Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines using Hydrocarbon as Fuel.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1897
Complete Specification Loft 10th Foh 1808 Accented 12th Mar
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines using Hydrocarbon
as Fuel.
I, CHARLES BARNES, of 22, Altham Terrace, in the City and County of Lincoln,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to novel means for supplying hydrocarbons to internal
combustion engines, measuring the amount required for each charge delivered to
the vaporizer, vaporizing the same and producing automatic ignition of the com-
pressed charge of hydrocarbon vapour and air in the cylinder.
For measuring the charge I employ a small oil cistern in which the oil used is
kept at a constant level, it may be by an overflow and continuous supply furnished
by a pump or otherwise, or it may be in other ways.
Within the cistern is a vertical tube having its upper end slightly above the
level of the oil and its lower end led out from the lower part of the cistern to the
vaporizer. Shiding freely on the exterior of this tube is an outer tube or collar the
upper part of which does not fit closely around the fixed tube but is cut away to
form an annular cup or recess of a size sufficient to hold the required quantity of
oil to be delivered for each charge. An up and down movement is given to this
tube or collar so that its upper end is alternately brought below the oil level and
the cup or recess allowed to fill with oil and is raised above the oil level and above
the top of the vertical tube to allow the oil to flow down from the cup or recess
into this tube and pass away to the vaporizer.
Preferably the cistern is covered to exclude dust but air inlets are arranged at
the top of the cistern so that during each suction stroke of the engine air may be
drawn down the vertical tube and carry down along with it to the vaporizer the
charge of oil which is then delivered into the tube.
The sliding collar may be moved up and down by a rocking lever receiving its
movement from a lever carrying a truck or roller acted on by a cam on the side
shaft of the engine. The roller or some other portion of the operating gear is
placed under the control of the governor so that when the normal speed of the
engine is exceeded no charge of oil is delivered to the vaporizer.
In order to be able to readily vary the quantity of oil contained in each charge
the sliding collar may be formed of two tubular parts screwing one on to the other
the inner end not extending to the same height as the outer one-so that by
turning one or other part the extent to which the outer part projects above the
inner part may be varied and the depth of the recess or cup varied accordingly.
The vaporizer I construct of a spiral groove formed around the exterior of a
vertical cone or it might be a cylinder which is surrounded by a corresponding
outer cone so forming the groove into a closed spiral channel.
Air and oil are delivered to the upper end of this channel through a passage
formed in a projection on one side of the outer cone and the vaporized charge
passes away from the lower end of the channel through another passage formed in
this projection to a valve chamber in which is the inlet valve used to control its

page_text: delivery. To impart sufficient heat to the vaporizer to vaporize the oil an annular
channel is formed around part of the outer cone or cylinder with a passage leading
from it to the rear end of the cylinder of the engine the two together forming an
extension of the combustion chamber. The annular portion of this extension of
the chamber is made of such capacity that the heat given to its walls by the
successive explosions within it is sufficient to impart heat enough to the vaporizer
which it surrounds to vaporize the oil but not to ignite the charges.
The vaporized charge after passing the inlet valve is conducted through a
passage formed in the projection on the outer cone of the vaporizer into the annular
portion of the combustion chamber. The inlet valve is opened at the proper time
in any suitable way and is under the control of the governor so that when the
normal speed of the engine is exceeded the valve is not opened and no mixed charge
is drawn into the cylinder. An outlet or delivery valve is provided for the exhaust
gases to pass away from the combustion chamber and is operated in any suitable
manner.
An air inlet valve is also provided for admitting a further supply of air to the
mixed air and vapour which passes into the combustion chamber from the vaporizer.
There are thus three air admissions one to the measuring apparatus to sweep
forward the oil, a second just as the stream of air and oil enters the vaporizer and
the third through the main air valve into the combustion chamber. The oil may
be supplied to the vaporizer by a pump or in other known ways or by the measuring
apparatus above described.
