Improvements in Explosion Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Explosion Engines.
I, ALEXANDER WINTON, of 37, Bolton Place, Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America, Inventor and Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to improvements in explosive engines, and in
which I use an automatic governor for the admission of air and gas, and also
automatic means for shutting off the flow of hydro-carbon liquid except when the
cylinder of the engine is being charged.
One object of my present invention is to provide a very sensitive and reliable
governor for regulating the amount of the explosive mixture, which is permitted
to pass into the cylinder, according to the speed of the engine, and hence
according to the working resistance or load on the engine.
Another object of my invention is to provide means for shutting off completely
the flow of hydrocarbon liquid except when the cylinder is being charged and
to relatively regulate the amount of air and hydro-carbon fed at each charge,
whereby the quantity of the charge remains practically the same whether the
charge be large or small.
This invention also pertains to a governor and hydro-carbon feeding device
for Fourcycle system explosive engines whereby the governor will regulate not
only the amount of charge admitted to each cylinder and the quantity thereof,
but should the load of the engine be light it will control the charging valves so
that but one cylinder will be in operation.
With these ends in view I provide an air or fluid pump which is actuated by the
engine, and which supplies pressure to a diaphragm or piston connected with
the valves through which the explosive charge is admitted to the cylinder, and
provide an escape opening for the pressure, and a governor to regulate the size of
this escape opening, the governor being also driven by the engine, whereby the
speed of the engine will regulate through the governor.the size of the escape
opening and consequently the amount of pressure exerted upon the piston or
diaphragm. The amount of pressure exerted upon the piston or diaphragm
regulates the amount of the admission of the explosive charge by putting a
pressure upon the valve tending to hold it closed according to the pressure against
the diaphragm or piston connected with the valve.
The means just described for regulating the amount of charge of the cylinder
can be used in connection with a single cylinder engine, but I use an engine
having two power cylinders, and each having a separate inlet port for the explosive
mixture and each of these inlets controlled by separate valves and governors.
These governors however are in communication with the same pump, and I vary
the closing pressure of the inlet port valves by making the piston or diaphragm con-
nected with these valves of different area. In this way the same amount of pressure
0 supplied by the pump exerts a different degree of closing pressure against the
inlet port valve so that while there would be for instance pressure to hold the
valve closed which is connected with the piston having the largest area against
the suction of the engine piston, the valve connected with a smaller area diaphragm

page_text: or piston would be opened by the suction of the piston. This enables me when
the engine is running light, that is carrying a small load and therefore is
tending to run fast, the speed of the engine regulates the speed of the pump
and consequently the pressure supplied thereby, and when this pressure becomes
sufficient the inlet valve having the large area diaphragm will be held closed and
no charge admitted to that of the cylinder while the inlet valve
which is connected to the small area piston or diaphragm will be
opened and a charge admitted to but one cylinder. In this way but
one cylinder will be working when the engine is running light, but as
soon as a heavy load is placed upon the engine and the speed of the engine thereby
slowed down, the pressure supplied by the pump is reduced and consequently
both of the inlet valves. will be opened by the suction of their respective pistons
and charges admitted to both cylinders to supply sufficient power to drive the
engine under the increased load.
My engine is especially adapted to be used in connection with a gasoline
mechanism, though the governor heretofore described can be used in connection
with a gas engine proper. In order to regulate the flow of hydro-carbon to the
cylinder so that it will only flow to the cylinder when the cylinder is charged, I
provide a hydro-carbon valve which is connected with the inlet port valve, so that
when they are opened for admitting a charge, the hydro-carbon valve is
correspondingly opened so that a charge is admitted.
I also regulate the amount of air admitted along with the hydro-carbon liquid
or gasoline, thus regulating the relative percentage of hydro-carbon and air
and thereby regulating the quality of the charge. This is done by providing an
air valve in communication with the inlet port opening, and this air valve is
connected also with the inlet port valve, so that when the inlet port valve is
opened both the air valve and the hydro-carbon valve are opened, and the degree
at which both are opened is regulated by the amount of movement given the inlet
port valve, and this amount of movement is regulated by the pressure produced
by the pump and thereby enabling me to regulate the amount of charge of the
cylinder and the quality and quantity of the explosive admitted to the cylinder
according to the amount permitted to pass therein.
Another feature of my present invention is the providing of a dash pot for
the exhaust valve for the purpose of preventing the hammering noise and the
consequent injury and wear thereon.
Total 10
1
P
+000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Explosion Engines.
I, ALEXANDER WINTON, of 37, Bolton Place, Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America, Inventor and Mechanical
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in explosive engines, and pertains to
an automatic governor for regulating the admission of air and gas and to automatic
means for shutting off the flow of the hydrocarbon liquid except when the cylinder
of engine. is being charged.
One object of my present invention is to provide a very sensitive and reliable
governor for regulating the amount of the explosive mixture which is permitted

