Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891

page_text: The regulator connected with the receiver can be adjusted to close or partially
close the cocks in the air and water supply pipes at any desired pressure to diminish
or increase the supply of water and air. If the pipe 7 were made to communicate
with the upper part of tank 1 it would receive steam instead of water and the
apparatus would operate and such construction is within the invention. The
arrangement illustrated is however preferred.
25 is a hand wheel, and 26 a vertical rod connected by a chain or strap with a
horizontal connecting rod 27 for operating cocks 28 in the pipes 9' and 9 respectively
connecting the receiver and engines. 32 is a second wheel, and 33 and 34 inter-
mediate rods having suitable chain connection for operating a cock 35 in pipe 9¹.
The rods 27 and 34 are moved in one direction by springs 29.
When the grade is easy or the load light one engine can be used alone by
opening both cocks 28 and closing 35 and both engines may be employed when
required.
In Figures 1 and 2 are shown four engine cylinders 10 two of which are connected
by cross heads 36, connecting rods 40 and crank wheels 41 with a shaft 42 supported
to turn in bearings 43, and provided with a pinion 44 gearing with wheel 45
on a car axle. These parts with duplicates of some of them and with others to be
described, are supported in the present instance by beams 46, and by platform 47
upheld by said beams, the whole being suitably sustained from the axles of the car.
The hot water tank 1 has a pipe 7 which communicates by means of branches 48
with the lower part of the tanks and it is also provided with branches 49 supplied
with cocks 50 and 51 for controlling admission of water to the cylinders 10 on either
side of the pistons thereof. An exhaust pipe is indicated by 52 (see Figure 2)
which has two cocks 30 and 31 adapted to open and close communication with the
cylinder. The construction and arrangement is such that water can be admitted
alternately on each side of the piston and exhausted from the other.
The
The several cocks are provided with crank arms pivotally connected to and
adapted to be operated by the rods 53 which are suitably supported in guides 54.
Each rod has a pin 55 working in slot 56 of the link 57 (see Fig. 2) which link
has its ends connected by straps with eccentrics 58 secured on the shaft 42.
link can be moved in usual manner to vary the stroke of the connecting rods by
which the opening or closing of the inlet and exhaust cocks is controlled, and by
this means the stroke of the piston and speed and direction of the car can be
governed.
60 denotes condensers located on the top of the car or elsewhere as found
convenient. These consist of wire cloth tubes covered with fibrous material such as
cloth, (as shown in Figure 2) the exhaust pipes 61 have perforated branches 59
extending into the interior of these condenser tubes and adapted to discharge steam
therein. The water of condensation may be received in a receptacle 16 (see Fig. 4),
and disposed of in any convenient or usual way.
The fibrous material is adapted by its capillary action to hold a quantity of water
and on its exterior will be exposed to atmospheric currents. Steam will be
efficiently condensed by this water and air, while in case compressed air is also
used as a part of the motive power it can freely escape through the interstices of
the cloth or similar covering. The expansion of such compressed air will aid in
condensing the steam.
Fig. 3 which is to some extent diagrammatic indicates a construction and
arrangement adapted to use both air and water, and to introduce these agents
separately into the engine cylinder. According to this arrangement the water is
fed directly to the cylinder, and air is independently supplied through a suitable
valve chest. The hot water pipe leading to a tank 1 stored with highly heated water
under pressure has two branches 62 and 63 which communicate with the cylinder
at opposite ends. The air pipe 64 leading from a tank 3 holding compressed air
communicates with the valve chest 66 of usual form and adapted to admit air and
to expand air and water. 67 and 68 are supports for the guide rod 73 and movable
rod 69. The valve rod 70 is loosely supported by straps 71. 72 is a cross head

