IMPROVES IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Thomas Wordsworth of Leeds in the
County of York Engineer and John Wolstenholme of Radcliffe in the County
Taution of TenRAVEENIGING MOTOR
LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Thomas Wordsworth of Leeds in the
County of York Engineer and John Wolstenholme of Radcliffe in the County
of Lancaster Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVES IN GAS MOTOR
ENGINES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Thomas
Wordsworth & John Wolstenholme at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 12th June 1882.
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WORDSWORTH of Leeds in the County of York Engineer
& JOHN WOLSTENHOLME of Radcliffe in the County of Lancaster Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of Gas Engines worked by
the explosion of Gas and Air or Vapour after it has been drawn into a Cylinder in
suitable quantities by the action of a Piston on the outward stroke of the crank
which is afterwards ignited and expanded in the Cylinder until the full travel of
the Piston or Crank has taken place and on the return stroke of the Crank the
products of combustion are expelled through an exhaust Valve which is suitably
placed.
The first part of this invention is a method to obtain a more expansive action
and greater motive power than the ordinary method of exploding a gaseous mixture
in a Cylinder near to or slightly under the atmospheric pressure by overcoming all
chances of wire drawing the combustible charges at the time of ignition By
this means we are able to effect the combustion of a gaseous mixture in the
Cylinder by a more diluted mixture of gas and air.
For the accomplishment of this purpose we have an iron framing or bedplate
preferably horizontal and with bearings to carry a Crankshaft and fly wheel &c.
On this bedplate is bolted or may be cast to a Cylinder with or without a water-
jacket such Cylinder being in line with the Crank shaft Near to one end of this
cylinder is cast one or more ports by preference two, for the inlet of Air Air and
Gas &c into the Cylinder and on the outside face of these ports is attached or may
be cast to the Cylinder a plate which may be screwed to or suitably fastened and
having some asbestos millboard or other material to make a tight joint inserted

page_text: and on the other side it forms the working, face for the slide to work against.
This plate or face shall be hereinafter termed the Cylinder face and it has a number
of slots and holes some of which correspond to the ports in the cylinder and the
others are open to the atmosphere outside. On the Cylinder face works a slide of
the flat or ordinary kind and has suitable slots, chambers, ports or passages for the
admission of air air and gas &c and igniting the same in the Cylinder. This slide
may be moved by the action of a cam or any other suitable mechanical divice.
On the back face of the slide and pressing against is a back plate suitably fastened
80 as to be able to resist the pressure from the explosion in the Cylinder, and it has
a number of slots or passages and chambers some of which correspond to others on
the back face of the slide for the admission of Air. Air and Gas &c into the body
of the slide at certain periods of time when the charge is being drawn into the
Cylinder. This back plate may have cast in or have attached to a chamber which
mixes the Air and Gas before it passes into the Cylinder. This mixing chamber
may be in communication through ports or passages with a valve that is connected
to the main gas supply. This valve may be of the mushroom type with a suitable
stem working and pressed by a spring on a seating or any other suitable form may
be used to supply or cut off at the proper time the Gas before it can enter the
Cylinder. This gas valve may be actuated by the motion of the slide, by levers or
other mechanical means and also in addition may be regulated and operated upon
by the action of a governor according to the varying speeds of the Engine.
Another part of our improvements consist in increasing the certainty and
rapidity of igniting the combustible charge in the Cylinder when the Engine is
working quickly In order to effect this purpose we place an annular chamber
which may be bolted on the end of the Cylinder nearest to the Crank. This
chamber may be of any suitable depth but the width fits the outer edge of the
piston when it rides into it just before the termination of the outer stroke and
depresses or displaces the volume of air that may be lodged therein through an
opening or passage through a valve and on to a reservoir or india rubber bag
to be afterwards used for the purpose of flushing the igniting chamber of the
slide of all impurities that may be lodged there through rapid firing. When
the Crank moves inward the edge of the Piston leaves this annular chamber which
is then ready for the next depression. Other methods may be used to flush the
igniting chamber such as a disc working in a Cylinder or a diaphragm actuated by
suitable means

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Christopher Thomas Wordsworth & John Wolstenholme in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th December 1882.
