An Improved Method for Starting Gas Engines, Hot Air Engines, and Petroleum Engines, Particularly when such Engines are Applied to Tram Cars or are Used as Locomotives.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
INUYIDIONAL DE BUIT LA LION.
An Improved Method for Starting Gas Engines, Hot Air Engines, and
Petroleum Engines, Particularly when such Engines are Applied
to Tram Cars or are Used as Locomotives.
I EUSTACE FITZMAURICE PIERS of St. Georges Works Hulme Manchester
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of starting Gas Engines, Hot Air
Engines, and Petroleum Engines, particularly when such Engines are applied to
propel Tram Cars or are used as Locomotives. For this purpose I combine with
each of the aforesaid Engines a Hydraulic Engine, the water for working which
is contained in a suitably constructed holder, filled partly with water and partly
with compressed air.
When it is required to start the Gas or the other aforesaid Engines, the piston
of the Hydraulic Engine is put into motion by opening a valve or valves and
allowing the water which is under compression in the aforesaid holder to pass into
the Hydraulic Engine cylinder, thus communicating motion to the Gas or other
of the aforesaid Engines.
After the Gas, or other Engine has been started the communication between the
water under compression in the Holder, and the Hydraulic Engine should be cut
off by closing the aforesaid valve or valves, and the water which had been used in
working the Hydraulic Engine may, if thought desirable, be forced back into the
aforesaid holder thus recompressing the air.
By reversing the action of the Hydraulic Engine a force pump could be
formed.
A suitable method of combining the Hydraulic Engine with the Gas or other
Engines would be to fix the Hydraulic Engine on to the end of the Gas or other
Engines, and prolong and produce the piston rod of the Gas or other Engines,
through the end and into the Hydraulic Engine cylinder, the end of such piston
rod terminating in the piston of the Hydraulic Engine.
EUSTACE F. PIERS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method for Starting Gas Engines, Hot Air Engines, and
Petroleum Engines, Particularly when such Engines are Applied
to Tramcars or are Used as Locomotives.
I EUSTACE FITZMAURICE PIERS of St. Georges Works Hulme, Manchester
Engineer 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 :-
My Invention relates to improved means for starting gas engines, hot air
engines and petroleum engines, particularly applicable when such engines are
employed to propel Tramcars or when used as Locomotives.
According to my invention I combine with either of the aforesaid engines a
hydraulic engine the water for working the said hydraulic engine being contained
in a suitably constructed holder or accumulator partly filled with compressed air.
When it is required to start the gas engine or other aforesaid engine the piston
of the hydraulic engine is put into motion by opening a valve or valves to allow
water which is under compression in the aforesaid holder to pass into the hydraulic

page_text: engine cylinder and thus communicate motion to the gas or other of the aforesaid
engines.
After the gas or other of the aforesaid engines has been started the communication
between the water under compression in the holder and the hydraulic engine should
be cut off by closing the aforesaid valve or valves and the water which had been
used in working the hydraulic engine may if desired be forced back into the holder
thereby recompressing the air contained in the holder or accumulator. By reversing
the action of the hydraulic engine a force pump could be formed for this purpose.
The accompanying drawing illustrates a suitable method as applied for driving tram
cars of combining the hydraulic engine with the gas or other engine but I do not
restrict myself to the arrangements shewn as they may be otherwise arranged
without departing from the nature of my invention.
Referring to the accompanying drawing A A represent two hydraulic cylinders
supplied with water from a holder or accumulator (not shewn in my drawing) by the
pipes a. The cylinders A A are arranged tandem fashion with two gas engine
cylinders B B the pistons of which are connected to the rams or pistons of the
hydraulic cylinders by the rods 6 so that when water is admitted to the cylinders A
to operate the pistons therein motion will be simultaneously transmitted by the rods b
to the pistons in the gas cylinder B of the gas engines and thereby start the said
gas engines which will then continue to work in the ordinary manner the connection
between the said engines and the hydraulic engines being cut off. I have not
illustrated in the drawing the mechanism for igniting the gas in the gas engines as
that forms, no part of my present invention and may consist of any of the arrange-
ments at present in use. When the hydraulic engine has effected the starting of
the engines B, B, the water employed in the starting passes or exhausts from the
cylinders A A and may be conducted through the pipes c into jacketted spaces
surrounding-the-cylinders B B for the purpose of keeping them cool the water thence
passing by pipes e into a tank E from which it may be pumped by the engines A A
through the pipes d back into the accumulator or reservoir.
C is a cylinder which may be used as an air compresser or as a gas cylinder
for the gas engines or it may be used as a pump for compressing air into the
space above the water in the reservoir or accumulator from which the hydraulic
cylinders. A A are supplied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is.
1. For starting gas engines, hot air engines or petroleum engines the combination
therewith of a hydraulic engine substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn
in the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting means for starting gas
engines, hot air engines or petroleum engines as hereinbefore described and shewn
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Ma.. 1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.