In order to ignite each charge when it has been compressed at the end of every
alternate back stroke of the piston of the engine I form two passages extending
downwards from opposite sides of the annular portion of the combustion chamber
to the lower end of the outer cone of the vaporizer and connect the ends of these
two passages by a bent tube so that this tube also forms part of the combustion
chamber and becomes heated by the explosions which take place within it. To
prevent heat passing by conduction from this tube to the vaporizer asbestos or
other suitable non-conducting material is interposed between its ends and the
bottom of the vaporizers outer cone-and consequently this tube becomes
sufficiently heated to effect the ignition of the charges.
In place of the ignition tube being arranged to couple together the ends of two
passages extending downwards from opposite sides of the annular portion of the
combustion chamber it might be connected at one end only to a passage extending
from the combustion chamber and be closed at its opposite end. I however prefer
the arrangement first described.
The extension of the combustion chamber and the vaporizer are surrounded by
a casing arranged to allow of the vaporizer and ignition tube being heated at
starting and then of being closed.
At the top are venulating plates and at the bottom a loose or hinged bottom
door. At starting these are opened and a lamp placed below the bottom of the
casing until the parts are sufficiently heated -the lamp is then removed and the
casing closed. The lamp I form of an oil receptacle having a central passage
rising up through it to above the oil level-through this passage an upward
stream of air can be delivered. The receptacle is closed by a cover plate through
which four or other number of holes are formed at equal distances apart and from
the centre of the cover.
Inside the oil receptacle is placed an indestructible annular wick of tightly
packed gauze which projects upwards somewhat above the oil level and surrounds
the central air passage. When the oil drawn up by this wick is ignited the flame
burns round the gauze in form of a ring and in a few moments the flame spreads
over the whole surface of the oil contained in the receptacle and then the cover is
placed in position and the air blast is started-the result being that the mixed air
and burning vapour are blown upwards through the several holes in the cover
plate instead of through a single central hole as is usual thus forming several
Bunsen flames which may be made to converge on one point. A sufficient space

page_text: is allowed between the cover and the surface of the oil for the passage of the air
while mixing with the vapour.
In this way thorough mixing of the oil and air and consequently perfect com-
bustion is obtained and no air can pass through the lamp without being first
thoroughly mixed with oil vapour-whereas in lamps in which the flame nozzle
is arranged in a direct line with the air blast this does happen the mixing being
only produced by a contraction of the flame nozzle and by the air drawing the
vapour into its stream by the induced current.
Most lamps of this type also are started by placing cotton waste asbestos or other
absorbent material in the oil receptacle to act as a wick-this leaves an ash and
charred residue which requires cleaning out and is apt to make the lamp uncleanly
and untidy in use. The gauze wick does away with this and is also practically
indestructible.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines using Hydrocarbon
as Fuel.
I, CHARLES BARNES, of 22, Altham Terrace, in the City and County of Lincoln,
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 follow-
ing statement:-
These improvements relate chiefly to internal combustion engines using hydro-
carbon as fuel and working on the four stroke cycle, but certain of them are
applicable to other types.
The improvements are shown in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through the vaporizer, igniter and rear end of
the cylinder, the air and exhaust valves with the piston and water jacket sur-
rounding the cylinder being also shown in a conventional manner.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on a diagonal line X Y (Figure 3) taken
through the oil and air admission pipes and valve.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the vaporizer and valve taken on the
centre line of the engine.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the oil measuring apparatus.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the measuring apparatus.
Figure 6 is a plan of the same with the cover removed.
Figure is an enlarged section through the measuring bush and delivery tube.
Figures 8 and 9 show a sectional elevation and plan of the lamp in position
beneath the vaporizer and igniter shown in Figure 2.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is the usual water jacketed combustion
chamber of the four stroke cycle engine, which may be of any suitable form, and
the air admission and exhaust valves and ³ communicating therewith may be
arranged in any well known manner.
