IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES." A communication from abroad by
Eugène Breittmayer, of Paris, France, Président du Conseil d'Administration
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th July 1880.
2
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES." [A com-
munication from abroad by Eugène Breittmayer, of Paris, France, Président du
Conseil d'Administration de la Compagnie des Moteurs à Gaz Français (Système
Ravel].
This Invention relates to an improved gas engine which oscillates upon a trunnion
arranged below or at the rear of the cylinder, in such a manner that the piston-rod
acts directly upon the crank of the driving shaft, so that an engine thus constructed
can he driven by a very small quantity of gas.
The admission of the air and gas which when mixed are to produce the motive
power is effected by a system of distribution, arranged in such a manner that the
mixture which contains but little gas when the piston is at the lower end of its
stroke becomes further enriched as the piston rises.
I utilize in my improved engine atmospheric pressure, a vacuum being formed
behind the piston after the explosion of the gaseous mixture. Moreover, this
engine presents various novel details of construction and combination of parts, as
hereinafter described.
In carrying this Invention into practice I employ a cylinder having a base or
stand, which is provided with an eye or boss to receive an axle or shaft which
constitutes the trunnion upon which the engine oscillates. In this cylinder the
piston works. The piston-rod which is rigidly connected to this piston acts as a
connecting rod and operates directly upon the crank on the driving shaft. This
rod is guided at the top of the cylinder by a cross beam or guide to prevent any

page_text: twisting or deflection. Upon the front of the cylinder I arrange a slide-valve,
which serves for the introduction of the explosive mixture into the cylinder and
also for its ignition. This valve consists of two parts, the valve proper and an
adjacent or counter plate. The said valve is provided interiorly with a cavity or
recess, in which is arranged a grating designed to effect the junction of and a
intimately mix the gas with the air, so as to produce a perfectly uniform explosive
mixture. The valve is also provided with a transverse aperture which serves to
bring or put the flame from a permanent burner in communication with the flame
of an intermittent burner which, by the movement of the valve, determines the
ignition or explosion of the explosive mixture or gases contained in the cylinder; 1
the top of this transverse aperture has several holes of small diameter pierced in it
so that the flame cannot traverse them. A groove or recess formed in the valve
and extending from the aforesaid transverse aperture in the same is so arranged as
to come opposite to (at the moment the valve rises) a similar groove formed in the
counter-plate, and communicating with the gas inlet. A suitable pipe conducts the
gas to the permanent burner, and another pipe conducts the gas to the intermittent
burner. The last named pipe is flexible to enable it to follow the oscillating
movements of the cylinder. A cock controls the admission of gas to the slide-valve,
and a flexible pipe connects the said cock to the gas inlet pipe. The movement of
the plug of this controlling cock is regulated by a lever which is provided with a
slot in which a pin fixed upon a support attached to the base engages. When the
cylinder oscillates upon its trunnion the valve and its adjacent or counter plate
follow the same movements, and the plug of the said cock is turned more or less in
such a manner that the admission of gas varies, that is to say, the amount of gas
admitted at the commencement of the stroke of the piston is small and increases as
the piston rises.
Upon the front of the counter plate is placed an obturator, which maintains the
counter plate in contact with the valve by means of screw-nuts, and bolts, and
spiral springs surrounding the said bolts. This obturator has, moreover, for its
object to close at the proper time the port for the entrance of air, and to prevent a
passage being left for the escapement of gas.
The movement of the slide-valve in the direction of its axis is effected by means
of a cam keyed upon the main crank shaft. This cam turns in a frame consisting
of two beams provided with friction-rollers, and of two vertical rods connected at
their lower end by a slotted slide or link. In this slide a trunnion or pin in the
upper part of the valve moves. The cam in turning causes the slide, and
consequently the valve, to rise and fall, and by reason of the slot in the said slide
the valve is also allowed to follow the oscillating movements of the cylinder. The
same result or movement may be obtained by means of levers. At the top of tho
machine a suitable governor is arranged; this governor is designed to regulate
the admission of gas for the explosive mixture. This governor closes the gas-inlet
more or less, according to the greater or less speed of the engine and the angle of
its balls, in fact the said governor acts in precisely the same manner as those used
in steam-engines.
At the rear of the cylinder is arranged the eduction or exhaust valve, into which
the burnt gases pass through a suitable aperture or port and escape through the
hollow interior of one of the standards of the framing of the apparatus. This
exhaust valve is held in contact with the exhaust seat or face of the cylinder by
means of bolts, screws, and spiral springs. When the cylinder partakes of its
oscillating movement the exhaust orifice or port in the same and the orifice in the
exhaust valve, which is fixed, coincide at the proper moments.
The operation of the said engine is as follows, that is to say- -When the valve in
the gas inlet pipe is turned to permit the passage of the gas, the permanent burner
is lighted, and the engine is moved by means of its own fly wheel so as to cause the
piston to rise, care having been taken when the machine stopped that the piston
was at the bottom of the cylinder. The piston in rising draws or sucks in the
gaseous mixture (gas and air) in suitable proportions, the air entering through a

page_text: hole in the counter-plate. The air then enters the slide-valve, where it is mixed
with the gas, which enters a suitable orifice formed in the said valve and
communicating with the controlling cock. The gas expands in this orifice and
escapes from it through small holes formed at the back of the grating. The air
and gas then passing through this grating become thoroughly intermingled, and
enter the cylinder. When the piston has thus drawn a sufficient quantity of the
explosive mixture into the cylinder the admission ceases, the cam on the main crank
shaft having raised the slide-valve to such an extent that the transverse aperture
in the latter is brought opposite an aperture or port through the cylinder, and
communicating with the bottom end of the same. As the frame of the intermittent
burner has been previously lighted by contact with the permanent burner the
flame of this intermittent burner fills the said transverse aperture in the slide-valve,
and it follows that when the said transverse aperture comes opposite the port
communicating with the bottom of the cylinder the explosive mixture will be
ignited and effect the explosion, thereby causing the piston to rise owing to the
expansive force of the resulting dilated gases, and impart movement to the driving
shaft.
The return movement of the piston compresses the gases, which at a certain
moment attain a pressure equal to that of the atmospheric pressure, and escape
freely through a suitable pipe into the atmosphere. During this period of the
escapement or exhaust the controlling cock is again moved, and the orifices occupy
the same respective positions as during the introduction or induction; the gases
might then pass through these orifices, and this would be detrimental to the
operation of the engine if these orifices were not suitably covered. This result is
obtained by the oscillating movement of the cylinder. The air inlet of the counter-
plate is closed at this moment by the obturator until the time for the introduction
of air, and the gas inlet cock is also closed to prevent the admission of gas until
the desired moment. The cylinder is provided with a jacket, in which water
circulates to effect the cooling of the said cylinder, the water being supplied by a
flexible tube. As the water becomes heated by contact with the walls of the
cylinder, this warm water by reason of the difference of density rises, and having
reached the top of the said cylinder descends by a suitable conduit or passage,
which is connected to another pipe, through which it escapes.
The double jacket for the circulation of water may be replaced by a casing
arranged exteriorly in such a manner as to considerably increase the cooling
surface.
The oscillation of the cylinder may take place around trunnions placed in any
other position than at the bottom of the cylinder; for instance, the said cylinder
may oscillate upon trunnions at or near its middle. In this case the entry of the
gaseous mixture will be effected by a system of rotary valves arranged upon one
of the trunnions, the exhaust taking place through the opposite trunnion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th November 1880.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES." A com-
munication from abroad by Eugène Breittmayer, of Paris, France, Président du
Conseil d'Administration de la Compagnie des Moteurs à Gaz Français (Système
Ravel).
This Invention relates to an improved gas engine or motor, the cylinder of which
oscillates upon a trunnion arranged below or at the rear thereof, and in such a
manner that the piston rod acts directly upon the crank of the driving shaft of the
engine, and the latter occupies comparatively little space.
