Improvements in Self-starting Apparatus for Gas and other Internal Combustion Motors.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-starting Apparatus for Gas and other Internal
Combustion Motors.
I, JAMES ATKINSON of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, London, N.W. Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:→
This invention has for its object the improvement of apparatus for starting gas
engines and similar motors which, when of large size more particularly, are very
difficult to start by manual labour.
In carrying out my invention I employ an external chamber placed distinct from
the cylinder of the engine but in communication with its working end by means of
a suitable pipe or passage fitted with a valve. The chamber has an inlet passage
and self acting valve which will close against any material excess of pressure in
the chamber and through which air, gas or an explosive mixture of gas and air
may be pumped or otherwise induced to flow, until the chamber is more or less com-
pletely filled with an explosive charge which may be at a pressure about the same
as the external atmospheric pressure, or if it should, when operated at this pressure,
not be sufficiently powerful to start the engine under the conditions under which it
has to be started, then a suitable higher pressure may be used; when used at about
atmospheric pressure the charge in the chamber may be ignited by an external
flame through a valve which remains open until closed self actingly by the pressure
of the explosion, and this valve may also be used as an escape for air, or burned
gases whilst the chamber is being charged; when higher pressures are used in the
chamber the ignition may be caused by the opening of the communicating valve to
the cylinder so as to allow the compressed charge to come into contact with the
ordinary igniting arrangement (say the commonly used ignition tube). The engine
being placed in such a position, at a little after the commencement of the working
stroke, the pressure from the exploded charge causes this working stroke to be
made with sufficient power to start the engine.
The valve communicating with the cylinder is opened by hand before com-
mencing to charge the chamber if the charge is to be used at about atmospheric
pressure before ignition, but if pressure is used, then the opening of this valve is to
cause the ignition to take place; in either case it is to be closed at the end of the
working stroke. When the engine is running this valve may be operated for the
purpose of clearing the chamber from burnt gases.
When used for starting oil motors and no gas is available a little volatile oil
such as gasoline may be placed on a sponge or other suitable material, the air is
drawn or forced through it into the chamber and thus made explosive or the
gasoline may be pumped and sprayed by a small pump.
Dated this 4th day of Fahmu 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-starting Apparatus for Gas and other Internal
Combustion Motors.
I, JAMES ATKINSON, of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, London, N.W.
Engineer 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 has for its object the improvement of apparatus for starting gas

page_text: engines and similar motors, which, when of large size more particularly, are very
difficult to start by manual labour.
In carrying out my invention I employ an external chamber placed distinct from
the cylinder of the engine, but in communication with its working end by means of
a suitable pipe or passage fitted with a valve hereinafter called the starting valve.
The chamber has an inlet passage and self acting valve which will close against
any material pressure in the chamber, and through which air, gas, or an explosive
mixture of gas and air may be pumped or otherwise induced to flow until the
chamber is more or less completely filled with an explosive charge preferably at a
pressure of say 40 lbs. to 60 lbs. above atmospheric pressure. If the engine is
placed in a suitable position with the crank just past the ordinary ignition point
commencing a working stroke and the starting valve opened, some of the com-
pressed charge from the chamber rushes into the cylinder, some of it comes into
contact with suitable igniting arrangements, and the charge both in the cylinder
and also in the chamber is ignited, causing a vigorous working stroke sufficient to
give several complete revolutions, during which the engine draws in its own charge
in the ordinary manner and continues working.
I had contemplated in some instances using a charge at or about at atmospheric
pressure but my experiments showed so much uncertainty in their results that I
prefer to use a compressed charge always.
To explain more clearly the arrangement of the self-starting apparatus, I illus-
trate a suitable self-starter on the accompanying sheet of drawings, on which
Fig. 1. is an elevation, Fig. 2. is an end view, and Fig. 3. is a part plan.
The chamber A. is a strong vessel which may be made of cast iron, or other
suitable material, its size may vary very considerably, but if made as large in
contents as the volume of a working stroke of the engine it is intended to start, it
will be large enough. The chamber A. stands on a suitable foot and is placed as
near as may be convenient to the engine; a small pump B is bolted onto the side
of the chamber A. arranged to be driven by hand as shown; the pump delivers
into the chamber A. and has its suction controlled by a cock E which may be
readily shifted to draw air from the atmosphere, or gas from a gas main; C is the
outlet communicating with the cylinder of the engine under control of the starting
valve; D is a drain cock which may also be used for driving out any residuum left
in from a previous operation.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The engine is placed so that the
crank is just passed the dead centre, commencing a working stroke; open the drain
cock D; work the pump B, keeping the cock E in the position in which air only
will be pumped into the chamber A, any residuum remaining in the chamber A
will thus be more or less completely removed; now shut the drain cock D, pump in
several pumps full of air (say 30) then change the position of the handle of the
cock E so as to pump gas and pump in (say) 5 pumps full of gas; continue
pumping in alternately air and gas in this manner until you have the chamber A
charged with an explosive mixture of gas and air at a pressure found by experience
to be sufficient for the purpose. The gas admission cock on the engine being now
opened and adjusted and all being ready, the starting valve is now opened fully and
promptly, some of the explosive charge in the chamber A rushes into the cylinder,
is ignited, also the rest of the charge is ignited through the communicating pipe, a
powerful working stroke results, the starting valve is now shut, and the engine
having a considerable amount of energy stored up in the flywheel continues to run
until it obtains ignitions in the ordinary manner and so drives itself.
The starting valve may be of any suitable description, a very suitable one con-
sisting of a plug valve held down to its seat by a strong spring and opened at the
proper time by a lever. In addition to this valve it is useful to have an ordinary
screw down valve on the connecting pipe so as to reduce risk of leakage.
The proportionate amount of pump fulls of gas in relation to the pump fulls of
air will depend on the richness of the gas, those given are suitable for, a moderate

page_text: quality of town gas; if weak gas such as "Dowson" gas is used it will be neces-
sary to increase the proportion of gas.
When used for starting oil motors and no gas is available, a little volatile oil
such as gasoline may be placed on a sponge or other suitable material and the air
pumped through the sponge so as to make it explosive, the proper amount of
gasoline may be ascertained by experiment and thus certainty of action ensured.
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:
1. In self-starting apparatus for gas and other internal combustion motors, the
chamber A, the small pump B, with the suction cock E, communicating with the
cylinder of the motor by means of a connecting pipe under the control of a
suitable starting valve; all combined and operated substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In self-starting apparatus for oil or other internal combustion motors, the
chamber A, the small pump B, with the sponge saturated with a measured quantity
of volatile combustible, communicating with the cylinder of the motor by means
of a connecting pipe under the control of a suitable starting valve; all com-
bined and operated substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The general arrangement and construction of self-starting apparatus for gas
and other internal combustion motors as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
1
"
1
1000
100TANT TO COM THE STR
Witness:
W. S. MACKENZIE,
10, Agincourt Road, Hampstead, N.W.
JAMES ATKINSON.