Improved Regulator for Petroleum and other Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1900-Aooepted, 23rd June, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improved Regulator for Petroleum and other Motors.
I, HENRI MARIE LÉON CROUAN, of 51, Avenue de la Grande Armee, Paris,
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be aя
follows:
-
This invention relates to motors operated by gas and petroleum or the like
and has special reference to a regulator adapted to constantly proportionate the
explosive force or motive energy to the resistance to be overcome by the motor
within determined limits of speed which can be regulated as desired.
In consequence of the motor not being required to run at a constant speed,
it will also become necessary, if ignition by electricity be employed, to cause
the parts causing the ignition to advance for such purpose in a manner which
shall so vary that the advance at any given moment shall be that which is best
suited to the speed of the motor at that moment.
The regulator is mounted on the wheel of the motor which controls the
throttle or admission valves, and makes one revolution for two revolutions of
the motor. It is composed of two weights mounted at the ends of the two arms
of a lever capable of oscillating about two bearings.
Under the action of centrifugal force the regulator tends to assume a position
crosswise of the axis about which the wheel on which it is mounted turns, in
this movement it presses against a forked rod capable of oscillating about a
small axis secured to the rim of the said wheel, and moving by its fork a sleeve
sliding on the spindle of the said wheel and which tends to move forward a spiral
spring arranged on this spindle, so that, to each. speed of the motor there will
thus correspond an appropriate position of the sleeve. The sleeve controls a
three armed lever capable of oscillating about an axis and which follows the
movement of the sleeve. This lever, of which the first arm is actuated by the
sleeve carries threaded on its two other arms, which are cylindrical, two tubes
provided at one of their ends with two small arms united together by a cross-
piece which, at its middle, forms a disk and is controlled by a rod.
This rod thus causes the two said tubes to turn together on the lever arms,
where they are fitted, in one direction or the other, according to the move-
ment given to it, or well secure the position of the tubes on the lever when it
is itself fixed. The outer end of one of the tubes carries a small arm provided
with a disk and united to the arm of the admission valve which regulates the
introduction of the detonating or explosive mixture to the motor, by means of
a rod which is secured by one of its ends to the said arm of the admission valve,
and of which the other end slides in said rod, which is connected by a spiral
spring to the part of the rod secured to the arm of the valve. The angle of
oscillation of the valve is regulated by stops.
The outer end of the second of the said tubes carries a small disk arm con-
trolled by a rod, an electric contact piece of which the end is connected to the
rest of the contact piece by an insulating piece of material in such a manner
that the current which passes to a fixed plate on the outer or end part, only
passes into the motor when this end of the contact comes against metallic parts
mounted on an insulated piece on the wheel on which the apparatus is placed,
these parts being electrically connected with the body of the motor.
Each of

page_text: these pieces is followed by a number of small plates independent of one another
and also of the said pieces and connected by a fine wire of variable length.
Thus, between one of the said pieces and the plate which immediately follows
it there is a short wire, between this plate and the next a longer wire, and so
on, so that an increasing resistance is interposed in the circuit according as
contact is made with one of the pieces or with one of the plates more or less
distant from it.
The said pieces are of such form that the circuit is made with so much of
the interposed resistance as will correspond with the position occupied by the
contact piece and which depends on the speed of rotation.
For slow speed and little power, the controlling rod is drawn on, and the two
parts of the rod in connection with the arm of the admission valve are in contact
without displacing the 3 armed lever, as soon as the regulator moves, the valve
tends to close and the movement of the motor continues slowly.
For medium speed, the controlling rod is pushed and there is a certain separa-
tion or widening between the two parts of the connecting rod which necessi
tates the motor working at a higher speed than in the first case to close the
valve.
For full speed, the rod is pushed sufficiently so that the regulator whatever
be its position cannot bring in contact the two parts of the connecting rod
with the arm of the valve, so that the regulator will cease to have any further
action and the speed will not be further limited.
Dated this 19th dex of July
1800
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
CALLIED MULTIUATION.
Improved Regulator for Petroleum and other Motors.
I, HENRY MARIE LÉON CROCAN, of 51, Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris,
· France, 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:-
My invention relates to gas or petroleum engines and has more particular
reference to regulators for such engines capable of controlling, at any moment,
the force of the explosion, in order to produce the required power and to suit-
ably limit the rate of speed of the engine.
As it follows from the aforegoing statement, that the engine cannot work
at a constant rate of speed, this engine must, furthermore, be provided with a
device allowing of modifying the moment of igniting, in such a manner that
the ignition of the explosive mixture always takes place at the moment which
will be the most convenient for the speed of the engine.
