Improvements in Engines or Motors Actuated by Products of Explosion or Combustion.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engines or Motors Actuated by Products of
Explosion or Combustion.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been communi-
cated to me from abroad by Vladimir Loutsky of 48 Rue de Bondy, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to engines or apparatus for obtaining motive power by the
action of gases formed either by the explosion or by the burning or combustion of
mixtures capable of generating gaseous products exerting high degrees of pressure.
An engine or motor constructed according to this invention differs from ordinary
gas engines in the following points namely first the gases are formed not in the
working chamber (cylinder segment or the like) but in a separate chamber or com-
partment which acts in the same way as the boiler of a steam engine and is hereinafter
referred to as the gas chamber and secondly vibrating pistons working or oscillating
in chambers of spherical or spheroidal form as hereinafter described are employed in
place of pistons working with a rectilinear motion in cylindrical chambers.
Owing to the gases being formed in a chamber apart from the working chamber
the following results are obtained namely,
The working of the engine is rendered more regular and more economical; materials
which attack or corrode iron and steel or brass are enabled to be employed provided
that they are not too violent in their explosive action and that the gaseous products of
their explosion do not injure the sides or surfaces with which they come in contact.
Moreover it is not necessary that the materials employed resolve themselves wholly
into gases as is almost indispensable with engines in which the explosion takes place in
the working cylinder or chamber.
The employment of a separate gas chamber enables the combustion of suitable
mixtures to be substituted for explosions.
The amount of expansion can be regulated at will as in a steam engine. The
injurious effect resulting from the action of high temperatures on the lubricants is
considerably reduced and the engine may be cooled by a circulation of water or
liquids such as water, ether, alcohol, and the like may be injected into the gas chamber
so as to lower its temperature by their evaporation and at the same time increasing
the pressure exerted on the piston.
By employing vibrating pistons in working chambers in the form of segments of
spheres in place of cylinders the construction of all the parts is greatly simplified and
the weight of the engine is considerably reduced.
An engine or motive power apparatus according to this invention comprises three
principal parts namely a carburetter, a compresser and the engine proper.
The carburetter is employed for obtaining the explosive mixture for working the
engine and is constructed with a chamber of suitable capacity containing the liquid
such as benzine for example whose vapour is employed to carburet the air and produce
the explosive mixture for working the engine. This chamber is closed by a tight
fitting cover through which pass a number of vertical tubes open at both extremities
and extending nearly to the bottom of the chamber. By the action of a suitable
pump air is drawn down these tubes and bubbling up through the liquid becomes
charged with vapour in suitable proportions for forming an explosive mixture which
passes through a pipe to the compresser.
The compresser consists simply of a double acting condensing pump which may be
driven either by the engine or by any other suitable means. This pump draws the

page_text: gaseous mixture from the carburetter and forces it into the gas chamber of the
engine.
The gaseous mixture delivered by the compresser passes through a wire gauze
screen which prevents the flame from spreading to the compresser. The mixture
enters the gas chamber which is preferably constructed in the form of a hollow sphere
in which the mixture may be ignited continuously or exploded intermittently by a
platinum wire heated to incandescence by an electric current or other suitable igniting
devices so as to produce the pressure to be transmitted to the piston or pistons as
hereinafter explained.
The gas chamber communicates with a manometer and with á safety valve for the
escape of gas in case the pressure becomes excessive and also communicates through
suitable pipes and distribution valves with the chamber or chambers in the foric of a
segment of a sphere where it acts alternately on opposite sides of a vibrating piston
provided with suitable spring or other packing and oscillating on an axis or rock
shaft passing through the centre of the sphere. This axis is formed by a hollow rock
shaft perforated with holes which allow oil poured into the shaft to escape and
lubricate the bearing. On the extremity or extremities of this rock shaft are fixed
arms or levers which act through suitable connecting rods on the crank of a horizontal
driving shaft.
The two flat sides of the working chamber are bolted to the spherical side and
the bearing of the rock shaft is situated at the point of intersection of the two flat
sides.
The gases are supplied to the piston distribution valves preferably of a rotary
cylindrical type operated by rocking or oscillating levers connected by chains to arms
on the rotary plugs or cylinders of the distribution valves. These rocking levers are
worked by chains passing over pulleys and connected to the arm or lever on the axis
or rock shaft of the piston by adjustable nuts and screws which enable the action of
the valves and the degree of expansion to be regulated as required.
On pressure being produced by combustion or explosion in the gas chamber one of
the valves places this chamber in communication with one side of the piston the other
side being open to the exhaust. When the piston has been propelled by the pressure
of the gas to the end of its stroke the positions of the valves are reversed by the
action of the levers and chains and the piston is then propelled in the opposite
direction.
