V-4 Flame Licker, Vacuum engine, Avaleur de Flame

[BronxFigs]

You-Tube has a video showing this V-4 Vacuum engine, posted by a Mr. Josep MaFont.

I would like to find the plans for this model engine but can find nothing about it besides the rather sketchy information posted with the video. Most of the comments are worthless.

Can anyone lead me to the drawings for this engine? I'd like to purchase them, or possibly do a trade.

Please help.

Frank

 

[jwcnc1911]

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=21xyKBRO_A8[/ame]

 

[BronxFigs]

That's it! How can I get the drawings for this version? I know what it is, and how it works, and if you can do one, you can make three more....but I still want the plans. I want to buy someone else's thinking and calculations. It's easier that way.

Frank

 

[jwcnc1911]

It appears to be a mod of duclos. Google "duclos flame eater"

 

[BronxFigs]

JW....Ah....now we have a clue. I'll look and and see.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[jwcnc1911]

sorry for that last post... i did it from my phone.

That V4 appears to be a version some one did of Phillip Duclos' flame licker. You can find prints for the single cylinder at johntom.com for sure. It's the one that looks like a kid did for a school CAD project.

Hope this helps you on your quest. That would be an interesting engine to build. Good luck.

 

[Canyonman]

If plans do become available for this engine I want a set too.

Also if the "Provider" would Please drop me a PM I would most appreciate it!

Ken

 

[vridhisharma]

Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your post.

 

[BronxFigs]

Looks like two, 60 degree V-2s mounted back-to-back, sharing a common crank. The adjustment mechanism seems to be grafted/borrowed from another model engine. Did Phil Duclos use this set-up on his Flame Lickers?

I love these kind of engines because they are portable, simple to use, no boilers, no compressed-air source, no smelly gas fumes, no noise...nothing but a match, and, you got a working engine to show off. Everybody wins.

Frank

 

[jwcnc1911]

The only Duclos flame kicker I've seen was a single cylinder.

Many more here with greater knowledge of the sport than me tho.

This book is on my list to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0941653048/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Canyonman]

I think Bronx is on the right path.

If we had the "V" angle, a general look at the crankcase, and info on the angles/timing on the Crankshaft; I believe we could replicate the engine.

But if I had my druthers, I'd like the plans.

No sign of the builder yet??

Ken

 

[Canyonman]

On further observation I noted he is not using a crankcase, only a Deck.

So, Deck angle and crankshaft should lead us in the right direction.

If you surf the posted YouTube links after the "show"

There is a Horizontal 4; and a V2 that looks very similar.

Has anyone tried to locate Mr. Josep MaFont?

Ken

 

[BronxFigs]

I tried to find something, anything about J. MaFont, but reached a dead end.

Give a good look at the engine construction. The frame looks similar to the "Hoglet" set-up, including the V-angle, which looks to be about 60 degrees. I hate to guess about these important relationships, and geometry.

PLEASE! Drawings...we need drawings.

Frank/Bronx


EDIT: Opening sequence on the video states 60 degree V-angle between cylinders. So the V-angle is solved. Look at the lifters that work the sliding valves that regulate the flames. Are the push-rods riding on a cam, or is there some eccentric on the cranks. I think it's a follower-type setup.

What are those little pieces of metal attached to the tops cylinder heads? Are these some kind of relief valves? Are they pushed open by pressure as the pistons rise to TDC?

The more I watch this engine the more I want to make one.

 

[BronxFigs]

Anyone want to speculate about the firing order? What sequence of power pulses would be most likely on a 60 degree, V-4?

F

 

[jwcnc1911]

johntom.com as stated. Here is most of it except for the "V-ified" part.

see attachment. It's an exact copy of the duclos engine.

You can get all the pushrod and eccentric info you want from the uploaded pdf.

Hope this gets you closer, I have never done a fire eater so I'm uselss on the valve advance/retard or whatever that adjustment is.

View attachment FireEater.pdf

 

[Woodster]

I've now made a couple of flame eaters. The critical thing with the valve/cam seems to be duration and timing. I have found that 110 deg duration, steep sides giving a very quick actuation of the valve, and timing it to close at 30 deg before BDC and open again at 40 deg before TDC work very well, even cold starting with just 1 flick of the flywheel. I've tried various durations and timing and these settings seem to be the sweet spot.

 

[BronxFigs]

Approaching Nirvana.... Link shows construction for very, very, similar engine. Thanks.

Video shows some kind of ??? "relief valve" on the tops of the 4 cylinder heads...I think. Can someone explain? How do they work?

Now we're gettin' somewhere. But, still no drawings. Do they exist?

Please! Firing order information.....

Frank

 

[jwcnc1911]

I believe this video will give you a better idea of what the builder of that v4 has done:

http://clepz.com/video.php?vid=y_e3yjXSUPs84

And I just thought you might like this:

http://www.getaudiofromvideo.com/videos/flammenfresser-vakuummotor-5-zylinder-sternmotor/

 

[BronxFigs]

Are these engines really only curiosities, or, were larger versions ever designed to do useful work? I can't imagine an open-flame, engine being used as a power source to work machinery in some old, dusty. turn-of-the-century, sweat-shop. They had to be a fire hazard.

The video links...nice.

Frank

 

[Omnimill]

Digging up an old thread I know, but has anyone got any further with this? I've built a single cylinder Jan Ridders internal valve flame eater but would really like to build a Vee Four. Like others though I really need detailed plans.