Improvements in Oil, Gas, or Vapour Engines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1896
Improvements in Oil, Gas, or Vapour Engines.
.
I, ARTHUR BENTALL COLLIS, of West Quay, Southampton, in the County of
be as
Hants, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
follows:-
My invention relates to oil, gas, or vapour engines of the kind in which internal
combustion of the gas, or vapour, is used as the means of actuating the engine.
My improved engines are so constructed that an impulse is obtained at every
revolution.
I will describe a single cylinder vertical inverted oil engine made according to
one form or modification of my invention, in which I mount the motor cylinder on
This
the top of a vertical cylindrical frame standing on a suitable bed plate.
cylinder and its piston may be of the ordinary shape as for a steam engine and fitted
with a water jacket.
The piston rod connects, at its lower end with another piston, or plunger, fitted
to work in the cylindrical frame, this piston is open at the bottom but closed at the
top. The crank connecting rod connects to the underside of the upper part of the
The lower piston
lower piston by a hinged joint and at the other end to the crank.
works up and down in the cylindrical frame aforesaid in which it is properly fitted,
being actuated by the movement of the upper piston, that is to say, the movement
of the upper piston and lower piston is identical, and the lower piston, working in
the cylindrical frame, acts as a guide to the crank connecting rod.
In the upper cylinder I provide supply and exhaust ports and in the cylindrical
hereinafter
frame also, and also a receiver is provided, all for the purposes
described.
The action of the whole is as follows for an oil engine.
Taking it the upper piston is at the top of its cylinder and the lower piston
consequently at the top of the cylindrical frame, or cylinder, upon turning the
engine a partial vacuum is created at the top of the lower cylinder by reason of
the downstroke of the piston and atmospheric air is drawn in, by reason of the
vacuum, between the bottom of the upper cylinder and top of the lower piston at
the top of the cylindrical frame through a port and non-return valve which are
provided there for the purpose.
Continuing the turning of the engine and consequent upstroke of the pistons
the air is forced under pressure into the air receiver through another similar port
and non-return valve (situated also at the top of the cylindrical frame) and a
passage or pipe connected to the air receiver, the latter may form part of the bed
plate or be a separate fitting.
The air, compressed in the receiver,-following upon the continued revolutions
of the engine, is forced during each upstroke by the succeeding charges of
atmospheric air, admitted at the first mentioned non-return valve and port, through
a pipe or passage, and passes under pressure through a port at the top of the upper
cylinder into same, the air in its passage, or after having entered the cylinder, being
mixed with oil, or oil vapour supplied for the purpose by any suitable means.
If oil is supplied direct to the cylinder means will be adopted for vapourizing it
in same.
Upon the closing of the last named port, following upon the continued upstroke,
the air and oil vapour is further compressed at the top of the upper cylinder until

page_text: the piston reaches a given point in same, when the air and vapour are ignited by
suitable means at the top of cylinder; the pistons following upon the explosion are
driven down, and the lower piston, just before the downstroke is completed, opens
the exhaust port of the upper cylinder into a passage which communicates with the
atmosphere.
is
Further, a port with non-return valve is fitted at, or near the bottom of top
cylinder, and the atmospheric air admitted through this port-following upon the
upstroke of the piston,-is compressed on the downstroke until it is released by
another port provided in the lower piston and cylindrical frame which communicates
by means of a pipe and port or passage with the top of upper cylinder, this port
opened at the same time as the exhaust port in the upper cylinder, and any residue
of the products of combustion are expelled-by the air under pressure from the
lower part of upper cylinder-at the exhaust; or the same result, viz. the passing
of atmospheric air from the bottom to the top of upper cylinder, can be accomplished
by a port which will be opened by the upper piston which port places the bottom of
upper cylinder in communication with the top of same.
:
It will be seen that the aforesaid exhaust port provided in the side of upper
cylinder is opened and closed following upon the different positions of the lower
piston in the cylindrical frame, or cylinder, the exhaust port in upper and lower
cylinders communicating by means of a pipe or passage aforesaid.
The spent gases in the top part of upper cylinder will, in my oil engine, be
discharged into the atmosphere assisted by air under pressure supplied from
bottom of upper cylinder through a port in lower cylinder following upon each
revolution of the engine.
In an engine of similar design, suitable for working as a gas engine, the air
taken in to form part of the explosive mixture would preferably be mixed with
gas on its inward passage to the space between top part of lower piston and upper
part of cylindrical frame, or cylinder, whence it would be driven to receiver and
thence to the upper part of top piston where it is ignited in the usual way.
It is obvious that my engine can be started to run in either direction and reversed
by stopping and starting in the opposite direction, and that the work done in the
cylindrical frame, or lower cylinder, could to a certain extent be accomplished in
the upper cylinder and that which takes place in the upper could be accomplished
in the lower one should it be so desired.
It is also obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction and arrangement
of my engine without departing from the nature of my invention; for instance,
instead of making a vertical inverted engine as herein before described, I may
construct my improved engine so as to work horizontally, and I may connect two
or more of my engines to the same shaft setting, the cranks at different angles.
Dated this 20th day of February 1895.
ARTHUR BENTALL COLLIS.
Herbert P. Blake,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Oil, Gas, or Vapour Engines.
1 ARTHUR BENTALL COLLIS, of West Quay, Southampton, in the County of
Hants, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to oil, gas, or vapour engines, of the kind, in which internal
combustion or explosion of the gas or vapour is used as the means of actuating the
engine.

