İmprovements in Motor-engines Actuated by the Combustion of Mixtures of Combustible Gas and Air or of Air and the Vapour of a Hydrocarbon or Hydrocarbons or other Combustible Mixtures.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1883
RE
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
İmprovements in Motor-engines Actuated by the Combustion of
Mixtures of Combustible Gas and Air or of Air and the Vapour of
a Hydrocarbon or Hydrocarbons or other Combustible Mixtures.
I WILLIAM THOMAS STUBBS of Mill Street, Ancoats, Manchester in the county of
Lancaster, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to motor-engines actuated by the combustion of mixtures of com-
bustible gas and air or of air and the vapour of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons or other
combustible mixtures and consists in arrangements by which I am enabled to so employ a
charge of a combustible mixture of gas and air or a combustible mixture of the vapour of
a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons or other combustible mixture that after the ignition of
the combustible charge such charge shall expand while actuating the motor-engine
during its working stroke so that the pressure at the point of exhausting shall be at
or nearly at atmospheric pressure.
For convenience of description I shall hereinafter refer to the gas and the vapour
of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons or other combustible gases, as gas.
In gas-motor-engines as hitherto constructed a considerable portion of the heat
generated by the combustion of the charge of gas and air has been lost, firstly, by the
escape of a great portion of heat along with the "exhaust"
gases and secondly
through the walls of the cylinder and the "water jacket."
According to my invention I employ two cylinders arranged by preference, side by
side each of which cylinders has a space beyond the travel" of the instroke of the
piston for containing the combustible charge when compressed and each cylinder is
provided with a piston coupled to a crank-shaft provided with two cranks the cranks
being so arranged that when the piston of the first cylinder has completed or about
completed its outstroke the piston of the second cylinder will have completed or about
completed its inward stroke.
In describing my invention I will assume that the piston of the first cylinder is at
the end of its inward stroke. Upon the next outward stroke taking place a charge

page_text: of gas and air will be drawn in until the said piston has reached the end of its out-
ward stroke at which time the piston of the second cylinder will have arrived at or
about at the end of its inward stroke and having thereby expelled the contents of the
working portion of the cylinder through a suitable exhaust valve or valves or
opening or openings. As the piston of the first cylinder performs its next inward
stroke a portion of the charge of gas and air is forced through suitable passages
and valves into the second cylinder, the piston of the second cylinder performing at
such time an out-stroke will draw into such second cylinder the portion of the charge
of gas and air from the first cylinder. When the piston of the first cylinder bas
performed about one half of its instroke the passage or passages between the first
and second cylinders is or are closed by means of a suitable valve or suitable valves.
The continued movement of the piston of the first cylinder will compress the
charge of gas and air remaining in the first cylinder, until such piston has completed
its inward stroke at or about which time the charge of gas and air is ignited by means
of suitable igniting apparatus and the combustion of the charge will impel the piston
on its outward stroke. At or about this time the piston of the second cylinder will
have completed its outward stroke and the charge of gas and air in the second
cylinder will have increased in volume either by the induction of heat from the walls
of the cylinder through a partial vacuum being formed or may be further increased
by the addition of a further charge of gas and air or by the addition of a certain
volume of non-combustible vapour admitted through suitable valves and passages.
The inward movement of the piston in the said second cylinder will compress its
charge of gas and air until the said piston has arrived at or about at the end of its
inward stroke when the said charge of gas and air is ignited by means of a suitable
igniting apparatus.
At this time the piston of the first cylinder will have arrived at or about at the end
of its second outward stroke and by its next inward stroke the gaseous products of
the previous explosion will be expelled from the cylinder through suitable exhaust,
valves and openings and the next outward stroke of the said piston will draw in a
fresh charge of gas and air. When the second inward stroke of the piston of the
first cylinder has been completed the piston of the second cylinder will have arrived
at or about at the end of its second outward stroke and will have completed its first
working stroke and by its third inward stroke will expel from the cylinder the pro-
ducts of combustion arising from the previous explosion through suitable exhaust
valves and openings.
