IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER.'-A communica-
tion from abroad by Henry François Cohade, of 33, Boulevart Saint
Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 24th August 1860, and dated the 5th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
April 1860.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," communicated
to me from abroad by Heury François Cohade, of 33, Boulevart Saint Martin
Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the obtaining of motive power. For this
it is proposed to employ explosive compounds or agents in engines,
purpose
whereof the cylinders are moveable, in oscillating engines and rotary engines,
and more especially (though without confining myself thereto), in that class
whereof thecylinder oscillates on a central axis or an end axis, or revolves; also
in continuous direct-action rotary engines, the explosive agents are ignited or
Price 8d 1

page_text: exploded by electricity or other means, and motive power obtained by the
vacuum,shock, or impact expansion or pressure produced. The word "cylin-
der "where used herein, includes all torms of cases, chambers, or vessels in
which the compound explodes, and in which the piston, disc, motor wheel, or
other motive instrument working therein, is directly in contact with and acted
on by such explosive agent for the production of motive power. In order to
prevent the cylinder from becoming overheated, exterior casings, spaces, or
jackets, are provided, into which a stream of cold water or other refrigerating
fluid is kept continuously flowing, the supply being maintained as fast as it
becomes heated and evaporated; the heated water may be used for obtaining
gases for the explosive compounds, or applied to various uses, the steam gene.
rated may be employed in combination with the explosive gases for motive
purposes. The cylinders are furnished with means for admitting and igniting
the compounds, and discharging the residua or products of explosion. Any
suitable explosive compound may be used, whatever its composition or mode
of production, and supplied to the cylinder in its combined or prepared state,
or its component elements maybe admitted separately by the same or separate
openings.
Though I declare that I do not confine myself to the under-mentioned,
materials, nevertheless, to exemplify the mode of performing the Invention,
suppose the compound used consists of four parts, videlicet; 2 parts oxygen,
and 2 parts hydrogen, on applying thereto an electric spark, or otherwise
igniting,an explosion would ensue; 2 parts hydrogen would combine with one
part oxygen and produce water, leaving one part oxygen, videlicit, only one
out of the four part of constituent elements, or one-fourth of the whole charge
I originally had, consequently a vacuum will he produced in respect of the
remaining three-fourths, and this relative vacuum, and the shock or impact
I employ. The piston, disc, or instrument working in the cylinder being
acted on by vacuum, shock, pressure, or expansion, and motive power
obtained. Air (79 parts nitrogen + 21 oxygen + 0.00763, evaporated
water +0100,315 carbonic acid) may be used instead of oxygen, taking for
every one part oxygen at least 5 parts air, but preferably more. There should
be an excess of air or oxygen to reduce the violence of explosion; the air
supply may be regulated by a butterfly valve worked by the governor or
otherwise. Oxygen and hydrogen may be obtained from any suitable water
decomposing apparatus, and the hydrogen carburetted by tar or other agents;
heated water or discharge water may be used to be decomposed into its
constituent gases.
Among various arrangements of engines which may be used, I would

