US379674A - Thomas h - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. H. BOLMER.

UTILIZING GASEOUS EXPLOSIONS AS A MOTIVE FORGE.

Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

INVENTOR ITNESS ATTORNEYS.

N4 PETERS, Pholvlinm wmn Washingiofl. 04 c.

UNITE STATES EEIcE.

PATENT THOMAS H. BOLMER, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,6'7, dated IVIarch 20, 1888.

Applicati n filed June 1, 1887.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnonas H. BOLMER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Utilizing Gaseous Explosions as a Motive Force, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention, which is applicable to the propulsion o1" vcssels,imparting driv ing-power to wheels or motors of various kinds, and to pumping and other purposes. relates to apparatus in which gaseous explosions in a. close chamber having a suitable outlet or outlets are utilized to obtain the motive force. any suit able simple or compound gas being used, in eluding various explosive compounds, either gaseous, liquid, or solid, and any suitable means being employed for igniting or exploding the same, including both electrical means and a gas or other dame. Electrical appliances, however, are preferred.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts or devices in an apparatus of this description, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

For the purpose of illustration the invention here will be described as adapted to propel ling vessels by, as in other apparatuses operating by gaseous explosions, causing the gas to act upon water within a tube arranged below the water-level and open at its end or ends to the surrounding body of water for the purpose of obtaining the necessary resistance whereby to propel the vessel. I will also describe, lor convenience sake, the using of two gases in separate receptaclesas, fol-instance, hydrogen and oxygen or hydrogen and atmospheric airthat require to be mixed or brought together before the same can be ignited to produce the explosion.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a plan of the same.

A is the explosioirehainber, and B B pipes or tubes countered therewith on opposite sides and designed to extend, respectively, the one through or near the stern of a floating vessel and the other through or toward the bow end Serial No. 239,950.

(X0 model.)

thereof. These tubes, which are open at their ends, are both arranged below the water line or level of the vessel.

0 O are the separate gas tanks, connected with the chamber A by separate pipes 12 1), controlled by cocks or valves 0 c. The tubes B B are each fitted with a weighted or selt' closing valve, D D, arranged so that the one valve closes toward the chamber A and the other valve opens toward it. By this arrangement, and supposing the valves D l) to open, respectively, in the directions indicated in the drawingsqvhen an explosion of the gas or gases takes place in the chamber A, water which entered by the pipe B will be expelled through the pipe B the valve D then opening and the valve D closing by the pressure of the exploded gas to prevent egress through it. This will cause the vessel to be propelled in a reverse direction to that indicated by the arrows :c x. Immediately, however, after theimpulsc has been given to the water in or through the pipe B a reaction takes place by the formation of a vacuum or partial vacuum as caused by the spent gas or gases in the chamber A. This will cause the valve D to close and prevent the return of water through it, and the other valve, D, to open, which will producea sucking action on the water in the pipe B, that will aid in the propulsion of the vessel and serve to resupply the chamber A and inner portion of the tube B with water for another and subsequent explosion oi the gas or gases in the chamber A, the several explosions being intermittent and at suitable intervals apart.

The valves D D are arranged within rotatable plugs e 6, having a transverse passage through them, and situated within cases or boxes f f, that couple divided sections of the tubes B B, so that upon turning these plugs e 0 half round the valves D D will have a reverse opening and closing action relatively to the chamber A, for the purpose of reversing the motion of the vessel, by converting the tube B into an inlet one for the water and the tube B into an outlet or discharge one. Said plugs e 0 may be thus operated as required by means of a sliding rack, g, actuated by a lever, s, and pinions or partialfpinions h h, fast to the plugs and gearing with said rack.

The cocks or valves 0 c, which shut off and open the supply of gas intermittently to the chamber A, are geared togetheras, for instance, by toothed sections 13 'it|O both open and both close simultaneously, so as to furnish the necessary intermittent supply of both gasesthat is, when two gases are used to produce the explosion. These valves 0 0 may be operated by hand or automatically by any suitable power.

G is a dynamo or electric battery for exploding the gas or gases in. the chamber A by a spark emitted between the two poles k k upon the circuitbeing closed by a switch, I, applied to one of the two wires m m. This switch is conneeted-as, for instance, by a rod, n-with one of the coupled valves 0 a, so that as said valves are opened to supply the chamber A with gas the switch will be operated and the circuit be opened or broken, and as said valves are closed the switch will also be closed and the circuit be made to ignite the gases in the chamber A. The chamber A may be of any suitable height.

Of course different means may be used for charging the chamber A with the exploding gas or gaseous compound and for igniting the same, as hereinbefore remarked.

To illustrate one of the many other purposes to which the invention may be applied, sup posing the apparatus to be constructed as shown, it may, for instance, be used to advantage for pumping purposes and will operate both as a suction and force pump.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

ment to act either as inlet or outlet valves of said liquid, essentially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the explosionohamber A, of the tubes BB, connected therewith on reverse sides of said chamber, and the reversely-operating valves D D, capable of adjustment to act either as inlet or outlet valves, substantially as specified.

THOMAS H. BOLMER.

Witnesses:

A. GREGORY, G. SEDGWIOK.

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