Improvements in Oil and Gas Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE BAILEY BRAYTON, of No. 35, Sudbury
Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Engineer.]
Improvements in Oil and Gas Engines.
1, HUGH THOMPSON REID, of 9 Mill Street, Conduit Street, in the County
of London, Mercantile Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in oil and gas engines, and certain parts
thereof relate more particularly to engines of the kind described in the Specification
of prior Letters Patent No. 11062 of A.D. 1890 granted to Henry Harris Lake as
a communication from George Bailey Brayton..
One of the principal objects of my invention is to improve the construction.
of the lamp by which the combustible mixture in the cylinder of the engine is
ignited.
Another object of my invention is to construct improved devices for delivering
oil in the desired state or condition, that is to say for delivering it as a vapour or
as an extremely fine spray, into the cylinder of the engine.
A further object of my invention is to construct improved means which are
utilized in the delivery of oil to the lamp and to the distributor.
Other objects of my invention are, to improve the construction of the piston
which operates also as a valve; to construct improved apparatus controllable by
the governor to regulate the supply of combustible material in accordance with the
working conditions under which each stroke is performed; to connect the pistons
and the vibrating piston-rods, and, if desired, other working parts of the engine, in
a novel manner, whereby wear and tear is diminished, and easy working without
lubrication is ensured; to construct a safety-valve for the cylinder; and to
improve the general arrangement of the engine whereby compactness is obtained,
complexity is avoided, and improvement in the working of the engine secured.
According to the first part of my invention I construct an improved lamp as
follows, for example :-
In the top cover of the cylinder I insert a central hollow plug the lower end of
which has a central channel drilled therethrough, which channel is provided with a
tube constituting the distributor. The distributor is in communication with the
interior of the said plug and is preferably closed at its lower end except for a
series of saw-cuts or other suitable orifices. The provision of these saw-cuts, or
their equivalent, instead of straight holes, is one of the improvements in the
distributor according to this invention. Oil is led to the interior of the plug in the
manner hereinafter set forth. A valve is placed in the said interior to seat at
the upper end of the drilled channel aforesaid. A spindle connected to the said
valve passes to the exterior of the plug through a stuffing-box and is operated to
raise and lower the valve, through mechanism connected with the moving parts of
the engine. Upon the spindle a series of gauze discs are threaded, through which
the oil on its way to the distributor is compelled to pass and by which it is strained
prior to its ejection into the cylinder by the distributor.
Another improvement relating to the distributor consists in placing upon the
delivery end of the oil-tube of the distributor, a flange, and screwing upon the said

page_text: tube, below the flange, a small cup with its mouth presented towards the flange.
Orifices are provided in the oil tube to deliver oil to the interior of the cup which
may or may not be packed with wire gauze or other suitable packing, or which,
with the flange, may be so shaped as to afford delivery orifices of suitable form and
fineness for the issue of the oil. In either case the oil issues from the said cup to
the interior of the cylinder through an annular space between the top edge of the
cup and the underside of the flange. It is an important feature of this detail of
my invention that the width of the said annular space can be easily regulated by
adjusting the cup up or down upon the tube towards or away from the flange.
After adjustment it can be locked in position by a lock nut which also is threaded
upon the tube, or otherwise. Fine cuts may be made in the edge of the flange so
that very fine jets of oil are directed up to the incandescent platinum in the
burner; this assists to make the ignition certain. I may use, in combination with
the cup, a tube extended therethrough and provided at its lower end with saw-cuts
as aforesaid.
Upon the lower end of the plug is fitted a chamber which is divided into two
compartments, one above another; the upper chamber is packed with asbestos and
wire gauze
in alternate layers or with any other suitable refractory material.
The lower one contains platinum wire, and is open at the lower end, the wire
being kept in place by a washer, which, in turn, is supported by a shoulder on the
distributor tube. These two chambers constitute the burner of the lamp,, which is
annular and encircles the distributor at the point. at which the latter, protrudes.
from the inside of the cylinder cover.
