Improvements in Oil or Gas Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
Date of Application, 9th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar.. 1897
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil or Gas Engines.
We JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE, of 64 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and WILLIAM DRAKE, of South Road House,
Clapham Park, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates, firstly, to improvements in the exhaust and air valves of
motive power engines which are operated by the explosion or combustion of
mixtures of gas, or hydrocarbon oil vapour with atmospheric air and in means
for operating such valves as well as the gas or vapour admission valve by one and
the same lever.
For this purposes of this part of our invention we construct the exhaust and
air valves in the following manner:
We provide a suitable exhaust valve adapted to close an opening in the end of
an exhaust chamber or passage which leads from the combustion chamber of the
engine to the outer air. On the same spindle as the exhaust valve is formed or
fixed a piston which fits into a bored out part of the aforesaid exhaust chamber
or passage. Two ports are formed in the exhaust chamber. One of these ports is
so placed as to open into the exhaust chamber between the exhaust and the
aforesaid piston, when the said exhaust valve is closed, or is only partly opened,
the other end of the said port communicating with the outer air. The other of
these ports opens into the exhaust chamber at the point where the aforesaid piston
occurs when the exhaust port is closed; the other end of the said port com-
municating with the air inlet passage. Holes are formed through the piston so as
to form a connection between the parts of the exhaust chamber above and below
the said piston. The spindle carrying the exhaust valve, and the aforesaid piston,
which latter forms the air valve, is extended out through the end of the exhaust
chamber through a stuffing box, or not, as may be preferred and is there provided
with means of attachment to the lever for working the exhaust and air valves.
It will now be understood that when the exhaust valve is opened to a certain
extent the products of combustion are free to escape from 'the cylinder through the
exhaust chamber and the exhaust port therein to the exhaust pipe during the
inward or exhaust stroke of the engine piston. When the engine piston begins to
make its outward stroke the exhaust valve is opened further, and the piston on
its stem is brought over and closes the exhaust port in the exhaust chamber; but
at the same time uncovers the port for the admission of air. The outward motion
of the engine piston then draws air in through the said air admission port, through
the said holes in the piston, and through the open exhaust port, and along with the
air the necessary quantity of vapour from the vapourizer, or of gas from the gas
supply, as the case may be, through the vapour or gas valve which is opened at
the same time. Just before the compression stroke of the engine piston commence
the exhaust valve is closed, and the piston connected with it, forming the air valve,
closes the air and gas or vapour inlet port and re-opens the exhaust port in readiness
for the next opening of the exhaust valve.

page_text: The lever operating the exhaust end air valves is actuated by a two stepped cam
or tappet; the first step opens the exhaust valve sufficiently to enable the products
of combustion to escape, and the second step opens the exhaust valve further and
at same time opens the piston air valve, and it is obvious that as the vapour or
gas valve has to be opened at the same time as the air valve, the second
movement of the same lever may be made to open the said vapour or gas valve
likewise, unless prevented by the action of the governor in the well known way.
By the arrangements above described the mixture of vapour or gas and air is
admitted to the cylinder through the exhaust valve, the exhaust valve and the
air valve are connected and operated together, and the exhaust, air, and vapour or
gas valves can all be operated by one lever.
It will be understood that the whole of the products of combustion may be
allowed to pass through the exhaust valve, or a part thereof may be allowed to
escape through a part at the front end of the cylinder, uncovered by the working
piston in a manner now well understood, and the remainder only through the
exhaust valve and exhaust chamber. The latter arrangement is preferable when
the passage of the whole of the products of combustion through the exhaust
válve and chamber would heat those parts unduly. The entrance of cold air
and vapour through the exhaust valve and exhaust chamber tend however to keep
those parts cool.
The invention relates, secondly, to improved means for preventing or reducing
the noise made by the exhaust in oil or gas engines.
