Improvements in Gas, Petroleum, and similar Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1888
Specification Accepted, 17th Feb:, 1888
Improvements in Gas, Petroleum, and similar Engines.
I, THEODORE SINGTON of Grove Cottage Kersal Moor Manchester in the County of
Lancaster 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 :-
In Gas and Petroleum Engines of the existing types and in similar engines or
motors as ordinarily constructed thore exist some or all of the following defects or
disadvantages An impulse is not given at overy stroke; there is a difficulty in
starting the motor from a state of rest; and the direction of rotation cannot be
reversed.
The object of this Invention is to remove these defects or disadvantages and by this
means to render gas engines and similar motors available for a wider range of
application than at present.
I will proceed to describe the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same
may be carried into practical effect, with reference to the three sheets of drawings
appended hereto and upon which similar parts or elements are indicated by similar
letters in each of the Figures in which they are represented. The details of con-
struction in Gas Engines and similar motors are so well understood that it is not
necessary to particularly describe and illustrate them and I thereforo have limited
myself to diagrams which will more clearly illustrate my Improvements. Moreover,
such details of construction, being commonly known, do not constitute any part of
my present Invention.
In gas and similar Engines and motors of the best type at present in use there is
for every impulse given to the piston a cycle of four operations, thus :-(1) The
explosive charge is drawn into the cylinder, (2) The charge is coinpressed, (3) the
charge is exploded and (4) The products of the explosion or a part of the products
are expelled. These four operations occupy four successive strokes or two complete
revolutions, but by these Improvements 1 secure the completion of the cycle at each
stroke or twice in every revolution. The means for accomplishing this object are
illustrated in Sheet 1 of the drawings where Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections
in a vertical plane and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are similar sections in a horizontal plane.
A is the air inlet; B is the gas inlet; (, is the mixing apparatus; D is the valve
controlling the admission of the explosive mixture; E is a water jacket surrounding
the cylinder; F, F' are the explosion chambers forming the ends of the cylinder;
G, G is an inner cylinder having closed ends and capable of reciprocating motion in
31

page_text: *
the fixed outer cylinder; H is a fixed piston within the inner cylinder; I I¹ are
valves controlling a passage or way from the inner cylinder to the ports or
passages J J¹ formed in the walls of the outer cylinder: K K' are the exhaust
ports L is a support or stay secured to the fixed piston and to the outer
cylinder respectively and passing through a longitudinal slot formed in the inner
cylinder M is a piston rod"attached to the inner or reciprocating cylinder;
N. O. P. Q. are respectively the crosshead, connecting rod, crank and fly wheel, which
may be of any suitable construction; R R' are the inlet ports for the explosive
mixture, and are formed in a stalk which passes through the water jacket, the outer
cylinder and a longitudinal slot in the inner cylinder and is firmly secured to the
piston H. This stalk may be used alone to support the fixed piston but I prefer in
all cases to employ the additional support L also. S.S¹ are the cylinder covers and
TT are the ignition apparatus which may be of any suitable construction and one of
which is placed at each end of the outer cylinder.
Figs. 1 and 3 represent the inner cylinder at one end of its stroke and Figs. 2
and 6 at the other end. Figs. 4 and 5 represent the cylinder in two intermediate
positions. A complete cycle of operations takes place during the stroke successive
stages of which are represented in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.
