Improvements in Gas Engines and in their Application to Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
Improvements in Gas Engines and in their Application to Motor
Vehicles.
I DANIEL BEST of San Leandro, County of Alameda State of California, U.S.A.,
Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved gas engine, and the transmission of power
from it to propel a car, and in a generator for the production of hydrocarbon gas.
It consists in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained
by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation and general view of the car and motor attachments.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the motor.
Figure 3 is a view showing the clutches upon the crank shaft and counter-
shaft.
Figure 4 shows a modification of the power transmitting mechanism.
Figure 5 is a view of the axle clutch mechanism.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the generator.
Figure 7 is a side detail view of one engine showing the governor and exhaust
valve gear.
Figure 8 is an end view of cylinder with head removed showing the igniting
device and the inlet and exhaust valves.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact, and effective
mechanism by which the power of a pair of gas engines may be applied simul-
taneously to the wheel axles of the car, and a means by which the application of
the power may be reversed to drive the car in either direction.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, A is the engine bed having legs B at opposite
ends by which it is supported upon the floor of a car to which power is to be
applied.
At each end of this bed is cast the circular head C, and to these heads the
cylinders D are bolted. The cylinders being also bolted to and supported upon
a shelf E which is formed at each end above the legs and behind the circular
head C.
These heads are mounted upon the bed so that vertical planes through their
axes will pass upon opposite sides of a central line and sufficiently far apart so that
the connecting rods F will connect centrally with the pistons in their respective
cylinders, and with the cranks G which are formed upon the crank shaft H. This
arrangement is accomplished by the peculiar construction of the bed-piece A
which is formed with off-sets or curves upon opposite sides as plainly shown in the
plan view (Fig. 2) by which the cylinders are disposed with relation to each other
as above described.
Between the ends C is formed a trough-shaped depression which gradually
deepens from each end toward the centre where it is sufficiently deep, as shown
at I', to allow the cranks G to rotate freely without contact with the frame.
A strengthening rib J having essentially the same curvature with the trough I,
extends between the legs B, projecting from the bottom of the trough, and forins a
rigid support for the whole framework.
The crank shaft H is journaled across the centre of the frame, and carries upon
the outside of the frame a pinion K. This pinion meshes with one of the gears L,
and this in turn meshes with the other gear L, and from these the mechanism for
actuating the valves is driven.
M M are the governors of the two engines which are driven by belts N passing

page_text: as shown.
Upon the same shaft is mounted another sprocket wheel X, and upon the other
axle R₁ of the car is fixed a sprocket wheel S', around which and the sprocket
wheel X passes the driving chain T¹.
It will be seen that by reason of the gears U and V, the sprocket wheel X will
be driven in the opposite direction from the sprocket wheel Q, and, consequently,
when the power of the engine is transmitted through the chain T' to the sprocket
wheel S the pair of car wheels to which the power is then applied will be rotated
in the opposite direction from the wheels driven directly from the sprocket Q, and
thus the car can be driven in the opposite direction.
In order to release one pair of wheels while the other is at work, I employ any
suitable clutch mechanism by which power can be applied to either set and thrown
off from the other.
Figure 3 shows the clutch mechanisms applied to the crank shaft and the counter-
shaft, and Figure 2 shows the clutches applied upon the car axles.
As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the sprocket wheel S or S¹ is mounted upon a
sleeve u, preferably made in halves, and bolted over the axle of the car so that
it can be easily removed at any time. The hub of the sprocket wheel is also
made in the same manner, so that the sprocket wheel is removably secured upon
'this sleeve.
Upon the sleeve a is cast or otherwise secured a disk 'b having projecting flanges c
concentric with the axle, and 'forming with the disk a shallow cup fixed to the
sleeve a.
As this sleeve a turns loosely upon the axle, the power of the engine will simply
rotate the sprockets S and S¹ upon their respective axles without transmitting any
power to either.
To connect either of these sprocket wheels with its axle, I employ a clutch
mechanism fixed to the axle and adapted to clamp against the rotating disk
flanges c.
A spider consisting of 'four arms d secured to the axle rotates with it.
Each of these arms has pivoted to it a shoe e, the outer face of which is curved
to the same curvature with the interior of the flange c, and is preferably shod with
'leather or other suitable substance to produce the proper frictional contact.
