DILUTING •THE FUEL WITH WATER.
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A Résumé of Recently Published Specifications,
VARIOUS methods of mixing water vapour, hydrocarbons and air to form a suitable fuel for internal-combustion, engines have been tried from time to time. In some of them the air intended to form part of the explosive mixture is introduced, entirely or in part, at the Caine time as the water vapour into a chamber heated by the exhaust gases, and is drawn in by the suction of the motor. The result of this is that the explosive mixture is, according to C. E. Laurent, oxidized to an excessive extent before passing to the cylinders. In others the hydrocarbon and water vapour are well mixed and the air subsequently added, but in such cases the contact between the particles of hydrocarbon and water vapour is not, in the opinion of the above-named authority, -sufficiently close, or sufficiently prolonged, to obtain the desired action, namely, a kind of cracking, which has the effect of enriching the hydro
carbon. Furthermore, most of these devices are complicated, necessitating considerable modifications to the engine, or adjustments to the normal type of carburetter.
C. E. Laurent has invented a device—. it is described ins specification No, 197,647 —which, he states, has none of the above-named disadvantages, and is intended to be used to supply an internalcombustion engine with a catyfized mixture of water vapour and hydrocarbons in conjunction with air. The chief point of importance is that it can be fitted to existing engines without involving any alterations, permitting the existing carburetter -Le be used if desired and to be suppressed during the operation of this device. The water vapour and fuel are led through a chamber which is filled with a mass of the eatylizer, the composition of which is detailed in the specification and embodies a salt of lead, carbon, and it compound of silver, arsenic or other similar metal. After contact with the catylizer the mixture of water vapour and hydrocarbon undergoes a considerable change and is subsequently diluted with air which is introduced into the mixture between the catylizer chamber and the engine. , Other Patents of Interest
EXHAUST and inlet mani
folds are combined in the one casting in the design which has -been invented by W. Miller, and which he describes in specification No. 217,964. Holes are made in the casting in such positions that it can -be bolted direct to the cylinder block, using the existing bolts, but dispensing with the holdingdown dogs which are employed to secure the standard fitting. Provision is made, in the induction branch of this combined manifold, for the connection of an extraair valve, which is especially required in order to cool the incoming gases in hot weather, since they are provided with a considerable amount of heat as they pass along the wall in the casting which
separates the two parts, the said wall being in contact with the exhaust gases on its one side and the induction gases on the other.
THE removal of an ordinary poppet valve can be effected, according to H. J. Pearce, without tools or trouble, if the duplex valve washer which he do scribes in specification No. 218,070 be usedIt consists, as its name implies, of two washers. One is cupped and also flanged, the dimensions of the exterior of the cupped portion and of the flange being such that the valve spring will conveniently embrace the former and rest upon the latter. In this washer there is a plaits circular hole of a size to accommodate the stem of the valve. The other washer is cupped, but has no flange. The interior diameter of the cup, is large enough to accommodate the flange on the other washer. In this washer is a keyhole-shaped slot, the large and circular part of which is big enough to go over the stem of the valve, while the slot will only pass a groove which must be cut in that Stein, near its lower end, When the washer is being erected in place the upper acid smaller one is put on first, and lifted with the valve spring, until the lower and larger washer can be threaded on the valve and slid sideways until the narrow part of the keyhole has engaged the groove in the stem. The upper washer is then allowed to drop inside the lower one, where it rests, preventing the lower one from moving or disengaging itself from the groove in the stem. We have seen an arrangement resemb• ling this, except that the inner washer is in halves. CONNECTING rods of some light
alloy, which is reinforced by wire of inure robust, metal, are described in specification No, 218,099, by P. R. Wade.
SPECIFICATION No. 196,270 refers to the requirements of a satisfactory ignition system fos an internal-combustion engine. On the one band, the sparking-plug points -should be, as near as possible, at the centre of gravity of the compressed charge in the cylinder head. On the other hand, if the spark takes place at a distance from the gas inlet to the cylinder it becomes difficult to start the engine, which will not function properly, especially when running at slow speeds. Acceleration, too, is poor, for the reason that the spark is not produced in a region of rich gas which can be ignited with facility. It is, as a rule, quite impossible to comply with both these conditions, because of the lateral position of the inlet valve. In the ignition device which is described in this specification, provision is made for the supply of a readily inflammable auxiliary fuel mixture, and the ignition of this supply takes place as near as pos sible to its centre of gravity. The initial combustion of this auxiliary mixture is thus effected in particularly au.spicious circumstances, whilst that of the main charge is caused by the rush of this burning auxiliary charge from the chamber in which it is ignited to the mains combustion head ofthe cylinder. The device itself comprises, in the one fitting, which is designed to screw into the cylinder head, a. sparking plug and a small inlet valve, which opens communication between the interior of the device and a special carburetter from which, during the suction stroke of the engine, it draws the rich auxiliary mixture to which reference has been made.
A PAIR of life-guards,
adapted to be carried by the stub axles, so that, they move with the wheels, is described ins specification No. 218,507, by J. Stokes. A simple half-hoop of channel steel is taken round the upper half of the wheel, and it carries in front and near the ground a rubber buffer.
DYNAMOMETERS of the
air-brake type are considered in specification No. 218,510, by Armstrong Sidcleley Motors, Ltd., and B W. Shilson, The fan brake is enclosed in a casing, and the power is ascertained by measuring either the torque on the casing or the re-active torque on the engine. The rotary movement of the air within the casing is neutralized by suitably arranged guide vanes arranged in an annular conduit of truncated conical form, which is secured to the back of the fan casing. The present invention provides for the conduit to be detachable, sn that different sets of guide vanes can be substituted in accordance with the requirements.