Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in motive power engines, and refers more
particularly to that class of motor in which equal quantities of angular momentum are
imparted to two oppositely rotating crank shafts.
The principal object of the present invention is to construct a motor in such manner
that both reciprocation and turning moment shall be accurately balanced and neutralized
or nearly so, and in which the rotating and reciprocating parts are so linked up that
the two crank shafts are positively in gear with one another in every position.
In one mode of carrying this invention into effect I arrange an engine consisting
of two oppositely placed cylinders fitted with pistons preferably of the single acting
trunk type driving on to two crankshafts arranged to rotate in opposite directions.
Each piston is coupled by two connnecting rods, one from either piston driving on
to each crank pin, the said pistons being each fitted with two joint pins placed side
by side, but separated by as much distance as the diameter of the piston will allow.
It will be seen that in this arrangement both pistons are never on their effective
dead centres simultaneously, and that consequently there is no point at which the
two crank shafts could be started in the same direction, or could be made to jamb one
another.
The cylinders are fitted with appropriate valve gear, and one cylinder only may be
used if preferred, for the other a sliding block being substituted.
The oppositely rotating crank shafts may either be concentric and oppositely placed,
or may be parallel with one another, and arranged side by side.
In one modification the crank shafts are arranged side by side, but making a slight
angle with one another, so that larger fly-wheels may be employed than would
otherwise be possible. This arrangement is especially suited to the driving of
screw propellers for the propulsion of vessels where gas or oil engines or single
acting fluid pressure engines are employed.
When the crank shafts are sufficiently widely separated each pair of connecting rods
may be coupled to the piston by a single joint pin.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1896.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: improvement D.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester, Engineer, 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 to improvements in motive power engines, and refers more
particularly to that class of motor in which equal quantities of angular momentum are
imparted to two oppositely rotating crank shafts.
The principal object of the present invention is to construct a motor in such a
manner that both reciprocation and turning moment shall be accurately balanced
and neutralized or nearly so, and in which the rotating and reciprocating parts are
so linked up that the two crank shafts are positively in gear with one another in every
position.
The accompanying drawings illustrate several modifications of my invention―.
Figures 12 and 3 are respectively sectional elevation, end elevation and sectional
plan of one method.
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevation and sectional plan of another.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan, while
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sectional elevations at different points of the stroke of a
method where a single cylinder is used.
Figures 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views to illustrate the application of my invention
to twin screw boats.
Referring now to Figures 12 and 3 of the drawings I arrange an engine consisting
of two oppositely placed cylinders A and B fitted with pistons C and D preferably of
the single acting trunk type driving on to two crank shafts E and F arranged to rotate
in opposite directions. Each piston is coupled by two connecting rods, one from
either piston driving on to each crank pin, the said pistons being each fitted with two
joint pins placed side by side; this is clearly shown on Figures 1 and 3 where the
piston Cis coupled by the connecting rod G, joint.pin 'H, and crank pin I to the crank
shaft F while the piston D is coupled to the same crank-shaft and crank pin by its
connecting rod J and joint pin K; similarly the same pistons C and D are coupled
to the crank shaft E and crank pin I by their respective connecting rods G¹ and J¹
and joint pin H¹K'.
Referring to 'Figure 1, it will be seen that the joint pins H'H', K K' in the
pistons C and D are separate and parallel to one another. It will be seen that in this
arrangement both pistons are never on their dead centres simultaneously, and that
consequently there is no point at which the two crank shafts could be started in the
same direction, or could be made to jamb one another. Thus when the engine is
running the reciprocating and rotating portions are always balanced and always
geared.
The cylinders are fitted with appropriate valve gear according to the working
fluid used.
Referring now to Figures 4 and 5. This is a modification in which the oppositely
rotating crank shafts are placed parallel with one another as in the previously
described arrangement but have their piston joint pins on a common centre
instead of having two separate pins to each piston. Two cylinders A and B are
fitted with pistons C and D the piston C having a joint pin H while the piston D
has a joint pin K; and the connecting rods G G¹ couple the piston C to their
respective crank shafts F E while similarly the connecting rods J J couple the
piston D to the same crank shafts. The action of this arrangement is similar to
that hereinbefore.described.

page_text: Referring to Figures 67 8 and 9. These illustrate a modification in which only
a single cylinder is employed and also where the oppositely rotating crank shafts
are concentric. The single cylinder A has a guide L mounted upon it which carries
a sliding block D and also has at either side the oppositely rotating crank shafts E F
which are concentric with one another. The block D is the equivalent of another
oppositely placed piston and it has two joint pins K K' fixed as shown in Figures 7,
8 and 9. The piston C bas a single joint pin H and from it two connecting
rods G G couple up to the crank shafts E F while similarly two connecting rods J Ji
couple up the sliding block to the crank shafts E and F one rod to each crank shaft.
Figures 6 and 7 shew the engine piston on the inner dead centre and Figures 8
and 9 shew the relative positions of the four connecting rods at other portions of
the stroke.
Referring now to the modifications shown diagrammatically at Figures 10 and 11.
The crank shafts E and F are arranged side by side, but making a slight angle
with one another, so that larger fly-wheels such as M and N may be employed than
would otherwise be possible...
The engine arrangement indicated here is precisely similar to that herein before
described and illustrated on Figures 1 2 and 3 with the exception that the piston
pins and crank shafts are at a slight angle as shown. This arrangement is especially
suited to the driving of screw propellers for the propulsion of vessels where gas or
oil engines
or single acting fluid pressure engines are employed; and propellers with
reversing blades are preferably used.
The balance weights shown in all the figures opposing the cranks shafts are
proportional to balance the whole of the reciprocating and rotating parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In motive power engines the method of balancing by arranging two oppositely
placed cylinders with two oppositely rotating crank shafts between them, and
connecting the piston of each cylinder by two connecting rods, one rod to
rotating crank shaft substantially as hereinbefore described.
each
2. In motive power engines balanced by the arrangement of oppositely rotating
crank shafts the herein before described method of keeping the said shafts always in
gear with one another in which two motor pistons (or one motor piston and a
sliding part) are coupled by connecting rods to the said crank shafts substantially
as and in the manner hereinbefore set forth.
3. The improved balanced two cylinder motive power engine hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 1 2 and 3 of the drawings.
4. The improved balanced two cylinder motive power engine hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.
5. The improved single cylinder motive power engine hereinbefore described. with
reference to Figures 6 7 8 and 9 of the drawings.
6. The combination of two shafts at an angle with one another with a twin
cylinder balanced motive power engine similar to any of those previously claimed
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings.
1007
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.