USRE15153E - Lands - Google Patents

Description

P. 0. ROWLANDS.

APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING uvonocmaous.

APPLICKHON FILED MAY 28 1919- RBiSSllBd July 12, 1921. I v 15,153.

3 SHEETS-SHEET MAE 1'0 pa-zowlanda.

P. 0. ROWLANDS. Y APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING HYDROCARBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY ZB, 1919.

15,153. 3 SHEETS-SHET 3.

110a July 12, 1921.

Boise P0- Eon lands UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZIN G HYDBOCARBON S.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued J l 2 1 Original No. 1,252,955, dated January 8, 1918, Serial No. 158,947, filed March 31, 1917. Application for reissue filed May 28, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY OGTAVIUS Row- LANDS, a subject of the King of England, residin at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, lingland, have invented new and useful. Improvements in Apparatus for Vapor izing Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has'reference to the vaporization of liquid hydrocarbon and more particularly such as have a greater specific gravity than a spirit, as petrol, alcohol, or the like-for use primarily as a power-fuel in internal combustion engines; and to vaporizing apparatus used on such engines therefor. I

The object of the invention is, mainly to render the use of hydro-carbon liquids of the character referred to, for producing power in motors of self-propelled vehicles or navigable vessels (or under analogous conditions) free of difiiculties or draw-backs such as at present exist in connection with its use in such motors; and also to render its use generally more convenient and advantageous; but at the same time it is to be understood that the manner of effecting vaporization of such liquid hydro-carbons, and the apparatus employed as hereinafter described, can be used with advantage in connection with stationary internal combustion en ines.

Tn carrying out this invention, the vaporization of liquid h dro-carbon of the character of mineral oil such as kerosene (and which for convenience hereafter will be des-' ignited kerosene) is efiected by heat generated by the slow and requlated combustion of solid fuel-such, for instance, as charcoal, anthracite, or cokewithin a chamber or receptacle into which and through which the kerosene is conducted by ducts, say of coil, zig-za ,or other suitable form, the heat roduce being transmitted to the kerosene t rough the wall of the duct or ducts, and the fuel or its products of combustion are not necessarily brought into contact withv the kerosene.

The invention consists therefore, in an internal combustion engine,'in which a hydro-carbon liquid fuel of the character described is employed, of efl'ecting its conversion to vapor, in a vaporizing appliance or apparatus combined or connected with the {$5 engine or motor, by heating it by the com- Serial No. 300,447.

coming in direct contact with the solid fuel or the products of combustion thereof.

The drawings which are used to illustrate this invention, show its application to a common type of four cylinder oil en ine used on self-propelled vehicles, whic is assumed to be disposed at the fore part of the vehicle, and inclosed within a casing or bonnet, as usual.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, Fi 2 is an end view partly in section, and fig. 3 a plan showing the engine and its vaporizer.

Referring to the drawings, 1 generally represents the engine or motor, and 10 the vaporizing apparatus, 2 is the paraflin sup ply regulating device, say of the float type; 3 designates two air and vapor inlet conduits to the engine, each of which has within it a throttle valve 4; 5 is the vapor inlet controlled valve connected with the in let conduit 3; and 6 is a conduit or pipe connecting the vaporizer with the conduit 3 and en ine.

T is the bonnet within which the engine is disposed, and out of which the top of the vaporizer 10 projects.

The vaporizer chamber or apparatus in thecase shown, comprises an external chamher or. vessel 11 proper, an internal metal cylinder or liner 12, having within it the spiral kerosene conducting tube or way 13, tothe upper end of which the parafiin from the supply controlling device 2 is delivered through the duct or port 14, which has upon it a supply regulating screw plug 15.

The duct or way 13, is open on the exterior of the cylinder 12 and has a. metal covering sleeve 13; and between this sleeve and the interior of the vessel v11, an asbestos or other equivalent heat non-conducting wall 16 is introduced, to prevent the heat'within the apparatus from passing to and escaping from 'the external yessel 11.

, Thelower end of the'conduit 13 is connected to the vapor supply pipes 6 b an annular port 18 in the lower part 0 the lining or cylinder 12, with which' the conduit 13 communicates; The upper end of the PQr is clos 1 by a cover 19 adapted to be readily placed in position and removed. In the construction shown, it is hinged at 20, so that it can be swung on the hinge out of place, so as to expose the interior of'the furnace vessel 12. When in place over the vessel 12, the cover may 'be held in place-by any convenient means.

In the cover 19, is an opening 21 for the discharge of gases of combustion from the solid fuel; and upon it there is a gas dis charge regulating device 22, adapted to screw :up and down on a pin 23; and according to its adjustment so will be the area between the device 22 and the discharge lip of the apertures 21; and so the ratezot combustion of the solid fuel, and the temperature of the furnace or fire is controlled or re ulated.

.Fhe bottom of the vaporizer vessel 11 has a lar e openingin it, as seen in Fig. 2; and the gurnace and vaporizing cylinder 12 rests on an. annular ledge provided with an asbestos joint of this vessel 11, the inner edge of which forms the opening;- and at the-bottom of the cylinder 12 there is a perforated grid or grate 24, suitably sup ported, upon which the solid fuel in the cylinder 12 rests and burns;

The lower portion of the vessel 11 extends down in the form 01": a chute 25; and the lower end of this chute is closed by a-conical closing plug 26, normally pressed upward by a spring 27, which acts on the head of the rod 28, and normally keeps the cone on its'seat. No :air enters the chute 25 below,

but-air is admitted to the furnace and fuel through a hole orxholes 30, near the grate 24L; and this air is the quantity neressary i'or retaining the fuel in the cylinder 12 at the degree of temperature required; its control or regulation being effected by the discharge device 22, as above stated. Thus an exact regulation of the rate of combustion, and

temperature oat furnace is complete, and.

readily efi'e'cted.

The device 22 being on the topof the apparatus, access can be readily had to it.

It is to be noted also that the whole vaporizing: apparatus or means itself is mounted on the top of the engine it, by feet 31 on the chuteportion 25 of the apparatus.

, In the construction of vaporizer shown, escape or relief of Vapors from difiierent parts of the length of the vaporizing duct l'fl'is rendered possible and provided for; so that the-vapor generated at one part, 'say, the'upper part, is not compelled to pass throu h the whole of'the duct. This is etfecte by providin at a plurality of points around the cylin er 12, vertical passages 33-closed at their upper end by plugs 32- which communicate with the annular port 18, and with the conduit 13 by holes 34 pro v i-d etin er a s al ng the conduit, as in the manner shown. By this means the vapor from the kerosene flowing through the conduit 13, soon after it is vaporized and has passed through a certain length of the con-- duit 13, and is in a sufiiciently stable condition, can pass directly away to the engine, and does not act upon or interfere with the kerosene and vapor in the succeeding reaches of the conduit 13.

In the case shown, there are assumed to be four cylinders to the motor, and they are supplied with vapor from the apparatus in pairs; namely, for the four cylinders there is one vaporizingapparatus and two vapor supply pipes 6, and two air and vapor supply valvular devices 35 connected with them. w 1

By such an arrangement, one vaporizing apparatus suflices to supply four cylinders of an'engine without" the liability of the vapor cooling materially and condensing back to the liquid condition, although it mayin part condense to the fog state, which does not matter. 1 J

Regarding this air device 35, it consists of a circularly movable perforated or grid disk 36 littin-g in a casing and seat 37 which is similarly perforated and the apertures of which surround the discharge aperture on which the vapor supply valve 5 is fitted and works. This air for supporting the combustion of the vapor will .IIllX withthe vapors and pass into the duct 3 to usual inlet valves of the engine; and these ports being close to engine cylinders, nomaterial condensationor liquefaction o-tthe kerosene vapors as will cause segregation of liquid in these parts andpassages willtalre place.

