IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATED AIR MOTORS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATED AIR MOTORS." -A com-
munication from abroad by Johann Schmitt, of Coblenz, Prussia,
Manufacturer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 31st October 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Johann Schmitt, of Coblenz, Prussia,
Manufacturer.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming
a part of this Specification :-
This machine is grounded on the principle of the expansion of
atmospheric air through the heating of the same. The warming of the
air is produced by means of tar or other similar cheap fluid heating
material. The aforesaid heating material is placed in a closed cylinder
and ignited; the same continues to burn until the stock of oxygen
contained in the cylinder is exhausted, and then consequently dies out,
but after renewing the exhausted gas through the introduction of fresh
air it can be continuously ignited afresh.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the said machine; Figure 2 is an end
view, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same; Figure. 4 shows detached
portions of the said machine.
The cylinder A is barrel-formed and screwed on a footed frame, the
same may be constructed of thick glass. It is to be filled with water,
almost reaching the upper edge, and carries from this point a reservoir a
for receiving the firing material to be brought into use. This reservoir
a is screwed to a hollow stand b, the latter passes through the bottom
of the cylinder, it is funnel-shaped and projects on the side of the
cylinder until it has reached an equal height with the reservoir con-
taining the firing material, and thus serves for filling the same.
cylinder casing B has a similar form to that of a hat; it is somewhat
wider than the cylinder, and is placed on the same after the manner of
a hat.
The
The casing or sheathing B is constructed of sheet iron with the
exception of the cover or lid C, which is of cast iron as well as the

page_text: ring d at the lower extremity of the casing B, and which serves also
as an air-tight stuffing box to exclude the air. Besides the outer sheet-
iron wall e, there is also a second sheet-iron wall f; these walls are both
firmly rivetted to the cover. An air valve g is also placed in the
cover C. When the cylinder casing B is thus placed over the above-
described cylinder A, the same will slide down with its sheet-iron wall e,
and the ring formed stuffing box d on the outer side, the sheet-iron
wall on the inner side of the cylinder close to the wall of the same, and
through the water contained therein.
The cylinder is filled with water for the purpose of keeping all smoke
and nitrogen gas from, entering and remaining in the cylinder after the
cylinder casing with its cover has descended so as to rest on the upper
portion of the cylinder, and moreover the interior sheet-iron wall fin
passing through the water in the cylinder will be cooled and rinsed by
the same.
This interior wall or partition itself is intended to prevent all
smoke and dirt from coming in contact with the outer wall, the stuffing
box, and the turned surface of the cylinder.
Through the water contained in the cylinder the heating caused by
the friction of the stuffing box against the cylinder wall is prevented,
which can most assuredly be termed one of the principal advantages.
Excessive heating of the cylinder cannot easily occur, as there is an
appointed time, about one second, for firing, after which follow about
three seconds.
The primary cooling takes place in the first second after the extin-
guishing of the flame, through the conducting properties of the wall of
the cylinder casing; the second through the immediately following
steeping of the inner casing wall in the water contained in the cylinder,
and the simultaneous escape of the heated atmospheric air and smoke
through the valve; and lastly, the third cooling is caused by the
entrance of fresh atmospheric air on the ascending of the cylinder casing
with the opened valve.
At the bottom of the cylinder A is fixed a stop-cock 5 for the purpose
of discharging any water that may have become warm or dirty. When
it is requisite to fill the cylinder with clean cool water, an india-rubber
tube is to be screwed upon the afore-mentioned cock; the cock is allowed
to remain open and hold the india-rubber tube at the same level as that

page_text: of the water in the cylinder. Water is now to be poured into the
tubing until it becomes so full as to indicate that the water in the
cylinder has reached the required level. The cock may then be closed.
The valve constructed for the purpose of permitting or facilitating the
exit and re-entrance of the necessary atmospheric air is weighted. from
the other side, so that should occasion require, it will also supply the
place of a safety valve. The valve closes the cylinder from the outer
side.
In the reservoir a containing the necessary firing material is a cover
h arched upwardly and fixed to a rod 12 which passes through the
stand and the stuffing box attached to the same. By this contrivance
I can regulate from below the required level of the said cover for the
purposes herein-after described. Should it, for instance, be desirable
that the firing material should burn less fiercely, but on the other hand
continue to burn a longer time, I lift by means of the rod 12 the
above-mentioned cover somewhat higher. I raise the arched cover
in this manner a little above the level of the firing fluid so that only a
ring is left free to burn surrounding the arched cover which may be
decreased by raising the cover higher until at last nothing but an
exceedingly small ring remains free. The object of the above described
mode of construction is to permit the machine to be worked with less
power according. as circumstances may require or permit, and at the
same time to prevent waste of firing material. Furthermore the above-
described cover may also be brought into operation as follows:-For
instance, when through any unforeseen circumstance, as the entrance
of atmospheric air from the outer side, the flame does not of itself cease
to burn I can raise the cover so high that it comes over the level of the
firing material and so reduces the flame to an exceedingly small ring.
When it is not possible to prevent the entrance of air so quickly as
may be desirable, several small perforations are made in the sheet-iron
cylinder casing wall to permit the free communication of the air
between the two walls and the interior space in the cylinder cover.
The turned outer side of the cylinder A is in the lower half turned
thinner than in the upper half, so that in the former position the least
or scarcely any friction occurs with the stuffing box, while at the same
time the air can pass in and escape without hindrance. The portion
from somewhat beneath the centre to the uppermost edge requires

