IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Blackett Haigh and John Nuttall, both of
Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Blackett Haigh
and John Nuttall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
8th February 1882.
WILLIAM BLACKETT HAIGH and JOHN NUTTALL both of Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS ENGINES."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of gas
engines working with a mixture of air and gas in a state of combustion.
Hitherto engines working with a compressed mixture of air and gas in a state
of combustion, have been subject to great loss of power and economy, by allowing
a large percentage of the expanding charge to escape to the atmosphere (at the
termination of the out-stroke of the engine) without doing any duty, and in some
cases retarding the piston on its return journey.
In order to avoid this loss of power and economy, by one arrangement, we
employ two cylinders which are placed in a line, one in advance of the other; in
each of these cylinders is a piston, both pistons being attached to one piston rod,
and both transmitting power through one connecting rod to the crank.
The cylinder furthest from the crank which we call the "main motor," is made
in the usual manner having clearance at one end into which the mixture
is compressed, either by the action of its own piston during the return stroke or
by external means.
From this clearance part of the cylinder, is a passage leading to the other
cylinder which we call the expansion cylinder, and controlling this passage is
a valve, preferably of the slide or piston form. When of the slide form it is
angular so as to dispense with springs, and has a cavity for exhaust purposes; this
valve is worked by an excentric or similar means in such a manner as to allow

page_text: a free passage between the two cylinders during the outstroke of the pistons, that
is, during the time they are developing motive power. The moment the pistons
arrive at the end of the outstroke this passage is closed by the action of the valve,
and a passage leading to the atmosphere is opened, by the exhaust cavity allowing
the piston in the expansion cylinder to drive out the foul gases during its return
stroke. Thus, by admitting a charge to one cylinder, it exerts a corresponding
force on both pistons at one and the same time.
A somewhat modified arrangement may be employed, where a compressor or
displacer cylinder is used; in this case the passage for conducting the burning
gases is placed at some distance up the main motor cylinder so that the piston of
the main motor uncovers the passage at the time that the displacer has arrived at
the end of its out-stroke, or during the commencement of its in-stroke, thus
allowing the expanding gases to exert a force on the opposite side of the
displacer piston (to that on which it takes in air and gas for the next charge)
during the rest of the main motor's out-stroke: lift-valves may be used in this
arrangement.
Another improvement relates to engines that employ a cylinder or fan to drive
or draw the foul gases from the motor cylinder.
In our Patent No. 811, dated February 25th 1881, we employ a slide to admit
the air and gas; we now dispense with the slide as an inlet for air and gas and
introduce in its place a conical valve having bars round its circumference, arranged
in such a manner that they will open and shut passages formed in the valve
seating; by this means we reduce the size of the slide which we only use for
ignition which may be done in the following manner :-On the outside of the valve
(or the side next to the cylinder) is a conical cavity, and in the apex of this conical
cavity is a small hole which is covered by a small ball of metal acting as a valve
and adjustable by a screw or similar means.
On the outer-sido-of the slide valve is a gas supply which communicates with
the small hole in the apex of the cavity, allowing a small quantity of-gas-to-find-
its way through it and past the ball into the conical cavity where it is ignited by
a gas flame in a chimney or passage. In connection with the gas supply in the
slide valvo there is provided a small hole, which communicates with the compressed
mixture in the cylinder in a similar manner to that described in our Specification
of the Letters Patent above referred to.
In engines working without compressing the mixture before ignition, we employ
a vertical cylinder jacketted so as to contain water. Mounted on this cylinder
is a casting forming the piston-rod guides, and in which a cross-head slides,
carrying the upper end of a connecting rod giving motion to the crank-shaft
which revolve in bearings formed in the before-mentioned casting, the crank
describing a circle out of centre with the piston-rod in such a manner that
the crank-pin is nearly vertical with the cross-head pin during the time it is
developing power.
When the piston ascends, air and gas are admitted to the underside of the
piston by means of an oscillating valve, having a longitudinal passage leading
from the cylinder to the atmosphere and the gas supply, by suitable ports or
passages.
In connection with the passage to the atmosphere are the air valves, which
are made of india-rubber, joined together at certain points at their inner edge.
Between the rings of rubber are two rings of metal, with passages formed
between their inner faces, which allow the air to pass through and forward between
the bars or projections which unite the rubbers, until ignition ensues, which
closes the rubbers together and prevents the charge in the cylinder from being
blown away.