In order that my invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, in which like letters of reference
denote similar parts.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1, is a broken side elevation of an engine, provided with my improved
device; and
Fig. 2, is a plan view of same, with parts shown in section.
The regulator, contemplated by the present invention, is mounted on the
wheel of the engine actuating the inlet valves of same and said regulator is
arranged to make one revolution for two revolutions of the engine."

page_text: My improved regulator is essentially composed of two weights, indicated by
reference letter I) in the accompanying drawing, said weights being mounted
on the ends of two arms, adapted to turn around two journals s.
By the action of centrifugal force, this regulator tends to get upright and to
be placed across the shaft q, around which revolves the wheel R mounted thereon,
whereby it presses upon a yoke link, turning around and carrying with it
the sliding sleeve m said sleeve being under the action of the coil spring K.
It follows from this arrangement that to each rate of speed of the engine will
correspond a determined position of the sleeve m.
The latter actuates a three armed lever 7 turning around a journal S and
following the movement of sleeve m. Said three armed lever 1, one branch of
which is actuated by sleeve m, carries two tubes and, fitted over its two
other cylindrical branches, said tubes and being provided, at their adjacent
ends, with two crank arms and respectively, connected by a brace h, to
which is pivotally secured an operating lever Tand it follows from this con-
struction that said operating lever T will cause said tubes and r to revolve
together in either direction according to the motion imparted to the same, or
will lock said tubes on the three armed lever 1, when at rest and locked itself.
The opposite end of tuber carries a small arm, mechanically connected with
the arm J of valve H, controlling the admission of the explosive mixture
through the intermediary of a slotted rod y, the central slot of which receives
the branch z telescoped, therein and connected with army by a spring or its
equivalent g. The movement of inlet valve H is controlled by suitable stops.
The opposite end of tube carries a small arm operating by means of the
rod, the electric contact piece c, the part of which is connected therewith
by an intermediary a of insulating material, in such a manner that the current
at the terminal will only pass through the engine when the end of the contact
piece contacts with the metallic parts C or C (mounted on an intermediary F
of insulating material and secured to wheel R) electrically connected with the
body of the engine.
On the side of each metallic part C C₁, there is a plurality of small parts r, rl
,, independent of one another and of the parts CC, but connected with one
another and with the parts C C¹ by means of very thin but strong wires, the
length of which is variable.
Thus between the part C and the part r, there is a thin and very short wire ;
between and there is another longer wire and so on, so that a gradually
increased resistance will be inserted into the circuit, according as the contact
takes place on C, r, 1, 2, 3, pot
The metallic parts C and C are suitably shaped so that the circuit may be
closed at the desired moment, in accordance with the position of the contact
piece depending on the speed of the engine.
There are two parts C and C¹ closing the current, because the wheel R makes
but one revolution for two revolutions of the engine and because there must
be one ignition at each revolution of the engine either for one cylinder or the
other, provided that the engine has two cylinders, with one explosion at each
revolution.
The movement of the rod T has practically no effect on the rod actuating
the electric current, because the travel of the arm end, to which said rod is con-
nected, is nearly nil. The igniter I use is the subject of the British Patent
No. 25,582-1897 and therefore I deem it unnecessary to add further descrip-
tion of it here. The contact-breaker which serves both to close and to break
the current, at the required moments, is placed in a weak current derived from
an ordinary or a storage battery. The sliding contact-piece t secured at the
end of the spring blade and connected by a wire f with one of the terminals
of the battery, closes the circuit when it comes into contact with the metallic
part C or C of the contact-breaker, said contact-breaker being in contact with
the body of the motor, which is, in turn, connected with the other terminal of the

page_text: battery. As an induction coil is inserted in the circuit of the battery, and as this
coil is connected with the igniter above mentioned, immediately the current is
established an electric spark is produced on the igniter, which is screwed to the
bottom of the cylinder and the mixture is thereupon ignited.
When the sliding contact leaves the contact Cor C, the circuit is open, as
the whole of part F of the contact-breaker is formed of insulating material, or
else it is insulated. The circuit being open, the coil no longer generates an
induced current and the igniter produces no spark.
The object of the resistances r,,,, is as follows-
When an electric current is suddenly interrupted, a spark is produced which
has an injurious and deteriorating effect on the metal, consequently the contact C
and C, were it not for the resistances I provide, would soon become inoperative.
Instead of abruptly breaking the current, it is gradually weakened by the
insertion of 5 or 6-resistances, each stronger than the one immediately preceding
it, the current, say of 3 amperes, being thus reduced first to 2, then to 2,
then 1 and so on until it is entirely broken. There will still be the extra break-
current but it will be of such small intensity. that no spark will be produced and
there will consequently be no wearing away of the metal, or deterioration of the
metallic contacts.