Two pistons and two working chanbers in the form of segments of spheres may be
conveniently combined in one engine being arranged on opposite sides of a gas
chamber common to both segments and acting on one crank being so arranged that
when one piston is at half stroke the other is at the dead point or end of its stroke
thus neutralising the effect of the dead points and rendering the action of the engine
regular and uniform.
The engine may be arranged to work with multiple expansion after the manner of
a compound engine by causing the gases to act in the first place upon a piston
vibrating in a working chamber in the form of a segment of a sphere as hereinbefore
described and then allowing it to act on a similarly arranged piston of larger area on
the other side of the same axis or rock shaft. Two of such rock shafts and four
working chambers for example may be combined according to this arrangement with
one gas generating chamber and one crank the valves and connections being so
arranged and actuated as to cause the exhaust from the small chambers to act on the
pistons in the large chambers.
D
1
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engines or Motors Actuated by Products of
Explosion or Combustion.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Vladimir Loutsky of 58bs Chaussée D'Antin Paris
in the Republic of France Engineer and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to engines or apparatus for obtaining motive power by the
action of gases formed either by the explosion or by the burning or combustion
of mixtures capable of generating gaseous products exerting high degrees of
pressure.
An engine or motor constructed according to this invention differs from ordinary
gas engines in the following points, firstly the gases are formed not in the working
chamber but in a separate chamber or compartiment which acts in the same way as
the boiler of a steam engine and is hereinafter referred to as the gas chamber, and
secondly vibrating pistons working or oscillating in chambers in the form of a sector
of a sphere or spheroid as hereinafter described are employed in place of pistons
working with a rectilinear motion in cylindrical chambers. Owing to the gases being
formed in a chamber apart from the working chamber the following results are
obtained namely-
The working of the engine is rendered more regular and more economical;
materials which attack or corrode metals such as iron and steel or brass are enabled
to be employed provided that they are not too violent in their explosive action and
that the gaseous products of their explosion do not injure the walls or sides of the
chambers or other surfaces with which they come in contact. Moreover it is not
necessary that the materials employed resolve themselves exclusively into gases as is
almost indispensable with engines in which the explosion takes place in the working
cylinder or chamber. This employment of a separate gas chamber enables the
combustion of suitable mixtures to be substituted for explosions.
The amount of expansion can be regulated with facility as in an ordinary steam
engine. The injurious effect resulting from the action of high temperatures on the
lubricants is considerably reduced and the engine may be cooled by a circulation of
water or liquids such as water, ether, alcohol and the like may be injected into the
gas chamber so as to lower its temperature by their evaporation and at the same time
increasing the pressure exerted on the piston. By employing vibrating pistons in
working chambers in the form of sectors of spheres as hereinafter described in place
of cylinders the construction of all the parts is greatly simplified and the weight of
the engine is considerably reduced. The motor may be worked by any suitable com-
bustible or explosive matter but in the examples hereinafter described it is assumed
that a mixture of air and benzoline vapour is employed.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same reference numerals indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in transverse section an example
of a motive power engine constructed according to this invention. Figure 2
represents the engine in end elevation. Figure 3 is an end view of the engine the
right hand half being in elevation and the left hand half in-section.
Figure 4 represents in vertical section a duplex arrangement in which two sectors
or working chambers are coupled on the same shaft.
Figure 5 illustrates partly in elevation and partly in vertical section an arrange-
ment in which four working chambers or sectors are coupled together in pairs working
on the compound principle.
Figure 6 illustrates the general arrangement of an engine working in combination

page_text: with a generator for the explosive mixture the generator being represented in vertical
section.
An engine or motive power apparatus according to this invention comprises three
principal parts, namely. a carburetter or generator of the explosive compound, a
compresser and the motor or engine proper. These three parts are illustrated in
combination in Figure 6 of the drawings.
The carburetter is employed for obtaining the explosive mixture for working the
engine and is constructed as represented in Figure 6 with a chamber 1 of suitable
capacity containing the liquid such as benzine for example whose vapour is employed
to carburet the air and produce the explosive mixture for working the engine. This
chamber is closed by a tight fitting cover 2 through which pass a number of vertical
tubes 3 open. at both extremities and extending into the liquid and nearly to the
bottom of the chamber. By the action of the pump air is drawn down these tubes as
indicated by the arrows and then ascends bubbling up through the liquid thereby
becoming charged with vapour of this liquid in suitable proportions for forming an
explosive mixture which passes through a pipe 4 to the pump or compresser.
This compresser consists simply of a double acting condensing or force pump which
may be driven either by the engine or by any other suitable means.
This pump
draws the gaseous mixture from the carburetter through suction valves at 5, 5 and
forces it into the gas chamber 7 of the engine through delivery valves 6, 6 its action
being the same as that of an ordinary double acting pump.
