10 Improvement in Steam Engine Boilers. 



Akt. II. — Specification of an improvement in steam engine boilers, 

 for the employment of carburetted hydrogen gas, as fuel, denomi- 

 nated auxiliary fire ; invented by John L. Sullivan, Civil Engi- 

 neer, described as follows, viz. 



The object of this improvement is to have at command a volumin- 

 ous flame, capable of instant production or instant cessation, and of 

 regulation as to quantity. 



For this purpose, I make a receiver for inflammable liquids, that 

 are to be vaporized ; the heat requisite thereto, being only about 100° 

 Fahrenheit, may be derived from the boiler itself. 



The vapor or gas thus raised, is conducted by a pipe to a fire v^^ith- 

 in or under the boiler, where it will be instantly and incessantly ig- 

 nited. 



Thus, with a small basis of anthracite, the engine may have the 

 advantage of a lively blaze, filling the space of the furnace, and 

 sometimes extending far into the flue ; which will of course be un- 

 der the water within. 



The materials of the gas may be conveniently derived from the 

 oil of turpentine, alcohol, and other inflammable liquids, such as the 

 different varieties of the volatile, carbonaceous and hydrogenous oils 

 and spirits. 



As early as the year 180S, while engaged in steam engine exper- 

 iments, I invented an instrument, whereby tar and steam were com- 

 mingled and projected into the fire ; but that method was found to 

 be too expensive of that material in substance. The present im- 

 provement is essentially different : it contemplates the most econom- 

 ical mode of using the most active fuel in generating steam. 



It therefore differs from Brown's hydrogen gas engine, which uses 

 a vacuum in cylinders, caused by burning hydrogen gas therein : and 

 from Morey's, which (patented in 1 826) forms a vacuum in cylin- 

 ders by explosive vapors, mixed with common air in certain propor- 

 tions. My purpose, on the contrary, as before mentioned, is to im- 

 prove the steam engine in respect to its economy of fuel. 



It is a fact, established in chemistry, that the carbonaceous hydro- 

 genous fluids, above named, and alluded to, are freely vaporized 

 at^a moderate temperature, and that their elements spontaneously 

 combine in those proportions which form carburetted hydrogen gas^ 



