IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO GAS ENGINES OR ENGINES ACTUATED BY THE EXPLOSION OR COMBUSTION OF MIXED GAS OR VAPOUR AND AIR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., Patent Agents, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Čivil
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO GAS
ENGINES OR ENGINES ACTUATED BY THE EXPLOSION OR COMBUSTION OF
MIXED GAS OR VAPOUR AND AIR." A communication from abroad by
Monsieur Edmond Geisenberger, of Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO GAS ENGINES OR ENGINES ACTUATED BY THE EXPLOSION OR
COMBUSTION OF MIXED GAS OR VAPOUR AND AIR." A communication from abroad
by Monsieur Edmond Geisenberger, of Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
This Invention is a gas engine that can be easily shifted, that makes little or no
noise or smoke, emits no smell, and does not necessitate the employment of fire, and
in fine is easy to erect and work by one not accustomed to it.
Any of the usual hydro-carbons easily vapourized by heat can be used. In starting
the vapour can be produced by extraneous heat, such as a gas or petroleum flame
beneath the hydro-carbon jacket hereafter described; afterwards the engine
generates sufficient heat itself. Or instead of extraneous heat a charge or two of
gas and air can be pumped in by hand; the air used can, as a rule, be heated by
the effluent products of combustion in the gas engine.
One mode of carrying out my. Invention is as follows:-
A motor cylinder is surrounded by a jacket always kept filled with petroleum or
other hydro-carbon fluid by a pipe from a cistern above. The cylinder and its
envelope is placed over a small fire grate or series of gas or petroleum burners,
which are lit when the engine has to be started, and extinguished or turned down
very low when the engine has fairly got to work. Air brought by a pipe from a
heater, where it is heated by the effluent gases when the engine is at work, is mixed
in the valve chest with the gas formed from the heated petroleum and passed into
the cylinder, where it is ignited by an electric spark or any other of the well known
means used in gas engines. The piston and remaining parts of the engine can be
of any ordinary construction. The cylinder cover Mr. Geisenberger constructs
D
037

page_text: hollow and supplied with an internal current of water circulating from and back
to a cistern above, so as to prevent too great heating of the cylinder; by this
arrangement the jacket of the cylinder serves to heat and vapourize the petroleum
round it.
The mode of action is as follows:-All parts being well lubricated the petroleum
fire below (caused by petroleum being turned on from a tap) is lit; the heat produced
vapourizes the hydro-carbon contained in the annular jacket. The vapour proceeds
to the valve chest.
One now causes the fly wheel to be turned round by hand, an electric spark is
caused to pass in the cylinder at one end, the mixture of air and gas passed in is
ignited. The explosion gives an expanded volume to the gaseous matter and drives
the piston to the end of the stroke; it at the same time gives off enough heat to
vapourize more hydro-carbon for the next stroke. The fire can now be extinguished
until required after another stoppage of the engine. The air required by the
engine can be passed through a heater surrounded by the exhaust gases by means
of a fan.
If it be desirable to do without extraneous fire the heat necessary to produce the
required vapourization can be produced by a thinly jacketted pump in which the
clearance spaces are reduced to a minimum. The petroleum circulates in the
jacket, and is such a thin layer that the compression of the air in the pump heats
it sufficiently to cause it to give off vapour. The air compressed by the pump is
used in the cylinder. After a stroke or two the engine can dispense with the pump
and supply itself.
In the pump both valve boxes for air are preferably at the bottom of the pump,
the entrance for hydro-carbon at the bottom of the jacket, and the exit for gas at
the top.
Instead of beginning to heat by the compression of the air one can also produce
by friction the heat necessary to commence the evaporation of petroleum. The
petroleum is placed in an incasing jacket, as in the pump, and friction maintained
in the interior chamber. It is better, whether compression or friction be used, to
cover the petroleum chamber on its exterior with a non-conducting substance.
The spark for inflaming the mixture of air and gas is preferably produced by a
mechanism described as follows:-
Parallel with a frame run the eccentric and distribution shafts. In the frame is
cut a longitudinal slot which enables me to shift two terminals placed in it; a third
terminal or contact screw is movable with the axis which binds together the
distribution and eccentric shafts. To this movable terminal is attached, above and
below the slot respectively, two wires from an induction coil; at the other two
terminals are attached two pairs of metallic wires which proceed respectively to the
two ends of the inside of the cylinder of the gas engine. The induction machine
receives the current of a galvanic battery. All the wires are perfectly isolated.
The four wires that end in the cylinder are terminated with platinum.
Though this arrangement is very simple others can be substituted for it. Thus
one could make use of an electro-magnetic machine moved first by hand, then by
the gas motor itself, and so avoid the use of a battery, or the ordinary modes of
inflaming can be used, such as gas flames, or I could use incandescent solids.
