IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES WORKED BY GAS AND AIR OR OTHER " HYDRO-CARBONS."
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Grantley Beechey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd April 1880.
CHARLES GRANTLEY BEECHEY, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham,
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES WORKED BY GAS AND AIR OR OTHER
"
HYDRO-CARBONS."
In performing my Invention I make use of the compression of air and gas or
other explosive gases in a compressor, from which it is conveyed into a receiver,
preferably a jacket round the combustion end of the main cylinder, in which it is
warmed by the surplus or commonly called waste heat previous to being admitted
into the explosion cylinder, thereby partially expanding the air previous to
explosion, and so gaining power upon the principle of the hot air engine.
On the end or side of the explosion cylinder I place a slide valve (or its
equivalent) which admits the explosive gases from the receiver into the explosion
cylinder, and also to communicate the explosive gases in the explosion cylinder
with the flame which fires them. On the back of this slide valve is a plate which
holds it up to its face; in the centre of this back plate is a small chamber, and in
this chamber is placed a burner, which burner is supplied with compressed gas and
air taken either from the above mentioned receiver or from an independent pump.
This burner may also be supplied with compressed gas only.
The engine may be made either single or double acting; in the former case the
engine makes two revolutions, whilst the slide valve makes one outward and inward
stroke. In the centre of this valve is what may be termed a D port which commu-
nicates the receiver with the combustion cylinder, and admits the mixture to be
exploded into the cylinder. At each side of this port is a hole which immediately on
the port leading into the receiver being closed communicates the port leading into
the explosion cylinder with the chamber in the back plate where the small burner,
supplied as above mentioned, is burning, and the explosion consequently takes place
and expands the products of combustion and forces the piston forwards; each end
of this slide valve is cut away on the back side, so that the small chamber in the
back plate is open to the atmosphere excepting when the explosion takes place.
Underneath the slide valve and opposite the small chamber is a small gas jet, which
relights the burner in the chamber after each explosion, as the slide valve at each
end opens the chamber in the back plate to the atmosphere; hence, it will be seen
that the slide valve gives an explosion both on its inward and outward stroke. I can

page_text: also explode the gases by carrying two burners in my slide, one on either side of
the D port, ench of these being supplied by compressed gas and air, or compressed
gas only. After each explosion these burners are relit by external lights. I leave
a space between the back of the piston and the end of the combustion cylinder
(when the piston is home) of about one third or one fourth of the stroke; this space
is filled with the explosive gases from the receiver, which are exploded just as the
piston commences its outward stroke. In order to govern my engine I auto-
matically close the exhaust valve at any percentage of the return stroke of the
piston by means of a governor, thereby compressing more or less of the wasto
products, making more or less room for the explosive mixture; hence, more or less
explosive gases will enter the explosion cylinder and tho strength of each explosion
consequently regulated. In my compression pump, which may be either an
independent cylinder and piston, or the front end of the explosion cylinder
utilizing the same piston, I employ an ordinary inlet and outlet clack or other form
of valve, the inlet valve so arranged to admit the air and gas in the proper pro-
portion. Between this piston and the outlet valve I also leave a space of one
third or thereabouts of the capacity of the pump so that the gases may bo
compressed and expand again according to the amount allowed to escape into the
receiver; consequently the amount of gas and air admitted in the compression
cylinder will be determined by the point at which the compressed mixture reaches
the atmospheric line on the return stroke of the piston; hence, it will be seen that
the amount of explosive mixture admitted into the explosion cylinder is regulated
by the closing of the exhaust valve; also the amount pumped into the receiver is
regulated by the amount allowed to escape from it, and the amount drawn into the
pump depends upon the amount expelled from it.
I can also govern the engine by automatically closing the suction valve of the
compression pump at any percentage of the suction stroke, thereby pumping more
or less into the receiver, and so regulating it in proportion to the closing of the
exhaust valve so as to maintain an even pressure in the receiver.