The gaseous explosive mixture delivered by the compresser is caused to pass
through a multiple wire gauze screen acting on the principle of the Davy safety lamp
so as to prevent the flame of the explosion from flashing back into the compresser.
After passing through this screen the mixture passes directly to the motive power
apparatus which comprises a gas chamber 7 and a sector or working chamber 8.
These parts are illustrated on a larger scale in Figure 1. The gas chamber 7
performs similar functions to the boiler of a steam engine. In this chamber which
is formed by a hollow metal sphere of great strength the mixture received from the
compresser is ignited in a continuous manner by a coil 9 (Figure 4) of platinum wire
heated to incandescence by an electric current generated by a dynamo or a battery.
This platinum coil is carried by a metal plug 10 screwed into an orifice 11 (Figures 1
and 2) in the side of the chamber 7 and which also serves to connect the chamber
with the gas supply pipe.
In place of igniting the gascous mixture continuously or as fast as it enters the
chamber the explosion may be caused to take place periodically or intermittently and
at the moment when it is required to act on the piston as in an ordinary gas engine.
In either case the combustion of the mixture gives rise to a certain amount of pressure
in the spherical gas chamber which takes effect on the piston in the working chamber
or sector. The amount of pressure is constantly indicated by a gauge 12 Figure 4
and a safety valve 13 allows the gas to escape in case the pressure becomes excessive.
Two screwed sockets or unions 14 and 15, Figures 1, 2 and 3 cast with the gas
chamber connect the latter with the two sides or ends of the working chamber or
sector 8.
This chamber 8 which is employed in the place of the cylinder of an ordinary gas
engine is formed by a curved side 16 forming part of a hollow sphere or spheroid
and two flat sides 17 and 18 which form covers being connected to the spherical
side 16 as indicated in Figure 1.
In this chamber works an oscillating metal piston 19 of semicircular form vibrating
upon the axis of the sphere of which the spherical side 16 of the chamber forms part.
The periphery of the vibrating piston is provided with a packing composed of flexible
metallic, segments 20 pressed outwards by springs so as to prevent leakage between
the piston and the spherical side of the chamber or asbestos packing may be employed
with the same object.
The piston vibrates on an axis formed by a hollow rock shaft 21 the sides of which
are perforated by small passages 22 Figure 3 for the oil which is poured into the
shaft and serves to lubricate the cylindrical bearing 23 in which the shaft works. At

page_text: both extremities of the shaft there are levers 24 which by the intervention of con-
necting rods 25 Figure 4 transmits motion to a crank 26 on the horizontal driving
shaft of the engine when the pressure of the explosive mixture is caused to act
alternately on opposite sides of the vibrating piston. The gaseous mixture proceeding
from the gas chamber enters the working chamber through two rotary or cylindrical
distribution valves 27 and 28 constructed as illustrated in Figure 1.
These valves place the spaces on either side of the piston in the working chamber
or sector alternately in communication with the gas chamber for supply and with the
atmosphere for exhaust and are worked automatically by the motor itself by means of
a combination of rocking levers and chains hereinafter described and illustrated in
Figures 2 and 3. A two armed rocking lever 29 is pivotted at its centre on the
engine frame. The two extremities of this lever are connected by chains represented
by a line and a dot in the drawing to two arms 30 on the valve. The lever 29 may
receive motion directly from the main rocking lever 24 by means of two chains
working over guide pulleys and connecting a loop or arm 31 on the lever 29 to two
rings 32 and 32' (Fig. 3) on the lever 24 the distance of the ring 32 from the centre
of motion being capable of adjustment by means of screws and nuts 34 and the
ring 321 being likewise adjustable by means of bolts working in slots in the lever 24
as indicated in Figure 2.
The rings 33 and 33¹ on the other side of the lever 24 are adjusted in like
manner.
The action of this distribution arrangement is as follows: Assuming that explosion
takes place and that pressure is established in the gas chambers, the space in the left
hand part of the working chamber 8 (Figure 1) being connected through the valve 27
with the gas chamber the pressure acts upon the piston 19 and causes it to move
from left to right the gaseous mixture on the other side of the piston being permitted
to escape freely into the atmosphere through the valve 28 which remains open during
the whole of the stroke the chain which moves it not being pulled by the lever 24.
When the piston 19 reaches the end of its stroke the combination of chains herein-
before described reverses the positions of the distribution valves 27, 28, the valve 28
connecting the working chamber with the supply and the valve 27 connecting with
the atmosphere for the exhaust. The piston 19 is then driven from right to left.
It is evident that by suitably regulating the length of the chains and adjusting the
distances between the centre of oscillation and the points at which they are attached
to the rocking lever 24 the amount of expansion of the gases can be regulated.
by causing the cut off to take place at any desired period in the stroke of the
piston.