These shoes have springs which tend to draw them inwardly when not forced
out into contact with the flanges c.
g is a cone sliding upon a 'feather upon the axle, and actuated by a 'clutch
lever / which is connected with the lever i projecting downward from the shaft j
This shaft extends horizontally along the 'floor of the car and has handles k
at each end so that there being one of these shafts with its 'handles for the
clutch mechanisms of each axle, it will be 'manifest that the car'may 'be'reversed
to drive in either direction by the operator whether 'he be at one end of the car or
'the other.

page_text: 7 are levers fulcrumed to the hub or sleeve within the flanges c as shown at m.
The outer ends of these levers rest upon the cones g, and when the cones are forced
toward the levers, the outer ends of the latter will be separated riding upon the
surface of the cones, and when the cones are drawn away they will again be
depressed toward the centre.
These levers are connected with the shoes e by means of rods n which are screw-
threaded at their meeting ends with right and left threads which fit into an
intermediate nut o by which the length of these rods is adjusted.
The inner end of the inner rod n is forked so as to fit astride the lever to which
it is pivoted, and it will be manifest that when the lever is forced outward by the
action of the cone g, it will force the outer end of the shoe e into contact with the
inner periphery of the flange c.
As this takes place simultaneously with each of the four shoes e the frictional
contact is sufficient to transmit the motion of the sprocket wheel S or S¹ to the
corresponding spiders d, and through them to the axle to which their hub is
keyed.
The cone g has a short cylindrical continuation beyond its highest part, so that
when the points of the levers have been forced up on this cylindrical portion, they
will rest there without any tendency to slide back.
The speed of the car may be regulated without the use of intermediate speed
mechanism by simply driving the engine faster or slower.
As shown in Figure 1 ordinary cone frictional devices are illustrated, and the
relative positions of the gears and driving wheels are changed, but the operation is
essentially the same.
Although sprocket wheels and chains have been described to transmit motion
between the more distant shafts it will be manifest that belts may also be used.
In Figure 4 I have shown a modification by which the crank shaft H transmits
its power through an intermediate gear to a second shaft H' which is situated just
below it. This second shaft has upon it two sprocket wheels H2 and H' of different
diameters, and chains from these sprocket wheels pass around the corresponding
sprockets S upon the two car axles so that when the larger driving sprocket is
engaged, it produces a high rate of speed, and when the smaller one is engaged the
speed is correspondingly reduced.
Any suitable form of clutch mechanism is employed to engage and disengage the
two driving sprockets: A gear-wheel K' is fixed upon the crank shaft, and another
gear-wheel J is fixed upon the secondary shaft H¹, and between these two are
intermediate gears 1 and 2 mounted upon an arm 3 which swings about the shaft H',
so that when the gear 2 is engaged with the two gears K and J³, motion will be
given to the shaft H' in one direction.
.
When this carrying arm is swung around the axis so that the pinion I engages
with the pinion K, motion is transmitted through it and the gear 2 to the gear J³
to drive the machinery in the opposite direction.
In order to prevent shock and breakage, on account of a sudden change of
direction, I employ a friction clutch g' of any suitable construction, by which the
power in either direction may be gradually applied to the gear upon the shaft H'.
Various other mechanical devices may be employed for reversing the motion of
the parts.
The supply of gasoline or other liquid for producing inflammatory vapor or gas
by which the engines are actuated is contained in a tank within the roof of the car,
the vapor passing thence to a generator and from the generator 4 through a pipe 5,
thence into a horizontal distributing pipe 6 from which it is delivered to either of
the cylinders of the engine as desired.
Air is admitted into the feed pipes through suitable controlling valves, and is
mixed with the vapor to a sufficient extent to render it properly explosive. These
air admission pipes and the pipe which discharges beneath the car are provided
with check valves to prevent the movement of air in the opposite direction from that
desired;

page_text: The exhaust from the engine cylinders passes up through the roof by suitable
pipes into a horizontal perforated chamber 7 by which the force of the exhaust is so
reduced that it will escape with little or no noise.
Water to circulate around the cylinders is contained in a tank upon the roof and
Jed therefrom by suitable pipes.
The engines which I employ are that class in which the gas is admitted at the
rear end, and in which it is ignited so that the explosion forces the piston outward
and the piston rods are connected with the cranks upon the crank shaft as before
described, so that the force of the explosion is transmitted through them to produce
rotary motion of the shaft.
