IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF CARBONIC ACID AND OTHER GAS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE-POWER, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN TORPEDO-BOATS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF CARBONIC ACID AND OTHER GAS
FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE-POWER, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR USE IN TORPEDO-BOATS." A cominunication from abroad by
Edward Wilberforce Kellogg, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of
America, Physician.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th July 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION
OF CARBONIC ACID AND OTHER GAS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN TORPEDO-BOATS."
[A communication froin abroad by Edward Wilberforce Kellogg, of Hartford,
Connecticut, United States of America, Physician.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the utilization of carbonic acid and
other gas for obtaining motive power, and in the apparatus therefor, and is
specially applicable to the propulsion of torpedo boats, such as the well known
Lay" or "Whitehead" boats.
"
One feature of this Invention consists in producing a reservoir containing a
liquid produced by subjecting carbonic acid or other gas to pressure, and another
vessel connected therewith, and intermediate between the reservoir and engine;
this vessel being of suitable size and shape to permit within it the expansion of
the liquid into gaseous forin, and connecting with said reservoir below the normal
surface of the liquid in the reservoir, so that 'the expansion takes place in said
second vessel, and not in the reservoir itself, thus avoiding the excessive refri-
geration within the reservoir incident to such expansion.

page_text: A second feature of the said Invention consists in making said second vessel in
the form of a coil of pipe, and supplying caloric thereto, in order to avoid excessive
refrigeration in said second vessel, which I will call the expansion-chamber.
A third feature of the said Invention consists in placing said expansion chamber
(thus connected with the reservoir) upon the exterior of a torpedo boat to be in
contact with the water in which the boat travels, so that such water may supply
caloric to the expansion-chamber, and thus prevent excessive refrigeration therein..
It is well known that carbonic acid gas which has been reduced to liquid form
under extreme pressure, absorbs heat rapidly when allowed to expand; the same
is true of aminoniacal gas and of most other gases.
This rapid refrigeration [which has been utilized in ice making machines for the
purpose of freezing] is very objectionable in the working of a torpedo boat, as it
often partially congeals the liquid within the reservoir, and reduces or stops the
supply of gas to the engine.
The vent or opening from the reservoir to the expansion-chamber in the present
Invention is near the bottom of the reservoir, so that the liquid goes from the
reservoir to the expansion-chamber in the same formn; the aperture through which
the liquid enters the expansion-chamber is very small, and may be through the
wall of the reservoir at or near the bottom thereof; or a pipe from the chamber
may enter the upper part of the reservoir, and extend to or near the bottom.
The expansion-chamber, and thereby is commonly meant a coil of pipe, is many
times larger in diameter than the aperture through which the liquid enters it; a
pipe of inch interior diameter has been found to work well in practice, but
other sizes may be used; the size of the aperture between the reservoir and
expansion chamber will be regulated according to circumstances, and a cock or
valve is used to regulate the supply of liquid from the reservoir to the expansion
chamber.
The expansion-chamber may be artificially heated, as by alcohol lamps or the
like, but I prefer to bring a copious water supply in contact with the outside of
the expansion chamber, and make the water which surrounds the boat the medium
and means of supplying sufficient caloric to the expansion chamber and its contents,
to prevent excessive refrigeration, therein; and an excellent manner of doing this
is to lay the expansion-chamber in the form of a coil of pipe upon the outside of
the boat when iny Invention is used in connection with a boat.
In carrying my said Invention into practice in connection with a torpedo boat,
I provide a compartiment forming the magazine; also a compartment forming the
reservoir for the liquid; also an expansion chamber in the form of a coil of pipe.
Any suitable gas motor may be used. The coil of pipe constituting the expansion-
chamber may be disposed in flat, circular, or other convenient form. The liquid
reservoir may be tubular, like a tubular boiler.
When the coil constituting the expansion-chamber is disposed within the boat,
it may be located in any convenient part of the boat, and it may, as already
suggested, be heated in any convenient manner, but preferably by allowing the
outside water free access to it. I prefer however that the expansion chamber
be disposed upon the exterior of the boat, and provided at the end with a shield to
diminish friction, and prevent clogging by weeds and the like.
The end of the pipe forming the expansion-chamber communicates with the
reservoir at a point low down therein.
