Improvements in and connected with the Vapourizers and Igniters of Oil Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Vapourizers and Igniters of
Oil Engines.
We, JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE and ALFRED JAMES FLETCHER, trading as Drake
and Fletcher, Mechanical Engineers, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with the vapourizers
and igniters of motive power engines which are actuated by the combustion or
explosive force of a mixture of hydrocarbon vapour and atmospheric air. The
chief object of the invention is to secure the production of rich vapour for the
engine charges and the prevention of the entrance of air into the vapourizer.
For the purposes of the invention we construct the vapourizer in the following
manner:―
We fix to the rear end of the working cylinder of the oil engine a hollow
chamber of cast iron or other suitable material which may be of cylindrical or
other suitable shape. Extending across this hollow chamber is a more or less
horizontal partition which is heated by means of a lamp, vapour or gas jets, or
other appropriate means. The upper part of the hollow chamber is, however,
in communication with the lower part, and the latter may be filled with coke or
other suitable porous material through which the vapour is caused to pass on
its way from the vapourizer to the cylinder, and in which porous material the
tar in the vapour is deposited and prevented from reaching the cylinder. The
oil to be vapourized is introduced into the upper part of the hollow chamber by
any of the usual means, falls on to the aforesaid heated partition and is vapourized
thereby, the vapour finding its way down through the coke or other porous
material to the inlet valve to the cylinder. The hollow chamber above described
forms a vapourizer, or vapour retort, which is sealed from the outer air except
as to a drain pipe of comparatively small diameter issuing from the lower part
of the vapourizer and of sufficient length to contain enough vapour to prevent
air finding its way into the vapourizer in the event of a partial vacuuni being
formed therein.
Instead of securing the ignition tube in place by means of a pointed set-screw
bearing against the back of the upper end thereof, we secure it in place by means
of a pointed pin or stud bearing against the same part of the igniting tube, and
passing out through a hole in the back cover of the vapourizer, the necessary
pressure on the pin or stud being produced by means of a cross-bar secured by
screws or otherwise to the said back cover or other suitable part of the vapourizer.
This method of fixing the ignition tube gives greater elasticity than the set-
screw, and thereby compensates better for expansion and contraction of the parts
due to heating and cooling, and prevents the ignition tube getting loose.
ID 817
J. A. DRAKE,
A. J. FLETCHER.
Per W. H. Beck,
Agent. 115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.

page_text: Improvements in and connected with the Vapourizers and Igniters of
Oil Engines.
We, JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE and ALFRED JAMES FLETCHER. trading as Drake
and Fletcher, Mechanical Engineers, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, 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 improvements in and connected with the vapourizers
and igniters of motive power engines which are actuated by the combustion or
explosive force of a mixture of hydrocarbon vapour and atmospheric air. The
chief object of the invention is to secure the production of rich vapour for the
engine charges and the prevention of the entrance of air into the vapourizer.
For the purposes of the invention we construct the vapourizer in the following
manner:-
We fix to the rear end of the working cylinder of the oil engine a hollow
chamber of cast iron or other suitable material which may be of cylindrical or
other suitable shape. Extending across this hollow chamber is a more or less
horizontal partition which is heated by means of a lamp, vapour or gas jets, or
other appropriate means. The upper part of the hollow chamber is, however.
in communication with the lower part and the latter may be filled with coke or
other suitable porous material through which the vapour is caused to pass on
its way from the vapourizer to the cylinder, and in which porous material the
tar in the vapour is deposited and prevented from reaching the cylinder. The
oil to be vapourized is introduced into the upper part of the hollow chamber by
any of the usual means. falls on to the aforesaid heated partition and is vapourized
thereby, the vapour finding its way down through the coke or other porous
material to the inlet valve to the cylinder. The hollow chamber above described
forms a vapourizer, or vapour retort, which is sealed from the outer air except
as to a drain pipe of comparatively small diameter issuing from the lower part
of the vapourizer and of sufficient length to contain enough vapour to prevent
air finding its way into the vapourizer in the event of a partial vacuum being
formed therein.
Instead of securing the ignition tube in place by means of a pointed set screw
bearing against the back of the upper end thereof, we secure it in place by means
of a pointed pin or stud bearing against the same part of the igniting tube, and
passing out through a hole in the back cover of the vapourizer, the necessary
pressure on the pin or stud being produced by means of a cross-bar secured by
screws or otherwise to the said back cover or other suitable part of the vapourizer.
Figure of the accompanying drawings is an cnd elevation of a vapourizer
constructed in accordance with this invention with the back cover plate removed;
Figure 2 is a vertical section on or about the line A A of Figure 1 but with the
back cover plate in place; Figure 3 is a horizontal section on or about the line B B
of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a horizontal section on or about the line CC of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is an end elevation with the back cover plate in place.
Similar letters relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
is the vapourizer, which forms part of the hollow chamber adapted to be
fitted to the rear end of the working cylinder of the oil engine by means of bolts
or studs passing through holes b. c is a horizontal partition which forms the
bottom of the vapourizer a, which partition is heated by means of the burner d
or by other appropriate means. The vapourizer a communicates with the lower
parte of the hollow chamber by means of the passage f (Figure 3).

page_text: The oil is introduced into the vapourizer a by the sight feed or other con-
venient form of oil feeder g from the nozzle h of which the oil drops on to the
heated partition e whereby it is vapourized and passes by the passage f into the
lower part e of the hollow chamber, and finally escapes through the valve i into
the working cylinder of the engine which is not shewn in the drawings. The
lower parts e of the hollow chamber are preferably charged with coke or other
suitable porous material as hereinbefore explained by means of which the tar in
the vapour is held back and prevented from entering the cylinder. j is a drain
pipe of comparatively small diameter and of sufficient length to contain enough
vapour to prevent air finding its way into the vapourizer a in the event of a
partial vacuum being formed therein as herein before explained.
The ignition tube k is secured in place over the burner d by means of the
pointed pin or stud which bears with its pointed end against the back of the
upper end of the said ignition tube k and passes out through the hole m in the
back cover of the chamber. o is a cross-bar adjustably secured by means of
the screw to the back cover n, whereby the necessary amount of pressure may
be applied to the upper end of the said ignition tube k. This method of fixing
the ignition tube & gives greater elasticity than the set screw heretofore employed,
and thereby compensates better for expansion and contraction of the parts due
to heating and cooling, and prevents the ignition tube & getting loose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. The improved vapourizer for oil engines which consists of a hollow
chamber attached to the rear end of the working cylinder and having a vapour
retort in its upper part communicating with chambers in its lower part containing
coke or other suitable porous material and furnished with a drain pipe, the whole
combined and arranged, substantially as described with reference to the drawings
and for the purposes specified.
Second. In a vapourizer for oil engines the improved means for securing the
ignition tube in place which consists of a pin or stud with an adjustable cross-
bar combined and arranged substantially as described with reference to the
drawings.
Third. In an oil engine the vapour retort a with a more or less horizontal
bottom, oil feed gh, passage f lower chamber e, drain-pipe j, ignition tube k,
pin and adjustable cross-bar o, the whole combined and arranged substantially
as described with reference to the drawings and for the purposes specified.
1511
J. A. DRAKE.
A. J. FLETCHER.
Per W. H. Beck,
Agent. 115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.