For the purpose of ignition a conical cavity is formed in a casting; this casting
is screwed or bolted on the outside of the cylinder; the cavity is so formed that
its lower side is horizontal, or nearly so, on which a ball rolls, but is prevented

page_text: from having too much play by a stop or pin fixed in the cavity. At the apex of
this conical cavity there is a small hole leading into a peculiarly formed chamber
or passage, in which is a gas flame that is constantly burning from a cone burner,
there being a free passage for the flame to ignite the mixture in the cylinder;
the moment ignition ensues the ball is forced against the conical cavity by the
expansion of the gases, and the passage to the flame stopped, thus preventing tho
light from being put out.
The ball then rolls down again by its own gravity which allows the flame
again to ignite the mixturo in the cylinder and so on at each stroke of the
piston.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Blackett Haigh and John Nuttall in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th August 1882.
WILLIAM BLACKETT HAIGH and JOHN NUTTALL both of Oldham in the County
of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS ENGINES."
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of gas
engines working with a mixture of air and gas in a state of combustion. Hitherto
engines working with a compressed mixture of air and gas in a state of combustion
have been subject to great loss and power and want of economy by allowing a large
percentage of the expanding charge to escape to the atmosphere (at the termination
of the outstroke of the engine) without doing any duty, and in some cases retarding
the piston on its return journey.
Our Invention is intended to obviate this loss of power and want of economy
and the various arrangements which we propose to employ for this purpose will be
readily understood on reference to the annexed two Sheets of Drawings and the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. Sheet 1. of the annexed Drawings is a vertical longitudinal section and
Fig. 2. a horizontal section and Fig. 3. an end view of a gas engine showing one
modification of our Invention.
According to this arrangement we employ two cylinders aa and b, b which are
placed in a line one in advance of the other, in each of these cylinders is a piston c, c
--both--pistons-being_attached_to_one_piston rod d, d and both transmitting power
through one connecting rod e, e to the crank J, F
The cylinder a, a farthest from the crank which we call the "main motor" is
made in the usual manner having clearance at one end into which the mixture is
compressed, either by the action of its own piston c, c during the return stroke, or
by external means.
From this clearance part of the cylinder, is a passage g, g (see Fig. 2) leading to
the other cylinder b, b which we call the expansion cylinder and controlling this
passage is a valve preferably of the slide or piston form, a slide valve h, being
shown in the Drawing at Fig. 2. When of the slide form it is angulur so as to
dispense with springs and has a cavity i for exhaust purposes.
This valve his worked by an excentric or similar means in such a manner as
to allow a free passage between the two cylinders and b during the outstroke
of the pistons c, c that is during the time they are developing motive power. The
moment the pistons arrive at the end of their outstroko this passage g, g is closed
by the action of the valve h, h and a passage leading to the atmosphere is
opened, by the exhaust cavity i allowing the piston in the expansion cylinder b, b
to drive out the foul gases during its return stroke.
Thus by admitting a charge to one cylinder it exerts a corresponding force on
both pistons at one and the same time.
A somewhat modified arrangement may be employed, where a compressor or
displacer cylinder is used, in this case the passage for conducting the burning
gases is placed at some distance up the main motor cylinder so that the piston of
the main motor uncovers the passage at the time the displacer has arrived at the
end of its outstroke, or during the commencement of its instroke, thus allowing the
expanding gases to exert a force on the opposite side of the displacer piston (to
that on which it takes in air and gas for the next charge) during the rest of
the main motor's outstroke. Lift valves may be used in this arrangement.
This modification being easily intelligiblo we have not considered it necessary
to make a separate Drawing thereof.

page_text: Another part of our improvements relate to engines that employ a cylinder or
fan to drive or draw the foul gases from the motor cylinder.
In our Patent No. 811 dated February 25th 1881 we e employ a slide to admit the
air and gas we now dispense with the slide as an inlet for air and gas and introduce
in its place a conical valve m m having radiating bars round its circumference (see
Figs 1 and 2) arranged in such a manner that they will open and shut corresponding
passages formed in the valve seating n, n, by this means we reduce the size of
the slide j, j which we only use for ignition, which may be done in the following
manner. On the inside of the slide j (or the side next to the cylinder, see enlarged
views Figs 4. 5. 6 and 7.) is a conical cavity o, o and in the apex of this conical
cavity is a small hole which is covered by a small ball of metal p acting as a valve
and adjustable by a screw or similar means.
