I was trying to pronounce Vierzon - perhaps I should have stuck to SFV! As that was the only thing which rang any bells with me on the lines of a spark ignition start/compression ignition run engine. Looks like Peter has a more likely ID though.
BTW I do apologize for my response when you asked "are you Nick" - "why?" was probably not the politest answer! Social graces are not one of my strong points.
Nick H
Whilst minding some exhibits at Kew Steam museum when a mate went to lunch I got involved in a conversation with a chap who had experimented with methane and high compression engines. He asked if I knew of an engine, presumably pre WW2, called an "ethermann" but he had only heard the name rather than seen it written. It was apparently fitted to Allis Chalmers tractors amongst other things, was a compression ignition engine but had a spark plug.
A bit later I had a word with NickH who was there, he thought it was probably a TVO type engine or possibly an oil engine which was started on petrol. He mentioned a french two stroke tractor engine but I missed his pronunciation of the name.
Andrew Heggie
Hesselmann
Waukesha handled the engine in the USA as the "Waukesha-Hesselmann" engine.
Started on Petrol then you changed over to diesel.
Peter
-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
Yes and Roland confirmed it, I inadvertently replied off group to Peter who provided a bit more information and then a search on this group for 2000 returned an authoritative post by a PT-E about it. It looks like it was a spark ignition engine that had diesel injection, PT-E implied that it needed the spark so I guess the low compression wasn't quite enough to set the diesel burning.
No worries, I barely recognised you so I was unsure and not many people respond well to being asked their name by strangers, our only meeting was 2 years ago!
Andrew Heggie
Looking for something else this evening, I noticed that Champion have "Hesselmann Type" spark plugs in their 1956 catalogue.
I'll have to dig out that book now, it's got me curious!
Peter
-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.ukhttp://www.oldengine.org/members/dieselhttp://www.stationary-engine.co.ukhttp://www.oldengine.co.uk Peter,
Was looking for something else and found the Hesselman engine in "Diesel and other combustion engines" by the American Technical Society in 1944. A curious beast, with compression a bit higher than was usual for petrol in those days (9:1), using spark ignition but diesel fuel. 8 different models made at that time producing 25 to 230 bhp. An interesting hybrid, described as a recent development. Presumably there is a Hesselman patent out there. somewhere.
Steve
I'll find that in the Abridged Patents sometime, assuming that it was Patented in the UK and not just in the USA.
Peter
-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.ukhttp://www.oldengine.org/members/dieselhttp://www.stationary-engine.co.ukhttp://www.oldengine.co.uk Hi Peter,
I found a US patent (US 2046264) relating to a UK company Hesselman Motor Corp Ltd of London filed in 1936. Looks like Hesselman was swedish. This patent is an improvement on an earlier patent on the same topic (using diesel type fuel in petrol type engines), which is US1835490 (which I have not found or dated). Looks like this Hesselman chap also patented various injectors.
I was curious to see if he tried or claimed direct injection of petrol
- so called GDI.
Steve
That is just outside of our range (1855 - 1930)but I can search through the earlier stuff and see what he had in there.
Peter
-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
OT - any chance you can look in your patent archive for a UK patent by Siemens in 1855 to about 1864. I think his initials were CW. He made a prototype IC engine about that time and I have a drawing but can't figure out how it worked. I wonder if he patented any aspect. It has the so called Siemens drive (a sort of wobble plate), but it is the method of combustion/compression/ignition that has me flumoxxed. He probably patented on other topics as thats why he moved to england - better patent laws than Germany (or was it Austria).
Thanks Steve
Do a search on the European patent office web site
Bob Sier
Steve:
I'm trolley making tonight, but I'll have a quick look tomorrow.
The Patents come with both a Names index and subject-matter index, so if it is there, I should be able to find it.
Peter
-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
Bob,
By searching on Hesselman Knut you can cut it down to about 176 patents, many in swedish or other languages and many without any text
- however I did eventually find the earlier US one I referred to above, dating to about 1930. It seems Hesselman was specifically after using heavier fuels in petrol type engines to reduce the risk of fire
- especially for aircraft. One of the problems of injecting heavy fuel and then trying to ignite it with a spark is that it is easy to wet the spark plug.
Steve
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