Improvements in Gas and other Explosive Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
.
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed
by the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 6th day of Sept., 1894.
Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas and other Explosive Engines.
We, CLARK SINTZ, Manufacturer, of Springfield, in the County of Clark and State
of Ohio, and THE SINTZ GAS ENGINE COMPANY of Grand Rapids in the State of
Michigan, both of the United States of America, 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:-
Our invention relates to gas engines, and the object of our invention is to provide
a gas engine in which a high speed may be attained and maintained.
A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby an explosion may be
secured at each piston stroke.
A further object of our invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the supply
and exhaust ports in connection with the piston, whereby a substantially valveless
engine is secured.
A further object of our invention is to provide a novel arrangement in the
construction of the exploder or igniter.
We attain these objects by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an engine embodving our invention. Fig. 2. is a
longitudinal section of the engine cvlinder. Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the
same, showing the interior thereof and the top of the piston. Fig. 4, is a
longitudinal section of a portion of the cylinder, showing the arrangement of the
igniter. Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, are detail views of the same.
Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.
In the said drawings a, represents the cylinder, which is provided with an annular
water-chamber surrounding the same, in the usual way: b. is the piston arranged
therein, and connected by a connecting rod c. to the crank d. on the main shaft d',
which shaft preferably extends through the lower portion of the main frame which
supports the cylinder and turns in suitable bearings, therein; said shaft being
supplied with suitable fly or driving-wheels d. This piston b, is made of considerable
length and chambered out so that the connecting rod e. is connected thereto near the
upper end of head thereof. Extending through the walls of the piston thus formed
is an opening or port e.
Arranged in the side of the cylinder and opposite to the port e, of the piston, are
exhaust and supply ports f, g, which ports are opened and closed successively and are
never open to the cylinder at the same time, one or the other being constantly
closed by the piston ; the exhaust port f. being adapted to open into the upper part
of the cylinder just before the piston reaches the limit of its downward stroke, the
supply port a. being adapted to communicate with the lower portion of the cylinder
when the piston reaches the limit of its unward stroke. On the opposite side of
the cylinder is a chamber h formed in the walls of the cylinder, which communicates
with the interior of the cylinder through ports 71, 72 which we will designate as
the direct and indirect supply ports. The port is adapted to communicate with

page_text: the upper end of the cylinder and above the piston, as the piston reaches the limit of
its downward stroke, while the port e, which opens directly to the explosive chamber
through the walls of the piston; communicates with the port 2, at the same time,
and thus establishes a communication from the lower end of the cylinder to the upper
end of the cylinder through the chamber h, as the piston reaches the limit of its
downward stroke.
The base of the engine A, which forms the main frame and supports the cylinder
is preferably formed with a chamber A¹ which encloses the crank d; and which is
completely closed by side plates which support the bearings ². This chamber A¹
preferably communicates directly with the lower end of the cylinder which is left
open for this purpose.
Arranged on the top of the piston is a curved deflector j, which extends about half
way around the said piston, concentric with the periphery of the piston and a slight
distance therefrom, said deflector being turned outwardly at each end to form radial
projections which approach in close proximity to the inner walls of the cylinder.
This deflector stands opposite the port ', when said port is opened by the downward
movement of the piston, and serves to deflect the air and gases admitted through
said port to the cylinder, and causes them to rise upwardly and circulate around the
top and sides of the cylinder when so admitted, in the manner hereinafter more
fully described.
We have shon this engine specially arranged for use with gasoline which is mixed
with the air to form the explosive mixture. It is obvious, however that it may be
used with any suitable gas or liquid which will secure the desired result by slightly
modifying the construction and regulating the supply and introduction of the
material forming the basis of the explosive mixture.
At one side of the cylinder and extending into the chamber h, is a supply valve k,
through ich the gasoline is supplied from a pump ¹, which may be operated from
any suitable connection with the running parts of the engine. This supply or
gasoline valve k is provided with a check valve ³, which permits the passage of the
gasoline into the chamber h, but prevents any backward flow therefrom; it is also
preferably provided with an outlet opening ³, controlled by a valve +, by which the
presence of the gasoline within the supply valve may be determined. From the
check, the gasoline passes directly into the chamber h, through a passage which is
preferably inclined at the outer end, to give an upward and outward discharge to the
gasoline in the direction of the port h¹.
The operation of the device as thus described is as follows: The piston being at a
limit of its downward stroke, with the supply port thus closed by said piston,
motion is imparted to the shaft which causes the piston to ascend, thus forming a
partial vacuum in the lower end of the cylinder and in the chamber A¹, connected
thereto. This continues until the lower end of the piston passes the port 9. when
the air immediately rushes in to supply the partial vacuum thus formed. As the
shaft continues to revolve the piston descends, thus compressing the air in the lower
end of said cylinder and in the chamber connected thereto until the port e, comes
opposite the port h2, which occurs simultaneously with the opening of the port h¹, by
the upper end of the piston. The air from the lower end of the cylinder, owing to
the slight pressure thereon, caused by the downward stroke of the piston, rushes
through the respective ports h1, h2, in the chamber h, into the cylinder, carrying with
it a supply of gasoline which is introduced through the supply valve at this point
in the form of a spray and becomes thoroughly and intimately mixed and
impregnated therewith. The port f, has, by the downward movement of the piston.
been opened, furnishing an exit opening, but the deflector, prevents a passage of
the explosive mixture directly through the port f, and causes it to pass upward along
the side of the cylinder to the top thereof, and as the piston immediately begins its
upward stroke, the exhaust port f, is closed, and the charge thus introduced is
compressed by the upward movement of the piston. Arranged in the top of the
cylinder is an electric ignitor or exploder, which consists essentially of an electrode m.
preferably screw threaded and adjustable through an insulated sleeve m³, arranged

page_text: within a suitable screw-threaded supporting casing m³, which screws into the top of
the cylinder. Arranged within the cylinder is an oscillating bar n. on the end of the
rock-shaft n, which is supported in a suitable bearing in the side of the
cylinder and is connected on the outside, through the medium of an arm n², to a
spring n³, this spring being so arranged that one extremity of the bar n, is held
normally in contact with the electrode m. The opposite end of the barn, is
preferably provided with a lug or projection n', adapted, as the piston ascends to come
in contact with the top of said piston or with the deflector j, which is preferably
employed in this instance for that purpose. This causes the bar n, to be withdrawn
from the electrode and produces a spark at this point just as the piston has reached
the limit of its upward stroke, and just as the compression of the explosive charge
has been completed. The result is; An explosion follows and the piston is driven.
downwardly until it passes the exhaust port f, when the products of combustion are
discharged. This occurs just prior to the opening of the port ', by the piston, the
lower end of the exhaust port f, being substantially on a line with the upper edge of
the port h, so that the exhaust port is wide open at the time the supply port h³,
begins to open. The in-rushing charge, which by the aid of the deflector is given
the upward and circulating motion, described, assists in driving out the products of
combustion through the exhaust ports, these ports being momentarily open at the
same time.
The
To
In order to insure the rapid movement of the bar n away from the electrode and
thus the formation of the spark instantaneously, we preferably form the electric
contact end of the bar n, considerably longer than the end which makes contact with
the piston, which causes it to move more rapidly than the shorter end.
electrode m,
as before noted, is insulated from its supporting casing and thus from
the other parts of the engine. The bar 21, is not insulated so that the other
electrical connection can be made to any of the metal portions of the engine.
provide for shutting off the battery, except just as it is required, and thus preventing
its deterioration, we provide for automatically making and breaking the circuit before.
and after the spark is formed in the manner described. This we accomplish by
connecting one pole of the battery to the electrode m, and the other to an insulated
contact device o, secured in any suitable position to the engine and adapted to make
contact intermittently with one of the moving parts of the engine, so
connection will be formed therewith just prior to the time that the spark is to be
formed, the connection being broken as soon as the spark has been formed. This
may be accomplished as shown in Figure 1, by a eam or eccentric o'. arranged on
the main shaft and adapted to make contact with the contact device, o, formed in
the nature of a spring, just before the spark is to be formed and to be withdrawn
from contact therewith just after. The arrangement, however, can be modified, so
that it may be applied to any portion of the engine and adapted to make contact.
intermittently with any moving part.
that a
It is obvious that the constructions herein described admit of various modifications
which would readily suggest themselves to an ordinary mechanic. We do not,
therefore limit myself to the exact constructions shown and described but:-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The communicating chamber as h, in combination with the port as e in the
piston, and with the cylinder, all substantially as described.
