provements in and relating to Steam Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to Steam Vehicles.
I, RICHARD KNOLLER, of I, Hegalgasse, 7, Vienna, Austria, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In automatic vehicles, properly so called, the driver can regulate the motor
in accordance with varying external conditions (tractional resistance and desired
velocity) by a single adjustment, all the other necessary auxiliary adjustments
taking place automatically.
In steam vehicles known up to now, either several independent adjustments are
necessary or automatic regulation in the sense explained above results from
adjustment of the tractive effort; in other words, either the boiler-pressure is
constant and the admission to the steam cylinder is varied, or the admission is
constant and the boiler-pressure is adjusted-i.e., in both cases the tractive effort
is adjusted, whilst the combustion and the feeding are automatically adjusted as
momentarily required to secure the necessary pressure.
If the adjustment chosen does not suit the tractional resistance, either the speed
increases excessively up to the extreme limit of the power of the vehicle, or
the vehicle comes to a standstill.
Where the tractional resistance changes quickly, the driver has to be always
interfering, and in the case of road-vehicles this means an important addition to
the difficulty of driving.
In contradistinction to this, according to this invention, the driver adjusts the
energy expended by the vehicle (.e., its work per unit of time, which is equal to
the product of the tractive effort and the speed), and this energy is automatically
maintained at a predetermined or fixed value. Consequently the degree of effort
of the vehicle is always known and the speed of travel varies automatically in
inverse ratio to the tractional resistance for the time being; therefore the speed
can neither increase inordinately nor fall to zero, as long as the resistance neither
excerds the greatest tractive effort permitted by considerations of strength nor
disappears entirely; in any case the variations of speed are much less than when
the tractive effort is regulated.
The regulation of the energy expended by the vehicle is attained by regulating
the energy developed by the steam generator (.e., by regulating the weight of
the steam generated per unit of time) independently of tractive effort and the
speed of travel. The steam pressure and the speed of travel then vary automati-
cally as the tractional resistance changes, until there is equilibrium between the
tractive effort and the resistance, and the quantity of steam required equals the
steam generated; this will be the case when the speed has become approximately
proportional to the energy developed by the steam generator divided by
("gebrochen durch") the tractive resistance. Regulation takes place the quicker,
the smaller the volume and the heat capacity of the steam generator.
The quantity of steam generated per unit of time and its dryness, or degree of
superheating are regulated by connected adjustment of the quantity of fuel

page_text: consumed per unit of time and of the quantity of water fed per unit of time, and
either independently of the varying delivery pump and oi the varying steam-
pressure, or dependently thereon only in such a way that the ratio of water to
fuel varies somewhat with the pressure in a suitable manner.
When liquid fuel is used, the quantity consumed equals the quantity flowing
to the furnace. When spraying is effected by means of steam or compressed air,
the quantity of this spraying fluid must also bear a definite relation to the
quantity of fuel if one wishes to attain the best heating effect.
It is thus necessary for the automatic regulation of the energy-developed that
the amounts of several Huids (three, for example) supplied to the steam generator
per unit of time, be fixed by a single adjustment and in such a manner that the
individual amounts will have definite and the most favourable proportions, which
must then be maintained even if as to one of the fluids, the quantity necessary
for the adjustment momentarily fail, owing, for example, to insufficieni pump-
delivery, or too small pressure of the spraying fluid.
The regulation of the separate amounts is effected, to suit this requirement, as
follows:-
(a) In the case of the feed water, which has to be supplied. against, or in
accordance with, the varying boiler pressure, a feed-water regulator
used, which
can be arranged either in the suction-piping or in the pressure piping of the
feed pump.
In the first case the feed-water regulator comprises vessels D1 and D2 (Fig. 1),
the interiors of which are divided by a diaphragm M or by a piston and com-
municate with each other only through a throttle way St. In addition, D' is in
connexion at 2 with the water reservoir, and D2 is in connexion at L with the
suction-piping of the pump. D is also provided with a valve V, which is
loaded by an external force 1' and bears on the diaphragm M. This valve allows
air to enter D2, and consequently the suction chamber of the pump, as soon as
the difference of pressure between 1 and 12 exceeds the force of the load P.
Consequently a constant quantity of water, proportional to the load P and to the
cross sectional area of the throttle way S', flows to the suction chamber of the
pump. The quantity of water fed per unit of time may be determined either by
adjusting the throttle opening S whilst keeping the load P constant, or, inversely,
by adjusting the load P whilst keeping the throttle opening S¹ constant.
