IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Grantley Beechey, of Hilgay, in the County of
Norfolk, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR
ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Grantley Beechey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th October 1880.
CHARLES GRANTLEY BEECHEY, of Hilgay, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES."
"
My Invention consists of improvements in gas motor engines, and its object is
chiefly to so construct the engines that the amount of gas and air expended at
each explosion is automatically dependent upon the work the engine is doing.
With this object I govern the engine and regulate the force of each explosion in
proportion to the load by automatically closing the exhaust valve at any per
centage of the exhaust or return stroke by a cam or other suitable device operated
by a governor; by this means there is a greater or less amount of compressed
exhaust products in the explosion chamber when the inlet port opens to allow
the explosive mixture to enter, so that a less or greater amount of the explosive
mixture is admitted to the chamber, therefore the force of the explosion is less or
greater. I also regulate the amount of gas and air drawn into the compression
pump in proportion to the load on the engine, and thereby prevent the mixture in
the receiver or storage chamber, into which it is forced by the pump, and from
which the explosion chamber is supplied, attaining too great a pressure when the
load is light and less of the mixture is required for each explosion. To effect this
regulation I leave a space equal in capacity to about or th the capacity of the
pump between the pump piston and the delivery valve; this space may conveniently
be obtained by forming a recess in the piston itself.
Its object and effect are to allow the mixture of gas and air to be compressed
therein without opening the delivery valve when the pressure in the receiver is
equal to that in the pump. In this case the gases in the pump would re-expand
during the whole of the return stroke of the piston, and as thus no vacuum would
be formed no fresh supply of gas and air would be drawn into the pump. The
amount of the mixture left in the said space at each outward stroke, and the

page_text: amount drawn in during the next inward stroke depend, in fact, upon the pressure
in the receiver. The whole arrangement is, therefore, such that the amount of
power the engine gives off depends upon the amount of compressed exhaust
products left in the explosion chamber, which amount regulates the amount of
explosive mixture which enters the explosion chamber from the receiver; the
pressure in the receiver depends in its turn upon the amount which escapes from it
into the explosion chamber, and the amount of gas and air drawn into the
compression pump depends upon the pressure in the receiver, that is to say, the
amount of gas expended is automatically dependent upon the work the engine is
doing. In some cases in connection with the aforesaid space between the piston
and the delivery valve, I arrange for this valve to be automatically closed by a
governor, or otherwise, when the pressure in the receiver attains a given limit.
Gas motor engines constructed as above described may have their charge of gas
exploded in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to explode it by means of a
burner supplied with gas and air from the receiver which supplies the explosion
chamber, or from other source of supply at equal or greater pressure, so that the
burner is not liable to be extinguished by the pressure of the gas in the said
chamber before the explosion takes places. The burner is extinguished by the
explosion, but is relighted by a master burner. The exploding burner may either
be stationary or be carried in the slide valve which regulates the admission of the
gas to the explosion chamber. When it is stationary I place it in a small chamber
in a plate behind the slide valve, and I provide holes or passages in the slide valve
which, at the proper time, communicate between this small chamber and the port
leading to the explosion chamber. When the exploding burner is carried in the
slide valve I arrange the ports or passages so that just previous to the explosion
taking place the supply of the gaseous mixture to the burner is changed from the
receiver to the explosion chamber.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Grantley Becchey in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th April 1881.
CHARLES GRANTLEY BEECHEY, of Hilgay, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES,"
My Invention consists of improvements in gas motor engines, and its object is
chiefly to so construct the engines that the amount of gas and air expended at
each explosion is automatically dependent upon the work the engine is doing.