The improved means hereinbefore referred to as being utilized in the delivery of
oil to the lamps and to the distributor, may comprise, for instance, a suitable
oil-chamber formed in the top cover, into which chamber the oil is forced by
apparatus hereinafter more particularly referred to. Into this chamber..a, syphon
plug is inserted; the said syphon plug has a nozzle or extension which reaches
nearly to the bottom of the oil-chamber, and is drilled centrally to form part of a
channel whereby a portion of the oil-supply can be forced to the asbestos and gauze
or other refractory packing aforesaid, by way of suitable channels in the central
plug. From around the nozzle, the principal portion of the oil supplied to the
chamber is drawn through other passages in the cylinder-cover and central plug,
into and through the central channel thereof and out into the cylinder by way of
the distributor. In its passage to the distributor the oil passes through channels
the walls of which are very highly heated by contact with the hot exhaust which
is passed round the same. The nozzle is extended downward as aforesaid in order
that even with a very small depth of oil in the oil-chamber, the lower end of the
nozzle will be immersed and therefore it cannot fail to take oil for the lamp. The
oil delivered to the refractory packing trickles therefrom on to the platinum wire,
which, if sufficiently warmed by a torch or otherwise will finally become
incandescent, and ignite the oil, remaining incandescent so long as the oil supply
is maintained. In an angle of the syphon channel is a small screw-down valve
which regulates the passage of oil therethrough and may also be employed to
regulate the passage of a small quantity of compressed air through an orifice leading
from the central chamber of the central plug aforesaid. This small quantity of air
acts upon oil supplied for the lamp through the syphon channel, and influences the
rate of its delivery to the refractory packing.
An annular exhaust-valve encircles a sleeve or nozzle in which the central plug
is contained, and seats upon the lower end of the sleeve or nozzle and also upon
another seating or nozzle formed in the same plane in the cylinder cover.
The
latter seating encircles or is otherwise in close proximity to the channels by which
oil is led to the lamp and distributor.
The piston, in order that it shall act, when required, as a valve, is made hollow
and fitted with an annular valve and with guards for limiting the rise and fall of
the valve on the piston. Suitable channels are provided in the piston, and these,
upon alternate downstrokes are opened by the automatic rising of the valve, which

page_text: then permits air to pass from the underside to the top side of the piston. During
the return stroke immediately following each of these alternate downstrokes the
air thus drawn in is compressed in a manner well understood.
One form of the said improved apparatus controllable by the governor consists
of a rod connected to the plunger of the oil pump and provided with a stepped
lock. The said block is slotted to receive a pin which is reciprocated by an
ccentric or equivalent device driven from a countershaft geared to the main-shaft
of the engine. The eccentric-rod carries a tongue, which is pivoted thereto and
connected to the governor gear in such a manner that it can thereby be raised and
lowered about its pivot so as to come, earlier or later in the movement of the
eccentric rod, into contact with one or other of the steps of the block. Obviously,
the earlier it makes contact with the block the greater will be the extent to which
it imparts the movement of the eccentric to the block; conversely, when the
governor retards the contact of the tongue with the block the latter will receive a
smaller amount of movement from the eccentric-rod.
By thus affecting the movement of the block and of the plunger of which it
forms part the quantity of oil delivered is varied in corresponding degree, in
accordance with the requirements of the engine at the moment.
I connect each piston and its vibrating piston-rod, or other moving parts of the
engine, by a flexible plate of steel or other suitable material; this connection is
similar to, but stronger than, like connections which are well known in their
application to the suspension of pendulums. Such connections possess advantages
in their present application, inasmuch as they enable a practically frictionless
connection to be made, and this is particularly useful in positions wherein the
lubrication of any ordinary connection would prove troublesome.
The general arrangement of this engine is improved, relatively to that described
in the aforesaid prior Letters Patent, by attaching the connecting-rod and piston-
rod to joints concentric with one another at one end of the beam, instead of
connecting them to opposite ends thereof. Thus duplication of joints is saved and
the crank-shaft can be conveniently placed close to the cylinder; consequently
the dimensions and weight of the main framing are both lessened. Moreover this
arrangement of parts improves the distribution of the power of the engine in each
revolution.
As a safety valve I provide in the gate lever a plug which bears upon a flat
face upon the cylinder, over the end of the perforation which forms a sight-hole.
The said plug is kept up against the face by a spring, the compression of which is
regulated by an adjusting collar screwed on to a threaded portion of the lever and
serving also to keep the spring in place between it and the plug. Any excess of
pressure in the cylinder will be relieved by the automatic lifting of the plug against
the resistance of the spring to allow a portion of the contents of the cylinder to
blow out under the plug.
T
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Oil and Gas Engines.
I, HUGH THOMPSON REID, of 29 Duke Street, St. James's, in the County
of London, late of Conduit Street, in the County of London, Mercantile Agent,
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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in oil and gas engines, and certain parte

page_text: thereof relate more particularly to engines of the kind described in the Specification
of British Letters Patent No. 11062 of A.D. 1890.
One of the principal objects of this invention is to improve the construction
of the lamp by which the combustible mixture in the cylinder of the engine is
ignited.