In conclusion, it is not absolutely necessary to use hydro-carbons at all, as other
inflammable liquids that are easily vapourized will do. This Invention is specially
applicable for uses where under eight horse power are required, more especially for
tramway and other carriages, electric light machines, et cetera.
What is specially valuable in this Invention is the production of motive power
by detonation of a mixture of air and combustible vapour without the employment
of extraneous fire. It enables me to use liquid hydro-carbons instead of ordinary
gas; it utilizes the beat disengaged in the cylinder, otherwise wasted, and the waste
heat of the effluent gas also.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of an
Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said William Phillips Thompson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th August 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO GAS ENGINES OR ENGINES ACTUATED BY THE EXPLOSION OR
COMBUSTION OF MIXED GAS OR VAPOUR AND AIR." A communication from abroad
by Monsieur Edmond Geisenberger, of Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
The system of motor of which I give the following description presents all the
advantages of a gas engine without any of its inconveniences. It can be easily
moved about, produces neither noise nor smoke, does not emit any odour, does not
necessitate the employment of a fire, can be put into operation by any one, and is
always ready for action, can be erected anywhere, does not cause any danger, and
is very economical.
It is based upon the employment of a hydro-carbon, such as petroleum or any
other susceptible of passing into the gaseous state under the influence of heat. To
start the machine the vapour of petroleum can be obtained either by the com-
bustion of some combustible body, such as a little of the petroleum itself, or by
the compression by means of a hand pump of a certain quantity of air or of
other gas susceptible or not of being liquefied. To maintain the machine in operation
the heat set free by combustion in the cylinder will be so considerable that a layer
of petroleum in contact with the cylinder shall emit a sufficient quantity of vapour;
this once produced is utilized in the motor in the same manner as gas in gas
engines, that is to say, it is mixed with air, and inflammation caused by the passage
of an electric spark or in any other manner.
In order that the inflammation shall be accompanied by the explosion indis-
pensable for the production of force, it will be preferable that the air destined to
produce the explosion shall be heated (for this purpose the heat disengaged during
the combustion can be utilized), otherwise this air would be able to condense the
petroleum vapour, or else it must be made to go at a speed sufficiently great to
leave insufficient time for these vapours to condense.
The air as well as the carburetted hydrogen can be heated by the products of
the combustion in the cylinder.
Among the numerous arrangements capable of realizing a combustible-vapour-
motor upon the principles above enumerated, I will describe those which appear
to me the best.
The first, in which the initial heat is produced by a petroleum fire, is represented
in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the cylinder; Fig. 2 is an
elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of a machine. In these first three Figures the same letters
represent like parts. A is the motor cylinder, round which is an annular space d
always filled with petroleum, which is brought to it from a reservoir E by a pipe ƒ
which opens into it under the cylinder. The cylinder A and its envelope are
placed in a furnace M furnished with a chimney N, an ashpit O, a grate P, and
two doors R, R¹. Upon the grate P is placed some combustible, the combustion of
which is necessary only for the starting of the machine; or better, a little fire of
petroleum is installed there, fed by the reservoir E by means of a pipe which only
allows the necessary quantity of liquid to pass. The vapour of petroleum and the
air are conveyed by the pipe j, j, into the distributing box B. m is a space made
in one of the cylinder covers to prevent too great heating thereof. It can receive

page_text: a current of water arriving from the reservoir F by the pipe K and returning by
the pipe l. In the arrangement I have described the envelope of the cylinder
serves as a heater of the petroleum.
I will now describe how the apparatus works, all the movable portions having
been first lubricated. One commences by lighting the fire K¹ fed by the petroleum
from a pipe from reservoir E. The heat produced vaporizes the petroleum con-
tained in the annular space d, which receives also this liquid from reservoir E by
the tube f; this petroleum vapour is immediately carried to the box of distribution.
One now by hand gives a turn or two to the fly wheel. An electric spark
produced in the interior of the cylinder near one of the cylinder covers inflames
the mixture of air and petroleum vapour admitted into the cylinder by the
distribution. The explosion gives an expansion of gaseous volume which propels
the piston to the end of its stroke, and at the same time disengages enough heat
to vaporize the petroleum, which does not cease to flow into the cylinder-envelope.
One can then leave the fire K to expire, since the heat disengaged by the com-
bustion in the cylinder suffices for the continued and regular production of
petroleum vapour. It is unnecessary to describe the rest of the mechanical
arrangement, partly because the Drawings are sufficiently explicit for this end, and
partly because the action of the divers parts of my motor is the same as those of
a gas or steam engine.
A second arrangement of combustible-vapour-motor, and which possesses the
advantage of requiring no furnace, is that which consists in the production of the
necessary heat for starting by means of a pump or by any other compressing
apparatus, the dead spaces of which are very reduced in size. This pump can be
worked by the hand at first and then by the motor.
The model which appears to me preferable is that represented by Fig. 4. This
pump ought to be constructed of a resisting metal, thin, and placed in a pipe,
which leaves only a small annular space between the interior of the pipe and the
exterior of the body of the pump. Thus this space destined to be filled with
petroleum can only contain a very little of it, and the heating of this slight
quantity up to evaporation will be obtained at the end of several strokes of the
piston. The starting can be effected in a few moments; further, the compressed
air will be able to serve for the combustion.
In the accompanying Drawing a represents the piston and b the body of the
pump; c is a pipe forming with the body of the pump an annular space into which
the petroleum comes by the tube d; e is the discharge pipe of the petroleum vapour;
f and g are respectively the pipes of exhaustion and compression of the air.
Instead of beginning to heat by compression one can also produce by friction the
heat necessary to commence the evaporation of the petroleum, 1st, by producing,
for example, the friction around a metallic vessel only containing a small portion of
petroleum, or even the whole, arranged like the pump, and producing the friction on
the exterior of the vessel or its appurtenances by a body which does not conduct
heat; 2nd, the friction can be produced by movement of the hands or by the
motor according to requirements; 3rd, finally, the friction can serve to replace
compression to produce heat, and under the conditions in which compression would
be utilized, as aforesaid.
Fig. 5 shows a very simple mechanism destined to produce the inflammation of
the mixture of air and gas by means of the electric spark.
Alongside of a frame n, n', run the eccentric and distribution shafts p, p².
In this frame is arranged a groove q which allows of moving the terminals X and Y.
A third terminal Z is movable with the axis which holds the distribution and
eccentric shafts; in this terminal, above and below the groove respectively, end the
two wires from an induction coil T. At the terminal X, and at the terminal Y, end
two pairs of wires which start from the rear and front ends respectively of the
motor cylinder. The induction apparatus receives its primary current from a
battery 8. All these wires are perfectly insulated; the four extremities which
terminate in the ends of the cylinder are tipped with platinum.

page_text: Although this arrangement is very simple, quite different ones may be substituted
for it; for example, a magneto-electric machine might be made use of moved at first
by hand, then by the motor itself, and thus avoid the employment of a battery; or
quite another mode of inflammation might be employed in which electricity does
not play a part.
To sum up, I produce heat by the combustion or compression of bodies suitably
chosen, and I employ it to vaporize petroleum or any other hydro-carbou, or more
generally, any body which can emit combustible vapours. I introduce into the
cylinder of a machine arranged for this purpose a mixture of combustible vapour
and air, and I produce the force which gives motion to the piston by means of the
explosion of this mixture.
I provoke this explosion by the employment of an electric spark, or by the
incandescence of any solid body, or by the contact of a body at a sufficiently elevated
temperature, or in general by any process capable of producing the combination of
the carbon and hydrogen of the vapour with the oxygen of the air.
This system of economical motors is universally applicable, but specially in
those cases where a force of more than eight horse power is not required. It suits
therefore particularly well to work tramway and other cars, lighting machinery,
et cetera. The forms, models, and dimensions may be varied indefinitely. What
essentially characterizes my Invention is the production of motive force by the
detonation of a mixture of air and combustible vapour produced without the employ-
ment of a combustible.
The motor for which I solicit a Patent is an improvement on gas motors already
known, consisting in replacing ordinary gas by another liquid or solid hydro-carbon
at the ordinary pressures and temperatures of the atmosphere, but volatile under
the influence of an elevation of temperature, and in utilizing the heat disengaged
by the combustion in the cylinder to raise the temperature of this hydro-carbon.
As soon as the bydro-carbon employed is vaporized, the vapours are used in the
same manner as the gas in ordinary gas motors. When the apparatus has to be
started it is necessary to produce artificially the first vapours necessary for this
starting. This production can be effected in various ways:-First, by heating the
hydro-carbon by any combustible, or by the heat disengaged by the compression of
the air or other gases or vapours, whether liquefiable or not; second, by causing
to pass into the volatile hydro-carbon a current of air, which may be heated by
compression or otherwise (though this is not indispensable), and in employing this
air charged with vapours like the mixture of air and gas in ordinary gas motors.
Having now described the Invention exactly as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent with orders to file, and accompanied by copies of the actual
tracings forwarded to me for the purpose by him, I wish it to be understood that
what I believe to be new and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The manufacture of motors as described, in which a hydro-carbon liquid or solid
at ordinary atmosperic temperatures is made volatile by heat, and in the volatile
state used like ordinary gas in gas engines, the heat given out by combustion or
explosion at each stroke being utilized to volatilize a fresh quantity of hydro-
carbon.
In witness whereof; I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
W. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)