Improved Means applicable for Use in Igniting the Working Charge in Hydrocarburetted-air Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application. 27th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
Improved Means applicable for Use in Igniting the Working Charge
in Hydrocarburetted-air Engines.
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, of Holderness
Foundry, and HAROLD RICHARDSON, of 51, Walmsley Street, both in the
Town and County of Kingston-upon-Hull, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to motor engines operated by the combustion of hydro-
carbon vapour mixed with air; and consists in an improved method of and
apparatus for igniting the working charge.
In carrying out this invention, we arrange across the chimney of a heating lamp
a tube which is open at one end to the working cylinder and is provided at its
opposite or outer end with an air admission valve. The movements of this valve
are controlled by suitably timed mechanism, regulated in such a manner that a
small portion of the charge is allowed to escape while compression of the charge
in the cylinder is taking place, or until the crank has arrived beyond the dead-
centre. While the air-valve remains open, the charge is not ignited and pre-
ignition is guarded against; but so soon as the valve closes, ignition and combustion
ensue.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
Improved Means applicable for Use in Igniting the Working Charge
in Hydrocarburetted-air Engines.
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, of Holderness
Foundry, and HAROLD RICHARDSON, of 57, Walmsley Street, both in the Town
and County of Kingston-upon-Hull, 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 relates to motor engines operated by the combustion of hydro-
carbon vapour mixed with air; and consists in an improved method of and
apparatus for igniting the working charge.
The accompanying drawings represent our improvements applied, by way of
example, to a hydrocarburetted-air engine of the double-cylinder vertical type;
Fig. 1 being a side view and Fig. 2 a face view of so much of the engine as is
necessary to illustrate the present invention.
In carrying out this invention, we arrange across the chimney-a-of a heating
lamp a tube b which is open at one end to the working cylinder (a lamp and tube
being provided for each cylinder in the case illustrated) and is provided at its
opposite or outer end with an air admission valve c. The movements of this valve

page_text: are controlled by suitably timed mechanism, regulated in such a manner that a small
portion of the charge is allowed to escape while compression of the charge in the
cylinder is taking place, or until the crank has arrived at or beyond the dead-centre.
While the air-valve remains open, the charge is not ignited and pre-ignition is guarded
against; but so soon as the valve closes, ignition and combustion ensue. In the
drawings annexed, the valves c are opened and closed by means of a lever d having
its fulcrum at d', the lever being operated from a convenient moving part of the
engine through the intervention of a connecting rod such as e and arm e¹. The
open end of the tube is inserted in a plug f which is screwed into the side of
the cylinder; packing, consisting of layers of asbestos and iron, being employed
to prevent the radiation of heat to the cylinder. In order to regulate the timing
of the valve or valves e so as to render the ignition of the charge earlier or later,
we provide adjusting screws 9 and thumb-nuts g¹ the former g of which screw
through bosses d2 d2 on the lever d. By thus regulating the timing of the air-
valve in starting, premature ignition of the charge and reversal of the engine are
avoided. For the purpose of bolding open the valve c of one of the igniters, in
a double-cylinder engine, we provide a distance piece, or wedge h; same being
conveniently connected to the engine by means of a chain A. At the time of
starting the engine, this wedge is inserted between the lower extremity of the
valve stem c¹ of one of the air valves and the upper extremity of the adjusting
screw 9 pertaining thereto; its function being to hold the valve open until the
piston has effected a small portion of its stroke by reason of the compressed air
which passes into the cylinder before the valve closes. The wedge becomes
displaced almost immediately the piston meves, the valve closes and the charge is
fired, whereby impulse is given to the piston. By these means, the set-screw g may
be retained in its correct position for the next impulse stroke, whereas if the wedge
were not used, and the set-screw g set for holding the valve open at starting,
the valve would remain open for a longer period than is desirable, i.e., too late
in the following cycle of the piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :-
1. In working hydrocarburetted-air engines, the improved means for avoiding
pre-ignition of the working charge, consisting in allowing a small portion thereof
to escape whilst undergoing compression in the motor cylinder, or until the crank
has passed the dead-centre, substantially as herein described.
2. In a hydrocarburetted-air engine, the combination with an air-admission-valve
of suitably timed operating mechanism whereby such valve is held open during a
small portion of the stroke of the piston, but is closed at the moment the impulse
is required and during the remainder of the operative stroke, substantially as herein
described.
3. In a hydrocarburetted-air engine, the combination with a heating lamp having
a tube b and an air-admission-valve, such as c, of the lever or levers d provided
with set-screws g, arranged or operating substantially as herein described and for
the purposes specified.
4. For use in starting, the employment of a wedge or distance piece, such as h,
same being inserted between the valve-stem c¹ and the set-screw g, for holding the
valve e open, substantially as described.