page_text: mention some in which a double cylinder surrounded with a cold water casing
is employed, in which cylinder two wheels with teeth or abutments, and
working in gear but in reverse directions, are mounted on axes, or instead of
wheels the axes may carry peculiarly shaped curved arms or plates (courbes
developpantes), that is, arms or plates with curved branches at each end turned
in opposite directions, and which arms or plates are worked in reverse direc-
tions by the explosion, or instead may be used frames with abutments, the
compound being admitted for every quarter of revolution. The exit of the
products of explosion may be through the supply port or a separate port,
or low down in the cylinder or otherwise.
In one arrangement a disc is mounted on a shaft, and works in a cylinder
or case of peculiar shape, formed in two similar parts united by a hoop, and
composing a chamber consisting of two truncated cones and a portion of a
sphere, hollow arms are cast with the cylinder through which the ends of the
disc shaft pass, its journals being adjusted in bearings by screws acting on a
conical bush, or inside bearing glands, or stuffing boxes are provided, an outer
which bears on the inside bearing or bush, and acts on the shaft to work the
disc in either direction, if it should have play in the cylinder, and an inner
fits in the outer, and receives the shaft ends. In hollow lugs or chambers
cast with the cylinder works a sliding piece or grooved sector, which takes up
the position of a meridian plane between the exit and supply ports. The disc
is trangential to the frusta of the cones, and the outer sphere, and has a spherical
boss, whose surfaces adapt themselves to the smaller bases of the cones.
The disc in describing a circle passes along or takes consecutively the posi-
tions of the generatrices of the cones and the inner sphere.
The Invention may be applied to various engines, among others to locomo-
tives using the boiler as a gas receiver, supplying gas at stations, or forcing it
in compressed; also to the engines of Tamizier, Cave, Kientzy, Stolz, Frey,
Leloup, Farcot, Romancé, Morey, Dietz, and others.
When electricity is employed for igniting or exploding the compound,
various arrangements may be adopted for producing an electric spark, or
electric agency at the required intervals, for example, a wire stationed in
the cylinder, may by an electric current acting thereon, and cut off therefrom
álternately, be heated and cooled down alternately to ignite the compound at
the required intervals, or a wire kept permanently hot may, by means of a
slidevalve shifted by the machinery, be brought into contact with the contents
of the cylinder, and shut off therefrom alternately so as only to act at required
intervals; or a piece of phosphuretted hydrogen may be alternately introduced
and withdrawn, or other means may be used. The wires may be introduced

page_text: into the cylinders byinsulatingmedia stationed therein, the passing and cutting
off of the current being operated from without, two wires may be connected
by a platinum wire within the cylinder, and the current alternately passed
and interrupted by a contrivance outside it, bringing the battery wires in
contact. The interrupted ends of the wires may be terminated by broad
plates or cones to prevent the production of the spark inside and outside at
once, or one of the wires may communicate with a spindle carrying a toothed
wheel so placed in respect of the other wire, that every time a tooth passes
before it a spark would be produced, the interval being regulated by regu-
lating the shaft's motion, or the wires may terminate within the cylinder by
insulating media, so that the spark would be produced on a rod or crank arm,
bringing in contact a conical convexity and concavity (or other two sur-
faces), which terminate the interrupted parts of a wire, or the parts may be
brought together by a knob or handle. The electric spark or current may
be produced by a Ruhmkorf apparatus, or suitable galvanic battery or electric
apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said Michael
Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," a communication
to me from abroad by Henry François Cohade, of 33, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael

page_text: Henry, 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 Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
When it is proposed to construct an apparatus for obtaining motive
power and apparatus intended to transmit force, it is necessary above all to
consider economy; economy in first cost in working and in the transmission
of movement. The steam engines, of which the first cost is the least, and
which for a given power require least space, are without doubt the rotatory
engines and the oscillating engines. That which up to the present time has
checked the success of machines of these descriptions and prevented the
use of them from becoming general is, that the loss of steam is so serious
that the saving in first cost is quickly absorbed by the increase in the
working expences; hence it is soon found that the balance of economy is in
favour of the alternating rectilinear engine. To render the use of rotatory
and oscillating engines more advantageous by replacing the pressure of steam
by motive force, of which the loss of a part will be less inconvenient, and
of which the price shall be sufficiently small not to absolve the economy
of first cost, is the object of the present Invention.
It is known to every one that if a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases
in the proportion necessary to form water be inflamed an explosion results.
Numerous attempts have been made to apply the force of such an explosion
in place of steam as a motive power. Some have caused the explosive
force to act successively on either side of a piston; others have employed
the vacuum resulting from the formation of water; others, again, have
combined these systems, but no one has applied this new power to rotatory
or oscillating engines. It is this which I claim under the Patent granted
to me, and the Invention applies to the application of an explosive mixture,
inflaminable by the electric spark, to rotatory and oscillating machines,
however they may be arranged.
The explosive power of detonating mixtures can be applied to all rotatory
and oscillatory engines at present in use with steam, and particularly it is
applicable to the engines shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed, and which

