Improvements in Gas, Petroleum, or Carburetted Air Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas, Petroleum, or Carburetted Air Engines.
A communication from LOUIS FRANÇOIS LEVASSEUR, of Evreux, in the Republic
of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in motors or engines operated by
means of gas, petroleum and the like consisting in the arrangement of
(1) A compound valve for the admission and mixing of the air and gas in
predetermined proportions for the purpose of obtaining the explosive mixture in the
cylinder;
(2) A piston adapted to work between the bottom of the cylinder and a spring-
controlled counter-plate or diaphragm enabling the lighting of the explosive mixture
to take place in the centre of the cylinder through the agency of a tube made
incandescent by means of a Bunsen or other suitable burners;
(3) A hammer or spring-controlled governor raised by a cam adapted auto-
matically to open the mixture admitting-valve or not, according as the speed is
above or below the normal standard;
(4) A lighting piston or slide-valve which may be utilized simultaneously for
lighting and distributing the charge and is chiefly intended for motor engines of
less than 12 H.P. with the pressure counter-balanced upon the counter-plate;
(5) A petroleum pump with a plunger operated by the governor and auto-
matically distributing the supplies of petroleum required for the production of the
petroleum vapour necessary for each operative stroke of the motor piston;
(6) A petroleum vaporizer or atomizer with a hollow spiral arranged around an
escape pipe;
(7) A gas chamber mounted upon a pipe of large diameter with a small gas pipe
arranged within for the Bunsen burner.
The stroke of the engine is fourfold, viz. ;-
(1) One forward stroke for the suction of the mixture of air and gas;
(2) One backward stroke for the compression of the mixture drawn in ;
(3) Another forward stroke for the lighting, explosion and expansion, and
(4) One last backward stroke for the discharge of the products of combustion.
The machine mainly consists of a cast frame, a cylinder secured to the frame by
bolts, a piston, a crank-shaft and a link pivotted to the piston and crank. Upon
one end of the crank shaft is keyed or otherwise secured a worm or skew gear or
other suitable wheel gearing with another wheel the proportion of these two parts
being as one to two.
This second wheel is secured to the end of a shaft extending throughout the
length of the machine and carrying a cam having three teeth or tappets one of
which operates the admission device, one the controller and one the exhaust.
At its opposite end this shaft is provided with a crank-pin or equivalent adapted
to operate the distributing and lighting piston through the medium of a small
link.
The admission valve consists of a metal valve box or casting closed by a
removable plug of a valve and of a preferably spiral spring which may be adjusted
by a nut.
Between the body of the valve-box and the valve-seat there is left an annular

page_text: space communicating with a gas tube. This space also communicates with the
valve-seat through a series of small apertures.
The operation of this part of the apparatus is as follows:-
During the forward stroke of the motor piston the valve being opened by the
action of the governor, the air enters through an upper orifice of the valve-box
passes round the valve-seat where it encounters the gas flowing in through the before
mentioned small openings and the gas and air mix thoroughly in jointly flowing
into the cylinder.
The lighting apparatus consists of a metal cylinder one half of which is preferably
cast in one piece with the bottom plate of the motor cylinder while the other half
or counter-plate is connected with the bottom of the cylinder by four pieces having
muts between which are interposed spiral springs adapted to evenly press the piston
against the tail-piece.
This device carries a chimney within which is arranged the lighting tube closed
at its upper end and adapted to be made incandescent by the Bunsen burner.
The operation of this part of the apparatus is as follows;-
When the mixture is compressed in the lower part of the cylinder in consequence
of the backward stroke of the piston the before mentioned crank-pin acts upon the
lighting piston and opens the connection between the incandescent tube and the
cylinder.
The governor consists of a lever permanently pivotted upon a pin and operated by
a cam. It is alsó provided with an antifriction roller which is constantly drawn
against the cam by means of a spring.
At the upper portion of the pivotted lever is carried a steel plate or arm provided at
its end with a pawl shaped hammer and arranged to be raised by a cam at each
revolution. (The same result might be obtained by substituting a spring for the
hammer). Upon the arm opposite to the hammer is arranged a small adjustable
counterweight whereby the speed of the motor is controlled. When the machine
is in normal operation after the discharge of the products of combustion the motor
piston carries forward the tappet of the cam during its forward stroke and operates
the lever which through the medium of the plate or arm and of the bell-crank lever
opens the admission valve whereby the cylinder is filled. As the piston recedes
the mixture is compressed and ignition takes place by the passages of the lighting
piston being connected with those provided at the bottom of the cylinder.
Should the motor exceed the normal speed the hammer arm will be more swiftly
raised so that the plate or arm will not fall in time to engage with the notch of the
bell crank lever. The machine will therefore only continue in operation owing to
the previous impulse and consequently soon resume its normal speed.
