Improvements in Engines for Preventing the Vibrations caused by the Action of the Reciprocating Parts.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Engines for Preventing the Vibrations caused by
the Action of the Reciprocating Parts.
I, IGNAZ WITTENBERG, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, of Nagy
Kanizsa, in the Kingdom of Hungary, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In an engine having three cylinders, all on the same side of the common crank-
shaft, the axes of which are all parallel and in the same plane, and the cranks of
which form angles of 120° between themselves, it is known that the reciprocating
parts-i.e. piston, piston-rod, cross-head and the respective part of connecting rod-
inay be constructed in such a way, that there is practically no movement of the
centre of gravity of the whole system even when the connecting rods are compara-
tively short.
But supposing that this condition be fulfilled there remain always rocking forces
turning the whole system around this centre of gravity and causing vibrations of the
engine and its foundations that are of great consequence in ships locomotives etc.
The object of my invention is to prevent practically not only the aforesaid move-
ment of the centre of gravity but also the rocking movement around the same, so
that the whole system has practically no vibration caused by the movement of the
reciprocating parts.
In carrying out the invention, there are made three pairs of cylinders. The
arrangement of the aforesaid three pairs of cylinders and the construction of
the reciprocating parts-i.e. piston, piston-rod, crosshead and the respective part of
connecting rod belonging to them should fulfil the following conditions:
Firstly: Each pair of cylinders should be symmetrical to a central line of the
whole system.
Secondly: The position of the cranks belonging to each cylinder of one pair should
be parallel and homologous.
Thirdly: The angle between the cranks should be 120º.
Fourthly: The weight of the reciprocating parts should be made thus that the
product of this weight into the length of the corresponding crank should be the same
for each cylinder of the system.
Fifthly: The ratio between length of connecting rod and that of the corresponding
crank should be the same for each cylinder in the system.
On arranging the engine system according to the rules given above all forces arising
from the movement of the reciprocating parts belonging to the cylinders practically
vanish even when the ratio between length of connecting rod and its crank is very
small. This permits of the shortest possible engine being made.
In a further modification I replace the pair of cylinders next to the central line by
one cylinder only, the axis of which coincides with the axis of symmetry.

page_text: In a further modification of my invention, I arrange the valve motions belonging
to the cylinders according to the same principles as set forth and described for the
cylinder stems.
ALLISON BROS.
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Engines for Preventing the Vibrations caused by
the Action of the Reciprocating Parts.
I, IGNAZ WITTENBERG, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, of Nagy
Kanizsa, in the Kingdom of Hungary, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In an engine, having three cylinders, all on the same side of the common crank-
shaft the axes of which are all parallel and in the same plane and the cranks of which
form angles of 120° between themselves, it is known, that the reciprocating parts-i.e.
piston, pistonrod, crosshead and the respective part of connecting rod-may be constructed
in such a way, that there is practically no movement of the centre of gravity of the
whole system, even when the connecting rods are comparatively short.
But sup-
posing, that this condition be fulfilled, there remains always rocking forces turning
the whole system around this centre of gravity and causing vibrations of the engine
and its foundations, that are of great consequence in ships, locomotives etc.
The object of my invention is to prevent practically not only the aforesaid move-
ment of the centre of gravity, but also the rocking movement around the saine, so
that the whole system has practically no vibration caused by the movement of the
reciprocating parts.
The rocking movement of the aforesaid three cylinder system would disappear if
the axes of all cylinders could be placed in one plane, because then there would
remain no lever for the moment. But as this is practically impossible, I carry out
this idea in replacing by two cylinders, either every cylinder of the ideal three
cylinder system or only two of them. In replacing a cylinder, the distances of
the axes of the new cylinders from the axis (y y¹) of the ideal cylinder, further the
weight of their reciprocating parts should be determined in such a way, that the
resultant of the forces arising from the movement of the new cylinders is always
identical with the resultant that would arise from the reciprocating masses belonging
to the ideal cylinder.
In carrying out this invention, there are made 5 cylinders substantially as shown
diagrammatically in Figures 1 13 1° on the annexed sheet of drawing. The arrange-
ment of these cylinders and their reciprocating parts should fulfil the following
conditions:
Denominating by LL LIV LV LVI the length of the stroke of the
cylinders I, III, IV, V, VI as shown on the drawings, and by Q1, Q1, QIv, Qv, Qvi
the weight of the respective reciprocating parts, lastly by c, d, e, f the distance of the
respective cylinder axes from the central axis y y', then there should be:
Firstly O.L. —- O…..L...+0L=0„L+0L

page_text: III RIV
:
= RIT
(2º
Secondly The position of the cranks belonging to each cylinder of the part III
IV and V, VI should he parallel and homologous substantially as shown diagram-
matically in Fig. 1B on the annexed sheet of drawing. In this Figure OA is the
position of the crank belonging to cylinder I, O B is the position of the cranks
belonging to the cylinders III and IV, lastly OC that of the cranks for the
cylinders V and VI.
Thirdly The angle between the cranks should be 120°.
Fourthly The ratio between length of connecting rod and that of the corre-
sponding crank should be the same for each cylinder in the system.
On arranging the engine system according to the rules given above, all forces
arising from the movement of the reciprocating parts belonging to the cylinders
practically vanish, even when the ratio between length of connecting rod and its
crank is very small. This permits of the shortest possible engine being made.
In a further modification I replace the central cylinder also by two cylinders,
named I and II, the centres of which are in the distance a and b respectively from
the ideal central line Y Y, as shown in the Figures 2A, 2B on the annexed sheet of
drawing. This system of six cylinders is also fully balanced in the same way as the
five cylinder system described heretofore, if it fulfils conformably the conditions
stipulated for this system. The only difference is, that the formulae (1 and (2
should read as follows for the six cylinder system.
Q₁LQ LII === QuQV LIV
=
=
Qy Ly+QvI LIVI
QuL Q LIII c = Q L ; Qy Love =
Qui Love f
(I
(2
Further the position of the cranks belonging to the cylinders I and II should
be OA, O B that of the cranks for III, IV lastly OC that belonging to V, VI.
In a further modification of my invention, I arrange the valve motions belonging
to the cylinders, so far as practically possible, according to the principles set forth
for the six cylinder system as shown diagrammatically in the Figures 1 and 2ª on
the sheet of drawings. In these Figures, f g f¹g¹ are the central lines of the first
pair of valve motions, those of the second pair and lastly m n, m¹ n¹ those
of the third pair.
By applying the principles laid down in the aforesaid conditions to the valve
motions as far as practically possible, the vibrations caused by the reciprocating parts
of thein will practically disappear and the engine system is then fully balanced.
By applying the principles set forth for the balancing of the reciprocating parts
of the moving masses to the strictly rotating parts of them, these are also fully
balanced and then no counterweight is required for balance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1/ The construction of an engine having five cylinders all placed on the same side
of the common crankshaft the axes of which are all parallel and in the same plane
with the axis of the crankshaft, in which the angles between the cranks are 120°
and in which the distance between the axis of the central cylinder and the axes of

page_text: the two cylinders next to it, further the weight of the reciprocating parts are arranged
in such a way that the resultant of the forces arising from the movement of these
parts belonging to the said two cylinders should always coincide with the axis of the
central cylinder and likewise the corresponding resultant from the movement of the
reciprocating masses belonging to the two external cylinders, finally the ratio between
lengths of connecting rods and cranks and the situation of the crank angles being
arranged in such a manner that in every position of the system, the common resul-
tant of all forces named, is practically zero, even when the connecting rods are
as short as practically possible substantially as described and shown in the
drawing.
2. The construction of an engine having six cylinders disposed in a similar
manner and according to the same principles as the five cylinder system as described,
by replacing the central cylinder by two cylinders in the proper distance from an
ideal central line of the whole system, in which should be situated the resultant
forces from the reciprocating masses of every pair of cylinders and the common
resultant of which should be practically zero in every position of the system, sub-
stantially as described and shown in the drawing.
3/. The arrangement of the valve motion of the two systems as described and
claimed according to the principles laid down for the six cylinder system so far as
practically possible for the proper working of the same substantially as described and
shown in the drawing.
Deted this 4th day of April 1800