page_text: air-tight closing through the stuffing boxes. The rod 8 serves to guide
the cylinder casing.
When the machine is in the position shown in the accompanying
Drawing, and I ignite the lamp, lift the weight from the valve of the
cylinder cover and turn the shaft round, one cylinder casing will make
an ascending, and the other a descending movement. The turning round
of the shaft, or causing the same to revolve is very easily effected, the
cylinders being equal in weight. Somewhat before the two cylinder
casings arrive at an equal height the valve of the ascending cylinder
casing is opened by means of a spring and a wick is seen. At the same
moment that the wick appears the already ignited lamp turns over, so
that the wick is likewise ignited.
When the shaft is now caused to revolve a little further the valve
closes itself, and the wick falls burning on the firing material which is
previously prepared, so that the same immediately takes fire. In this
manner the machine is put in motion, while the air enclosed in the
cylinder now begins to operate. In its further operation the machine
keeps itself in motion as long as the necessary firing substance is not
exhausted. There are two cylinders constructed in exactly the same
manner, and gearing with one and the same shaft therefore when
the one discontinues to cause the revolution of the shaft the working
of the other commences. While one cylinder casing proceeds from the
central position of the crank upwards to the highest point of its working
through the expansion of the enclosed atmospheric air, and again then
descending to the central position of the crank through letting off or
permitting the escape of the varnish from the cylinder, and the
consequent contraction of the enclosed air, the other cylinder casing
has arrived at the position mentioned in respect to that first described
as it was ready to ignite its fuel, which now takes place as explained
above.
When one cylinder casing from its lowest position through the
descending motion of the other cylinder casing caused by the contraction
of the air as before-mentioned ascends, the fusee / will remain with its
crook over the pawl n, and makes necessarily in the same position a
mutual ascending movement with the cylinder casing; the wick still re-
mains somewhat below the cover or lid of the cylinder casing. Somewhat
before the cylinder casing has ascended half its distance and has reached

page_text: half the height of the crank circuit, the fusee 1, o, by means of the valve
already opened by the spring p passes through to be ignited. For this
purpose the lever q. is used, which as the cylinder casing continues to
ascend comes into contact with the set screw », and is forced down;
thus ascending the arm catches under the nose s, lifts the rod of the
fusee, and consequently the fusee also.
While the cylinder casing in the meantime ascends further this
lever q does not exactly lift but turns on its axle, and thus alters its
position only. The lever is so constructed that it can cause the necessary
lifting of the fusee. The lever has in the portion with which it lifts a
segmental curving. This is used for the purpose of keeping the fusee
a moment without being raised or lowered while this curving passes by
the nose 8, so that the wick o can be more easily and certainly lighted
by means of the already ignited lamp which has in the meantime arrived
as required.
While the above described operation takes place the lamp turns
itself round by means of the small lever u, and its flame w now comes
in contact with the wick o. This revolving action of the lamp takes
place in the following manner :-The lever by the ascending movement
of the cylinder casing avoids receiving a pressure from the disc q. Now
that the cylinder casing has ascended somewhat, the lever u by means of
its counterweight x permits the lamp to make a retrograde movement
exactly at the time that the lamp is brought away from beneath the
valve, the guide rod of the latter through the ascending movement of
the cylinder casing has arrived at the weight of the valve y which has
also a movable ring z.
The weight overcomes the small spring of the valve, while by the
ascending of the cylinder casing it must be carried with the same, and
the valve in consequence will be closed. An instant afterwards the
cylinder casing commences ascending, when the lever q which has also
removed the pawl n out of the way releases the fusee, which by reason
of its own weight passes through the stuffing box t, and falls below
into the pan, and in conjunction with the wick o ignites the firing
material.
By the aforesaid igniting, the air, which must necessarily rush in on
the ascending of the cylinder casing, may be prevented from putting out
the lamp as well as the wick, the fusee has at its lower extremity a

