A NEW AND CHEAP MOTIVE POWER.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 963, 19 April 1872, Page 3

A NEW AND CHEAP MOTIVE POWER.

The following extract from the Ballarat " Miner" will, we think, be read with interest by all who employ motive power:— Last week we visited Mr Curtis's printing works in Armstrong street, and saw his newly-imported novelty in engines, one of Langen and Otto's patent atmospheric gas engines, which occupies a space about two feet square and five feet high. Mr Curtis has a steam engine which he has hitherto used in driving his four steam presses, but the Langen and Otto has been obtained as it is considered more economical and more easily worked. It is of one-horse power, and cost £l5O including £2O duty, a contribution to the futherance of colonial industry which the importer gives with patriotic grace. The makers are Crossley and Co., of Manchester, who have the sole right of manufacture for Great Britain and some other places. Mr Curtis says his is the only one sent to any part of the empire outside the United Kingdom. In the " Mechanics' Magazine" for the 26th May, 1871, a description of the patent, with illustrations, will be found. We may state that all one has to do is to turn a gas-cock, light the gas, give the flywheel a start off the centre, and away goes the concern. No boiler, no firewood, no water, no steam, just a match and a jet of gas, and away go piston, cogs, cranks, fly-wheel, bands, shafts, presses, and all the apparatus attached. Of course, it is perpetual motion, with a difference. The gas must always flow, the jet must be kept lighted, the wheel and other things must not wear out. Nothing else is wanted ! • And all, Mr Curtis deliberately assures us, for 2d per hour when in full work. Well, let us then turn the gas on to Dead Horse, and go on cracking up the golden quartz there at twopence an hour per horse-power. Timms ought to have known of this enginepower. It is a wonder Mr Curtis did not advise its use for the Welcome Company out there, but then the gas is the difficulty, just as the capitalists are as to quartz adventure generally in these parts now. This brings us to the motive power. The piston is in a vertical cylinder in which gas and air are exploded, sending up the piston and creating a partial vacuum, the pressure of the atmosphere forcing down the piston, which is racked, and moves a cog-wheel attached to a shaft which sets the whole series of things at woik. There are two jets of gas used, one to go into the cylinder and one to be lighted, the gas and air rushing into the cyliuder in- such proportions as to form an explosive mixture, which explodes by the contact of the flame every time the piston descends to a certain point. The explosion discharegs the piston as a ramrod is discharged from a gun,.only that it never gets beyond a given length, and then begins to descend and do the real work of moving. There is an unpleasant concussive noise and shock at every discharge of the piston, and this is a disagreeable contrast to the " sweet" noiselessness of the ponderous steam engines to' be seen at our mining works. But then 'the thing is so cheaply and so easily wOrked that it seems to be a great boon. **