page_text: My improved engines are so constructed that an impulse is obtained at every
revolution.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice in a single cylinder vertical
inverted oil engine in which :-
Fig. 1 is a central sectional elevation of one form of my engine.
Fig. 2 a central sectional elevation taken at right angles, to Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 sectional plans of the lower piston 9, taken on the line A, A.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
According to one form or modification of my invention I mount the motor
cylinder a, on the top of a vertical cylindrical frame b, standing on a suitable bed-plate
made in one or more parts as found most convenient but shewn made in two parts c, c,
e is the motor piston, the rod f of which connects at its lower end with another
piston or plunger g fitted to work in the cylindrical frame b, the piston g is open at
the bottom end but closed at the top.
The crank connecting rod connects to the underside of the upper part of the
lower piston g by a hinged joint g', and at the other end to the crank.
that
The piston g works up and down, that is reciprocates, in the cylindrical frame b
in which it is properly fitted being actuated by the movement of the piston e,
is to say, the movement of the two pistons is identical.
Taking it that the upper piston e is at, or about the top of its cylinder a, and
the lower piston g consequently at, or about the top of the cylindrical frame or
cylinder b.
Upon turning the engine a partial vacumn is created at the top of the cylinder b
by reason of the downstroke of the piston g, and atmospheric air is thus drawn in
by reason of the vacumn between the bottom of the upper cylinder and top of the
lower piston, through a port m and the non-return valve n, which is fitted to
same.
Continuing the turning of the engine and consequent upstroke of the pistons,
the compressed air or mixture at the top of the cylinder b is forced under pressure
through the port o, and non-return valve p and through the passage q, or by a
pipe provided for the purpose, into a receiver r (which I prefer to provide in bed
plate).
The air thus compressed in the receiver, following upon the continued revolutions
of the engine, is admitted from the receiver periodically at the ports or openings s, st
to the top of the cylinder a by means of the pipe or passage t, and non-return
valve u; as the port or opening u in the piston g is brought opposite to the ports s
and s', the air in its passage, or after having entered the cylinder a being mixed
If oil is
with oil or oil vapour supplied for the purpose by any suitable means.
supplied direct to the cylinder a, means will be adopted for vapourizing it; upon
the closing of the ports s, s¹ by reason of the altered position of the port u and
consequent closing of the non-return valve u following upon the continued upstroke
of the piston, the air and oil vapour is further compressed at the top of the
cylinder a when the contents of the cylinder are ignited by suitable means at
the top of the cylinder a, explosion following, the pistons, following upon the
explosion are driven down and the lower piston g, just before the downstroke is
completed, brings the port j, in piston g opposite the port j¹ in cylinder b, the
port j being connected with the port in cylinder a by the pipes or passages k,
allows of the spent gases in the cylinder a being discharged (when the piston g is
in this position) through the port ; and ; at the exhaust port 3 with which they
communicate.
It is obvious that the port u opens to the ports s, s¹ on the downstroke of the
pistons but owing to the pressure on the cylinder a being greater than the pressure
on the receiver, the non-return valve u' is not opened.
It will be seen that the exhaust port 2 is opened and closed following upon the
different positions of the lower piston in the cylindrical frame or cylinder.
Further a port v and non-return valve v¹ is fitted at, or near the bottom of the

page_text: cylinder a, and the atmospheric air admitted through this port-following upon
the upstroke of the piston e-is compressed on the downstroke until it is discharged
at the top of the piston e through the port or passage w which is opened on the
-downstroke of the piston when the latter is below the port w; the air then at the
top of the cylinder assists the discharge of the products of combustion in same at
the exhaust port j³ into the atmosphere.
Thus the spent gases in the top of upper cylinder a will in my engine be
discharged into the atmosphere assisted by air under pressure supplied from the
bottom of cylinder a through a port in lower cylinder, following upon each
revolution of the engine.
In an engine of similar design, suitable for working as a gas engine, the air
taken in to form part of the explosive mixture would preferably be mixed with
gas on its inward passage to the space between top part of lower piston and upper
part of cylindrical frame or cylinder whence it would be driven to receiver and
thence to the upper part of top piston where it is ignited in the usual way.
It is obvious that my engine can be started to run in either direction and reversed
by stopping and starting in the opposite direction, and that the work done in the
cylindrical frame, or lower cylinder, could to a certain extent be accomplished in
the upper cylinder and that which takes place in the upper could be accomplished
in the lower one should it be so desired.
It is also obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction and arrangement
of my engine without departing from the nature of my invention, for instance,
instead of making a vertical inverted engine as herein before described I may
construct my improved engine so as to work horizontally, and I may connect two
or more of my engines to the same shaft setting the cranks at different angles.
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. The improved engine consisting of the parts all constructed, arranged and
-combined substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings,
and operating as, and for the purposes above specified.
2nd. In an engine of the above mentioned type the method of discharging the
residium gases at the port 2 in the moter cylinder a by means of compressed
atmospheric air introduced at the non-return valve v and port at the bottom of
the cylinder a, as, and for the purposes hereinbefore substantially described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In an engine of the above mentioned type the discharge of the products of
combustion through ports operated by other ports provided in lower piston
substantially as described.
4th. The combination in and between the valve v¹ and port 2 situated as, and
for the purposes described.
5th. In an engine of the above mentioned type the method or mode I adopt of
admitting air, or an explosive charge, to the top cylinder a, the same being effected
by the position of the ports in the lower piston, as, and for the purpose specified.
6th. In an engine of the above mentioned type the method or mode adopted of
admitting air or mixture at the top of the cylinder b, to be discharged through a
*non-return valve into a receiver as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 17th day of December 1895.
ARTHUR BENTALL COLLIS.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
ARTHUR BENTALL COLLIS.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.