For this purpose we employ an exhaust box divided into two parts by a partition
in which is an opening having in it a disc or piston which acts as a valve in a
manner to be hereafter described. The exhaust pipe from the engine opens into
the exhaust box at oue side of the partition, and there is an outlet opening into
the atmosphere from the exhaust box at the other side of the partition. The
aforesaid disc, piston or valve is made more or less tapering or conical, and of
such a size that its largest diameter corresponds more or less exactly to the
diameter of the hole in the partition whilst its smaller diameter is so much smaller
than the diameter of the said hole that an annular space is left between the edge
of the disc, piston or valve and the edge of the said hole. The disc piston or
valve is beld normally by springs or otherwise so that its smaller diameter is in
the hole in the partition and the products of combustion are free to escape through
the annular opening, and into the atmosphere but whenever the exhaust from the
engine enters the exhaust box the disc, piston or valve is forced forward so that
its larger diameter enters the hole and practically closes it, causing the products
of combustion to be retained for the moment in one side of the box where they
expand without making a noise. The disc, piston or valve is then forced back-
wards automatically by its springs so as to bring its smaller diameter into the
bole, leaving the before mentioned annular space through which the exhaust
gases can flow quietly to the other side of the partition and into the atmosphere.
: Dated this 8th day of June 1896.

page_text: Improvements in Oil or Gas Engines.
We, JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE, of 64 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and WILLIAM DRAKE, of South Road House,
Clapham Park in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and, in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates, firstly, to improvements in the exhaust and air valves
of motive power engines which are operated by the explosion or combustion of
mixtures of gas, or hydrocarbon oil vapour with atmospheric air, and secondly, to
improved means for preventing or reducing the noise made by the exhaust in oil or
gas engines.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying two sheets of
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a valve box containing an exhaust and air
valve, a gas or vapour inlet valve, and an air inlet in accordance with the
invention, and fitted to the combustion chamber and vapouriser of an oil vapour
engine, Figure 2 a plan of same,
Figure 3 a side view of a cam suitable for operating the exhaust and air
valve, and
Figure 4 a sectional elevation of the arrangement for preventing or reducing
the noise made by the exhaust.
For the purposes of the first part of the invention the exhaust and air valves
are constructed in the following manner :-
A suitable exhaust valve A is adapted to close an opening in the end of an
exhaust chamber or passage B which leads from the combustion chamber of the
engine to the outer air. On the same spindle D as the exhaust valve A is formed
or fixed a piston E, which fits into a bored out part of the aforesaid passage B.
Two ports F, G, are formed in the exhaust passage B. One of these ports, F, is
so placed as to open into the said passage B between the exhaust valve A and the
aforesaid piston E, when the said exhaust valve is closed, or is only partly opened,
the other end of the said port E communicating with the outer air through the
exhaust pipe or otherwise. The other of these ports, G, opens into the exhaust
passage B at the point where the aforesaid piston E is situated when the exhaust
valve is closed; the other end of the said port G communicating with the air inlet
passage H. Holes I, I are made through the piston E so as to form a connection
between the parts of the exhaust passage B above and below the said piston.
The spindle D carrying the exhaust valve A. and the piston E, which latter forms
the air valve, is extended out through the end of the exhaust passage B, (through
a stuffing box, or not, as may be preferred) and is there provided with lock nuts K
or other suitable collars for the end of the lever L to act against for working
the exhaust and air valves.
It will now be understood that when the exhaust valve A is opened to a
certain extent, but not sufficient to allow the piston E to close the port F materially,
the products of combustion are free to escape from the cylinder through the
combustion chamber C, the exhaust passage B and the exhaust port F therein to
the exhaust pipe, or otherwise to the outer air during the inward or exhaust stroke
of the engine piston. When the engine piston begins to make its outward stroke
the exhaust valve A is opened further, and the piston E is brought over and
closes the exhaust port F in the exbaust passage B; but at same time uncovers

page_text: the port G for the admission of air. The outward motion of the engine piston
then draws air in through the said air admission port G, through the holes I in
the piston E, and through the exhaust passage B, and along with the air the
necessary quantity of vapour from the vaporiser M, or of gas from the gas supply,
as the case may be, through the vapour or gas valve N which is opened at the
same time. Just before the compression stroke of the engine piston commences
the exhaust valve A is closed, and the piston E connected with it and forming the
air valve closes the air and gas or vapour inlet port G and re-opens the exhaust
port F in readiness for the next opening of the exhaust valve A.
