Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY, of 77, Raglan Road, Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an efficient internal combustion motor
of certain and regular action when working with intermediate, intermittent or
light loads, more particularly when using gas of low calorific value (known as
producer gas) or town gas mixed with large proportions of air, thereby constituting
a very weak mixture, or hydrocarbon gas or vapour mixed with such proportions
of atmospheric air, as to require compression before ignition.
The piston, owing to the compression prior to ignition, when using weak gaseous
mixtures, and the resultant high temperature of the explosion inside the cylinder,
is subjected to considerably more heat than when lower compression is used in less
efficient motors, thereby causing greater expansion of the piston, the construction
of which must be such as to allow it to expand, and contract freely, for which pur-
pose I construct the piston as follows. The centre or crosshead piece is constructed
separately from the piston body and is connected thereto by any suitable means
such as a plate, studs and nuts binding the crosshead piece to the piston body by
grasping projections on the interior of the piston body in such a way as to allow
the piston body to expand and contract, the parts being kept in a practically con-
centric position by fitting the cross head in a machined part inside the piston
body. Where a junk ring piston is used a stud passing centrally through the
junk ring and piston body end and into the crosshead piece will suffice to secure
the crosshead piece to the piston body. This construction of piston is very
economically renewed, the crosshead piece being detachable, the piston body only
requiring to be replaced.
In large motors it is customary to divide the cylinder, and combustion chamber,
in such a way that there is great danger of forcing the joint, and allowing the
explosion gases to force their way into the water passage, in which case the water
will enter the cylinder, during the charging stroke and so spoil the working of
the engine.
To overcome this objection I cast the combustion chamber and the rear portion
of the cylinder casing, in one piece, the forward portion of the cylinder casing
being bolted to the rear portion either externally or internally. When bolted
internally the cylinder casing presents a plain and jointless appearance, the bolts
and nuts being made of inoxidisable metal or covered with such metal to prevent
oxidation in the water. This arrangement enables a strong joint to be made
away from the place of the explosion and gives free access to portions of the com-
bustion chamber when machining or cleaning is necessary, and does away with
the bad practice of forming part of the water jacketted cylinder on the bed, which
in case of frost, is liable to crack rendering the whole bed useless.
Instead of forcing the liner into the cylinder casing or holding the liner up to

page_text: the joint in the casing with long bolts I hold the liner hard against the seating
therefor in the casing by studs passing through a flange or lugs on the forward
part of the lining and into the front plate or flange of the casing the nuts of these
bolts having between them and the flange or lugs on the casing spring washers
which allow the liner to expand and contract automatically, as the heat thereof
varies, it becoming in effect a self sealing liner, as when the liner is fixed in the
casing, a certain pressure is put on to the joint at the rear end of the liner by
the nuts, and washers and when the engine is working lightly loaded this pressure
is sufficient to resist the explosion. As the load increases so does the heat of the
liner, in consequence of which it expands and increases the pressure between the
said joint and washers, thereby becoming self sealing or automatic in its sealing
action, between light and heavy loads.
I have found when using economical mixtures of gas and air, it is of the highest
importance that the general arrangement of the combustion chamber and valves
therein, shall be such, as to preclude the possibility of inert or exhaust gases
remaining in the vicinity of the igniter, and that the arrangement of the point
of ignition, in connection with the gas and air inlet valve, is of the highest
importance.
-
To meet the first difficulty I arrange the curve at the back or side of the com-
bustion chamber, in such a way as to compel the incoming gases to sweep over
the walls at the point of ignition, inside the combustion chamber. The gas and air
meet in the inlet chamber and mix on their way passing at a high velocity through
the valve leading therefrom, thereby sweeping the ignition point, and driving
practically all the inert gases forward, so that at the time of ignition, practically
pure gases will be at the inlet to the igniter. I arrange the ignition passage
directly over the inlet valve and in the same inlet passage at such a distance that
a slight alteration in time required for the governor to supply gas to the cylinder,
will not materially interfere with the time of ignition.
Dated this 17th day of August 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY, of 77, Raglan Road, Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, England, 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; -
The object of my invention is to provide an efficient internal combustion motor
of certain and regular action when working with intermediate, intermittent, or
light, loads, and more particularly when using gas of low calorific value, (known as
producer gas), or town gas mixed with large proportions of air, thereby con-
stituting a very weak mixture, or hydrocarbon gas, or vapour, mixed with such
proportions of atmospheric air, as to require compression before ignition.
The piston, owing to the compression prior to ignition, when using weak gaseous
mixtures, and the resultant high temperature of the explosion gases inside the
cylinder, is subjected to considerably more heat than when lower compression is
used in less efficient motors, thereby causing greater expansion of the piston, the
construction of which must be such as to allow it to expand and contract freely,
for which purpose I construct the piston as follows, and as illustrated in Figures 1,

page_text: 2, and 3, of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being a longitudinal section,
and Figure 2 an end view partly in section of a construction according to my
invention, Figure 3 a longitudinal section of a modification.
The centre, or crosshead piece A, is constructed separately from the piston
body B, and is connected thereto by any suitable means, such for example as
the means shewn in Figures 1 and 2, consisting of a plate C studs D) and nuts E
binding the crosshead piece A to the piston body B by grasping projections 1,
on the interior of the piston body B, in such a way as to allow the piston body B
to expand and contract, the parts being kept in a practically concentric position
by fitting the crosshead piece in a machined part G inside the piston body. Where
a junk-ring piston is used the arrangement shewn in Figure 3 may be employed,
a stud I passing centrally through the junk ring H and the end of the piston
body B and into the cross-head piece A, securing the said crosshead piece A and
junk ring H to the piston body. In both cases the crosshead pin J is kept in
position by the machined portion G, which also serves as a support for the cross-
head piece A when the connecting rod K assumes an angular position. L are the
piston rings. This construction of piston is very economically renewed, the cross-
head piece A being detachable, the piston body B only requiring to be replaced.
In large motors it is customary to divide the cylinder, and combustion chamber,
in such a way that there is great danger of forcing the joint, and allowing the
explosion gases to force their way into the water passage in which case the water
will enter the cylinder, during the charging stroke and so spoil the working of
the engine.
I overcome this objection as follows and as illustrated in longitudinal section in
Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. I cast the combustion chamber M, and
the rear portion of the cylinder casing M³ in one piece, the forward portion of
the cylinder casing being bolted to the rear portion M² either externally as shewn
in full lines at m or internally as shewn in dotted lines at m². When bolted
internally the cylinder casing presents externally a plain and jointless appearance,
the bolts and nuts being made of inoxidisable metal, or covered with such metal,
to prevent oxidation in the water. This arrangement enables a strong joint to
be made away from the place of the explosion, and enables free access to be had
to portions of the combustion chamber when machining, or cleaning, is necessary,
and does away with the bad practice of forming part of the water jacketed cylinder
on the bed, which, in case of frost, is liable to crack rendering the whole bed useless.
Instead of forcing the liner N into the cylinder casing or holding the liner up to
the joint n in the casing by means of long bolts, both of which give trouble, I
hold the liner N hard against the seating therefor in the casing at n by any suit-
able number of studs or screw bolts 2 passing at intervals through a flange n², or
lugs on the forward part of the liner, and into the front plate or flange m³ of the
casing, the nuts of these bolts having between them and the flange or lugs of
the casing, spring washers 9 which allow the liner N to expand and contraci auto-
matically as the heat thereof varies, it becoming, in effect, a self sealing liner,
as when the liner is fixed in the casing, a certain pressure is put on to the joint n
at the rear end of the liner by the nuts of the studs or; bolts P and washers 7, and
when the engine is working lightly loaded, this pressure is sufficient to resist the
explosion. As the load increases so does the heat of the liner N in consequence of
which it expands and increases the pressure between the said joint and washers
thereby becoming self-sealing; or automatic in its sealing action, between light
and heavy loads.
I have found when using economical mixtures of gas and air, it is of the highest
importance that the general arrangement of the combustion chamber, and valves
therein, shall be such, as to preclude the possibility of inert or exhaust gases
remaining in the vicinity of the igniter and that the arrangement of the point
of ignition, in connection with the gas and air inlet valve is of the highest import-
ance.

page_text: I will describe my improvements in this respect with reference to the section
Figure 5.
•
To meet the first difficulty I arrange the curve at the back, or side, of the com-
bustion chamber, in such a way as to compel the incoming gases to sweep over
the walls at the point of ignition inside the combustion chamber. The gas
and air meet in the inlet chambers and mix on their way, passing at a high velocity
through the valve t leading therefrom thereby sweeping the ignition point and
driving practically, all the inert gases forward, so that, at the time of ignition,
practically pure gases will be at the inlet r to the igniter. I arrange the ignition
passage directly over the inlet valve t and in the same inlet passage u at such
a distance that a slight alteration in time required for the governor to supply gas
to the cylinder, will not materially interfere with the time of ignition. is the
inlet for gas and w is the inlet for air.
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. The construction of piston for internal combustion engines, with the centre,
or cross head, piece made separately from the piston body and connected thereto
so as to allow for movement of the said piston body relatively to the said centre,
or cross head, piece; substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The several constructions of pistons for internal combustion engines as here-
inbefore described and illustrated respectively in Figures 1 and 2 and in Figure 3
of the accompanying drawings.
3. A cylinder for internal combustion engines having the combustion chamber
cast with the rear portions of the cylinder casing the forward portion of the
cylinder casing being connected thereto by a joint away from the place at which
explosion of the gases takes place substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. Securing the liner of internal combustion engines substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The construction or formation of the combustion chamber and the relative
arrangement therewith of the inlet valve and the igniting arrangement substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
1
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.