US1036080A - Apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes. - Google Patents

Description

I "Ml m I I I Q I n.

G G. DAVISON. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MOTIVE FLUID FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAI l. 29, 1909. 1,036,080. Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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lllll/l Q Y" I E c I X f E k H :1 I I g; PI Q} I I I (J J m I WITNESSES ATmRN Ys G. G. DAVISUN. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MOTIVE FLUID FOR AUTOMOBILE TOBPBDOES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1909. 1,036,080.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY %flz/% A ATTORNEYS re STATES PATENT rice.

GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISON, F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOBGENERATING MOTI'VE FLUID FOR AUTOMOBILE TOBPE'DOES.

1,036,080. Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d Aug. 20, 1912 Application filed March 29, 1909. Serial No. 486,455.

To all whom it may concern: body of the torpedo in the customary way;

Be it known that I, GREGORY C. DAVISON, and the fuel is contained in a tank'b, which a citizen of the United States, residing at is likewise formed by partitioning off a Quincy, in the county of Norfolk, State of portion of the body of the torpedo. A take- Massac-husetts, have invented certain new ofi' pipe 0 leads from the tank a to and and useful Improvements in Apparatus for through reducing valve d, which is of the Generating Motive Fluid for Automobile type commonly used in torpedoes of this Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the class and is adapted to be opened automatifollowing to be a full, clear, and exact decally when the torpedo is launched. From scription of the invention, such as will enhere the oxygen-carrier flows at a reduced able others skilled in the art to which it pressure through the pipe e to the generator appertains to make and use the same. f, within which it is intended that the mixed In the operation of automobile (or selffuel and oxygen-carrier shall be burned, an propelled) torpedoes, it would be of great charged with water vapor. The construcadvantage to substitute for the compressed tion of the generator 7 will be understood air commonly used as a motive fluid, a mofrom Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that tive fluid derived by burning a suitable fuel the generator comprises a strong cylindrical with compressed air or oxygen and then tank with rounded ends made in two parts injecting into the highly heated products of f and F. The lower portion f has tapped combustion a quantity of water, whereby the into it at the bottom the take-0E pipe 9 water is converted into steam, adding to the leading to the engine, and the take-off pipe volume of the fluid and reducing its tem- 71' of considerably smaller capacity leading perature. In this way there may be formed to the pump. The upper part f of the gena motive fluid under extremely high preserator has tapped into it centrally at the sure and at moderate temperature, which is top the compound nozzle. This nozzle com- 0 admirably adapted to the operation of the prises an outer threaded sleeve 6, into which light, high-speed, powerful engines which the water pipe 70 leads, and which terminates are used on such torpedoes; and a very high within the cylinder in a spraying-head Z, degree of efliciency of energy transformahaving spray-holes adapted to discharge the tion may be secured; provided an apparatus water tangentially against the upper end of can be devised which is of the requisite simthe cylinder to set up a circumferential or plicity in construction and regulation, so whirling motion; an intermediate sleeve m that it may be used without danger and with with which is connected the pipe 6 containthe assurance that it will be in" operative ing the oxygen-carrier; and a central nozzle condition whenever it may becalle'd upon n for the fuel, said nozzle n terminating in to do its Work. a rounded headn having spray-holes as It is the object of the present invention to shown. Secured to the water spray-head Z provide an apparatus suitable for that purand separating the water spray from the pose, and the particular nature and princifuel and oxygen-carrier is the dome-shaped ples of operation of'the means employed to hood 0 extending well down into the body that end will be understood from a conof'the cylinder, the object of the hood being sideration of the following description-and to prevent the injection of water into the the accompanying-drawings. mixed fuel and oxygen-carrier before the In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vercombustion is complete. It will be undertical section of a portion of a torpedo showstood that the water sprayed from the head ing the apparatus of my invention in eleva- Z will flow down over the heated hood 0 tion. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of and the water vapor will mix with the the generator in which the motive fluid is products of combustion in the lower portion produced; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the generating chamber. For starting of the regulator, and Fig. 4: is a sectional combustion within the generatorI providea plan of the same on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. device which is automatically actuated as The oxygen-carrier, preferably air or oxysoon as the oxygen-carrier under pressure is gen, under pressure, is contained in a-tank a, admitted into the generating chamber. For which, in the construction illustrated, is this purpose, I have'adopted a known conformed by partitioning of? a portion of the struction of ignition device and have so 10- 11 containing an ignition fuse I a percussion cap 9,