In apparatus fitted with a slide-valve shaped distributing and lighting piston
(which is specially adapted for less powerful engines) the admission valve is omitted.
The said piston valve is recessed and in addition to the lighting orifice may be
provided with other orifices.
The gas valve is provided above so as to communicate with an orifice of the
tail-piece and be under the control of the governor.
The adjustment of the openings and the regulation of the strokes of the
distributing and lighting piston are effected in the following manner;―
During the forward stroke of the motor piston some of its orifices are brought
into coincidence with other orifices of the tail-piece but as soon as the piston begins
its backward stroke the coincidence ceases and the openings close. The governor
here operates in the same manner as where the admission valve is used.
A counter-plate is provided with a diaphragm counterbalancing the pushing
strain by reason of the internal pressure of the cylinder whereby an unnecessary
tension of the springs is avoided so that the only object of these springs is to retain
in position the device.
The diaphragm is secured by means of preferably a recessed nut within a hollow
space provided for the purpose in the rear of the counter-plate. It is fitted with a
central guide projecting beyond the nut and resting upon a stop-plate.
1

page_text: the diaphragm through a passage which communicates with the cylinder, so that the
pressure of the counter-plate upon the distributing piston is made automatic and
only serves for counterbalancing the strain tending to move it away.
The petroleum pump consists of a metal body a plunger and two valve-boxes.
The petroleum is contained in a reservoir preferably arranged in a raised position
and it is admitted into the pump through a valve-box.
The operation of this part of the apparatus is as follows;-
Where petroleum is used the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever is extended
and provided at its end with an adjusting screw erected perpendicularly upon a
plunger.
When the speed is such as to permit of the plate of the governor engaging the
notch in the lower arm of the said lever the horizontal arm of the same descends
and opens the admission valve and at the same causes the plunger to descend
whereby the liquid is forced into tlie atomizer through a pipe provided with a stop-
valve.
When the lever rises the piston rises also under the influence of a spring.
The petroleum is therefore allowed to descend by flowing past a ball-valve.
Should the pressure attain its maximum degree in the atomizer and the stop
valve resist the action of the pump the liquid returns to the reservoir by raising a
valve provided for the purpose.
The atomizer or vaporizer consists of a vertical cylinder throughout the height
of which extends a discharge pipe around which is wound a spiral dripping or
vaporizing pipe perforated in its upper wall or a trough upon which spiral pipe or
trough the petroleum injected by the pump falls and is vaporized in flowing down.
The petroleum is supplied through a pipe secured to a post provided with a
glass gauge enabling the quantity of petroleum to be ascertained and the supply
regulated. A pipe leads up to the motor and in this apparatus there are also
provided another gauge and a discharge plug.
The gas from the gasometer enters the gas chamber through a series of openings
in an outer pipe while another quantity of gas is, supplied to the burner of the
lighting apparatus through a pipe inside this main supply pipe. From the gas
chamber the gas is conveyed to the motor through openings, communication between
which and the openings by which the gas enters the gas chamber is cut off by means
of a plug which closes the main pipe.
The object of this arrangement is to simplify the fitting of gas engines by
reducing the number of pipes. .
Dated this 27th day of May 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas, Petroleum, or Carburetted Air Engines.
A communication from LOUIS FRANÇOIS LEVASSEUR, of Evreux, in the Republic
of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
The operation of an engine constructed according to this invention takes place
in four stages,-
1st stage. Forward stroke of piston; drawing in the explosive mixture
2nd stage. Backward stroke of piston; compression of the mixture.
3rd stage. Forward stroke of piston; ignition, explosion and discharge
4th stage. Backward stroke of piston; evacuation of the products of combustion.

page_text: The engine mainly consists, similarly to other engines of the same description,
of a cast frame, a cylinder with the driving piston reciprocating in it, a connecting
rod or link pivotted to the piston rod and a crank and fly wheel.
The essentially new feature of this engine resides in the distribution and method
of igniting the charge.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinal section of the back
portion of the cylinder and distributing valve chest on line i j of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line a bed of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line ef of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an arrangement suitable for operating the engine with petroleum.
Fig. is an indiarubber regulating pocket for controlling the pressure of the gas,
and it also shows the arrangement of the pipes.
The devices for distributing and lighting the charge are arranged at the back
of the cylinder and consist of a cylindrical slide valve C (Figs. 1, 2 and 3)
connected to a small link M operated by an eccentric N rigidly secured upon
auxiliary shaft L perpendicular or at right angles to the driving shaft from
which it receives motion through the medium of suitable gearing. The engine is
so timed that this shaft completes one revolution' while the driving shaft makes two
revolutions.
