Improvements in Atmospheric Engines, Partly Applicable to other Motive-power Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
Improvements in Atmospheric Engines, Partly Applicable to
other Motive-power Engines.
I, ROBERT MANN LOWNE, of Leicester House, East Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, Scientific Instrument Maker.
My invention relates to a method of obtaining and transmitting power by means of
a vacuum or partial vacuum caused within a cylinder or vessel, the vacuum or partial,
vacuum causing the external air to operate a piston and other appliances for obtaining
motion.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a cylinder with a piston of any
convenient construction which shall fit as nearly as possible air-tight into the
cylinder, and at the same time he capable of moving freely and I employ suitable
guide bars for keeping the piston parallel, such guide bars being attached to the
piston and moving with it. I connect the piston to a connecting rod which is attached
to a crank and shaft carrying a fly wheel. The cylinder, piston, guide bars, crank
and shaft, with fly wheel, may all be of ordinary construction.
According to my invention I form an opening of any convenient and suitable
size at the end, or thereabouts, of the cylinder and I cover this opening with a flap
valve, or other convenient valve which I cause to be operated by an eccentric, cam,
or pin attached to the crank shaft or the fly wheel. Or the flap or other convenient
valve may be operated in any other suitable manner, the object being to open and
close the opening into the cylinder or vessel.
°
Close to the opening into the cylinder or vessel, I arrange a flame or fire caused
by the combustion of gas or gases, gas and air, spirit, oil or any other combustible
substance or material.
The object of the flame or fire is to fill or partially fill the interior of the cylinder
or vessel with flame or gases, or flame and gases at a very high temperature during
the stroke or part of the stroke of the piston. When the cylinder is full or partially
full of flame or gases or flame and gases at a very high temperature then the flap
or other convenient valve is caused to close by any suitable mechanical means and
the flame or gases or flame and gases instantly become cooled to about the same
temperature as the cylinder itself.
The flame or highly heated gases or the flame and highly heated gases on becoming
cool contract according to the difference between the temperature thereof when the
valve closed and that of the cylinder itself. The contraction of the flame or highly
heated gases or the flame and highly heated gases when the valve is closed causes a
vacuum. or partial vacuum within the cylinder or vessel and the external air exerts
a pressure on the piston which forces it in the direction of its stroke and operates the
working parts of the motor.
According to my invention instead of employing, a cylinder and piston of ordinary
construction I may employ a vessel of any convenient form and instead of a piston
I may employ a flexible diaphragm. And when the motor is only required to obtain
a reciprocating motion I may dispense with the crank and fly wheel and may
operate the valve in any convenient manner by means of the motion of the piston,
or I may dispense with the piston and employ the flexible diaphragm operating the
valve directly from it.
When convenient I may employ two or more openings into the cylinder or vessel
and cover them with a valve or valves for the purpose described, also for better
supporting the combustion of the flame in order for it better to enter and fill or
partially fill the cylinder or vessel. I may admit air through the opening or openings

page_text: mentioned, or I may admit air through another opening or openings which I may
arrange and cover and stop the air entering from time to time in any convenient
manner.
The piston as before stated has two guide bars attached to it, 'to the centre of the
piston attach the connecting rod, over the guide bars I arrange a split metallic ring
which fits closely against the body of the piston, over this metallic ring I arrange
another similar ring with its split at a different point of the circumference of the
piston. over this second ring 1 place a plate which fits over the guide, bars and is
kept in position so as to exert a pressure on the rings by spiral springs fitting around
the guide bars and the pressure of which can be regulated by screws and nuts or
by clips and set screws or by any other suitable means.
This method of arranging the piston, guide bars, and packing rings is applicable
as a substitute for the trunk pistons of trunk engines generally. When necessary to
keep the cylinder or vessel from becoming too hot I surround it with water, or with
circulating water in any convenient manner.
The advantages of the motor according to my invention are:-extreme simplicity
of its working parts combined with great power for its size and ease and safety of its-
managenient, also its reliability and steadiness in working.