page_text: are herein-after described.
I do not, however, confine myself to its appli-
cation to the machines shown and described, but as before mentioned I claim
the use of explosive mixtures in rotatory and oscillating machines generally.
Suppose that there is introduced into the apparatus two parts of carburetted
bydrogen (ordinary gas) and two parts of oxygen. I pass an electric spark,
this produces a shock. The two parts of carburetted hydrogen combine with
one part of oxygen, water is formed and a portion of oxygen remains; so that
in place of four parts there remains but one, so that a partial vacuum is
produced. I make use both of the shock and of the partial vacuum. In place
of oxygen air may be employed. Air, as is well known, is composed of 79
parts of nitrogen and 21 parts of oxygen, with traces of vapour of water and
carbonic acid. In producing the explosive mixture it is necessary if air be
used in place of oxygen to employ two parts of hydrogen and at least five
parts of air representing one part of pure oxygen, and to prevent the explosion
being too violent it is well to exceed somewhat the proportion above indicated,
for it is found, if the proportions to form water are exactly followed in producing
the mixture, the explosion is very violent, whilst if there is air or oxygen in
excess the force of the explosion will be considerably diminished. It is
desirable to have the means of regulating the introduction of the quantity of
air, that is to say, of increasing or diminishing its volume, this may be done
either by a valve actuated by a governor directly by hand or otherwise. The
mixed gases having been ignited the shock produced by their expansion
causes a revolution of the machine; immediately after the shock the oxygen
and the hydrogen combine and form water; thus a partial vacuum is produced
that is to say, two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen have disappeared,
and in place thereof water and nitrogen remain. This partial vacuum is
certainly a very favorable condition, as it is that which it is endeavoured to
render as perfect as possible in condensing engines. The effect of this vacuum,
then, is to increase the useful effect and to facilitate the rotatory motion. The
successive explosions have,besides, the effect of heating considerably the metal,
and it is necessary to add a concentric casing. Between this exterior casing
and the machine itself a current of water constantly renewed is caused to pass;
this water will be heated so long as the machine is in action and
may be
employed for many useful purposes. I intend to employ street gas for
producing the mixture, but I may in place thereof distil coal to produce gas
for the purpose. An explosive mixture of gases may also be produced bythe
decomposition of water; the hydrogen may, if desired, be carburetted by tar
or pitch. If oxygen is employed in place of air the vacuum after the explosion
will be more complete. Explosive gases may be employed in oscillating and

page_text: rotating engines of all sorts; the application in locomotive engines will con-
siderably simplify their construction. The ordinary boiler will serve to
contain carburetted hydrogen in place of water, and will be filled with gas at
the stations. The gas may be more or less compressed as may be necessary
I intend particularly to employ, firstly, engines in which the cylinder oscil-
lates upon a centre placed at the centre of its length; secondly, engines with
the axis at the extremity of the cylinder; thirdly, engines in which the cylinder
rotates; fourthly, engines having a continuous and direct rotatory motion.
As examples I will describe several rotatory engines with double casing
to contain water for cooling, and arranged so that explosive mixtures may be
introduced and fired by means of electricity, or other means may be adopted
for exploding the mixture. That which I shew in the first place is an arrange-
ment consisting of two conducting wires connected within the cylinder by a
thin wire of platinum, through which a current of electricity to heat the
platina wire to a red heat can be caused to pass when desired. After the
explosion, by disconnecting the conducting wire the platinum wire can be
cooled till another measure of explosive mixture is to be fired.
The Drawing, Figure 1, shows an arrangement of rotatory engine, in which
the explosive mixture is introduced at A, and produces by its explosion the
rotation of the two wheels R, R', in opposite directions; the residue escapes
also at A. A slide valve, such as is commonly employed in steam engines,
regulates the entry and the escape. The double envelope D encloses a space
E, containing water which is constantly removed, and absorbs the heat as
rapidly as it is produced within the cylinder. The explosive mixture is
inflamed in the manner already described. This mixture is introduced at
each rotation of the machine.
At Figure 2 the application to a double rotatory machine of different
construction is shown. The mixture is introduced at A, and the residue escapes
at B; the two curved arms or partitions R, R', are rotated in opposite directions
by the explosion, and give motion to the axes G, G¹, from which other
machinery may be driven. In the arrangement shown there is an exit at B,
but if it is desired the exit for the residue may be at the lower part of the
cylinders to favour the voiding of the residue. .
In the Drawing, Figure 3, the explosive mixture is introduced at each
quarter turn, and the discharge of the residue may be at the double openings
A, A¹, which serve also to admit the gas by means of a slide valve or
other suitable contrivance. The same letters mark similar parts in the
preceding Figures.