In the second case the feed-water regulator comprises two coupled dia-
phragms M and M2 (Fig. 2) or pistons, the chambers D and D2 behind which are
respectively in free communication at Z with the pump piping and at K with
the boiler; the pump piping communicates with the boiler through the throttle
way S whereas it communicates with the overflow pipe U to the reservoir through
the overflow-valve V, which is loosely connected with the diaphragms which are
moreover loaded with an external force P. If the effective pressure surfaces or
areas of M and M2 are of the same size, there exists, independently of the amount
of the boiler pressure, a constant difference of pressure between D and D2, which
is proportional to the load P and under which a constant quantity of water, corre-
sponding to the size of the throttle way S, flows to the boiler, whilst the excess
flows back through the overflow pipe U to the reservoir.
If the effective pressure
surfaces or areas are different, the difference of pressure varies with the amount.
of the boiler pressure.
The adjustment of the quantity of feed-water takes place the same way as in
the case of the first-described arrangement.
(b) The regulation of the fuel is effected by means of a fuel regulator of the
same construction and manner of working as the feed water regulator shown in
Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. 2; or, when the supply of fuel is effected not by a
pump but by a pressure-reservoir, the regulation is brought about by a pressure-
reducing valve V₁ (Fig. 3), which maintains the issuing pressure at the same
value. The adjustment of the amount is again effected by adjusting either the
throttle way S2 or the valve load P.

page_text: (c) The regulation of the spraying fluid is effected by a pressure-reducing valve
of the same construction and action as that shown in Fig. 3.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the combination of three such governing devices R1, R2,
for water, fuel, and spraying fluid respectively.
R³
The maintenance of the desired proportion of the several amounts of the liquids
is insured in the following manner. The constant or adjustable load P (as a
spring) (Figs. 4 and 5) is distributed in a fixed proportion among the several
regulating devices R1, R2, R3 by means of a three-armed lever a b c, or by means
of a lever combination, in such a manner that each of the same remains inde-
pendently movable. A stop or buffer H is fixed under the point of application A
of the load P so that if one of the liquids be delivered in insufficient quantity the
amount of the free load will be automatically diminished by A bearing on H;
the distribution among the several apparatus does not, however, alter. A
gauge M shows the actual quantities of all the fluids passed, whilst the adjust-
ment of the load, or if this is kept constant, the adjustment of the coupled
throttle ways S1, S2, S makes provision for the desired quantities, which are
attained as soon as all the fluids are available in sufficient amount.
In regulating the energy developed by a steam motor, according to this inven
tion, the degree of superheating may be kept constant.
Dated this 18th day of July 1800
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in and relating to Steam Vehicles.
I, RICHARD KNOLLER, of I, Hegelgasse 7, Vienna, Austria, 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::-
In automatic vehicles, properly so-called, the driver can regulate the motor
in accordance with varying external conditions (tractional resistance and desired
velocity) by a single adjustment, all the other necessary auxiliary adjustments
taking place automatically.
In steam vehicles known up to now, either several independent adjustments are
necessary or automatic regulation in the sense explained above is effected by the
adjustment of the tractive effort: in other words, either the boiler pressure is
constant and the admission to the steam cylinder is varied, or the admission is
constant and the boiler-pressure is altered i.e., in both cases the tractive effort
is adjusted, whilst the combustion and the feeding are automatically adjusted as
momentarily required to secure the necessary pressure.
If the adjustment chosen does not suit the tractional resistance, either the speed
increases excessively up to the extreme limit of the power of the vehicle, or
the vehicle comes to a standstill.
'
Where the tractional resistance changes quickly, the driver has to be always
interfering, and in the case of road-vehicles this means an important addition to
the difficulty of driving.
In contradistinction to this, according to this invention, the driver adjusts the
energy expended by the vehicle (i.e., its work per unit of time, which is equal to
the product of the tractive effort and the speed), and this energy is automatically
maintained at a predetermined or fixed value. Consequently the degree of effort

page_text: of the vehicle is always known and the speed of travel varies automatically in
inverse ratio to the tractional resistance for the time being; therefore the speed
can neither increase inordinately nor fall to zero, as long as the resistance neither
exceeds the greatest tractive effort permitted by considerations of strength nor
disappears entirely; in any case the variations of speed are much less than when
the tractive effort is regulated.
The regulation of the energy expended by the vehicle is attained by regulating
the energy developed by the steam generator (i.e., by regulating the weight of
the steam generated per unit of time) independently of tractive effort and the
speed of travel. The steam pressure and the speed of travel then vary automati-
cally as the tractional resistance changes, until there is equilibrium between the
tractive effort and the resistance, and the quantity of steam required equals the
steam generated; this will be the case when the speed has become approximately
equal to the energy developed by the steam generator divided by the tractive
resistance. Regulation takes place the quicker, the smaller the volume and the
heat capacity of the steam generator.
The quantity of steam generated per unit of time and its dryness, or degree of
superheating, are regulated by the combined adjustment of the quantity of fuel con-
sumed per unit of time and of the quantity of water fed per unit of time, and
either independently of the varying pump delivery and of the varying steam-
pressure, or dependently thereon only in such a way that the ratio of water to
fuel varies somewhat with the pressure in a suitable manner.
When liquid fuel is used, the quantity consumed equals the quantity flowing
to the furnace. When spraying is effected by means of steam or compressed air,
the quantity of this spraying fluid must also bear a definite relation to the
quantity of fuel if one wishes to obtain the best heating effect.
It is thus necessary for the automatic regulation of the energy developed that
the amounts of several fluids (three, for example) supplied to the steam generator
per unit of time, be fixed by a single adjustment and in such a manner that the
individual amounts will have definite and the most favourable proportions, which
must then be maintained even if, as to one of the fluids, the quantity necessary
for the adjustment momentarily fail, owing, for example, to insufficient pump-
delivery, or too low pressure of the spraying fluid.
The regulation of the separate amounts is effected to suit this requirement, as
follows:-
(a) In the case of the feed water, which has to be supplied against or in
accordance with, the varying boiler pressure, a feed-water regulator is used, which
can be arranged either in the suction-piping or in the delivery piping of the
feed pump.
In the first case the feed-water regulator comprises vessels D' and 12 (see Fig. 1
of the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification) the interiors of which
are separated by a diaphragm M or by a piston and communicate with each other
only through a passage containing a throttle valve S. In addition, D is in
connexion at Z with the water reservoir, and 12 is in connexion at L with the
suction-piping of the pump. 12 is also provided with a valve V, which is loaded
by an external force P and bears on the diaphragm M. This valve allows air
to enter D2, and consequently the suction chamber of the pump, as soon as the
difference of pressure between 11 and 12 exceeds the force of the load P.
Consequently a constant quantity of water, proportional to the load P and to
the cross sectional area of the opening of the throttle valve S₁ flows to the
suction-chamber of the pump. The quantity of water fed per unit of time may
be fixed either by adjusting the opening of the throttle valve S' whilst keeping
the load P constant, or, inversely, by adjusting the load P whilst keeping the
opening of the throttle valve S¹ constant.
In the second case the feed-water regulator comprises two coupled dia-
phragms M1 and M2 (Fig. 2) or pistons, the chambers D1 and D2 behind which are
respectively in free communication at Z with the pump piping and at K with

page_text: the boiler; the pump piping communicates with the boiler through the passage
containing the throttle valve S', whereas it communicates with the overflow pipe U
to the reservoir through the overflow-valve V, which is loosely connected with
the diaphragms, which are, moreover, loaded with an external force P. If the
effective pressure surfaces or areas of M¹ and M² are of the same size, there exists,
independently of the amount of the boiler pressure, a constant difference of pressure
between 1 and D2, which is proportional to the load P and under which a
constant quantity of water, corresponding to the size of the opening of the
throttle valve S, flows the boiler, whilst the excess flows back
If the effective pressure
through the overflow pipe U to the reservoir.
surfaces or areas are different, the difference of pressure varies with the amount
of the boiler pressure.
to
The adjustment of the quantity of feed-water takes place in the same way as in
the case of the first-described arrangement.
(b) The regulation of the fuel is effected by means of a fuel regulator of the
same construction and manner of working as the feed water regulator shown in
Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. 2; or, when the supply of fuel is effected not by a
pump but by a pressure-reservoir, the regulation is brought about by a pressure-
reducing valve V₁ (Fig. 3), which maintains the issuing pressure constant.
adjustment of the amount is again effected by adjusting either the throttle valve $2
or the valve load P.
The
(c) The regulation of the spraying fluid is effected by a pressure-reducing valve
of the same construction and action as that shown in Fig. 3.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the combination of three such regulating devices R', R², R³
for water, fuel and spraying fluid respectively.
The maintenance of the desired proportion of the several amounts of the fluids
is insured in the following manner:-The constant or adjustable load P (as a
spring) (Figs. 4 and 5) is distributed in a fixed proportion among the several
regulating devices R1, R2, R3 by means of a three-armed lever abc, or by means
of a lever combination, in such a manner that each of the same remains inde-
pendently movable. A stop or buffer 'H is fixed under the point of application A
of the load P so that if one of the fluids be delivered in insufficient quantity the
amount of the free load will be automatically diminished by A bearing on H;
the distribution among the several apparatus does not, however, alter.
gauge M shows the actual quantities of all the fluids passed, whilst the adjust-
ment of the load, or if this is kept constant, the adjustment of the throttle
valves S1, S2, S3 which would then be coupled together secures the delivery of the
desired quantities of the several fluids when such fluids are available in sufficient
amount,
A
In regulating the energy developed by a steam motor, according to this inven-
tion, the degree of superheating may be kept constant.
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:-
1. A method of regulating the energy developed by steam vehicles consisting
in regulating by means of a single adjustment the quantity of steam generated
per unit of time in the steam generator whilst preserving its degree of super-
heating, the said adjustment simultaneously affecting the mechanisms for the
supply of fuel, of feed-water, and, in certain cases, of spraying fluid in such a
manner that the quantities of fuel or fluid supplied to the steam generator per
unit of time will always bear the same or nearly the same proportion to one
another.
2. For carrying out the method set forth in the preceding claim, the combination
of the following mechanisms:
(a) A feed-water regulator R' which comprises vessels D' and D2 in com-
munication with the water reservoir or with the suction pipe of the pump,

page_text: separated from each other by a diaphragm M (or by a piston), and com-
municating with each other through a passage containing a throttle
valve S, and in which the membrane M (or the piston) opens a valve V
loaded by an external force P and thereby causes air to penetrate into
the suction chamber of the feed-pump as soon as the difference between
the pressures in D1 and D2 exceeds the value of the load P, whilst the
adjustment can be effected by altering the load or varying the opening
of the throttle-valve S¹;
(b) A fuel-regulator R2 which is constructed in the manner described in
paragraph a, or which, when the fuel is not supplied by a pump but by
means of a pressure reservoir, comprises a pressure-reducing valve Vi
(Fig. 3) loaded by an external force, the adjustment of the quantity being
effected by varying the opening of the throttle-valve S² or altering the
load P; and, when a spraying fluid is employed;
(c) A mechanism R³ for regulating the admission of this fluid, which com-
prises a pressure-reducing valve V1 (Fig. 3) loaded by an external force P³
and in which the adjustment of the quantity is effected by varying the
opening of the throttle valve S3 or the load P³
3. In a device of the kind described in Claim 2, a lever a b c or a lever-com-
ination which distributes the pressure P of a spring or other variable load,
roportionately to the quantities of water, of fuel, and of spraying fluid to be
applied to the steam generator on the devices R1, R2, R3, that control respectively
he inflowing feed-water, fuel, and spraying fluid.
4. A device of the kind described in Claim 3 in which there is provided a
op H under the point of application A of the load P' that acts on the lever abc,
r the purpose of automatically diminishing the free load P upon insufficient
pply of one of the fluids without altering the distribution of the said load on
e pressure regulating devices R¹ R2 R³ and hence without altering the relative
roportions of the fluids delivered by the said devices.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 2 in which the throttle valves S1 S2 S³ are
nnected together so as to enable the power developed by the steam generator to
varied without altering the load P.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein a feed-water regulator R¹ or a
el regulator R2 comprises two coupled diaphragms or pistons M¹ M² loaded by
force P, one of which Me is under the boiler pressure, the other M' being under
e pressure in the opposite direction of the feed-water delivered by the pump,
that the said diaphragms open an overflow valve V arranged in the delivery-
pe as soon as the difference of the pressures in the two chambers is equal to
e load P, and cause the quantity of water pumped into the boiler to remain
nstant as long as there is no alteration in the load on the diaphragms or in the
ening of the throttle valve S¹.
•
1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.