Improvements in Gas Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN CHARLES BECKFELD and ALBERT SCHMID, both
of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in Gas Engines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of 45 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The present invention consists in an improved gas engine, the construction and
development of which are mainly the result of an endeavour to produce an economical
and efficient gas engine on a large scale.
The principal objects in view in carrying out this invention are to provide for a
more uniform expenditure of driving power than has heretofore been obtained, and to
secure economically a bigh rotative speed. The character of the engine as a whole will
be described in general terms that the nature and scope of the improvements may be
better understood.
The engine, constructed in accordance with this invention, comprises two cylinders
of unequal capacity, the smaller of which may be for convenience designated the
explosion chamber, the other the power cylinder, and direct communication between
the two, back of pistons working therein, is controlled by suitable valve mechanism.
The pistons are connected to the same crank-shaft in such relations that when one is
at or near the end the other is at the beginning of its stroke.
The movement of the engine as a whole is primarily produced by an independent
source of power, but assuming the parts to be in movement, the piston of the explosion
chamber is primarily moved by an explosive gas or mixture of gases previously
compressed by the other or power piston, and at or near the end of its movement or
stroke and when direct communication is made or about to be established with the
power cylinder the charge of gas is exploded. The force of the explosion drives
forward the power piston, which operates to return the smaller piston by its
mechanical connection therewith, and at the same time stores a part of the energy of
the explosion by compressing the next charge of explosive gas which is to again drive
forward the said smaller piston.
It will be observed therefore that the power for driving the engine is not derived
from a succession of sudden impulses, the force of which is exerted and expended
through a part only of the revolution or revolutions of the crank shaft, but a portion
of the force of each explosion is applied through one part of the revolution, while
another portion is stored to be applied during the remainder of the revolution. The
invention comprehends this feature broadly.
Other features of the invention consist in cooling the explosive mixture before it
enters the explosive chamber; in the special construction of various working parts
and in specific details, the nature of which will be more fully hereinafter set
forth.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a central cross-section of the improved engine.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the air and gas valve mechanism in
section, and
Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the controlling valve mechanism in section.
The engine as a whole is mounted on a suitable bed, the framework or main
body being a hollow casing of which the parts A form a receptacle for containing
a mixture of oil and water. B B are the supports and bearings for the main crank
shaft C.
The upper part of the mechanism includes an explosion chamber or cylinder D, a
power cylinder E and a water jacket F surrounding both cylinders.
The controlling valve-mechanism is placed above the cylinders and is operated by

page_text: an eccentric a, on the main shaft through a connecting rod a' and a rock-shaft or
pivoted bell-crank lever J.
Gis the piston of the explosion chamber, which is connected by the rod G¹ with a
crank on the shaft C. H is a piston of greater area than the other and it also is
connected with a crank on the shaft C, by the rod H¹.
The crank pins and piston rods plunge into the oil and water in the receptacle A,
and by splashing the mixture upon the pistons maintain a proper lubrication. The
pistons are made with interior spaces into which the water is dashed, with the result
of cooling the pistons.
Both cylinders are open at the bottom. The opening in the larger or power cylinder
is of smaller diameter than the cylinder itself, and through this opening a part of
the body of the piston works, keeping it constantly closed. The head or end of said
piston, however, is of larger diameter and fits the cylinder as shown, so that it may be
utilized on the up stroke to produce a partial vacuum in the lower part of the
cylinder and thereby draw in an explosive mixture, and on the down stroke
to compress the mixture for charging the explosion chamber, as hereinafter
described.
The enlarged portion of the piston is hollow and communicates with the oil and
water chamber beneath, so that it will be cooled by the water dashed up into it by the
piston rods and cranks. A portion of the water may be retained in the piston by
giving it the shape shown.
K represents a tube or pipe through which air is introduced into the engine, L is a
similar pipe from a gas main or other supply. These pipes conduct to a chamber c,
communicating with a chamber d through check valves d' d'. The chamber d
communicates directly with the lower part of the power cylinder E and also with a
chamber e.
From the last named chamber e, leads a pipe M to a receiver N and from the latter
leads a pipe O to the valve mechanism controlling the cylinder ports. The receiver N
is preferably enclosed by a water jacket through which a circulation of water is
maintained through pipes n, n, or other cooling device.
P is a cylindrical valve arranged to slide in a bushing p, and controlled as above
stated by the eccentric and connecting rod a¹. The outer casing P¹ of the valve
contains annular chambers surrounding openings in the bushing p, the location and
purpose of which will be described in detail in the following statement of the operation
of the engine.
To start the engine, steam, gas, or air under pressure is admitted through a pipe R,
by opening the valve R'. This steam entering the annular chamber 8, from the
pipe R passes through the valve and an annular chambers into the power cylinder E
forcing down the piston H.
The explosive mixture of air and gas under the piston H is thereby forced through
pipe M into the receiver N, and at the same time the piston G is moved up, or
back into the explosion chamber. This movement of the engine cuts off the steam
from the cylinder E and opens the exhaust through annular chamber t and t¹ and
pipe S.
The charge of compressed air, or air and gas, in the receiver N then operates
through pipe O, and valve chambers and v¹ to drive down the piston G. When the
latter has reached or nearly reached the end of its stroke, the gaseous mixture above
it is ignited and exploded. At, or nearly at this time, communication is established
between the cylinders D and E through the chambers v, and t¹, hence the piston H is
again driven downward.
It will be observed that while the exploded gases are acting upon the piston H,
as described, the steam supply is also open to the cylinder E. Hence the piston will
be moved by their combined pressure or, if the gas pressure is greater than that of
the steam, no undesirable consequences result, as the excess of pressure is simply
thrown back into the boiler. On the other hand, if there be no explosion, or if the
steam pressure exceeds that of the gas or air the piston H will still be driven forward
owing to its relatively greater area.

