IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS First
Year: 1882

page_text: pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Watson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th February 1882.
WILLIAM WATSON of Leeds in the County of York.
ENGINES
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
First. My improvements have reference to the means employed for supplying
and mixing the air and gas in gas engines.
For this purpose I construct a chamber or tube into which the air and gas are
admitted for the purpose of mixing them prior to being passed into the cylinder or
explosion chamber. The air is drawn into this mixing chamber through an
opening either with or without a valve, also a valve covered opening is employed
through which the whole of the required mixed air and gas are drawn from the
mixing chamber into the cylinder or explosion chamber by suction of the piston
and simultaneously. For the purpose of admitting the gus into the mixing chamber
I employ a valve or cock which is capable of ready adjustment or arranged so that
it may be opened or closed at pleasure by the attendant or actuated by some
moving part of the engine. By this arrangement the gas may be admitted in any
required quantity and at suitable intervals or strokes of the engine, consequently
explosions may take place at every or any required stroke.
The admission and outlet valves for the mixing chamber may be fitted either
vertically or in any other convenient direction.
Second. I condense the vapours arising from the combustion of the gases and
convey the water in to the cylinder and use it for lubricating purposes. And in
order to pass the water into the lower part of the cylinder I provide indentations
Dina 971

page_text: or recesses in the side thereof, these receive the water when the piston is below
them and deliver it into the lower part of the cylinder when the piston has risen
above them, thus during the continuous reciprocating movement of the piston a
constant supply of lubrication is provided.
Third. For the purpose of exploding the mixed gases used in gas engines I in
some cases provide a tube having a piston or plunger. By moving the piston or
plunger in one direction the mixed gases are drawn into the tube through an
aperture in the side thereof. By a sudden or quick return stroke of the piston or
plunger the mixed gases are so compressed in the tube that the latent heat thereof
is evolved to such an extent as to ignite them. This ignited mixture forces its
way into the exploding cylinder or chamber of the engine through another
aperture, comes in contact with the mixed gases therein contained and causes the
required explosion. The aperture into exploding cylinder or chamber is supplied
with a slide valve or its equivalent which cannot be lifted by the compression of
the gases, but only by the force of the explosion or ignition of the mixed gases
in the tube or some moving part of the engine. The piston is held in a fixed
position until the ignited gases have escaped into the cylinder or chamber.
Fourth. When preferred the following arrangement may be employed for the
purpose of supplying air and gas to the engine in suitable proportions and mixed,
I provide a vessel in which is contained a ball or float supported on a spiral spring
or otherwise balanced. Under the ball or float is provided a valve for inlet of gas
which is opened or closed respectively by the rising or falling thereof.
When the vessel is
Atmospheric air is admitted at the lower part of vessel.
filled with atmospheric air the float is so balanced or supported that the opening
underneath is free for the passage of gas (which is under pressure) into the vessel.
Should the supply of gas be more than necessary for the mixture, the ball owing
to the reduction of density by the admission of such excess of gas, falls and closes
the gas inlet valve and stops the supply, or by partially closing regulates it.