Improved Means for Facilitating the Starting of Hydrocarburetted- air Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Facilitating the Starting of Hydrocarburetted-
air Engines.
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, Directors of
Priestman Brothers, Limited, of Holderness Foundry, in the Town and County of
Kingston-upon-Hull, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means, applicable to motor engines operated
by the combustion of hydrocarbon vapour or gas mixed with air, for the purpose of
facilitating the starting of such engines.
Assuming our invention to be applied to a double cylinder engine operated by
the combustion of hydrocarbon vapour mixed with air, the liquid hydrocarbon being
drawn from a tank or closed vessel to which compressed air is also supplied, the
liquid fuel and air being thence conveyed to a vapourising or mixing device and the
inflammable vapour so formed being conducted through a heating apparatus to
the motor cylinder, where, after being compressed by the return of the motor
piston, it is at the proper moment fired by means of an electric spark or incandescent
wire, we provide special appliances of the following character.
From the tank containing the liquid hydrocarbon and compressed air, or from an
air-reservoir connected therewith, a pipe is carried to the vapourising or spraying
device, the same passing by way of a coil arranged immediately beneath the vapour
heating chamber, and in such a manner as to be exposed to the flame of the lamp
whereby that vessel is heated. At the same time, by means of a switch of special
design, the igniting devices appertaining to the respective cylinders are arranged
for simultaneous operation.
When it is desired to start the engine, the main shaft is turned till the cranks
(which in an engine of the kind here referred to, by way of illustration, occupy
similar positions in relation to the shaft) arrive just past their dead "centre"; that
The vapour-
is to say, a little beyond the commencement of the operative stroke.
chamber is then heated; the lamp employed for this purpose heating at the same
time the coil, previously referred to and through which compressed air is conveyed
from the liquid-hydrocarbon-tank to the vapourising or mixing apparatus. The
pressure of the air in the liquid-hydrocarbon-tank or other air-reservoir having
been increased, by means of a hand-pump, to one and a half atmospheres or there-
abouts, the connections to the vapourising or mixing apparatus are now opened,,
and a charge of inflammable vapour allowed to pass to the vapour-chamber; this
operation being immediately followed by opening a valve in the supplementary air
connection from the liquid-hydrocarbon-tank or other air-reservoir. The body of
compressed and heated air, thus allowed to pass to the vapour-chamber, carries
along with it the charge of inflammable vapour and passes to both the motor
cylinders, electrical connection to the igniting devices is at the same moment
completed, and the charges are fired in both cylinders simultaneously. The engine
having started, the electric current controlling appliances resume their normal
positions, and, during subsequent revolutions of the engine, act in each cylinder
alternately.
With single cylinder engines, similar appliances may be employed, except that
the specially arranged switch for working two sets of electric igniting devices
simultaneously will not be needed.
Dated this 21st den of Nurambar 1802
.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Facilitating the Starting of Hydrocarburetted-
air Engines.
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, Directors of
Priestman Brothers Limited, of Holderness Foundry, in the Town and County of
Kingston-upon-Hull, Engineers, 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:-
This invention relates to improved means, applicable to motor engines operated
by the combustion of hydrocarbon vapour or gas mixed with air, for the purpose of
facilitating the starting of such engines.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a horizontal double-cylinder oil engine embodying
the present improvements; part of the fly-wheel and bed-plate being broken away.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding rear elevation.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a horizontal single-cylinder oil engine fitted with
the improved self-starter. Fig. 4 is a corresponding rear elevation.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the six-way cock pertaining to the hand-pump.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a vertical or marine oil engine provided with the
new self-starter. Fig. 7 is a corresponding rear elevation.
Assuming our invention to be applied to a double-cylinder engine operated by
the combustion of hydrocarbon vapour mixed with air, the liquid hydrocarbon
being drawn from a tank A formed in the bed-plate of the engine or otherwise
arranged, to which tank compressed air is also supplied, the liquid fuel and air being
thence conveyed to a vaporizing or mixing device behind the casing B containing
the supplementary air inlet, and the inflammable vapour so formed being conducted
through a heating apparatus or vapour-chamber C to the motor-cylinder D or D',
where, after being compressed by the return of the motor-piston, it is at the proper
moment fired by an electric spark or incandescent wire, we provide special
appliances of the following character:-
From the tank A containing the liquid hydrocarbon and compressed air, or from
a separate closed vessel or air reservoir connected therewith, a pipe E is carried to
the vapour-chamber C. This pipe may, however, lead to the casing of the spraying
nozzle, or to the casing B at a point behind the supplementary air valve; free
access to the vapour-chamber C being in either case obtained. This chamber is
heated in the ordinary way by lamps F, F1 beneath the jacket C¹. If preferred,
the pipe E may pass to the vapour-chamber C by way of a coil arranged
immediately beneath the said chamber, and in such a manner as to be exposed to
the flames of the lamps F, F whereby that vessel is heated. At the same time,
by a switch or equivalent device the igniting plugs G, G' pertaining respectively to
the cylinders D, D' are arranged for simultaneous operation. O is a six-way cock
controlling the pipes leading from the petroleum tank A. The hand-lever O¹ of
this cock is in its normal position midway between the stops o and o¹; the various
communications being then shut off. When that lever is against the stop o, the
heating lamps F, F1 are supplied with vapour, but when against the stop o' the
lamps F, Fare supplied with vapour and the spraying nozzle pertaining to
the vapour-chamber C is supplied with air and oil.