' that th cated it that it is in communication with the generating chamber at the upper portion of the hood 0 in proximity to the compound nozzle. ceptacle 7), in which slides a fuse carrier 9 and carrying and capable of sliding up the bore of the receptacle p into contact With the firing projection 1'. This firing project-ion has a central passage for the escape of the air within receptacle 7; when the ignition fuse rises therein, such air passing through the central passage in firing projection 1' and through the spring-pressed check-valve 7". Upon admission of the oxygen-carrier under pressure to the generating chamber f through the pipe 6 and sleeve m the fuse-carrier is forced up the bore of receptacle 72 until percussion cap g strikes firing projection r and the fuse isignited. A slow burning fuse is preferably used so that the combustible mixture which has formed in the generating chamber will surely be ignited. The manner in which the fuel and water are fed to the generating chamber will be further described hereafter.

From the generating chamber the products of combustion are led, on the one hand, through the pipe 9 to the engines 8, and on the other hand, through the pipe h to the pump t. This pump is connected with the water at t, and with the regulator u at w. The construction of this regulator will. be understood from Figs. 3 and 4, from which it will be seen that it comprises a casing divided into an upper and lower chamber by a flexible diaphragm to, which diaphragm carries an adjustable slotted stem '0 actuating the double-seated balanced valve '10, which controls the inlet passage from the pipe w leading from the delivery side of the pump. Into the lower portion of the lower chamber of the regulator is also tapped the outlet pipe t leading to the lower portion of the fuel tank 6 and the outlet pipe is leading to the water nozzle. Into the upper part of the regulator above the flexible dia.-' phragm is tapped the pipe 6 branching from the pipe e and containing the oxygencarrler under pressure. From the upper part of the fuel tank 6 there extends to the fuel nozzle n, a fuel pipe 3 With this construction and arrangement 'of parts the pressure of the oxygen-carrier in the pipe e on the low pressure side of the reducing valve (1 controls absolutely the pressure on the fuel and the pressure on the water supply to the generating chamber, so e oxygen-carrier, the fuel and the water are fed always at a predetermined pressure to the generating chamber, and if, for any reason, the supply of oxygen-carrier is cut off or exhausted, the supply of fuel and water to the generating chamber.

will cease at once, while, as long as there is This device comprises a re through the nozzle n there forming an explosive or combustible.

a supply of oxygen-carrier under pressure and the flow .of water into the regulator chamber is not interrupted, the supply of fuel and water to the generating chamber will continue under proper control. Fur thermo-re, by this arrangement the fuel in the fuel tank, as it is withdrawn, is replaced by water, which, of course, remains at the bottom of the tank. This prevents a possibility of the admission of air or oxygen into the fuel tank. and the formation therein of an explosive mixture. But a single pump is necessary to feed both the fuel and the water and it is made certain that the fuel and the water will be fed under the same pressure and will both be controlled by the pressure of the oxygen-carrier. This dependence of the fuel supply upon the water supply, and their mutual dependence upon the single pump and the pressure of the oxygen-carrier, is of further advantage in that it is impossible that the water supply should be stopped'and the fuel supply continued, thereby creating unduly high temperatures in the generating chamber and engine. Furthermore, it will be observed, the arrangement is such, that if, for any reason, such as the breaking down of the water pump, the flow of water into the regulator chamber is interrupted, the supply of fuelv will immediately cease, thus brlnging the com bustion to an end and preventing unduly high temperatures; but, nevertheless, the air or oxygen under pressure will continue to flow from the storage tank through the combustion chamber to the engine, and the torpedo will continue to be driven until the supply of oxygen-carrier under pressure is I exhausted.