With this object in view, the resistance plates r, r³, 72, 13, 14, are connected, the
first plate with the principal contact C or C¹, the second with the first and so on,
cach plate being connected with the preceding one, by means of a German silver
or white metal wire, of such length and strength that the current will, each time,
be diminished proportionately to the number of plates, thereby avoiding the
spark and preserving the contacts from injury.
My improved engine will operate as follows:--First I will consider three
principal rates of speed, it being well understood that the intermediary rates of
speed may be obtained by a corresponding movement of the rod T.
1. Low SPEED.
I pull the operating lever T in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1), whereby the
rody will be thrown into contact with the part 2, without removing the three-
armed lever 1.
With the last movement of the regulator, the inlet valve tends to be shut and
the engine will therefore revolve at a very low rate of speed. If I desire a still
lower rate of speed, I have but to pull said operating lever T still further and
the inlet valve will almost be shut before the beginning of the action of the
regulator; as soon as the latter operates, said inlet valve will be completely shut
and the speed of the engine will be as low as possible.
2. NORMAL SPEED.
In order to obtain a normal rate of speed, I push the operating lever T back
in such a manner that there will be a suitable distance between the parts y
and z.
The regulator therefore must first move back said operating lever (to
compensate said distance between y and 2) before acting upon the inlet valve,
and consequently the engine will revolve at a higher rate of speed before causing
the inlet valve to be shut.
3. HIGH SPEED.
If it is desired to obtain the maximum of speed, the operating lever T has but
to be pushed back sufficiently so that the regulator in either position cannot
cause the rod y to contact with z. Said regulator will therefore no longer act
upon the inlet valve and the speed of the engine will not be limited.
The contact piece being removed by the operating rod T acting upon the
tube e, independently of the movement imparted thereto by the regulator, causes
the moment of ignition to be modified in accordance with the opening of the
inlet valve, that is, in accordance with the quantity of fresh explosive mixture
to be introduced. This variable quantity of fresh explosive mixture will form,

page_text: with the constant quantity of consumed mixture remaining within the cylinder
after each stroke of the piston, an explosive mixture of variable combustibility;
the moment of ignition must therefore vary with the degree of said mixture and
said ignition must take place so much the faster as the explosive mixture is
weaker. This will be effected by the relative movement of tube v, whereby the
explosive mixture will be ignited, in accordance with the degree of combustibility
thereof with regard to the moment of ignition.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise construc-
tion and arrangement of the parts, as shown in the accompanying drawings, so
long as the peculiar features of my invention be retained."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. In a regulator for gas or petroleum engines, the combination with an inlet
valve operating wheel, of means for controlling at each moment, the ignition of
the explosive mixture in accordance with the speed of the engine.
2. In a regulator for gas or petroleum engines, an inlet valve operating wheel
in combination with a weighted lever, a sliding sleeve fitted over the shaft of
said wheel, a controlling spring for said sleeve, a journaled yoke link and means
connecting said sleeve with the inlet valve of the engine and allowing said inlet
valve to be shut at a determined moment, substantially as described and for the
purpose set forth.
3. In a regulator for gas or petroleum engines, a valve operating wheel in
combination with a weighted lever, a sleeve connected therewith and fitted over
the shaft of said wheel, a controlling spring, a yoke link, a three armed lever
mechanically connected with inlet valve of the engine, a tubular sleeve . fitted
over one branch of said lever, a rod pivotally attached to said tubular sleeve
and provided with a central slot, a second rod adapted to extend into the former
and connected with the stem of the inlet valve, a suitable, spring, or its equiva-
lent, connecting said rods, and means for allowing the position of said tubular
sleeve to be determined by hand, at will, substantially as described and for
the purpose set forth.
4. In a speed regulating device for gas or petroleum engines, the inlet valve
regulating wheel, the weighted lever, the sliding sleeve actuated thereby and
mounted on the shaft of said wheel, the controlling spring, the yoke link in
combination with a two-armed lever, adapted to turn around journal S and
carrying a tubular sleeve a, provided with a crank arm, a rod y pivoted thereon,
a second rod z suitably connected with the former and with the inlet valve, sub-
stantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a speed regulator for gas or petroleum engines, the combination with
means for automatically regulating the introduction of the explosive mixture
into the cylinder of the engine and for controlling the ignition of said explosive
mixture.
6. In a speed regulator for gas or petroleum engines, the combination, with
an inlet valve operating wheel, of a suitable lever mechanically connected there-
with and carrying a tubular sleeve, fitted over one of its branches a connecting
rod pivotally attached thereto and actuating the contact piece of the igniting
device, and the arrangement of a series of contacts adapted to offer a gradually
increased resistance to the electric current, substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.