IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES WILDEN KING Engineer of Southport in the county of Lancaster
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR
ENGINES to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the simplification of Gas engines and increased
economy in working by the employment of a higher piston speed and consequently
a more rapid expansion of the combustible charge when fired.
In carrying out my invention I employ a fixed cylinder in which moves another
cylinder turned & fitted into the fixed cylinder as a piston.
The interior of the moving cylinder is bored & fitted with a piston
will call the trunk piston.
which we
The moving cylinder has an end cast in and it is coupled to the crank shaft by
a connecting rod or rods. The trunk.piston which works in the sliding cylinder is
coupled to a crank set opposite to the crank to which is coupled the moving
cylinder so that during one half of the revolution of the crank shaft the two pistons
are advancing towards each other while during the remaining half of the revolution
they are receeding from each other, the action being as follows: When the crank of
the moving cylinder is making its outward stroke, the crank of the trunk piston is
making its inward stroke and the capacity between the end of the moving cylinder
and the trunk piston is diminishing and when the cranks pass the centre at the
moment of firing and during expansion the motion is reversed and the crank of the
moving cylinder is then making its inward stroke while the crank of the trunk
piston is making its outward stroke and the capacity between the end of the
moving cylinder and the trunk piston is increasing.
Connected to the moving cylinder and in the same line we employ a piston
of larger diameter than the trunk piston which works in a fixed cylinder and in
which it produces a vacuum during the instroke or power stroke of the moving
cylinder In the moving cylinder, the fixed cylinder and the trunk piston are
ports arranged circumferentially and so situated that the relative movements of the
cylinder & piston perform their various functions of exhausting the products of
combustion, producing a vacuum between the end of the moving cylinder and, the
trunk piston, and drawing in the new charge.
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page_text: The operation of the engine is as follows, assuming the moving cylinder end and
the trunk piston to be at that part of their stroke at which they approach nearest
to each other and that a charge of combustible mixture is compressed between them
the charge is fired by an opening in the moving cylinder coming opposite to an
incandescent tube fitted to the outside of the fixed cylinder and heated by a Bunsen
or other powerful burner. The cylinder end and the trunk piston move from each
other by the explosion and the gases expanding until the moving cylinder brings a
port into communication with the terminal pressure or exhaust port The pressure
between the moving cylinder end and the trunk piston is thus reduced to that or
nearly that of the atmosphere and the further travel of the piston brings other
ports situated at either end of the fixed cylinder simultaneously into communication
with the vacuum cylinder and the admission ports A vacuum being thus established
in the working cylinder between the moving cylinder end and the trunk piston the
new combustible charge is drawn in through the admission ports and is compressed
by the moving cylinder end and the trunk piston approaching each other such
movement also closing the admission & vacuum ports.
When the moving cylinder end and the trunk piston have arrived at the nearest
point to which they approach. each other, the charge is fired and the moving
cylinder & trunk piston move in opposite directions thus making the power stroke.
The gas is admitted through ports in the fixed cylinder situated close to the air
admission port but so arranged that their relative position to the air port can be
altered so as to admit more or less gas as required I may connect to the firing
tube a pipe which by means of a passage in the moving cylinder will put the
interior of the firing tube into communication with the vacuum at the proper
moment for the purpose of extracting the products of combustion left in the tube
by tlie previous ignition I may water jacket the fixed and moving cylinders
in one arrangement I use the back end of vacuum piston for the purpose of
forcing a circulation of water or I may circulate in the ordinary manner by means
of a tank.
L
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page_text: I, CHARLES WILDEN KING Engineer of Southport in the county of Lancaster
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR
ENGINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object an increased economy in the working of Gas
Engines by the employment of a high piston speed and rapid expansion.
In carrying out my invention I employ a fixed cylinder in which moves another
cylinder turned and fitted into the fixed cylinder as a piston.
The interior of the moving cylinder is bored and fitted with a piston which for
purposes of description I will call the trunk piston.
