Improvements in the Igniting Arrangements of Gas and Hydrocarbon Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Igniting Arrangements of Gas and
Hydrocarbon Engines.
We, ALFRED SHUTTLEWORTH, FRANK SHUTTLEWORTH and PERCY DEED,
of the Stamp End Iron Works, in the City and County of Lincoln, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in the igniting arrangements of
gas and hydrocarbon engines, and in particular to the construction of igniters as
hereinafter described and to the mounting of an igniter of any suitable construction
upon and so as to partake of the movement of the working piston.
The improved igniter comprises a chamber formed at one end with a series of
holes through its wall so arranged that soot or other deposit such as might
otherwise be liable to accumulate may be blown out by the force of the explosion.
In the wall at the same end there is a hole in which is fitted a screw or other plug
from which there projects or project into the igniter chamber one or any convenient
number of pins, wires or equivalent devices such as will serve when heated to
ignite combustible charges and will as the result of the explosion of successive
charges acquire sufficient heat to continue acting as an igniter during the working
of the engine. Between the pins or equivalent and the annular wall of the
chamber containing same is a bad conductor of heat such as asbestos. The exposed
end of the igniter chamber is provided with a perforated cap.
According to one arrangement the igniter is located within a cavity open at one
end to the compression space and closed at the other end by a screw plug that
carries the igniter and is itself constructed with a spindle so that it can be passed
through a hole in the outer casing and be screwed home, the spindle being tightened
outside the casing by means of a nut adapted to screw upon the correspondingly
screwed portion of the outer end of the spindle, a tight joint being made by means
of a washer or washers.
Dated this 15th dow of Fah.
Improvements in the Igniting Arrangements of Gas and
Hydrocarbon Engines.
We, ALFRED SHUTTLEWORTH, FRANK SHUTTLEWORTH and PERCY DEED
of the Stamp End Iron Works, in the City and County of Lincoln, Engineers, 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 has reference to improvements in the igniting arrangements of
gas and hydrocarbon engines, and in particular to the construction of igniters as

page_text: bereinafter described, and to the mounting of an igniter of any suitable construction
upon and so as to partake of the movement of the working piston.
The improved igniter comprises a chamber formed at one end with a series of
boles through its wall so arranged that soot or other deposit such as might
otherwise be liable to accumulate may be blown out by the force of the explosion.
In the wall at the same end there is a hole in which is fitted a screw or other plug
from which there projects or project into the igniter chamber one or any convenient
number of pins, wires or equivalent devices such as will serve, when heated, to
ignite combustible charges, and will, as the result of the explosion of successive
charges, acquire sufficient heat to continue acting as an igniter during the working
of the engine. Between the pins or equivalent and the annular wall of the
chamber containing the same, is a bad conductor of heat such as asbestos. The
exposed end of the igniter chamber is provided with a perforated cap.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section showing a combustion
chamber for a hydrocarbon engine provided with an igniter constructed according
to this invention. 1 is a metal chamber provided at its rear end with exit holes 2
for scot or other deposit and its front end with a perforated screw cap 3. 4 is a
screw plug secured in the rear end of the chamber and carrying a steel pin 5 that
extends into the chamber as shown for the purpose herein before mentioned.
6, 6, are strips of asbestos arranged between the pin and the inner surface of the
chamber which may be lined by an asbestos tube. In the arrangement shown, the
igniter is located within a cavity 7 open at one end to the compression space 8 and
closed at the other end by a screw plug 9 that carries the igniter, which is screwed
into it. The plug 9 is constructed with a spindle 10 so that it can be passed
through a hole 11 in the end cover of the vaporizer 12 and be screwed home, the
spindle being tightened outside the casing by means of a nut 12" adapted to screw
upon the correspondingly screwed portion 10% of the outer end of the spindle, and a
tight joint being made by the aid of a washer 13, or washers. The arrangement
described enables the igniter to be readily removed from the cavity 7 for examination
or renewal of any of its component parts, and replaced.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a part of a hydrocarbon motor shewing the
vaporizer, the adjacent portion of the cylinder, and an igniter mounted on the inner
end of the working piston so as to reciprocate therewith. The igniter shown is of
the kind described in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent
filed by us dated 14 August 1895 No. 15310, and comprises a metal tube 14 screwed
into the inner end of the piston 15 and carrying a pointed pin 16 that may, as
shown, project into the compression space 8 of the motor. It will be obvious
however that the construction of the igniter may be varied, provided it be one that
will, as the result of the explosion of successive charges in the compression space 8,
acquire sufficient heat to continue acting as an igniter during the working of the
engine. It might be of the construction shown in Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An igniter for a gas or hydrocarbon engine comprising a chamber provided
at one end with a series of holes through which soot or other deposit can be blown
out by the force of the explosions within the engine, and at the other end with a
perforated cap, a plug from which there projects or project into the igniter
chamber one or any convenient number of pins, wires or equivalent devices such as
will serve, when heated, to ignite combustible charges, and will, as the result of
the explosion of successive charges, acquire sufficient heat to continue acting as an
igniter during the working of the engine, and material that is a bad conductor of
heat interposed between the pin or pins or equivalent and the inner wall of the
chamber, substantially as herein described.
2. In a gas or hydrocarbon engine, an igniter of the type herein referred to, held
in working position within the engine by a screw plug constructed with a spindle

page_text: by which it can be passed through a hole in the outer casing of the vaporizer or
other part in which the igniter is held, and screwed home, the spindle being
tightened outside the casing by means of a nut adapted to screw upon a corre-
spondingly screwed portion of the spindle and a tight joint being made with the
aid of a washer or washers, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The improved construction of ignition chamber as described and shewn.
4. The combination of parts constituting the improved igniting arrangement
shewn in and described with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings.
5. In a gas or hydrocarbon engine, the combination with the working piston of
an igniter such as will, as the result of the explosion of successive charges within
the engine, acquire sufficient heat to continue acting as an igniter during the
working of the engine, the said igniter being mounted upon the working piston so
as to reciprocate with it, substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of
the drawings annexed.
Dated this 30th day of March 1890.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.