The operation of the system as a whole is as follows: When the torpedo is launched the valve d is opened automatically and the oxygen-carrier at the predetermined pressure is admitted to the upper portion of the generating chamber through the pipe m. The pressure thus produced in the generating chamber forces the fuse-carrier up the bore of receptacle p against the firing projection and ignites the fuse. The fuse contains a slow burning composition preferably one which will burn for several seconds, and before it is burned out, the pump, actuated initially by the oxygen-carrier passing through pipe in, will force fuel into the generator,

mixture which will be ignited by the fuse. At the same time,

or substantially the same time, that the fuel is admitted, jets of waterwill be thrown with a circlunferential or whirling motion from the sprayer head Z into the space between the hood 0 and the body of the enerator, and as the hood heats up and the ot products'of combustion accumulate the water will be vaporized and interfere with the combustion.

' fluid for automobile mixed with the products of combustion, but by reason of the interposition of the hood 0 the combustion will be complete before the mixture takes place so that the water cannot The mixed products of combustion and Water vapor in the lower portion of the generator pass through the pipe 9 to the engine and through the pipe h to the pump.

In the pipe 9 between the generating chamber and the engine, -I prefer to place a safety valve a,and in the pipes e, is and 3 check-valves b, 0' and d are interposed to prevent a back flow due to a sudden high pressure in the generator.

The above described arrangement of parts provides an operative system for automobile torpedoes which is simple, self-starting, selfregulating, and well protected against accidents. 7

What I claim is p 1. In apparatus for generating motive torpedoes, a generating an oxygen-carrier and of comchamber in which fuel are burned and the products bustion mixed with water vapor, a tank for an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a water supply, a fuel supply, an auxiliary source of ressure for the water and fuel supply, a conduit leading from the oxygen-carrier tank to the combustion chamber, a second conduit through which the pressure of the oxygen-carrier is applied to regulate the pressure of the fuel and water supply, valve mechanism controlling said conduits, connections through which the fuel and water may freely pass under the pressure of the oxygen-carrier into the generating chamber, and a connection from the combustion chamber to the driving engine of the torpedo,

whereby the flow of water and fuel feed to the generator depends at all times upon and is regulated by the pressure of the oxygencarrier, but the flow of the oxygen-carrier is independent of the water and fuel supply.

2. In an automobile torpedo, motive fluid generating apparatus comprising a tank for storing an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a combustion chamber having an outlet conduit leading-to the driving engine, and a conduit extending from the storage tank to the combustion chamber, the said elements constituting a power system in which the stored oxygen-carrier may flow from the storage tank through the combustion chamber to the engine to operate it; in combination. with means for supplying a combustible and water to the combustion chamber, and means for discontinuing the combustible supply upon failure of the water supply, without interrupting the flow of oxygen carrier to and through the combustion chamber and thence to the engine.

3. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes a tank for storing an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a water pump, and a source of fuel supply, a combustion chamber, a supply conduit from the oxygen-carrier tank to the combustion chamber, a driving engine, a conduit from the combustion chamber to the engine, a

conduit from the water pump to the com- :bustion chamber, a conduit from the fuel I supply to the combustion chamber and a connection through which the pressure on the water supply is applied to the fuel. supply; substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes a tank for storing an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a water pump,'and a source of fuel supply, a combustion chamber, a supply conduit from the oxygen-carrier tank to the combustion chamber, a driving engine, a conduit from the combustion chamber to the engine, a conduit from the water ump to the combustion chamber, a conduit rom the fuel supply to the combustion chamber, a connection through which the pressure on the water supply is applied to the fuel supply, and a connection through which the pressure 0 the oxygen-carrier is applied to regulate the pressure of the fuel and water supply; substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generating chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of combustion mixed with water vapor, a water supply and a fuel supply, means for injecting the water and fuel into the generating chamber, a supply of oxygen-carrier under pressure, and a regulator controlled by the pressure of the oxygen-carrier and controlling the water and fuel supply.

6. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generating chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of combustion mixed with water vapor, a source 0 water supply under pressure for injecting water into the products of combustion, a fuel tank connected to the generating chamber, connections from the source of water supply to the fuel tank, a supply of oxygencarrier under pressure, and a regulator controlled by the pressure of the oxygen-carrier for regulating the flow of water from the source of water supply to the generating chamber and fuel tank.

7. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generating chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of combustion mixed with water vapor, a source of water supply under pressure for injecting water into the products of combustion, a fuel tank connected to the generating chamber, connections from the source of water. supply to the fuel tank, a supply of oxygenfluid for carrier under pressure, and a regulator interposed in the connections from the source of water supply to the generating chamber and fuel tank for regulating the flow of water from the said source, said regulator comprising a casing, a flexible diaphragm dividing the casing into two chambers, with one of which chambers the inlet from the source of water supply and the outlet to the generating chamber and the fuel tank communicate, a valve connected to the diaphragm and controlling the inlet from the source of water-supply, and connections for to the other chamber of the regulator casing.

8. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generatin chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of combustion mixed with Water vapor, inlet devices for the fuel and o-xygen arrier, a dome-shaped hood about said devices, and a water spray-head arranged to spray Water on the outside of said hood; r

9. In apparatus for generating motive automobile torpedoes, a generatin chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of com- I bustion mixed with Water vapor, inlet devices for the fuel and oxygen carrier at the upper part of the generating chamber, a hood overhanging said inlet devices, and a water spray-head for-directing jets of water on the outside of said hoo 10. In apparatus for fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generating chamber having a dome-shaped upper end and inwhich an oxygen-carrier and fuel are burned and the products of combustion mixed with water vapor,=-i nlet devices for the fuel and oxygen-carrier at the upper partof the generating chamber, a hood overhan ing said inlet vdevices and substantially con orming in shape to the vdome-shaped upper end of the generating chamber and a centrally located water spray-head between the end of the chamber and the hood for directing :jets of water on the outside of said hood.

11. In apparatus for generating motive fluid for automobile torpedoes, a tank for" 'an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a fuel tank, a generating chamber, a regulator -casmg, a pump, and a fluid-operated motor, connections extending from the oxygen-carrier tank and from the fuel tank to the generating chamber, whereby the oxygen-carrier and fuel are admitted to the generating chamber to be burned therein, connections generating motive extending from the generating chamber to the fluid actuated motor and to the pump, whereby the products of combustion are led to the motor and pump to actuate the same, connections extending from the pump to the regulator casing and from the regulator cas- "ing to the fuel tank and to the generating chamber, a branch connection extending from the oxygen-carrier connections to the regulator casing, and mechanism within the regulator casing and actuated by the pres- .sure of the oxy ell-carrier for controlling the inlet from th admitting the oxygen-carrier under pressure 1 Qfluid for automobile torpedoes, a generating e pump. 12. In apparatus for generating motive chamber in which an oxygen-carrier and Ffuel are burned and the products of combusition mixed with water vapor, a tank for an oxygen-carrier under pressure, a water supply, a fuel supply, a conduit leading from the oxygen-carrier tank to the combustion !chamber, a second conduit through which the pressure of the oxygen-carrier is applied to the water supply, valve mechanism icontrolling said conduitspa eonduit leading ;from the water supply to -the fuel supply, and connections through which the fuel and water may freely pass under the pressure of the oxygen-carrier into the generating chamber, whereby the water, and fuel feed ito the generator, depends at all times upon the pressure of the oxygencarrier, and the feed of fuel is dependent upon the pressure 0f the water supply. p

13. In apparatus for generating mot ve fluid for automobile torpedoes, a generatmg chamber in which an oxygen ca'rrier and fuel are vburned and'the products of combus- ;,tion mixed with water vapor, a tank for an oxygen-carrier undeu pressure, a conduit including a control valvethrough whlch the @oxygen-carrier may pass to the generatlng chamber whenever the control valve 1s open, a water supply, a fuel supply, a second conduit likewise controlled by said valve and *through which the pressure of the oxygen carrier-is applied tothe fuel and water supply, and conduits through which the fuel iand water may freely pass, under such pres- :sure, into the generating chamber, whereby -the water and fuel feed depends at all times upon the pressure of the oxygen-carrier.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

- GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISONr Witnesses: F.-L. BRAKE, W. D. FESLER.

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