IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND THE METHOD OF PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER BY THE EXPLOSION OF COAL OR CARBON DUST AND AIR
Year: 1884

page_text: I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors of
Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND THE METHOD
OF PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER BY THE EXPLOSION OF COAL OR CARBON DUST AND
AIR to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the use of a mixture of coal, or other carbon dust, and
atmospheric air, either with or without the addition of inflammable gas, to cause
the explosion in the working cylinder of a motive power engine.
The present invention is based upon the observations which have been made
respecting explosions in coal mines, namely that they are not caused solely by an
open flame coming in contact with the gases contained in the mine, but can more
often be attributed to the quantities of small particles of coal dust which are
suspended in the air in the mine; theso are ignited and burn together with the
air which surrounds them so rapidly and instantaneously as to cause a most
violent explosion. In this manner the most violent explosions in coal mines are
only initiated by the gases, but really caused by the combustion of the dust in the
manner as before described.
The same phenomena have been observed in mills where the air is highly charged
with fine particles of dust.
In order to carry the invention into effect, I employ an engine of the usual type
of engines which work by explosion in the working cylinder, to which however the
following constructional alterations are made.
In the head of the cylinder an air pipe is introduced, which is connected with a
branch pipe, this latter having its opposite end situated in a box filled with coal
dust.
As the piston moves forwards, and draws in air, through the first of the before
named pipes, it will also draw in a certain quantity of coal dust through the

page_text: branch pipe. The working cylinder is thus filled with a mixture of coal dust
and atmospheric air, which is compressed by the return stroke of the piston, and
is ignited and explodes as soon as the piston has arrived at the end of its stroke.
As the mixture of atmospheric air and dust is not very easily ignited it is of
advantage to initiate the explosion by igniting a mixture of atmospheric air and
gas in the same inanner as occurs in mine explosions.
This can be effected in two ways, either the gas is introduced the moment before
the explosion, or else it is drawn into the cylinder together with the dust and
atmospheric air and the whole thus thoroughly mixed together. Both these
methods however can be employed conjointly.
In carrying into effect the method whereby the mixture of atmospheric air and
dust is ignited by an explosive mixture of air and gas introduced into the cylinder
at a given moment the following arrangements are adopted.
The air pipe is provided with an injector enclosed in a box filled with dust as
above mentioned and terminates in nozzles entering the cylinder cover and is
provided with a suitable valve. The cylinder cover is chambered to receive a
rotary cylindrical valve or priming chamber which receives an explosive mixture
of gas and air and discharges the same into the cylinder at the moment when the
charge of dust and air drawn in at the previous stroke is compressed by the return
stroke of the piston.
At the moment of its introduction into the cylinder the explosive mixture of gas
and air is ignited by the closing of the circuit of an induction coil thereby inducing
the explosion of the mixture of air and dust.
In carrying the second method into effect a certain quantity of gas is introduced
into the cylinder through separate nozzles at the same time as the mixture of air
and dust is drawn in through its own tube and nozzle as before described. In this
manner a more explosive mixture is produced which is ignited. as before described.
By this arrangement the rotary priming valve together with its attachments is not
required.
The engine can be made double as well as single acting.
Alternate working cylinders can also be employed. The engines can also be
constructed in such a manner that the mixture and compression of the explosive
agent can be effected outside of the working.cylinder.
The air can also be forced into the cylinder by any suitable blower, in place of
being drawn in by the action of the piston; this allows of the engine working at
every stroke.

