Improvements in Hydrocarbon Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1892-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydrocarbon Engines.
I, FRIEDRICH DÜRR, of 23, Augustastrasse, Breslau, in the Empire of Germany
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 relates to that class of hydrocarbon engines whose cycle of
operation is of the well known "four stroke" type, but which are capable of
being so worked that each stroke, or every alternate stroke, becomes an
effective one.
In the drawings hereto annexed
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an engine constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the engine shewn at Figure 1, partly in section.
Figure 3 illustrates a portion of the engine working cylinder and compressor,
drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 4 illustrates the position of the gear which operates the exhaust outlet
valve whilst the products of combustion are being exhausted from the working
cylinder; Figure the position whilst the working cylinder is drawing in'an
explosive charge; Figure 6 the position whilst the charge is being compressed; and
Figure 7 the position at the moment of explosion.
Upon reference to the drawings it will be seen that attached to the working
cylinder A is an ordinary plunger pump or compressor Q which communicates with
the combustion chamber of the cylinder A through the port i. The function of the
pump Qis to compress a mixture of air and inflammable gas, vapour or liquid to
such a degree that the heat evolved by such compression causes spontaneous
combustion of the charge within the pump barrel. At the moment of combustion
the pressure within the pump Q raises a valve v disposed between the pump and the
combustion chamber and forces the flame through the port i into the combustion
chamber, and the charge already compressed there is exploded.
Within a casing formed upon the rear end of the cylinder A are provided the
exhaust valve I and the combustible charge inlet valve H, which latter may be
of any suitable construction usually employed in hydrocarbon engines.
The compressor Q is operated from an eccentric E¹ upon the crank shaft, and the
valve 1 from a similar eccentric E.
Interposed between the eccentric E and the valve I is the device S, illustrated
in detail in Figures 4 to 7, which I will now 'describe with reference to such
figures:-
Upon the pin bof the eccentric rod end is mounted a collar carrying two
tumblers k and r, and a stop n. Acting in conjunction with these devices-is a box
slide s, working in guides 7, the tumbler k being arranged to periodically engage
with a stepped projecting arm upon the slide s.
The action of the valve operating device S in relation to the cycle of operations
of the engine, is as follows:-
(First instroke. Exhaust.) The valve gear S being in the position shewn in
Figure 4 it will be seen that as the eccentric rod is drawn towards the crank
shaft the slides will be drawn with it, and the exhaust valve I is opened 'by the
operation of the bell crank lever h. As the rod s¹ recedes from the crank shaft the
slides is drawn back by the pressure exerted upon the horizontal arm of the bell
crank lever by the spiral spring h', and the valve I closes.
(First outstroke. Intake of combustible charge.) Before the pin 6 has arrived
at the end of its stroke (the amount of its travel is indicated by the dotted lines'M)

page_text: the stop n engages with the lower limb of the claw u, and the tumbler k is raised
(Figure 5), so that when the rod snow advances towards the crank shaft the
leading step of the tumbler k passes over the upper step of the slides (Figure 6.
Second instroke. Compression.) The exhaust valve I thus remains closed during
the intake and compression of the combustible charge.
During the stroke last described, the tumbler r engaged with and depressed the
lower limb of the claw u, whereby the end of the upper limb of u is caused to lie in
the path of the rear end of the tumbler k and engages with it upon its return travel
and depresses the tumbler into its former position (Figure 7). As the tumblers k
and resume their former position, the flat spring fengages with and returns the
claw u to its normal position. (Second outstroke. Explosion.)
By the arrangement of parts above described I am enabled to operate an engine
of the "four stroke" type without the intervention of tooth wheel gearing.
The hydrocarbon liquid from which is drawn the combustible charge of the
engine is stored in a reservoir disposed beneath the working cylinder, and from this
reservoir the charge is pumped by the pump R, driven from the crank shaft, and
caused to circulate through the jacketting of the cylinder, whereby it becomes
heated. After passing through the cylinder jacketting a portion of the liquid is
used to charge the engine, whilst the remainder is returned to the reservoir by way
of the system of cooling tubes K.
An engine constructed as herein before described may be worked in any of the four
ways which I will now describe :-
First. In the manner hereinbefore described, wherein an inflammable mixture is
drawn into both compressor and working cylinder, spontaneous combustion taking
place in the compressor and the flame being communicated to the charge within the
working cylinder.
Second. The compressor and cylinder may be worked in conjunction as above
described, to commence with, the compressor being subsequently disconnected, the
heat developed by the products of combustion in the working cylinder, combined
with the ordinary working compression of from 3 to 7 atmospheres, being utilised to
cause spontaneous combustion of the charge within the working cylinder.
Third. The compressor may be charged with combustible matter only, and the
working cylinder with atmospheric air only, the compressed charge within the
compressor burning spontaneously on entry into the working cylinder whereby a
prolonged explosion of the working charge is obtained.
Fourth. At the termination of the effective or expansion stroke only the surplus
pressure of products of combustion are allowed to exhaust, the remainder being
compressed by the next instroke and again expanded by the entry of flame from the
compressor, no charge being compressed in the working cylinder nor is there any
complete exhaust; and by acting upon both surfaces of the piston as is practised
with the steam engine a double effective stroke per revolution is obtained.
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. A hydrocarbon engine of the type described, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid
from which the combustible charge is drawn is caused to circulate through the
working cylinder jacketting, thus cooling such cylinder, the stream of liquid being
subsequently divided a portion entering the working cylinder and compressor and
the remainder being led through cooling tubes back again to the reservoir, the
explosion of the charge within the working cylinder being effected by the flame of
spontaneous combustion produced in the compressor; substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and set forth with reference to the drawings hereto
annexed.
2. A hydrocarbon engine of the type described, wherein the products of com-
bustion are not wholly exhausted from the working cylinder but are compressed by
the next instroke and again expanded by the flame of spontaneous combustion

page_text: originating in the compressor; or wherein the heat developed by the previous
explosion combined with the ordinary compression of the working cylinder is utilized
to produce spontaneous combustion of a charge of combustible matter and air intro-
duced into such working cylinder; substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and set forth with reference to the drawings hereto annexed.
3. In a hydrocarbon engine of the type described, the means of operating the
exhaust valve of such engine consisting of the eccentric E, rod s¹, slide s,
tumblers k, r, claw U, and accessory parts, arranged and adapted to operate substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth with reference to the
drawings hereto annexed.
4. In a hydrocarbon engine of the type described, the employment of a rotary
pump, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and set forth with reference to the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 30th day of November 1892.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.