Improvements in Steam Generators and Motors applicable to Automobile Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1900
Improvements in Steam Generators and Motors applicable to
Automobile Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM PIDILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, and Lower Templo Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
Engineers have lately been much occupied with the study of special arrange-
iments for steam engines and the like designed to operate automobile vehioles.
Such motors must possess great power with relatively small weight and size
and must be capable of instantaneous and easy control and also of being quickly
started, necessitating a rapid production of steam.
Several inventors have formed various types of motors more or less successful,
but the one which has hitherto been most favourably received is known as
the Serpollet engine, which device has formed the starting point for a numerous
series of steam generatora constituted essentially of tubes of considerable thick-
ness and possessing very small capacity in proportion to the extent of the heat-
ing surface.
Nevertheless these various systems have not hitherto been entirely successful
for the construction of small compact motors easily transported and suitable
for automobile vehicles.
The present invention has for its object a motor the steam for which is
supplied not by a boiler of ordinary construction but by a generator formed of
simple copper tubes exposed to the heating action of the fuel and in which the
evaporation is obtained under the best conditions possible and the production
of steam is exactly proportioned to the requirements of the motor. For this
purpose it is necessary that the water to be evaporated should be divided and
injected into the boiler in the quantity required and according to the stroke
of the motor piston; moreover care must be taken that in the tubes constituting
the generator the water should not be able to assume the spheroidal state. It
is well known that in the so-called instantaneous generators formed of tubes of
the Serpollet type, the presence of the spheroidal state is nimost normal which
is the cause of delay and irregularity in the production of steam and increase
of weight, and consequently of cost because of the thickness of the tubes.
In order to more fully set forth our invention, we will describe the same as
shown in the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively the plan and the elevation of the motor
whilst
Ti 9 1 5 6 and how details at the come

page_text: The motor in Figure 1 is shewn with two cylinders one of which a has high
and the other blow pressure coupled and placed side by side.
The distribution of the steam to the high pressure cylinder is a feature of our in-
vention. It is effected by means of a mechanism with two slide valves working on
port faces the details of which together with the cylinder ports are illustrated in
Figures 3, 5 and 6. Each of these two slide valves possesses only the inlet and
the outlet orifice. As to the admission of the steam into the low pressure
cylinder which makes use of steam which has already passed through the high
pressure cylinder, it is provided with an arrangement of any ordinary kind for
the supply of the steam. To the motor are attached two double-acting pumps d'
the piston whereof is actuated by means of an eccentric e, with reduction of the
stroke. The generator or evaporator is formed of two independent series of
metallic tubes of limited thickness coiled in the shape of a conical helix, the
internal space serving for the fuel which is thus applied to the surface of the
said tubes. The generator is connected to a fan f which may be a simple
aspirator apparatus. This fan is actuated by means of two conical pulleys gl³,
the first of which is keyed upon the motor axle and the second upon that of
the fan as shown in Figure 1. The conical pulleys enable the different speeds
to be given to the fan according to requirements.
In order to set the motor in action it is only necessary to inject into the tubes
of the generator by means of a separate apparatus such as a pump, a limited
quantity of water and to kindle the combustion and increase it by means of the
fan. When the machine is in operation the two pumps which are driven
by it act also to operate and supply to the tubes the necessary water.
As every
stroke of the piston of the cylinders corresponds to a stroke of the pistons of
the pumps, these latter must be regulated so as to obtain at each stroke the
amount of water necessary for effecting one stroke. The arrangement of the
pumps is such that the water aspirated by the pump is forced thereby into
one of the series of the tubes from whence the steam produced passes exclusively
through the ports of the port face c'. The water aspirated by the other pump
is forced thereby into the other series of tubes and the steam produced passes
through the slide valve working on the port face, of the high pressure cylinder.
This arrangement forms one of the characteristic features of the system which
is the object of the present application for patent and which consists in intro-
ducing each time one-half the quantity of the water required by the motor and
thus divides it into two parts having a separate cycle of action, whereby obviously
a more rapid evacuation is secured.
In order to regulate the motion of the machine it is only necessary to regulate
the quantity of water introduced into the tubes which may be easily done by
causing to vary accordingly the course of the piston of the pumps & by means
of the eccentric e and the adjustment bar h. The eccentric e is formed of the
eccentric properly called (see Figure 7) of which the eccentricity determines the
maximum stroke of the piston and of a circular ring to which the rod k is attached
having a stroke equal to zero.
It will be obvious that by adjusting the adjustment bar the pump rod m
will attain the limit of its course when its extremity n corresponds to the eccentric
and the zero stroke when it corresponds to the ring. Between these two limits it
is obvious that the desired length of stroke can be obtained to suit the position of
the rod.
Mention has been made of the necessity of avoiding the presence of water
in the spheroidal state within the tubes which moreover spoils the tubes them-
selves. This spheroidal state is due to the excessive temperature of the interior
walls of the pipes with which the water when ejected comes in contact. In order to
avoid this drawback it is therefore necessary to produce and maintain in the tubes a
temperature sufficient for the formation of steam at the required pressure
without allowing them to attain excessively high temperatures. This
obtained by the application of a fan and by the adoption of direct firing in
is