In Fig. 3 an explosion is about to take place in F, which contains a compressed
charge, the inner cylinder G is filled with an uncompressed explosive charge, the
products of the preceding explosion in F¹ are free to escape through the open
exhaust K, and the exhaust K is closed. The explosion having taken place the inner
cylinder is impelled forwards. At the point of its stroke shown in fig. 4 the port R¹
has been opened admitting the new explosive charge and simultaneously the valve I¹
has been closed by the tendency of the motion of the cylinder to produce a vacuum
and the opening is being closed by the contact of the walls of the cylinder. (The
exhaust port K and the valve I are represented as being in the same plane in the
Figures for greater clearness but it is obvious that in practice they must be clear of
each other and in different relative positions) The charge in G is being compressed;
the residual gases are being expelled from F1 through K and the exhaust K remains
closed until the stroke is completed. In Fig. 5 another stage is reached and the
charge in G is further compressed, the exhaust port K' is just closed by the inner
cylinder and the residual gases in Fare about to be compressed (together with the
new charge from G ;) the valve I is just opening to the port or passage J¹ through
which the compressed charge from G passes to the explosion chamber Fi where it is
stratified or mixed with the residual gases of the last explosion and further compressed
by the remaining part of the stroke of the inner cylinder which also compels the
expulsion of the whole of the charge from G into F'. During the stroke a new
charge of the explosive mixture has been drawn into the part G of the inner
cylinder. At the end of the stroke the cycle is completed and will be repeated at
every stroke, the explosions taking place alternately at opposite ends of the cylinder.
By the action of a Governor as in motors of ordinary construction a periodical
explosion or a succession of explosions may be omitted when the engine is not
running at full power. The construction and arrangement and operation of the
various valves and other details is well understood.
Fig. 7 is a top view of the inner cylinder in which U is the slot for the passage of
the stem V in which the admission ports R R are formed; Fig. 8 is a side view of
Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a section through the inner cylinder-showing the slot W for the
passage
of the support L for the fixed piston; Fig. 10 is a section through the valve
chamber at the end of the inner cylinder; Fig. 11 is an end view of the inner
cylinder Fig. 12 is a view of the valve I or I'; Fig. 13 is a transverse section
through the centre of the outer cylinder and water jacket showing the ports J J',
Fig. 14 is a similar section near one end of the cylinder; Fig. 15, is a transverse
section through the stem V; Fig. 16, is a sectional elevation of the fixed piston and
the stems V and L; Fig. 17 is a horizontal section through the fixed piston and
Fig. 18 is a vertical section of the piston and the ports RR.
Fig. 18 A represents in section a means of controlling the exit of the explosive

page_text: charge from the inner cylinder G to the explosive chamber of the outer cylinder.
The port J is enclosed but is provided with two openings which are normally
closed by the slide valves s s¹ but which are opened at the proper moment to admit
the transference of the explosive mixture. The exhaust ports K K' may also be
controlled by slide valves.
In order to facilitate the starting of the Engine or motor I may use an auxiliary
starting cylinder a Fig. 21, which communicates by suitable pipes with each end of
the engine cylinder between which and the starting cylinder there are valves by the
operation of which the communication between the starting cylinder and the engine
cylinder may be controlled so that either end of the engine cylinder at will may be
put into open connection with the starting cylinder. The starting cylinder has
sufficient capacity to hold one explosive charge and each of its ends is provided with
pipes or passages:bb communicating with the explosive chamber F; com-
municating with the explosive chamber F1 of the engine; c with the mixing
apparatus C, and d with the exhaust. These passages are controlled by valves l, m, n,
all of them being capable of being operated by a hand lever such as shown in Fig. 19.
Within the cylinder is a piston to which the piston rod is connected. Normally
the piston is at one end of the cylinder and the cylinder is filled with an explosive
charge at a normal pressure and all the valves are closed. The hand lever is connected
to and capable of operating the piston, the valves I m n and the igniting
apparatus TT; and it is normally in the mid position Fig. 19. On the motion of the
handle to the left and back to the mid position, the piston is moved to the opposite
end of the cylinder and back again.
Presuming that it is desired to supply to and explode a charge in the chamber F1
by a movement of the hand lever, the piston is drawn to the end of the cylinder-
opposite to that occupied by it in Fig. 21, the valve m is caused to open to the
passage which communicates with F while at the same time the valve opens to b
which also communicates with the chamber F' by a separate way. By this means
the residual gas is withdrawn from F' and an explosive inixture takes its place. The
valves Im are then closed and the charge in the chamber F is ignited, starting the
engine. The cylinder a is now full of residual gas withdrawn from the Engine.
