Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1872
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, JAMES ATKINSON, of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, London N.W. Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of internal combustion engines
suitable for high speeds and of simple construction.
Arranged as a gas engine I employ a piston working in a suitable cylinder and
connected to a crank shaft in the ordinary manner; the outer end of the cylinder,
hereinafter called the working end, is used for compressing the working fluid and
for its expansion after ignition giving out the power to drive the engine; the inner
end of the cylinder, hereinafter called the displacing end, is used for displacing air
only, drawing in from the atmosphere during the time compression is taking place
in the working end, and slightly compressing this pure air during the working
stroke. Towards the termination of the working stroke the piston passes and
uncovers an exhaust opening (or openings) allowing any excess of pressure in the
working end of the cylinder to escape into the exhaust pipe, thus allowing the
pressure in the working end at this time to fall to about atmospheric pressure;
the pure air, which is under slight compression in the displacing end of the cylinder,
is now allowed to pass into the working end of the cylinder, through a suitable
passage and valve, in such a manner, as to more or less drive out the burned
gases into the exhaust pipe. The gas for driving the engine is drawn into a pump,
more or less mixed with air, but still forming too rich a mixture to ignite without
the addition of more air; this pump delivers its charge into the working end of the
cylinder in such a manner and so timed that the rich gas and air are more or less
mixed up with the latter portion only of the pure air, which passes at each revolu-
tion from the displacing end to the working end of the cylinder; still more of the
burned gases, and perhaps some pure air, are thus driven out into the exhaust pipe,
but the arrangements of the passages, the shape of the back end of the cylinder,
and the timing of the delivery from the pump, I desire to arrange so that none of
the gas in the fresh charge passes to waste, but on the commencement of the return
outward stroke the piston covers the exhaust passage, thus shutting in for compres-
sion pure air and gas only, at this time the air and gas will not be thoroughly and
uniformly mixed, but by the time it is compressed it will be sufficiently so, as the
mixture from the pump only requires a further small admixture of pure air to make
it explosive.
For the purpose of using the inner end of the cylinder as a displacer, a cover
may be fitted with a gland for a piston rod; or the crankshaft, connecting rod,
etc. may all be enclosed in a chamber in connection with the inner side of the
piston.
The engine may be governed by causing the pump to deliver charges only just
as may be necessary to keep the engine to the desired speed; a suitable arrange-
ment for doing this would be to construct the pump rod in two parts, one part (say
that nearest the pump) sliding within or alongside the other, the other part being
fitted with a weight capable of sliding on the rod and kept up against a stop by
means of an adjustable spring; so long as it remains against the stop the pump
continues to work, delivering a charge for each revolution of the crankshaft, so as
to give an impulse for each revolution; should however the weight owing to its
reciprocations, overcome the spring, it would allow a catch to be released, thus
permitting the one part of the rod to slide within the other part so as to miss
one or as many deliveries from the pump as may be necessary; the adjustment
of the spring will decide the speed at which the pump will thus miss deliveries.

page_text: Self acting valves only and not more than four are necessary in this engine;
one a suction valve for the displacing chamber; a second in the passage to the
working end of the cylinder; a self acting suction valve for the pump; which may
be made to operate on both the gas and air, and fourth a delivery valve from the
pump, this latter may be fitted with a moderately strong spring so as to prevent
the pump from delivering any gas and air during the earlier part of its delivery
stroke, thus allowing more time for the pure air to drive out the foul gases and to
interpose some of this pure air between the foul gases and the new charge, whilst
exhaust is going on.
The engine as described above is one that would only expand to original volume
before compression, it may however be arranged to expand to a greater volume.
By one method I place the exhaust opening so that it is uncovered by the piston
earlier during the working stroke, but using an exhaust valve to prevent exhaut
taking place until near the end of the working stroke, leaving this exhaust valve
open during the earlier part of the return stroke of the piston, so as to leave less
volume in fer compression. By another arrangement I use a second piston, placed
at the outer end of the cylinder, in such a manner that when there is no material
pressure it moves towards the working piston a definite distance, and so reducing
the volume of the space between these two pistons, and the amount of working
fluid shut in for compression; on compressing the working fluid the pressure acting
on this free piston forces it back against the resistance of a spring and the compres-
sion of the air sheet in between the free piston and the back cover of the cylinder,
until it comes against a stop which is strong enough to resist the force of the
ignition.
The ignition may be caused in any suitable manner but I prefer to use the well
known heated tube. When a free piston is used, as above described, it may be
arranged to uncover a passage to the ignition tube at the desired time, thus
accurately defining the time of ignition. When a free piston is not used for
extending the expansion, the timing of the ignition may be controlled by a smaller
free piston, used for this special purpose.