The next outward stroke of the said piston will draw in a fresh charge of gas and
air from the first cylinder as previously described.
Instead of employing two cylinders as previously described I can cause the saine
cycle of operations to be performed in one cylinder by employing a cylinder closed at
both ends with a space at each end for containing the combustible charge. The two
ends of the cylinder are connected by a suitable passage or suitable passages provided
with a suitable valve or suitable valves each end of the cylinder being provided with
suitable igniting apparatus and exhaust valves and openings and other necessary parts.
I provide the piston employed in such cylinder with a piston-rod which passes through
a gland or stuffing-box with which one end of the cylinder is provided and is connected
to the crank-shaft in any suitable manner.
Dated this Twenty ninth day of Mov 1888

page_text: Improvements in Motor-engines Actuated by the Combustion of
.Mixtures of Combustible Gas and Air or of Air and the Vapour of
a Hydrocarbon or Hydrocarbons or other Combustible Mixtures..
I WILLIAM THOMAS STUBBS of Mill Street, Ancoats, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Machine Maker, 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 motor-engines actuated by the combustion of mixtures of
combustible gas and air or of air and the vapour of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons
or other combustible mixtures and consists in arrangements by which I am enabled
to so employ a charge of a combustible mixture of gas and air or a combustible
mixture of the vapour of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons or other combustible
mixture that after the ignition of the combustible charge, such charge shall expand
while actuating the motor-engine during its working stroke so that the pressure at
the point of exhausting shall be at or nearly at atmospheric pressure.
For convenience of description i shall hereinafter refer to the gas and the vapour
of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons or other combustible gases as gas.
In gas motor engines as hitherto constructed a considerable portion of the heat
generated by the combustion of the charge of gas and air has been lost, firstly by
the escape of a great portion of heat along with the " exhaust
gases and secondly
through the walls of the cylinder and the "water jacket."
33
According to my invention I employ two cylinders arranged by preference side
by side, each of which cylinders has a space beyond the "travel" of the instroke of
the piston for containing the combustible charge when compressed and each cylinder
is provided with a piston coupled to a crank shaft provided with two cranks, the
cranks being so arranged that when the piston of the first cylinder has completed or
about completed its outstroke the piston of the second cylinder will have completed
or about completed its inward stroke.
In describing my invention I will assume that the piston of the first cylinder is
at the end of its inward stroke. Upon the next outward stroke taking place a charge
of gas and air will be drawn in until the said piston has reached the end of its
outward stroke at which time the piston of the second cylinder will have arrived at
or about at, the end of its inward stroke and have thereby expelled the contents of the
working portion of the cylinder through a suitable exhaust valve or valves or opening
or openings. As the piston of the first cylinder performs its next inward stroke a
portion of the charge of gas and air is forced through suitable passages and valves
into the second cylinder the piston of the second cylinder perforining at such time
an outstroke will draw into such second cylinder the portion of the charge of gus and
air from the first cylinder. When the piston of the first cylinder has performed
about one half of its instroke the passage or passages between the first and second

page_text: cylinders is or are closed by means of a suitable valve or suitable valves. The continued
movement of the piston of the first cylinder will compress the charge of gas and air
remaining in the first cylinder until such piston has completed its inward stroke. At
or about this time the piston of the second cylinder will have coupleted its outward
stroke and at or about this time the charge of gas and air in the first cylinder is
ignited by means of suitable igniting apparatus and the combustion of the charge will
impel the piston on its outward stroke and the charge of gas and air in the second
cylinder will have increased in volume either by the induction of heat from the walls
of the cylinder through a partial vacuum being formed or may be further
increased by the addition of a further charge of gas and air or by the addition
of a certain volume of non-combustible vapour admitted through suitable valves
or passages. The inward movement of the piston in the said second cylinder will
compress its charge of gas and air until the said piston has arrived or about at
the end of its inward stroke when the said charge of gas and air is ignited by
means of a suitable igniting apparatus. At this time the piston of the first cylinder
will have arrived at or about at the end of its second ontward stroke and by its next
inward stroke the gaseous products of the previous explosion will be expelled
from the cylinder through suitable exhaust valves and openings and the next
outward stroke of the said piston will draw in a fresh charge of gas and air.
