K (see Fig. 4) which has one or more lateral extensions & whose ends are
connected by cranks k¹, of the same length as the cranks I, J, to stationary pins or
pivots around which the said cranks revolve.
By this construction it is easily understood how the cog-wheels may be dispensed
with, and nevertheless positive movement obtained; the effect of the third (and still
better the fourth) crank and pivot being to afford steadiness in the movement and
always keep the bark in a vertical position. In Fig. 4 is shown a modification in
which the steadiness of movement may be obtained without cog-wheels and without
the lateral arms k. This is done by pivoting the center of the bar k to a pin ³
secured to a parallel pioce or block fitted to slide in a vertical slot k on the frame A.

page_text: When this modification is used the upper and lower cranks I, J, must turn in opposite
directions, instead of both turning in the same direction, as they do when the device
shown in Fig. 4 is used, and when the cog-wheels are used.
In order to regulate the slide-valves so as to stop and start and reverse the
movement of the engine, the following means have been provided. The crank or
wheel 1 is free to turn upon the valve-shaft D and to it is secured a block i which is
of size and shape adapted to fit and slide in a circular slot in another wheel L, which
latter wheel is rigidly secured or keyed on the shaft D. Upon the block i is a pin on
which is mounted, free to turn, a pinion m' which gears in a cog segment / within
the rim of the wheel L, and also with a larger pinion m whose hub is bored and fitted
to turn freely upon the clongated hub 12 of the said wheel L. Upon the hub of the
said toothed wheel m is secured a hand-wheel by which the gears are manipulated.
This consists of a disk, with wooden rim M, which is fastened by screws through a
metallic ring m² to a metallic central disk M', the latter being that portion of the
hand-wheel by which it is secured upon the hub of the aforesaid wheels m.
The central disk M¹ has sockets m³ in which there are spiral springs m³.
The
said sockets are covered and the springs compressed from the outside by a metallic
disk m, which by a nut, screwed upon the outer threaded end of the valve-shaft D,
is forced against the said springs, thereby also compressing the central disc M¹
of the hand-wheel against the adjoining rim with sufficient friction to cause the
said wheels to turn togethor uniformly as if they both were fastened upon the
valve-shaft, until sufficient force is applied to the hand-wheel to overcome the said
friction. When the parts shown in Figs. 7 to 10 are together, as in Fig. 1, and
the engine started, the motion imparted to the wheel or crank I is, in turn, imparted
by the latter to the wheel L, keyed upon the valve-shaft by the block upon the
wheel or crank I, which, when having traveled to the end of the circular slot
in the wheel L, carries the latter with it to revolve the shaft D and operate the
slide-valves. If it is desired to reverse the engine, it is only necessary to turn the hand-
wheel M (or hold it back a little against the motion of the engine) so that, by means
of the cog-wheel m, pinion m³ and cog-segment the wheel L will advance on the
motion of the crank or wheel I, so that the block i lodges against the opposite end of
the circular slot 1, thereby turning the valve-shaft D and consequently reversing the
valves, and thereby the engine. By turning the wheel M so that the block i be
moved to about the middle of the slot 1, the valves will get in such position, that the
engine will instantly stop; one of the pistons then being at the end of its stroke and
the other pistons having, both, pressure on to counteract each other. The combustion-
chamber is arranged upon the valve-chest, its arrangement being shown in
Figs. 11 & 12; the central nipple f upon the top of the valve-chest serving to attach
the pipe from the vapor-chamber.
The feed-pipen from the oil-pump and naphtha-tank enters the lower end of the
combustion-chamber, (see arrow 1 in Fig. 11); it then runs upward and connects
with the upper end of a pipe N which is coiled as shown in the said figure, and the
lower end of which again connects with a pipe N. This latter is of larger size
and is coiled in an opposite direction to the pipe N and surrounds the coil of the
latter pipe.
The outer coiled pipe N¹ is connected at its upper end by a casting n' (in about
the shape of a reverted elbow-joint) with the pressure-tube or vapor-chamber 0,
which, from there, continues downward centrally through the inner coil N and is
closed at its lower end, with the exception of the central pipe o, by which it is connected
to the aforesaid nipple fleading to the valve-chest.
Within the tube is a tube P of smaller diameter. This rests with its open lower
end upon the bottom of the tube 0 and is partly cut out at its edge where joins the
Lube O, leaving openings at arrow 2. The upper end of the tube P is closed, except
having a central perforation through which a downward tapering tube p is inserted,
whose upper end is threaded from the inside into a nipple on the aforesaid casting n',
to which nipple is threaded, from the outside a coupling of a pipe, p', connecting the
tube P with the injector Q. It will be seen that the tapering pipe or tube p serves two

page_text: purposes; by its taper to make a tight joint without extra packing in the end of the
tube P, and at the same time to retain the said tube in an upright position centrally
within the tube O, so as to make the annular space between them uniform. The
injector-valve serves to stop, start and regulate the flow of the gas from the pipe p³,
which thence by the pipe q is conveyed to the burner R, a vent-coupling q', to admit
air, forming the connection between the injector and the pipe q². The burner R is
simply an annular casting held in place by being arranged to surround the pipe o and
rest upon the nipple of the valve-chest. The upper surface of the burner R is
provided at its circumference with a series of outward flaring holes through which
the flame throws against the coils and other parts of the retort, for heating the oil
and reverting it into gas. By this construction it will be seen that the liquid, entering
in the direction of arrow 1 through the pipe N to the retort, first passes downward
through the entire inner coil N, thence upward through the entire larger pipe N1 (the
said pipe being increased in diameter, in order to, as nearly as possible, correspond
with the increased volume of the liquid, as it is converted into gas, first of lower and
then of higher grade or less density); thence down into the tube O, and through the
annular space between the said tube and the inner tube P; thence the greater portion
and the denser portion of the gas enters through the openings at the bottom-edge of
the inner tube P, and through the pipe o to the steam-chest and thence through the
cylinders. At the same time a portion of the highest grade of the gas, or that which
has the least density, passes up, as indicated by arrow 2, into the inner tube P, and
thence in the direction of arrow 3 into the pipe p' to the injector; in passing through
which latter, owing to its velocity, it draws air in the direction of arrow 4 through
the vent, q, and thus, charged with air, passes as illuminating gas into the burner R.
Draft for the burner R is provided by side-openings Y at the lower end of the
combustion-chamber (see Fig. 12) and the gases of combustion pass up through
the smoke-stacks on the upper end of the combustion-chamber S. The manner of
starting the engine will be understood with reference to Fig. 12, in which, however,
the condensing oil-tank is not shown.
By the hand-pump T air is forced through the pipe t, three-way cock 7 and pipe t¹,
in the direction of arrow 1, to the oil-tank. A portion of the oil, thereby vaporized,
returns through the pipe 2 in direction of arrow 2 to the retort. The upper end
of the pipe 2 is perforated, so that, by igniting the gas issuing therefrom, a flame is
started to heat up the retort. The oil-valve s' is then opened and the oil-hand-pump V
is worked a little to pump oil from the tank, in the direction of arrows 3 & 4, through
tho pipen to the retort. When the latter has been sufficiently heated by the flame
from the aforesaid pipe 2. the oil converted into gas, passes through the pipe p',
injector Qand pipe to the burner R drawing air through the vent q', to keep up
the flame. The action then continues automatically, and the engine may be started.
The aforesaid three-way cock r¹ is for the purpose also of connecting the air-hand-
pump T with a pipe u which leads to a whistle, and at the same time cutting off the
connection between the pipes t t'; so that the air from the hand-pump will rush to
the whistle instead of to the oil-tank.
U are the exhaust pipes by which the exhaust-chamber A³ is connected to the
condensing oil-tank, the exhaust-vapor issuing in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 12.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
:
1st. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas, the combination
of three cylinders having single-acting pistons, a driving-shaft having three cranks
connected to the rods of the said pistons and radiating from the driving-shaft, a
valve-shaft having cranks set at angles to each other corresponding to those of the
drive-shaft-cranks, and slide-valves reciprocated by the rotation of the said valve-
shaft-cranks, to regulate the inlet and outlet of gas to the said cylinders,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas, the combination of
TR

page_text: working-cylinders arranged in the same axial-plane and having single-acting pistons,
a driving-shaft arranged in the same axial plane as the cylinders and having cranks
radiating at angles to each other and connected to the rods of the said pistons, a
valve-shaft arranged parallel with and rotated mediately by the said driving-shaft, and
having cranks set at angles corresponding to those of the driving-shaft-cranks, and
slide-valves reciprocated transversely or at right angles to the axial plane of the
cylinders, by the rotation of the said valve-shaft-cranks, to regulate the inlet and outlet
of gas to the said cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. In an engine having cylinders connected to cranks radiating at angles from
the driving-shaft and a valve-shaft having similar cranks and arranged parallel with
the said driving-shaft, the combination, with the said drive-shaft and valve-shaft and
with cranks J, I, secured upon the saine, of a bar K pivoted to the said cranks and
provided with a pivotal support intermediate to the said shaft, for transmitting
motion from the said drive-shaft to the valve-shaft, substantially as specified.
4th. In an engine having cylinders connected to cranks radiating at angles from
the driving-shaft and a valve-shaft having similar cranks and arranged parallel with
the said driving-shaft, the combination with the said drive-shaft and valve-shaft, and
with cranks J, I, secured upon the same, of the bar K pivoted to the said cranks and
provided rigidly with one or more lateral arms k pivoted to a crank of the same length
as the cranks of the said shafts, said crank being movable around a fixed pin or stud,
substantially as specified, to transmit motion from the drive- or main-shaft to the
valve-shaft.