Another object of this invention is to construct improved distributing devices
for discharging the atomized oil in the form of vapour, or of fine spray, into the
cylinder.
A further object of this invention is to construct improved means which are
utilized in the delivery of oil to the lamp and to the distributor.
Other objects of this invention are, to improve the construction of the piston
which operates also as a valve; to construct improved apparatus, controllable by
the governor, to regulate the supply of combustible material for every alternate
outstroke of the engine in accordance with the working conditions under which
each such stroke is performed; to connect the pistons and the vibrating piston-
rods, and, if desired, other working parts of the engine, in a novel manner whereby
wear and tear is diminished and easy working without lubrication is ensured; to
construct a special valve for the cylinder and to improve the general arrangement
of the engine whereby compactness is obtained and complexity is avoided.
In order that the said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a central section of an oil-engine constructed according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the engine illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section on a larger scale of the cylinder-cover,
showing clearly the construction of the improved lamp and one form of improved
distributor.
Figure 4 is a part of Figure 3, to a larger scale.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal central section of another form of distributor, drawn
to a larger scale.
Figure 6 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the piston on a
plane at right angles to the plane of section of Figure 1.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the joint for piston and piston-rod, at right angles to
the position in which they are shewn in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a side elevation, and
Figure 9 is a plan of improved governing apparatus, and
Figure 10 is an elevation of a valve provided for a special purpose and hereinafter
particularly described, and
Figure 11 is a section on the line X X of Figure 10.
Much of the apparatus shewn in the drawings is applicable as advantageously to
a gas engine as to the oil engine shown.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. A is the
frame of the engine. B is a water-jacketed vertical cylinder in which the combustible
mixture or working fluid is ignited and expanded; it is supported upon the frame
and opens into the interior thereof. C is the crank-shaft, supported in bearings
upon the frame A. D is a beam pivoted at A' to the frame A. E is the piston.
F is a vibrating piston-rod which connects the piston E with one end of the beam D.
G is a connecting-rod, connecting the same end of the beam with the crank C¹.
H is an air-compressing pump secured to the frame A and provided with a piston
which is operated from the opposite end of the beam D by the rod I. This pump
is to supply air under pressure through the pipe H¹ to the central chamber within
the plug J hereinafter referred to. The construction of the improved lamp and of
one form of the improved distributor, is shewn in Figure 1 and more clearly in
Figure 3, and will now be particularly described.
In the top cover B' of the cylinder I insert a central hollow plug J the lower
end of which has a central channel J' formed therein, which channel is provided
with a tube K constituting the distributor. The distributor is in communication

page_text: with the interior of the said plug J, and is preferably closed at its lower en except
for a series of saw-cuts K' or other suitable orifices. The provision of these saw-
cuts or their equivalent instead of straight round holes, is one of the improvements
in the distributor according to this invention. Oil is led to the interior of the plug
in the manner hereinafter set forth. A spindle L is placed in the said interior and
its lower end forms a valve to seat at the upper end of the channel J'; it passes to
ahe exterior of the plug through a stuffing box J2 and is operated to raise and lower
the valve, through mechanism connected with the moving parts of the engine.
Upon the spindle L a series of gauze discs M° may be threaded, through which the
oil on its way to the distributor is compelled to pass so that the sub-division thereof.
is assisted.
The alternative construction of distributor illustrated in Figure 5 consists in
forming upon the delivery end of the oil-tube K of the distributor a flange K2, and
screwing upon the said tube, below the flange, a small cup M with its mouth
presented towards the flange. Orifices K³ are provided in the oil tube to deliver
oil to the interior of the cup which may or may not be packed with wire gauze or
other suitable packing. The oil issues from the said cup to the interior of the
engine cylinder through the annular space between the top edge of the cup and the
underside of the flange. It is an important feature of this detail of the invention
that the width of the said annular space can be easily regulated by adjusting the
cup M up or down upon the tube K, towards or away from the flange K².
adjustment it can be locked in position by a lock nut N which also is threaded upon
the tube; or it can be otherwise secured. The shape and form of the opposed
faces of cup and flange may be varied as desired. For instance fine cuts may be
made in the edge of the flange as at K so that fine jets of oil are directed up to the
incandescent platinum in the burner which surrounds the distributor and is herein-
after fully described. The portion of the tube K above the cup M can be provided
with saw-cuts such as are shown at K' in Figure 3, which will act as an adjunct to
give a distribution additional to that which is effected from the cup.