The valve through which the gas is admitted to the cylinder is of the poppet
form, and is kept closed by means of a spring, so that no gas enters when the
exhaust valve is opened, but when the latter is closed, the vacuum caused by the
forward movement of the piston will draw a charge of gas into the cylinder, and
this charge is compressed by the return movement of the piston so that it is ignited
by the proper spark producing device after being compressed.
The valve which closes the exhaust opening is also kept closed by a spring 8
when not otherwise acted upon. If the valve remains open, however, the engine
draws air through the exhaust pipe, and forces it out again through the same
passage, and the gas supply valve will not be opened.
In order to operate the exhaust valve and make it act in this manner a pinion 9
is fixed upon the crank shaft which engages a gear wheel 10 of larger diameter,
and causes the latter to make one revolution to each four strokes of the piston, or
two revolutions of the engine shaft, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.
A double cam 11 is fixed upon the shaft of the gear wheel 10 and this acts upon
a connecting rod 12 so as to move it backward at each contact of the cam.
The connecting rod 12 has its opposite end connected with one end of the bell-
crank lever 13 fulcrumed as shown. The other arm of the bell-crank lever stands
just beneath the stem of the exhaust valve, and when the connecting rod 12
reciprocates, it will act through this lever to open the exhaust valve, which is
immediately closed by its spring when relieved of the action of the lever.
This action continues at the proper moment to allow the gas to be drawn into
the engine cylinder through the supply valve by the vacuum caused by the receding
piston, the exhaust valve remaining closed during this operation and the subsequent
operation of compressing the gas.
The ignition of the compressed charge takes place at the instant the piston
returns to the rear end of the cylinder, and when the gas is at the point of greatest
compression, and the piston is thus driven to the opposite end of its stroke. The
exhaust valve is then opened by the action of the bell-crank lever 13, as previously
described, to allow the waste products of the combustion to escape as the piston
returns to the rear end of the cylinder on the following stroke.
This operation continues as long as the engine runs within the speed to which it
is normally adjusted. When this speed increases the connecting rod 12 is prevented
from reciprocating by means of a pawl 14 which engages a lug 15 upon
the con-
necting rod at the point when one of the cams has drawn it back to its farthest
limit, and it is thus prevented from acting through the bell-crank lever upon the
exhaust valve.
The pawl 14 is actuated by the governor M and when it has engaged this lug 15
it will prevent any further reciprocation of the connecting rod 12, and, consequently,
prevent the closing of the exhaust valve until the rod is again released by reason
of the engine running more slowly and the pawl being lifted by the movement of
the governor to again disengage the rod 12.
In order to ignite the charge of gas when it has been compressed within the
cylinder, I employ any suitable form of spark producing device.
In the present case I have shown a warped blade 16 fixed to the end of an
oscillating shaft 17 which is driven by mechanism connecting it with the moving
parts of the engine so that the oscillation of the shaft alternately carries the warped

page_text: or inclined end of this blade beneath and above a fixed insulated pin 18. The
movement in one direction carries the blade beneath the pin by reason of the angle
of the blade, and when it returns, the opposite edge passes above the pin. The
spark is produced as the blade leaves the pin in each direction.
This sparking device resembles a propeller blade, and is well illustrated in the
enlarged Figure 8. This form of sparking device is well adapted for the work,
because its contact and release from the pin always take place at the same instant
relative to the position of the piston in the cylinder, whether the device has
just started and the parts are contracted by cold, or have become heated by
the constant explosions of gas.
Various forms of generator may be employed in carrying out my invention, but
I have found that a very suitable generator for the purpose may be constructed by
the employment of a vertical tube 19 of considerable length, open at the top and
closed at the bottom.
Through this tube a smaller tube 20 passes and the bottom of the outer tube
fits tightly around it. The tube 20 serves as a heater, and when connected with
the exhaust of the engine, supplies enough heat to vaporize the liquid which passes
down through the tube 19.
The upper end of the tube 19 is open, and it is filled with any loose heat-
conducting medium, such as scraps or turnings of iron. Surrounding this tube 19
is a third tube 4 of considerably larger diameter, open at the lower end, and this
in turn fits closely around the inner tube 20 at the top, and above the mouth of
the tube 19.