When working the engine by the consumption of gas employ by preference a
ring shaped Bunsen burner of such proportions as to bring the flame as close as
possible to the opening in the end of the cylinder.
Dated this 1st day of November 1889.-
ROBERT MANN LOWNE.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents..
°
COMPLETE SPELTOALIN.
Improvements in Atmospheric Engines, Partly Applicable to
other Motive-power Engines.
I, ROBERT MANN LOWNE, of Leicester House, East Finchley, in the County of
Middlesex, Scientific Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion, 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 a method of obtaining and transmitting power by means
of a vacuum or partial vacuum caused within a cylinder or vessel, the vacuum or
partial vacuum causing the external air to operate a piston and other appliances for
obtaining motion.
In carrying my invention into effect. I employ a cylinder with a piston of any
convenient construction, which shall fit as nearly as possible air-tight into the cylinder
and at the same time be capable of moving freely, and I employ suitable guide bars
for keeping the piston parallel, such guide bars being attached to the piston and
moving with it.
I connect the piston to a connecting rod, which is attached to a
crank and shaft carrying a fly wheel. The cylinder, piston, guide bars, crank and
shaft with fly wheel. may all be of ordinary construction.
According to my invention I form an opening of any convenient and suitable size
at the end or thereabouts of the cylinder, and I cover this opening with a flap valve,
or other convenient valve, which I cause to be operated by an eccentric, cam, or pin,
attached to the crank shaft or the fly wheel. Or the flap or other convenient valve
may be operated in any other suitable manner, the object being to open and close the
opening into the cylinder or vessel.
Close to the opening into the cylinder or vessel. I arrange a flame or fire, caused
by the combustion of gas or gases, gas and air, spirit, oil, or any other combustible
substance or material.
The object of the flame or fire is to fill or partially fill the interior of the cylinder

page_text: or vessel with flame or gases, or flame and gases at a very high temperature during
the stroke or part of the stroke of the piston. When the cylinder is full or partially
full of flame or gases or flame and gases at a very high temperature, then the flap or
other convenient valve is caused to close by any suitable mechanical means and the
flame or gases or flame and gases instantly become cooled to about the same
temperature as the cylinder itself.
The flame or highly heated gases or the flame and highly heated gases, on
becoming cool, contract according to the difference between the temperature thereof
when the valve closed and that of the cylinder itself. The contraction of the flame
or highly heated gases or of the flame and highly heated gases when the valve is
closed, causes a vacuum or partial vacuum within the cylinder or vessel and the
external air exerts a pressure on the piston which forces it in the direction of its
stroke and operates the working parts of the motor.
According to my invention, instead of employing a cylinder and piston of ordinary
construction, I may employ a vessel of any convenient form and instead of a piston,
I may employ a flexible diaphragm. And when the motor is only required to obtain
a reciprocating motion, I may dispense with the crank and fly wheel and may opérate
the valve in any convenient manner by means of the motion of the piston, or I may
dispense with the piston and employ the flexible diaphragm operating the valve.
directly from it.
When convenient I may employ two or more openings into the cylinder or vessel.
and cover them with a valve or valves for the purpose described, also for better
supporting the combustion of the flame in order for it better to enter and fill or
partially fill the cylinder or vessel. I may admit air through the opening or
openings mentioned, or I may admit air through another opening or openings, which
I may arrange and cover, and stop the air entering from time to time, in any
convenient manner.
The piston, as before stated, has two guide bars attached to it; to the centre of
the piston I attach the connecting rod; over the guide bars I arrange a split metallic
ring which fits closely against the body of the piston over his metallic ring I
arrange another similar ring with its split at a different point of the circumference
of the piston, over this second ring I place a plate which fits over the guide bars and
is kept in position so as to exert a pressure on the rings by spiral springs fifting
around the guide bars and the pressure of which can be regulated by screws and nuts
or by clips and set screws or by any other suitable means.