A suitable cock or valve located at any convenient point, usually just outside the
reservoir, serves to open and close the communication between the reservoir and
the expansion chamber. The cock in itself is well known, and is usually operated
by means of an electro-magnet and an electric wire; a good modification of device
for operating this cock is to provide a small cylinder and piston communicating
directly with the reservoir above the surface of the liquid, thereby getting great
power for the work which is sometimes necessitated by the freezing of the cock.
It will be understood that while one end of the expansion chamber communicates

page_text: with the reservoir, the other end communicates with the gas engine which drives
the propeller-wheel, and any other mechanism that needs to be driven.
When the cock is opened the high pressure in the reservoir expels the liquid in
small quantity into the expansion chamber, where it immediately assumes the
gaseous form, being permitted to expand in the chamber, and passes on to propel
the engine; this expansion is attended by a rapid refrigeration. The gas is kept
at a comparatively high temperature by the contact of the pipes with the water (or
other source of heat supply), so that a small quantity of liquid entering the
expansion chamber is not frozen, and the expansion being in the coil and not in.
reservoir, there is no great tendency to freeze the liquid in the reservoir.
It will be observe! that the mode and place of expansion hereinbefore described
differ from those heretofore employed, which perinit the expansion (for driving the
engine) either within the reservoir, or within a chamber which connects with the
space in the reservoir above the surface of the liquid, and also from those modes
wherein it has been attempted to heat the liquid and gas in the reservoir.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Greal Seal Patent Office on the
13th January 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION
OF CARBONIC ACID AND OTHER GAS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE-POWER, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN TORPEDO-BOATS.'
A communication from abroad by Edward Wilberforce Kellogg, of Hartford,
Connecticut, United States of America, Physician.
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the utilization of carbonic acid and
other gas for obtaining motive power, and in apparatus therefor, and is specially
applicable to the propulsion of torpedo boats, examples of which are seen in the
"Lay or "Whitehead" boats.
"
The first part of the said Invention consists in providing a reservoir containing
a liquid produced by subjecting carbonic acid or other gas to pressure, and another
vessel connected therewith and intermediate between the reservoir and engine, this
vessel being of suitable size and shape to permit within it the expansion of the
liquid into gaseous form, and being connected with said reservoir below the normal
surface of the liquid contained therein so that the expansion of the gas takes
place in said second vessel, and not in the reservoir itself, thus avoiding excessive
refrigeration within the reservoir incident to such expansion.
. The second part of the said Invention consists in making said second vessel thus
connected to the reservoir in the form of a coil of pipe, and supplying caloric
thereto in order to avoid excessive refrigeration in said second vessel, which I will
call the expansion chamber.
The third part of the said Invention consists in placing said expansion chamber,
thus connected with the reservoir, upon the exterior of a torpedo boat, and in
contact with the water in which the boat travels, so that such water may
supply caloric to the expansion-chamber, and thus prevent excessive refrigeration
therein.
It is well known that carbonic acid gas which has been reduced to liquid form
under extreme pressure absorbs heat rapidly when allowed to expand; the same is
true of ammoniacal gas and of most other gases. This rapid refrigeration (which
has been utilized in ice making machines for the purpose of freezing) is very
objectionable in the working of a torpedo boat, as it often partially congeals the
liquid contained within the reservoir, and reduces or stops the supply of gas to the
engine.
The vent or opening from the reservoir to the expansion chamber in the present
Invention is near the bottom of the reservoir, so that the fluid passes from the
reservoir to the expansion-chamber in liquid formn; the aperture through which
the liquid enters the expansion chamber is very small, and may be through the
wall of the reservoir at or near the bottom thereof; or a pipe from the chamber
may enter the upper part of the reservoir and extend to or near the bottom. The
expansion-chamber which I generally form of a coil of pipe is many times larger
in diameter than the aperture through which the fluid enters it. A. pipe of 7/8 inch
interior diameter has been found to work well in practice, but other sizes may be
used; the size of the aperture between the reservoir and expansion-chamber is
regulated according to circumstances, and a cock or valve is used to regulate the
supply of liquid from the reservoir to the expansion-chamber. The said expansion-
chamber may be artificially heated, as by alcohol lamps, or otherwise, but I preter
to bring a copious supply of water in contact with the outside of the said expansion

page_text: chamber, and make the water which surrounds the boat the medium and means of
supplying sufficiont caloric to the contents of the expansion chamber; and an
excellent manner of doing this is to lay the expansion-chamber in the form of a
coil of pipe upon the outside of a boat when my Invention is utilized for floating
torpedoes.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a side view or elevation of a torpedo-boat having the expansion-
chamber disposed upon its exterior surface in the form of a coil of pipe.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the boat on the plane denoted by the dotted
line X, X, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view of a portion of a torpedo-boat in central longitudinal section,
shewing the expansion chamber in the form of a spiral coil of pipe disposed within
the boat, with said coil entering the reservoir at the top of the same and extending
to near the bottom.
Figure 4 is a view of a torpedo-boat with a portion of the side represented as
broken away, and with the expansion-chamber in the form of a spiral coil of pipe
disposed within the boat, and entering the reservoir near the bottom thereof.
is the hull of a boat; b is the compartment forming the magazine; c is the
compartiment forming the reservoir for the liquid; d is the expansion-chamber
formed of a coil of pipe; e is the room or compartment for holding the cable; ƒ is
the engine room; and g, the propeller.
My Invention does not relate to the character of the gas engine, and any suitable
gas motor inay be used. The coil of pipe constituting the expansion-chamber may
be disposed in flat, circular, or other convenient form. The reservoir c may be
similar to a tubular boiler. When the coil constituting the expansion chamber is
disposed within a boat it may be located in any convenient part of the same, and
it may, as already stated, be heated in any convenient manner, but preferably by
allowing the outside water to have free access to it. I prefer however that the
expansion-chamber be disposed upon the exterior of a boat, as shewn in Figure 1,
and provided at the fore end with a shield h to diminish friction and prevent
clogging by weeds or the like.
The end of the pipe forming the expansion-chamber communicates with the
reservoir at a point low down therein.
A suitable cock or valve i located at any convenient point usually just outside
the reservoir serves to open and close the communication between the reservoir
and the expansion-chamber. The cock is usually operated by means of an electro
magnet and a conducting wire; a good arrangement for operating this cock is to
provide a small cylinder and piston communicating directly with the reservoir
above the surface of the liquid, and thereby apply great power for the work, which
is sometimes necessitated by reason of the freezing in the cock. It will be under-
stood that whilst one end of the expansion chamber communicates with the
reservoir, the other end of said chamber communicates with the gas engine which
drives the mechanism and propeller of a boat.
The operation of my Invention is as follows :-
When the cock i is opened the high pressure in the reservoir expels the liquid
in small quantity into the expansion chamber, where it immediately assumes the
gaseous form, being perinitted to expand in the chamber, and passes on to propel
the engine, this expansion is attended by a rapid refrigeration. The gas is kept at
a comparatively high temperature by the contact of the pipe coil with the water
(or other source of heat supply), so that a small quantity of liquid entering the
expansion-chamber is not frozen, and the expansion being in the coil and not in
reservoir there is no great tendency to freeze the liquid in the reservoir.
It will be observed that the mode and place of expansion hereinbefore described
differ from those heretofore employed, which permit the expansion (for driving the
engine) to take place either within the reservoir or within a chamber which is con-
nected with the space in the reservoir above the surface of the liquid, and also

page_text: from those modes wherein it has been attempted to heat the liquid and gas in the
reservoir.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The improvement in the utilization of carbonic acid or similar gases as a
motive power for engines, which consists in charging a reservoir with gas under a
liquifying pressure, and in removing the same from the reservoir in liquid form
and expanding it in a separate chamber provided with means for heating the gas
before its passage to the engine, as above described.
Second. The combination with the reservoir of a gas engine, of an expansion-
chamber & connecting with the reservoir below the normal surface of the liquid
contained therein, and provided with means for imparting caloric to the chaniber
and its contents, as above described.
Third. The combination with the reservoir c, of the coil of pipe & connected
with the said reservoir and disposed upon the exterior of a torpedo boat, as above
described.
Fourth. The combination with the gas reservoir c of a coil of pipe & forming an
expansion chamber connected with the reservoir below the normal surface of the
liquid theroin contained and disposed upon the exterior of a torpedo-boat, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.