With this object I govern the engine and regulate the force of each explosion
in proportion to the load by automatically closing the exhaust valve at any per-
centage of the exhaust or return stroke by a cam or other suitable device operated
by a governor; by this means there is a greater or less amount of compressed
exhaust products in the explosion chamber when the inlet port opens to allow the
explosive mixture to enter, so that a less or greater amount of the explosive
mixture is admitted to the chamber; therefore the force of the explosion is less or
greater, and an explosion is ensured at every outward stroke of the piston, and the
engine works with great regularity. I also regulate the amount of gas and air
drawn into the compression pump in proportion to the load on the engine, and
thereby prevent the mixture in the receiver or storage chamber, into which it is
forced by the pump and from which the explosion chamber is supplied, attaining
too great a pressure when the load is light and less of the mixture is required for
each explosion. To effect this regulation I leave a space equal in capacity to
about or the capacity of the pump between the pump piston and the
delivery valve; this space may conveniently be obtained by forming a recess in
the piston itself. Its object and effect are to allow the mixture of gas and air to be
compressed therein without opening the delivery valve when the pressure in the
receiver is equal to that in the pump. In this case the gases in the pump would
re-expand during the whole of the return stroke of the piston, and as thus no
vacuum would be formed no fresh supply of gas and air would be drawn into the
pump. The amount of the mixture loft in the said space at each outward stroke,
and the amount drawn in during the next inward stroke, depend in fact upon the
pressure in the receiver. The whole arrangement is therefore such that the amount
of power the engine gives off depends upon the amount of compressed exhaust
products left in the explosion chamber, which amount regulates the amount of
explosive mixture which enters the explosion chamber from the receiver; the
pressure in the receiver depends in its turn upon the amount which escapes from it
into the explosion chamber, and the amount of gas and air drawn into the com-
pression pump depends upon the pressure in the receiver, that is to say, the
amount of gas expended is automatically dependent upon the work the engine is
doing.
Or I regulate the amount of gas and air drawn into the compression pump in
proportion to the load on the engine by automatically opening the valve between
the pump and the receiver by means of the governor each time the exhaust valve
is closed at an early period of the stroke, as already described, so that as a smaller
quantity of the explosive mixture is admitted into the explosion chamber from the
receiver, some of the mixture may return from the receiver to the pump, and a
correspondingly smaller amount of air and gas therefore be drawn into the pump
through the usual inlets. The mixture in the receiver is thus prevented attaining
too high a pressure when the load is light, and less of the mixture is expended for
each explosion.
Gas motor engines constructed as above described may have their charge of gas
exploded in any suitable manner. I prefer, however to, explode it by means of a

page_text: burner (or burners) supplied with gas and air from the receiver which supplies
the explosion chamber or from other source of supply at equal or greater pressure,
so that the burner is not liable to be extinguished by the pressure of the gas in the
said chamber before the explosion takes place. The burner is extinguished by
the explosion, but is relighted by a master burner. The exploding burner may
either be stationary or be carried in the slide valve, which regulates the admission
of the gas to the explosion chamber.
The explosion cylinder and the compression pump may be made either as one
cylinder or as two independent cylinders, as desired.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section (part elevation)
of a gas motor engine, with a single cylinder serving the double purpose of
explosion cylinder and compression pump, and in which in order to regulate the
amount of gas and air drawn into the pump in proportion to the load, a space or
recess is formed in the piston as before described equal in capacity to about 4th the
capacity of the pump.
A, B, is the cylinder, the part A constituting the explosion cylinder, and the part B
the compression pump; C is the piston of both the cylinder A and the pump B;
C is the space or recess formed in this piston as above explained; D is a valve
box or clack box, fitted with a double or gas and air inlet valve (not shown), and
also with an outlet or delivery valve E. These valves, the arrangement of which will
be well understood, both act in connection with the front or gland end of the pump
cylinder B. F is the receiver or reservoir in which the compressed mixture is
stored; G is the port which conveys the compressed mixture from the receiver F to
the explosion chamber; H is the explosion chamber; I is the slide valve; J, the
inlet port in the same; K is a plate behind the slide valve; L, a small chamber in
this plate; M, the exploding burner placed in the chamber L This burner is
supplied with gas and air from the receiver F, so that being supplied at the same
pressure as the chamber H, the liability of it being extinguished by the pressure of
the gas in the chamber H before the explosion takes place is considerably reduced.