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WORDSWORTH of Leeds in the County of York Engineer
and JOHN WOLSTENHOLME of Radcliffe in the County of Lancaster Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS-MOTOR ENGINES
"
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of gas Engines worked by
the explosion of gas and air or vapour after it has been drawn into a cylinder in
suitable quantities by the action of a piston on the outward stroke of the crank
ignited and exploded in the cylinder until the full travel of the piston or crank
has taken place and on the return of the crank the products of combustion are
expelled through an exhaust valve which is suitably placed.
The first part of this Invention is a method to obtain a more expansive action
and greater motive power than the ordinary method of exploding a gaseous
mixture in a cylinder near to or slightly under the atmospheric pressure by
overcoming all chances of wire drawing the combustible charges at the time of
ignition. By this means we are able to effect the combustion of a more diluted
mixture of gas and air in the cylinder.
For the accomplishment of this purpose we have an iron framing or bedplate
preferably horizontal and with bearings to carry a crank shaft and fly wheel &c.
On this bedplate is bolted, or may be cast to a cylinder, with or without a water-
jacket such cylinder being in line with the crank shaft. Near to one end of this
cylinder is cast one or more ports, by preference one for the inlet of air, air and
gas &o, into the cylinder and on the outside face of these ports is attached, or may
be cast to the cylinder, a plate which may be screwed to, or suitably fastened and
having some asbestos, millboard or other material to make a tightjoint inserted,
and on the other side it forms the working face for the slide to work against―
This plate or face shall be hereinafter termed the cylinder face and it has
a number of slots or holes some of which correspond to the ports in the
cylinder and the others are open to the atmosphere outside. On the cylinder
face works a slide of the flat or ordinary kind, and has suitable slots, chambers,
ports, or passages for the admission of air, air and gas &. and igniting the
same in the cylinder-This slide may be moved by the action of a cam or any
other suitable mechanical device-On the back face of the slide and pressing against
it is a back plate suitably fastened so as to be able to resist the pressure from the
explosion in the cylinder and it has a number of slots or passages and chambers
some of which correspond to others on the back face of the slide for the admission
of air, air and gas &. into the body of the slide at certain periods of time when
the charge is being drawn into the cylinder. This back plate may have cast on or
attached thereto a valve that is connected to the main gas supply. This valve may
be of the mushroom type with a suitable stem working and pressed by a spring on
a seating or any other suitable form may be used to supply or cut off at the proper
time the gas before it can enter the cylinder. This gas valve may be actuated by
the motion of the slide by levers or other mechanical means, and also, in addition,
may be regulated and operated upon by the action of a Governor according to the
varying speeds of the Engine.
Another part of our improvements consists in increasing the certainty and
rapidity of igniting the combustible charges in the cylinder when the Engine
is working quickly. In order to effect this purpose we place an annular
chamber which may be bolted on the end of the cylinder nearest the crank.