When the second inward stroke of the piston of the first cylinder has been completed
the piston of the second cylinder will have arrived at or about at the end of its second
outward stroke and will have completed its first working stroke and by its third
inward stroke will expel from the cylinder the products of combustion arising from
the previous explosion through suitable exhaust valves and openings. The next
outward stroke of the said piston will draw in a fresh charge as previously described.
In the accompanying drawings is shewn so much of a gas motor engine as is
requisite to illustrate my invention, Fig. 1 being a plan,-Fig.-2-an end view of a
portion of that which is shewn in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a side elevation of that which is
shewn in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a cross section taken on the line A A of Fig. 1 the
direction in which such section is seen being from the crank shaft, towards the
cylinders of the motor engine. The same letters of reference are applied to corre-
sponding parts in all the figures.
a is a crank shaft supported and capable of being rotated in bearings formed upon
a bed or base b. Secured to the bed or base bare two cylinders c and c which are
respectively provided with suitable pistons d, d. The crank shaft a is formed with
two cranks a² and a². The crank a is connected to the piston d by the connecting
rode and the crank a' is connected to the piston d' by the connecting rod e'. The
cylinder c is provided with a valve of any suitable construction, provided with
suitable openings by means of which air and gas are admitted to a port or opening g
communicating with the interior of the cylinder c. The valve fis provided with the
usual igniting port and arrangements by means of which a mixture of gas and air
in the cylinder c may at certain times be ignited when such igniting port.h is brought
into communication with the port or opening-g. Communicating with the interior
of the cylinder c is a passage communicating with the chamber k in which is an
exhaust valve which at times closes a passage m communicating with an exhaust
pipe.
In the chamber k is a valve n which at times closes .the entrance to a passage o
leading to a port'p which at times by means of a port or passage 9 in a valve r with
which the cylinder is provided is placed in communication with a port or
passage which leads to the interior of the cylinder cl. Communicating with the
interior of the cylinder c is a passage u communicating with a chamber v in which is
an exhaust valve wo which at times closes a passage communicating with an exhaust
pipe. The valves, l, n, w, are operated by levers y, z, 1, which levers y, z, 1, are
supported by and capable of being turned upon a fixed shaft 2 supported by brackets 3
formed upon or secured to the cylinder c. Mounted fast upon a shalt 4 are
cams 5, 6, 7, which at times act upon the levers y, z, 1, respectively so as to open
6.
the valves 1, n, w, and at times allow such valves, n, w, to "close." The shaft 4 is
גן

page_text: supported by and capable of being rotated in brackets formed one on the bed or
base and one on the cylinder c.
The valve r is provided with an igniting port h¹.
"
Fast upon the crank. shaft a is a wheel 9 the teeth of which gear into or engage
with those of a wheel '10' fast upon the shaft 4. Fast upon the shaft 4 is a disc or
plate 11 provided with a crank pin 11 a embraced by one end of a rod 12 the other end
of which is jointed to the valve r. The circumference of the disc or plate 11 is formed
excentric to the shaft 4 and is embraced by a strap or clip 13 which is jointed to
the valve f. The rotation of the shaft 4 will cause the valves f. r, to be traversed to
and fro in the direction of their length. The cylinder c has a space b beyond the
"travel" of the instroke of the piston d and the cylinder el has a space B¹ beyond the
travel" of the instroke of the piston d¹. The spaces B, B', serve at times as will be
hereinafter described to contain compressed mixtures of gas and air. The
cranks a', a are so arranged that when the piston das completed or about com-
pleted its outstroke the piston d will have completed or about completed its instroke.
The arrow X indicates the direction in which the crank shaft a is rotating.
