Improvements in and connected with Motors Actuated by Explosive Gases or Vapours and by Steam.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Motors Actuated by Explosive
Gases or Vapours and by Steam.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK MARTIN, of "The Wynters," Ringmer, near Lewes, in
the County of Sussex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
My invention relates to motors having multiple cylinders and employing as
the operating agent either (1) the explosive vapours of petroleum, spirit, or other
easily volatilizable substance of the same nature; or (2) gas such, for instance
as coal gas; and (3) in addition, & when considered desirable, steam.
The motor, the subject of my invention, being among other things easily rever-
sible, is particularly adapted for motor-cars but may be used in all situations
where power in a convenient, handy, and compact form is required.
It will be manifest that the number of cylinders in operation or constructed in
the motor may be increased or diminished according to the work that the motor
is intended to perform, but yet for simplification I will describe my invention
as applied to a motor constructed with three cylinders, the central one employing
steam and the lateral cylinders explosive vapour.
Each of the cylinders is single-acting and preferably arranged vertically, the
pistons are directly connected to cranks situated at equal angles to each other upon
the same shaft.
The cylinders, which in the following description are to be considered vertically
arranged, are cast together upon the top of an enclosed box-shaped structure
divided into transverse vertical compartments in each of which works a con-
necting rod and crank. Each vertical compartment is enclosed at the top by
the base of the cylinder above and by the piston within the cylinder.
The partitions between each compartment descend to the bed-plate, which,
with the box-shaped structure previously mentioned shut in the connecting rods
and crank shaft. The shaft passes through the partitions and projects at the
ends of the structure, the whole being so arranged that there is no communication
between the closed compartments below the cylinders.
Each of the pistons in the lateral cylinders is provided with an upwardly ex-
tending tail-rod around which, and on the face of the piston, a lift or equivalent
valve is situated. The tail-rod extends through a deep cylinder-cover constructed
with suitable ports and passages, so that on a descent of the tail-rod these ports
are uncovered, while, on the ascent of the rod, the ports are closed and the
vaporous contents of the cylinder entrapped.
Air for use with the explosive vapour or gas, to be employed in the lateral
cylinders may be previously heated by passing it through a jacket around the
cylinders. The heated air may then be passed through a bath of petroleum or
the like, or treated in such a way as, for instance, by injecting the petroleum
into the heated air so as to take up vapour and form an explosive mixture.
The admission of air at the proper period may be automatically actuated and

page_text: controlled by suitable valves and, if desired, by a centrifugal govenor or its
equivalent.
The speed of the engine or motor may however be regulated by the amount
of petroleum or the like injected into the heated air.
The working of each of the lateral cylinders is substantially as follows:-On
a charge being introduced above the piston and fired by an electric spark,
incandescent wire, tube, or other suitable, convenient, or well known igniting
arrangement, the piston is driven down until the ports in the cylinder cover are
opened by the descent of the tail-rod. Exhaust then takes place and vaporous
air from the closed compartment enters the cylinder through the lift or equiva-
lent valve or ports. The vaporous air, being under pressure due to the descent
of the piston and to the automatic closure of the air-inlet, blows out the exploded
waste gases at the same time as it fills the cylinder with a charge. This con-
tinues until, the proper proportion of the waste gases being evacuated, the return
of the tail-rod again closes the passages in the cylinder cover and prevents the
escape of the vaporous air. The continued ascent of the piston compresses the
charge, when, the piston having reached the end of its stroke, ignition takes
place followed by an explosion, and the preceeding cycle again performed.
As regards the central cylinder, the steam for use therein may be generated by
the flashing into steam of water injected into it, as for instance by a pump, the
cylinder having been previously sufficiently heated by contact with the lateral
cylinders.
On the other hand, a jacket around the set of cylinders may be employed as
the steam generator, or a water-vaporising coil may be arranged around the
cylinders, the object in each case being to cool the cylinders to a proper temper-
ature and at the same time usefully employ what would otherwise be waste heat.
The water or steam as the case may be would be admitted to the central
cylinder by ordinary and convenient valve-mechanism which would also permit
of exhaust taking place.
By suitable valves and cocks I may cut off the supply to either cylinder when
the work is light or I may simultaneously put all the cylinders into operation
when the work requires it.
I do not limit myself to the number of cylinders in any set which may use
vapour and steam respectively as for one class of work I may have more gas or
steam cylinders than for another class.
Dated this First day of September 1898.
WILLIAM FREDERICK MARTIN.
Improvements in and connected with Motors Actuated by Explosive
Gases or Vapours and by Steam.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK MARTIN, of Ringmer, near Lewes, in the County of
Sussex, Engineer, 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:.
-
My invention relates to motors having multiple cylinders and employing as
the operating agent either (1) the explosive vapours of petroleum, spirit, or other
easily volatilizable substance of the same nature; or (2) gas such, for instance,
as coal gas; and (3) in addition, when considered desirable, steam.
The motor, the subject of my invention, being among other things easily rever

