Improvements relating to Explosion Engines and to the Utilization of the Heat and Products of Combustion therefrom for the Generation of Gases or Vapours.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1900
Improvements relating to Explosion Engines and to the Utilization of
the Heat and Products of Combustion therefrom for the Generation
of Gases or Vapours.
I, LOUIS RENAULT, of 97, Rue St. Lazare, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an auto-generating apparatus for gases and steam,
that is to say, an apparatus by means of which it is possible to obtain, without
the use of either a compressor or a burner, a mixture of heated gases from the
cylinder of an explosion motor, and of steam produced by utilising the heat
obtained on the one hand from the wall of the cylinder and on the other hand
from the heated gases which escape therefrom, and of which a portion is made
to circulate in contact with the free surface of the mass of water to be vaporised,
the said mixture being intended to be employed in a motor, steam turbine of
any kind or other apparatus in place of steam produced by an ordinary steam
generator.
A form of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention comprises
a vertical cylinder in which is displaced a piston connected by means of a con-
necting rod to two crank dises which are rigidly fixed upon a shaft provided
at one end with a starting handle and at the other end with a pinion engaging
a second pinion of twice the diameter of the former. This large pinion is rigidly
connected with a cam for actuating the exhaust valve, in proximity to which
are arranged the suction valve and an electric igniting device by means of which
an electric spark may be produced.
Above the cylinder is a central valve the rod of which is provided with a com-
pensating piston, which valve is maintained closed by means of a spring the
pressure of which may be adjusted by means of a nut. Within the intermediate
jacket of the cylinder which is partially filled with water is fixed at its upper
portion an expansion rod provided with a valve. The annular space around the
cylinder communicating with the cylinder end or chamber by means of a valve
serves as an exhaust chamber and the latter is supplied through a suitable pipe
either with illuminating gas or with gas from a carburettor. The arrangement
also comprises a pipe permitting of the exhaustion of the burned gases, a tube
through which water is supplied to the jacket and a pipe for conducting the mix-
ture of expanded gases and steam to the apparatus in which it is intended to
be utilized.
The operation is as follows:
Assuming the piston to be at the upper extremity of its stroke and the handle
to be then rotated, the piston in descending draws into the cylinder a certain
quantity of combustible gas from the inlet pipe and passing through the valve
which opens under the influence of the vacuum produced by the said piston.
This latter in again rising compresses the explosive mixture in the cylinder end
and the said mixture is prevented from escaping through the central valve by
a spring which is so adjusted as to permit of the opening of the valve only under
the influence of a pressure greater than that of the maximum compression. As
soon as the piston has again reached the upper extremity of its stroke, a spark is

page_text: produced by the electric igniting device causing the explosion of the gas accom-
panied by an increase of pressure sufficient to cause the valve to rise and permit
a portion of the burned gases to escape into the annular space. This explosion
at the same time exerts upon the piston a force which starts the motor and
enables it, owing to the momentum acquired by the fly-wheels to continue to
rotate in order to complete the cycle.
When the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder the exhaust valve opens
and the excess of the burned gases passes into the annular space in order to escape
into the open air through a suitable outlet pipe. The piston rises owing to the
velocity acquired by the fly wheels, the exhaust valve remaining open until the
termination of the ascending stroke of the piston. after which this latter again
descends producing a fresh suction of gas through the valve the cycle of four
phases being reproduced indefinitely.
The volume of the cylinder end and the strength of the spring acting on the
central valve are calculated in such a manner as to leave a sufficient pressure
in the said cylinder end, and consequently upon the piston, in order to permit
the latter to compress a fresh quantity of gas so as to complete the cycle.
The small piston, the upper face of which is in communication with the atmo-
sphere by means of a passage, serves to compensate the pressure produced in the
chamber by the gases which have escaped through the central valve during the
preceding explosions, which pressure tends to maintain the said valve closed.
The heating of the cylinder and the circulation of the hot gases in the space
convert into steam the water contained in the space or jacket, the effect of which
is to lower the temperature of the gases and increase their volume.
The hot gases escape through the valve circulate in the jacket and heat the
water to be vaporised, thus still further increasing the efficiency of the apparatus.
The water contained in the jacket is renewed through a pipe the flow through
which is regulated by means of the expansion rod. If the temperature rises in
this jacket, this rod lengthens, the valve opens and a certain quantity of water
is introduced. The temperature then falling, the rod becomes shortened and the
valve again closes. The introduction of the water may be effected by means of a
pump actuated by the shaft of the motor and provided with an exhaust valve
arranged in the force pipe and enabling the water to be returned to the trough
when the valve is closed. The adjustment of the rod is effected by means of a
screw thread and of a nut provided at its upper extremity.
The ignition of the explosive mixture may be produced by means of an elec-
tric igniting device into which the current is sent by the ordinary cam and
trembler mechanism contained in a box, but it is obvious that this ignition may
be effected by means of an incandescence tube or any other suitable device, this
detail forming no portion of my invention.
Datad his 20th day of Dacombon 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to Explosion Engines and to the Utilization of
the Heat and Products of Combustion therefrom for the Generation
of Gases or Vapours.
I, LOUIS RENAULT, of 97, Rue St. Lazare, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner

page_text: tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by way of example in the accom-
panying drawing.
Dated this 14th day of September 1900.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.