This method of arranging the piston. guide bars, and packing rings, is applicable
as a substitute for the trunk pistons of trunk engines generally. When necessary to
keep the cylinder or vessel from becoming too hot, 1 surround it with water, or with
circulating water in any convenient manner.
The advantages of the motor according to my invention are, extreme simplicity
of its working parts combined with great power for its size, and ease and safety of
its management, also its reliability and steadiness in working.
When working the engine by the consumption of gas, 1 employ by preference a
ring shaped Bunsen burner of such proportions as to bring the flame as close as
possible to the opening in the end of the cylinder.
And in order thatmy said invention maybe more fully understood and readilycarried
into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to describe
the saine.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan, both partly in section, of an
engine constructed according to my invention. is the cylinder or vessel, is the
piston, e, e, are the guide bars. is the connecting rod, e is the crank, f is the crank
shaft, is the fly wheel, is a pulley for transmitting power. is the opening into
the cylinder, is the position of the flame on entering the cylinder, is the flap-
valve. is the eccentric for opening the valve, is the eccentric rod, is a move-
able projection working on the eccentric rod and attached to a spiral spring
a spiral spring weaker than and which acts in an opposite direction.
is
is a lever.

page_text: attached to the valve spindle and carrying a pin is a connecting piece which
carries the valve i. is a water jacket, m is a ring shaped Bunsen burner, a is a
supply pipe, having a stop cock for admitting gas to the burner m. 2 is a small
pipe terminating with a small jet at which by being lighted will keep a small jet
of gas burning for the purpose of lighting and keeping the Bunsen burner "m
alight, is a screen and short chimney placed partially around and extending above
the burner m, the object being to protect the flame and at the same time create a
draught for the burner. The chimney may be extended in length and carried into
a flue for taking off the products of combustion. but when the engine is worked by
the consumption of gas, as shown in the drawings, the smell of the Bunsen flame
is not greater than that of an ordinary gas stove, and it is quite a matter of taste
whether it is necessary to lead the chimney into a flue or not.
Having mentioned the different parts with reference to the letters, I will now
explain the working action of the engine. For engines such as that shown in the
drawings, when the gas is not permanently laid on, an india rubber pipe is brought
from any gas supply pipe, the size being according to the size of the engine. For
small engines suitable for driving sewing machines, large automatic American organs,
harmoniums, and a variety of purposes taking a similar amount of power, an ordinary
fish tail burner will admit sufficient gas for working the engine at full power, and the
india rubber pipe may for convenience be attached to such burner for obtaining the
supply of gas. The india rubber pipe must now be attached to the pipe and the gas
lighted at the jet. The stop cock is turned on and the gas passes through the
jet and lights as a Bunsen flame at passing up the chimney o. In starting the
engine its working may generally be described as follows:-The fly wheel g. on
being pulled round by hand in the direction of the arrow, draws the piston through
the cylinder, and at the same time draws the Bunsen Hame through the opening hin
the end of the cylinder. The valve is caused to close by the eccentric bef re the
piston finishes its forward stroke. Almost immediately upon the closing of the valve,
the flame which has entered the cylinder contracts and causes #1 vacuum within
the cylinder behind the piston. The fly wheel is still moved by hand until the
crank passes its dead point, then the pressure of the external air forces the piston
back, working the crank and fly wheel with a force according to the amount of
rarefaction behind the piston, the momentum of the fly wheel again draws the piston
forward causing the flame again to enter the cylinder and again to cause a vacuum
in it, and so on as long as the engine runs.
