IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Briscall and Alfred Blackwell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1883.
WILLIAM BRISCALL and ALFRED BLACKWELL both of Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS MOTOR ENGINES"
This invention relates chiefly to improvements in motive power engines in which
the power is obtained from explosive force caused by the ignition of two or more
mixed gases in a confined space and acting directly on a piston working in a
cylinder, which are commonly known as gas engines, and its object is to provide
an engine that will work with more uniform steadiness and attain a greater degree
of effective power than many of those at present in use.
To this end the mixed
gases are heated in the mixing chamber before entering the cylinder, thereby
causing them to ignite more readily and quickly than when they come in contact
with the ignition jet in a cold state, and the ignition jet is placed in such a position
that the gases issuing from the mixing chamber pass directly over or along it. By
these means there is insured the almost uniform explosion of the gases at each
stroke of the piston, instead of as is now the case in many engines only one for
every two or three strokes and these at irregular intervals.
The cylinder of the engine is similar to that in general use in this class of engine,
jacketted with a water compartment to keep it cool. At one end of the cylinder,
preferably directly in front of the piston, is placed the mixing chamber into which
the gases (usually the carburetted hydrogen supplied for lighting purposes and air)
are introduced in the proportion required to form an explosive mixture. The inlet
through which each gas is introduced is covered by a small metallic flap valve
which prevents the force of the explosion passing into the pipes or the explosion
taking place in the pipes through which they are conveyed. By these valves also
the waste gas and products are prevented entering the supply pipes. This chamber
also serves as an exhaust chamber through which the exhaust or waste gas and
products pass by means of a valve leading to a pipe conveying them away. These
products are by the explosion heated to a high temperature and consequently heat
the walls of the chamber through which they pass, and this heat is again imparted
to the gases before ignition takes place rendering their diffusion more quick and
complete and their explosion more effective. An advantage is also gained in the
mechanical working of the engine by the cooling of the walls of the chamber,

page_text: which renders the working of the exit and other valves placed therein more
accurate and more easy of control. By the use of only one chamber no appreciable
accumulation of waste gas is permitted to dilute the explosive mixture, which
consists of hydrogen and oxygen, the other constituents of the before mentioned
gases being irrevelant and hurtful, and any of the non-consumed gases present such
as nitrogen or excess of either hydrogen or oxygen will dilute and render less
effective the subsequent charge.
The valves which cover the ports through which the gases are admitted are
preferably metallic flap valves. These valves are pivotted on two screws at one
side and open and close as a vacuum or pressure is caused in the cylinder, the coal
gas enters from a tap of known construction, but the air is introduced through a
conical shaped pipe or chamber. At the bottom of this pipe or chamber an india
rubber flap valve is placed on a perforated plate or seating.
The valve which controls the exhaust is preferably of conical shape working on
a Seat of similar contour. It is actuated by a lever worked from a cam eccentric
or other similar mechanical device on the crank shaft, which raises it from its Seat
when the piston has completed its stroke in one direction, and is returned to its
seat by a coiled or other spring placed on its Spindle.
The ignition jet is placed at the side of the cylinder and near its end in such a
position that the mixed gases passing from the chamber will come in contact with
it. Its admission to the cylinder is regulated by a slide valve which passes to and
fro over the port in the cylinder, but in one direction only for each revolution of
the engine. A slot in this valve allows the gas jet to be drawn into the interior of
the cylinder when through it the port in the cylinder is exposed. This valve is
actuated by a cam driven from a pinion on the crank shaft or by other mechanical
equivalent device such as an eccentric.
The burner which by preference is used for the ignition jet is of ordinary
Bunsen construction and the tap or cock may be so arranged as to be turned off
and on by the sliding action of the valve so that a full jet of gas will only be
presented when the port of the engine is open to receive it.
The engine can easily be altered or arranged to run in the reverse direction by
altering the position of the cams or eccentrics which actuate the exhaust valve and
the ignition valve.