IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ashton Bullock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1883.
CHARLES ASHTON BULLOCK, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES,
My invention relates to improvements in motive power engines worked by the
explosion of gas or vapour, and air in a cylinder, and it consists mainly of a
cylinder, a piston and rod connected to a crank shaft, and a fly wheel.
This cylinder is closed at both ends, and has holes or slots cut in the middle of
its length, or thereabouts; these holes or slots may be equally spaced out around
the circumference of the cylinder or otherwise. By means of these holes or slots
air enters the cylinder and expels or partly expels the exploded gases.
This engine is double acting, that is to say, the gases are exploded alternately at
each end of the cylinder. When the main piston arrives at half stroke, it covers
the holes or slots in the cylinder and immediately begins to compress the air
between itself and the end of tho cylinder, the holes presently being open to the
other end of the cylinder. At this time, (at half stroke) or later in the stroke, the
gas pump begins to force gas into the cylinder which is compressed together with
the air by the main piston
When the piston arrives at the end of its stroke, or thereabouts, the gas valves
are shut, and the charge of gas and air is exploded. The piston travels with the
gases behind it until it arrives at half stroke, or thereabouts, then it begins to
uncover the holes or slots in the cylinder, when the exploded gases begin to escape
and fresh air to enter.
A casing may be provided around these holes, with or without a valve at the
bottom, and a chimney or outlet at the top, so that the exploded gases are led out
of the engine room. A draught may also be caused by the use of the chimney, so
that the fresh air will more quickly rush in at the bottom of the cylinder and the

page_text: exploded gases will more quickly rush out. As the piston proceeds on its stroke
the cylinder is filled or partly filled with fresh air, and when it returns it forces a
part of this air, and such gases as remain, through the holes in the cylinder, thus
assisting still further to purify and keep cool the cylinder.
When the piston arrives at half stroke it closes these holes and begins to compress
the air and gas, as before.
Exactly the same operation, as above described, is performed at the other end of
the cylinder.
Valves may be arranged at the ends of the cylinder by which air may be
admitted to assist in driving the exploded gases out through the holes in the
cylinder, and which valves are closed while the main piston is compressing the gas
and air, and also while the gases are being exploded, and until the piston travels
to half its stroke and opens the holes or slots in the cylinder.
Or water may be introduced into the cylinder where it will be converted into
steam, and this steam is then utilized to drive out the exploded gases.
The gas cylinder is so arranged that during a certain part of its stroke it forces
gas into the main cylinder, and it may be made adjustable to force more or less gas
in and also to act at different parts of the main piston's stroke.
Valves prevent the explosion running down and exploding in the gas cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Ashton Bullock in the Patent Office on the 25th April 1884.
CHARLES ASHTON BULLOCK, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
'
My Invention relates to improvements in motive power engines, worked by the
explosion of gas, or vapour and air, in a cylinder, and consists mainly of a cylinder,
of special construction, a piston and rod connected to a crank shaft and a fly wheel,
and a gas pump with its connections to main cylinder.
In the accompanying drawings fig. 1 is a side elevation, and fig. 2 a plan of a
gas engine having a cylinder constructed according to my invention..
Fig. 3, is a side elevation.
Fig. 4, is a plan, partly in section, and
j
Fig. 5, an end view of a gas pump with connections and valves to the main
cylinder, constructed according to my invention, and hereinafter described. In
these drawings A, is the main cylinder which is closed at both ends and which is
furnished with holes or slots a, cut in the middle of its length, or thereabouts
these holes or slots a, may be equally spaced out around the circumference of the
cylinder, as shewn in the drawings, or may be spaced out in any other suitable
way. By means of these holes or slots a, the air enters the cylinder A, and expels,
or partly expels, the exploded gases, and also furnishes, or partly furnishes, a fresh
charge of air necessary for effecting the next explosion in conjunction with gas
forced in from the gas pump B. This engine is double acting, that is to say, the
gases are exploded alternately at each end of the cylinder. When the main
piston C, arrives at half stroke, or thereabouts, it covers the holes or slots a in the
main cylinder A, and immediately begins to compress the air between itself and
the end of the cylinder, these holes or slots presently being open to the other end
of the cylinder. At about half stroke (or later in the stroke) the gas pump B
(hereinafter described) begins to force gas into the cylinder A, which is compressed
together with the air by the main piston C, or compressed gas may be allowed to
rush in when the main piston C is at the end of its stroke, when of course the gas
will not be compressed by the main piston C, as stated before. When this
piston C arrives at the end of its stroke, or thereabouts, the valves in the gas
pump B are shut, and the charge of gas and air in the main cylinder is exploded.
The piston C travels with the gases behind it, until it arrives at half stroke, or
thereabouts, then it begins to uncover the holes or slots a in the main cylinder A,
when the exploded gases begin to escape, and fresh air to enter.
As the main piston C proceeds on its stroke, the cylinder is filled, or partly filled,
with fresh air, and when it returns it forces a part of this air, and such gases as
remain, through the holes or slots a, thus assisting still further to purify and keep
cool the cylinder. When the piston arrives at about half stroke, or thereabouts, it
closes these holes or slots and then compresses the air and gases as before; exactly
the same operation as above described is performed at the other end of the
cylinder.
I may provide a valve G, and arrange the same around the circumference of the
main cylinder A, covering the holes or slots, or otherwise, in order to prevent the
exploded gases behind the main piston from escaping by the holes or slots a, in the
main cylinder, until the piston has performed a full stroke, or some part of a
stroke between a half stroke and a whole stroke. This valve may be in the form
of a ring, having holes or slots g cut in it and corresponding to the holes or slots a
in the main cylinder. When these holes or slots g come opposite the holes or
slots a, as shewn in fig. 1, the exploded charge is free to pass out of the cylinder,
and fresh air to enter. This valve may be kept closed, until the main piston C
has reached any part of its stroke, motion to it being imparted by any suitable
means, and it is kept open a sufficient time to allow the exploded gases to pass
sufficiently out of the cylinder.

page_text: •
I do not claim any particular form of valve for this purpose, but may use any
valve which will attain my object of keeping the exploded gases from escaping
from behind the piston until a convenient time in the main piston's stroke, and so
that I may obtain the greatest economy consonant with attaining my object of
allowing sufficient time for the exploded gases to escape out of the cylinder before
the main piston reaches half stroke again, or thereabouts. Of course, if I use this
valve the action herein described, as going on in the main cylinder is precisely the
same, only that the gases escape and fresh air enters later on in the stroke.
A casing D may be provided around the holes or slots a, with or without a
valve, which may be located at the bottom, or otherwise. The object of this
casing is to provont the exploded gases escaping into the engine room, and for the
purpose of creating a draught in conjunction with the chimney, and the office of
the valve is to prevent the escape of the exploded gases downwards, when the main
piston uncovers the holes or slots a. This valve opens upwards so as to allow
fresh air to enter. A chimney or outlet E, may also be provided at the top of the
main cylinder, or otherwise placed, so that the exploded gases are carried out of the
engine room; a draught may also be caused by the use of this chimney, which may
be made as long as convenient, so that the fresh air will more quickly rush in at
the bottom of the cylinder, and the exploded gases more quickly rush out through
this chimney. A pipe, or tube, may also be provided (not shewn in the drawings)
at the bottom of casing D, around the cylinder, by means of which air may enter,
and in which pipe the valve mentioned, as being at the bottom of the casing, may
be placed. I may use this valve in conjunction with one in the chimney for the
same purpose, and do away with the valve G, only in this case there would be two
valves to work instead of one. Or these valves may be placed on the casing itself,
one at the chimney outlet, the other at the bottom -inlet.-
Valves, not shown in the drawings, may be arranged at the end of the main
cylinder A, by which air may be admitted to assist in driving the exploded gases
out through the holes or slots a or for the purpose of filling the cylinder with
pure air. These valves are kept closed, while the main piston is compressing the
gas and air, and also while the gases are being exploded, and until the end of the
cylinder, in which this explosion has taken place is open to the chimney or
otherwise.
A fun or blower may be used to quicken the draught in the chimney, or to force
fresh air into the cylinder A through the holes or slots at the bottom, or through
the valves mentioned as being at the ends of the cylinder A.
The gas pump or cylinder B, may be placed at the side of, on the top, or
underneath, the main cylinder. As shewn in the drawings, the plunger B¹, is
worked from a pin bin the centre of its length by means of a rod and eccentric,
which latter is mounted on the main shaft, but this plunger may be worked in any
other convenient manner, as for instance, by a rod passing through a stuffing box
as in an ordinary double acting pump.
The gas inlet valves are shewn at k, these valves may be of india-rubber, thin
sheet steel, or other suitable substance;
The connections and valves opening into the main cylinder are shown at l, l', m.
This gas pump is so arranged that during a certain part of its stroke only, it forces
gas into the main cylinder A through the connections and valves.l, l, m, and this
object is attained by the use of spring valves m, which valves are kept closed by
springs n, which may be adjusted to allow the valves to lift under greater or less
pressure by screwing up the cap-p. The action of the pump is then as follows:
Suppose the plunger B₁ to be at one end of its stroke, as shewn in fig: 4, it travels,
drawing in gas through the valve k, and gas inlet 8. When it returns it shuts the --
valve, compresses the gas in the gas pump B until the gas becomes of such a
pressure that it overcomes the pressure of the springs n, at the top of the valves m,
lifts the valve off its seat and rushes into the main cylinder A. These valves also
"prevent the. explosion running back into the gas pump and exploding therein.
The springs n, may be adjusted by screwing up or down the caps p; to allow -

page_text: the gas to rush into the main cylinder A, at any time between the half stroke and
the end of the stroke of the main piston C.
The arrangement of the connections and valves 1. D. m. is as follows:
l, is the inlet from the gas cylinder B. ', the inlet into the main cylinder A. t, is
the outlet to regulate the amount of gas passing into the main cylinder, the object
of which will be described further on, the spring n, presses upon the valve m, and
keeps it tight on its seat. p is a cap, which may be screwed down either by studs,
or as shown. The valve mi, has a flat bottom, or otherwise, and to this may be
secured india-rubber, sheet steel, or other suitable material for making a seating,
this valve has a recess turned on the part above the seating, and is packed with
suitable material, thus no gas can escape or get above this valve. The gas pump
is so constructed that it forces more or less gas into the cylinder according as the
engine is running faster or slower, and for this purpose I use a tube t, or hollow
connection, communicating with each end of the gas pump and having in it a
cock u
When this cock is closed all, or the greater part of the gas in the end of the
pump which is being compressed by the plunger rushes into the main cylinder
when the valve m lifts. But when the cock is partially opened a certain part of
the gas rushes through it into the other end of the pump, ready to be forced into
the main cylinder on the return stroke of the gas plunger, consequently a less
amount of gas will be forced into the main cylinder when the cock is open. By
turning this cock more or less I allow a greater or less quantity of gas to pass, and
thus a less or greater portion will be forced into the main cylinder.
Instead of a cock, a spring-valve, similar those in the gas cylinder, may be
substituted, by means of which the quantity of gas passing may be regulated.
This cock or valve may be worked by a governor in the usual way.
The explosive mixture may be ignited in any way found most convenient.
Having now described the nature of the said invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim--
1. The construction of the main cylinder with holes or alots formed around its
circumference, and at or about the centre of its length, and communicating with
the interior of said cylinder, the holes or slots being either left uncovered, or
opened and closed by a valve, as and for the purposes described, and as shewn in
the drawings.
2. In combination with the cylinder, constructed as described, the use of a casing
around the holes or slots, and with or without a valve at the bottom of such casing,
as and for the purposes described.
3. The use of a chimney, in combination with a casing arranged around the
cylinder, as and for the purposes described.
4. The construction and arrangement of the valves and springs, and the
combination therewith of the inlet and outlet passages from the gas pump to the
main cylinder, whereby the gas pump during a certain part of its stroke only,
forces gas into the main cylinder, and by means of which the gas is allowed to
enter the main cylinder at different periods of the main piston's stroke, all as
herein described, and as shewn in the drawings.
5. The means herein described for regulating the amount of gas forced into the
main cylinder, and consisting of a tube, or hollow connection, joining the two onds
of a gas pump, and provided at some part of its length with a cock or valve.
6. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
double acting gas engine, as herein described and as shewn in the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Ashton Bullock have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twentyfifth day of April in the year 1884.
CHARLES ASHTON BULLOCK (L.S.)