5:
To more particularly describe the action of the engine, I will explain that the
valve is closed by means of the spring and projection butting on the pin at
about three quarters stroke of the piston, and it is held shut by the compression of
the spring by the action of the eccentric. Immediately on the contraction of the
flame, the valve is further held shut by the atmospheric pressure acting on the outer
side of the valve only and holding it against the opening into the cylinder; this
force is exerted upon the valve until the effective return stroke of the piston is com-
pleted, then the valve opens; this is effected by means of the equilibrium being
restored between the inside and outside of the cylinder, at the same time the
eccentric liberates the valve by moving the projection and spring away from
the pin, whilst the light spring pulls upon the pin and opens the valve
directly the equilibrium is restored, and the light spring holds the valve open until
the projection and spring again close it. After the effective stroke of the
piston has been completed, whatever products of combustion may be behind the
piston, are forced out of the cylinder through the opening by the completion of
the stroke of the piston.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of a piston constructed and guided according to
my invention, and which I employ as a substitute for a trunk piston. is the body
of the piston, to which are fixed two guide bars e, c. is a joint and pin which
carries the connecting rod d. 12, 62, are split metallic rings, is the plate for
keeping the rings in position. 6, 6, are the spiral springs for holding the plate 63

page_text: upon the rings ³. The rings are kept by this means in close contact with the body
of the piston b. The springs are kept in position by the clips 65, . The guide
bars c, c, run in bearings, c¹.
The advantages of this piston are, great lightness of running, steadiness of action,
and at the same time it is practically perfectly air-tight. I arrange the split part
of the rings opposite one another and at right angles to the plane of oscillation of
the connecting rod, so that although the body of the piston may wear at the top and
bottom from the angular and oscillating pull of the connecting rod, yet the sides of the
body of the piston are not subject to this wear and will therefore keep close to the
cylinder: this is the reason why I place the split parts of the rings at the sides, for
then the splits do not require any packing, as the body of the piston practically
prevents air from passing.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are elevations showing respectively the body of the piston,
the rings b. and the plate 3.
Figure S is a plan representing a modification of Figure 3. In Figure 8 1 employ
one guide bar & instead of two, and I split the connecting rod d having half on
each side of the guide bar and its bearing; or I may still further modify it by having
the connecting rod on one side of the guide bar only.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is an edge view of the flap valve I preferably employ. It is formed of
a number of thin plates of steel graduating in size.
Figure 11 is a face view of Figure 10. The object of making the valve of a number
of plates is, that they act one upon another in a similar manner to the action of the
plates of a carriage spring and prevent the shock which would otherwise occur
every time the valve was closed.
Figure 12 is a front elevation of an annular Bunsen burner constructed according
toomy invention as previously described.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of Figure 12 and Figure 14 is a plan of Figure 12.
I will more particularly describe the burner with respect to these figures.
m. is a
fla metal box with an opening right through it. Attached to, or part of, m. is a
tube m with a plug in the end carrying the gas pipen and jet n. m is an opening
inp the tube m for admitting air. is a partition of wire gauze for preventing
the gas from lighting within the tube . The gas and air practically burn outside
the opening, although without the wire gauze there would be danger of the gas
lighting in m
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The construction of a motor which works by means of external flame entering
a cylinder or vessel and causing a vacuum or partial vacuum within such cylinder or
vessel, substantially as described:
2. The construction of a motor which works by means of externally highly heated
gases or externally highly heated gases and flame entering a cylinder or vessel and
causing a partial vacuum within such cylinder or vessel substantially as described.
3. In motive power engines, a piston fitted with split rings b, plate b, and
springs, and carrying guide bars or guide bare working in guides or guide e for
the purpose stated substantially as described.
4. In motive power engines, the combination of a piston attached directly to the
connecting rod d, guide bars or guide bare attached to the piston, and guides, or
guide for such bars or bar, as a substitute for a trunk piston, substantially as herein
shown and described.
5. In motive power engines, the construction of an annular or ring shaped Bunsen
burner for the purpose stated substantially as described.
6. In motive power engines, the combination of cylinder a, piston b, an opening h
in one end of the cylinder, a valve i, means for operating such valve to open and
close the opening, and a burner m for supplying flame and heated gas to the interior

page_text: of the cylinder « through the opening 4, substantially as herein shown and described
and for the
purpose stated.
7. In motive power engines, the arrangement and combination of parts substantially
as herein shown and described.
Dated 1
1000
ROBERT MANN LOWNE,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents,