1I3U7.] on tlame in Gat< and Petrol Motors. 505 



is moved hj the Pressure of the Atmosphere upon a Vacuum caused 

 by Explosions of Hydrogen Gas and Atmospheric Air." In this 

 paper he described an enirine which he had constructed, to operate 

 according to the explosion vacuum method ; and he stated that at 

 GO revolutions per minute the explosions take place with perfect 

 regularity. His engine consumed, he stated, 17*6 cubic feet of 

 hydrogen gas per hour. His hydrogen explosion appears to have 

 been accompanied by considerable noise, because he states with regard 

 to a proposed larger engine, " . . .to remedy the noise which is 

 occasioned by the explosion, the lower end of the cylinder A, B, C, D 

 may be buried in a well ; or it may be enclosed in a large air-tight 

 vessel." In this paper he also mentions an engine operated in 

 accordance with the second method, the non-compression explosion 

 method, and one also operated by gunpowder. This paper gives an 

 account of the first gas engine which appears to have been worked in 

 Britain, and, I believe, in the world. 



8ix years after, in the year 1826, Samuel Brown invented and 

 built an ingenious engine, depending on the flame vacuum method, 

 which appears to have been the earliest gas engine ever worked on 

 any considerable scale. In an early number of the Mechanic's 

 Magazine, it is stated that Brown succeeded with his engine in pro- 

 pelling a boat upon the Thames, and in actuating a road locomotive. 

 This vacuum method-, however, never really produced a thoroughly 

 commercial engine, and its only survival is found in the small engine 

 here which I have upon the table (illustrated in Fig. 2). 



Many engines have been built using the atmospheric, or as it is 

 more commonly known, the non-compression explosion principle, but 

 the most successful was that of Lenoir. I have here a slide of a 

 Lenoir engine of about half horse-power, which was set up at 

 Petworth House, Petworth, over forty years ago. It was working at 

 Petworth House when I inspected it twenty-two years ago, pumping 

 water ; but it is now replaced by three modern gas engines of about 

 80 horse-power each, which serve for electric light and every other 

 power purpose required. The simplest engine of this type was one 

 which was used in considerable numbers until a comparatively recent 

 date — the Bischoff engine. In it a mixture of gas and air is drawn 

 into the cylinder through suitable valves. As the piston passes an 

 igniting aperture the flame is sucked in, the mixture ignites, and a 

 small check valve closes the flame or touch-hole aperture. In the 

 Lenoir engine many of the modern characteristics are found, such 

 as the water-jacket, and ignition by the electric spark. The gas 

 consumption, however, of all these engines was very high, rather 

 over 90 cubic feet per indicated horse-power per hour. The power 

 obtained for given dimensions, too, was very small. 



The first and second methods, accordingly are not now used. 

 Their disadvantages proved too great. 



In all modern gas or petrol engines, the third method is used — 