Or instead of the burner being placed in a chamber in a plate behind the slide
valve, as just described, it may be fixed in any other suitable stationary part, for
example, in a plate between the cylinder facing and the valve, as shewn in
Figure 9, and there may be one or two burners as the arrangement of the engine
may require. N is a master burner for relighting the burner M after it has been
extinguished by the explosion; O, O, is a chimney. The valve I in addition to the
port J is formed with two small ports P, P, (as seen in Figure 2, which is a plan
view of the valve and other parts), which at the proper time open cominunication
with the explosion chamber H and the light chamber L, as will be well understood.
The valve I is also formed at its back with two slots or grooves Q, Q, which at
each stroke of the valve pass over the light chamber L, and make a through
communication with the chimney O, thus enabling the master light to re-ignite the
explosion burner M.
The action of the engine so far as the pump B and receiver F are concerned is as
follows: When the receiver F supplies a normal amount of the explosive mixture
to the explosion chamber H, the pump B in the next outward stroke forces a
normal amount of the mixture into the receiver, and in the next return stroke
draws in a normal amount of air and gas through the inlet valve in the box D.
But when through the early closing of the exhaust, as will be more fully described
with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the receiver F supplies a less amount of the
mixture to the explosion chamber, a portion of the mixture drawn into the
pump B in the previous return stroke becomes in the next outward stroke
compressed in the space or recess C¹; therefore in the next following return stroko
the mixture compressed in this space will re-expand, and a correspondingly less
amount of gas and air will be drawn into the pump through the inlet valves.
I now proceed to describe with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the
manner in which I regulate the force of each explosion in proportion to the
lead by automatically closing the exhaust valve at any percentage of the

page_text: return stroke by a cam or cams operated by a governor, so that there may be
a greater or less amount of compressed exhaust products in the explosion chamber
when the inlet port opens to allow the explosive mixture to enter; Figure 3 is an
elevation of an engine with this automatic arrangement applied thereto; Figure 4 is
a horizontal section, and Figure 5 an end elevation partly in section. In this engine
the explosion cylinder A and the compression pump B are two independent
cylinders with their pistons connected by a rod passing through a gland or stuffing
box as shown; it will however be understood that the regulating apparatus can be
equally applied to the engine shewn in Figure 1. a is a governor of ordinary
construction actuating a lover b which has a pin or arm c taking between the
flanges or rings d, d, on a sleeve e; this sleeve is free to be moved along a rod f
and carries a tapered or conical runner i. The rod f is connected to the lever g
which operates the exhaust valve h. On the shaft i is a stepped (or it may be
a tapered) cam or cams k. In accordance with the action of the governor the
sleeve e is moved in the one direction or the other along the rod f, so that the
runner is freed sooner or later by the cam k and therefore the exhaust his closed
sooner or later. The result of this is that a greater or less amount of the exhaust
products is unable to exhaust from the explosion chamber H, and therefore a less or
greater amount of explosive mixture can enter this chamber for the next explosion.
It is obvious that various other mechanical arrangements for operating the exhaust
from the engine governor for the purpose described may be adopted, but I have
found the arrangement described to answer well.
Figures 3, 4, and 5, also show how I employ the governor to open the valve E
between the pump B and the receiver F, as already herein explained, so as to
regulate the amount of gas and air drawn into the pump in proportion to the load
on the engine, and to the am t of explosive mixture admitted to the explosion
chamber, as also regulated by the governor. On the shaft i is another stepped (or
tapered) cam or cams 7 (see Figure 4 and also Figure 6, which is a section of the
pump B and inlet and outlet valves), and on a lever m which operates the valve E
between the pump B and the receiver F (Figure 3) I fit a sleeve n with runner o
and rings p, p, like those used in connection with the exhaust h. An arm which
takes between the rings p, p, is connected with the arm c, which is operated by the
governor a as already described. Thus when the governor opens the valve E each
time the exhaust valve h is closed at an early period of the stroke, and a smaller
quantity of the explosive mixture passes from the receiver to the explosion chamber;
at the next outward stroke some of the mixture in the receiver will return through
the valve E to the pump, and the receiver is thereby prevented attaining too high
a pressure when the load is light, and less of the mixture is expended for euch
explosion. The arrangement of the slide valve ports and exploding lights in the
engine represented in Figures 3 to 6 will be understood without further description ;
I will merely remark as the engine is arranged to run 2 to 1 there is an explosion
at each movement of the slide valve, and that there are therefore two exploding
lights and two master burners, as shewn.