The moving cylinder has an end cast in and it is coupled to the crank shaft by a
connecting rod or rods. The trunk piston which works in the moving cylinder is
coupled to a crank set opposite to the crank to which is coupled the moving
cylinder so that during one half of the revolution of the crank shaft the two
pistons are advancing towards each other while during the remaining half of the
revolution they are receeding from each other.
In order that my invention and the manner of performing the same may be
better understood reference is made hereafter to the accompanying drawing and to
the letters thereon.
Fig 1 is a side elevation of an engine constructed according to my invention.
Fig 2 is a sectional plan taken through centre line of engine.
In Figs 1 & 2 A A is the fixed cylinder.
B B is the vacuum cylinder or extracting pump.
CC is the moving cylinder bored on the inside & fitted on the outside as
a piston.
D D is the trunk piston which is fitted into the bored part of moving cylinder C.
F F are the exhaust or terminal pressure ports communicating with the
atmosphere by the exhaust pipe G.
HH are annular ports for the admission of the air which enters the cylinder C
when the ports L L in moving cylinder comes opposite to it.
JJ are the ports through which the gas enters also through the ports L L.
K is the regulating cock for the gas supply.
M. M. are the ports in the moving cylinder_C_through which the products of
combustion pass to the terminal pressure ports F. F.
N. N. are the ports by which the vacuum is communicated to the working
cylinder C when the ports M M come opposite to them.
O is the igniter.
i
P is a port through which the compressed charge is ignited.
Referring to Fig the pistons are shewn in the position for ignition and
a compressed charge contained between the moving cylinder end C and the trunk
piston D which are coupled to opposite cranks. The charge is now fired by the
action of the igniter O and the pistons move from each other,

page_text: The expansion between the pistons continues until the ports M M in moving
cylinder C comes opposite the terminal pressure ports F F when the products
of combustion are reduced to atmospheric pressure.
The moving cylinder C still moves on until the ports M M uncover the vacuum
ports N N which puts the interior of the moving cylinder C into communication
with the vacuum thus extracting the remainder of the products of combustion and
drawing in a combustible charge of air and gas through the air and gas supply
ports H H & J J which at this moment are opposite the ports L L leading to the
interior of the cylinder The pistons by the momentum of the engine having
passed the dead centre now move towards each other compressing the combustible
charge until it again assumes the position shewn in drawing when the charge
is ignited and the same cycle of operations takes place One impulse is thus
obtained for every revolution of the crank shaft.
The vacuum piston P (during the time that compression is taking place between
the two pistons) is expelling the products of combustion through a check valve
communicating with the exhaust pipe During the working stroke of engine a
vacuum is being formed in the cylinder B & afterwards used for the purpose
of extracting the products of combustion & drawing in a new charge as described.
The passage to the cylinder from the igniter is controlled by a small conical valve
'opening inwards. This valve which is fitted to the moving cylinder C is opened at
the moment of ignition & a portion of the compressed charge is conveyed to the
incandescent tube contained in the muffle O₁ This tube is heated to a high
temperature by means of a Bunsen or other suitable burner. The igniter may also
be placed on the end of vacuum piston P and travel with it communication between
the interior of the moving cylinder C and the firing tube being controlled by
a small valve which is mechanically opened at the moment of firing.
The moving cylinder C is water jacketted communication being made by means
of suitable ports or by a sliding tube gland or flexible tube..
Lubrication is effected in the ordinary manner the oil passages being arranged so
as to ensure efficient lubrication.
It is obvious that the cylinders may be arranged in positions other than that
shewn in the drawing.
t
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
1st In gas motor engines the arrangement and combination of fixed cylinder A
moving cylinder C, vacuum cylinder B and trunk piston D whereby one impulse is
obtained for every revolution of the crank shaft substantially as described and
shewn in the drawings.
2nd In gas. motor engines the arrangement, and combination of the fixed
cylinder A and vacuum cylinder B, with the moving cylinder C and trunk
piston D coupled to opposite cranks whereby the effective stroke of the engine
is double the stroke of the crank substantially as described and set forth in the
drawings.
Dated this fourth day of February 100%