The valve 5 will be moved off its seatby the minus pressure created by the charge introducing stroke of the piston; it being normally pressed onto its seat by a suitable light spring thus causing the valve 5 to operate as an adjustable non-return valve.

f under some circumstances, any liquefied kerosene deposits in the chamber 35 surrounding the v-alve 5, it will be drained away by a pipe 4L1, the upper end of which communicates with this chamber by a port 4 1'.

The disks 36 are adapted to be moved, and the air inlet openings in the casing 37 (71')0H8Cl nio-reor less in consequence, by a bar i2, which is connected to them by-1iiins l3, and which can be moved in one direction by a wire 44 or other connection from asuitable place of control or operation; it being normally pulled and moved in "thcother direction by a spring 45. The limit of move ment by the spring, say fora maximum air opening,'-is effected by an adjustable screw 416 on the end of one of the escape ipe socket fittings of the pipes ll, against w ich the endof the bar 42 touches when free; while when less air opening is required, the

bar will be moved away from this stop by the wire or connection 44. The throttle valves 4: likewise will be operated together by suitable means.

Any ash or residue of the fuel in the vaporizing apparatus 10 which falls into the hopper 25, will pass down into the lower vertical tubular part of it, and can be discharged from it when desired by simply depressing the upper end of the rod 28; it bemg closed afterward by the spring 27.

The exhaust chambers and passages of the cylinders are marked 8.

What is claimed is 1. In combination, a power driven body, an internal combustion engine mounted on said body, a contain-er adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit or chamber heated by and surrounding said container, said conduit or chamber adapted to have introduced into it hydro-carbon liquid fuel and to vaporize said liquid fuel by heat of combustion of said solid fuel; and a conduit connecting said vaporizing conduit or chamber with the cylinder of the engine; substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, a power driven body, an internal combustion engine mounted on said body, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit or chamber outside and in contact with the fuel in the container adapted .to have introduced into it hydro-carbon liquid fuel; and a conduit connecting said conduit or chamber with the cylinder of the engine; substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel, a conduit heated by said fuel and adapted to have introduced there into hydrocarbon liquid fuel wh-ereby said liquidfuel 'is vaporized in said conduit by the heat of combustion of the solid fuel, an annular port below said conduit and in communication with. the cylinder of the engine, and a passage communicating with sald port and having a plurality of communications with said conduit, whereby the vaporized fuel may be led through said passage and annular port to the engine cylinder from a plurality of points of said conduit.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a metal. liner within the container, against the wall of which solid fuel rests, and having a conduit for vaporizing the liquid fuel formed in said liner and means for conducting the vaporized. fuel to the cylinclear of the engine; substantially as set forth.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a. conduit in the container of continuous form, outside the fuel for vaporizing a h dro-carbon liquid, and havlng passages at vapors produced at different points of the conduit to the engine cylinder or cylinders direct; substantially as set forth.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel; a conduit in the container of continuous form, outside the fuel for vaporizing a hydro-carbon liquid, and having passages at different points of the same for passing the vapors produced at different points of the conduit to the engine cylinder or cylinders direct; and wherein the latter parts of the conduit are in communication with the earlier parts of same at different points of its length by ports or passages; substantially as set forth.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the cylinder of a liquid fuel vaporizing appliance having an internal solid fuel containing chamber, a grate at the bottom of same, a, regulated gas discharge opening, receiver for the solid burnt residue below the grate, an oil evaporating chamber or conduit, and vapor conduits leading from the lowest point'of the evaporating chamber and connected with the inlet for combustible fluid to the cylinders; substantially as set forth.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a cylinder having an open bottom, a valve for controlling the opening in the bottom, a valve in the top of the cylinder, a grate in the open bottom, to receive fuel, a liner in the cylinder, said liner having a spiral groove on its outer surface which with the cylinder forms vaporizing conduit, means controlled by the engine for supplying the conduit with a regulatable supply of liquid fuel, ducts leading from the lower end of the conduit to the cylinders of the engine, and automatic air inlet valves in said ducts.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a. cylinder, a grate in the bottom of the eyl inder to' support solid fuel, a liner in the cylinder and defining a solid fuel chamber, said liner having a spiral conduit therein and vertical passages connected by ducts with the spiral conduit, means for admitting a regulatable supply of liquid fuel to the spiral conduit, a valve for controlling the gas escaping from the solid fuel. and ducts leading from the lower end of the spiral conduit to connect with the cylinders of the engine.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a vaporizer comprising a container, a grate in the bottom of the container a liner within the container, said liner having on its outer surface a spiral groove communicating with a passage at the bottom of the container, said liner having vertical passages inside the vertical 95 a g m i t il-1, film? f assing the plane of the spiral groox re. and communieating With the passage in the bottom of the container, said-vertical passages being connected to the spiral groove by short ducts formed in the liner, an asbestos strip interposed between the liner and the container, means for supplying a regulatable supply of liquid fuel to the upper end of the spiral groove,d.ucts leading from the passage at the bottom of the container to the engine cylinders, and automatic valves in said ducts to admit air to the vaporized mixture.

