Improvements in Explosion Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Explosion Engines.
I, ALEXANDER WINTON, of 37, Bolton Place, Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga; and State of Ohio, Inventor and Mechanical Engineer, do liereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to iniprovements in explosive engines and has for
its object the providing of a governor and an electric sparking or igniting device.
The Governor is constructed to operate in connection with a valve actuated by
air or hydraulic pressure, said pressure being provided by a pump which is in turn
operated by the engine. The valve or diaphragin is operatively connected with the
valve closing the inlet port to the explosive chamber, whereby when the engine
is running beyond a predetermined speed, the air pressure against the diaphragm
will be sufficient to regulate the distance the valve shall open regulating the
amount of explosive mixture admitted to the explosive chamber or to hold the valve
entirely closed thus cutting off any admission of the mixture to the explosion
chamber.
The invention has as one of its important features the governor situated in the
communication between the pump and the diaphragm, the governor constructed
to regulate an air escape, and thereby regulate the amount of pressure under the
diaphragm, and in turn regulate the movement of the valve which closes the inlet
port to the explosion chamber. The Governor is actuated by the engine and
operates essentially on the same principle as an ordinary steam engine governor,
except serving to regulate an air vent or escape instead of a steam inlet opening.
The particular improvement in the present application so far as the governor is
concerned pertains to providing the governor with a double valve seat, whereby
in addition to regulating the escape, it is adapted through the medium
of the valve seat at its outer end to entirely close the escape in the case of an
accident; as for instance, the breaking of the governor valve, in which event the
spring of the governor will cause the valve seat at its outer end to firmly close the
escape opening, thus permitting the accumulation of the pressure under the
diaphragm thereby firmly holding the valve to the inlet port closed. This prevents
of the explosive mixture entering the explosive chamber and results in stopping
the engine.
any
The sparker is constructed upon an oscillating shaft or rod having connected
therewith an endwise spring actuated rod adapted to oscillate the shaft; the spring
rod having an incline and this incline co-acting with an endwise moving rod which
forces the spring röd endwise and suddenly releases it wherely the contact is made
and suddenly broken thus causing a spark in the usual manner.
I also provide means for shutting off the fluid feed by means of a diaphragm
actuated through the medium of air or hydraulic pressure; and in this communica-
tion is situated a governor such as heretofore described whereby the diaphragm
is regulated and also the fluid feed.
If desired- the same governor may be used to regulate the flow of air to the

page_text: diaphragm which regulates the opening of the inlet port and also to the diaphragm
which regulates the fluid feed. So also the same diaphragm which actuates the
inlet valve, may be connected with the fluid-feed controller or regulator and in
this case a single governor will perform the double function of regulating the
amount of pressure which controls the fluid feed and the inlet valve.
Dated this 21st day of January 1897.
I, ALEXANDER WINTON, of 37, Bolton Place, Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, Inventor and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what maner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in explosive engines, and pertains to
certain improvements in a governor therefor and an electric sparker or igniting
device, which will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in
the claims.
One object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliable sparker or igniting
device for the explosive chamber of the engine. Another object of my invention
is to provide an improved form of valve regulated through the medium of a governor
for controlling devices which control the feeding of an hydrocarbon liquid, to be
vaporized and conveyed to the explosion chamber.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view partly in section and side elevation of an engine with my
improvements attached.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the particular form of the
valve for regulating the admission of pressure to a fluid feed regulator.
Figure 4 is an end view of my improved igniter.
Figure 5, is a perspective view of the same.
Figure 6, is a detail view of the lower end of the rod for actuating the igniter,
and the reciprocating pitman for actuating said rod.
Figure 7, is a side elevation of the same.
Referring now to the drawings, A indicates the engine bed, B the cylinder, C the
driving wheels, E and F the gearings and D a pitman connected with a recipro-
cating rod G. The outer end of this rod G is reduced as clearly shown in Figures 6
and 7, and has its free end turned upward as shown at a. The gearing E and F
is so timed that the igniter is only ignited at every other stroke of the engine as
is necessary in explosive engines of this character and need not be further described,
the same being well understood by those skilled in the art.