page_text: sible, is particularly adapted for motor-cars, but may be used in all situations
where power in a convenient, handy, and compact form is required.
It will be manifest that the number of cylinders in operation or constructed in
the motor may be increased or diminished according to the work that the motor
is intended to perform, but yet for simplification I will describe my invention
as applied to a motor constructed with three cylinders, the central one employing
steam and the lateral cylinders explosive vapour.
In order to more particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said
invention, I have appended herewith two explanatory sheets of drawings in which
Fig. I represents an elevation upon the line EFGH of Fig. II; Fig. II a plan
upon the line ABCD of Fig. I; and Fig. III a sectional elevation upon the
line IJ of Fig. II.
Each of the cylinders 1, 2, 3, is single acting and preferably arranged verti-
cally. The pistons are directly connected to cranks situated at equal angles to
each other upon the same shaft 4.
The cylinders, which in the following description are to be considered as
vertically arranged, are cast together upon the top of an enclosed box-shaped
structure 5, divided into transverse vertical compartiments in each of which works
a connecting rod and crank.
Each vertical compartment is enclosed at the top by the base of the cylinder
above, and by the piston within the cylinder.
The partitions between each compartment descend to the bed-plate 6 which,
with the box-shaped structure 5, shut in the connecting rods and the crank
shaft 4. The shaft passes through the partition and projects at the ends of the
structure as. shewn, the whole being so arranged that there is no gaseous com-
munication between the closed compartments below the cylinders.
Each of the pistons in the lateral cylinders 1, 3, is provided with an upwardly
extending tail-rod such as 7 around which, and on the face of the piston, a lift
or equivalent valve 8 is situated. In place of this valve, ports with passages or
grooves on the internal walls of the cylinders may be substituted.
The tail-rod, for instance 7, extends through a deep cylinder-cover 9 con-
structed with ports or passages 10 so that on a descent of the tail-rod these ports
are uncovered to exhaust, while on the ascent of the rod the ports are closed and
the vaporous contents of the cylinder entrapped.
Air for use with the explosive vapour or gas to be employed in the lateral
cylinders may be previously heated by passing it through a jacket I around the
cylinders, or by the heat from the exhaust. The air is then passed through a
bath of petroleum or the like, or carburetted as for instance by inspiring or
injecting petroleum or the like into the air so as to take up vapour and form
an explosive mixture. The richness of the mixture may be controlled by suitable
valves or cocks.
The admission of air and petroleum or the like at the proper period is controlled
by a centrifugal governor or its equivalent, the latter also serving by this means
to control the speed of the engine or motor; as an alternative I may vary the
time of ignition by ordinary mechanism. The working of each of the lateral
cylinders and 3 is substantially as follows:
On a charge being introduced above the pistons and fired by an electric-spark,
incandescent wire, ignition-tube, or other suitable convenient, or well known
igniting arrangement, the piston is driven down until the ports in the cylinder-
cover are opened by the descent of the tail-rod. Exhaust then takes place and
vaporous air, or gaseous mixture from the closed compartment 5 enters the
cylinder through the lift valve, ports, or passages.
The mixture being under pressure due to the descent of the piston and the
automatic closure of the mixture inlet K (represented in Fig. I as being seen
through an opening into the box 5) blows out the exploded gases at the same
time as it is filling the cylinder with a charge.
This continues until the proper proportion of the waste gases being evacuated

page_text: the return of the tail-rod again closes the ports or passages in the cylinder-cover
and prevents the escape of the mixture. The continued ascent of the piston
compresses the charge and, after the piston has reached the end of its stroke,
ignition takes place followed by an explosion, and the preceding cycle again
performed.
As regards the central cylinder 2, the steam for use therein is generated by
the flashing into steam of water injected into it, as for instance, by a pump, the
cylinder having been previously sufficiently heated by contact with the lateral
cylinders. On the other hand, the jacket 11 around the set of cylinders may be
employed as the steam generator, or an ordinary water vaporizing coil may be
arranged around the cylinders, the object being to cool the cylinders 1 and 3 to
a proper temperature and at the same time to usefully employ what would other-
wise be waste heat. The water or steam as the case may be would be admitted
to the central cylinder 2, by ordinary and convenient valve mechanism which
would also permit of exhaust taking place.
By suitable valves and cocks I may cut off the supply to either cylinder when
the work is light, or I may simultaneously put all the cylinders into operation
when the work requires it.
I do not limit myself to the number of the cylinders in any set which may use
vapour and steam respectively, as for one class of work I may have more gas or
steam cylinders than in another class, or I may use a gascous mixture in all
the cylinders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a multiple-cylinder engine, the pistons of which are connected to the
same crankshaft, the combination of devices whereby an explosive gas or mixture
is utilized in one or more of the cylinders, and steam in the other cylinder or
cylinders if desirable, substantially as described in the specification and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a motor (receiving an impulse every revolution) substantially as set forth
in Claim 1, the utilization of the waste heat of the gas cylinders for the generation
of steam for use in the same motor.
3. In a motor (receiving an impulse every revolution) substantially as described,
the better displacement of the burnt gases in the cylinder, and the uniform entry
of the live mixture at the opposite end of the cylinder to the exhaust, by means
of a central valve surrounding the tail-rod of the piston.
4. In a motor (receiving an impulse every revolution) substantially as described,
the better displacement of the burnt gases in the cylinder, and the uniform entry
of the live mixture at the opposite end of the cylinder to the exhaust, by means
of grooves on the internal walls of the cylinder.
Dated hi
14
1000