provements in the Construction of Internal Combustion Engines for Propelling Carriages, Cycles, and Boats.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Construction of Internal Combustion Engines
for Propelling Carriages, Cycles, and Boats.
I HENRY CAPEL LOFFT HOLDEN Major Royal Artillery Royal Arsenal
Woolwich do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For the purpose of my invention I construct a gas or oil engine, with four
working cylinders, two of these being alongside each other, and the other two
opposite them. The piston rod of one cylinder is fixed to the piston of the cylinder
opposite to it, in such a manner that the two pistons are moved simultaneously.
Two cylinders are formed from a single piece of tube and there is a piston at
each end of this tube; these two pistons being fastened together by a piston rod
which carries a crosshead. in the centre of it and at right angles to its movement.
This crosshead is common to both of the pairs of cylinders and works in four
guides formed by slots cut in the sides of the tubes; to the outer end of the
crosshead are attached connecting rods to the crank pins of the shaft in the usual
manner.
A segment of tube covers each of these guide slots and working backwards and
forwards with the crosshead prevents the access of dirt and foreign substances to
the working cylinders.
The outer ends of the tubes which form the cylinders are closed by suitably
shaped blocks of metal in which are situated the exhaust and inlet valves.
The exhaust valves are worked by a shaft by means of cams, eccentrics, or their
mechanical equivalent. This shaft is made to revolve at one fourth the angular
velocity of the crankshaft by means of gear wheels. The inlet valves are automatic
in their action and are worked by the forward movement of the pistons when the
exhaust valves are closed.
The cycle of operations that I employ is the well known Otto cycle and the
working stroke of one piston is followed by the working stroke of the piston
directly opposite to it, or by the working stroke of the piston diagonally opposite
to it as the case may be. The ignition of the charge is effected by an electric
spark or by a heated tube both of which methods are well known and in common
use. I furthermore arrange that one or more cylinders may be put out of action
without interfering with the remainder, and that the whole of the exhaust valves
may be simultaneously opened so as to allow the engine to be moved with the least
possible resistance.
Dated this 96th day of Mex 1896

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Internal Combustion Engines
for Propelling Carriages, Cycles, and Boats.
1 HENRY CAPEL LOFFT HOLDEN Major, Royal Artillery Royal Arsenal
Woolwich 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of what are usually
termed internal combustion engines, the working piston or pistons of which are
actuated by the explosion of a mixture of volatilized or gaseous hydro-carbons and
air in suitable proportions.
My invention has reference particularly to such engines of the above description
as are used and can be employed for propelling carriages, cycles and boats.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings for the purpose of more clearly
explaining my invention and the manner in which it may be carried into effect.
Fig. 1 is a plan of an engine giving sufficient details to show my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a part elevation and part section of one of the cylinders.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of a part of one of the end pieces showing the arrangement
for simultaneously opening the exhaust valves.
Fig. 4 shows the same in plan.
The reference letters in each figure refer to the same or corresponding parts in
the other figures.
The engine is constructed of two pieces of metal tube A A. Such tubes being
preferably of steel, though I do not desire to limit myself to that material, the
tubes being of suitable mechanical strength for the stresses to which they will be
subjected in working.
Each end of the tubes A A forms a working cylinder so that each tube comprises
two working cylinders, and thus the two tubes A A together comprise four working
cylinders.
In each of the tubes A A are two pistons one at each end of each tube.
One of these pistons N is shown in the sectional view in Fig. 2.
The piston N is rigidly connected to another similar piston, similarly situated at
the other end of the tube, by the piston rod D, which rod has a hole S through the
centre of its length at right angles to the axis ;. through this hole. the crosshead
bar G passes.
This crosshead bar G also passes through the piston rod connecting the two.
pistons in the other tube.
Thus the two systems of pistons one in each of the tubes A A are moved
simultaneously, being connected together by the aforesaid crosshead bar G.
In order that the crosshead bar G may move backwards and forwards in the
tubes A. A a slot E is cut in each side of each of the tubes A A of the same width
as the diameter of the crosshead bar G.
The slots E being opposite and parallel to one another, and of suitable length
for the working stroke of the engine, the crosshead bar G passes through all of
them and the slots act as a guide for the movement of the crosshead bar G.
To the outer ends of the crosshead bar G, which ends project beyond the
tubes A A on either side, are attached by bearing sleeves the two connecting
rods QQ which are attached to the crank or cranks of the main shaft of the
engine in the usual manner and for the usual purpose of rotating it.
In order to exclude dust or foreign substances from the tubes A A, which form
the working cylinders, segments of tube F may be arranged so as to cover the