Figure 4 illustrates an arrangement according to which two working chambers or
sectors with vibrating pistons are coupled together and act upon one horizontal crank
shaft 38. The mode of construction and the action of each of these sectors taken
separately do not differ materially from that herein before described but in this
particular case the gas chambers are combined in one and form one chamber 7
common to both working chambers and of suitable dimensions so as to reduce the
weight of the motor and the space which it occupies.
The gas chamber and the two working chambers are attached to hollow cast iron
supports 35, 36, 37 bolted to the foundation of the engine. The two rocking arms 24
act through two connecting rods 25 upon the same crank 26 on the horizontal driving
shaft 38. By these means dead points are obviated for when one connecting rod
in a line with the crank (as in the case of the right hand rod in Figure 4) the other
rod is nearly at right angles with its crank and is consequently in a position to exert
the maximum of force. It results from this arrangement that the sum of the forces
exerted by the two motors thus coupled varies but little at different points of the
stroke the effect being just the same as that obtained with two ordinary motors with
cylinders side by side acting on separate cranks set at an angle of 90 degrees. The
horizontal shaft 38 works in bearings carried by A shaped frames 39.
A motive power engine with four working chambers is illustrated in Figure 5.
In this case the principle of a compound engine is employed the exhaust gases from '

page_text: the small sectors 8 being caused to work expansively in a larger sector or chamber 81.
The gases are thus caused to act once upon one side of the small piston and once upon
one side of the large piston. The general arrangement of the motor is the same as
in the preceding case. The four cylinders are grouped in pairs on opposite sides of
the gas chamber. Each rock shaft 21 is worked by two opposite pistons 40 and 41,
the pistons 41 being of larger area than the pistons. 40. The gas chamber 7 is
connected to the working chambers by pipes 42 and 43 provided with two way
cocks or valves 44 and 45 so that the pipes can be alternately closed or placed in
communication with the small or high pressure chambers 8. These two distribution
valves are worked automatically by chains and levers in a similar manner to those
hereinbefore described with reference to the motor with one working chamber.
These chains are omitted from Figure 5 in order to avoid confusion in the
drawing.
Let it be supposed that the engine is working in the regular way and that its
parts are for the moment in the positions represented in Figure 5. The gaseous
mixture at high pressure proceeding from the gas chamber 7 is conducted through
the pipe 42 and distribution valve 44 into the space above the piston 40 in the high
pressure working chamber 8 as indicated in section on the left hand side in Figure 5.
These gases acting upon the upper surface of this piston force it downwards and the
gases underneath the piston which produced the previous upward movement of the
latter are caused to pass through a pipe 46 and distribution valve 45 into the larger
or low pressure chamber 8¹ in place of exhausting into the atmosphere. The valve 45
remaining during the whole of the stroke in the position indicated on the left hand
in Figure 5 the same pressure per unit of surface is exerted during the same stroke
in the two connected ends of the working chambers and the work performed owing
to the difference in the forces acting on the pistons in consequence of the inequality
of their areas is added to that resulting from the pressure of gas in the high pressure
chamber. At the same time the gaseous mixture which has expanded in the low
pressure chamber 8¹ in the preceding stroke exhausts into the atmosphere through
a passage in the distribution valve 44 and an orifice 47.
When the stroke is completed the positions of the distribution valves 44 and 45
are reversed by the action of the chains and the gases act in like manner on the
opposite sides of the pistons.
This arrangement of the engine presents when compared with those previously
hereinbefore described similar advantages to those possessed by a compound steam
engine over a single cylinder engine (utilising the fuel to better advantage more
uniform strain on the cranks for example).
As indicated in the drawing an engine with multiple working chambers is worked
with a single gas chamber.
I do not limit myself to the precise forms or materials or other details of
construction herein before described by way of example and any explosive mixture,
compound or material may be employed for generating the gases employed in
working the improved motive power engine forming the object of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In an engine or apparatus worked by gas or other combustible mixtures for
obtaining motive power a separate gas chamber wherein explosion or combustion
takes place for the purpose of generating gases which drive the engine substantially
as herein before described.
2nd. An engine or apparatus worked by gas or other combustible mixtures for
obtaining motive power in which chambers in the form of sectors of a sphere
or spheroid are employed in place of cylinders substantially as herein before
described.
3rd. An engine or apparatus for obtaining motive power provided with a system
or combination of chains and levers for controlling the distribution of the gases

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
4th. In an engine or apparatus for obtaining motive power the arrangement or
combination of the separate explosion chamber, the working chamber, or chambers
in the form of a sector of a sphere or spheroid and the distribution valve gear referred
to in the preceding claiming clauses combined in the construction of motive power
apparatus having either one or more working chambers working on the compound
principle or otherwise substantially as hereinbefore described.
5th. The several arrangements and combinations of parts constituting improve-
ments in engines or apparatus for obtaining motive power substantially as herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
T
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
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