page_text: to pass into the cylinder, according to the speed of the engine, and hence according
to the working resistance or load on the engine.
Another object of my invention is to provide means for shutting off completely
the flow of hydrocarbon liquid except when the cylinder is being charged and to
relatively regulate the amount of air and hydrocarbon fed at each charge, whereby
the quality of the charge remains practically the same whether the charge be
large or small.
This invention also pertains to a governor and hydrocarbon feeding device for
Four-cycle system explosive engines, whereby the governor will regulate not only
the amount of charge admitted to each cylinder and the quality thereof, but should
the load of the engine be light it will control the charging valves so that but
one cylinder will be in operation.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, is a side view of an engine embodying my invention, the cylinder
and charge regulating valve being shown in section.
Figure 2, is a plan view showing the relative location of the parts embodying
my invention.
Figure 3, is an enlarged sectional view of the charge regulating valve and the
carbon and air feed regulating devices.
Figure 4, is a plan view of my invention, the governor being shown in
section.
Figure 5, is an enlarged sectional view of the pressure actuated valve and
member.
Referring now to the drawings, A is the cylinder, and S the ordinary water
jacket, J the pitman, L the piston, and M the balance wheels. The engine is
of the ordinary Four-cycle Otto system and need have no minute description
given thereof, but in which I is the exhaust valve, and H the exhaust port, and G
the dash pot or air cushion to prevent hammering or noise in the receding of the
exhaust valve I.
One part of my invention relates to the regulating of the admission of the
explosion mixture to the cylinder, and in which F and K are valves regulating
ports for the two cylinders of the engine, respectively, each valve having a
valve stem F, K', connected with pistons E and D, situated in the piston
chambers E and D¹, respectively. a is an air pump actuated by the drive
shaft e of the engine through the medium of an eccentric rod b, and the air pump
is in communication with the piston chambers E D through the medium of a
pipe c, connected with a pipe f, the latter uniting the two cylinders, as clearly
shown in Figures 2 and 4. The valves F and K are initially held to their seats
by suitable coiled springs m, and mixing pipes N are in communication with the
charging ports for conveying an explosion mixture therethrough to the cylinders.
A ball governor L¹ of the usual type is connected with the pipe c and situated
between the air pump a and the piston cylinders E¹ D¹ for the purpose of
regulating the air pressure within the cylinders E' D' beneath the pistons E
and D respectively. This governor is rotated by means of a belt n, passing
around a pulley s upon the driving shaft e in the usual manner, and the stem of
the said governor
its end formed into a valve C, which controls the air
outlet B of the pipe c. The operation of this part of my invention is that when
the engine is running at a normal speed there is a constant escape of air out the
air outlet B; but should the speed of the engine increase, the stem of the
governor is forced endwise, causing the valve C to close the air outlet B and cause
a pressure upon the pistons E and D, respectively, and thereby control through
said pressure the amount of explosive mixture admitted through the ports into
the cylinders by holding the valves F and K near their seats and regulating
thereby the amount of charge, as will be readily understood. Should any variation
occur in the speed of the engine, the valve C instantly opens or closes, thus
increasing or decreasing the pressure upon the pistons E and D, and thereby
increasing and decreasing the amount of charge, and thus regulating the speed of

page_text: the engine, as will be readily conceived. The governor just described is found
to be very sensitive, and thus to enable me to regulate very accurately the speed
of the engine according to the load thereon.
It will be noticed that the piston E is smaller than the piston D, the object of
which is to cause one cylinder to be shut off entirely when the engine is running
light. Owing to the increased area of the piston 1) it requires less air pressure
in its cylinder to hold its valve K tightly against its seat than the piston E,
Bo that when the engine is running light the governor will so regulate the
pressure, as will be readily understood, as to hold the valve K tight to its seat
while permitting a charge through the port controlled by the valve F of the small
cylinder E¹.
The apparatus for regulating the mixing of the explosive fluid with the air
consists in connecting the pistons E and D therewith in a manner to be now
described, whereby the movement of the pistons will regulate the admission of air
and liquid.
indicates hydrocarbon reservoirs connected through the medium of pipes ; to
the pipes N. A needle valve O is interposed between the end of the pipe j and
the air or mixing pipe or tube N, whereby the amount of hydrocarbon fed to the
mixing tube N is readily regulated to a nicety. A bell crank lever M' is pivotally
connected at the point to the cylinders E¹ and D¹ respectively, the lower ends
of the bell crank levers being pivotally connected to the pistons E and D,
respectively. A cap P is shaped to close the needle valve opening or nozzle w
when forced inward, and the outer end of this cap P is loosely connected with the
upper portion of the bell crank lever M¹. At a point above the cap P and within
the mixing tube N is a gate. or valve Q, having its end also loosely connected
with the upper extremity of the bell crank lever M. From this description it
will be readily seen that when the engine is being charged the pistons and D
are drawn downward and the cap P and gate Q moved away from their nozzles and
hydrocarbon admitted, and also air admitted in the upper ends of the pipes N.
When the valves F and K are closed, the pistons E and D moving upward force
the caps in and shut off the flow of hydrocarbon and move the valve Qin to
stop the flow of air. It is not necessary however, that the flow of air be stopped,
the main object being to permit a flow of hydrocarbon only when it is needed.
The object of having the gate or valve Q is to regulate the amount of air admitted
to the mixing tube N in proportion to the amount of hydrocarbon admitted
thereto, whereby the quality of the fluid admitted to the cylinders of the engine
is always the same no matter whether the charge be large or small, as will be
readily understood.
By means of mechanisms as above described I am enabled to accurately and
reliably regulate the speed of the engine and to prevent any flooding of hydro-
carbon and to cause at all times practically the same quality of explosive fluid
to be generated and fed to the cylinders of the engine.
What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-
:-
1st. In an explosive engine, the combination of an explosive inlet port, a valve
therefor actuated in one direction by the suction of the engine piston, a pressure
actuated member acting against said piston action and operatively connected
with the valve, a pressure producing device in communication with said pressure
actuated member, a pressure escape, and a governor controlling said pressure
escape, substantially as described.
2nd. In an explosive engine, the combination of an explosive inlet port, a
valve controlling said port, a pressure actuated member controlling said valve, a
pressure producing device in communication with said pressure actuated member,
a pressure escape in communication with one side of said pressure actuated
member, and out of communication with the other side of said member, and a
governor for said escape, substantially as described.
•
3rd. The combination in an engine having a plurality of cylinders provided