The secondary shaft L is provided with three cams or eccentrics whereby the
admission, regulation and escape are controlled. The slide valve C slides within
its chamber formed on one side by the plate B of the cylinder A and on the
other side by the bottom piece D fixed to the cylinder plate by means of four
bolts G provided with springs, one end of each of which bears upon nuts, and
the other upon the said bottom piece (the pressure exercised by these springs
upon the bottom piece D and consequently the pressure of this piece D upon the
slide valve is adjustable by means of the nuts). The springs may be dispensed
with if preferred, and pressure may be exercised directly upon the bottom piece
by means of the nuts, but the pressure thus obtained would be liable to become
either too strong or too weak for the slide valve, and it would then be necessary
to re-adjust it every moment to compensate wear, while springs automatically afford
constant and uniform
pressure.
The bottom piece D is provided with a diaphragm F intended to balance the
operative impulse in relation to the internal pressure of the cylinder and thus to
avoid unnecessary strains upon the springs which merely serve for retaining the
said bottom piece in position. This diaphragm is fixed by means of a recessed
nut E in a chamber provided at the back of the bottom piece, and carries at its
centre a guide rod traversing the nut and pressing upon a plate H interposed
between the spring and the screw nuts on the bolts G. When the explosion takes
place, the front part of the diaphragm is placed in communication with the cylinder
by the slide valve C and the conduit or pipe C'.
Spposing now that the motor is in operation, the piston starting on its forward
stroke, the cam I of the governor or regulator will make the lever Q turn about
the point S, and the bar X will engage in the notch of the lever or arm Y
pivotted at Z. This lever or arm Y presses upon the rod 1 of the valve J thereby
regulating the admission of gas supplied through the conduit A'. This valve J
is kept in a closed condition by a spiral spring, and in order to open it, it is necessary
for the bar X to act upon the lever Y and rod I. The gas then descends into the
conduit A¹.
In the meantime the slide C operated by the cam N has come up with ite
opening B in front of the gas supply A'. As the piston proceeds forward it
produces, a vacuum behind it, and draws in air (through the conduit C¹ of the
cylinder and through the opening D' of the slide valve, which at that moment are
opposite each other), which air freely enters the slide valve through the aperture V¹
while gas is admitted through B
When the piston has completed its forward stroke, the opening of ports of the
slide valve are closed and the mixture of gas and air confined in the cylinder is

page_text: When the explosion takes place pressure is excrcised upon the front surface of
then compressed by the backward stroke of the piston. At the moment when the
charge is to be ignited the opening E' of the slide valve connects the cylinder
with the tube F1 which is always incandescent owing to the action of the Bunsen
burner arranged within the chimney H. This tube F' is closed at its upper end
and the mixture of gas and air entering it becomes ignited and explodes, the
discharge driving the piston forward again. The discharge of the burnt gases is
effected during the backward stroke of the piston through the orifice of an escape
valve (not shown) operated by the cam O.
The governor which allows the gas to be admitted through the valve J consists
of a lever Q pivotted at S and operated by the cam P. The spring R keeps the
lever Q constantly pressed against the cam.
The steel bar X is mounted on to
the same shaft T as the lever carrying the head V. The other end of this leyer
carries a counterweight U which may be adjusted by means of a worm or helix,
according to the speed at which it is desired to operate the engine.
When in normal operation, the bar X opens the gas valve Jevery other revolu-
tion, but when the rate of speed is increased, the cam raises the head V more
rapidly and the bar X is then not allowed to descend quickly enough to engage in
the notch of the lever Y. The engine will therefore continue in motion by the
impulse previously received and consequently its motion will become gradually
slower.
When petroleum is to be used in operating this engine, the arrangement shown
in Figure 4 may be adopted. The pipe J' for the escape of the burnt gases passes
through a vaporizer or vapour producing cylinder (11) which is completely closed.
The petroleum slowly enters through a pipe K traverses a glass tube or gauge
enabling its supply to be controlled, and descends into a coil M' surrounding the
said escape pipe. Under the action of heat it evaporates and fills the vaporizer,
whereupon it issues through the orifice N', and a small pump operated by the
engine forces it to the valve J where it is drawn in in the condition of vapour
When gas is used, the petroleum supply is cut off, and vice versa.
or gas.
Figure 5 shows the manner in which the pocket Q', whereby the gas pressure is
regulated, is fitted in the engine. The feed pipe of the engine passes through
it and is itself traversed by a pipe O' feeding the Bunsen burner. The gas
arriving from the gas meter enters at P passes into the pocket Q1 through
openings and then returns into the pipe P₁ through other openings T separated
from the former by a collar or block S after which it feeds the engine, issuing
through R'.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is,-
1. An improved gas petroleum or carburetted air engine characterized by an
arrangement for the distribution and ignition of the explosive charge consisting in
cylindrical slide valve a regulator or governor acting upon the gas admission a
petroleum vaporizing device and the described arrangement of pipes and of the gas
pressure regulating pocket all substantially as described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described the valve C with its ports and connecting
ports substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of February 1892.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.