CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Alfred Ewins and Henry Newman, both of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for an Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Alfred Ewins and
Henry Newman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
29th March 1881.
JAMES ALFRED EWINS and HENRY NEWMAN, both of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
Our Invention consists of the construction and combination of parts herein after
described of gas engines.
We will describe our Invention as applied to a horizontal gas engine, but the
same can be connected to gas engines other than horizontal.
Upon the bed we arrange the frame and fly wheel as hitherto, a cylinder fitting
into a chest or box, the latter containing water for cooling the cylinder. To the
extreme end or back we construct a chamber for receiving and discharging the gas
supplied by an ordinary check or trap valve, which is regulated by a rotary plate
or valve; this plate is moved by a ratchet connected to the shaft. When in a certain
position it covers a small aperture or slot which admits the light for discharging,
also cutting off the same; this said plate is arranged to the chamber by means of a
spiral spring or elastic washer, secured by a fly nut. Upon the said chamber is an
exhaust valve, which continues open during the full length of the back stroke,
which is worked by a lever and cam from the above named shaft.
Underneath the bed we have a cistern or tank for containing water supplied to
the chest for cooling the cylinder, as before described. The pump is constructed
with body and packed as usual, worked by an eccentric with plunger and ring.
Near to the stuffing box we have a supply pipe, so that when the plunger passes
this pipe the body of the pump becomes refilled, the back stroke forcing the contents
into the chest above named by aid of a check valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Alfred Ewins and Henry Newman in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th September 1881.
JAMES ALFRED EWINS and HENRY NEWMAN, both of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
"
Our Invention consists of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter
described of gas engines.
We will describe our Invention as applied to a horizontal gas engine, but the
same can be connected to gas engines other than horizontal.
Upon the bed we arrange the frame and fly wheel as hitherto, a cylinder fitting
into a chest or box, the latter containing water for cooling the cylinder. To the
extreme end or back we construct a chamber for receiving and discharging the gas
supplied by an ordinary check or trap valve, which is regulated by a rotary plate
or valve; this plate is moved by a ratchet connected to the shaft. When in a
_certain position it uncovers a small aperture or slot, which admits the light for
discharging, also cutting off the same; this said plate is arranged to the chamber
by means of a spiral spring or elastic washer secured by a fly nut. Upon the
said chamber is an exhaust valve, which continues open during the full length
of the back stroke, which is worked by a lever and cam from the above named
shaft.
Underneath the bed we have a cistern or tank for containing water supplied to
the chest for cooling the cylinder, as before described. The pump is constructed
with body, and packed as usual, worked by an excentric with plunger and ring.
Near to the stuffing box we have a supply pipe, so that when the plunger passes
this pipe the body of the pump becomes refilled, the back stroke forcing the
contents into the chest above named by aid of a check valve.
And in order that this our said Invention may be more fully understood, we will
`now proceed to describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the Figures and letters marked thereon. The same letters
indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a horizontal gas engine constructed according to our
said Invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of same;
Fig. 4 is a detail of the igniting gas jets; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the chamber
in which the gas and air are mixed, with the valves appertaining thereto; Fig. 6
is a section view through the exhaust chamber shewing the valve open, and also
shewing the excentric and spring for working the valve.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of the ratchet plate, with pawl and levers and valve gear
shaft; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the pump; Fig. 9 is a sectional view of
arrangement for lighting, and ratchet plate with central spindle j³ and igniting
apertures and 11, the spiral spring, and fly nut k¹, shewing the attachment to
the end of the working cylinder f'. An elastic washer may be used instead of the
spiral spring k. a is the bed plate of the engine; a', the upper guide for piston
'rod cross-head; a², the front cylinder cover; a³, a³, the pedestals; b is the crank
shaft; b, the crank disc; 62, the crank pin; 6³, the connecting rod; b, the fly
wheel; 65, 65, bevel wheels driving the valve gear shaft; 6, driving pulley; c, the
piston; c', the piston rod; c², the cross head; d, the base, which also. forms