page_text: with inlet ports, valves controlling said ports, pistons or diaphragms controlling
the valves, the area of one piston being greater than the area of the other piston,
and a pressure producing device in communication with the pistons or diaphragms,
substantially as described.
4th. In an explosive engine, the combination of a plurality of cylinders having
explosive inlet ports, valves controlling the same, diaphragms or pistons con-
trolling the valves, one diaphragm or piston having a greater area than the other,
a pressure producing device in communication with the said pistons or diaphragms,
and a governor situated between the pressure producing device and the said
pistons or diaphragms, substantially as described.
5th. The combination in an explosive engine, of the cylinder having an
explosive inlet port, a valve controlling said port, a controller for the valve, a
fluid feeder in communication with said port, and a fluid controller operatively
connected with the valve controller, substantially as described.
6th. The combination with an explosive engine, the cylinder having an explosive
inlet port, a mixing tube in communication therewith, a fluid feeder in com-
munication with the mixing tube, a controller therefor, a controller for the said
explosive inlet port valve, an air regulating valve for the said mixing tube, and
an operative connection between the valve controller and the fluid and air con-
trollers, substantially as described.
7th. The combination in an explosive engine of the cylinder having an explosive
inlet port, a mixer in communication therewith, a fluid feeder in communication
with the mixer, an air regulating device for the said mixer, a controller for the
said valve, and a connection between the air regulator and the valve controller,
substantially as described.
8th. The combination with an explosive engine cylinder having an explosive
inlet port, a valve adapted to control the same, a mixer in communication with
the said port, a controller for the valve, a bell crank lever having one end con-
nected with the controller, a fluid feeder in communication with the mixer, a
controller for the fluid feeder, the said controller being connected with the opposite
end of the bell crank lever, substantially as described.
9th. The combination in an explosive engine, of the cylinder having an ex-
plosive inlet port, a valve adapted to control the same, a mixer in communication
with the said port a controller for the valve, a bell crank lever having one end
connected with the controller, a fluid feeder in communication with the mixer, the
controller for the fluid feeder, an air controller for the mixer, the fluid controller
and the air controller being connected with the opposite end of the bell crank lever,
substantially as described.
10th. In an explosive engine, the combination of the cylinder having an ex-
plosive inlet port, the valve controlling the same, a mixer in communication with
the port, a controller for the valve, a fluid feeder in communication with the
mixer, a controller for the fluid feeder, and a lever connection between the fluid
controller and the valve controller whereby when the valve controller is moved
the fluid controller is likewise moved and operated, substantially as described.
11th. The combination with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders
with explosive inlet ports, valves for controlling the ports, a pressure actuated
member for each valve, a pressure producing device in communication with the
pressure actuated member, the pressure actuated members having different
working capacities for the purpose described.
12th. The combination with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders
with explosive inlet ports, valves for controlling the ports, a pressure actuated
member for each valve, a pressure producing device in communication with the
pressure actuated members, the pressure actuated members working upon their
valves with different degrees of force, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
13th. The combination in an explosive engine, of an explosive inlet port, a
valve therefor, a pressure producing device, a pressure actuated member con-

page_text: trolling said valve, a communication between said pressure producing device and
said pressure actuated member, an external escape for the pressure, and a governor
controlling said escape, substantially as described.
14th. In an explosive engine, a plurality of cylinders, inlet ports therefor,
valves controlling said ports, a pressure actuated member for each valve, a
pressure producing device having communication with all said pressure actuated
members, and a single pressure escape controlling the pressure upon all of said
pressure actuated members, substantially as described.
15th. An explosive engine, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 12th day of September 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTH,.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.