A SELF STARTING VALVE FOR GAS ENGINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JAMES ATKINSON, Engineer, of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, in the County
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A SELF STARTING
VALVE FOR GAS ENGINES to be as follows:-
บ
This invention is for an improved arrangement of self starting valve which is
somewhat similar to that shown and described by me in Letters Patent No. 4388
A.D. 1882, and in others following; it is for the double purpose of charging the
starting resevoir, by allowing some of the ignited contents of the cylinder to pass
automatically into the resevoir at the time of the greatest pressure in the cylinder,
so as to charge it, and in which it is stored untill required; and for the purpose of
starting the engine.
The valve is mainly a modification or developement of that shown in Figs. 8,
and 9, Sheet II of Letters Patent No. 4388 A.D. 1882 which is inconvenient as
regards ready means of adjusting the pressure of the spring, mode of packing the
spindle, and the momentum of the moving parts when the resevoir is being charge.
I employ a long spindle sliding in a cylindrical casing, forming the valve at one
end of the spindle, either in one with it, or attached to it, so as to allow it to have a
little end play independantly of the of the spindle; the spindle is controlled by the
toe of a lever working in a slot formed in the spindle, the lever is fixed on a small
shaft, which passes through a gland, and has a handle lever fixed to it outside the
cylindrical casing, so that the part which passes through the gland has a partial
revolving motion instead of a sliding motion. The handle lever back is curved, and
has a number of notches or catches formed in the curved portion; one end of a
suitable spring is fixed to an attachment which may be moved along the handle
lever, into any of the different notches as desired, the other end of the spring is
fixed to an attachment by which its tension may be adjusted, this latter attachment
being at or about a point central with the curve of the handle lever back, so that
the tension of the spring may be instantly caused to act at a greater or smaller
leverage on the valve, by sliding the lever end of the spring attachment up or down
the lever.
To charge the resevoir, a stop valve on the communicating pipe is opened, and
the spring adjusted to act with less pressure on the starting valve, so that as each
ignition takes place in the cylinder, a portion of the burnt gasses passes the valve
and enters the resevoir, wherein the maximum pressure is obtained by letting the
TD 01

page_text: spring act at the smallest leverage; when fully charged the spring is shifted to its
maximum leverage keeping the starting valve securely closed. The stop valve
should then be closed so as to retain the compressed burnt gasses in the resevoir
till required. To assist in obtaining this maximum pressure, the handle of the
lever may be lightly held back, so as to allow the valve to lift entirely free from
the spring pressure, either sliding in the spindle, or the spindle itself sliding a short
distance, the Blot having a little clearance left in it for this purpose.
To start the engine the crank is placed in a suitable position, which is just about
where ignition should take place, or a little after, the stop valve opened, and the
pressure admitted on to the piston by pulling the handle of the starting valve lever,
driving the piston outwards during its working stroke with sufficient force to carry
the engine round during the remainder of the revolution when this can be repeated
until the engine runs itself.

page_text: BEBERUN
I, JAMES ATKINSON, Engineer, of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, in the county
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A SELF STARTING
VALVE FOR GAS ENGINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is for an improved arrangement of Self Starting valve which is
Bomewhat similar to that shown and described by me in Letters Patent 4388
A.D. 1882, and in others following, and it is for the double purpose of charging the
starting reservoir, by allowing some of the ignited contents of the cylinder to pass
automatically into the reservoir, at the time of the greatest pressure in the cylinder,.
so as to charge it, and in which it is stored until required; and for the purpose of
starting the engine.
The valve is mainly a modification or development of that shown in Figs. 8, & 9,
sheet 2. of Letters Patent No. 4388 A.D. 1882. which is inconvenient as regards
ready means of adjusting the pressure of the spring, mode of packing the spindle
and the momentum of the moving parts when the reservoir is being charged.
I employ a long spindle A., as shown in the illustration herewith, sliding in a
cylindrical casing B. in which it is truly guided either throughout its length or
preferably as shown at each end; the valve C. is attached to the end of this spindle
in such a manner that whilst being truly guided as shown it can have a little end
movement by being free from the spindle; it is shown in the illustration with the
valve stem working in a hole bored in the end of the spindle A. with its inde-
pendent movement limited by the cotter D. The spindle A. is controlled by the
toe E. of a lever working in a slot formed in it, this lever is fixed on a small
shaft F. which passes through a gland and has a handle lever G. fixed on it outside
the cylindrical casing B. so that the part which passes through the gland has a
partial revolving motion instead of a sliding motion.
The back of the handle lever G. is curved and has a number of notches or catches
formed in the curved portion; one end of a suitable spring H. is fixed to an
attachment I. which may be moved along the handle lever G. into any of the
different notches as desired; the other end of the spring H. is fixed to an attach-
ment K. by which its tension may be adjusted, this attachment K. being made to a
projecting arm L. at or about at a point which is central with the curve of the notched
back of the handle lever G.; the arrangement is such that the tension of the spring
may be instantly caused to act at a greater or smaller leverage on the valve C. by
sliding the attachment L. up or down the lever G.
The valve C. instead of being allowed the small independent movement may be
in one with the spindle A.
The passage M. is to the cylinder of the Gas engine and the passage N. is for the
purpose of making a connection with the starting reservoir; in this connection a
suitable stop valve is placed for the purpose of retaining the pressure in the starting
reservoir; the passage O may be used for attaching an indicator which is thus
conveniently placed in communication with the cylinder.

page_text: To charge the reservoir, the stop valve on the pipe connecting the starting valve
to the reservoir is opened, the spring is adjusted and the attachment I, so placed
that the high pressure in the engine cylinder at the time of ignition will lift up the
valve C. a small distance and allow some of the products of ignition to pass from
the cylinder into the reservoir wherein the maximum pressure is attained by
lowering the attachment I. so that the spring acts with the smallest amount of
leverage, and to assist in obtaining this maximum pressure the handle of the
lever Ğ. may be lightly held back so as to allow the valve C. to lift entirely free
from the spring pressure, cither sliding in the spindle A. or the spindle also sliding
a short distance, the toe piece E. and the cotter D. having a little clearance in their
respective slots for this purpose.
The cover P. forms a stop for the valve C. and spindle A. By removing the
cover P., and disconnecting the spring H., the spindle A. with the valve C. may be
lifted out for cleaning purposes, the toe piece E. having sufficient clearance space
provided in the casing B. to' allow of its being moved out of the way.
To start the engine its crank is placed in a suitable position which is just about
when ignition should take place, or a little after, the stop valve being open and the
pressure from the reservoir admitted onto the piston by pulling the handle of the
lever G. thus driving the engine piston outwards during its working stroke with
sufficient force to carry the engine round during the remainder of the revolution,
when this can be repeated till the engine drives itself.
When the reservoir is fully charged the stop valve should be closed and the
attachment I. moved up into its highest position so as to retain the charge in the
reservoir until it is required for starting.
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. The general arrangement and construction of a Self Starting Valve for Gas
Engines, as described and illustrated.
2. Constructing Self Starting Valves for Gas Engines with a small independent
motion of the valve and spindle, as described and illustrated.
3. Constructing Self Starting Valves for Gas Engines with facilities for adjusting
the tension and leverage of the spring, as described and illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of September 1886.
Witness:-
-
J. F. BOBY,
11, Queen Victoria Street, E.C.
JAMES ATKINSON.