5th. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas, the combination of
the box-frame A forming the exhaust-chamber of the ongine, vertical piston-cylinders E
and horizontal crank-shafts C arranged in the same axial plane within the said
exhaust-chamber, the valve-chest B arranged above the said cylinders and having
ports e el connecting it, respectively, with the said cylinders and exhaust-chamber, the
valve-shaft D arranged in the said valve-chest above and parallel with the main-shaft C
and provided with cranks d and slide-valves F and operated mediately from the said
main shaft, and the feed-pump G arranged in the axial plane of the said cylinder g¹
and operated by an eccentric H upon the said main-shaft, substantially as hereinbefore
set forth.
6th. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas, the combination of
the box-frame A forming the exhaust-chamber of the engine, and having its lower
part A extending end wise a distance beyond the upper portion A, vertical piston-
cylinders E and horizontal crank-shafts Carranged in the same axial plane within the
said exhaust-chamber, the valve-chest B arranged above the said cylinders and having
ports e e¹ connecting it, respectively, with the said cylinders and exhaust-
chamber, the valve-shaft D arranged in the said valve-chest above and parallel
with the main shaft C and provided with cranks d and slide-valves F
and operated mediately from the said main-shaft, the feed-pump Garranged
upon the extended lower portion A' in the axial plane of the said cylinders
and shaft E, C, and having plunger g' operated by an eccentric H upon the said
main-shaft, and a shaft C meeting end wise the shaft C and coupled to the latter by
means of the hub h, key c and clamping-lugs of the said eccentric H, substantially
as specified.
7th. In an engine operated by the alternate vaporization and liquefaction of a substance,
the combination with the exhaust-chamber A³ and the piston-cylinders and shaft EC
arranged within the said chamber and with the valve-chest and valves B F arranged
above the said chamber, of the channel having branch-channel-forming direct
communication between the valve-chest and exhaust-chamber, and the safety-valve b
closing against the seat in the said channel at a point between the valve-chest and
the said branch-channel b', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8th. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas and having valve-
shaft D operated mediately from the main or driving-shaft C, the crank or wheel I
free to turn upon the said valve-shaft by motion imparted from the said main shaft
and provided with a stop-block with pin and a pinion m' upon the said pin, the

page_text: wheel L keyed upon the said valve-shaft and provided with a slot to receive the said
block, and a toothed segment to gear with the said pinion and a wheel m movable
upon a hub, of the fixed wheel L to gear with the said pinion m' for advancing the
movement of the said wheel L and thereby of the valve-shaft relativoly to the loose
wheel or crank I, in order to regulate the valve-movement for stopping, starting and
reversing the engine, substantially as specified.
9th. In an engine worked by the pressure of an expansive gas and having valve-
shaft D operated mediately from the main or driving-shaft C, the crank or wheel I
free to turn upon the said valve-shaft by motion imparted from the said main shaft,
and provided with a stop-block i with pin and a pinion m' upon the said pin, the
wheel L keyed upon the said shaft and provided with a slot 1, to receive the said
block, and a toothed segment to gear with the said pinion, and the wheel m secured
to a hand-wheel M and movable upon the hub of the said wheel L, the said wheel L
having flange in contact with an adjoining surface of the hand-wheel, and the said
hand-wheel being provided with sockets m³ having enclosed springs m, and the end
of the said valve-shaft being provided with a disk m³ and a nut to press the said disk
against the said springs to produce friction between the said hand-wheel and the fixed
wheel L, substantially as set forth.
10th. In an engine for utilizing as a motive power a liquid convertible into
combustible vapor at a comparatively low temperature, the combination, with a vapor-
generating retort communicating with the valve-chest and working-cylinder of the
engine, a combustion-chamber enclosing the valve-chest, a burner for heating the
retort, a supply-pipe leading to the burner, an injector opening into the supply-pipe
and a pipe connecting the retort or vapor-generator with the injector, of a tube or
chamber P encircled by the said retort, the said tube having openings around its
lower edge, and connected by a pipe through its closed upper end with the supply-pipe
to the injector, for the purpose of bringing gas of the highest grade and least density
to the burner, substantially as specified.
11th. The combination with the valve-chest, working cylinder or cylinders and
oil-pump of the engine, and with the feed-pipe, the gas-pipe, injector, burner-supply-
pipe and combustion-chamber, substantially as described, of the retort formed of an
inner tubular chamber O, coiled pipe N surrounding the said chamber and a larger
pipe N surrounding the said chamber and coil N and wound in opposite direction
to that of the said smaller coil N, and the reverted elbow-joint n', the said coils N N¹,
joint n' and chamber O forming continuous connection from the feed-pipe n to the
pipe o connecting the retort to the valve-chest, all constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 96th day of September 1887