Improvements in Gas Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 14th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Engines.
1, JOSEPH DAY of Spring Gardens, Bath in the County of Somerset Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention refers to gas and other similar vapour engines of that class in which
the crank works in an enclosed space in the framework and an impulse is obtained
at every revolution. The plunger or piston reciprocates in the cylinder which is
mounted over and connected by a connecting rod to the crank in the case of a
vertical inverted type of engine and the air and gas is drawn in from below through
the casing surrounding the crank during a portion of the up stroke being conveyed
into the upper part of the cylinder at the beginning of the up stroke by suitable
valves in the plunger itself by a suitable channel outside or until the pressure above
and below the plunger is equal whereupon the compression of the mixture begins
owing to piston valve closing automatically. The ignition then takes place by any
suitable means and the plunger is forced down until the exhaust part in the cylinder
is uncovered thereby and the majority of the products of combustion escape while
at the same time a certain amount of compression has been given to the mixture of
air and gas below in the enclosed space or chamber in such manner that as aforesaid
as soon as the exhaust has taken place the explosive mixture opens the valve in the
plunger and passes through. By regulating the size of the exhaust port in the
cylinder am enabled to leave more or less of the products of combustion in
the cylinder at the end of the down stroke as desired. In order that the explosive
mixture may not at the beginning of the up stroke escape by the exhaust I provide
a sort of funnel shield or deflector on the top of the plunger or otherwise I may
make the passage for the valve in such manner that the explosive mixture is
directed away from the exhaust port. The cubical contents of the enclosed
chamber and cylinder should bear such relation to one another that on the charge
being delivered into the cylinder from the lower chamber both sides of the plunger
should be at or about atmospheric pressure. The mixing of the air and gas is
effected by the agitation caused by the revolution of the crank disc and crank and
movement of the connecting rod whilst lubrication and keeping cool of the several
moving parts is attained by permitting one or more of the parts to more or impinge
against oil or water or both in the bottom of the enclosed space. The speed of the
engine may be governed by means of an ordinary governor acting on the gas supply
or by a valve in the lower enclosed space, opening to the outer air and acting for
instance similarly to the other gas and air inlet valve. Two or more of these
engines may be mounted over the same shaft and on the same framework when
desired. The entire absence of valves in passages or conduits outside of the
cylinder greatly simplifies the construction of the engine, the ease of working it
and the facility with which it may be adjusted. There is further no fear of escape
of gas into the outer air.
Dated this 14th day of Auril 1891
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Engines.
I, JOSEPH DAY of Spring Gardens Bath in the County of Somerset, Engineer,
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 :-
My invention refers to gas and other similar vapour engines of that class in
which the crank works in an enclosed space in the framework and an impulse is
obtained at every revolution. The plunger or piston reciprocates in the cylinder
which is mounted over and connected by a connecting rod to the crank in the case
of a vertical inverted type of engine and the air and gas are drawn in from below
through the casing surrounding the crank during a portion of the up stroke being
conveyed into the upper part of the cylinder at the beginning of the up stroke by
suitable valves in the plunger itself or by a suitable channel outside until the
pressure above and below the plunger is equal whereupon the compression of the
mixture begins owing to piston valve closing automatically. The ignition then
takes place by any suitable means and the plunger is forced down until the exhaust
port in the cylinder is uncovered thereby and the majority of the products of
combustion escape while at the same time a certain amount of compression has
been given to the mixture of air and gas below in the enclosed space or chamber in
such manner that as aforesaid as soon as the exhaust has taken place the explosive
mixture opens the valve in the plunger and passes through. By regulating the
size of the exhaust port in the cylinder I am enabled to leave more or less of the
products of combustion in the cylinder at the end of the down stroke as desired. In
order that the explosive mixture may not at the beginning of the upstroke escape
by the exhaust provide a sort of funnel, shield or deflector on the top of the
plunger or otherwise. I may make the passage for the valve in such manner that
the explosive mixture is directed away from the exhaust port. The cubical
contents of the enclosed chamber and cylinder should bear such relation to one
another that on the charge being delivered into the cylinder from the lower
chamber both sides of the plunger should be at or about atmospheric pressure.
The mixing of the air and gas is effected by the agitation caused by the revolution
of the crank disc and crank and movement of the connecting rod whilst lubrication
and keeping cool of the several moving parts are attained by permitting one or
more of the parts to move or impinge against oil or water or both in the bottom of
the enclosed space. The speed of the engine may be governed by means of an
ordinary governor acting on the gas supply or by a valve in the lower enclosed
space opening to the outer air and neting for instance similarly to the other gas and
air inlet valve.
Fig. 1 is an end view partly in section of a gas or vapour engine of the vertical
inverted type constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan section on line X X Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section.
Fig. 4 Sheet 2 is an end view partly in section of a modified form.
Fig. 5 is a plan section on line Y Y Fig. 4 and
Fig. 6 is an end view partly in section of another modification.
Like letters of reference refer to like or equivalent parts in all the figure-..
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the plunger or piston A reciprocates in the
jacketed cylinder B which is mounted over and connected by a connecting rod C to
the crank D which latter is mounted on the crank or crank disc D' keyed on to
crank shaft R having fly wheel S and the air and gas are drawn in from below
through the casing E respectively by air ports F communicating to the outer air
and gas port Gleading from the gas supply pipe II, a single dise or other suitable
valve doing duty for the admission of air and gas. This valve I may as shown

page_text: be suitably mounted on a cover K which is fixed on to the casing E by bolts or
otherwise to allow of the whole valve and its seating to be removed when desired
for renewal, adjustment or cleaning.