I have already stated that in my engines I explode the mixture or charge by a
burner supplied with gas and air from the receivor which supplies the explosion
chamber, or from other source of supply at equal or greater pressure, so that the
burner is not liable to be extinguished by the pressure of the gas in the chamber
before the explosion takes place; and in the engine shewn in Figure 1 the burner
is supplied with gas and air from the receiver, and therefore at a pressure equal to
that in the chamber. I will now describe a method or arrangement by which the
burner or burners at the time they come into connection with the explosion chamber
are supplied with the mixture of gas and air at a greater pressure than that in the
chamber, whereby the liability of the light being extinguished before the explosion
is still further reduced. This arrangement is represented in Figures 7 and 8,
Figure 7 being a horizontal section, and Figure 8 a vertical section through the
chamber which supplies the exploding burners. a is the said chamber, which is
supplied from the receiver or from an independent source through the pipe or

page_text: inlet 6; c is a back pressure valve to prevent the return of the explosive mixture
from the chamber a. Supposing the explosion chamber H to be supplied from the
same receiver or source as the chamber a, the pressure in the latter will not,
because of the back pressure valve, be reduced when the pressure in the receiver
diminishes, owing to the passage of some of the mixture therefrom into the
explosion chamber. In order with this. arrangement to reduce the flame of the
exploding burners, except at the time of the explosion, and therefore avoid unne-
cessary heating of the slide valve, I connect with each of the ports d, d, leading to
the exploding lights a way e, which I throttle to any desired extent by means of a
screw pin f. The way e communicates by means of a way g with a channel h in
the slide cover. Thus the igniting mixture passes through the throttled way e,
way g, and channel h and way i to the burner, and the flame is small until by the
movement of the slide valve the way i is brought opposite the way d, when the
igniting mixture has free passage directly to the burner, and the flame therefore
increases sufficiently to ensure the ignition of the charge in the explosion
chamber.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim,―
First: Constructing gas motor engines in such manner that the force of the
explosions is regulated in proportion to the load, by automatically closing the
exhaust valve at any percentage of the exhaust or return stroke by a cam or other
suitable device operated by a governor, so that as a greater or less amount of
exhaust products remains in the explosion chamber a less or greater amount of
explosive mixture is admitted thereto, and the force of the explosion is less
or greater, substantially as herein before described.
Second. In combination with the automatic closing of the exhaust valve by
means of a governor at any percentage of the exhaust stroke for the purpose set
forth, I claim providing the engine with an arrangement or means for regulating
the amount of gas and air drawn into the compression pump in proportion to the
amount taken by the explosion chamber from the receiver, and thereby preventing
the mixture in the receiver attaining too great a pressure, substantially as herein-
before described.
the
Third. In a gas motor engine I claim providing a space in the piston or between
pump, piston, and the delivery valve, in which space when the pressure in the
receiver is equal to that in the pump the mixture of gas and air becomes com-
pressed, the compressed mixture re-expanding in the pump during the return
stroke of the piston, and thus limiting the amount of gas and air drawn into
the pump in this stroke, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Fourth. In a gas motor engine I claim the employment of a stationary exploding
burner or stationary exploding burners supplied with gas or gas and air at a
pressure equal to or greater than the pressure of the compressed mixture in the
explosion chamber, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Fifth. In a gas motor engine I clain the arrangement hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 7 and 8, by means of which the exploding burner or
burners at the time they come into connection with the explosion chamber are
supplied with gas and air at a greater pressure than that in the said chamber,
substantially as and for the purpose explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Grantley Becchey, have herounto set
my hand and scal, this Sixteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one
CHAS. G. BEECHEY. (L.S.)