Improvements in Cylinder and Piston Motor Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1888
[Communicated from abroad by JOHANN CARL GRABNER, of Kupferhammer, and
CARL RUPERTI, of Brackwede, both in the German Empire.]
Improvements in Cylinder and Piston Motor Engines.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of cylinder and piston motor
engines, wherein the distribution of the motor fluid, such as pressure steam or vapour
and gases, explosive mixtures, and the like, alternately to either side of the piston is
effected without the use of valves or slides by means of specially constructed passages
and ports in the cylinders and their pistons.
The invention will be readily understood on referring to the accompanying
drawings, which shew its application by way of example to single cylinder and double
cylinder motor engines. For greater simplicity in the following description, steam
will be presumed to be the motor fluid, as this is most frequently used.
Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a cross section of one arrangement
for a single cylinder engine. C is the steam cylinder, K the piston, D the inlet port
for steam, e and c¹ the exhaust ports, a a and a' a' are grooves or recessos at each end
of the cylinder's walls. The piston K is hollow and has slots b and 61. Steam passes
from port D through slot 6' into the interior of the piston K, which is consequently
always filled with fresh steam. In the position of the piston shewn at Fig. 1, the
steam passes behind the piston and drives it forward, that is to say, to the right hand.
The steam in front of the piston escapes through the opening c¹.
When the piston has travelled so far that the communication between the slots 6 6¹
and the grooves a a' is intercepted, so that no more steam can pass behind the piston,
the steam previously admitted will expand causing the piston to complete its stroke.
By this motion the front end of the piston is made to close the exhaust port c¹ before
arriving at the end of its stroke, thus forming a steam cushion in front of the piston.

page_text: Arrived at the end of its stroke, the piston admits steam in front of it through port D,
slots b b and grooves a a¹ and the piston is made to perform its return stroke, the
steam behind it being made to escape through port c, and so on continuously. By
admitting steam into the piston K through slots bb the piston is relieved of strain.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively a longitudinal and transverse section of a modifica-
tion of the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. The piston K is hollow as before,
the steam being made to enter it through a tubular rod R formed or fixed on its rear
end extending through a stuffing box on the cylinder cover, through which it slides
backwards and forwards with the motion of the piston. From the interior of the
piston the steam passes in a similar manner to that previously described through the
cylinder grooves b 61 to either side of the piston. In this case there is only a single
exhaust port c for the steam.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew respectively a longitudinal and transverse section of another
modification.
The cylindrical part of the piston K is in this case slit along its entire length, so as
to have a certain amount of spring action when in the cylinder, and at each end of
the slit are provided closing pieces o with cylindrically shaped stuffing pieces g, ground
so as to fit steam-tight against the inner surface of the piston, the end surfaces of the
pieces being also ground so as to fit steam-tight against the end plates of the piston.
The pieces o are kept in position by springs m of any suitable construction. The
spring action of the piston-is-regulated by the screw bolt S-passing through lugs on
each side of the slit. bare opposite slots, operating in conjunction with the
grooves a a¹ as previously described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 shew the invention applied to two-cylinder engines, each piston
being made to act in this case as slide for the other cylinder. Fig. 7 shows a longi-
tridinal section of both cylinders, fig. 8 a cross section at X-Y of the piston (1 of the
low pressure cylinder seen in the direction of the arrow and fig. 9 shows a longitudinal
section at VW of the piston (of the low pressure cylinder.
The working of this construction is as follows:
The direct steam flows continuously through the inlet passage a", which is arranged
in the cylinder wall and marked in fig. 7 in dotted lines, through slot a into the
hollow piston C, relieved of strain, of the low pressure cylinder B, so that the piston
is always filled with steam and the passages and E surrounded with the same.
The entrance of the steam into the hollow piston takes place through the long slot al
which is arranged in the piston and shewn in longitudinal section in Fig. 9 and in
cross section in fig. 8.
For a certain given degree of filling it is necessary that the two cranks are placed
at a certain angle relative to each other.
In the construction shewn in the drawing the piston C³ of the low pressure
cylinder B has to travel still a part of its stroke, whilst the piston C of the small
cylinder, that is to say, of the high pressure cylinder A, begins already its stroke to
the right. The drawing shews the two pistons in this position relatively to each other.
The steam which is in the hollow piston (of the low pressuro cylinder B, in order to
perform work in the high pressure cylinder A, passes from cinto d, through the
Sshaped channel d into the high pressure cylinder A, and drives the piston C of the
latter to the right band. The steam in front of the piston C of the high pressure
cylinder passes through the channel arranged in the high pressure cylinder into
the shaped channel-piece h¹ h, which puts the two channels 11 and V in com-
munication with each other, and from the latter through the opening h, through a tube
not shewn in the drawing and through the opening a of the high-pressure cylinder A
and through the slot a² arranged in the piston, into the hollow piston C, which is also
relieved of strain; from this the steam passes through the channels c¹o and o¹ into
the channel E of the piston C¹ of the low pressure cylinder B and then through the
channel formed in the jacket of the low pressure cylinder, into the latter, thereby
moving the piston C₁ of this cylinder also to the right. The steam which has per-
formed work in the low pressure cylinder passes through the openings t¹ and t" into
the open air or into the condenser.