This is expelled by moving the piston in the reverse direction and simultaneously
moving the valve n so as to uncover c and d thus allowing the residual gas to be
expelled through the exhaust d and a new charge to be drawn in through c. At the
end of the stroke the valve n is again closed. To start the engine from the opposite
end of the cylinders the hand lever is moved in the opposito direction and the
valves 1 m are moved so as to open the ports b¹¹ instead of 6 b. Any other known
or equivalent arrangement for starting may be employed.
When the motor is required to be capable of having its direction of rotation
reversed I employ two cylinders or a duplex motor with their cranks arranged at
right angles so that I may inject and explode a starting charge into either of the
cylinders at either end and having then precisely the same conditions as exist in a
locomotive engine for example, I can secure the same results by the employment of
similar reversing gear to operate the inlet valves.
In and by the arrangement of the motor herein before described the explosive
charge is compressed in the inner cylinder to the full extent and is then expelled into
the explosion chamber which contains residual gases not yet compressed; it follows
that the compressed charge re-expands to some extent and is recompressed with the
residual gases in the explosion chamber prior to ignition. This facilitates the
admixture of the charge with the residual gases but if it is desired to avoid
the re-expansion and re-compression the arrangements illustrated by Figs. 24 to 27
and 30 to 33 may be adopted. By these arrangements the charge is compressed in
the inner cylinder as herein before described and simultaneously the residual gases in the
explosion chamber are compressed to a like extent. The construction is almost
identical with that illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6 with the exception of the arrangements
for compressing the residuals. The automatic valves II' are represented at the side
of the inner cylinder instead of the end but this is immaterial, and there is a

page_text: modification in the passages J J'. In each end of the outer cylinder there is a ram
or piston X X', one of which remains stationary during the stroke following upon
the explosion which has taken place at that end of the cylinder. Meanwhile, the ram
at the opposite end is also stationary during the first part of the stroke; during a
second part it moves forward at twice the speed of the inner cylinder compressing the
gases between itself and the closed end of the inner cylinder; and during the last
part of the stroke it moves back to its original position. These motions may be
imparted by cams or other well known devices.
Referring to the diagram Fig. 24 let the internal length of the inner cylinder be
15 units, then the length of the space F will be 8.75 units and of the space F¹
23.75 units. F is filled with a compressed explosive mixture, the space G with an
uncompressed charge and the space F with the residual gases from the last explosion.
An explosion now takes place in F and the inner cylinder is impelled to the position
indicated by the dotted lines; at this instant the ram X', commences its forward
stroke. At the part of the stroke shown in Fig. 25 the ram X' has moved through
5 units and this motion in combination with the motion of the inner cylinder has
expelled part of the residual gases through K' which is now closed. The length of
the space F is now 11.25 units. The motions of the inner cylinder and the ram X¹
continue until they occupy the position shown in Fig. 26. The compressed charge
in G is now admitted through the valve I and the port J to the space F'and it will be
seen that since X' from the moment the exhaust was closed has decreased its distance
from the inner cylinder by two thirds, and the charge in G has been compresssed
to one third, the contents of G and of Fi are at like pressures, this pressure being the
maximum. The motion of the inner cylinder and of the rain are continued but the
ram is arranged to move at twice the speed of the inner cylinder to the end of the
stroke so that the space F¹ is enlarged at precisely the same rate as the space G is
contracted and the pressure in F is not increased by the influx of the compressed
charge from G. The positions at the end of the stroke are as shown in Fig. 26, from
which point the cycle is repeated from the opposite end of the cylinder. Fig. 23
represents a section of the ram X on an enlarged scale.
Figs. 30 to 33 inclusive are diagrams of an arrangement whereby the combined
explosive charge and the residual gas may be compressed in the inner cylinder. In
this arrangement two sets of inlet ports are employed as shown in Fig. 33 and the
lower set may be substituted for the stem or support L. The rams move as herein-
before described with reference to Figs. 24 to 27 but are not employed for compression
but merely to vary the spaces F and F¹.