On the outer side of the slide valve cover (Fig. 4) is a gas supply g which com-
municates with the small hole in the apex of the cavity o, o in the slide j, j allowing
a small quantity of gas to find its way through it and past the ball p into
the conical cavity o, o where it is ignited by a gas flame in a chimney or
passage r, r.
In connection with the gas supply in the slide valve there is provided a small
hole 8, 8, which communicates with the compressed mixture in the cylinder in
a similar manner to that described in our Specification of Letters Patent above
referred to.
Sheet 2 of the Drawings illustrates the application of our Invention to gas
engines working without compressing the mixture before ignition.
Fig. 8 being a vertical section and Fig. 9, an elevation Fig. 10 a plan view, and
Fig. 11. a horizontal section of a gas engine of this class constructed according to
our Invention.
In this kind of engine we employ a vertical cylinder a a jacketted so as to
contain water. Mounted on this cylinder is a casting b, b forming the piston rod
guides, and in which a cross-head c, c slides carrying the upper end of a connecting
rod d, d giving motion to the crank shaft e, e which revolves in bearings formed in
the before mentioned casting, the crank f, describing a circle out of centre with
the piston rod g, g in such a manner that the crank pin is nearly in a vertical lino
with the cross head pin during the time it is developing power.
When the piston h, h ascends, air and gas are admitted to the underside of the
piston by means of an oscillating valve i, i having longitudinal passages k, k leading
from the cylinder to the atmosphere and the gas supply, by suitable ports or
passages (see Fig. 8 and 11) In connection with the passage to the atmosphere
are the air valves L, l.
The construction of these valves will be better understood on reference to the
enlarged Figs 12. 13. and 14.
The valve consists of two rings m, m (Figs 12 and 14) of india rubber or other
suitable substance jointed together at certain points at their inner edge by
pieces n, n. Between the rings of rubber m, m are placed two narrower rings of
inetal o, o (Fig 13) also connected together at certain points by bars or pieces p, p
so as to leave radiating passages between their inner faces, which allow the air to
pass through between the bars or pieces n, n (which unite the rubbers) until
ignition ensues which closes the rubbers together and prevents the charge in the
cylinder from being blown away.
Fig. 15 shows a modification with one metal ring and one rubber ring (in fact
one half only of Fig. 14) and Fig. 16 shows another modification wherein the air
passages are at right angles to the face of the rings instead of radiating.
The ignition valve is shown drawn to a larger scale at Fig. 17 wherein q, q is
a casting in which a conical cavity r, r is formed. This casting is screwed or
bolied on the outside of the cylinder a, a the cavity is so formed that its
lower side is horizontal or nearly so on which a ball s rolls but is prevented
from having too much play by a stop pin t fixed in the cavity. At the apex
of this conical cavity there is a small hole u leading into a peculiarly formed

page_text: chamber or passage v, v in which is a gas flame that is constantly burning from
a cone Bunsen burner w, there being a free passage for the flame to ignite the
mixture in the cylinder. The moment ignition ensues the ball 8 is forced
against the apex of the conical cavity by the expansion of the gases and the
passage u to the flame stopped, thus preventing the light from being put out;
the balls then rolls down again by its own gravity which allows the flame
again to ignite the mixture in the cylinder, and so on at each stroke of the
piston.
Fig. 18 shows a modification of the ignition valve wherein the ball 8 instead
of rolling is made to lift so as to close the aperture u.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention.
Firstly as regards engines working with a compressed mixture of air and gas,
the combination of two cylinders so constructed and arranged that the products
of combustion act on both pistons in the same direction and at one and the
same time substantially as herein before described and illustrated on Sheet I of the
annexed Drawings.
Secondly we claim the construction of the ignition slide and its adjuncts
substantially as described.
Thirdly With regard to gas engines working without compressing the mixture
before ignition we claim the general arrangement of the engine substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 8. 9. 10 and 11. Slieet 2 of the
annexed Drawings.
Fourthly we claim the peculiar construction of the oscillating valve, the air
valves, and ignition valves substantially as described and illustrated.
--In witness.whereof I the said William Blackett Haigh (on behalf of myself
and the said John Nuttall) have hereunto set-ny-hand_and_seal_this
Fourth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
WV BHAIGH (1.9)