page_text: movable on rod 73 but fixed to the piston rod 74. Rod 73 is fixed in posts 67
and 68. The piston rod is suitably moved to and fro through the medium of the
cross head and the air and the exhaust valve rod is moved by eccentrics as
indicated. 75 and 76 are cocks provided with crank arms 77 with slots 78
embracing pins 80 fast on the movable rod 69.
Compressed air and water are separately admitted to the cylinder, and their
admission is controlled by the above described devices. The air is admitted by
the operation of the valve rod and valve as in steam engines. Let it be assumed
that, as represented, air and water are being admitted behind the piston, and that
cock 75 is open and 76 closed, and that the piston is moving to the right. The
construction is such that as soon as the cross head 72 moving loosely on rod 73 is
carried by the piston against the crank arm of cock 75, the latter will be closed
and the cock 76 opened, the rod 69 being suitably moved through the medium of
pins 80 by the impact of cross head 72 upon the arm of the cock 75. This closing
of the cock 75 and opening of the cock 76 will occur when the outer piston has
moved to the right nearly the whole length of its stroke. At the same time the
air valves will be reversed to exhaust behind the piston and to permit air under
pressure to enter in front, whereupon both air and water will be admitted in front
until the cross head 72 strikes arm 77 at the left and reverses the cocks, at which
moment the air valves will also be reversed. The water being supplied at a high
temperature expands into steam in the cylinder, and it and the air co-operate to
drive the engine. In practice they may be used expansively and in such quantity
and proportion as to utilize efficiently the heat of the water which latter will
preferably constitute the main source of power. It is not essential that the
admission of air and water be entirely contemporaneous or of equal duration, or
that air be admitted at all.
The main advantage of the use of water is derived from its high specific heat,
whereby it can be made to retain and convey sufficient heat within a moderate
compass to run a car, or other vehicle. Thus a thousand pounds of water heated
to 400 degrees Fahrenheit contains about three hundred and fifty thousand units of
heat representing twelve horse power. This would in practice enable an ordinary
street car to run a trip of 25 miles.
The space in the hot water tank above the water line is occupied by steam of
high tension which as before stated may be used with or without compressed air for
running the engine, suitable pipes being supplied.
The use of steam is not ordinarily desirable for the reason that loss by wire
drawing at high pressure far exceeds that in the use of water owing to the fact that
its volume is very much greater. Furthermore steam cannot be drawn from the
water tank without diminishing its pressure which when reduced to about sixty
pounds corresponding to a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit becomes
too small for efficient work. In case water alone is used from the water tank the
heat and pressure are maintained in it without material diminution so that its
contents can be wholly utilized at approximately the initial pressure. While
therefore a hot water tank having the pressure and temperature indicated could be
used to furnish steam, thereby dispensing with a portable fire and supplementing
compressed air such use is not preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :
1. The combination of a tank for compressed air, a hot water storage tank, a
receiver communicating by pipes with both tanks, and pipes communicating with
the valve chests of two engines substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of a tank for compressed air, a hot water storage tank, a
receiver communicating by pipes with both tanks, cocks in said pipes, a pressure
regulator communicating with a receiver, a device for connecting said regulator
with the cocks whereby they are automatically opened or closed by variations of

page_text: pressure in the receiver, and pipes communicating with the valve chests of two
engines, substantially as set forth.
3. In combination with an engine and the exhaust port thereof, a condenser
enclosed by a textile fabric or the like, and a conduit leading from said exhaust
port to the condenser and adapted to conduct steam to the interior of the same,
said condenser having no free outlet for steam, whereby all of the steam is condensed
and a part of the condensed steam is evaporated from the exterior of the condenser
to reduce its temperature, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with an engine, a condenser having a fibrous or porous wall, a
pipe for introducing steam within the condenser, and means for bringing air in
contact with said wall, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of an engine, a tank, disconnected from a fire and located on a
vehicle, said tank containing highly heated water under pressure inlet pipes opening
directly through the wall of the engine cylinder, whereby water can be conveyed
from the tank to the interior of said cylinder and introduced directly therein,
distinct ports disconnected from said inlet pipes suitable for exhausting water from
the cylinder, cocks or valves, and devices for operating said cocks or valves to
alternately admit water upon each side of the cylinder piston and exhaust from the
other, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of an engine, a tank disconnected from a fire and located on
a vehicle said tank containing highly heated water under pressure inlet pipes
opening directly through the wall of the engine cylinder, whereby water can be
conveyed from the tank to the interior of said cylinder and introduced directly
therein, distinct ports disconnected from said inlet pipes suitable for exhausting
water from the cylinder, cocks or valves, and devices for operating said cocks or
valves to alternately admit water upon each side of the cylinder piston and exhaust
it from the other, and devices for separately introducing compressed air to the
engine cylinder, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of a hot water storage tank carried on a car, an engine
cylinder, a pipe and branches connecting the cylinder and said tank, said branches
opening directly into the cylinder, exhaust ports distinct from the inlets leading
from the tank to the cylinder, and suitable cocks for the inlets and exhaust ports,
the latter being specially adapted to exhaust water, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of the hot water storage tank supplied with highly heated
water under pressure in sufficient quantity to drive the car or other vehicle for a
trip, all as specified, said tank being disconnected from a source of heat and
adapted to be carried on the vehicle, two engines, pipes connecting said tank and
the valve chests of the engines, cocks in said pipes, and devices whereby the cocks
in one or both pipes can be opened or closed at will to run one or both engines,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of August 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.