A NEW OR IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC VEHICLE DISPENSING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION SE POWER IN TRAMWAY TRAC
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinando Tommasi, of Paris, in the Depart-
ment of the Seine, and Republic of France, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC VEHICLE DISPENSING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinando Tommasi
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th October 1874.
.
I, FERDINANDO TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine
and Republic of France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC VEHICLE DISPENSING
WITH HORSE POWER IN TRAMWAY TRACTION," to be as follows :-
―
My new or improved vehicle is constructed like ordinary tramway
cars, but also carries its own motive-power mechanism, which is com
posed and placed as herein-after set forth.
Mechanism Placed Beneath the Flooring of the Vehicle.-Three
cylinders of wrought or cast iron, copper, bronze, steel, or other metal

page_text: are filled with liquid (oil, glycerine, or other suitable liquid), and lined
internally with an insulating substance of any kind. Into the liquid
contained in each cylinder dip a certain number of small tubes of copper
or other metal, all bent into the form of a very elongated U. The two
ends of each tube terminate each in one of two basins held in a piece of
bronze, upon which all the tubes are fixed and soldered. A bronze
washer fits on the two basins so as to completely separate them. Two
tubes are fixed on this washer in suchwise that each tube corresponds
with a basin. The result of this arrangement is that by causing heat
(steam, water, glycerine, oil, or other heated liquid) to penetrate into one
of these tubes this heat immediately spreads by one of the basins into
one of the ends of all the small tubes, and also immediately issues by
the opposite end of the small tubes and by the other basin. The oil
or the glycerine contained in the cylinder heated by the contact of the
small tubes in which circulate the heat expands and drives out a plunger
piston contained in the cylinder. This piston pushes before it a rack,
which acts upon a pinion in such a manner that by reason of its toothing
this pinion accomplishes an entire revolution for each stroke of the
aforesaid piston. At the moment that the piston reaches the end of its
stroke the circulation of the heat in the small tubes is suddenly replaced
by the aid of a mechaism nearly analogous to that of distributing boxes
by a circulation of cold (water, glycerine, oil, or other cooled liquid),
which by rapidly condensing the oil or glycerine contained in the
cylinder drives back the piston, drawn as it is by a spring or counter-
weight which it has displaced in its forward stroke. The arrangement
of the teeth of the rack in relation to those of the pinion is such that
when this rack comes backward it slides upon the pinion without
causing it to turn. The three cylinders are all arranged in the same
manner and act upon three pinions fixed on the same shaft. The slide
valves are set in motion by cams or eccentrics set on this shaft in such a
manner that by the effect of the distribution there is always in full
working stroke will the others are coming back or arrive at the end of
their stroke. The above-mentioned shaft also carries in addition to the
three pinions two wheels or pulleys, which gear with two other pinions
fixed upon a second shaft, and this latter by means two other wheels
or pulleys gears with two pinions fixed upon the actual axle of the
driving wheels of the vehicle. The result of these gearings is to change
each stroke of the pistons into 16 revolutions of the driving wheels of
the vehicle, which comes to 12 miles an hour, assuming the diameter of

page_text: the driving wheels to be 3 feet, and that the stroke of each piston is
accomplished in 10 seconds.
A special mechanism permits the intervention of another toothed
wheel or pulley between the axle of the driving wheels and the second
shaft, which by reversing the movement of the driving wheels permits
the engine driver to back the vehicle, a lever being placed within his
reach for this purpose.
4°. The lever for causing the vehicle to move backward.
The heating apparatus is composed of a boiler filled with a liquid
intended to be heated to the highest possible degree to circulate by
turns in the small tubes of each cylinder. The heat is produced and
maintained therein either by the combustion of a gas (lighting gas,
hydrogen, oxydic, or other gas), or by any other suitable means.
If gas
is preferred the supply of this gas necessary to the accomplishment of
the journey from one station to another will be compressed into a receiver
suitably arranged and placed. The heated liquid after having circulated
in the small tubes comes back into the boiler by the aid of 4 pump,
which acts upon the heated liquid simply by the intermediary of a
certain quantity of air. In order that the circulation of this liquid may
take place very rapidly within the small tubes there will have been
introduced into the boiler a certain quantity of compressed air, the
tension of which is constant because the volume of the liquid is always
the same. Manometers, tubes for guaging level, and thermometers
suitably placed permit the engine driver to regulate at will the tempe-
rature and the pressure of the liquid used.
The cooling apparatus is composed of a receiver in the form of a small
tubular boiler, the outside of which is everywhere in contact with a
refrigerating mixture constantly maintained in a receiver, into which
the aforesaid tubular boiler is wholly plunged. The liquid contained in
this boiler is cooled as much as possible, and after having in its turn
circulated in the small tubes comes back into the boiler by the aid of