B is an unjacketed extension of the combustion chamber A fixed to the rear
thereof, having a passage y formed therein of annular or equivalent form the
inner walls of which are extended above and below to form a hollow cylinder or
cone & in one piece with the main casting B, the annular passage g is at all times
open to the combustion chamber A, communication being made through the
passage h. Within this vertical cone or cylinder kis fitted a corresponding cone
or cylinder C having a spiral groove d formed on its outer surface, sa that when

page_text: held in position by the bolt F this groove d is converted into a closed spiral
passage.
d
Upon one side of the casting B is a projection D (Figures 2 and 3) having a
valve chamber E secured to it in which is a valve . In the projection 1) are
formed three passages; c communicating between the air admission pipe b and
the upper end of the spiral passage d; e connecting the lower end of the passage
with the bottom chamber of the valve box E; and f joining the upper side of the
valve box E with the annular extension g of the combustion chamber and the
passage opening thereto.
The igniter I is a U shaped tube of cast iron, copper or other suitable metal or
alloy, bolted to the underside of the extension B with joints of asbestos or other
non-conducting material between the flanges, the two ends of this U shaped tube
are made to communicate with opposite sides of the annular passage by the
holes and formed in the main casting; these passages and the igniter 1 may
be arranged parallel with the engine centre as shown or at right angles to its
present position and across the engine centre line. Thus it will be seen that both
ends of the tube I are at all times open to the combustion chamber A by the
passages ijj' g and h.
Around the extension B of the combustion chamber is arranged a casing J
provided with ventilating plates K and a loose or hinged bottom L arranged for
withdrawal whilst heating the igniter and vaporizer at starting, and by means
of which the temperature of the vaporizer may be regulated while the engine is
in motion.
Having described these parts in detail I now proceed to explain their manner
of working.
The whole of the extension B with the cone C and the igniter I are heated up
at starting by a lamp, after the requisite temperature is obtained the lamp is put
out and the engine is started, the respective parts being so designed that the
successive explosions within the passages g h i j and j' maintain them at the
requisite temperature for their respective duties.
The heat communicated by the explosions to the walls of the passages gj
and passes by conduction partly to the outer cone and partly to the inner
cone C, the volume of the passage being so arranged that the heat supplied by
the explosions within it balances the heat used in heating the air and vapouris-
ing the oil passing through the spiral and other passages, the heat lost by
radiation, and that carried away by conduction to the water jacketed portion of
the combustion chamber. In this way the main body of the extension is main-
tained at such a temperature as to enable the passages to vaporize the oil, while
the passages g, h, and are prevented by conduction and radiation from
becoming so overheated as to ignite the charges.
The ignition of the charges is performed automatically by the tube I which, by
reason of its isolated position, the capacity of the passage i and the freedom from
conduction given by the non-conducting joints of asbestos or other material,
becomes heated to a dull red and is maintained at a sufficient heat to automatically
ignite the charges with certainty at the completion of the compression stroke
whether the engine be running under the full load or unloaded.
Petroleum is delivered by a pump, or by the measuring device described below,
in suitable quantities and at the proper time to the tube . The outer end of this
tube is open to the air and when the valve el is opened during the suction stroke
of the engine a certain amount of air is drawn in through this pipe and sweeps 5
the oil forward through the tube.
The air and oil are delivered from the tube into another tube b through which
a further supply of air is admitted--the air so admitted carries the oil through the
passage c, round the heated spiral passage d, through the valve box E by way of
the passages e and f, and into the combustion chamber A by the passages g and h 5
forming its extension. Here it is mixed with a further supply of air from the
valve, the suction stroke is completed, and compression, ignition and exhaust

page_text: then occur as usual, the ignition being effected spontaneously on the compression
of the mixed charge into the ignition tube I.
Both the valve and the petroleum supply are under control of the governor
by any known device, so that when the normal speed of the engine is exceeded
neither petroleum nor air are drawn through the vaporizer, this arrangement
preventing the vaporizer being cooled too much when the engine is running with
a light load or with no load.