page_text: When by this means the engine is fairly started the steam is shut off, and the
engine continues to operate by the force due to the explosion, the piston H being
impelled forward by the direct force of the explosion and the piston G being driven
forward by the energy stored in the gas compressed in the receiver N on the down
stroke of the piston H. The difference between the force of the exploded charge of
gas and the work of compressing the next charge represents the work done by the
engine.
The means for exploding the gaseous mixture may be of any desired character, and
a simple device for this purpose is shown in Fig. 3.
V is a device for producing or inaintaining a flame and directing it into an opening
or passage o into the annular chamber v. This passage is controlled by a slide Vi
operated by an arm on the shaft of the lever b. The slide V₁ contains an
opening, which by the proper adjustment of the slide is made to register with the
passage we at the moment when the explosion is to occur.
To this general plan of construction are added the features of interior cooling and
means for lubrication, to which allusion has before been made.
It is well known that the practical speed of engines of this general character is
limited by the temperature imparted to the interior walls of the cylinder or
cylinders. If it were possible to very materially reduce the thickness of the said
walls and cool entirely from the outside, the speed limit could be correspondingly
raised, but this is only practicable to a comparatively limited degree. This has
led to the adoption of two means of interior cooling. First, by use of a water
jacket, or any other cooling device, in connection with the receiver N the temperature
of each successive explosive charge is reduced before it enters the explosion chamber.
Second, the pistons are made hollow so that the water from below may be splashed up
into them, and in some cases they are made in such manner that they will retain a
portion of the water, as above described.
Another useful feature of this engine is its capability, of positively and mechanically
expelling the products of the combustion of the gaseous mixture at each stroke. The
valve, it will be seen, is so constructed that during a portion of the up, or return,
stroke of the piston G, the cylinder D is open to the cylinder E, and the products
of combustion are effectually driven out before a fresh charge is admitted. A like
expulsion of the waste gases from cylinder E to the atmosphere is effected by the
return stroke of the piston H.
There are shown on this engine, a driving or pulley wheel X and a fly wheel Y, but
from the nature of the operation of the engine, it is evident that a much smaller or
lighter fly wheel would be required than in most gas engines.
The invention is not limited to the specific construction herein shown and claimed
as being the best and most practicable for carrying out the invention.
For example, the explosion chamber D may be of any other character and located
in many other positions relatively to the power cylinder, and in lieu of the special
piston working therein, which is herein shown, there may be used at least for some
purposes of the invention, other forms of moving bodies, which will be capable of
withstanding the force of the explosions and afterwards expel the products of
combustion.
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 1
claim is
1. In a gas engine, the combination of a power cylinder, an explosion cylinder
communicating therewith, a valve for controlling such communication, a crank-shaft,
and pistons or bodies moveable in said cylinders and connected to diametrically opposite
cranks on the shaft, as set forth.
2. In a gas engine, the combination with the crank shaft, of a power cylinder and
piston, an explosion chamber with valve controlled passages of communication between
the same and the power cylinder, and a piston in said explosion chamber, mechanically

page_text: connected with the power piston through the crank shaft and dependent for its
operation upon movement imparted to it by the power piston, as set forth.
3. The combination with the power cylinder and piston, of an explosion cylinder
and a piston therein connected with and adapted to be moved by the power piston, of
an intermediate receiver and valve controlled passages of communication between the
two cylinders and through said receiver, as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with the explosion and power cylinders and pistons working
therein, of an intermediate receiver for containing the explosive charges compressed
therein by the main or power piston, valve controlled passages of communication
between the two cylinders and through the receiver, and means for cooling said
charges in the receiver and before passing therefrom to the explosion chamber, as set
forth.
5. In a gas engine, the combination with an explosion chamber and a power
cylinder and piston constructed and adapted to operate also as a pump for forcing an
explosive gas into said explosion chamber, of a cooling device in connection with the
intermediate devices for conducting such gas, for reducing the temperature of the
charges before entering the explosion chamber, as set forth.
6. The combination in a gas engine of an explosion chamber and piston, a power
cylinder and piston, a combined air and gas supply leading to the explosion chamber
and communicating with the power cylinder forward of the piston therein, whereby
the air and gas is forced by the movement of the said piston into the explosion
chamber, passages of communication between the explosion and power cylinders, and a
valve adapted to establish communication between the same at or near the end of the
stroke or limit of outward movement of the piston in the explosion chamber, as herein
set forth.
7. The combination of the explosion chamber D power-cylinder E, the pistons
working therein, means for forcing an explosive mixture into the chamber D, and an
igniter controlled by the movement of the pistons and adapted to explode the mixture
at or near the end of the stroke or limit of outward movement of the piston in the
explosion chamber D, as set forth.
8. The combination of the power cylinder and piston, the explosion chamber, and
piston mechanically connected with the power piston, an igniter controlled by the
movement of the engine to ignite the gaseous mixture in the explosion chamber, at or
near the end of the stroke or limit of outward movement of the piston therein
whereby, on the return of the said piston by the power piston, the products of com-
bustion will be expelled from the explosion chamber, as set forth.
9. In a gas engine, the combination of an explosion cylinder, a power cylinder, a
receiver for compressed gases intermediate of the two cylinders, valve mechanism for
admitting cempressed gases to the explosion cylinder during the outward movement
of the piston therein and an igniter operated by the movement of the engine at or
near the limit of forward movement of the piston in the explosion cylinder, as set
forth.
Dated this 29th day of January 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.