The admission of air and gas, a mixture of which will by exploding produces the
motive power, is effected by means of supply devices, so arranged that the
mixture which is at first, when the piston is in its lower position, poor or com-
paratively deficient in gas, becomes enriched as the piston advances.
A gas engine constructed according to this Invention utilizes atmospheric
pressure, a vacuum being produced at the rear of the piston after the explosion of
the gaseous mixture. This engine or motor has also other peculiarities of construc-
tion. These improvements taken together or as a whole form a novel combination in
the construction of gas-engine, as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing,―
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of this improved gas engine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 4 represents the interior surface of the supply slide-valve, that is to say,
that surface thereof which bears upon the seat on the cylinder.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the said slide-valve.
Figure 6 shews the outer surface of the same.
A machine embodying this Invention consists of a cylinder A provided with a
base or bottom B, carrying an extension or eye O for receiving a shaft C, which
serves as the trunnion whereon the cylinder oscillates. In this cylinder a piston D
works, the rigidly attached rod E of which acts as a connecting rod and directly
operates the crank of the shaft M.
.
This rod E is at the top of the cylinder guided by a crosspiece or guide F (shown
in section in Figure 1), which prevents bending or straining of the piston rod.
'On the front part of the cylinder is mounted a slide valve which serves for the
introduction of the detonating mixture into the cylinder, and for the ignition of
the same. This slide valve consists of two parts, the slide valve proper G and the
counter-plate H.
The slide valve has on its interior a cavity or recess K, in which is arranged a
grate or trellis a which is provided for the purpose of intimately mingling the gas
and air. It is so arranged that it will cause these fluids to impinge upon each other,
whereby the explosive mixture is rendered perfectly homogenious. A transverse
aperture or cavity b serves for allowing the flame of the permanent burner c to
communicate with the flame of the intermittent burner d, which, by the movement
of the slide valve, effects the ignition of the explosive mixture contained in the
cylinder; the top of the transverse recess b is pierced by a number of holes which
are of small diameter, so that the flame cannot pass through the same.
groove on the slide valve provided for the purpose of meeting (when the valve
slides upwards) a similar groove on the counter plate, which opens into the port, for
the admission of gas. The tube c¹ conducts gas to the permanent burner c. The
x is a

page_text: tube d' supplies gas to the intermittent burner d. The tube ♫ is flexible, so that
it is capable of following the oscillations of the cylinder.
The stop-cock e regulates the supply of gas to the slide valve. The flexible
tube el connects the same with the gas-supply pipe f. The plug of the said stop-
cock e is operated by a lever g, having a slot into which the stud h enters; this
stud is fixed upon the support i, the latter being attached to the framework.
When the cylinder A oscillates on its trunnion C, the slide valve and its counter-
plate follow the movement of the same, and the plug of the stop cock e is opened
more or less, so that the admission of gas varies, the proportion of gas admitted
being slight at the beginning of the piston's stroke, and increased towards the end
of the same.
In front of the counterplate is placed an obturator or plug ; which supports the
counter-plate upon the slide valve by bolts and nuts and coiled springs k. The said
plug has for its further object to close at the proper times the ports t, t', by which
air is admitted, and thus to prevent the escaping gas from passing through said
ports.
The movement of the slide valve is caused by a cam L keyed upon the crank-
shaft M. This cam rotates in a frame formed by two crosspieces or transverse bars
L, L, provided with rollers 1, 2, and two vertical rods P, P, these rods being at
their lower ends connected by a slide or link Q, wherein a stud or pin q fixed upon
the top of the slide valve G works.
The cam when rotating causes the slide and thereby the slide valve to rise and
descend; the latter is furthermore capable of following the oscillating motion of
the cylinder. The same effect might be attained by means of levers or the like.
On the top of the engine is placed a governor R acting by centrifugal force; this
governor serves to regulate the introduction of gas for the explosive mixture, and
closes or opens the gas-supply valves, and consequently the engine works at a
greater or less speed according to the angle formed by the rods upon which the
balls of the governor are suspended, its action upon the gas being the same as it
would be upon steam under similar circumstances.