The
In Fig. 30 the space G is filled with the uncompressed mixture for a future
explosion and the space F, with a compressed mixture for an explosion which now,
takes place, and the inner cylinder and the ram X' move simultaneously to the position
shown in Fig. 31 the ram X remaining stationary throughout the stroke.
residual gases from the last explosion are now totally expelled from F and the
exhaust is closed. The mixture in G is now compressed say to one third its original
dimensions. A new charge of mixed gas and air is being drawn into the part G¹ of
the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder and the ram X continue the stroke, both
moving in the same direction, but the ram X' moving twice as fast as the inner
cylinder so that as the now completely compressed charge in G is transferred through
the port J to F¹ it is neither expanded nor re-compressed. At the end of the stroke
the conditions are the same as at the commencement, but reversed in position and
the cycle is repeated from the forward end of the cylinder.
The motor constructed according to these Improvements may, by a re-arrangement
of the valves controlling the inlet of the explosive mixture, be operated without
compression. This arrangement is shown in Figs. 28 and 29. The inner cylinder.
is made large enough to contain two charges. As illustrated in Fig. 28 an explosion
is about to take place in F, the inner cylinder contains two charges and the space Fi
contains the residual gases from the last explosion. The explosion having taken
place the inner cylinder moves forward. At the point of the stroke shown in Fig. 29
the chambers G and G₁ are equal. The inlet valves are in the position shown in the

page_text: diagram at 2 and the charge therefore instead of being compressed has to the extent
of one half been transferred to G¹. The forward exhaust has just been closed by the
inner cylinder and the ram X has moved forward expelling the residuals. The inner
face of the ram being recessed as indicated, a portion of the residuals are retained
in F. As the inner cylinder moves forward the inlet valves are moved to the position
indicated in the diagram marked 1 above the figure 29. Since the contents of G
cannot now escape to G' and since the valve I is open to the port J the contents of G
are transferred to F, space being provided by the motion of the ram X' at twice the
speed of the inner cylinder. Meanwhile, the port to G being opened, a second charge
is drawn into it. At the end of the stroke the cycle is repeated from the opposite end
of the cylinder, the valves being moved into the position indicated in the diagram 3.
It will be obvious that the herein before described arrangements may be modified
without departing from my Invention. Thus when it is desired not to employ any
part or only a small part of the residual gas in the explosive mixture, I may
employ the arrangement indicated in Figs. 30 to 32 except that the fixed piston is
constructed as indicated in Figs. 15 to 18 and not as in Fig. 33. The inner
cylinder G has a capacity of one charge; the residual gases are expelled from Fas
shown in Fig. 31, by the movements of the inner cylinder and of the ram X', through
the exhaust K Fig. 30 and the compressed explosive charge is transferred from G
to F, Fig. 32. The general action is as already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) In an engine operated by the explosion therein of gaseous or vaporous mixtures,
effecting and completing the following cycle-drawing the explosive charge into the
motor, compressing the charge, exploding the charge and expelling the residual
products, at every stroke or twice for every complete revolution; substantially as and
by the means hereinbefore described and as illustrated by tho accompanying diagrams.
(2) In an Engine operated by the explosion of gaseous or vaporous mixtures,
effecting and completing the following cycle at every stroke or twice for every
complete revolution:-drawing the explosive charge into the motor, exploding the charge
and expelling the residual products; substantially as and by the means hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying diagrams.
(3) In an Engine operated by the explosion of gaseous or vaporous mixtures; the
combination of a fixed outer cylinder, with a reciprocating inner cylinder, a fixed
piston, a piston rod connected to the inner cylinder and ports ways valves and
passages; constructed and operated substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying diagrams.
(4) In an Engine operated by the explosion of gaseous or vaporous mixtures; the
combination of a fixed outer cylinder with a reciprocating inner cylinder, a fixed
piston, two reciprocating rams, a piston rod connected to the inner cylinder and ports,
ways, passages and valves; constructed and operated substantially as herein before
described and as illustrated by the accompanying diagrams.
(5) In combination with an Engine operated by the explosion of gaseous or
vaporous mixtures and in which the cycle of operations is completed at every stroke;
a starting apparatus constructed arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 20, 21 and 22 of the accompanying diagrams.
Dated this 7ih dove of Janur AD 1888
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.