Improvements in Starting Apparatus for Gas Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Apparatus for Gas Engines.
1, HENRY NIELD BICKERTON, of 6, Richmond Street, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Gas 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 improvements relate to gas engines, and have for object greater facility in
starting the same.
To accomplish this, and to effect my improvements, I employ a separate or
extra cylinder or chamber, provided with a firing or ignitor valve, and a valve for
the escape of superfluous air, or spent gases. This cylinder or chamber is also
connected, by a pipe, or other suitable means, with the main cylinder of the engine,
and the communication is capable of being closed or opened by means of a special
intermediate valve, operated by a lever, which lever, according to its position,
keeps the valve open or closed, or enables it to act as a back pressure valve.
The lever actuating the air and gas valves of the engine carries a movable bowl,
which in the working of the engine, acts upon a single cam upon the side shaft ;
but, for purposes of starting, this bowl is brought, by a slight side movement, into
contact with two cams, instead of one, whereby the air and gas valves may be
opened twice the number of times in a given period. The bowl on the exhaust
lever is also capable of being moved out of action entirely, during the operation of
starting.
The action of the starting apparatus is as follows:-The flywheel being turned,
air and gas are drawn into the engine cylinder by the forward stroke of the piston,
and the backward stroke drives the explosive mixture through the intermediate
valve, (the exhaust being closed), which intermediate valve is kept open by its
lever for this purpose.
The mixture passes through the communicating pipe to the extra cylinder or
chamber, from which any spent gases are thus driven out by way of the outlet
valve provided, which is a clack valve opening outwards, and which is firmly closed
before an explosion is allowed to take place.
This operation of charging, by causing the engine to act as a pump, is repeated a
sufficient number of times, till the desired quantity of explosive mixture is collected
within the chamber; and such charging may be effected either by turning the
flywheel by hand, as in the case of first starting a new engine, or by utilizing the
momentum of the flywheel as the engine is coming to rest, whereby the engine is
made ready for starting whenever required.
The cam bowls are then replaced for working, and the intermediate valve lever
is moved over so that the valve acts solely as a back pressure valve.
Ignition within the separate cylinder or chamber is then caused to take place,
and the force of the exploded mixture passes therefrom into the cylinder of the
engine, where it is retained by the intermediate valve, to act upon the piston.
This valve may then be permanently closed by its lever, so as to entirely shut off
the starting cylinder, whilst the engine works in the ordinary manner.
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, with the aid of the
accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. shews a side view, and Fig. 2. an end view, of portions of apparatus
arranged in accordance with my improvements, whilst Figs. 3. and 4. shew detail
views, partly in section, of the intermediate valve, and ignitor valve respectively.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.

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a. is the extra cylinder or chamber, provided with a valve b, which is capable of
being firmly closed by means of the screw '; and a' is the pipe or tube connecting
such extra chamber with the engine cylinder.
c. c. is the ignitor valve, shewn in detail in Fig. 4. which is poised at an angle,
so that its flap e' may fall open by gravity, such flap being immediately closed by
the force of the expanded gases when explosion takes place. In firing, the tap c
is opened; and the small quantity of the mixture escaping, comes in contact with
an, igniting flame at the orifice of the valve.
A slight movement of the engine piston on the back stroke, will, by increasing
the pressure in the chamber, counteract any tendency on the part of the outer air
to force its way into such chamber, through this valve.
As shewn in Fig. 1, the apparatus is in position for firing, the lever e. of the
intermediate valve being thrown over so as to form a balance lever, and enable the
valve to act.
Fig. 3. shews this lever e. in its three positions, as at 1. 2. 3. At 1. the valve h.
is in action, the projection of the valve casing d. acting as a fulcrum for the
lever e.
At 2. the lever e..is vertical, resting upon the top of the casing d. and the
valve is open for charging. At 3. the swell ex on the lever e. forces, the valve
spindle d up, and closes the valve h. for ordinary working of the engine. k. is a
portion of the main cylinder of the engine, and the side shaft, carrying the gas
and air cams m. m', and the exhaust cam n.
o. is the gas and air lever, and p. its bowl, whilst r. is the exhaust lever, and s.
the exhaust bowl. t. t. u. are pins for securing the bowls p. s. in the requisite
positions relative to the cams; but other means of securing the same may be
substituted.
When the engine is working, the bowl p. is opposite cam m. and the bowls.
opposite cam n. When the starting is in progress, the bowl P). is moved sideways
to come in contact with the surfaces of both the cams m. m³ and is thus operated
twice at every revolution of the side shaft. At the same time, the bowl s. is moved
on its spindle away from the cam n. which thus turns without operating the
exhaust lever.
Variations in the detail of the apparatus may be made, as for instance in the
form of the extra cylinder or chamber a. and the position and construction of the
igniting and other valves; also in the manner of connecting the extra chamber
to the engine cylinder, without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention.
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. In starting apparatus for gas engines, the employment of an extra cylinder
or chamber communicating with the engine cylinder, into which extra cylinder or
chamber an explosive mixture of air and gas is pumped by the action of the engine
piston, and fired therein, in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. In starting apparatus for gas engines, the employment of an intermediate
valve between the engine cylinder and an extra cylinder or chamber, capable of
being held permanently open, or permanently closed, or of operating as a balanced
back-pressure valve, in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
3. In starting apparatus for gas engines, the combination of parts named in the
foregoing claims, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Dated this 26th day of July 1893.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent..