Improvements in or relating to Gas Engines or Gas Motors.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Gas Engines or Gas Motors.
A communication from abroad by HIRAM CORNELIUS COVERT, of New York City,
County, and State, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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
This invention relates to engines wherein the explosive force of gas, or gas and
air is employed as the motive power, and which are commonly known as gas engines
or gas motors.
The object of this invention is to produce an engine of the class named which shall
be of few and simple parts, powerful, reliable and effective, compact and convenient
in arrangement, economical of fuel, of which the various working parts are easily
accessible and removable, and which may be operated at high or low speed with equal
certainty and efficiency..
To accomplish all of this, and to secure other and further advantages in these matters
of construction, operation and use, the improvements involve certain new and useful
arrangements or combinations of parts, peculiarities of construction and principles of
operation, all of which will be herein first fully described and then pointed out in the
claims.
:-
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification
Figure 1 is a partial elevation and section of the improved engine upon a plane
at right angles to the main shaft.
Figure 2 is a front view, partly in section and partly in clevation.
Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the base corresponding with Figure 2, and
showing the general location of the cylinders and valve chamber.
Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the valve chamber detached.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation at right angles to the main shaft, showing a
governor and connections with the check valve in the valve chamber.
Figure 6 is a side elevation, showing the means and connections for operating the
ignition valve.
Figure 7 is a sectional view enlarged beyond provious Figures, showing the
construction of the ignition valve, and
Figure 8 is a top or plan view corresponding with Figure 7.
Figure 9 is an elevation of the plunger detached from the casing shown in
Figure S.
In all these Figures, like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate
corresponding parts.
A is the main shaft of the engine journalled in suitable standards B B, mounted
upon a base or bed C.
The shaft A carries a fly wheel D, which may also be used
as a belt wheel, and is supplied at one portion with a disc E driven by a connecting
rod F leading from the main piston G, and at another point with a disc H, which
drives the gas pump piston I through rod K.
L is the power cylinder within which the explosive force of the gas or fuel is
utilized to drive the main piston G. M is the pump cylinder into which the fuel is
drawn, and from which it is forced into the explosion chamber. These two cylinders
are arranged in line upon the bed plate and firmly secured thereto.
While the engine shown is of the variety known as compression engines, from the
act that the fuel is compressed before being exploded, it should be distinctly

page_text: understood that these improvements are not confined to compression engines, but may
be applied to others as well; and while the general arrangements are chiefly
applicable in upright engines, the peculiar ignition valve and the valve chest are in
no way to be confined to use in either explosive or upright engines, but may be
used in any style.
N is a chamber extending on one side a sufficient distance to establish com-
munication between a port a leading into the pump cylinder and a port 6 leading
into the main cylinder L, and this chamber is called a valve chamber because the
valves all operate in or in connection with it.
Within chamber N is an air and gas valve c which, as pump piston I is retracted,
rises and admits gas from any source through opening d and connecting channels,
and at the same time admits a quantity of air from the exterior through separate
channels e e. This mixture constitutes the fuel which is to be exploded.” It enters
the pump cylinder and the valve chamber.
When piston I reaches its highest point, valve c closes, and upon descent of piston I
the fuel is forced past the check valve f and into the chamber in which it is to be
exploded, of which chamber the space beneath the main piston G is a port.
The explosion is effected through an ignition valve applied upon the valve chest,
shown in position at Figure 4, and in detail in Figures 7 and 9. O represents the
valve casing, within which is a plunger P. This casing is removably applied upon
the valve chest and communicates with the interior thereof, through an opening g.
Gas from valve chamber N enters at g, passes around plunger P through channel g¹,
thence through an opening governed by a neodle valve 92, thence into a recess g³
formed in the casing O.
The plunger is recessed at top and fitted with a removable plug Q (screw threaded),
having a conical projection or portion Q, above which projection the plug Qis
slightly tapered or reduced in diameter to afford a narrow recess h between the plug
and the shell of the plunger, increasing in area from top to bottom as plainly
shown.
In the region of channel g³ the exterior of the plunger is 'recessed as at i, and
perforated as at . When the plunger is in proper position a small quantity of the
gas or fuel escapes from channel g³ through perforations, through recess h and out
at opening or mouth k, where it is ignited by a small flame maintained at a jet
orifice, suitably located for the purpose.
The movements of the plunger are so regulated or timed that when ignition takes
place the plunger will uncover mouth g and close mouth k, the ignition extending to
the contents of the explosion chamber.
The chamber being of tapered form is not liable to become clogged, and affords
a free and abundant access of gas to the region of the conical plug from whence
it can easily escape to be ignited. As the plunger descends, the channel g¹ and
passages communicating therewith have abundant time to become charged with live
gas ready for the succeeding explosion, and the ignition is thus enabled to take place
with certainty, no matter at what speed the engino may be operated.
The plunger may of course be made cylindrical or of any other figure, and while it
is preferred to move it vertically it may be moved in horizontal or other direction.
It may be easily removed for cleaning, if necessary. It is moved by any suitable
connection with the main shaft. P' is a rod connected with the plunger and operated
by a lever P³, one end of which engages with a cam slot in disc E.
equivalent means may be substituted for these special devices.
Any other
The check valve is raised from its seat whenever the speed of the engine is
increased beyond a desired degree, so that as the piston G descends, the gas, which would
otherwise be compressed beyond the degree due to the action of the pressure pump,
finds an escape back past the check valve, and what remains in the explosion chamber
at the instant of explosion, being of less pressure than ordinarily, will produce a
lighter effect upon the piston and allow the engine to gradually resume its proper
speed.
To move the check valve it is connected with a suitable -governor, which may .be

page_text: In the
of any preferred construction, but arranged to operate at the time desired.
form shown, weighted arms as R R are hinged so as to swing outward from the
centre more and more as the speed increases. They are connected with a sliding
collar carrying a cam m as by jointed rods n. A lever o suitably located and hinged
is depressed by cam m, when the latter is carried along to the proper point, and by
connecting rods p p¹ raises the check valve at times and in a manner which will be
readily understood."
Within the valve chamber the check valve is screened by a wall or partition
extending on towards the ignition valve, the purpose of which is to ensure a thorough
ventilation of that portion of the explosion chamber, that is, so that the incoming gas
or fuel shall drive out all the exploded material and prevent the accumulation of
dead material in the region of the port leading to the ignition valve.
The improved engine may be used for any purpose.
At S is a water or other pump, conveniently disposed on the base and driven
from the main shaft by gears T T and suitable connections. Any other machine inay
be put in the place of the pump.
VV are chambers through which a supply of water may be employed to prevent
over heating. W is the exhaust channel.
The valves are all accessible from the top, the parts are all simple and easy to make
and mount, not liable to get out of order, and the engine has been found to admirably
answer the purpose or object of the invention previously set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 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. In a gas engine, the combination with the power cylinder and pump cylinder
located and arranged substantially as shown, of a valve chamber extending from one
cylinder to the other and establishing communication between the two said chambers
sustaining a gas valve, check valve and ignition valve, substantially as shown and
described.
2. In a gas engine, the combination with the valve chamber establishing com-
munication between the power cylinder and gas pump of the gas valve covering the
separate inlets for gas and air, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a gas engine, the combination with the valve chamber establishing com-
munication between the power cylinder and gas pump, of a check valve, a governor
and means for connecting the check valve with the governor, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
4. In combination with the check valve located in the valve chamber, a partition q
arranged to direct the flow of gas substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
5. The removable plug combined with the plunger of an ignition valve for gas
engines, said plug being gradually reduced in diameter as explained, and forming
with the shell of the plunger a gas channel of gradually increasing area, substantially
as shown and described.
6. The removable plug Q combined with perforated plunger P and having a
conical projection Q located and arranged substantially as shown and described.
7. The valve casing O having inlet and outlet g k, channel g¹, and needle valve g³,
combined with a perforated plunger P having removable plug Q Q', substantially as
shown and described.
Dated this 4th day of Angust 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.