After
Upon the lower end of the central hollow plug J is fitted the burner. This is
shewn in Figures 1, 3 and 5. It comprises a chainber O which is divided into two
compartments 0' 02, one above the other by the perforated partition 0³. The
upper chamber O¹ is packed with asbestos and wire gauze in alternate layers, or
with any other suitable refractory material. The lower one 02, contains platinum
wire, and is open at the lower end, the wire being kept in place by a washer O',
which in turn, is supported by a shoulder K³ on the distributor tube K. These two
chambers constitute the burner of the lamp, which is annular and encircles the
distributor at the point at which the latter protrudes from the inside of the cylinder
cover. The manner in which the burner is utilized is hereinafter described.
The improved means hereinbefore referred to as being utilized in the delivery of
oil to the lamp and to the distributor may comprise, for instance, a suitable oil
chamber P formed in the top cover, into which chamber the oil is forced through
the pipe S Fig. 2 by apparatus hereinafter more particularly referred to. Into this
chamber a syphon plug P is inserted; the said syphon plug has a nozzle or
extension P which reaches nearly to the bottom of the oil-chamber, and is drilled
centrally to form part of a syphon channel 13 through which a portion of the oil-
supply can be forced to the asbestos and gauze or other refractory packing in the
chamber O' aforesaid. From around the nozzle P² the principal portion of the oil
supplied to the chamber P is forced through another passage P4 in the cylinder
cover and central plug, into and through the central channel thereof and out into
the cylinder by way of the distributor K. The nozzle P2 is extended downward as
aforesaid in order that even with a very small depth of oil in the oil chamber P,
the lower end of the nozzle will be immersed and therefore it cannot fail to take oil
for the lamp.
The oil, in the form of liquid, spray, or vapour, passes by the channel P³ through
the refractory packing in the chamber O and the holes in the partition O³, to the
platinum wire in the chamber 02. Before starting the engine the said wire is

page_text: heated by a torch or otherwise passed through an opening W³ Fig. 10 hereinafter
referred to till it is hot enough to ignite the oil spray or vapour. The engine is
then started and the platinum wire is maintained incandescent by the blast of air
and oil supplied to the lamp. The channel P3 is carried nearly to the top of the
central plug J as shewn and the plug just above is drilled and tapped, and fitted
with a screw plug Ps. Above the angle of the channel P a small hole P is drilled.
connecting the channel P³ with the central chamber of the central plug J. When
the screw plug P is screwed back to uncover the hole P the compressed air in th
central chamber of the central plug J is in free communication with the oil
chamber P through the hole P and channel P3 as well as through the passage P
and there is no tendency to force oil through the channel P³ to the burner;
compressed air alone with a slight admixture of oil vapour from the central chamber
being forced into the burner. But as the plug P is screwed down, gradually
-covering the hole P, the pressure of air and therefore the quantity forced
through P from the central chamber diminishes and the preponderating pressure
in P forces more and more oil through the syphon channel P³ to the lamp, till
when the screw plug P covers the hole P entirely, no air enters P³ through P
and oil is forced from P through Ps to the lamp without any air and extinguishe<
the lamp. Thus the lamp is regulated by adjusting the position of the screw
plug P
The exhaust gases pass from the upper part of the engine cylinder through the
-annular exhaust valve Q into the annular space B3 in the nozzle B' and thence
through holes B in the outer part of this nozzle and through an exhaust passage in
the cylinder head to the exhaust pipe. The seats B for the exhaust valve are
formed on the lower ends of the nozzle B².
The piston E (see Figure 6) in order that it shall act, when required, as a valve,
is made hollow and fitted with an annular valve E' and with guards E2 for limiting
the rise and fall of the valve on the piston. A suitable annular channel E3 or other.
channels are provided in the piston, and these, upon alternate downstrokes, are
opened by the automatic rising of the valve, which then permits air to pass from
the underside to the top side of the piston. The air which thus flows to the top
side of the piston is drawn from the hollow base of the engine; this has the effect
of ventilating the said base and keeping the engine free from the objectionable
odour common to oil engines as hitherto usually constructed. During the return
stroke immediately following each of these alternate downstrokes the air above the
piston is compressed in a manner well understood. E is a channel or groove
formed in the piston to receive any dirt or deposit which might otherwise tend to
prevent the valve E' from seating properly.
I sometimes connect each piston and its vibrating piston-rod or connect other
moving parts of the engine, by a flexible plate of steel or other suitable material.
This connection is illustrated clearly in Figures 6 and 7 and is similar to, but
stronger than, like connections which are well known in their application to the
suspension of pendulums. Such connections may be found useful in positions where
the lubrication of the joint would prove troublesome. In the said figures, E' is the
plate of flexible metal secured by screws or by other suitable means in jaws E
and F on the piston and piston-rod respectively. The jaws E are formed by a
separate casting secured to, and adjustable upon, the piston E by the screws E'.
I may however use ordinary connecting-devices, if desired, instead of the flexible
connection aforesaid.
One form of the beforementioned improved apparatus controllable by the
governor is illustrated in Figure 2, and more clearly in Figures 8 and 9. It
consists of a rod R connected to the plunger of the oil pump S and provided with a
stepped block R¹. The said block is slotted as at R2 to receive a pin T which is
reciprocated by an eccentric U or equivalent device driven from a countershaft V
geared to the main-shaft of the engine. The eccentric-rod U₁ carries a tongue U2,
which is pivoted thereto at U³ and connected to the governor gear by the rod U
and lever U³, as shown, in such a mauner that it can thereby be raised and lowered

page_text: about its pivot U³ so as to come, earlier or later in the movement of the eccentric-.
rod U, into contact with one or other of the steps of the block R'. Obviously the
earlier it makes contact with the block, the greater will be the extent to which it
imparts the movement of the eccentric-rod U to the block; conversely, when the
governor retards the contact of the tongue U with the block the latter will receive
a smaller amount of movement from the eccentric-rod. By thus effecting the move-
ment of the block R' and of the plunger of which it forms part, the quantity of
oil delivered by the pump S through the pipe S' to the chamber P is varied in
corresponding degree, in accordance with the requirements of the engine at the
moment.
I will now describe, with reference to Figures 10 and 11 the special valve for
closing the opening W³ hereinbefore referred to. I provide in the gate lever W
by which a sight opening and lighting orifice W3 in the cylinder is opened and
shut, a plug W₁ which bears upon the flat face W2 fixed upon the cylinder, over
the end of the perforation W3 which forms the sight-hole aforesaid. The said plug
is kept up against the face W2 by a spring W the compression of which is regulate.]
by an adjusting collar W screwed on to a threaded portion We of the lever and
serving also to keep the spring in place between it and the plug W₁. Any pressure
in the cylinder which might be found inconvenient at starting can be relieved by
casing the spring W to allow a portion of the contents of the cylinder to blow out.
under the plug W
The general arrangement of the engine is improved, as shown in Figure 1,
relatively to that described in the aforesaid prior Letters Patent by attaching the
connecting rod G and piston-rod F to joints concentric with one another at one end
of the beam D instead of connecting them to opposite ends thereof. Thus,
duplication of joints is avoided, and the crank-shaft C can be conveniently placed
close to the cylinder; consequently the dimensions and weight of the main frame A
are both lessened. The effect of the arrangement of the crank shaft and connections
thus adopted is that the crank passes through considerably more than 180° during
the down or explosion stroke of the piston and that the motion of the piston is
retarded at the commencement of the down-stroke giving more time for the ignition
or explosion and promoting more perfect combustion of the vapour or gases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, with a lamp such as that herein described, of a distributing
device passing through the burner of the lamp, substantially as hereinbefore
described for the purposes specified.
2. The distributor consisting of a tube closed at its lower end except for saw-cuts
or equivalent fine slots, substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose
specified.
3. The modified distributor consisting of a cup adjustable relatively to a fixed
cover, and with or without wire gauze packing, and with or without saw-cuts for
directing sprays to the burner, alone, or in combination with the distributor claimed
in the last preceding claiming clause, substantially as hereinbefore described, for
the purpose specified.
4. The oil chamber with two delivery passages one to the lamp and the other to
the distributor, the former commencing with a specially-positioned nozzle,
substantially as herein before described, for the purposes specified.
5. The means for delivering and regulating the delivery of a small supply of air
from the central cavity of the central plug to the lamp-supply passage, for the
purpose specified.
6. The piston fitted with an annular valve substantially as hereinbefore described,
for the purpose specified.
7. In an oil engine, apparatus controlled by the governor for regulating the
travel of the plunger of the oil-feed pump, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 8. The elastic joint for connecting the piston and piston-rod or other moving
parts of the engine substantially as herein before described.
9. The gate-lever W furnished with a valve, substantially as hereinbefore
described, for the purpose specified.
10. The combination, with the reciprocating piston, of the parts whereby the
reciprocating motion of the piston is converted into rotary movement of the crank-
shaft, arranged and operating substantially as herein before described.
11. An oil engine furnished with the parts constructed and arranged substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and
operating as specified.
H. T. REID.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.