At the back of the cylinder (Figure 3) is mounted an exhaust chamber N. Its
construction is illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. This exhaust chamber N is held in
contact with the exhaust face of the cylinder by means of bolts, nuts, and coiled
springs n. When the cylinder A oscillates an orifice v of the cylinder and the
orifice of the exhaust chamber, which remains stationary, will coincide at the
proper times.
The gases of combustion escape by the said opening or orifice v, and pass into
the atmosphere through a space provided in one of the pillars forming the framing
of the engine.
For starting the engine the stop-cock f'in the gas-pipe f having been opened, the
permanent burner c is lighted, and the machine is started by turning the fly wheel
so as to cause the piston to advance, care having been taken when the engine was
last previously worked to stop the same at a time when the piston was at the
bottom of the cylinder.
The piston, advancing in the cylinder, draws in gas and air, mixed in suitable
quantities. The air enters by the port t of the counterplate H; it enters the slide
valve G, and there mingles with the gas which arrives through the orifice p
(Figures 5 and 6) communicating with the supply cock e. The gas fills the
cavity p, from which it escapes by small holes r behind the grate or trellis.
The air and gas in passing through the grate intimately commingle as herein-
before described, and they then enter the cylinder.
When the piston has thus drawn in a sufficient quantity of explosive mixture,
the admission ceases, the cam L having caused the slide valve G to advance, so that
the opening 6 is in line with the orifice 6¹. The intermittent burner & meantimes
having been lighted by contact with the permanent burner c, the flame of the
intermittent burner fills the cavity b of the slide-valvo, and consequently as soon as
the orifice b of the slide-valve and the orifice 6' of the cylinder are in a line, the

page_text: explosive mixture is ignited and explodes, and the piston is propelled by the gases in
tension which are evolved, and thereby motion imparted to the shaft M of the
engine.
The return stroke of the piston compresses the gases, which at a certain moment
attain a pressure equal to that of the atmosphere, and are free to escape into the
open air through a tube T. Whilst this escape takes place the distributing slide-
valve has returned to its position, and the orifices are in the same position as first
herein described.
It might occur, if these openings were not covered in a suitable manner, that the
gases of combustion would escape through these orifices, and impair the working.
This is obviated by the oscillating movement of the cylinder itself, the air inlet t of
the counterplate H being closed at the appropriate time by the plug or obturator j
till the time for introducing the gas and air arrives. The gas-cock e is closed at
the same time as the air port, and for the same reasons.
Water for cooling the cylinder circulates in the double shell of the cylinder, and
is introduced by means of a flexible tube s. The water is heated by contact with
the walls of the cylinder, and by reason of the difference in density the hot water
rises; and after arriving in the upper part of the cylinder-casing descends by a special
conduit terminating in a flexible tube s' by which it escapes.
Instead of the double shell of the cylinder in which the water circulates, an
outer casing may be employed for this purpose, and thereby the cooling surface
would be considerably increased.
The cylinder might be caused to oscillate upon trunnions placed at any other
point than at its bottom or rear-part; for example, such trunnions may be placed at
or near its centre; in this case the admission of the gaseous mixture would be
effected by a rotary slide-valve arranged upon one of the trunnions, and the
exhaust would take place through the other trunnion.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I may construct this engine to have any requisite power, and I may vary
the form and dimensions thereof, and the material of which its parts are constructed,
and I claim,
The improvements in gas engines or motors characterized by the following novel
features, that is to say :-
First. The construction of the motor in the form of an oscillating engine, whose
oscillations take place upon a trunnion or bearing below the cylinder bottom.
Second. The capability of arranging the oscillating cylinder in any position
which its utilization may render necessary.
Third. The working of the motor as a single acting engine, the gaseous mixture
being admitted and exhausted behind or below the piston.
Fourth. The arrangement of the admission slide valve with its counter-plate
combined therewith, and operating to intimately intermingle the gas and air for
forming the explosive mixture with a progressively increasing richness in gas as
the piston advances from the bottom of the cylinder.
Fifth. The mode of igniting the explosive mixture.
Sixth. The combination and arrangement of the parts forming the said engine, all
as described and shewn, and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.