page_text: The Figures 4, 5, and 6 show a longitudinal section, a transverse section,
and a plan, of a rotatory engine; it is very similar to one patented in France
in 1842, by Victor Bois, for use with steam, and consisting of a case forming
a portion of a sphere (as the present Drawing shows) with an axis passing
through its centre, and having a disc corresponding in diameter with the
sphere mounted on it at an angle so as to divide the spherical space into two
equal parts, and there is also a sliding partition at the lower part of the case
(through a notch in which the disc works) subdividing into two parts each of
the halves into which the spherical space is divided by the disc, and it will be
seen that as the axis and disc revolve each of the four parts into which the
space is divided will vary in size continually, the maximum size being half of
the spherical space and the minimum being zero. The steam to drive the
machine was admitted to the spaces to cause them at the proper time to
increase in size (by rotating the disc), and was allowed to escape when the
space attained its maximum size. This machine is now shown modified so as
to adapt it for use with explosive compounds.
There is added to this engine, first, a slide to regulate alternately and in
suitable proportions the admission of air and gas on the two sides of the
circular piston to determine its motion; second, metallic packings, which
insure the regular working of the whole system, giving a means of regulating
the rubbing parts, and keeping the joints completely tight to economise
the gas.
For this purpose there is added to the machine, such as above
described, first, at the bottom of the cylinder a double metallic box C, C, cast
with it, which is in direct communication with the said cylinder, by means of
two passages 0, 0, on the right and left of the piston. These passages are each
alternately opened and closed by the movement of the distributing slide T, T,
which regulates the working of the machine; it is actuated by the eccentric
E, E, fixed on the horizontal axis of the machine. Thus the distribution of
the gas is self-acting. A cock T¹ leads the inflammable gas to each of the
slides T, T, placed on the right and left of the piston B. In consequence of
the position of the excentrics which work the slides, they do not act at the
same time, but alternately. The slide in opening uncovers at the same time
two orifices, one opening into the air to allow atmospheric air to enter the
cylinder, the other communicating with the gas supply pipe to allow the
admission of this gas. The mixture thus obtained is led to a point A within
the passage O, where it is exploded by an electric spark; the gases dilate,
press on the piston, and cause it to make a complete revolution. The products
of the combustion escape by an exit passage M, which occupies the whole