In the head of the cylinder is arranged an oscillating shaft e carrying at its
inner end within the cylinder a laterally extending contact or sparking wire f.
Attached to the outer end of the shaft or rod e is a crank h, the same being attached
to the shaft e, through the medium of a set screw e¹. Connected to the opposite end
of the crank h is a spring actuated rod H, the lower end of the said rod being
guided in a slot Q of a bracket P which is suitably attached to the head of the
cylinder of the engine. The lower end of this spring actuated rod H is turned
laterally as shown to form a bearing head I. This head I has a rib or flange d
serving to form practically a groove or shoulder as clearly shown in Figure C, with

page_text: which the upturned end a of the endwise moving rod G engages. A spring T is
connected with the crank h or may be connected with the rod H itself, the opposite
end of the spring being shown as connected to the bracket P, the function of which
is to normally hold the rod H down with its top R in contact with the bracket as
will be readily understood. The slot Q in the bracket P through which the lower
end of the lever or rod H passes is elongated to permit the rod a lateral movement
and a spring U is provided for normally holding the lever or rod H in the position
shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. A stud or projection i also extends through
the head of the cylinder and is provided with the sparking arm i operating with
the laterally extending arm f of the shaft c, and the shaft e and the stud i are
provided with wires K which electrically connect these studs with a suitable
battery or other electrical source.
The operation of this device is as follows:-
The rod G being reciprocated through the medium of the pitman B and wheel E
and F from the main shaft of the engine, its upturned end a engages the shoulder
formed by the rib d, and in its outward movement forces the rod or lever H up
owing to the fact that the engaging edge I of the rod extends downward at an
inclination to the line of travel of the rod G. This upward movement is against
the tension of the spring T as before stated, and the rod or lever H causes the
arm f to engage the contact point or wire j thus closing the circuit to the electrical
source. The movement of the rod G is sufficient to carry its upturned end a beyond
the end of the rib & and immediately the arm or lever H is released and instantly
drawn downward by the spring T thus separating the contacts j and f which
causes a spark as will be readily understood. These parts are so timed that the
sparking is made at the proper time in the explosion chamber as will be readily
understood. The crank being adjustable upon the rod e, it can be set to cause
the contacts f and j to properly co-operate.
From this description it will be seen that the sparker is of the construction as
to make it of absolute and positive movement, and making positive and certain
the creating of the spark at exactly the right time.
The admission of the explosive mixture is regulated through the medium of
diaphragms f, situated within the cylinders J, the diaphragms being connected
with the valve r, which control the inlet opening for mixture, the diaphragms being
subjected to pressure from a pump b, connected with the cylinders by pipes c, c¹, at
points below the diaphragms, whereby the valves are allowed to open more or
less, or be entirely closed, according to the pressure beneath the diaphragms.
Connected with the diaphragms f, are bell crank levers ¹, which in turn are
connected with the fluid controlling valves n, and air regulating valves s, through
the medium of the stems m. By means of this construction, when the valves are
opening for admitting the explosive mixture, the fluid and air controlling
valves n, s, are moved away from their fluid opening to admit the fluid and close
the fluid openings when the valves are closed, as will be readily understood. Situ-
ated in the pipe a', above the fluid controlling valve n, are air controlling valvės 3,
connected with the upper ends of the bell-crank lever ¹.
In operation, when the inlet valves are drawn inward for admitting the
explosive mixture, the diaphragms f¹ connected therewith are correspondingly
moved, which actuates the bell-crank levers ¹, and consequently move the fluid
and air controlling valves n and s for admitting air and hydrocarbon fluid which
produces an explosive compound.
A ball governor L is situated at a point between the pump b and the cylinders J,
and serves to regulate an escape opening b¹, by means of a valve 2, connected with
the stem of the governor.