page_text: closed receptacles so that the operation of the fan is essential for the combustion.
The speed of the fan being easily regulated by means of the cone pulleys g' gª
the delivery of the air for combustion is also controlled and thus the rapid and
almost instantaneous formation of steam at various pressure is obtainable. Con-
sequently the speed of the motor can be controlled by controlling the speed of
the fan and this point forms one of the novel features of the invention.
The formation of the spheroidal condition of the water being thus avoided
the construction of a steam generator with pipes of moderate thickness and con-
sequently lighter, can thus be arranged. If in consequence of want of attention
or of imperfect regulation of the fan there is produced in the interior of the
pipes the spheroidal condition of the water this condition can be removed by
means of an arrangement illustrated in Figure 4, consisting of a cone provided
with a great number of little holes forming a pulveriser which apparatus is
inserted in the first part of the tube spiral and just at that part which is nearest
to the fire. This cone breaks the spheroid of water which is formed and the
water is transported into the interior of the cone towards its apex o which
being at the centre of the tube is at a lower temperature and of the immedinte
conversion of the water into vapour which is the end in view.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Steam Generators and Motors applicable to
Automobile Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM PINLLIPS 'HOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declure 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:—
Engineers have lately been much occupied with the study of special arrange-
ments for steam engines and the like designed to operate uutomobile vehicles.
Such motors must possess great power with relatively small weight and size
and must be capable of instantaneous and easy control and also of being quickly
started, necessitating a rapid production of steam.
Several inventors have formed various types of motors more or less successful,
but the one which has hitherto been most favourably received is known as
the Serpollet engine, which device has formed the starting point for a numerous
series of steam gonerators constituted essentially of tubes of considerable thick-
ness and possessing very small capacity in proportion to the extent of the heat-
ing surface.
Nevertheless these various systems have not hitherto been entirely successful
for the construction of small compact motors easily transported and suitable
for automobile vehicles.
The present invention has for its object a motor the steam for which is
supplied not by a boiler of ordinary construction but by a generator formed of
metallic tubes exposed to the heating action of the fuel and in which the
ovaporation is obtained under the best conditions possible and the production
of steam is exactly proportioned to the requirements of the motor. For this

page_text: purpose it is necessary that the water to be evaporated should be divided and
injected into the boiler in the quantity required and according to the stroke
of the motor piston; moreover care must be taken that in the tubes constituting
the generator the water should not be able to assume the spheroidal state. It
is well known that in the so-called instantaneous generators formed of tubes of
the Serpollet type, the presence of the spheroidal state is almost normal which
is the cause of delay and irregularity in the production of steam and increase
of weight, and consequently of cost because of the thickness of the tubes.
In order to more fully set forth our invention, we will describe the same as
shewn in the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification and in the additional
sheet accompanying this Complete Specification in which:-
Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively the plan and the elevation of the motor
whilst
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show details of the same.
Figure 8 shows a vortical section of the steam generator.
The motor in Figure 1 is shewn with two cylinders one of which a has high
and the other blow pressure coupled and placed side by side.
The distribution of the steam to the high pressure cylinder is a feature of
our invention. It is effected by means of two slide valves working on faces c
the details of which are illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 6. Each of these valve
fuces has only the inlet and the outlet orifice. As to the admission of the steam
into the low pressure cylinder which makes use of steam which has already passed
through the high pressure cylinder, it is provided with an arrangement of any
ordinary kind for the supply of the steam. To the motor are attached two single-
acting pumps the piston whereof is actuated by means of an eccentric e,
with reduction of the stroke. The generator or evaporator is formed of two
independent series of metallic tubes of limited thickness coiled in the shape of a
conical helix, the internal space serving for the fuel which is thus applied to the
surface of the said tubes.
As may be seen from Figure 8 the generator tubes A A' go down nearly to
the firegrate and then they come up again in the same order, i.e. in the form of
a spiral sloping towards the top. Consequently, from the top to the bottom they
act as generator and from the bottom to the top as overheaters for the steam
issuing from 13 B' and entering directly into the slide valves of the high pressure
cylinder.
The whole of the generator is surrounded by a sheet iron cylinder 7 (Figures 1
and 8) having at its bottom, a fire-grate the lower part of which is hermetically
closed by a box r on the centre of which is the nozzle g of the fan.
The said nozzle extends somewhat above the bottom of the box in order to
prevent ashes from getting into it.
At the top the said cylinder is open, but it is enclosed in another cylinder s
slightly larger, acting as a cover so as to leave above and all round an anuular
space z, for the escapement of the combustion gases, the passage of which is
indicated by arrows in the drawings.
The cover has an opening in its centre into which enters the nozzle of a
hopper E, which feeds the fuel to the cylinder, the fuel in its descent assuming
the form of a cone, as shewn by the dotted lines.
The generator is connected to a fauf which may be a simple aspirator apparatus.
This fan is actuated by means of two conical pulleys, the first of which is
keyed upon the motor crank shaft and the second upon that of the fan as shewn
in Figure 1. The conical pulleys enable the different speeds to be given to
the fan according to requirements.
In order to set the motor in action it is only necessary to inject into the tubes
of the generator by means of a separate apparatus such as a pump, a limited
quantity of water and to kindle the combustion and increase it by means of the
fan. When the machine is in operation the two pumps d' which are driven