2. In a gas engine, a cylinder having supply and exhaust ports arranged near the
centre thereof and approximate to each other, and a piston adapted to normally close
both said ports, said piston being adapted to uncover one of said ports and cause it to
communicate with one end of the cylinder as it approaches the limit of its movement.
in one direction, and to uncover the other port and cause it to communicate with the
opposite end of the cylinder, as it approaches the limit of its movement in the.
other direction and a communicating chamber adapted to form a communication

page_text: "
from one end of said cylinder to the other, as the piston reaches the limit of its
movement in one direction, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a gas engine, a cylinder, a moving piston therein, supply and exhaust porta
arranged on one side of said cylinder, a chamber 4, on the opposite side, a port h²,
controlled by the piston communicating directly with the cylinder from the said
chamber when the piston is at the limit of its downward stroke, an opening in the
wall of the piston and a second port from said chamber communicating with the
opening in the wall of the piston when said piston is at the end of its downward
stroke, whereby communication is made between the ends of the cylinder around the
piston head, through the chamber h, substantially as described.
4. In a gas engine, the combination with the cylinder and the moving piston
therein, of supply and exhaust ports arranged on one side of the cylinder, and the
communicating chamber having ports on the opposite side of said cylinder, and an
opening through the walls of said piston adapted to form a communication with said
chamber, and thus establish a communication from one end of said cylinder to the
other, the exhaust port being arranged slightly in advance of the port which opens
through the cylinder to said communicating chamber so that the exploding chamber is
permitted to exhaust prior to the time the charge is admitted thereto, substantially
as specified.
insulated:
5. In a gas engine, an electric igniter consisting essentially of an
electrode extending through the cylinder head, a rock shaft arranged at right angles
to said electrode extending through the cylinder walls and carrying on its inner end
a rocking bar which is arranged within the cylinder and adapted to normally make
contact with the electrode, a projecting arm on said rock-shaft on the outside of said
cylinder, and a spring extending from said arm to a stationary connection on the
outside of said cylinder, so as to hold the rocking bar in contact with the electrode,
said rocking bar being adapted to make contact with the moving piston and break
the contact with said electrode, substantially as specified.
6. In an explosive engine and in combination, a piston, and a cylinder having a
direct supply and an exhaust port both arranged to be closed by the piston on its
upward or compression stroke and to be opened by the piston at the limit of its
power or downward stroke, the said ports being opened and closed successively by the
movement of the piston, substantially as described.
7. In an explosive engine and in combination, a piston and a cylinder, an exhaust
port in said cylinder opened by the piston before the limit of its downward or power
stroke, an indirect supply port opened by the piston at the limit of its power stroke
and a direct supply port connected with the indirect supply port leading to the
opposite end of the cylinder the said piston being arranged to close the exhaust and
indirect supply ports successively at the beginning of its upward or compression
stroke and to open the direct supply port only at the limit of its downward or power
stroke, all substantially as described.
8. In combination in an explosive engine, a cylinder having an exhaust port and a
direct supply port arranged to be opened successively by the piston at the end of its
down or power stroke, communication between the direct supply port and the
opposite end of the cylinder, through an indirect supply port, and a piston having an
opening arranged to form connections with the supply ports at the end of the power
stroke, substantially as described.
9. In combination in an explosive engine, a cylinder having an exhaust port and
direct supply port both arranged to be opened by the piston at the end of its down
or power stroke, communication between the direct supply port in the cylinder below
the limit of the upward or compression stroke, and a piston having an opening
arranged to connect with the direct supply port at the end of the power stroke.. said
piston in its movements covering and uncovering all the ports, substantially as
described.
10. In combination in an explosive engine, a cylinder having an exhaust port and
supply port, a direct supply port leading to a chamber which is also in connection
with the interior of the cylinder, and with the gas or other explosive supply, and an

page_text: indirect supply port having connections with said chamber, and a piston arranged to
open and close said ports and to draw and force the supply, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of December 1893
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26 Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicants.