A NEW HEAVY FUEL CARBURETTER.
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A Résumé of Recently Published Patents.
One of the most successful paraffin carburetters in commercial use incorporates an arrangement whereby a regular quantity of water vapour is mixed with the incoming mixture of paraffin andair. On this account at least special interest attaches to the heavy-fuel carburetter which is patented by Soc. Robin Grenier and others, in specification No. 129,963, since the same feature in a different form is again adopted. The device is in two principal parts, one of which is merely an exhaust-heated vaporizer and presents, apparently, no features of great novelty ; the other is else an exhaust-heated vaporizer, but it vaporizes water and not oil. It is about the latter part of this carburetter that the interest centres. For a full woe/standing of the component, however, it is necessary to describe that carburetter iteelf.
The fuel enter& through a jet in a small choke tube shown at the right hand of the tipaer of the two drawings, which we reproduce from the specification. Constriction of the choke tube is effected by adjustment of 'theadepth to which the set screw above the jet enters. The rich mixture of fuel and air passes frosñ this simple form of carburetter into the exhaust-heated va,porizerawhich consists of a tortuous passage surrounded by a jacket, through which the eahanst gases pass. To the left of this—again refer to the drawing—ia a small cylindrical casting, which is also earaunded by the exhaust jacket. It is' packed with carbon, indicated in the drawing by irregular lines. Water enters at the bottom of this cylinder, and, passing upwards through the hot particles of carbon, is according to the inventors, converted into steam as it passes through the lower layers, and subsequently, as it rises under the influence of the engine
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suction meets the hotter layers of carbon, and is there subject to a partial dissociation. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, free hydrogen, etc., are formed, itis claimed.
The specification proceeds :—" These Various gases. in state naseenti in very smallquantity earnpared to that of the steam, pass with the said steam through the orifice" (which may be discerned connecting the cylindrical portion of the carburetter, to which we are referring, to the vaporizer) "and become thoroughly mixed, n a previousla determined proportion, with the hydrocarbon gases mixed, with air and produced by the retort." These gases, mixed with steam and dissociated steam, pass to the engine, where they are eaplocled more or lees in the customary manner.
It would almost seem that the inventor was combining a gas producer and car
buretter, but he expressly denies this impeae.hinent in the coarse of his description thus :—" It must be pointed out that the (water) vaporizer with its charge of carbon or of carbon compounds must not be considered as a water-gee producer proper. It acts, in aemeasure, as a. catylizer or the ip■IlL'pOSO of starting chemical reaationea which bring the steam to a state which enables it to own, bine with the hydrocarbon vapours."
Altogether a most • interesting conception.
A Steam Wagon Electric .
Lighting Outfit.
If we except the National steam omnibuses, there has hitherto been nu determined attempt to fit a commercial steam vehicle with electrielighting dynamo, eo that specification No. 140,526 possesses a special interest as being a real effort to invent something which will ffil the void. The arrangement which 'is eug gested is simplicity itself apparently. small turbine driven by live steam i
mounted with a with dynamo eleari machine on a common base plate an drives it through a, shaft and coupling A danamo of the type namedis used, a it is anticipated that, it will afford a con stant voltage, notwithstanding a con siderable variation in the quantity a pressure of the ,steam which may b available at the turbine. The patente is-C. le Kirk.
Other Patents of Interest.
An epicyclie changeaspeed gear is de scribed in.specification No. 140,565 bi W. Hemingway. A rem iheel on th: driving shaft drives one set of plane wheels of a compound gear. The side of the .planetary wheels is fixed to tie driven shaft and revolves with it. Othe: sun wheels are geared to the varioa planetary trains, and may be helda freed aecording to the variation of epeec which is required. or the top gear tin driving shalt is clutched to the planetaaa spider-and the whole' gear -revolves ex bloa
Another change-speed gear is referral to in specification No. 140,566. by T. L. Williams. The box is of the "constant. mesh" type, and the inventor has beer at considerable pains to reduce. the nuna ber of gears which are a,cteally revolving for anyiposition of the wheels and an arrangement of the drive: There is tic direct drive, and the gearbox would appear to be particularly suited far the ,transmission ef comparatively small power. .
The oil-level indicator which ia described in No. 140,734 is rather inaeni. ous. The fleet on its upper surface is formed as a valve, and when the oil-is at the correct level in the sump, this valve closes the paSsage tram the inlet orifice and prevents the attendant from pouring any more in. The patentee 'is J. Fielding. The wheel construction described in No. 140,501 by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Lid., has already been dealt with in these column-s. The spokes of the wheel are made separate from 'the rim and are dished. By axial pressure they are expanded as regards their diameter and press on the underside of the rim, thus ensuring a taut wheel and providing means for adjustment. The present epecia fication is concerned mainly with the detail formation of the ends of the spokes.
The principles underlying the construction of the Beeman garden cultivator are considered to same extent in specification No. 140,498, by A. E. White. The important feature of the invention appears to be that the crankshaft isoonceatrie with the road wheels, projecting through them to receive the starting handle, flywheel, and a belt pulley.
No. 140,552 describes an arrangement of piston, icings principally suited for use in connection with aluminium or aluminium alloy pistons. The main advantages-claimed are that carbon is prevented. from finding its way down between the piston and cylinder, The patentee is the Coventry Acme Motor Co., Ltd.