page_text: When the piston C of the high pressure cylinder A is at its dead centre position at
the right end, the piston C of the low pressure cylinder B has also, as was the case in
its stroke to the left hand, still a part of its stroke to travel. The steam passes now
from the hollow piston C of the low pressure cylinder B through the openings c² and d
into the shaped channel d' of the high pressure cylinder and drives the piston C of
the same to the left hand. The steam which has performed work in the high pressure
cylinder A passes through t¹ and into the U shaped channel piece, from
thence through the opening in the same manner as previously described
into hollow piston C of the high pressure cylinder A.
From this the steam flows
through the opening a and the slot a into the piston Cand from this through the
channel c, o and o¹ into the channel E of the piston C' of the low pressure cylinder B,
and then through the passage d'arranged in the steam jacket into the low pressure
cylinder B driving the piston C of the latter to the left hand. The steam in front of
the piston Cescapes through t' into the open air or into a condenser.
When the above described construction is to be used not as a compound engine but
as an ordinary twin engine provided with two cylinders having the same dimensions,
that is to say when the two cylinders are supplied with direct steam, the arrangement
remains exactly the same except that fresh steam enters into both pistons through the
openings a and a in omitting the connecting pipe leading from 1 to a.
The con-
struction shewn in the figures 1 to 6 may be combined in the same way to engines
having several cylinders. All these constructions may be provided with the well
known details, such as steam jacket, grooves or springs in the pistons, cocks and
the like.
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page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cylinder and Piston Motor Engines.
1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and Patent 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 an improved construction of cylinder and piston motor
engines, wherein the distribution of the motor fluid such as pressure steam or vapour
and gases, explosive mixtures and the like alternately to either side of the piston is
effected without the use of valves or slides by means of specially constructed passages
and ports in the cylinders and their pistons.
The invention will be readily understood on referring to the accompanying
drawings, which shew its application by way of example to single cylinder and
double cylinder motor engines. For greater simplicity in the following description
steam will be presumed to be the motor fluid, as this is most frequently used.
Fig. 1 shew's a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a cross section of one arrangement
for a single cylinder engine. U is the steam cylinder, & the piston, 1) the inlet port
for steam, c and c¹ the exhaust ports, a a and a' a' are grooves or recesses at each
end of the cylinder's walls. The piston kis hollow and has slots b and 6'. Steam
passes from port D through slot into the interior of the piston k, which is conse-
quently always filled with fresh steam. In the position of the piston shewn at Fig. 1
the steam passes behind the piston and drives it forward, that is to say, to the right
hand. The steam in front of the piston escapes through the opening c¹.
When the piston has travelled so far that the communication between the slots b b¹
and the grooves a a' is intercepted, so that no more steam can pass behind the piston,
the steam previously admitted will expand causing the piston to complete its
stroke.
By this motion the front end of the piston is made to close the exhaust port c¹
before arriving at the end of its stroke, thus forming a steam cusbion in front of the
piston. Arrived at the end of its stroke the piston admits steam in front of it through
port D, slots b¹ and grooves a a¹ and the piston is made to perform its return
stroke, the steam behind it being made to escape through port and so on
continuously. By admitting steam into the piston k through slots & the piston is
relieved of strain.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively a longitudinal and transverso
section of a

