The Altham Hydrocarbon Motor.

George J. Altham, an inventor of Fall River, Mass., is reported to have perfected the hydrocarbon motor on which he has been engaged for several years past, and the Boston Herald of a recent date contains a full-page article on the inventor and the invention.

The chief claim made for the Altham motor is that it dispenses with the water jacket, air being employed to cool the cylinder, mixed with gas in such proportions in the cylinder that the temperature of the latter is said never to exceed that of the steam cylinder using steam at a pressure of 200 pounds, i. e., 380 degrees.

We reprint the following description of its operation: "There are two separate air supplies, one to the combustion chamber directly where the oil is volatized into gas and by the addition of air made into an explosive compound, and the other where it is taken in for the purpose of clearing out the products of combustion. In the lower and inclosed part of the motor on one side is a port through which air is drawn for the purpose of cooling the cylinder. This is effected by means of a slot or elongated opening in a plate attached to the crank-shaft which operates at one section of its revolution as a valve to close the port against the inlet or outlet of air. This slot is opposite the port on the upward stroke of the piston, and, when the latter has reached its zenith, the slot has passed the port, and the downward stroke sends the air drawn in up to the cylinder through a tube, where it drives out the gases produced by combustion. At the next stroke it delivers more air-for the impulse is given every second stroke, so that when the next charge is delivered the cylinder is thoroughly cleared of gases and filled with air, which not only completes combustion, but acts as a kind of cushion to the explosive impulse, making it a sustained impulse, like that of steam, imstead of one that spends its energy in the first part of the stroke.

"The impulsive explosion does not occur in the cylinder proper, but in an outside combustion chamber, connected in such a way as to keep the explosive charge separate from the air in the cylinder until the instant of ignition. Not only does the air in the cylinder act as a cushion to the explosive impulse, but by mingling with the latter lowers the temperature of the charge materially, with no loss of energy in the larger volume in the cylinder, as there is in the charge itself; so that while a lower temperature is thus secured, the volume of the combined gases is so much larger that a sustained impulse like that of steam is secured, instead of a violent one, which calls for heavier construction, and especially for heavier fly wheels.

"Another advantage obtained in the Altham motor by thoroughly removing all products of combustion after each explosive impulse, and filling the cylinder with air, is that explosions can be made more rapidly in it than in ordinary gas or oil engines, and thus, in the case of a road motor, greater speed can be attained. The little motor here illustrated, weighing but 25 pounds, runs at a speed of 2,000 revolutions per minute (delivering to the machine operated 1,000 revolu tions); its fly wheels weigh only six pounds, and it has been tested to deliver two-thirds of a horse-power. This little motor attains the speed indicated, and does its work with very little vibration."

The methods of supplying the petroleum to the vaporizer and of igniting the charge, are said to be highly ingenious, but are not described.

The Serpollet Steam Tricycle.

The light steam tricycle which M. Serpollet recently constructed to illustrate the possibilities of his system for this class of vehicle weighs, ready for the road, about 1,100 pounds, and carries two persons.

The fuel is petroleum, which is carried in a tank under foot, containing sufficient for an 80 or 90 mile journey.

Enough water can be carried in the tank behind to last for 30 miles. By means of a condenser M. Serpollet hopes to raise this limit to 80 miles.

Steam is generated in a Serpollet boiler having an extraordinary total heating surface. This boiler is heated by a new burner, called the Longuémarc, which M. Serpollet has adopted as the best for his purpose.

This burner, which is kept under pressure, has five branches, feeding separate flames. When required a valve in the main feed of the burner cuts off the supply from part of these, leaving only two burning. In this manner the pressure in the boiler may be quickly changed from a very low point up to that necessary to obtain the greatest speed or power.

LONGUÉMARC BURNER.

The petroleum is forced into the reservoir by a pump, in order that it may reach the cylinder under pressure. A valve is provided to regulate its flow to the burner.

The conductor has before him two pressure gauges, one for petroleum, the other for the steam, and it is necessary for him to start the pump from time to time, in order to keep up the pressure in the petroleum reservoirs.

The engine makes 675 revolutions and develops four horsepower. On a level a speed of 24 miles an hour is easily attained. On grades of 4 per cent. 18 miles an hour can be made, and on grades of 17 per cent. a speed of seven miles an hour is claimed.

This vehicle was originally constructed in 1889, and was designed to burn coke, but the new burner will, it is believed by some, make it possible to construct four-wheeled steam pleasure carriages for two and four persons that will compete with the gasolene vehicles.

The Crastin Motor Cycle.

According to the Autocar C. Crastin, of Holloway, Eng., has designed and fitted to a light quadricycle an oil motor which weighs less than 50 pounds complete.

The motor is of the Otto type, a double-acting cylinder, and gives an impulse at each revolution. A water jacket is used, as also a carburetor and hot tube when paraffine oil is the fuel consumed, but when the higher grade of oil is in use, a battery is substituted for the hot tube, and the carburetor is dispensed with.

The castings forming the supports for the cylinder tube, combustion and cooling chambers, covers, brackets for crank, shaft, gearing and crank, are made of a special alloy of aluminum, while the brackets and castings for holding the cylinder tube are made to clamp on to any ordinary tricycle. The design and construction of the motor are somewhat novel, as the cylinder is formed by a long steel tube, which is slotted midway in its length. Within it fits an inner tube with closed ends, forming a double-ended piston. The piston stroke is 4 inches by 134 inches.

The motor may be used single-acting for level roads, doubleacting for uphill work, and may be thrown out of action for downhill running, while means are provided for easy starting and for preventing a charge entering the cylinders and compressing wher not required. This particular machine is geared to 10 miles per hour at 500 revolutions per minute, but various speeds may be obtained by changing the toothed wheels.

The Weidknecht Steam Omnibus.

One of the latest experiments in steam vehicles in Paris comes from the shop of M. Weidknecht, and is a huge fourwheeled affair resembling a tractor, weighing six tons, and propelled by a 34-bp steam engine.

It is not intended for use on the streets of Paris, but for extramural service, as a 'bus at railway stations or to convey excursionists from place to place.

The car or coach where the passengers are accommodated is entirely independent of the engine and boiler. The driving wheels are forward and the steering wheels in the rear, as all the heavy machinery is forward. A speed of 24 miles an hour can be developed by its powerful engine, but a limit of nine miles an hour is fixed by law for such heavy vehicles. Whether so heavy a vehicle will prove durable on country roads is yet to be proved,

Harrington's Steel Carriage Wheel.

The Coupé Company, carriage builders and wheel makers, of Britannia Road, Fulham Road, London, are sole manufacturers of Harrington's patent steel carriage wheel, which is likely to be extensively used in motor vehicles.

Owing to the construction of this wheel it is said to be im possible to buckle it. Each pair of adjacent spokes is secured together by a band of steel riveted over them at a point near the rim of the wheel. The wheels bear a close resemblance to those of a bicycle, and as they are as cheap to produce as wooden wheels and are lighter and stronger an extensive sale is predicted for them.