According to the positions in which the parts are indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,1
of the accompanying drawings the piston d has completed its inward stroke and the
piston has completed its outward stroke. A further rotation of the crank shaft a
will cause the piston d to be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D) and the
piston d to be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow E. While the piston dis
travelling on its outward stroke a charge of gas and air will be drawn through the
portg and through suitable ports or openings formed in the valve into the cylinder c
until the piston d has completed its outward stroke. During the time the piston d¹ is,
performing its first inward stroke and the piston d is performing its first outward
stroke, the valve n is closed so that there is no communication between the cylinder c
and the cylinder el and during such time the piston d' will be expelling from the
cylinder the contents of the working portion of such cylinder c through the exhaust
valve w which is acted upon by the cam 7 operating the lever 1 by the rotation of the.
shaft 4. The valve n is then opened by the cam 6 operating the lever thus opening.
a communication between the cylinder c and the cylinder c. A further rotation of
the crank shaft a will cause the piston d to move in a direction opposite to that indicated.
by the arrow D and the piston d¹ to move in a direction opposite to that indicated.
by the arrow E until the piston d has performed about one half of its instroke and the
piston d has performed about half of its outstroke. Such movements of the pistons d, d¹
will have caused about one half of the charge of gas and air previously drawn into the
first cylinder c to be transferred to the cylinder e through the communication o.
connecting the two cylinders c and c'. The valve n now closes and shuts off the
interior of the cylinder c from the interior of the cylinder c¹. A continued movement
of the piston d in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow D will:
compress the charge of gas and air remaining in the cylinder c until the piston d.
has completed its inward stroke at or about which time the charge of gas and air in
the cylinder c is ignited by means of suitable igniting apparatus.
At or about this time the piston d' will have completed its outward stroke and the
charge of gas and air in the cylinder will have increased in volume by the induction
of heat from the walls of the cylinder through a partial vacuum being formed or
may be further increased by allowing an additional quantity or charge of gas and
air to be drawn into the cylinder c through the port or passage and through suit.
able passages formed in the valve r or in any other convenient part or by the addition.
of a certain volume of non-combustible vapour through suitable valves and passages
in the cylinder c'.
At or about this time the compressed charge in the cylinder c is ignited as previously.
described and the piston-d will be impelled to the end of its outward stroke in the.
direction indicated by the arrow D.
The inward movement of the piston d¹ in the direction indicated by the arrow E.
will compress the charge of gas and air until the said piston d' has arrived at or.
about at the end of its inward stroke, when the said charge of gas and air is ignited.

page_text: by means of suitable igniting apparatus. At or about this time the piston d of the
first cylinder c. will have arrived at or about at the end of its second outward stroke
and by its next inward stroke in the direction opposite to that indicated by the
arrow D, the gaseous products of the previous explosion will be expelled from the
cylinder c through the exhaust valve 7 and passage m and the next outward stroke
of the piston d in the direction indicated by the arrow D will draw in a fresh charge
of gas and air when the second inward stroke of the piston d has been completed the
piston d' will have arrived at or about at the end of its outward working stroke in the
direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow E and by the third inward stroke
will expel from the cylinder c¹ the gaseous products of combustion arising from the
previous explosion, such gaseous products of combustion being expelled through the
exhaust valve w and passage x. The next outward stroke of the piston d' will draw
in a fresh charge of gas and air from the cylinder c as previously described.
I regulate or control the motor-engine by means of a governor of any suitable
construction, such governor controlling by means of suitable apparatus a quantity of
gas to be admitted to the cylinder c or to regulate or control the motor-engine I
employ a governor of any suitable construction so arranged that should the motor-
engine run ""above" its normal speed the supply of gas is entirely shut off from
the engine, and air or other non-combustible fluid alone is caused to be drawn into the
cylinders.
66
Instead of employing two cylinders as previously described I can cause the
same cycle of operations to be performed in one cylinder, by employing a cylinder
closed at both ends with a space at each end for containing the combustible
charge.