the tank for cold water, the tank however may if desirable be separate from
this base; e, the valve gear driving shaft; e¹, e¹, bearing for same; e excentric to
drive pump; e³, excentric or cam to drive exhaust valve; e, crank to drive ratchet
plate, connecting rod to ratchet pawl; f, cylinder jacket; f¹, internal or
working cylinder; f2, back cylinder cover; g, igniting chamber; h, mixing

page_text: chamber; h, flap valve; h², gas inlet valve, the motion of which can be regulated
by any kind of governor; h³, gas inlet valve seat; h, cover, also forming stop for
gas inlet valve; h³, gas inlet pipe; o, an inlet valve; h, an inlet valve seat;
hs, cover, also forming stop for air inlet valve; ho, inlet pipe for air; 10, bell mouth
on same; h, grating for controlling admission of air; i, exhaust chamber;
, exhaust valve; 22, exhaust valve spindle; i³, stuffing box; 2, gland;, spiral
spring;, bearing piece at end of spindle; i7, exhaust pipe; j, ratchet plate ;
j,j, slots or holes through same, which may be oblong, circular, or any other
suitable shape; 2, 12, notches in edge of ratchet plate; ³, pawl taking into these
notches; guiding link for outer end of pawl; j³, central spindle; 6, lighting
aperture through cylinder end; k, spiral spring; c', fly nut on screwed end of
central spindle j; l, igniting gas jet; l', cock to regulate same; 12, supplementary
gas jet; 3, cock to regulate same; ", supporting plate; m, regulating and stop
valve for gas; m', quadrant attached to same; m², index to same; n, shield to
preserve igniting jet from currents of air; o, force pump body; o', plunger; o³, gland;
os, delivery valve; o, spiral spring. under same; o³, inlet from cylinder jacket;
06, outlet to close cold water tank; o, passage from closed cold water tank to
cylinder jacket; 08, excentric rod.
In the working cylinder f¹ a piston c reciprocates, which gives motion to a
crank shaft by means of a crank and connecting rod in the ordinary manner. The
engine now described is single acting, that is, an explosive mixture of combustible
gas and air is drawn in through the valves 2 and he, and exploded behind the
piston, thus giving motion to the fly wheel, the momentum of which carries the
piston back. By a duplication of the valve and igniting apparatus, placed also at
the front end of the cylinder, the engine may be constructed double acting, that is,
two explosions may be made in one revolution of the engine instead of one as
hereafter described. At the proper time when the piston has proceeded far enough
to draw in through the mixing chamber h into the igniting chamber the requisite
amount of gas and air, the ratchet plate j is pushed into such a position by the
pawl 3 that the flame from the igniting jet passes through one of the slots or
holes j', and explodes the charge when opposite jo, which is the only aperture in
the end of the working cylinder, as Fig. 9 and Fig. 2, thus driving the piston on to
the end of its forward stroke. This ratchet plate may be driven if desired by
means of wheel gearing or any other suitable manner. When the piston has
completed its forward stroke the momentum of the fly wheel keeps the engine in
motion, and returns the piston to its normal position, the exhaust valve being
kept open during the whole of this return stroke by means of the excentric e³ and
spindle 2, and thus allowing the products of combustion to escape through the
exhaust pipe i7 in the direction of the arrow. The pump o is used in connection
with the closed tank d, thereby obviating the necessity of a cold water tank being
at a higher level than the cylinder of the gas engine, as is the case when a natural
circulation is used by the construction of the pump, as shewn in Fig. 8, the necessity
for a suction valve is dispensed with, the plunger forming in effect a sliding suction
valve, and water boiling hot can be pumped into the tank, there to cool and to
circulate into the water jacket again; the pump and the exhaust valve and ratchet
plate are all driven from the valve gear driving shaft e, which is actuated by bevel
wheels 65 from the crank shaft.
Having now described and ascertained the nature, object, and purposes of our
Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into practical effect, what
we claim as our Invention and desire to be secured to us by the aforesaid Letters
Patent is,―
1. The mode or system of igniting by means of holes or slots through a disc or
ratchet plate to be worked by a ratchet, pawl, or wheel gearing, as and for the said
purpose specified.
2. The construction of exhaust valve, as described and for the purpose set
forth.
3. The application of the force pump for circulating the water through the tank

page_text: and jacket, for the purpose of keeping the working cylinder cool, as and for the
purpose described.
4. The construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as applied to gas
engines in commerce, known as petroleum, vapour, or gas engines (single or double
acting, and as a single or coupled engines), substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Alfred Ewins, on behalf of myself and
the said Henry Newman, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty
seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
THOMAS KENDRICK.
JAMES ALFRED EWINS. (L.S.)