SCIENCE 



FRIDAY, FEBRUARY r, 1889. 



OIL-BURNING STEAM-ENGINES. 



The engine known as " The Shipman," an illustration of which 

 accompanies this article, is an automatic steam-engine and boiler 

 complete, using kerosene-oil of a low test for fuel, and is designed 

 for all users of a moderate amount of power. Its essential points 

 are, that it is so thoroughly autoinatic in fuel, water-supply, and 

 speed, that, when steam has been raised, little if any further atten- 



be had, passes the steam on its way to the atomizers ; and, as the 

 pressure of the steam in it becomes greater or less than the tension 

 of the spring which governs it, a valve attached to the diaphragm - 

 plate is made to close or open, and thus regulates not only the 

 amount of steam and oil being consumed, but also the pressure in 

 the boiler. In this manner the fire is increased or decreased, ac- 

 cording to the load on the engine, and the steam-pressure is kept 

 constant. The height of the pressure to be carried is at the option 

 of the user, and can be varied by him almost instantly. 



If the engine is stopped, the fire is entirely put out by the dia- 

 phragm ; but upon starting again, the fire at once relights itself, the 



tion is required beyond that of opening or closing the throttle-valve 

 when the engine is started or stopped. 



In burning the oil, no wicks are used, and there is nothing to 

 gum up or clog. The fire is formed by a mixture in proper pro- 

 portions of steam and oil. This is fed through one or more atom- 

 izers, according to the size of the boiler. A supply of steam from 

 the boiler passing through these atomizers carries with it into the 

 fire-box, in a fine spray, just the amount of oil necessary to generate 

 steam for the work being done by the engine. As the oil enters 

 the fire-box, it is ignited by a torch, and the combustion is so per- 

 fect that there is little or no smoke ; so the full value of the heat- 

 ing qualities of the oil is obtained. 



The amount of steam and oil used by the atomizers is controlled 

 by a perfectly automatic diaphragm-valve, located in the steam- 

 pipe between them and the boiler. Through this diaphragm, 

 the mechanism of which is simple, and to which easy access can 



steam-pressure having been held, in the mean time, by the auto- 

 matic action of the diaphragm, which will have allowed just enough 

 oil to be burned to make up for the loss of steam by condensation. 



The supply of oil is stored in a tank placed at any convenient 

 distance from the boiler, and is led to it by ordinary piping. 



The boiler consists of a hollow oblong back constructed of steel 

 and thoroughly stay-bolted. Into one side of this back are screwed 

 lap-welded wrought-iron tubes one and three-quarters inches in 

 diameter, and thirteen inches in length. These tubes are closed at 

 the outer end by a welded plug. This makes a very compact and 

 quick-steaming boiler, gives large heating surface, and insures 

 safety, it being almost impossible to explode one so that it will do 

 harm. The boilers are tested by a hydraulic pressure of four hun- 

 dred pounds. As a matter of record, steam can be raised on a 

 four-horse-power boiler, from cold water to one hundred pounds 

 pressure, in ten or twelve minutes. 