The hydrocarbon oil, or other gas producing liquid, is allowed to flow through
a suitable controlling cock into a chamber 22, from which it is conveyed by a
pipe 23, and delivered by means of a distributor 24 into the upper part of the
tube 19 which contains the iron chips or shavings. The liquid trickles down
through the material and sufficient heat is conducted from the inner tube 20
through which the exhaust products pass, to vaporize the liquid, as it passes
downward.
The feed pipe 5, leading to the engine, is connected with the lower part of the
tube within which the liquid is vaporized and leads to the engine as previously
described. The feed pipe 5 opens into the vaporizing tube 19 at some distance
above the bottom, and any liquid which remains unvaporized will settle at the
bottom of this tube and may be drawn off from time to time through a suitable
cock.
This apparatus enables me to employ a cheaper and heavier grade of oil than
could otherwise be used for this purpose.
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-
1st. A gas engine consisting of a cylinder, a reciprocating piston, a crank shaft,
an inlet valve through which the explosive mixture is drawn by the movements of
the piston, an independent spring closed exhaust valve, a cam shaft and intermediate
mechanism, and a governor by which the exhaust valve is opened and its movements
regulated, an igniter consisting of a fixed and an oscillating electrode, a crank
upon the cam shaft and connections, substantially as described, between it and the
movable electrode, and gearing upon the cam shaft and the main engine shaft
whereby the exhaust valve is opened and a spark produced by the igniter at each
second revolution of the engine shaft.
2nd. An igniting device for a gas engine consisting of opposing fixed and
movable electrodes whose meeting ends overlap one of said electrodes, being
formed of a warped elastic plate adapted to yield upon contact with the opposing
electrode, and to sweep across the upper and lower surfaces of said opposing
electrode in planes transverse to its line of projection.
3rd. A motor consisting of a car, oppositely placed gas engines connecting with

page_text: separate cranks on a common intermediate crank shaft, mechanism whereby the car
axles are independently driven from the crank shaft and in opposite directions, and
clutch or frictional devices with connecting levers whereby the driving gear of one
pair of car wheels may be disengaged and the other one engaged with the driving
shaft of the engine.
4th. In a car motor, an engine bed having its opposite ends adapted to receive
two gas engine cylinders, the longitudinal axes of which are out of line with each
other, a common crank shaft journaled across the bed between the cylinders and
having cranks at right angles to which the pistons are connected, driving
mechanism connecting the engine shaft directly with one pair of car wheels to
propel the car in one direction, and other driving mechanism connecting the engine
shaft indirectly with the other pair of car wheels to propel the car in the
opposite direction, and engaging and disengaging mechanisms and operating levers
whereby either set of driving gear is thrown into engagement and the other is
disengaged, substantially as herein described.
5th.—A gas-engine-motor consisting of a car, a-pair-of-gas engines_mounted
upon opposite ends of an engine bed, and connecting with separate cranks upon a
common intermediate crank shaft, mechanisms whereby power is transmitted from
the engine shaft to the car wheel axles to propel the car in either direction, a
supply tank upon the roof of the car containing hydrocarbon liquid, a generator
into which said liquid is conveyed by pipes and in which it is transformed into a gas,
supply pipes by which the gas thus formed is delivered to the inlet valves of the
engines, independently actuated exhaust valves and governing mechanism connected
therewith, an exhaust pipe through which the waste products are conveyed to the
roof and a perforated receiver into which they are delivered for the purpose of
herein
deadening the noise, and from which they are delivered gradually as
described.
6th. A gas generator or carburetor consisting of vertically disposed concentric
tubes, the inner one of which forms a support for the outer and middle tubes and is
connected with a source of heat, the outer tube having its upper end tightly
fitted to the inner tube, and its lower end open, and the middle tube having
its lower end tightly fitted to the inner tube with its upper end open at
a point near the top of the outer tube, a packing of heat conducting
metallic fragments within the middle tube and surrounding the inner tube to
conduct heat therefrom, a means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the open
upper end of the middle tube and a distributor therefor so that it shall pass
through the packing and be converted into gas by the action of the heat thereon,
and a discharge pipe connecting with said gas producing tube at a point above the
bottom and leading to the engine cylinder supply valves, substantially as herein
described.
Dated this Thistioth dev of December 1892