The form of the passages which are to admit the pure air and the rich mixture,
I prefer to arrange so that they give a slightly rotary motion to the working fluid
at the back end of the working end of the cylinder; the back end of the cylinder
also I prefer to make of a special form with a view to the new fluid passing
uniformly into the working end of the cylinder itself, this form consisting of a
smaller cylindrical portion with well rounded corners slightly restricted in
diameter where it opens out into the cylinder, to which it is united by an easy
curve.
When constructed to burn parafin oil or any other suitable liquid fuel, I employ
a small pump which may be worked in connection with the pump previously
described as delivering the rich gas and air (when used in a gas engine) the little
pump delivers a measured quantity of oil into a vapourizing chamber, placed in
the exhaust pipe, the larger pump draws air through this chamber which thus
becomes saturated with oil vapour, which thus becomes the equivalent of the
rich mixture of the gas and air in the gas engine. The vapourizing chamber is
always open to the atmosphere by means of a pipe at the end further from the
end from which the pump draws, it has a number of alternating ribs or baffles which
thoroughly break up the oil, and ribs on the external surface to take up heat
from the exhaust; previously to starting I heat it up by means of an external
lamp, the heat from this lamp passing into a temporary opening into the exhaust
pipe, which being carried upwards, forms a chimney so as to cause a strong draught
which is of assistance in getting a high temperature from the lamp. In some
instances, more particularly with smaller engines, it may be desirable to keep the
small mixture pump hot, which may be done by circulating the exhaust or a portion
of it through a jacket enclosing this pump.
To make one of these engines capable of running in either direction, all that is
necessary is to alter the timing of the small pump, which if driven by an eccentric

page_text: or crank pin, may be done by leaving this loose on the shaft and driving in either
direction by snugs, suitably placed.
For larger engines, or engines which are required to work uniformly, or at high
speeds, or in places where heavy foundations are not advisable, I prefer to place
two separate engines alongside each other, working on to cranks placed opposite to
each other, each of these engines may have a separate smaller pump or one double
acting pump may be used for both engines, one end of this pump working with one
engine and the other end with the other engine; when this double acting pump is
used with two engines which may be required to be reversed, the eccentric driving
this pump may be fixed on the shaft, and the delivery connections to their respective
engines being changed by means of a suitable valve (or valves).
Dated this 9th day of February 1809
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, JAMES ATKINSON, of 3 Nassington Road, Hampstead, London, N.W.,
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 has for its object the construction of internal combustion engines,
and is applicable to engines driven by gas, or other fuels, such as oil, or petroleum;
also to simplify their construction, and to make them suitable for running at high
speeds if desired.
For the purpose of more clearly explaining my invention, I append three sheets
of drawings, in which Fig. 1. Sheet 1. is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2. Sheet 2 is
a plan, and Figs. 3. 4. 5. and 6. Sheet 3 are various details.
In these various figures like numbers apply to like parts.
Arranged as a gas engine I employ a piston 1 working in a suitable cylinder 2,
which may be surrounded by a water jacket 3, in the ordinary manner, the piston 1
is connected by a connecting rod 4 to a crank shaft 5; the outer end of the
cylinder 2, hereinafter called the working end, is used for compressing the working
fluid and for its expansion after ignition, giving out the power which drives the
engine; the inner end of the cylinder 2, hereinafter called the displacing end, is
used for displacing air only, drawing in from the atmosphere during the time
compression is taking place in the working end and slightly compressing this pure
air during the working stroke; towards the termination of the working stroke the
piston 1 passes an exhaust opening 6, (or openings), allowing for the escape of
the exhaust into the exhaust pipe 7; by the time the piston 1 has completed the
working stroke, the exhaust being allowed to escape, the pressure at the working
end of the piston will immediately fall to about atmospheric pressure; at this time
the pure air in the displacing end of the cylinder will be compressed to, say, 5 lbs.
pressure per square inch above atmospheric pressure; communicating between the
two ends of the cylinder there is an external pipe 8, but between this pipe 8 and
the working end of the cylinder there is an automatic admission valve 9, which now
opens by the excess of pressure and allows a volume of pure air to rush into the
cylinder and flush out the burned products of combustion left therein from the
previous working stroke, as this pure air becomes heated in passing into the hot
cylinder it is increased in volume thus displacing more of the burnt products; it
will be observed in Fig. 1 that the working end of the cylinder is so formed that
the air sweeps uniformly through the cylinder, and the end of the piston is formed
so as to direct the products of combustion into the exhaust opening 6. The gas
for driving the engine is drawn into a small pump 10, through the cock 11, and a
suitable suction valve 12; in passing into the pump 10 the gas is mixed with air,
drawn in through the passage 13, and the suction valve 12; when in the
pump 10

page_text: this mixture of gas and air is however too rich to ignite without being mixed with
additional air; the pump 10 is timed to deliver its rich charge of gas and air into the
working end of the cylinder 2, after the flush of pure air has taken place, and
during the time the piston 1 is making its compressing stroke; it will be understood
that the mixture, though too rich to ignite when in the pump, when admitted to
the working end of the cylinder 2 becomes mixed with more air, and it is admitted
in such a manner that this admixture is made as rapidly and intimately as possible,
taking care to keep this combustible mixture at the outer end of the cylinder until
the piston has closed the outlet to the exhaust so that none of the gas may be
allowed to escape, after the piston 1 passes the exhaust opening 6 it shuts in the
cylinder gas and air with as far as possible no residuum, more or less pure air being
against the piston and the richest of the mixture of gas and air being at the outer
end, as compression takes place further admixture of the gas and air will take
place, until that portion of the charge at the outer end is rendered explosive by
the time compression is completed, when ignition is caused by any well known
means, preferably by a portion of the charge being compressed into an igniting
tube, the working stroke is thus obtained and repeated if desired once for each
revolution of the engine. I wish it to be understood that I attach very great
importance to the fact that the mixture in the pump 10 is never allowed to have
sufficient air in it to make it explosive, thus absolutely preventing any chance of
explosions taking place in the pump, also it is a great advantage to have a con-
siderable quantity of air mixed with the gas at this early stage of the cycle, as
such an admixture is thoroughly uniform and complete, being mixed with a little
more air at the firing end of the cylinder complete combustion is insured so far as
it is possible in a gas engine; should there be any air unmixed with gas at the
piston end of the compression space or even any residuum through imperfect
flushing, they will not interfere with the proper combustion of the gas, but after
ignition they will take up heat from the ignited charge thus reducing the maximum
temperature in the cylinder, and conducing to economy; also by keeping the
richest of the charge close to the igniting end I am enabled to control the force
given out at each revolution, economically, by reducing the volume though not
necessarily the quality of the charge delivered by the pump 10.
For the purpose of using the inner end of the cylinder 2 as a displacer for the
Hushing charge of air, a cover may be fitted with a gland for a piston rod; or
the crankshaft, connecting rod, etc. may all be enclosed in a chamber in connection
with the inner side of the piston, as shown in the drawings.
The engine may be governed by causing the pump 10 to deliver full charges,
partial charges, or none at all, by means of any suitable governing mechanism.
The piston 1 is made sufficiently long as always to cover the exhaust opening 6
from the displacing end of the cylinder 2. Self-acting valves only and not more
than four are necessary in this engine; one, a suction valve for the displacing
chamber; a second, the admission valve 9; a third, the suction valve 12 to the
pump; and the fourth, a delivery valve 14 from the pump 10; this delivery valve
being similar to but smaller than the valve 9. I also desire it to be understood
that there is no reservoir either for pure air, or for gas, or for any mixture of gas
and air; there is thus no part of the engine in which it is possible for any
explosion to take place detrimental to the engine. For the purpose of governing
the engine however, any suitable valves may be used, either for the purpose of
cutting off wholly or partially, the charge dealt with by the pump 10; also as will
hereinafter be explained a valve may be used in connection with the exhaust.
The engine as above described is one which would only expand after ignition to
the original volume; I attach great importance to cause gas engines to expand
the ign.ted charge to much more than the original volume, thus making a much
more economical engine, also reducing the pressure at the time the exhaust is
released and preventing the noise of the exhaust which in most large gas engines
is the cause of serious trouble. The means I prefer to use to obtain this result
are shown in Fig. 1, and are as follows:-The piston 1 opens the exhaust opening 6

page_text: during a working stroke before it has completed this working stroke, (say at about
half stroke), but the exhaust is not allowed to take place at this time, but is held
back by a valve 16, this valve is moved by an eccentric, and is timed to open the
exhaust towards the end of the working stroke, it remains open however during
the earlier part of the return stroke, during which time, residuum with perhaps
some of the flushing air is driven out, shutting in a less volume for compression; it
is not necessary for the valve 16 to be particularly tight as it only comes under
pressure when the pressure in the cylinder is greatly reduced, the piston also at
this time is moving very rapidly and any slight leakage would have practically
little effect upon the result; it may therefore only consist of a small cylinder
moving freely in a bored hole as shown.
The form of the passages which are to admit the pure air and the rich mixture,
I prefer to arrange in such a manner that in the first place the pure air will sweep
the cylinder uniformly through, this may be effected by shaping the cylinder end
as shown, that is to say, slightly restricting the diameter just inside the admission
valve 9, this may be combined with a rotary motion imparted to the entering pure
air, either by cutting spiral channels in the restricted part, or by any other suitable
means, the rich mixture also may be introduced more or less tangentially, thus
mixing up thoroughly and rapidly with the pure air in the immediate neighbour-
hood of the ignition end of the cylinder.
In adapting this engine to work with petroleum, oil, or other liquid fuel, it is
necessary to make certain modifications, mainly in connection with the charging
pump 10, a suitable arrangement of these modifications being shown in Figs. 3, 4
and 5, Sheet 3. In Fig. 5 18 is the charging pump, constructed with a jacket 20
surrounding it, through which a portion of the exhaust is caused to circulate every
time an ignition takes place in the engine, this portion of the exhaust is taken by
means of the pipe 19 from the opening 6, before the proper exhaust of the engine
takes place, and the quantity of this exhaust is controlled by means of an adjust-
able valve 21, which allows it to escape from the jacket; it will thus be seen that
should there be no ignition on any particular revolution of the engine there will
not be sufficient pressure to lift the adjustable valve 21 when the working piston 1
passes the opening 6, and thus no cold air or other gasses will at any time be driven
through the jacket 20, also the number of blasts of exhaust passing through the
jacket will be governed by the number of ignitions in the engine, that is to say by
the number of times the charging pump 18 passes charges of air and oil vapour,
thus the heating of the charging pump is proportioned to the number of charges it
has to heat, and a uniform temperature results irrespective of whether the engine
is running light, partly loaded, or fully loaded, and this uniform temperature can
be readily adjusted to whatever is most suitable for the fuel being burnt; this is a
matter of very great importance in dealing with oil engines, as if the temperature
is too low the oil will not burn properly, and if too high tarry deposits take place
which interfere with the working of the machine. On the end of the charging
pump 18 I attach a spraying or vapourizing chamber 22 which is always open to
the atmosphere through the pipe 36 at one end and to the charging pump valves by
the connection 37 at the other end; the vapourizing chamber 22, may have ribs
externally for the purpose of taking up heat, and internally for the purpose of
giving up this heat to the vapour and air, the internal ones also will be of assistance
in intermingling the air with the vapour. 23 is the piston of the charging pump,
and is driven by the rod 24, on the rod 24 may be placed the means by which the
engine may be governed consisting of a lever 25, working on a centre 26, attached
to the rod 24; on one end of the lever 25, is an adjustable weight 27, kept in the
position shown by the spring 28, when in this position the knife edge on the
lever 25 engages with the recesses on the lower part of the lever 29, and as long as
it remains in the position shown a working charge can be delivered by the pump 18
for each revolution of the crankshaft 5.
The lever 29 by means of the mechanism shown drives in the first place, a small
oil pump 30, and in the second place operates a valve 31. In connection with the
•

page_text: pump 18 there is a self-acting suction valve 32, the equivalent to the valve 12 in
the gas engine, and a self-acting delivery valve 33, corresponding to the valve 14
in the gas engine. The stroke of the little oil pump 30, may be adjusted by
altering the position of the vibrating ends of the little drag links 34, in the
slot at the upper end of the lever 29, thus adjusting the quantity of oil per
revolution.
The operation is as follows:-Presuming that the pump 18 and the heater 22
are heated to a suitable temperature, each time the piston 23 moves inwards and
the governor engages with lever 29, the small oil pump 30 will deliver a measured
quantity of oil through the delivery pipe 35 into the heater 22, on the outward
stroke of the piston 23, the valve 31 being open, air is drawn into the vaporizing
chamber 22, where it mixes with the oil pumped in which is now broken up into
vapour or spray, passes through the pipe 37, valve 31, suction valve 32, into the
mixture pump 18, and on the next inward stroke of the piston 23, the oil by this
time being vaporized through the heated surfaces, it is forced into the working 1
cylinder 2, where it is the equivalent of the rich mixture of gas and air in the gas
engine. When the engine exceeds any desired speed the inertia of the weight 27
may cause the knife edge on the lever 25 to miss engaging with the lever 29, in
which case, no oil is pumped into the heater, the little valve 31 is not opened, no
air or vapour is drawn through the heater 22 into the pump 18 on the outward
stroke of the piston 23, and no charge being delivered into the working end of the
cylinder no working stroke is made and no exhaust passed through the jacket 20.