Much difficulty has hitherto been experienced in oil engines by reason of
carbon deposit accumulating in the combustion chamber and especially in such
parts as may chance to be isolated from the currents of the incoming charges and
which form pockets wherein the products of combustion may lodge without being
mixed with the main body of the charge; so that should any oil vapour be forced
by the compression stroke into these pockets without carrying with it sufficient
air for its own combustion, such oil vapour is reduced by the heat of the explosion,
the heat driving off the hydrogen gas and leaving the carbon deposited. In this
invention the passages around the vaporizer and through the ignition tube are
so arranged that every portion of the combustion chamber is cleared out by the
currents created on the suction stroke and by the incoming charges. Thus,
referring to Figure 3, the mixed charge of oil vapour and air entering from the
valve v and passing to the combustion chamber A by way of the passages f and h,
creates a secondary current around the annular extension g; also, referring to
Figure 1, it will be seen that the same charge entering the combustion chamber A
by the passage and being drawn across the top of the passage j creates also
another current from the rear of the extension g through the passages j, i and j³.
In this way these passages are practically cleared of the products of combustion
at each suction stroke and replaced by a mixture of oil vapour and air, which
makes ignition certain and perfect combustion is effected without deposit of carbon.
Although the petroleum may be supplied to the vaporizer by a pump or other
well known means, I prefer to use a new measuring apparatus shewn in Figures 4,
5, 6 and 7, in which M is a small cistern placed in any convenient position above
the engine, and is kept filled with petroleum to a constant and definite level by
the feed pipe m, which may be supplied by a pump, gravity or any known means,
and an overflow pipe n. The measuring apparatus consists of a bush o having
its upper end countersunk so as to form an annular cup or recess p around a
central vertical tube r upon which the bush is made to slide freely. The upper
end of this tuber stands slightly above the level of the oil, which is fixed by the
height of the overflow tube », and the lower end passes away through the bottom
of the cistern to the vaporizer, being coupled to the tube a shewn in Figure 2.
The busho is alternately raised and lowered above and below the surface of
the oil by the link s and levers and u which are operated by levers working
from a cam on the side shaft of the engine and are under control of the governor
in any known manner. It will be seen that on lowering the bush o below the
surface of the oil the recess becomes filled, and on raising the recess
T the contents
above the top of the central tube
are discharged down
the tube and delivered to the vaporizer. The operation of the levers
is so timed that the valve (Figure 2) is open at the time that the charge
of oil is delivered so that a current of air is drawn down the tuber following and
sweeping forward the oil to the vaporizer, so that the passage of the oil through
the tuber is effected partly by gravity and partly by the suction of the piston on
the charging stroke. This operation is repeated at every charging stroke of the
engine except when the governor exceeds its normal speed and by acting on
the operating gear prevents the oil charge being delivered to the vaporizer and the
valve from opening.
The cistern M is preferably covered as shewn in which case air holes ¹, 2, 3,
and are provided for the passage of the air required for carrying the oil more
quickly to the vaporizer.
By the use of this measurer the charges of oil are delivered to the vaporizer

page_text: when required in absolutely equal quantities, contributing greatly to the efficient
working of the engine. The bush o is easily changed for one having a different
capacity by springing open the links: this bush may however be made adjustable
by screwing two bushes of different lengths, the longer one internally and the
shorter externally and fitting them one into the other, when the capacity of the
recess may be altered by revolving one bush upon the other and the capacity
may be registered and read on a vernier scale marked on the exterior of the outer
bush. I prefer however in most cases to construct bushes as shewn but of different
capacities and to change them as described when it is desired to vary the amount
of the oil supply.
The heating lamp used at starting I construct of a shallow dish 1, Figures 8
and 9, having a central air blast pipe 2, preferably cast therewith, passing
through its bottom with its upper end standing slightly above the level of the
petroleum when the lamp is filled. Around this pipe and within the dish I
construct a wick of tightly packed wire gauze 3. A loose cover is provided with
handle 5 for convenient removal having flame holes or nozzles 6, 7, 8 and 9 so
placed that they are not in line with the air blast which issues from the pipe 2.