This chamber may be of any suitable depth but the width fits the outer edge of

page_text: the piston when it rides into it just before the termination of the outer stroke and
depresses or displaces the volume of air that may be lodged therein through an
opening or passage through a valve and on to a reservoir or india rubber bag
to be afterwards used for the purpose of flushing the igniting chamber of the
slide of all impurities that may be lodged therein through rapid firing. When
the crank moves inward the edge of the piston leaves this annular chamber
which is then ready for the next depression. Other methods may be used
for flushing the igniting chamber such as a disc working on a cylinder or a
diaphragm actuated by suitable means. And in order that our invention may be
fully understood we have caused to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings
marked with letters of reference to which we will now refer and indicate the manner
in which our invention may be carried into effect, though we wish it to be under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact arrangements of detail shewn,
as the same may be modified without departing from the principle of our invention
Figs 1 and 2 represent an elevation and plan of a general arrangement of our
improved motor. Figs: 3 to 8 are enlarged views drawn to one scale. Fig: 3
represents half broken section of the cylinder and valve arrangement shewing the
position of the slide and passages just before firing the gaseous mixture in the
cylinder. Fig: 4 represents the plate or cylinder face removed from the cylinder
shewing the firing port, slots and passages. Fig 5 represents a view or plan of the
slide with slots ports and passages which come into contact with the cylinder face
Fig: 4 Fig: 6 represents the face of the slide with the slots ports and passages which
work in contact with the back plate. Fig: 7 represents a plan of the face of the
back plate showing the slots ports and passages which come into contact with the
face of the slide Fig: 6.-Fig: 8 is the external view of the back plate-Referring
to Figs 1 and 2;-a is the cylinder mounted on bed plate as carrying crank shaft on
suitable bearings and being surrounded with water jacket a-a. is the piston
working on the cylinder-b is the explosion port or ports-c is the cylinder face,
d is the slide, e is the back plate, f, f, are studs to secure the back plate, slides, &c. to
cylinder face c, g is a valve attached to the back plate e, and in connection with
main gas inlet pipe g'. for the admission (of gas into the cylinder a, through the
body of the slide d during a portion of the inward stroke of the piston a. along
the explosion port b, h is the exhaust valve for the relief of the products of com-
bustion in the inward stroke of the piston a'. actuated by means of a came on
crank shaft j and levers i, j¹ is a cam on crankshaft j to actuate the slide valve d
for the admission of air and gas into cylinder a, exploding the same behind piston a¹.
and thus imparting motion to crank and crankshaft j, by means of rod and lever k,
the slide d being pressed against the face of the cam ¹ by means of a spring k¹.
Referring to the enlarged section Fig: 3. a is a section of the cylinder. a². is the
water jacket 6 is the explosion port, c is the cylinder face d is the slide, e is the back
plate, m m are slots for the admission of air into the body of the slide d, through
slots d. n is the main gas inlet port with valve g removed for convenience for the
admission of gas through ports n¹ into the body of the slide d, during the time the
air is being drawn in thus forming together a gaseous mixture to be afterwards
exploded in cylinder a-By a further movement of the slide d, the igniting
chamber o is opened to port b and the ignition takes place thus impelling the
piston a¹. In fig 4-mm show a plan of the slots for the admission of air and
portion of explosion port b. Fig: 5 is the face of the slide with slots d' and igniting
chamber o and gas inlet holes n¹.-Fig 6 is a plan of air slots d². gas slots n'. and
igniting chamber o. Fig 7 is a view of air slots, m m and gas ports n¹ Fig: 8 is an
external view of the back plate with gas valve g removed shewing air ports m m
and gas inlet port n. At the base of chimney p is a master light constantly
burning to relight ignition chamber o
The operation of the engine is as follows: Assuming piston a¹ is at the dead
centre inward, by a further movement it draws in a charge of air and gas through
port or ports 6 of cylinder a through body of slide d and ports d' and n' and
through ports m, m, cylinder face c and. back plate e. After the piston a' and

page_text: crank i have travelled approximately to position shown in fig: 1 the slide is so
timed as to immediately cut off the connection with air and gas and bring igniting
chamber o in contact with port b and thus igniting the gaseous mixture
Having thus described and set forth the nature of our invention and the manner
of performing the same we would have it understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the exact arrangement shewn as the same may be modified without
departing from the principle of our invention-We declare that we claim-
1. An annular chamber as described (but not shewn on drawings as being
thought unnecessary fixed on the end of the cylinder so that the piston may ride
into it just before the termination of the outer stroke for the purpose of using the
volume of air that may be displaced thereby for flushing the igniting chamber o
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
2. The arrangement of air slots and gas inlet ports substantially as shewn and
herein before described for the purpose of exploding a more diluted mixture of gas
and air &o., and reducing all chances of wire drawing at the terminal edges of the
slide at the time of ignition.
3. The general arrangement of part and parts alike and in combination
substantially as set forth and hereinbefore described. In witness whereof we the
said Christopher Thomas Wordsworth and John Wolstenholme have hereunto set
our hands and seals the twelfth day of December A.D. 1882.
AUDIOTO
THAN WADDSWORTH