IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS ENGINES" communicated to him from Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir
a person resident at Paris in the Republic of France, Engineer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES" a communication to me from
Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir a person resident at Paris in the Republic of France
Engineor
This Invention relates to improvements in Gas Engines or motors which are to
be worked by an explosive mixture which is compressed boforo ignition in a
chamber maintained at an elevated temperature and which is caused to pass
through the cylinder before entering the heater
In carrying out this Invention the working cylinder is arranged to communicato
with an ignition chamber placed on the rear of the said cylinder and provided
internally with webs or projections in order to increase the heating surface.
A slide valvo case is arranged at the side of the cylinder as in the original "Lenoir
Gas engine." The explosive mixtures do not enter the ignition chamber directly
but are forced in from the working cylinder by the piston In this chamber the
gases are heated prior to ignition in such a manner that owing to the temperature
obtained extremely poor gaseous mixtures may be used the elevated temperature
obtained by the heater producing a maximum expansion of the gases and thus
enabling a relatively large amount of power to be produced by the consumption of
a relatively small quantity of gas. In consequence of the action of the heater the
cylinder is comparatively little heated and the piston being less expanded by heat
is not liable to stick as in ordinary engines, hence results a saving of gas and also
of lubricanta

page_text: A ball or other suitable governor is employed for regulating the action of the
engine and is so arranged as to enable the action of the motor to be controlled by
a comparatively small expenditure of power. For this purpose the supply of gas
to the cylinder is regulated by a valvo operated by the motor by means of a light
jointed arm which engages with the rod or stem of the valve when the engine is
running at its normal speed. When the normal speed is exceeded the governor
acts upon this jointed lever so as to prevent it from engaging with the supply
valve and thus arrests the supply of explosive. A very slight variation in the
balls suffices to operate the regulating device and the action of the motor is
consequently rendered absolutely uniform. An outlet valve worked by a cam or
excentric is placed behind the heater thereby enabling the burnt gases to bo
regularly and completely expelled
The cams or excentrics for working the valves are preferably carried on a
separate shaft driven from the crank shaft by suitable gearing. The scat of the
slide valve is covered by an intermediate plate
The slide valve and the back plate of the slide are provided with suitable ports
passages and recesses for the reception of the igniting jet and for the supply of gas
and air
The improved motor may be worked with carburetted hydrogen in place of
lighting gas and in this case a cone valve is preferably substituted for the slide
valve herein before described and the explosive mixturo is preferably ignited by
electricity
For this purpose in place of batteries a small magneto or dynamo electric
machine may be employed supplying an accumulator or secondary battery
In order to carburet air for working the engine the said air is caused to pass
through a chamber in which are suspended permeable screens dipping into the
carburetting liquid and presenting a large carburetting surface The mixture
proceeding from the carburetter enters the Engine cylinder and is forced by the
piston into the igniting chamber herein before referred to where it is ignited by an
electric spark or by other suitable means such as phosphoretted hydrogen
In other rospects the motor works in the same manner as when lighting gas is
employed
The carburetter being cooled by the evaporation caused by the passage of the
air may be heated by causing the burned gases from the engine to circulate in the
double casing or jacket or by other suitable means

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Patent Office on the 10th May
1884.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES" a communication to me from
Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir a person resident at Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer
This Invention relates to improvements in gas engines or motors which are to be
worked by an explosive mixture which is compressed before ignition in a chamber
maintained at an elevated temperature and which is caused to pass through tho
cylinder before entering the said chamber which I will call the ignition chamber
or heater. The invention also includes a special governor which ensures an
absolutely regular and economical action of the engine and other details as
hereinafter described.
And in order that the said Invention may be more fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding figures.
Sheets 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings shew general views and details of the
principal parts of a gas engine constructed according to this Invention: Sheets 3
and 4 show special arrangements of details. In sheets 1 and 2:-
Figure 1 is a side clevation of the improved motor or engine.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the frame and cross head guides.
Figure 3 is a general plan of the engine.
Figure 4 is an elevation and plan of the governor action and the arrangement
for controlling the gas supply.
Figure 5 is a transverso section of the heater
Figure 6 is a detail showing the distribution and escape valvos in section.
Figure 64 is a section of the escape valve.
Figure 7 represents the carburetter and the inlet valve in section.
A A¹ represents the base or foundation and B is the working cylinder containing
a piston C the rod of which is guided by the cross head guides and supports D.
The motor cylinder B is cast with external wings (Figures 1 Sheets 3 and 4) of
a length sufficient to radiate the heat to the outer air and thereby cause cooling
without the necessity for employing water. About the middle of the length of
the cylinder there may be an escape valve (Figure 2 sheet 3) for allowing greater
or lesser compression of the explosive mixture before ignition. This valve is
represented upon a cylinder surrounded by water but it is evident that it can be
used upon a cylinder with wings like that described as used in this engine.
The governor is marked I and is hereinafter described. M is the escape valvo
The working cylinder B is arranged to communicate with the ignition chamber
or heater L (see Figures 1 and 3 Sheets 1 and 2) placed at the rear of the said
cylinder and provided internally with webs or projections in order to increase
the heating surface. The slide Valve Case J is arranged at the side of the
cylinder B as in the original "Lenoir" gas engine.
The explosive mixtures do not enter the ignition chamber or heater directly but
are forced in from the working cylinder by the piston O of the motor This
arrangement is an entirely novel arrangement
In the ignition chamber or heater the gases are heated prior to ignition in such
a manner that owing to the temperature obtained by the heater (which may be
enamelled to further this object) extremely poor gaseous mixtures may be used the
elevated temperature attained by the heater producing a maximum expansion of