page_text: width of the case, which in this machine acts as a cylinder. Immediately
after the first the other slide acts in the same manner, and the rotatory motion
is then obtained by means of a successive admission on the right and left,
as in ordinary steam engines.
Second, the metallic packings are clearly shown in the Drawing. a, a,
are the packings, which rub on the sides of the casing; b, b, those which
rub on the boss of the piston; c, c, packing rings around the axis.
The machine above described can only work in one direction; for it to be
able to work in both-directions it would be necessary to arrange other inlets
similar to those shown on the other sides of the slide R¹, and also to apply
other apparatus to regulate the escape of the products of combustion. To be
able to work in both directions there will be in the slide box not only inlet
passages for the introduction of the gas and air, but also an exit passage
similar to those of ordinary steam engines, and this machine is thus rendered
applicable to locomotives, and for the purposes of navigation where motion iu
both directions is requisite.
Figure 7 shows in detail the method in which the mixture is fired at the
required moment by an arrangement within the cylinder of a platinum wire a,
constantly kept red by the action of a suitable battery or electrical apparatus ;
a slide b, which is self-acting, covers and uncovers alternately the openings c;
when the openings c are uncovered the red hot platinum wire explodes the
mixture in the cylinder, but when the slide is placed so as to close the said
openings c, all communication with the cylinder being interrupted the mix-
ture can accumulate in the cylinder without being inflamed.
Figure 8 shows another arrangement; one of the wires x of the battery
or electrical arrangement communicates with the axis d, which carries at its
end a wheel e, with one, two, four, or other number of teeth placed at such a
distance from the other wire y of the battery that an electric spark passes
each time that a tooth passes before the wire, but at no other time. It is
necessary then to calculate the motion to give to the axis d by the pulley f, so
that the passage of a tooth may correspond with the moment when the ex-
plosion should take place,
In Figure 9 the two wires x and y terminate within the cylinder, and are
held by a piece of insulating matter at such a distance apart that a spark may
pass each time, that by means of the lever f contact is made between the
piece and the cone m, which terminate the two parts into which the wire y
is divided.
The Figures 10,11,and 12 give the detail of another arrangement in which

page_text: it is necessary only to press on the button p to establish a contact between
the parts and s, which terminate the interrupted parts of the wire y.
The Figures 13 and 14 show the two wires and y arranged to act,
Figure 13 by a red hot platinum wire, and Figure 14 by an electric spark.
The Figures 15 and 16 represent two other arrangements of oscillating
engines; in these Figures the apparatus for firing the explosive mixture
which are in front of the cylinder are shown by red lines.
In Figures 15, A is the inlet for the mixed gases; b, the exit for the
residual
gas and
vapor; a, an iron plate, which slides in the axis c, and of
which the ends are always in contact with the sides of the cylinder.
Four explosions are produced during a revolution of the axis; at these explo-
sions the slide occupies the positions a, a, all, all. After each explosion a
partial vacuum is produced; this diminution of pressure would be injurious to
the working of the machine, hence a valve B is employed, which closes during
the explosion,and opens to admit air immediately after. As the plate a passes
from its first position through the positions a¹, a¹¹, a111, the explosive volume
becomes greater, but the proportion of the explosive gas diminishes, because
nitrogen and carbonic acid formed by the explosion of former charges
remain; this diminution in the force of the explosion corresponds with the
increased leverage the plate obtains from it change in position.
In Figure 15 Grenet's battery is placed at the front, and the zinc of this
battery is not plunged in the exciting liquor until the cam c causes it to be
pressed down; it results that, except when the zinc is so pressed down, no
current passes in the wires x and y, and immediately the cam depresses the
zinc a spark passes. The cam is properly formed to produce sparks at the
times required.
Figure 16 shows another rotatory machine to rotate rapidly, and working
with one explosion for each revolution. It will be readily understood that the
action of the point c of the cam D gives the movement to the slide, which
permits the detonating mixture to enter the cylinder A; the explosion is
produced on the approach of the two balls and y, which is produced by the
cam D; the point c of the cam D is in a different plane, so as to be able to
pass without touching the rod E, but in passing it touches the piece F, which
turns about a fixed point G. The spring H presses the rod E constantly back
to the cam, and so causes the separation of the two balls x and y. The spring
J causes the closing of the slide K when this is not drawn down by the
lever F. The cylinder L, forced forward by the mixture, turns, rotating the
axis M with it, and lifts the partition P,which enters the space Q,compressing

page_text: the spring S; two guides T, placed one on each side of the cylinder, cause the
piece P to be sustained and guided in all the positions it can occupy. The
detonating mixture enters at R, and the residue escapes at R¹. A casing U is
filled with water to cool the cylinder.
Having described these different methods of carrying the Invention into
effect, I would remark that I do not confine myself to the arrangements shown
and described, or to any of the details thereof, or to any special application of
the power obtained; according to this Invention the same may be applied
to blowing machines, engines of war, and other uses.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, One thousand eight
hunded and sixts
M. HENRY. (L.S.)