If desired a number of graduated steps may be formed on the bottom end of the
lever 29, and graduated working strokes thus made in the engine.
To enable the engine to be started, a small quantity of very volatile oil such as
gasoline may be used, the light oil would form an explosive mixture with a proper
amount of air without being previously heated, the engine might be worked with
this until the pump 18 and heater 22 are sufficiently hot for the engine to work
with oil of a heavier specific gravity; otherwise, the pump 18 and heater 22 may
be heated previously by any convenient means.
The governing arrangements for gas engines may be similar to those described
for oil engines, excepting that instead of the little oil pump 30 a small gas valve
similar to the air valve 31 is used. Instead of governing by the means hitherto
described, the piston of the mixture pump 37 see Fig. 6. may be allowed to miss
delivering charges or to reduce the volume of the charge by means of the arrange-
ment shown; this piston 37 is allowed to run continuously, a free piston 38 will
move with it so long as no air can get between them, full charges thus being
pumped, there is a passage 40 in the side of the mixture pump leading to a short
cylinder in which there is a small piston valve under the control of the governor,
in position shown the piston valve 41 prevents any air getting between the two
pistons 37 and 38, should however the speed of the engine increase, the governor
will raise the piston valve 41, uncovering more or less completely the holes 42,
allowing air to pass more or less freely between the pistons 37 and 38, so causing
partial charges or none at all to be pumped.
To make one of these engines capable of running in either direction all that is
necessary is to alter the timing of the delivery of the mixture or charging pump,
together with the timing of the exhaust valve should there be one.
In the various arrangements hitherto described for governing, the richness of
the mixture is not altered; should however it be desired to govern to some extent
by varying this richness it might be done to some considerable extent, care being
taken to prevent its ever being so weak, as to make it explosive in itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1. In any internal combustion gas engine the use of a piston 1 working in a
sulinder 2 for the double purpose of compressing the working fluid, igniting it,

page_text: and doing the work at one end, and displacing pure air at the other end; in
conjunction with a charging pump, which delivers a mixture of gas and air too rich
in itself to be explosive without the further admixture of air; the whole being
controlled by, firstly, a suitable self-acting suction valve for the air admission to
the displacing end of the cylinder; secondly, a self-acting air admission valve to
the working end of the cylinder; thirdly, an admission valve (or valves) to the
mixture pump (self acting excepting for governing purposes); fourthly, a self-acting
delivery valve for the mixture; and fifthly, the exhaust being controlled by the
piston passing a port 6 in the cylinder; there being no reservoirs either for air
under pressure or combustible mixture under pressure; constructed and operated
substantially as described in the Specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In any internal combustion oil engine the use of a piston 1 working in a
cylinder 2 for the double purpose of compressing the working fluid, igniting it,
and doing the work at one end, and displacing pure air at the other end; in
conjunction with a charging pump which delivers a mixture of oil
and air,
vapour,
too rich in itself to be explosive without the further admixture of air; the whole
being controlled by, firstly, a suitable self-acting suction valve for the air admission
to the displacing end of the cylinder; secondly, a self-acting air admission valve
to the working end of the cylinder; thirdly, an admission valve (or valves) to the
mixture pump (self-acting except for governing purposes); fourthly, a self-acting
delivery valve for the mixture; and fifthly, the exhaust being controlled by the
piston passing a port 6 in the cylinder; there being no reservoirs either for air
under pressure, or combustible mixture under pressure (unless such reservoir is
used in connection with the ignition or the initial heating); constructed and
operated substantially as described in the Specification and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In any internal combustion gas engine constructed and operated as described
in Claim 1, the addition of an exhaust valve 16, for the purpose of giving increased
expansion in conjunction with the exhaust passage 6, controlled by the movement of
the piston 1, constructed and operated substantially as described in the Specification
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In any internal combustion oil engine constructed and operated as described
in Claim 2, the addition of an exhaust valve 16, for the purpose of giving increased
expansion in conjunction with the exhaust passage 6, controlled by the movement
of the piston 1, constructed and operated substantially as described in the
Specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In any internal combustion engine constructed and operated as described,
controlling the speed of the engine by regulating the delivery of charges from the
mixture or charging pump as described in the Specification and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
6. In internal combustion oil engines the method of vapourizing and heating the
charge as described in the Specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
7. The general construction, arrangement, and operation of internal combustion
engines, as described in the Specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
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1
11000
JAMES ATKINSON.
W tness:
JOHN WAIGHT,
24, Roderick Road, Gospel Oak, London, N.W.