IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH ELECTRIC IGNITING APPARATUS FOR GAS-ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, DANIEL STEPHEN REGAN, of 1509 Market Street, San Francisco, California,
United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH ELECTRIC IGNITING APPARATUS FOR
GAS-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 relates to improvements in gas engines and consists in a certain
device for igniting the charge of gas whereby the gas jet is dispensed with, and
the necessity of the slide-valve is entirely avoided. As the best means of effecting
this end I have employed the electrical dynamo which I operate by the engine as
will be shown.
My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawing and the letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a gas engine with my improvement attached.
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the gas and air chest showing one mode of
operating the lever for breaking the circuit and producing the electric spark for
igniting the gas in the gas and air chamber.
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevation similar to Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a side sectional elevation of another construction of contact levers for
breaking the current and producing the spark.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of
showing the arrangement of the parts more clearly, and
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same.
My improvement is well adapted to be applied to the "Otto Engine" and is of
great value as an improvement upon the same, by avoiding a great part of the
friction and causing a large saving of gas.
The following is the construction of the same. A represents the frame or engine
bed B the cylinder: C the piston rod: D the connecting-rod: E the valve-shaft:
F the bevel gear that operates the valve-shaft: G the fly or balance-wheel: H the
gas valve: I the projection or cam that operates the exhaust-lever: K the lever
which operates the exhaust: L the exhaust-pipe: M the gas-pipe: N the air-pipe:
E' the gas-chamber: O represents any suitable electrical dynamo machine: P and Q
011...מ

page_text: the connecting electric wires. In Fig. 3, R represents the insulated connecting
stud: S represents the connecting and disconnecting lever: T represents the
projection or finger attached to the piston head for the purpose of tripping the
connecting lever S, and breaking the connection and causing the spark at every
stroke of the piston as will be shown. U represents the poppet check valve.
V represents the shank of the connecting stud R. W represents the insulating
sleeve and flanges for insulating the shank V.
In Fig. 2, X represents the projection or finger for tripping the connecting lever.
Y represents the connecting lever: Z represents the pivot slot in the lever Y to
allow the same to rise, and A' represents the slot in the same to receive the hook B¹
upon the projection or finger X which is attached to the piston head: K¹ represents
the piston-head: I' represents the pulley upon the main shaft: and J¹ represents
the pulley upon the dynamo: F' represents the guides: G¹ the cross head of the
engine: L¹ represents the exhaust valve.
My improvement consists in the device and arrangement by which I employ
a dynamo which is connected with and operated by a pulley N₁ situated on the
main shaft of the engine. One pole of the dynamo O, is connected with the
insulated connecting stud R or C₁ by the electric wire Q and the other pole with
the engine by the electric wire P.
A projection or finger X, shown in Fig. 2, or T, shown in Fig. 3, is attached to
the piston-head K₁ so that as the stroke is made it extends into the gas-chamber E'
and strikes the connecting lever S or Y. The mode of getting the igniting spark
for the charge in the cylinder is by a direct current and the circuit is made and
broken by the action of the finger X or T striking the lever Y or S, and moving
the same away from the stud R or C', and causing the spark, thereby igniting the
charge in the cylinder and forcing out the piston as will be shown more clearly
where the operation is fully described.
The following is the operation of my improvement. The engine is set in motion
by revolving the fly-wheel for the purpose of supplying a charge. As the main
shaft is revolved, the bevel gear F is revolved by which the smaller wheel upon
the main shaft, heing half the size of the wheel upon the valve shaft, gives a half
revolution to the same, so as to operate the supply and exhaust valves, once in two
revolutions of the main shaft.
The gas-valve H is opened by the cam I striking the stem of the same. As the
cam shaft E is revolved, the action of the piston sucks in the charge of air and gas
through the poppet valve U, in the required proportion.
When the cylinder is filled, the cam I releases the stem of the gas valve H,
allowing the same to close and the piston. K¹ returning, compresses the charge in
the cylinder and the finger T or X, extending into the gas-chamber, strikes the
lever S or Y, operating the same and producing the spark, as has been shown, and
igniting the charge, thus moving the piston by its expansion. The end of the
stroke being reached, the cam J has sufficiently revolved to operate the lever K
and open the exhaust valve L¹ by means of the stem P. Another revolution is
made when the gas valve is opened as before and the piston returning, compresses
the charge and the electric spark is produced and the charge ignited as before.
The poppet valve U, is returned by a light spring as soon as the other valves are
closed after the cylinder receives its charge.
I have shown in Fig. 7 an under plan view of the gas-chamber E¹ showing the
stud R and lever S also shown in the sectional view Fig. 3.
This construction I have employed in my attachment to the Otto gas-engine.
It shows more clearly the position of the lever S and stud R; it also shows the
perforations W¹ connecting with the gas-pipe connection M. I have shown the
light spring S¹ for returning the poppet or check valve U but it may be dispensed
with as the back pressure instantly closes it when the piston has made its stroke
and begins to return. The chamber T being over the receiving port of the engine
when the piston moves forward to take in the charge the valve U opens and the
gas is drawn in through the gas-pipe M and the perforations W₁ shown in the

page_text: division V and the air is drawn in through the air-pipe N. The operation of the
lever S and stud R by the projection on the piston-head has already been fully
explained.
I do not confine myself to the exact mode of construction of the parts which
I have described as they may be varied without changing the principle of their
operation and I regard the dynamo machine as simply one mode of producing a
direct electrical current for producing the spark and igniting the charge in the
gas chest E. Thus I have shown the figures 2, 3 and 4 to illustrate the different
modes which I have employed for completing and breaking the circuit. While in
Fig. 3, the lever S, simply rises and drops against the insulated stud R and is not
so reliable as the lever Y shown in Fig. 2, which has a rubbing or grinding contact
with the stud C¹ keeping the contact surfaces perfectly clean and insuring a good
connection of the circuit. Fig. 4 also shows another form of rubbing contact.
One of the most important objects of my invention is the employment of the
dynamo electrical machine for the purpose of igniting the charge whether it is
connected directly with the engine or to any countershaft operated by the engine.
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
In gas engines,-
First. The dynamo, O, or other electrical machine and the conducting wire, P,
and insulated stud R or C¹ in combination with the connecting lever
or Y and
the conducting wire Q connected with the engine for the purpose of creating an
electric spark and igniting the charge, constructed and operated substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The projection of finger T or X, attached to the piston-head K¹ for the
purpose of breaking the electric circuit and producing the spark, constructed and
operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The dynamo, O, with connecting wire, P, attached to the insulated
stud R or C, and the connecting wire Qattached to the engine, in combination
with the pulley, N, attached to the engine shaft, connected with any suitable
belt R¹ or any other gearing, for the purpose of igniting the charge in the engine,
constructed and operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The insulated stud R or C¹, in combination with any known class of
mechanism, to be actuated by the piston, constructed and operated substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The gas and air-chest E' having the divisions T and V₁, the poppet
valve U, the insulated stud R and connecting lever S, the gas-pipe M and air-
pipe N, the perforations W¹ for the purpose of admitting the charge of air and gas,
and igniting the same by an electric spark, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.