page_text: horizontal disc to which a pipe 10 is attached, and which opens towards
the side opposite to the lamp. Before the lamp arrives, this disc which
ascends with the fusee has closed the opening of the valve, so that air
can now only find entrance through the above-mentioned pipe at the
opposite side to the lamp, and thus without danger of extinguishing the
wick, fusee, or lamp.
For this reason, as already remarked, the valve is closed previously to
the falling of the wick, and its disc permitting the free entrance of air
from all sides. From the moment that the valve is closed until the
falling of the fusee the burning wick should not be extinguished, there-
fore the valve is constructed with a hollow arching, and does not either
come in contact with the wick or extinguish the same, as under this
arching sufficient oxygen remains to keep it alight, and besides this a
communication with the air contained in the cylinder is kept up by
means of the pipe attached to the before-mentioned disc. This ignition
can very easily be regulated through the set screw, and by means of the
lever the igniting should take place at the same moment that the
cylinder casing has travelled exactly the half of its distance from its
lowest to its highest position. It may, however, take place a little
carlier.
As through the above described operations the enclosed air comes into
immediate contact with the fire it must necessarily become heated, and
consequently expands, thus causing the cylinder casing to ascend with
considerable force. The weight of the valve ascends, resting imme-
diately on the same at the same time that the cylinder casing also
ascends. When, therefore the crank and connecting rod have arrived
at their highest point and air pressure is still found in the cylinder, the
shaft could not revolve further, and a pressure would be brought to
bear on the centre point of the same; to prevent such an occurrence,
however, a lever 2 is attached to the valve which arrives at a set
screw 3 the moment before the aforesaid highest point is exactly
reached. Through this arrangement the valve is opened one or more
millimetres, and consequently the remaining enclosed heated air escapes
instantly, and at the same moment that the cylinder casing commences
to descend the valve is again closed, while the screw ceases to press
down the lever. The passage over this point is accomplished by means
of the two fly wheels 4. In the case where the machine power and
weight of work to be done are equally balanced it is not necessary to

page_text: open the valve as the power will be exhausted at the proper time, that
is at the moment when the flame is extinguished the highest expansion
of the air will have been reached which can be allowed by the rising
of the crank. At the moment when the flame ceases to burn the air will
consequently commence contraction. By a weight of several pounds
per square inch of the interior superficial contents, the cylinder casing
raises itself so that the air is proved to be expanded to double its former
bulk. The time occupied, reckoned from the moment of igniting, is
about one second. When therefore the crank has passed over the so-
called dead point the cylinder casing commences to descend. The
valve carries its weight until it arrives at the half of the distance
when the weight remains hanging on its set ring, and therefore can
descend no further. As the valve is closed from the outside it is now
opened by its spring in case the outer atmospheric air and the air
contained in the cylinder should prove to be of like density. If the air
found in the cylinder, however, is not already sufficiently cooled the
working of the machine is not in the least degree impaired, as the air
can now escape. The quantity lost in expansive power at the point
where the crank arrives at its greatest height by the necessary opening
of the valve is regained by the descending of the crank, for if air escapes
above the valve now remains proportionally longer closed and the
traction power lost in proportion larger. When the cylinder casing
in its descending motion' arrives at the point where the firing is to
be ignited and the weight of the valve is removed and descends no
further, the valve while it closes from the outer side is on descending
further kept firmly closed by means of the external atmospheric pressure
until the air in the cylinder reaches the same density as the atmo-
spheric air, and is thus equally balanced, and at this point therefore
the power which was lost as above mentioned is fully regained. If
the cylinder casing from its present central position of the crank still
further descends, the fusee which rests with its lowest extremity on the
pan can descend no further, thus remaining stationary while its hook
places itself over the pawl n; by the ascending movement of the cylinder
casing which now takes place the fusee can be again lifted and
ignited as before mentioned. As these two cylinders in the manner
described act alternatively the usual serving of the machine is very
inconsiderable. From the fact that the cylinders can be formed of glass,
the advantage thus produced considerably reduces the cost of the
machine, and in this manner proves itself not only an extraordinary

page_text: cheap working power, but it affords the means whereby persons in an
ordinary position of life have the oppurtunity of providing themselves
with machine power.
The great novelty of this machine consists in the construction of the
cylinder and of the cylinder casing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
WM, ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)