7
The two ends of the cylinder are connected by a suitable passage-or-suitable
passages provided with a suitable valve or suitable valves, each end of the cylinder
being provided with suitable igniting apparatus and exhaust valves and openings and
other necessary parts. I provide the piston employed in such cylinder with a piston
rod which passes through a gland or stuffing-box with which one end of the cylinder
is provided and is connected to the crank shaft in any suitable manner..
'
This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 5. 14 is a cylinder mounted upon a bed or
frame 15. 16 is a crank shaft supported by and capable of being rotated in bearings
formed on the bed or frame 15. The crank 16 a of the crank shaft 16 is connected
by a connecting rod 17 to a piston rod 18 passing through a stuffing box or gland 19
formed on the cylinder 14 the piston rod 18 is connected to a piston 20. At opposite
ends of the cylinder 14 beyond the "travel" of the piston 20 I form spaces 14 a, 14 b,
for containing the combustible charge of gas and air when compressed. The two
ends of the cylinder are connected by means of a suitable passage 21 provided with a
suitable valve 22 or suitable valves. The end 14 c of the cylinder 14 is provided with
a suitable valve 23 for admitting gas and air to the cylinder 14. The cylinder 14 is
also provided with exhaust valves 24, 25. According to the position in which the
piston 20 is indicated in Fig. 5 a charge of gas and air has been drawn into the
end 14 c of the cylinder 14. through the valve 23 and port 26. The valve 23 is then
moved to close the port 26. The movement of the piston 20 in the direction indicated
by the arrow will cause a portion of the charge of gas and air to be transferred
through the passage 21 from the end 14 c of the cylinder 14 to the end 14d thereof
the valve 22 having been opened for this purpose. When the piston 20 has performed
one half or about one half of the stroke in the direction indicated by the arrow R the
valve 22 is closed so as to shut off communication between the end 14c and the
end 14 d of the cylinder 14. A further movement of the piston 20 in the direction
indicated by the arrow R will compress the remaining portion of the charge of gas and
air into the space 14 b at the end 14c of the cylinder 14. When the piston 20 has completed
or about completed its stroke in the direction indicated by the arrow R the compressed
charge of gas and air is ignited and will impel the piston 20 in a direction opposite
to that indicated by the arrow R. This movement of the piston 20 will compress in
the space 14 a at the end 14 d of the cylinder 14 the gas and air previously transferred
from the end 14 c of the cylinder 14 to the end 14d thereof.. When the piston 20

page_text: has arrived at the end or about at the end of its stroke in the direction opposite to
that indicated by the arrow R the mixture of gas and air at the end 14d of the
cylinder 14 is ignited and will impel the piston 20 in the direction indicated by the
arrow R. The movement of the piston 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow R
will expel the gaseous products of the previous explosion from the end 14c of the
cylinder 14 through the exhaust valve 25 which is opened for the purpose. During
the next stroke of the piston 20 in the direction opposite to that indicated by the
arrow Ra fresh charge of gas and air will be drawn into the end 14c of the
cylinder 14 through the valve 23 and port 26 and the gaseous products of the explosion
in the end 14d of the cylinder 14 will be expelled from such end 14d of the
cylinder 14 through the exhaust valve 24 which is opened for the 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
1. In motor engines of the kind hereinbefore referred to, obtaining out of a charge
of explosive mixture a greater expansion after explosion and thus utilizing to a
greater extent than has hitherto been done the heat given off by the combustion.
2. In motor-engines of the kind hereinbefore referred to, dividing in the manner
hercinbefore described a charge of explosive mixture before ignition and utilizing
the power given off after explosion either on two pistons or on opposite sides of the
same piston.
3. In a single cylinder motor-engine of the kind hereinbefore referred to wherein
an explosion is obtained every other revolution compressing and exploding a less
volume of explosive mixture than the volume displaced by the movement of the
piston.
4. The combination and arrangement of the parts for the purposes and substan-
tially as hereinbefore described in reference to and indicated in and by the
accompanying drawings.
Mh 1000
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Manchester,
Agent to the Applicant.