The air and gas as described enter by the valve during the early portion of
the upstroke and by the revolution of the crank disc D' and crank D and movement
of the connecting rod C are intimately mixed. The explosive mixture is conveyed
into the upper part of the cylinder at the early part of the upstroke by a valve or
valves L. in the plunger until the pressure above and below the plunger is equal
whereupon the compression of the mixture above begins owing to the plunger
valve L closing automatically. The ignition then takes place by any suitable
igniting device having connection with the interior of the cylinder by a pipe M,
and the plunger A is forced down until the exhaust port N is uncovered thereby
and the majority of the products of combustion escape while previous to such
exhaust a certain amount of compression has been given to the mixture of air and
gas below in the casing E in such manner that as aforesaid as soon as the exhaust
has taken place the explosive mixture opens the valve L in the plunger and passes
through. By regulating the size of the exhaust port orifice I am enabled to leave
more or less of the products of combustion in the cylinder at the end of the down
stroke as desired. In order that the explosive mixture may not at the beginning
of the upstroke escape by the exhaust, I provide a sort of funnel, shield or
deflector O on the top of the plunger or otherwise. I may make the passage for
the valve in such manner that the explosive mixture is directed away from the
exhaust port. Q is a stop for preventing the accidental displacement of the valve L..
The cubical contents of the enclosed lower chamber and the cylinder should bear
such relation to one another that on the charge being delivered into the cylinder
from the lower chamber E both sides of the plunger should be at or about
atmospheric pressure. Lubrication of the working parts and the keeping cool of
the saine are attained by permitting one or more of such parts to move or impinge
against oil or water or a mixture of both in the bottom of the casing E. By
reason of the direct flow of the explosive mixture through the central valve Lit
becomes possible as evidenced by actual practice to produce with absolute certainty
an ignition at each revolution and to run the engine at a speed of as much
as 500 revolutions per minute. This has heretofore been impossible.
Fig. represents a slight modification the difference being that the valve Lin
the plunger is dispensed with and that instead thereof, I employ a passage in the
outside of the cylinder communicating with the casing E and the upper part of the
cylinder while the piston itself serves as a slide valve. The action is in every way
precisely the same as previously described. The deflector or shield O in this
modification is of course at the side of the plunger near the upper part of
passage L.
Fig. 6 shows another modification in which it is possible to do away with the
deflector O. This I attain by making an annular groove L' round the plunger A
in such manner as to effect communication between the casing E and upper part of
cylinder by passages L' and L³.
Two or more of these engines may be mounted over the same shaft and on the
same framework or bed when desired. The engine or engines may be reversed by
merely stopping the engine and starting in the opposite direction. The absence of
eccentrics, cams, valve rods and other gear and of valves in passages, valve chests
or conduits outside of the cylinder greatly simplifies the construction of the engine,
the ease of working it and the facility with which it may be adjusted or cleaned.
There is further no fear of escape of gas into the outer air.
These engines can work in any position.
Having now particularly described my said invention and how the same is to be
performed wish it to be understood that the improvements hereinafter defined
are claimed by me only as applied to gas or similar engines of the type above
mentioned, that is to say, in which the crank works in an enclosed space within

page_text: which space the air and gas forming the explosive charge are collected by the
reciprocating motion of the piston and in which the piston receives an impulse at
every revolution and what I do claim is :-
1. In an engine of the above mentioned type the combination of a valve or port
opened by the piston for the admission of the explosive charge into the cylinder
with automatic valves or an automatic valve for the admission of air and gas into
the said enclosed space in which the crank works substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn.
2. In an engine of the above mentioned type the combination of an automatic
valve in the piston operated solely by the pressure of the mixed air and gas in the
crank chamber with automatic valves or an automatic valve for the admission
of air and gas into the said crank chamber substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn.
3. In an engine of the above mentioned type the combination of an automatic
valve in the piston operated solely by the pressure of the mixed air and gas in the
crank chamber with a guide piece or deflector serving to direct the charge admitted
through the said valve away from the exhaust port of the cylinder substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
4. In an engine of the above mentioned type the combination of a valve or port
opened by the piston for the admission of the explosive charge into the cylinder
with a deflector serving to direct the charge admitted through the said valve or
port away from the exhaust port of the cylinder and with automatic valves or an
automatic valve for the admission of air and gas into the crank chamber sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
5. In an engine of the above mentioned type the combination of a port opened
by a groove in the piston and communicating by another port for the admission of
the explosive charge into the back part of the cylinder near to the point of ignition
and away from the exhaust port of the cylinder and with automatic valves or an
automatic valve for the admission of air and gas into the crank chamber sub-
stantially as herein before described and shewn.
6. The combination in a gas engine of a cylinder B having exhaust port N and a
plunger A said plunger working in said cylinder having a deflector O containing
a valve L and connected to the crank 1 by means of a connecting rod working
in an enclosed casing E provided with valve operated air inlets and gas inlet G
substantially as described and shewn.
7. The combination in a gas engine of a cylinder B having exhaust port N and
a plunger A working in said cylinder provided with a deflector O the said plunger
being connected to the crank D by means of a connecting rod C working in an
enclosed casing E which communicates with the upper part of the piston by
passage and has valve operated air inlets F and gas inlet G substantially as
described and shewn.
8. The combination of a cylinder B having exhaust port N and a plunger A
working in said cylinder the said plunger being connected to the crank D by means
of a connecting rod C working in an enclosed casing E which is provided with
valve operated air inlets F and gas inlet G the said casing E communicating with
the upper part of cylinder by means of a passage L annular groove L' in
plunger A and passage I substantially as described and shewn.
9. The constructions of gas engines shewn on the drawings.
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13
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.