Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive Force of Gases or Vapours.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive
Force of Gases or Vapours.
I, WILLIAM FAIRHURST, of 15, Upper Morris Street, Wigan, Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:―
This invention relates to improvements in motive power engines actuated by the
explosive force of gases or vapours, and more particularly to those engines working
on what is known as the Otto cycle system; whereby the valve or valves for the
control of the entrance or exit of the gases or vapours are actuated by an eccentric,
as hereinafter described; and where, by means of tie-bolts connecting the
cylinders with the pedestals of these engines (which tie-bolts also constitute the
frame of the engine), the amount or degree of compression that the gases or vapours
undergo before explosion, can be varied at will.
In carrying out this invention, the gases or vapours and the requisite amount of
atmospheric air are drawn into the cylinder through any suitable known arrange-
ment of lift, flap, or other valve, not operated from the crank shaft; and the
exhaust valve is operated by an eccentric on the crank shaft, so as to open the
said exhaust valve every alternate revolution of the engine, but the closing of
the exhaust valve is automatically effected by a spring, or by its own weight.
The means by which this is performed is as follows:-A bracket is secured to a
portion of the working cylinder, or to some other convenient part of the engine.
This bracket forms a slide to carry a jawed end of the eccentric rod. Fastened to
the end of the eccentric rod, but capable of revolving on its centre, is a small star
wheel, having any even number of teeth, of which, half are long and half are
short, these teeth being alternately disposed, first a long and then a short tooth.
Fixed in the jaws of the end of the eccentric rod, and supported by the star wheel
above referred to, is a latch, which, when resting upon a short tooth of the star
wheel, strikes the end of a lever in communication with the exhaust valve as the
eccentric rod moves in a direction approaching the said lever, thus opening the
exhaust valve. When the eccentric rod is again travelling in a
direction approaching the exhaust valve lever, the latch rests upon
a long tooth of the star wheel, and is lifted clear of the exhaust valve lever, which
latter, for that revolution of the engine, remains closed. As the eccentric rod
recedes from the said exhaust valve lever, a projection on the slide above referred
to, strikes the star wheel in such a manner as to cause the latter to move on its
axis so that the latch will rest upon the tooth of the wheel next to that which
previously held the latch. From this description it is seen that the exhaust valve
is only opened every alternate revolution. By suitably altering the position of
the eccentric on the crank shaft the reversal of the engine can be effected.
The tie bolts which have been referred to are secured to, or connected with, a
flange at or near the front end of the working cylinder, by nuts or otherwise, and
to a box containing the valves, or to another flange, at the back end of the
cylinder; and these tie bolts are also secured in any convenient and well known
manner to the pedestals which carry the crank shaft. It will be understood that

page_text: by altering the position of the nuts on the tie bolts, the cylinder can be made to
approach to, or recede from the crank shaft, or the pedestals and crank shaft to
approach to, or recede from the cylinder; and since the length of the connecting
rod is unaltered, the clearance between the piston and the back end of the
cylinder is thereby varied to suit various conditions of working; and further, it
will be understood that these tie bolts may serve as a frame to connect the various
parts of the engine; and also, it will be seen, that the tie bolts may be utilised
for holding the box containing the valves to the working cylinder, thereby
obviating the necessity of other nuts, studs, or bolts to do this.
1807
Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive
Force of Gases or Vapours.
I, WILLIAM FAIRHURST, of 15, Upper Morris Street, Wigan, in the County of
Lancaster, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in motive power engines actuated by
the explosive force of gases or vapours, and more particularly to those engines
working on what is known as the Otto cycle system; whereby the valve or valves
for the control of the entrance or exit of the gases or vapours are actuated by an
eccentric; and where, by means of tie bolts connecting the working cylinder with
the pedestals of these engines (which tie-bolts also constitute the frame of the
engine), the amount or degree of compression that the gases or vapours undergo
before compression can be varied at will.