page_text: I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors of
Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of
the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR, AND THE METHOD OF,
PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER BY THE EXPLOSION OF COAL OR CARBON DUST AND
AIR," (communicated to me from abroad by Alex Bernstein, a person resident at
Boston, in the United States of North America) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention consists in the use of a mixture of coal, or other carbon dust, and
atmospheric air, either with or without the addition of inflammable gas, to cause
the explosion in the working cylinder of a motive power engine.
The present invention is based upon the observations which have been made
respecting explosions in coal mines, namely that they are not caused solely by an
open flame coming in contact with the gases contained in the mine, but can more
often be attributed to the quantities of small particles of coal dust which aro
suspended in the air in the mine; these are ignited and burn together with the air
which surrounds them so rapidly and instantaneously as to cause a most violent
explosion. In this manner the most violent explosions in coal mines are only
initiated by the gases, but really caused by the combustion of the dust in the
manner as before described.
The same phenomena have been observed in mills where the air is highly charged
with fine particles of dust.
In order to carry the invention into effect, I employ an engine of the usual type
of engines which work by explosion in the working cylinder, to which however tho
following constructional alterations are made.
In the head of the cylinder an air pipe is introduced, which is connected with a
branch pipe, this latter having its opposite end situated in a box filled with coal
dust.
As the piston moves forwards, and draws in air, through the first of the before
named pipes, it will also draw in a certain quantity of coal dust through the
branch pipe. The working cylinder is thus filled with a mixture of coal dust and
atmospheric air, which is compressed by the return stroke of the piston, and is
ignited and explodes as soon as the piston has arrived at the end of its stroke.
As the mixture of atmospheric air and dust is not very easily ignited it is of
advantage to initiate the explosion by igniting a mixture of atinospheric air and
gas in the same manner as occurs in mine explosions.
This can be effected in two ways, either the gas is introduced the moment before
the explosion, or else it is drawn into the cylinder together with the dust and
atmospheric air and the whole thus thoroughly mixed together. Both these
methods however can be employed conjointly.
In carrying into effect the method whereby the mixture of atmospheric air and
dust is ignited by an explosive mixture of air and gas introduced into the cylinder
at a given moment the following arrangements illustrated in Figure 1 of the annexed
drawings, are adopted.
The air pipe c d is provided with male and female nozzles e acting as an injector
and enclosed in a box f filled with dust as above mentioned. The pipe c terminates
in a ring of nozzles that enter the cylinder cover and said pipe is provided with a
suitable valve b. When the piston a advances, the valve b is opened and air and
coal dust drawn into the cylinder. The cylinder cover is chambered to receive a

page_text: rotary cylindrical valve or priming chamber which receives rotary motion from
the engine shaft. This valve is furnished with a port n and receives an explosive
mixture of gas and air from nozzle m and discharges the same into the cylinder
through port o at the moment when the charge of dust and air drawn in at the
previous stroke is compressed by the return stroke of the piston.
At the moment of its introduction into the cylinder the explosive mixture of gas
and air is ignited by the closing of the circuit of an induction coil i thereby inducing
the explosion of the mixture of the air and dust. At the next return stroke of the
piston the exhaust valve is opened and the products of combustion are driven out
of the cylinder and the same operations repeated.
The injector nozzles e can be adjusted to regulate the respective proportions of
air and coal dust.
In carrying the second method, illustrated in figure 2, into effect, a certain
quantity of gas is introduced into the cylinder through a separate set of nozzles
supplied by pipe h, at the same time as the mixture of air and dust is drawn in
through its own tube c and the other set of nozzles as before described, the valves g
and being operated simultaneously. In this manner a more explosive mixture is
produced which is ignited by the induction coil as before described.
arrangement the rotary priming valve together with its connections is not
required.
The engine can be made double as well as single acting.
By this
Alternate working cylinders can also be employed. The engines can also be
constructed in such a manner that the mixture and compression of the explosive
agent can be effected outside of the working cylinder.
The air can also be forced into the cylinder by any suitable blower, in placo of
being drawn in by the action of the piston; this allows of the engine working at
every stroke.
Having now particularly described. and, ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st An engine which is operated by the explosion of a mixture of coal dust and
atmospheric air acting on the piston in its working cylinder as specified.
2nd The employment of a mixture of coal dust and atmospheric air either with
or without the admixture of an inflammable gas to produce an explosion within
the working cylinder of an engine as specified.
3rd In the cylinder of an engine the employment of a mixture of coal dust and
atmospheric air either with or without the admixture of an inflammable gas and at
the same time the employment of an explosive gas to initiate the explosion of the
whole all substantially in the manner and for the purpose as described and shown
in the drawing.
11004