Improvements in or connected with Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Internal Combustion Engines.
JAMES ROOTS, Engineer Holborn Place 261 High Holborn London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements on my Specification 19275" a construction
of oil engine specially adapted for boats and tricycles or bath chairs and like
vehicles, the method of applying them, also to improvements connected with
governing and ignition.
The crank is entirely enclosed in a box or casing attached to and forming
part of or fitting airtight upon the cylinder. When the explosion takes place on
the working side of the piston driving it forward, the other side of the piston
compresses air into the crank box, from which it is forced through the air heater,
which is closed to retain the pressure and which may have vertical instead of annular
channels, it is then mixed with oil and passed through the vaporiser or channel E'
of the said Specification 19275" and thence by the admission valve to the cylinder
on the working side of the piston where it is ignited by a hot tube or as after
described. The air may be passed through a channel to heat it, and a part of the
air supply unheated may enter the admission valve first to prevent premature
ignition.
The power of the motor is transmitted to the axle or spindle of the driving
wheel of a velocipede or bath chair by means of gear wheels reducing the speed.
A number of tubes are employed to pass the jacket water through to cool it, or the
water may be conveyed through the tube frame of the machine.
Another improvement on my said Specification is that the governor operates an
oscillating lever fitted on a lengthened spindle and a projecting part of the same
lever or a second lever attached to the same spindle is thus thrust in the way of the
oil feeder so preventing the delivery of oil and at the same time another lever on
the spindle is brought in front of a boss on the exhaust valve spindle and prevents
its closing, so that when the oil is cut off, exhaust products are drawn into the
cylinder instead of air, which thus loses less heat. These improvements may be
combined with a second explosion chamber similar to that described in my Speci-
fication 9310 to obtain not only increased economy but also by a rapid and sudden
increase of compression during the last small portion of the compression stroke and
by the heat of the cover a spontaneous ignition of the charge regularly after the
engine has become hot. And for this purpose the second chamber may be
particularly in small engines cast like a pocket in the cylinder wall and the charge
not be drawn through it. In a gas engine to assist this ignition without external
flame a small quantity of oil may be admitted to the inner surface of the cylinder
cover. With either gas or oil a hot tube is used to start the engine, and the heat
of the cover may maintain the temperature of the vaporiser in an oil engine when
the external flame be turned off.
Dated December 22 1802

page_text: CUMI LEIN DI MUIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Internal Combustion Engines.
I, JAMES ROOTS, Engineer, Holborn Place, 261 High Holborn, London, 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 improvements on my Specification No. 19275 of 1891
a construction of oil engine specially adapted for boats, tricycles, or bath chairs,
and like vehicles, the method of applying them, also to improvements connected
with governing.
The crank is entirely enclosed in a box or casing attached to and forming part
of or fitting airtight upon the cylinder. When the explosion takes place on the
working side of the piston driving it forward, the other side of the piston compresses
air into the crank box, from which it is forced through the air heater which is
closed to retain the pressure, and which may have vertical instead of annular
channels, it is then mixed with oil and passed through the vapouriser or channel E*
of the said Specification No. 19275 of 1891 and thence by the admission valve to
the cylinder on the working side of the piston, where it is ignited by a hot tube.
The air may be passed through a channel in the cover to heat it, and a part of the
air supply unheated may enter the admission valve first to prevent premature
ignition.
The power of the motor is transmitted to the axle or spindle of the driving wheel
of a velocipede, or bath chair by means of gear wheels reducing the speed. A
number of tubes are employed to pass the jacket water through to cool it, or the
water may be conveyed through the tube frame of the machine.
Another improvement on my said Specification is, that the governor operates an
oscillating lever fitted on a lengthened spindle, and a projecting part of the same
lever, or a second lever attached to the same spindle is thus thrust in the way of
the oil feeder, so preventing the delivery of oil, and at the same time another or
the same lever on the spindle is brought in front of a boss on the exhaust spindle,
and prevents its closing, so that when the oil is cut off, exhaust products are drawn
into the cylinder instead of air, the cylinder thus loses less heat.
These improvements may be combined with a second explosion chamber similar
to that described in my Specification No. 9310 of 1888 to obtain not only increased
economy but also a rapid and sudden increase of compression during the last small
portion of the compression stroke. And for this purpose, the second chamber may
be, particularly in small engines, cast like a pocket in the cylinder wall, and the
charge not be drawn through it.
I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying 5 sheets of drawings, in
which
Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 1 represent a side and sectional elevation respectively of
an inverted engine showing the various connections between the closed crank
chamber, air heater, vapouriser, and working cylinder.
Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 2, are side elevation and plan of the engine referred to in
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, said Figure 3 showing the opposite side to that indicated
in Figure 1, Sheet 1.
Figure 5, Sheet 3, is a sectional elevation of the air heater, vapouriser, and inlet
valve Figure 6 being a cross section on the line 1-2 of Figure 5.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 4, are side elevation, and plan respectively of a tricycle
showing the manner of fitting same with my improved engine and the particular
method of cooling the jacket water.
Figure 9, Sheet 5 is a side view illustrating the various parts of the governor as
applied for controlling the speed of horizontal engines.