In carrying out this invention, the gas or vapour and the requisite amount of
atmospheric air are drawn into the cylinder through any suitable known arrange-
ment of lift, flap, or other valve, not operated from the crank shaft; and the
exhaust valve is operated by an eccentric on the crank shaft, so as to open the
said exhaust valve every alternate revolution of the engine; but the closing of
the exhaust valve is effected by a spring, or by its own weight.
The tie-bolts which have been referred to, are secured to, or connected with a
Hange at or near the front end of the working cylinder by nuts, or otherwise, and
to a box containing the valves, or to another flange at the back end of the cylinder,
and are also secured in any convenient and well known manner to the pedestals
which carry the crank shaft. It will be understood that by altering the nuts on
the tie bolts, the cylinder can he made to approach or recede from the crank shaft,
or the pedestals and crank shaft to approach or recede from the cylinder; and
since the length of the connecting rod is unaltered, the clearance between the
piston and the back end of the cylinder is therefore varied to suit various con-
ditions of working: and further, it will be understood that these tie-bolts may
serve as a frame to connect the various parts of the engine; and also, it will be
seen that the said bolts may be utilized for holding the box containing the valves
to the working cylinder, thereby obviating the necessity of other nuts, bolts, or
studs to do this.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood, I will now pro-
ceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings, in
which Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, and Figs. 3 and 4 a sectional elevation
and plan respectively of the eccentric and its gear, drawn to a larger scale, of an
engine constructed in accordance with this invention.

page_text: Referring to the sheet of drawings, the bracket A (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,) is bolted
to the casting D, in which the valves for the control of the working fluid are
situated. This bracket A forms a slide to carry the eccentric rod end B. It will
be noticed that the teeth of the star wheel G (Figs. 3 and 4) are of unequal
length; and, as shown in the drawing, the latch F rests upon a small tooth,
allowing the said latch to engage with the lever H, which operates the exhaust
valve. On the next stroke, however, the movement of the eccentric brings one
of the long teeth of the star wheel to the top; because, as the eccentric rod moves
from right to left, the spring J, which is fastened to the stationary bracket A, is
struck by G, causing the latter to move round on its axis. When the latch F
rests upon a long tooth, the latch misses the lever H, and consequently the
exhaust valve remains closed for one revolution of the engine. The light spring
on the latch F continually presses on the latter, thus making the action certain.
The indentation W (Fig. 3) prevents the star wheel moving in a direction con-
trary to that shown by the arrow. It is obvious that. the star wheel may have
any even number of teeth, of which half are long and half are short teeth, the
long and short teeth being alternately disposed.
From the above description it will be understood that the exhaust valve is
opened only each alternate revolution of the engine, which, as is well known, is
the proper action for engines working on the Otto system.
Referring again to the sheet of drawings, the tie-bolts K (Figs. 1 and 2) are
shown connecting the working cylinder I, to the pedestals M. It is obvious that
by altering the position of the nuts N, O, P, and Q, the working cylinder can be
brought towards the crank shaft (the eccentric rod, of course, being corres-
pondingly shortened), or, conversely, the crank shaft can be made to approach or
recede from the working cylinder. It is obvious, also, how these tie-bolts serve
to support the cylinder in its horizontal position, and to maintain the proper
relative positions of the crank shaft and cylinder; and further, it is clearly seen
that these bolts also secure the valve casing or box 1) to the working cylinder.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
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 improvement in motive power engines actuated by the explosive force
of gases or vapours, which consists of actuating the valve or valves of these
engines by an eccentric which carries at its extremity a latch, which, resting
upon a star wheel having an even number of teeth of unequal size, alternately
misses and strikes a lever or tappet connected to the exhaust valve, substantially
as described.
2. The improvement in motive power engines actuated by the explosive force
of gases or vapours, which consists of employing tie-bolts to connect the working
cylinder to the pedestals, and to vary the distance between the said cylinder and
pedestals; and further, to secure and support the cylinder and the back cover,
casing, or box, containing the valves for the distribution of the working fluid,
substantially as described.
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+ T3 1
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