page_text: modification of the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. The piston k is hollow as
before, the steam being made to enter it through a tubular rod R formed or fixed on
its rear and extending through a stuffing box on the cylinder cover, through which it
slides backwards and forwards with the motion of the piston. From the interior of
the piston the steam passes in a similar manner to that previously described through
the cylinder grooves to either side of the piston. In this case there is only a
single exhaust port e for the steam.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew respectively a longitudinal and transverse section of another
modification.
The cylindrical part of the piston & is in this case slit along its entire length, so as
to have a certain amount of spring action when in the cylinder, and at each end
of the slit are provided closing pieces o with cylindrically shaped stuffing picces g
ground so as to fit steam tight against the inner surface of the piston, the end
surfaces of the pieces being also ground so as to fit steam tight against the end
plates of the piston. The pieces o are kept in position by springs m of any suitable
construction.
The spring action of the piston is regulated by the screw bolt S passing through
lugs on each side of the slit, bare opposite slots operating in conjunction with
the grooves a a¹ as previously described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 shew the invention applied to two cylinder engines each
piston being made to act in this case as slide for the other cylinder. Fig. 7 shews a
longitudinal section of both cylinders, fig. 8 a cross section at -y of the piston (" of
the low pressure cylinder seen in the direction of the arrow and Fig. 9 shews a
longitudinal section at -w of the piston (of the low pressure cylinder.
The working of this construction is as follows:-
The direct steam flows continuously through the inlet passage a which is
arranged in the cylinder wall and marked in fig. 7 in dotted lines through slot a
into the hollow piston ( relieved of strain, of the low pressure cylinder B so that the
piston is always filled with steam and the passages E" and E surrounded with
the same.
The entrance of the steam into the hollow piston takes place through the long
channel aand slot a which is arranged in the piston and shewn in longitudinal
section in Fig. 9 and in cross section in Fig. 8.
For a certain given degree of filling it is necessary that the two cranks are placed
at a certain angle relative to each other.
In, the construction shewn in the drawing the piston C₁ of the low pressure
cylinder B has to travel still a part of its stroke, whilst the piston C of the small
cylinder, that is to say of the high pressure cylinder A begins already its stroke to
the right. The drawing shews the pistons in this position relatively to each other.
The steam which is in the hollow piston (of the low pressure cylinder B, in order to
perform work in the high pressure cylinder A passes from cinto d³ through the
Sshaped channel d² into the high pressure cylinder A and drives the piston (of the
latter to the right hand.
The steam in front of the piston () of the high pressure cylinder passes through
the channel arranged in the high pressure cylinder into the Ụ shaped channel
piece hh, which puts the two channels and in communication with each
other, and from the latter through the opening h through a tube not shewn in the
drawing and through the opening a of the high-pressure cylinder A and through the
slot a arranged in the piston into the hollow piston which is also relieved of strain,
from this the steam passes through the channels co and o into the channel E¹ of
the piston C of the low pressure cylinder B and then through the channel d³ formed
in the jacket of the low pressure cylinder into the latter thereby moving the piston (
of this cylinder also to the right.
The steam which has performed work in the low pressure cylinder passes through
the openings and into the open air or into the condenser.
When the piston C of the bigh pressure cylinder A is at its dead centre position at

page_text: the right end, the piston C¹ of the low pressure cylinder B has also, as was the case in
its stroke to the left hand, still a part of its siroke to travel. The steain passes now
from the hollow piston C₁ of the low pressure cylinder B through the openings e² and d
into the S shaped channel d' of the high pressure cylinder and drives the piston Cof
the same to the left hand. The steam which has performed work in the high pressure
cylinder A passes through and into the U shaped channel piece from
thence through the opening in the same manner as previously described into the
hollow piston of the high pressure cylinder A.
From this the steam flows through the opening a and the slot a² into the piston C
and from this through the channel c. o. and o¹ into the channel E of the piston C¹
of the low pressure cylinder B and then through the passage d' arranged in the steam
jacket into the low pressure cylinder B driving the piston (of the latter to the
left hand. The steam in front of the piston Cescapes through t¹ into the open air or
into a condenser.
When the above described construction is to be used not as a compound engine, but
as an ordinary train engine provided with two cylinders having the same dimensions,
that is to say when the two cylinders are supplied with direct steam, the arrangement
remains exactly the same except that fresh Steam enters into both pistons through the
openings a and all in omitting the connecting pipe leading from h to a. Tho
construction shown-in-the-figures 1 to 6 may be combined in the same way to engines
having several cylinders.
All these constructions may be provided with the well known details, such as steam
jacket, grooves or springs, in the pistons, cocks, and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. Motor engines wherein hollow pistons having one or more compartiments operate
in such a manner that the working medium (such as pressure, steam, or vapour, gases
or explosive mixtures of the same or other fluid being under pressure) in passing
through the compartments is led thereby through suitably formed communicating
passages into the cylinder so as to effect the reciprocating motion of the piston,
substantially as herein described.
2. In motor engines operating as set forth in the first claim the construction
herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein a single cylinder C has a
hollow piston k with slots bb an inlet D, outlets cc¹ and the inlet and exhaust
passages a a and a¹ a¹.
3. In motor engines operating as set forth in the first claim the construction herein
described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 wherein a single cylinder C has a hollow
piston k combined with a tube li for the inlet of working fluid, inlet passages a¹ b b
and outlet passage c.
4. In motor engines operating as set forth in the first claim the construction
hercin described with reference to figs. 5 and 6 wherein a single cylinder having
grooves a a a a¹ and discharge passages c c operates in combination with a hollow
spring piston having a longitudinal slit closed at the ends by closing pieces o o¹ and
slots bb, substantially as set forth.
5. In motor engines operating as set forth in the first claim the construction
herein described with reference to figs. 7, 8 and 9 wherein two cylinders A and B
having hollow pistons and C¹ operate in combination with inlet openings a¹ all
inlet chambers E E, inlet passages d', d², d³ d and outlet passages
21
fresh motor fluid being made to enter into the piston C, flows thence in front of and
behind the piston driving the same, from this into the piston Cand then in front of
or behind the second piston C' driving the same also and escaping into the open air
or into the condenser, substantially as herein before described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.

page_text: 6. In motor engines operating as set forth in the first claim the construction herein
described with reference to figs. 7. 8 and 9 when arranged as an ordinary coupled
engine by admitting the motor fluid direct through the openings a and a² arranged in
the cylinders and omitting the connecting pipe leading from h to a, substantially as
herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
ABEL & IMRAY,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.