page_text: by it act also to operate and supply to the tubes the necessary water. As every
stroke of the piston of the cylinders corresponds to a stroke of the pistons of
the pumps, these latter must be regulated so as to obtain at each stroke the
amount of water necessary for effecting one stroke. The arrangement of the
pumps is such that the water aspirated by the pump is forced thereby into
one of the series of the tubes from whence the steam produced passes exclusively
through the slide valve face c'. The water aspirated by the other pump
is forced thereby into the other series of tubes and the steam produced passes
through the slide valve face 2, of the high pressure cylinder.
This arrangement forms one of the characteristic features of the system which
is the object of the present application for patent and which consists in intro-
ducing each time one-half the quantity of the water required by the motor and
thus divides it into two parts having a separate cycle of action, whereby obviously
a more rapid evaporation is secured.
In order to regulate the motion of the machine it is only necessary to regulate
the quantity of water introduced into the tubes which may be easily done by
causing to vary accordingly the course of the piston of the pumps d' by means
of the eccentric e and the adjustment bar . The eccentric e is formed of the
occentric properly called (see Figure 7) of which the eccentricity determines the
maximum stroke of the piston and of a circular ring to which the rod k is attached
having a stroke equal to zero.
It will be obvious that by adjusting the adjustment bar the pump rod m
will attain the limit of its course when its extremity corresponds to the eccentric
and the zero stroke when it corresponds to the ring. Between these two limits it.
is obvious that the desired length of stroke can be obtained to suit the position of
the rod.
Mention has been made of the necessity of avoiding the presence of water
in the spheroidal stute within the tubes which moreover spoils the tubes them-
selves. This spheroidal state is due to the excessive temperature of the interior
walls of the pipes with which the water when ejected comes in contact. In order to
avoid this drawback it is therefore necessary to produce and maintain in the tubes a
temperature sufficient for the formation of steam at the required pressure
without allowing them to attain excessively high temperatures. This is
obtained by the application of a fan and by the adoption of direct firing in
closed receptacles so that the operation of the fan is essential for the combustion.
The speed of the fan being easily regulated by means of the cone pulleys g¹ g
the delivery of the air for combustion is also controlled and thus the rapid and
almost instantaneous formation of steam at various pressure is obtainable. Con-
sequently the speed of the motor can be controlled by controlling the speed of
the fan and this point forms one of the novel features of the invention.
The formation of the spheroidal condition of the water being thus avoided
the construction of a steam generator with pipes of moderate thickness and con-
sequently lighter, can thus be arranged. If in consequence of want of attention
or of imperfect regulation of the fan there is produced in the interior of the
pipes the spheroidal condition of the water this condition can be removed by
means of an arrangement illustrated in Figure 4, consisting of a cone provided
with a great number of little holes forming a pulveriser which apparatus is
inserted in the first part of tho tube spiral and just at that part which is nearest
to the fire. This cone breaks the spheroid of water which is formed and the
water is transported into the interior of the cone towards its apex o which
being at the contro of the tube is at a lower temperature and of the immediate
conversion of the water into vapour which is the end in view.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:
-
1. In a molor of the class described, the combination with the high pressure

page_text: cylinder, of a steam generator comprising a casing, a double conical coil within
the casing and connected to said cylinder, and means for regulating the com-
bustion within the generator and the supply of water to the conical coil thereof
as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a motor of the class described, the combination with the high pressure
cylinder, of a steam generator comprising a casing, a double coil of tubing within
the casing, and means for regulating combustion of fuel therein, a double acting
pump connected to said coils operated from the crank shaft of the motor and
designed to supply a predetermined quantity of water into each of said tubes once
in every stroke of the motor piston and means for separately admitting and
exhausting each charge of steam to and from the cylinder as and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a motor of the class described, the combination with the high pressure
cylinder, of a steam generator comprising a casing a double conical coil therein,
a pipe connecting the interior of the generator with the atmosphere, a fan
within the same and operated from the crank shaft of the motor, means for
regulating the speed of said fan, mechanism operated from the crank shaft of
the motor for injecting a predetermined quantity of water into each coil and
predetermined intervals and means for admitting and exhausting the steam
formed in said generator separately to and from the said cylinder as and for the
purpose specified.
4. In a motor of the class described, the combination with the high pressure
cylinder, of a generator, comprising a casing, a double conical coil located in said
casing and connected to said cylinder, mechanism for injecting a predetermined
quantity of water into each of said coils at predetermined intervals, and perforated
hollow cones supported centrally therein in such a way that the axis thereof
is parallel with the central line of the tubing composing the coil as and for the
purpose specified.
5. The combination of parts forming the improved motor mechanism for auto-
mobile and other like purposes constructed and operating substantially as set
forth, and shewn in the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification.
Dated th 114 day of
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.