Improvements in Ignition Apparatus for Gas Motor Engines."
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Ignition Apparatus for Gas Motor Engines."
We, THOMAS MILLER WILLIAMSON Gentleman, CHARLES WILDEN KING,
Engineer, JAMES MALAM Gentleman and WILLIAM ALLERSTON IRELAND Solicitor
all of Southport in the county of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of
their invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN IGNITION APPARATUS FOR GAS MOTOR
ENGINES to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object certain improvements in the ignition apparatus
of Gas Motor Engines In carrying out our invention we employ a tube of platinum
or other suitable material which we heat to a high temperature by means of a
Bunsen or other burner. In the passage communicating with the working cylinder
we use a small piston valve which seals the passage to tlie incandescent tube. The
spindle to which the valve is attached is taken through a stuffing box and gland
and motion is given to it by means of an eccentric or cam thus opening commu-
nication between the cylinder and the hot tube at the proper moment for
ignition.
Our invention is more particularly suitable for engines working on the vacuum
principle, having a seperate vacuum or extraction cylinder which forms a vacuum
in the working cylinder and thus draws in the new charge of combustible
mixture.
We find in practice that it is an essential feature of our invention to keep the
small controlling valve cool and we therefor employ a small non-return valve by
which means a stream of cold air is drawn around the piston valve when the
vacuum is established in the working cylinder and consequently the small piston
valve is kept at a uniform and not excessive temperature and the passages between
the igniter and working cylinder are cleared of the products of combustion left in
by the previous ignition.
In some cases we fit a small pipe communicating with the vacuum cylinder so
that during the time the vacuum is being formed by the vacuum piston the products
of combustion are extracted from the hot tube.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ignition Apparatus for Gas Motor Engines.
THOMAS MILLER WILLIAMSON, Gentleman, CHARLES WILDEN KING, Engineer,
JAMES MALAM Gentleman and WILLIAM ALLERSTON IRELAND Solicitor all of
Southport in the county of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of their
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN IGNITION APPARATUS FOR GAS MOTOR ENGINES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object certain improvements in the Ignition apparatus
of Gas Motor engines. In carrying out our Invention we employ a tube of
platinum or other suitable material which we heat to a high temperature by means
of a Bunsen or other burner In the passage communicating with the working
cylinder we use a small piston valve which seals the passage to the incandescent
tube. The spindle to which the valve is attached is taken through a stuffing box
and gland and motion is given to it by means of an eccentric or cam thus opening
communication between the cylinder and the hot tube at the proper moment for
ignition.
Our invention is more particularly suitable for engines working on the vacuum
principle having a separate vacuum cylinder, which forms a vacuum in the working
cylinder and thus draws in the new charge of combustible mixture.
We find in practice that it is an essential feature of our invention to keep the
controlling valve cool and we therefor employ a small check valve by which means
a stream of cold air is drawn in around the valve when the vacuum is established
in the working cylinder and consequently the valve is kept at a uniform and not
excessive temperature and the passages between the igniter and working cylinder
are cleared of the products of combustion left in by the previous ignition.
In some cases we fit a small pipe communicating with the vacuum cylinder
direct so that during the time the vacuum is being formed by the vacuum piston
the products of combustion are partially exhausted from the incandescent tube.
In order that our invention & the manner of performing the same may be better
understood reference is made hereafter to the accompanying drawing and to the
letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a section through the valve & tube.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the ignition apparatus.
A is the muffle in which burns the bunsen burner B heating the closed tube D
and keeping it in an incandescent state.
C is a lining of fireclay or other suitable refractory material.
E is the valve chamber in which works the piston controlling valve F which
seats itself on the seat K thus stopping communication between the chamber M
& incandescent tube D & the interior of the working cylinder H by way of the
passage G.
J is the valve spindle working through the stuffing box and gland X.
The valve F is held to its seat by means of the spring L.
When the moment arrives for ignition to take place the valve F is lifted from
its seat (by a tappet arrangement actuated by a cam, eccentric or other suitable

page_text: means) & a small quantity of the compressed combustible charge flows from the
cylinder by way of the passage G through the valve F & into the incandescent
tube which fires it & the flame strikes back into the cylinder thus effecting the
ignition of the whole of the combustible charge A very small opening of the valve
is only required & the tappet arrangement releases the spindle the spring bringing
the valve back to its seat & thus seals the tube from the interior of the cylinder
until the proper moment for ignition again arrives.
When the ignition apparatus is applied to engines in which a vacuum is formed
in the working cylinder we keep the valve F cool by means of a stream of air which
is drawn in through a small check valve O by way of the passage N, passing around
the valve F on its way to the cylinder The passages communicating between the
cylinder & tube are thus cleared from products of combustion by the stream
of air.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said
invention & in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1st The application to gas motor engines having a seperate vacuum cylinder of
the arrangement & combination of the controlling valve F & the incandescent
tube D substantially as & for the purposes described & shewn in the drawings.
2nd The application to gas motor engines having a seperate vacuum cylinder of
the arrangement and combination of the controlling valve F with the air check
valve O, operated by the vacuum substantially as & for the purposes described
& shewn in the drawings.