When it is desired to start the engine, the main shaft H is turned till the
cranks H', H (which in an engine of the kind here referred to, by way of illus-
tration, occupy similar positions in relation to the shaft) arrive just past their
"dead centre ; that is to say, a little beyond the commencement of the operative
stroke. The vapour-chamber C is then heated until it becomes a little hotter than
during ordinary working. If the coil previously referred to be employed, the
Lamps F, F at the same time serve to heat that coil. In either case, the compressed
.

page_text: air conveyed from the liquid-hydrocarbon-tank A to the chamber C will be raised
in temperature to the required degree. The pressure of the air in the liquid-
hydrocarbon-tank A or other vessel or reservoir having been increased, by a
hand-pump J (Fig. 2), to about one and a half atmospheres or thereabouts (say, to
25 lbs. per square inch), the connections to the vaporising or mixing apparatus
behind the casing B are opened by moving the hand-lever 01 of the six-way cock O
from its normal position into contact with the stop o; a charge of inflammable
vapour being thus allowed to pass to the vapour-chamber. This operation is
immediately followed by turning the hand-lever K, thereby opening a valve in the
compressed-air-pipe E. The body of compressed or compressed and heated air,
thus allowed to pass to the vapour-chamber C, carries along with it the charge of
inflammable vapour and passes to both the motor-cylinders D, D'; electrical con-
nection to the igniting plugs G, G' being at the same moment completed by means
of the switch or other device, and the charges fired in both cylinders simultaneously.
In Fig. 1, the electrical connection to one plug is completed by the finger L
between the forks M, and to the other plug by the tube or block N between the
forks M. As the finger L carried by the rod L' moves forward, it knocks out the
tube N, which, in order that it may not be lost, is attached to the engine by a
chain n.
The engine having started, the electric current controlling appliances act
in each cylinder alternately.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the engine is of the horizontal single-cylinder type, having a
cylinder D and an igniting plug Gx. In Fig. 3, the hand-pump J can be seen in
side elevation. In this engine, the block or tube N is not required, as the forks M¹
are dispensed with.
In Figs. 6 and 7, a vertical or marine oil engine fitted with the improved self-
starter is shown. A' is the petroleum or liquid-hydrocarbon-tank, and A' is an
air-reservoir in connection with the tank A'. Cx is the vapour-chamber. D° is
the cylinder. E¹ is the pipe leading from the tank A¹ to the vapour-chamber C*.
K* is the hand-lever for opening the cock which controls the pipe E¹.
Having now' particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :-
1. The improved means for facilitating the starting of hydrocarburetted-air
engines, arranged or operating substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. In starting hydrocarburetted-air engines, carrying an inflammable charge into
the motor-cylinder or -cylinders, or other combustion-chamber or -chambers, by a
charge of compressed air substantially in the manner herein described.
3. In starting hydrocarburetted-air engines in the manuer referred to in the
preceding claiming clause, the employment of means for heating the charge of com-
pressed air before the latter reaches the vapour-chamber and displaces the
inflammable charge.
4. In starting a hydrocarburetted-air engine by means of a charge of compressed
air and an inflammable charge admitted to the motor-cylinder or -cylinders, or
other combustion-chamber or -chambers, setting the ordinary electric or other
igniting device or devices in such a manner as to effect the ignition of the combined
charges while the engine is at rest.
5. In a double-cylinder hydrocarburetted-air engine furnished with electric igniting
devices comprising a pair of contact-making forks, arranging these devices for
simultaneous operation by means of a block or tube between the arms of one of
the forks, which block or tube is consequently displaced by the movement of the
contact-making finger, substantially as herein described.
6. The improved means for facilitating the starting of hydrocarburetted-air
engines, substantially as herein described, the same comprising a hand-pump for
compressing the air in the hydrocarbon-tank, a compressed air pipe leading from
that tank to the vapour-chamber, a cock for controlling the passage of air through
that pipe, a vaporising or spraying device mounted on the vapour-chamber, oil and

page_text: air pipes leading from the said tank to that device, and burners for heating the
said chamber.
7. The improved method of starting hydrocarburetted-air engines, substantially
as herein described, such method consisting in placing the crank or cranks just over
centre, heating the vapour-chamber, producing a charge of inflammable vapour in
that chamber, admitting to the said chamber a charge of compressed air to carry
the inflammable vapour into the motor-cylinder or -cylinders, or other combustion-
chamber or -chambers, and finally igniting the inflammable charge.
Dated the 22nd day of September 1893.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.