page_text: Figures 10 and 11 are side and front views of a similar speed governor as applied
to a vertical engine.
In carrying my invention into practice, I enclose the crank A in a chamber B formed
by fitting the lower part of the crank pit C in an air tight manner to the cylinder
extension D, so that upon the reciprocation of the piston E within the cylinder F
by the explosion of a combustible mixture upon the working side of the piston E,
a quantity of air is alternately drawn into the chamber B through the inlet pipe G
fitted with a non-return valve, and compressed into the air heater H and vapouriser I
through the pipe L and channel M' from which after mixture with oil it escapes as
a combustible charge through the inlet valve J, Figure 3, into the cylinder F just
after the exhaust port K is uncovered by the arrival of the piston E nearly at its
lowest position, as particularly shown at Figure 2, Sheet 1, the products of
combustion being thereby partially expelled by the incoming charge.
The air as it passes from the chamber B is forced up the pipe L and becomes
heated by its passage through the channel M' around the combustion chamber M
on its way to and down the pipe N to the lower part of the air heater H which is
vertically divided into 4 or more channels P, P1, P2, P3, and constructed as shown
at Figure 6, Sheet 3. The webs Q, Q, Q, are cut out, as shown at R alternately
at top and bottom of same to cause the air as it issues from the inlet pipe N to
traverse all the channels successively, that is to say, up the channel P, over the
web Q, down channel P₁, under channel Q', the orifice R of which is seen in
Figure 5, thence up the channel P, over the web Q, down the channel P³, from
which in its now highly heated condition it is conducted through the oil feeder T
by the pipe T' to sweep off the oil from the groove or grooves of the spindle U,
and carries same into the vapouriser I for further heating and mixing before
passing into the cylinder F through the pipe W and inlet valve J, where upon the
return stroke of the piston E it is compressed into the auxiliary chamber X (if
one be used) and the combustion chamber M to be ignited by the hot tube Y
maintained at a sufficient heat by a lamp flame through the orifice Z, the same
flame serving also to heat the air channel P P P P³ and vapouriser for the
purpose before described.
The oil feeder is operated by the eccentric a and rocking lever and the oil as it
is used is supplied from the tank c by the pipe d, and shut off cock e.
In applying an engine to a tricycle or similar vehicle, I arrange that the tubular
framing f, g, of the machine shall serve as flow and return pipes respectively
between the water tank h and jacket of the engine cylinder, the engine itself
being also supported from the cross frame j by the arms k, k, attached to the crank
chamber and brackets 1, 1, of the cross frame j, these may however be supplemented
by any system of cross ties or bracket supports that may be found necessary
to resist the torsional strain imposed by the working of the engine.
The power of the engine is transmitted to the driving axle of the velocipede, (or
it may be a bath chair or other vehicle) by means of reducing gear consisting of a
bevel pinion m, and a larger bevel wheel n, which is so arranged upon the driving
axle with the friction clutch Z that it may run loose upon it, when it is desired to
stop the machine, or when going down hill without necessarily stopping the engine;
but when the power of the engine is to be communicated to the driving axle, said
bevil wheel n transfers its motion by means of the friction clutch Z through the
balance gear to the said driving axle of the machine, and is under the control of
the driver by the lever p. The usual chain and treadle motion may be added when
desired.
My improvement in governors for controlling the speed of internal combustion
engines, consists in the employment of an oscillating lever y, Figures 9, 10, and 11,
Sheet 5, fitted on the lengthened spindler, Figure 9, under the direct control of
the governor in such a manner that when the maximum speed for which the
governor is adjusted is attained, a projecting parts of the lever is interposed
behind a boss t having a hardened edge on the exhaust valve spindle, and prevents
it closing, said boss on the exhaust valve spindle also being in the way of the

page_text: oil feeder lever u prevents the delivery of oil by arresting the outward motion of
the groove on the oil feeder spindle toward the air passage. The lever N is shown
operating the oil feed spindle but in a gas engine, this lever might operate the gas
valve. The boss t might be placed on the inlet valve of an engine, instead of on
the exhaust valve.
From the foregoing, it follows that as the oil feed motion is simultaneous with
the closing of the exhaust valve, the prevention of the latter from closing, also
prevents the action of the oil feed spindle, and as the exhaust valve is kept open
during the suction stroke of the piston, the hot products of the previous explosion
are drawn into the cylinder instead of air, whereby the cylinder loses less heat.
In Figures 10 and 11, the intercepting oscillating lever 9 cousists of a bent strip
of metal, pivoted upon the exhaust valve box, and is directly controlled by the
sleeve » of the governor w for the purpose above described.
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. In a petroleum engine, the use of an air heater, vertically divided into channels,
by webs having holes, or cut away portions alternately at top and bottom of same
for causing the air, as it passes through the heater, to successively traverse the
various channels in the manner, and for the purpose described, and constructed and
arranged, substantially as shown.
2. Arranging a petroleum engine with a closed crank chamber, in combination
with a vertically divided or channelled air heater, in such a manner that the
reciprocation of the piston alternately indraws a charge of air into said crank
chamber, and compresses it through the various pipe connections and into and
through the said air heater, oil feeder, and vapouriser, and admitting same under
pressure to the cylinder in the manner, and for the purpose as set forth, and
substantially as shown in the annexed drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of the air heater and vapouriser with the
cylinder cover and admission valve, such as described.
4. Arranging an engine in combination with a tricycle, bath chair, or like vehicle,
and utilising the frame of said vehicle as flow and return pipes between the
circulating tank and jacket of the engine.
5. The combination of the oil motor, and tank, and gear with such a vehicle
arranged as described.
6. The combination of the parts q, t, and v, with a valve in an internal
combustion engine.
The 24th day of October 1893.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said James Roots.