page_text: slots EE, and to work backwards and forwards with the crosshead bar G which
passes through them.
The segments F F may be used to protect all of the slots E E or only the two
outside ones as depicted in Fig. 1.
The outer ends of the tubes A A are closed by suitably shaped blocks of
metal B B in which are situated the inlet valves I and the exhaust valve H.
The ends of the tubes A A are bedded in the blocks B B in such a manner as
to obtain a suitable joint to withstand the pressure caused by the explosion and
the aforesaid ends may be screwed or shrunk into recesses in the blocks B B or
may be, as shown in the figures, held in position by two or more tie rods C C
passing through holes in the blocks B Band holding the whole system of tubes A. A
and blocks B B firmly together.
In Fig. 2 is seen a section through a part of the block B showing one of the
four sets of exhaust and admission valves. The exhaust valve H is normally kept
closed by the action of the spring P except at such times as the valve is forced
downwards and off its seating by the pressure of the arm J, which arm J is itself
actuated in a manner to be hereinafter described.
By the opening of the valve H the waste gases after the explosion and working
stroke, are allowed to escape from the working cylinder into the passage R and
thence to the external air.
The admission valve I is situated opposite the exhaust valve H. It is held
normally closed by the action of gravity or by means of a light spring as is the
usual custom, or by the combined action of gravity and a spring.
The valve I is lifted by the partial vacuum produced by the movement of the
piston N on its forward stroke and the vacuum so produced draws in the
necessary explosive mixture from the source of supply through the passage O
which is connected to the source of supply by means of pipes in the usual
manner.
On the return of the piston N the valve I is closed and the explosive mixturé
compressed into the space in the tube A.behind the piston N and between the
piston N and the block B. As the piston moves forward again the compressed
mixture is fired by one or other of the well known electrical or mechanical
means in common use for this purpose, such as the electric spark, beated tube or
wire.
These devices are well known, and do not form a part of my invention; I con-
sequently do not describe them in detail or illustrate them in my drawings but
employ them in connection with my invention as may be most suited for the purpose
in hand.
The levers J. J. are mounted on short shafts or arbors journalled in the
blocks B. B. and they carry also the pieces K. K.
The pieces K. K. embrace and are actuated by the cams or eccentrics LL
mounted on the shaft M in such a manner that when M is rotated the ends of the
levers or arms J J are raised and depressed thereby actuating the exhaust.
valves H. H.
The shaft M is journalled in the end blocks B B and is carried beyond one of
them in the direction of the crankshaft to which it is attached through the
intermediary of gear wheels or equivalent devices in such a manner that its angular
velocity is only one half that of the crankshaft actuated by the connecting
rods Q.Q
The rotation of the shaft M by the crankshaft of the engine at only one half
the angular velocity of the latter thus causes the exhaust valves H. H. to be
opened in the proper succession and at the right moment.
The engine works on the Otto or four cycle, which is well known, and since the
four cylinders work in succession to one another then it follows that the crosshead
bar G and through it the connecting rods QQ are continuously acted upon by a
working stroke in either direction.
In some of the applications of my invention, for instance, when it is used for

page_text: propelling cycles, it is desirable to have some means not only to prevent the
explosive mixture from entering the cylinders, but also to prevent the air, which
is drawn into the cylinders, being compressed, and thereby causing an increased
resistance in propelling the cycle.
The arrangement I adopt for this purpose is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. To effect
this a small shaft W is arranged parallel to and above the shaft M and like M it
is journalled in the end pieces B B. This shaft W carries at either end of itself
two cam pieces V. These cam pieces lie between the vertical arms of the two
Lshaped levers T and U. The vertical arms are pulled towards each other by
the spring X.
These lever arms T and U are pivotted on and free to revolve around the same
arbor as the lever J is fixed to, and as the horizontal arms of both levers T and U
are interposed between the lever J and the spindles of the valves H H it follows
that when the lever J rocks, under the action of the shaft M'as before described,
it will depress the arms of the levers T and U and through them the
valves H H.
If now the shaft W be turned through one quarter turn or 90 degrees from the
position shown in the drawing, the vertical arms of T and U will be forced
outwards and the horizontal arms downwards depressing the exhaust valves, and
thereby allowing a free passage to the air both into and out of the cylinders.
It will be understood that whilst the improvements set forth in the claims have
been described as embodied in precise forms I contemplate such changes in the
arrangement and construction of the parts as may be necessary for the best
application of my improved engine to the purpose in view, whether it be a carriage,
a cycle, or a boat that is to be propelled.
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 an internal combustion engine, the combination of tubes, end blocks
pistons, piston rods, crosshead bar aud valve gear substantially as described.
2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination and arrangement of parts
whereby the exhaust valves can be simultaneously opened, substantially as described
and for the purposes set forth.
3. The improved engine substantially as described.
Dated this oth
T