page_text: an ordinary pump. In order that the circulation of the cold liquid
may take place with the same speed as the other a certain quantity
of compressed air has also been introduced into the boiler containing
it, the pressure of this compressed air being constant because the
volume of the liquid is always the same. The pumps which bring back
the hot and cold liquid into their respective receivers are set in motion
either by the axle of the driving wheels or by the second shaft.
The tubes which lead the hot and cold liquids into the distributing
boxes have each a regulating and a working cock. The two working.
cocks are joined together; the one is furnished with a crank and the 1
other with an index turning on a dial. Upon this dial are placed the
words "go on," "easy," "stop," and according to the position of the
index the vehicle will 65
go on, ease its speed, or stop.
Arrangement of the Wheels of the Vehicle.-The vehicle has six
wheels. Two wheels (the driving wheels) fixed upon their axle in con- 1
nection with the arrangements above set forth. The other four wheels
turn upon two axles fixed on a frame attached to the vehicle by a pivot
in its centre. This arrangement permits the vehicle to accomplish the
evolutions required. to pass over without inconvenience any curves of
the way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ferdinando Tommasi in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINANDO
TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic of 2
France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, 3
give and grant unto me, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, Her special
licence that I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should-at any time agree with,

page_text: and no others, from time to time and 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED
HYDRO-THERMIC VEHICLE DISPENSING WITH HORSE Power in Tramw▲y Traction,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ferdinando
Tommasi, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawing, and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon, Figure 1 being a plan view of a machine embodying
my Invention, and Figure 2 an elevation of same, similar letters of
reference denoting similar parts in each of the Figures respectively.
This vehicle is constructed like ordinary tramway carriages, but with
the addition of its own driving mechanism, which is composed and
placed as set forth in the following description :-
Mechanism Placed Beneath the Floor of the Carriage.-Four cylin<
3ders of cast or wrought iron, copper, bronze, steel, or any other metal
are filled with liquid (oil, glycerine, petroleum, or other liquid), and are
lined interiorly with an insulating substance of any kind (see I, K,
L, M). Into the liquid contained in each cylinder plunge a certain
quantity of small tubes of copper or other metal, all bent into the form
of a very much lengthened U. The two ends of each tube terminate
each in one of the two basins formed upon a washer of bronze or other
metal (upon which all the tubes are fixed and soldered) by another
washer, which fits upon the first in suchwise that this is divided into
two basins completely separated from each other. Two tubes are fixed
upon the upper washer, each tube corresponding with a basin (see O).
The result of these arrangements is that by causing heat (steam, water,
glycerine, oil, or other heated liquid), to penetrate into one of these

page_text: .
tubes this heat immediately spreads by one of the basins into one of the
ends of all the small tubes, and also immediately issues by the other
tube passing out of the opposite end of all the small tubes and by the
other basin. The liquid contained in the cylinder, heated by the contact
of the small tubes in which circulates the heat, expands and drives out a t
plunging piston R contained in the same cylinder. This piston pushes
before it a rack S which acts on the pinion T, so that by means of the
toothing the pinion makes half a turn for each stroke of the aforesaid
piston. At the moment that this piston reaches the end of its stroke
the circulation of the heat in the small tubes is suddenly replaced by 1
the aid of a mechanism nearly similar to that of the slide boxes
(see P, V, U,) by a cold circulation produced either by water or any
other cold liquid, or by a current of compressed air, which in vaporizing
the liquid filling the tubes takes away from these latter and from the
liquid into which they plunge the quantity of heat, by the withdrawal ]
of which this liquid being rapidly condensed drives back the piston R
drawn as it is by the beam Q set in motion by the other piston, which
at this moment advances in its turn. The arrangement of the teeth of
the rack in relation to those of the pinion is such that when this rack
returns backward it slides on the pinion without turning it. The four
cylinders are all arranged in the same manner and act upon four pinions
fixed on the same shaft. The slide valves are set in motion by two
eccentrics U set on this shaft, so that by means of the distribution there
is always one piston in full stroke, while the others return, reach the end
of their stroke, or are about to begin the stroke. Two other
eccentrics U¹ set in motion the boxes P¹, which cause the separate issue
of the hot and cold liquids which have circulated in the small tubes in
order that both the one and the other may be utilized. The eccentrics U
and Uare not set like ordinary eccentrics, that is to say, at a right angle
to their respective cylinders, but almost in a right line with them. The a
slide arrangement of the connecting rod (see V) permits the eccentric to
act on the boxes only at the last moment of the stroke, and consequently
in an almost instantaneous manner. In addition to the four pinions the
aforesaid shaft carries two wheels or toothed pulleys which act upon
two other pinions set upon a second shaft, and this latter by means of
two other wheels or toothed pulleys acts upon two pinions fixed upon
the axle of the driving wheels of the carriage. The result of these
toothed gearings is that each piston stroke gives eight revolutions of the
driving wheels of the carriage, equal to a speed of about nine miles an