11. A hydro-carbon liquid fuel internal combustion engine comprising in combination an engine cylinder; a liquid fuel supply conduit; a vaporizing apparatus adapted to be heated, and the liquid vaporized, by a source of heat other than that produced by the engine, and consisting of a container adapted to receive and hold solid fuel, and such fuel to be burned by air therein; and a conduit in-said apparatus heated by the heat of combustion of the fuel, into which conduit the liquid is introduced, and in which it is vaporized.

12. A hydro-carbon liquid fuel internal combustion engine comprising in combination an oil supply conduit, a vaporizing conduit down which the oil is adapted to flow without filling the same, and through which the gas vaporized therefrom is adapted to pass; a container adapted to hold and burn solid fuel. and to heat the said oil vaporizing conduit; an engine cylinder; and a conduit communicating With a lower portion of the said oil vaporizing conduit, and the said cylinder.

13. A liquid fuel boiling or evaporating apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising a metal vessel adapted to receive internally solid fuel to burn same therein, an inclined conduit on the outside of said vessel and heated by the heat of the combustion of the solid fuel in the vessel, a duct on the outside of the vessel adapted to deliver liquid fuel on to the upper surface of the upper part of the inclined conduit, and means for supplying a fluid to the vaporized fluid conduit at a point removed from the point of introduction of the fuel to outside of said vessel, heated by the heat of the combustion of the solid fuel in the vessel, a duct on the outsideof the vessel adapted to deliver liquid fuel on to the upper surface of the upper part of the inclined conduit, and means for supplying liquid fuel to the vaporized fluid conduit at a pointremoved from the point ofintroduction of the fuel to the surface of the conduit and a discharge conduit for mixed fluid and 'fuel vapor at the lower part of the inclined conduit downward toward which both the fluid and the vapor flow.

15. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a liquid fuel feeding device, an oil vaporizing apparatus belovv said device having a vaporizing conduit adapted to be heated, said conduit being adapted to receive hydro-carbon liquid fuel from the feeding device'and to. permit the flow of said fuel in said conduit by gravity, a conduit extending between the vaporizing conduit and the engine cylinder, a controlling device in said conduit, whereby the degree of vacuum Within the vaporizing conduit as produced by the suction of the engine is controlled, the vacuum thus produced acting upon the liquid fueli-n the feeding device, whereby the quantity of fuel passing from the feed device into the vaporizing conduit is directly proportional to the degree of vacuum produced 'by the engine between the controlling device and the vaporizing conduit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribin Witnesses. i

PERCY OfiT-AVIUS ROWLANDS.

Witnesses:

SoMnRvrLLn GooDALL, Amen PERKINS.

Images