These holes may be vertical or inclined in any desired direction and may be so
arranged that the separate flames issuing from them converge on one point as
shewn. The working of the improved lamp is as follows: Common petroleum
is poured into the shallow dish 1 nearly to the level of the top of the air pipe 2;
the petroleum is drawn up by the gauze which acts as a wick and may be lighted
at once; the flame burns at first in form of a ring around the gauze but in a few
seconds spreads over the surface of the petroleum, when the cover 4 is put on
and the air blast may be started, this being supplied by a fan or hand pump.
The blast issuing from the air pipe 2, strikes against the cover above and spreads
into a sheet in the space 10, between the cover and the top of the air pipe over
the surface of the oil, mixing intimately both with the vapour and flames arising
from the oil, strikes against the outside of the dish and finding no outlet, returns
and passes through the holes 6, 7, 8 and 9, from each of which the burning mixture
issues as an intense flame, similar to the Bunsen. These flames meeting together
on the igniter I, and the underside of the extension B, quickly bring them to
the temperature required for starting the engine. The lamp is made of such
capacity that the igniter and vaporizer are sufficiently heated when the petroleum
is exhausted. The gauze wick does away with the necessity of placing in the
petroleum and lighting pieces of asbestos, waste or other absorbent material, as
in other forms of lamps, which leave charred remains and are uncleanly in use, it
is moreover practically indestructible and very convenient in use.
ment of the air blast pipe and flame holes makes it impossible when the lamp
is lighted, for the air to pass through the lamp without first being thoroughly
mixed with vapour, and the flames though burning on the surface of the oil,
do not issue to any great extent from the cover when the blast is not in operation,
nor are the flames extinguished; so that should it be desired to cease blowing
temporarily the lamp is not extinguished nor do objectionable fumes of unburned
vapour arise therefrom.
The arrange-
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. An extension of the combustion chamber of annular or equivalent form
passing around the vaporizer of an oil engine, such extension being at all times
open to the said combustion chamber, as and for the purposes described.
2. A vaporizer for an oil engine, comprising a cone or cylinder having a
spiral groove or passage formed between it and an outer cone or cylinder which
outer cone or cylinder receives heat from an extension of the combustion chamber
passing around i..
3. An igniter for an oil engine consisting of a tube of U or equivalent

page_text: form, having both its ends open to the combustion chamber and adapted to auto-
matically ignite the compressed charges by the heat received from the successive
explosions within it.
4. Vaporising and igniting mechanism for oil engines comprising a cone or
cylinder having a spiral passage formed between it and an outer cone or cylinder,
an annular passage surrounding the outer cone or cylinder and open to the rear
end of the cylinder of the engine passages descending from two opposite sides of
this annular passage and an igniting tube connecting together the lower ends of
these descending passages.
5. Vaporizing mechanism for oil engines, comprising a cone or cylinder,
having a spiral passage formed between it and an outer cone or cylinder, an
annular passage surrounding the outer cone or cylinder and open to the rear end
of the cylinder of the engine, a radial projection from the outer cone or cylinder, a
valve chamber carried by this projection, and the passages formed in the radial
projection, one connected with an oil and air supply, leading to the top of the
spiral groove, another leading from the bottom of the spiral groove to the bottom
of the valve chamber, and a third from the top of the valve chamber to the annular
passage.
6. The construction of vaporizing and igniting mechanism for oil engines,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
7. The device for measuring and supplying the charges of oil to an oil engine
consisting of a recess formed in the upper end of a bush around a central vertical
tube, upon which it slides freely, adapted to be raised and lowered above and below
the surface of a constant oil level by links and levers substantially as and for
the purposes described.
8. The improved multiple flame heating lamp, substantially as described and
illustrated at Figures 8 and 9.
1
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