My present improvement in this valve 2 consists in extending the valve portion
out and forming on its outer end a valve 3, in addition to the valve 2, whereby
should the governor belt become broken or otherwise accidentally injured, the
spring of the ball governor L will draw its stem m outward causing the valve 3 to
close firmly the escape opening 61. The air then being forced into the cylinders J

page_text: operates upon the pistons therein and holds the inlet valves r closed, thus shutting
off both the flow of fluid and air and causing the engine to automatically stop as
will be readily understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1: An electric sparker comprising contact points; a rod as H connected with
and adapted to move one of the contacts; the lower end of the rod having its end
turned laterally to form an inclined plane; and a groove upon its inclined surface;
aiti an endwise moving rod adapted to engage said groove, the parts adapted to
co-operate as described.
2. A governor for explosive engines comprising a fluid feed; a valve n for
regulating the same, a diaphragm or piston adapted to control the valve; a pump
actuated by the engine and in comunication with the said diaphragm or piston; a
governor, an escape situated in the communication between the pump and the
diaphragm or piston, and a governor operating a valve adapted to close the escape
in either direction of movement; substantially as described:
3. An electric sparker comprising two contacts one movable in relation to the
other, a spring normally holding the contacts out of engagement; än ärm rigidly
connected to one of the contacts; a rod H having one end pivoted to the said rigid
arm, and its opposite end carrying a cam-surface; and an endwise moving rod
actuated by the engine and engaging the said cam-surface and having a move-
ment beyond the same, whereby the rod H is released; substantially as described.
4: An electric sparker comprising two contacts; one carried by an oscillating
shaft, an arm connected with the projecting end of the shaft; a spring actuated
rod H having one end flexibly connected with the said arni and its opposite end
moving in a guide limiting its downward and lateral movements, an endwise
moving rod actuated by the engine; and a cam surface co-acting between the
endwise moving rod and the spring actuated rod H for moving the latter upward
against the tension of the spring and causing the contacts to engage, the cam-
surface being constructed to disengage the endwise moving rod and thereby
separate the contacts, substantially as described.
5. An electric sparker comprising two contacts, one movable in relation to the
other; a cam-surface operatively connected with the movable contact; the cam-
surface having a groove ending in an incline, and movable laterally, and an endwise
movable rod actuated by the engine and engaging the groove, the movement of the
rod being beyond the groove to engage the incline of the surface, thus permitting
the incline or cam-surface to move downward and laterally out of engagement with
the rod to permit the rod to be again withdrawn, substantially as described.
6. A governor för explosive engines comprising an explosive inlet port, a valve
controlling the same, a pressure actuated member controlling the valve, a pressure
producing device; a communication between the pressure producing device and the
pressure actuated member, an escape opening regulating the pressure upon the
pressure actuated member; a valve at each side of said escape opening; and a
governor controlling said valves, substantially as described.
7: A governor for explosive engines comprsing an explosive inlet port, a valve
controlling the same; a pressure actuated member controlling said valve, a pressure
producing device, a communication between the pressure producing device and the
pressure controlled member, an escape opening controlling the pressure on said
pressure actuated member, a governor, a double acting controller for said escape
controlled by the governor, whereby the movement in either direction of the
governor to its limit will close said escape opening, substantially as described.
8. An electric sparker comprising two contacts, one movable in relation to the
other, a spring normally holding the contacts out of engagement, a rod H
positively connected at one with the movable contact and provided at its opposite

page_text: end with a cam-surface, and an endwise moving rod G engaging said cam-surface
for moving the rod H endwise, said rod G being operatively connected with the
engine, substantially as described.
9. An electric sparker comprising two contacts, one movable in relation to the
other, a rod positively connected with the movable contact, a rod positively con-
nected with and operated by the engine relatively to the contact rod, one of said
rods being provided with a cam-surface engaged by the other rod, said cam-surface
through the movement of the engine actuated rod causing the contacts to engage,
said cam-surface constructed to release the contact rod, and a spring normally
holding the contacts separated, substantially as described.
10. An electric sparker comprising two contacts, one movable in relation to the
other, an endwise moving spring actuated rod positively connected at one end
with the movable contact, the opposite end of the rod having a lateral movement, a
spring actuating the free end of the rod laterally in one direction, an endwise
moving rod actuated by the engine, one of the rods having a cam-surface, said
cam-surface constructed to move its rod endwise and laterally by engagement
with the free end of the other rod, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of October 1897.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.