Improvements in Gas and Petroleum Motors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by BENOIT JOSEPH XAVIER GOSSELIN, of No. 12, Rue de
St. Quentin, Paris, in the Republic of France.]
Improvements in Gas and Petroleum Motors.
I, HENRY HABINGTON LEIGH, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., Fel. Ch. Inst. P.A., F. I. Inst.,
practising as Phillips and Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the Administrative County of London, Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 apparatus the subject of my present invention is constituted as follows:-
A single-acting piston P works in a cylinder C provided with an orifice E which
communicates with the exhaust port E¹, and is so situated that the base m-n of
the said piston P uncovers it when it arrives at the end of its forward stroke.
On P, and in the same axis, there is coupled a second piston p, which I call the
distributing piston. The cylinder c, in which the latter piston works, is bolted on
to the base of the cylinder C, and of it a prolongation b―h of it extends into the
cylinder C.
A third cylinder which I call the feed or admission cylinder V is situated also
in the same axis as the first two, and in its interior works a piston D which at the
end of its back stroke uncovers an orifice G through which the combustible mixture
or fuel enters.
The drawing shows that the driving piston P is coupled to a connecting rod B
which drives a crank, but all that is represented is a sectional view of the cylinders
which form the new and relevant part of the invention.
As
The apparatus is shown in its position when the forward stroke is about to
commence. When the motor is working at normal speed, the space intervening
between the two pistons p and P is filled with compressed inflammable gas.
the piston p leaves the orifice o of the ignition tube t open, the explosion takes place
and the piston P is thereby pushed forwards, drawing with it in its travel the
pistons p and D. The edge, u-z, of the piston D closes the orifices G which admit
the inflammable gases and the forward stroke of D causes a compression of the
gases thereby imprisoned in the cylinder V. However, when P arrives towards
the end of its course the base, mn, uncovers the exhaust port E and the burnt
gases escape, and the pressure in the motor cylinder falls to the level of the
atmosphere. On the other hand the edge r-s of the distribution piston p has
uncovered the orifice a thus placing the cylinders V and C in communication by
means of the distribution cylinder c. As the space V is at this moment filled with
compressed inflammable gases, compressed by the piston D, a charge of gas passes
into the cylinder C, partially expelling the rest of the burnt gases which have
escaped through the exhaust port E¹. The fly-wheel of the machine then_impels
the driving piston in a backward direction. The orifices a and E close
automatically. There is then produced in the cylinder V, a partial vacuum due to
the backward stroke of the piston D. This partial vacuum attains its maximum
when the piston D reaches the end of its backward stroke and then the edge u-z,

page_text: uncovering the orifice G, the space V is again filled with a charge of inflammable
gases.
Meanwhile the driving piston, in its backward course, has compressed the gases
contained in the driving cylinder and, at the end of the stroke, the distribution
piston uncovering the orifice o of the ignition tube the explosion takes place and
the different processes or phases are reproduced.
The arrangement which I have just described permits of the following advantages
being obtained :-
1. The piston P is driving during the half of it course or throw and thereby
obtains a fresh impulse at each revolution of the machine.
2. From a thermal dinamic point of view, the advantage is obtained of being
able to expel at will a more or less large quantity of burnt gases.
3. From a mechanical point of view the apparatus as a motor, does not comprise
an eccentric, nor cams, nor gearing, nor valves, nor slide valves, nor any part
actuated by an alternating motion other than that of the motor piston itself.
4. It is strong and simple in construction.
5. It realises very high angular speeds which attain, and can even exceed, twelve
hundred revolutions per minute.
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. A single-acting apparatus or motor for transmitting power derived from an
explosion of compressed gases or vapour contained within it, devoid of eccentrics,
cams, and valves, but consisting essentially of three cylinders or closed vessels
coupled together in line and fitted with pistons also coupled together and with an
igniter, and inlet and exhaust orifices so disposed that their combined operation is
characterised by the combustible gases or vapours being compressed and
exploded within the central vessel causing the forward stroke of the piston, during
which the inlet is cut off, and a compression of the admitted gases takes place, and
the products of combustion exhaust into the atmosphere assisted by the newly
compressed charge; the backward stroke, being impelled by the inertia of the
connected machinery, automatically cutting off the exhaust and inducing a partial
vacuum followed by the uncovering of the inlet and admission of a fresh charge,
simultaneously with a compression of the contained gases followed by another
explosion, as described and shown.
2. In a single-acting apparatus or motor for transmitting power derived from
an explosion of gases or vapour contained within it, the additional cylinder and
piston and the position of the ports which enables the admission cylinder to be filled
with gas when it reaches the end of the backward stroke by producing in its
interior a partial vacuum which gradually increases until the moment when the
inlet is opened, substantially as described and shown.
3. A single-acting apparatus or motor for transmitting power derived from an
explosion of compressed gases or vapour contained within it, constructed, operated
and working substantially as described and shown.
Dated the 25th day of February 1898.