The lever L operating the exhaust and air valves is actuated by a two-stepped
cam or tappet shown in Figure 3; the first step P of which opens the exhaust
valve A sufficiently to enable the products of combustion to escape through the
port F, and the second step Q opens the exhaust valve A further, and at the
same time moves the piston E so as to uncover the air and gas or vapour port G;
and it is obvious that as the vapour or gas valve N has to be opened at the
same time as the air valve E, the second movement of the same lever L may
be made to open the said vapour or gas valve likewise, unless prevented by the
action of the governor in the well known way.
By the arrangements above described the mixture of vapour or gas and air is
admitted to the cylinder through the exhaust valve A, the said exhaust valve and
the air valve E are connected and operated together, and the exhaust, air, and
vapour or gas valves can all be operated by the one lever L.
It will be understood that the whole of the products of combustion may be
allowed to pass out through the exhaust valve A, or a part thereof may be allowed
to escape through a port at the front end of the engine cylinder uncovered by the
engine piston in a manner now well understond, and the remainder only through
the exhaust valve A, exhaust passage B and port F. The latter arrangement is
preferable when the passage of the whole of the products of combustion through
the exhaust valve passage would heat those parts unduly. The entrance of cold
air and vapour or gas through the exhaust valve A and exhaust passage B tends,
however, to keep those parts cool.
For the purpose of the second part of the invention an exhaust box R, see
Figure 4 of the drawings, is employed, divided into two parts R R2 by a
partition S in which is an opening T, preferably of circular shape, having in it
a disc or piston U which acts as a kind of valve in a manner to be hereafter
described. The exhaust pipe from the engine opens at V into the part R' of the
exhaust box R at one side of the partition S, and there is an outlet opening at V
into the atmosphere from the other part R 2 of the exhaust box at the other side
of the partition S. The aforsaid disc, piston or valve U is made more or less
tapering or conical as shown, and of such a size that its largest diameter corre-
sponds more or less exactly to the diameter of the hole T in the partition S, whilst
its smaller diameter is less than that of the said hole so that an annular space is
left between them. The disc, piston or valve U is beld normally by springs W W,
or otherwise, in a yielding manner, so that its smaller diameter is located in the
hole T in the partition S, and the products of combustion in the box R are then
free to escape through the annular space or opening, and into the atmosphere
through the outlet V; but whenever the exhaust from the engine is discharged
into the exhaust box at V the dise, piston or valve U is forced forward so that
its larger diameter enters the hole T and practically closes it, causing the products
of combustion to be retained for the moment in the part R¹ of the box R, where
they expand without making a noise. The disc, piston or valve U is then moved
backwards automatically by its springs W W so as to bring its smaller diameter
into the hole, leaving the before mentioned annular opening through which the
exhaust gases can flow quietly into the part R 2 of the box and thence through
the outlet V into the atmosphere.
It is obvious that the part R 2 of the exhaust box R may, in some cases, be
dispensed with, the partition S then becomes a cover to the part R' and the hole T

page_text: opens direct into the atmosphere. As the removal of the top of the box R would
leave the end T' of the spindle of the disc, piston or valve U unguided, a suitable.
guide should be provided for it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-.
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In an oil or gas engine an exhaust valve A, an air valve consisting of a
piston E working in the exhaust passage B and provided with holes II, an
exhaust port F, and an air inlet port G combined and operating substantially as.
described.
Second. In an oil or gas engine the apparatus for preventing or reducing the
noise made by the exhaust, which consists of an exhaust box R connected with
the exhaust pipe of the engine and provided with a partition S having an opening T
fitted with a tapering disc piston or valve U held normally in position by
springs W W', combined and operating substantially as described.
Dated 23rd der of November 1900
J. A. DRAKE,
W. DRAKE,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..