Improvements in and relating to Explosion Engines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Explosion Engines.
I, REGINALD STANLEY of Manor Court, Nuneaton, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The nature of iny invention consists of improvements in and relating to explosion
engines, having a vibratory piston or pistons, and in which the cycle of operations
relating to the admission, compression, expansion, and exhaust of the gaseous
mixture is arranged on the so-called "Otto" principle.
By my invertion I provide a series of chambers, preferably four, each forming
longitudinally the segment of a circle, and having four pistons, that is to say, one
in each chamber, capable of working therein and connected by suitable arms or the
like with a central boss, from which as centre said pistons perform their strokes.
I construct my four chambers, by making a pair of hollow castings, segmental in
shape, and divided in the middle of their lengths by a partition.
These are further provided with flanges for securely bolting to the bedplate of
the engine in such a position, that they are symmetrically opposite to one another,
sufficient space-equal to the length of one chamber-being left between the ends
for the stroke of the piston or piston rods. In order to ensure stability, they may
be connected by a webbing formed during the process of casting. The pistons or
piston rods are also segmental in form, and one pair of pistons is attached to a
radial arm diametrically opposite to the other pair of pistons, which is also fixed
upon a radial arm, each of said arms being rigid with the central boss.
The connecting rod is attached to one piston rod or double piston at a point
midway between the extremities of the latter, and is forked through a portion of
its length to avoid coming in contact with the segmental chamber, being attached
at its other end directly to the crank driving the flywheel.
In some cases, however, I may prefer to make the aforesaid radial arms separate
from one another, so that one pair of pistons may work independently of the other,
when it will be necessary to employ two connecting rods, one at top and the other
at bottom, and two cranks or one double one, the explosions occurring in rotation,
the same as with a single connecting rod, or, if desired, in a different order so that
the pairs of pistons may be worked in twin.
The central boss may be keyed upon a shaft working in bearings attached to
the castings of the chambers, or said shaft may be fixed and the boss carrying the
arms and pistons work loosely thereon.
The pistons are provided with ordinary rings, which however are made thicker
on the outside of circle to allow for additional wear, and are prevented from turning
upon the piston by suitable means. The pistons are also hollowed out for the sake
of lightness and coolness, and chambers and valve boxes are water jacketted.
Either mushroom or slide valves for admission and exhaust may be used, and
worked and regulated by means of the usual rotating shaft bearing cams or
er centrics, or by other known means, and can be arranged so that any one or more
of the valves may be thrown out of use when only small power is required. The
inlet, outlet, and ignition ports in the chambers may be situated where most
convenient at each end of said chambers.

page_text: My explosion engine is applicable for use with any explosive fluid mixture, such
as gas and air, vapourized oil, or the like.
Dated this 13th day of February 1895.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Explosion Engines.
I, REGINALD STANLEY J.P. of Manor Court, Nuneaton, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :--.
The present invention consists of improvements in and relating to. explosion
engines of the class having a vibratory piston or pistons and in which the cycle of
operations is arranged to work on the "Otto" principle. My said improvements
consist chiefly in providing segmental chambers in which circular pistons may work
instead of rectangular pistons as heretofore, and I am enabled to attach the
connecting rod or rods directly to the extremity or extremities of the arm or arms
carrying the piston rods without the intervention of a crank.
By my invention, I provide a series of chambers, preferably four each forming
longitudinally the segment of a circle, and having four pistons, that is to say, one
in each chamber, capable of working therein and connected by suitable arms or the
like with a central boss, from which a centre, said pistons perform their strokes.
I construct my four chambers, by making a pair of hollow castings, segmental in
shape, and divided in the middle of their lengths by a partition.
These are further provided with flanges for securely bolting to the bedplate of
the engine in such a position, that they are symmetrically opposite to one another,
sufficient space-equal to the length of one chamber-being left between the ends
for the stroke of the pistons or piston rods. In order to ensure stability they may
be connected by a web formed during the process of casting. The pistons or piston
rods are also segmental in form, and one pair of pistons is attached to a radial arm
diametrically opposite to the other pair of pistons which is also fixed upon a radial
arm each of said arms being rigid with the central boss.
The connecting rod is attached to one piston rod or double piston at a point
midway between the extremities of the latter, and is forked through a portion of
its length to avoid coming in contact with the segmental chamber, being attached
at its other end directly to the crank driving the flywheel.
In some cases, however, I may prefer to make the aforesaid radial arms separate
from one another, so that one pair of pistons may work independently of the other,
when it will be necessary to employ two connecting rods, one at top and the other
at bottom, and two cranks or one double one, the explosions occurring in rotation,
the same as with a single connecting rod, or, if desired, in a different order so that
the pairs of pistons may be worked in twin.
Before describing my invention further, I will now refer to the accompanying
drawings forming part of this Specification.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation of a gas or explosion engine made according to
my invention.
Figure represents a plan of same, the cylinders or chambers and adjacent parts
being in section, and
Figure 3 is a vertical section of cylinders or chambers shewing pistons.
Figure 4 is an elevation of cylinders shewing an arrangement for working with
two connecting rods.

page_text: Throughout the different figures the same letters of reference arc used to indicate
the same or corresponding parts.
A A represent the cylinders which are in reality segmental chambers arranged.
in a pair oppositely to one another each chamber being divided centrally by a
partition B B. CC are the piston rods preferably of a + section, each carrying
at one end a circular piston D D, and at the other end flanged and bolted
oppositely to the extremities of an arm E, as shewn by Figure 3. Said arm E
carries a central hollow boss F by which it is mounted upon a shaft G carried in
bearings H H, Figure 2. Said shaft G is situated centrally between the two pairs
of cylinders, forming the centre of circular motion of the pistons. The piston
rings c, c, c, c, Figure 3, have to be made thicker on the side furthest from the
axis in order to compensate for the additional wear which arises, that is to say,
their flat surfaces are shaved down on planes radiating from central axis. To
revent them from turning and becoming wedged in the groove of the piston, each
ring is provided with small studs, engaging in corresponding holes, or vice versa.
The so-called cylinders or chambers A are preferably cast in metal and finished off
with planing and cutting tools. These are securely bolted to the bedplate of the
engine, as will be well understood, in the same circunferential position, and are
only made of such a length as will allow room between the ends for the stroke of
the piston. A web or casting J rises from the bed plate O forming a rigid support
for the segmental castings, the latter being held on to the web or support by bolts
or screws K, Figure 2.
Lis the .connecting rod, forked for a portion of its length in order to avoid
coming in contact with the segmental chamber, the extremities of the fork being
furnished with bearings M, Figure 1, by which the fly-wheel crank N is connected
directly to the extremity of the arm E at a point midway between two adjacent
pistons.
The valves and iguiting arrangements are similar to those that are now well-
known, and it will therefore be unnecessary for me to describe each detail beyond
indicating by reference letters the principal parts shewn on the drawings.
P, P1 P2 are the admission boxes, valves, and ports respectively, and p, p are
apertures to admit air to same. QQ are the gas or other explosive mixture valves,
and RR the supply pipes.
SS' S are the exhaust boxes, valves, and ports respectively. TT are the
cooling jackets, the water or other fluid being circulated by means of tubes t t.
UU are chimneys each containing two ignition tubes u u heated by a flame
produced from a burner within each of said chimneys. VV are sliding rollers
mounted in fork bearings attached to the gas or equivalent valve Q, and
operated by cams W, W carried upon cam shaft X receiving motion from the
fy-wheel shaft N, by suitable spur gear and skew gear as shewn, or in other
Y'
gear
convenient manner. Y is a pendulum governor rotating by means of bevel
and by means of a bell crank lever actuating a rod Z, Figure 1, carrying projections
whereby the rollers V, V operating gas valves aforesaid are caused to slide and
miss cams so regulating the supply according to the speed required.
In Figure 4 I have shewn an arrangement whose two independent radial
arms E, E are employed in place of a single diametrical arm as in Figure 3. In
this construction, two connecting rods L, L' are employed, one for each arm, and
both operating the same crank shaft. It is also possible to disconnect two of the
cylinders from the gas supply leaving only one pair of cylinders to operate upon
Done connecting rod when small power is required. For some purposes I may have
a double set of cylinders cast back to back, or side to side, so that there will be
eight cylinders working on one shaft, capable of giving two impulses at each stroke.
This would be of service where power combined with lightness is required, for a
self-propelled carriage, for instance.
3
The cylinders of my improved explosion engine, being single acting and open at
their ends, do not become hot so readily as in the case of other types of cylinders,
for the explosion takes place only upon one side of each piston, and as the latter

page_text: enters the cylinder, it draws in behind it a current of air which produces a cooling
effect upon the cylinder..
My explosion engine is applicable for use with various explosive fluid mixtures,
such as gas and air, vapourized oil, or the like..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In explosion engines having vibratory pistons the use of segmental cylinders
or chambere such as A A in which work circular pistons such as D, D substantially
as herein before described with reference to drawings.
2. In explosion engines having vibratory pistons the employment of a connecting
rod or rods such as L, L' for the purpose of directly connecting the crank shaft
with the piston or pistons or piston rods substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to drawings.
3. In explosion engines having vibratory pistons working in segmental cylinders
or chambers the use of radial piston rings such as c, c, c, c, Figure 3, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to drawings.
4. In explosion engines having vibratory pistons the use of separate and
independent radial arms such as E, E' substantially as hereinbefore described and
as illustrated in Figure 4 of accompanying drawings.
5. The general arrangement and construction of explosion engine substantially
as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of December 1895
STANLEY, POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
7 & 8 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.