page_text: The heating apparatus is composed of a boiler filled with a liquid
intended to be heated to the highest possible degree to circulate by
turns in the small tubes of each cylinder. The heat is produced and
kept up therein either by the combustion of some kind of fuel (coal,
coke, charcoal, or other fuel), or by the combustion of a gas (lighting gas,
hydrogen, oxydric, or other gas), or by other suitable means, and pre-
ferably by ingots or bars of metal heated to a white heat and placed in
fubes full of oil, which plunge into the liquid, the heat of which is to be
preserved. If gas is adopted the supply of this gas necessary for the
accomplishment of the journey from one station to another will be
compressed into a receiver suitably arranged and placed. The heated
liquid after having circulated in the tubes returns to the boiler by the
aid of a pump set in motion by the eccentric N, and fed by the hot
liquid issuing from the small tubes without mixture of cold liquid by
means of the delivery or outlet slide boxes P¹. In order that the
circulation of this liquid may take place with rapidity in the small
tubes care will be taken to introduce into the boiler a certain quantity
of compressed air, the pressure of which is constant because the volume
of the liquid is always the same. If the liquid produces steam the
compressed air may be dispensed with, the pressure of the steam pro-
ducing the same effects upon the liquid. Suitably placed steam guages,

page_text: water guages, and thermometers permit the engine driver to regulate at
will the temperature and the pressure of the liquid in question.
The cooling apparatus is composed of a receiver in the form of a small
tubular boiler, the outer surface of which is everywhere in contact with
⚫ a cooling or refrigerating mixture constantly kept up in a receiver, in 5
which the aforesaid tubular boiler is entirely plunged. The liquid
contained in this boiler cools as much as possible, and after having in its
turn circulated in the small tubes comes back into the boiler by means
of a pump worked by the eccentric N¹ and fed by the cold liquid issuing
from the small tubes without being mixed with the hot liquid by means 1
of the delivery slide boxes P'. In order that the circulation of the cold
liquid may take place with the same speed as the other, care is taken also
to introduce into the boiler containing it a certain quantity of com-
pressed air, the pressure of which is constant because the volume of the
liquid is always the same.
The tubes which lead the hot and cold liquids from the respective
receivers into the slide boxes have each a regulating cock and a driving
cock. The two driving or governing cocks are connected; the one has
a handle, and the other an index turning on a dial. Upon this dial are
engraved the words "go on," "slacken speed," stop," and according
to the position of the index the carriage travels, slackens speed, or
stops.
.
រ
Arrangement of the Wheels of the Carriage.-The carriage has six
wheels, two wheels (the driving wheels) are fixed on their axle, as above
set forth, the other four wheels turn upon two axles fixed upon a frame 2
attached to the carriage by a pivot in the centre. This arrangement
permits the carriage to perform the necessary evolutions for conveniently
passing over curves in the way.
To avoid confusion the mechanism placed upon the platform and the
arrangement of the wheels which I have just described are not shown on g
the Drawings, and the more so because it is not in this arrangement of
the wheels, nor in the greater part of this mechanism that consists this
Invention of an improved hydro-thermic carriage for tramways.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as {
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
The use of racks, pinions, and toothed wheels as intermediaries

page_text: between the motive power produced by the successive and alternate
expansion and condensation of the liquid, and the driving wheels of the
carriage, in order to change the powerful but relatively slow move-
ment of this motive power into a movement of the wheels more
accelerated, although proportionately less powerful.
Also the use for cooling and condensing the liquid into which the
small tubes are plunged of a current of compressed air, which in
vaporizing the liquid with which these tubes are filled takes away from
them as well as from the liquid into which they are plunged the
quantity of heat required to permit the cooling and condensation of this
liquid, this arrangement also permitting the utilization of the heat
employed in the expansion, because the vaporized liquid in again con-
densing yields to the liquid with which it is in contact a great part of
the heat which it has absorbed in its latent condition at the moment that
it was vaporized by the current of compressed air produced by the
machine itself or any other suitable means.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
PAUL PERROT,
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI. (L.S.)