page_text: the gases and thus enabling a relatively large amount of power to be produced by
the consumption of a relatively small quantity of gas also in consequence of the
use of the heater the cylinder B is comparatively little heated and the piston C
being less expanded by heat is not liable to stick as in ordinary engines Honce
results a saving of gas and also of lubricants.
A ball or other suitable governor I is employed for regulating the action of the
engine and is so arranged to act upon operating devices as to enable the action of
the motor to be controlled by a comparatively small expenditure of power For
this purpose
the supply of gas to the cylinder is regulated by a valve G operated
by the motor by means of a light jointed arm or lever " which engages with the 1
rod or stem g of the valve when the engine is running at its normal speed. When
the normal speed is exceeded the governor acts upon the jointed lever ill so as to
lift the arm and prevent it from engaging with the stem g of the supply valve G
and thus arrests the supply of the explosive mixture A very slight variation in
the balls suffices to operate the regulating device and the action of the motor is 1
consequently rendered uniform. The outlet valve M worked by a cam or
eccentric is placed behind the heater L thereby enabling the burnt gases to be
regularly and completely expelled The heater as well as the cylinder is furnished
with wings as shewn in Figure 1 Sheet 4.
The reciprocating motion of the piston rod may be converted into a rotary
motion by means of a suitable connecting rod E and crank shaft F-H is tho cam
or eccentric and is the tappet and h¹ is the crank rod and the lever for
operating the side valve. The governor lever 111 is centered on the standard i¹
The inlet valve is operated by a rod K and crank K'.
N is a cam or eccentric working the outlet valve M through the tappet n
connecting rod n' and lever n"-11 is the support for the lever n The cams or
excentrics for working the valves are preferably carried on a separate shaft driven
from the crank shaft by gearing wheels O
Figure 6 sheet 2 shews the distribution arrangement in detail a is the seat of
the valve; b the intermediate plate; j the slido valve; c the back plate of the
slide provided with suitable ports passages and recesses for the reception of the
igniting jet d, the gas supply port e, and the air inlet passage f
The gaseous mixture may be supplied directly to the distribution valve from a
carburetter R which is provided with screens 7 and is enclosed in a double case or
jacket S. This arrangement is adopted for the reasons hereinafter explained
When the improved motor constructed according to the present Invention is
worked with carburetted hydrogen in place of lighting gas a cone valve (P figure 7)
is preferably substituted for the slide valve J and the explosive mixture is preferably
ignited by electricity
For this purpose in place of batteries a small magneto or dynamo electric machine
may be employed supplying an accumulator or secondary battery
In order to carburet air for working the engine the said air is caused to
pass a chamber in which are suspended the aforesaid screens which are of
permeable material dipping into the carburetting liquid and presenting a large
carburetting surface-The mixture proceeding from the carburetter R enters the
engine cylinder B and is forced by the piston into the igniting chamber hereinbefore
referred to where it is ignited by an electric spark or by other suitable means such
as phosphoretted bydrogen.
In other respect. the motor works in the same manner as when lighting gas is
employed
The carburetter R being cooled by the evaporation caused by the passage of the
air it requires. to be heated-This may be effected by causing the burned gases.
from the engine to circulate in the double casing or jacket S or by other suitable.
means
The air to be carburetted may be supplied by a hydraulic blower or apparatus
shewn in Figures 3 and. 4.sheet so that the inotors can be worked with carburetted
air in the same manner as with lighting gas

page_text: The apparatus consists of a helix a which revolves in the water which is a little
higher than its centre-As it revolves it alternately dips in the water and rises
above it The water forces the air by the pipe b into the chamber c and returns
continuously by the orifice g The tube leading from the reservoir c is in
communication with the carburetter and it follows that the air so forced is
thoroughly carburetted and replaces very conveniently ordinary lighting gas
In gas motors in which the gas is compressed before ignition as ordinarily
constructed the ignition chamber in the valve is in communication with the orifice
of the cylinder at the moment of ignition and the flame of the lighting chamber is
blown back and often misses firing to remedy which a strong jet of gas has been
used but that plan is very complicated difficult to regulate and wastes gas-I
remedy these defects by the arrangement represented in Figures 3, 4. 5 and 6
sheet 3
The lighting chamber has in the lower part a little groove B-When the valvo
presents the said lighting chamber A to the orifice C of the cylinder the mixture
under pressure first enters the little groove B and strikes against the rear sides of
the chamber and blows the flame over the orifice C and this prevents the flame
missing firing
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First In a gas engine the employment of an apparatus berein before réferred to
as the igniting chamber or heater arranged substantially as herein before described
for superheating the explosive mixture before ignition thus admitting of the use of
extremely poor explosive mixtures and consequently producing a saving of fuel
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings
Second In a gas engine the arrangement for enabling the mixture of gas and air
to enter the cylinder B without first passing through the ignition chamber or
heater and causing the mixture to be forced by the piston into the said ignition
chamber or heater where it becomes heated before ignition (whether an escape valvo
for regulating ignition be used or not) substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings
Third In a gas engine arranging the escape valve at the rear of the ignition
chamber or heater whereby the burnt gases are enabled to be completely expelled
in the manner and for the purpose herein before set forth with reference to the
accompanying drawings
Fourth-In Gas Engines the employment of a governor arranged to operato
a relatively light piece of mechanism which is placed in front of or withdrawn
from in front of the valve controlling the passage of the gas or carburetted air
all substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings
Fifth: The combination with a motor worked by carburetted air, of arrangements
for carburetting the air and of a secondary battery or aecumulator for igniting the
explosive mixture by electricity as hereinbefore described with reference to tho
annexed drawings,
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this ninth day of May One thousand eight hundred and
cighty four.