Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive Force of Gases or Vapours.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive
Force of Gases or Vapours.
I, EDWARD LANCASTER BURNE, of Brae Lea, Austen Road, Guildford, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to gas or vapour engines in which what is known as the
Otto cycle is employed. It is well known that in engines of this kind, when in
consequence of the reduction in the resistance to be overcome, gas or vapour is not
introduced into the working cylinder and therefore no explosion takes place, the
charge of atmospheric air drawn in without gas during the outward suction stroke
of the piston is compressed during the next inward stroke, aud gives back a certain
proportion of the power expended in its compression; but it is also known that
this compression of the air, and its subsequent expansion produce pressure, and
consequently friction, between the piston and the cylinder, due to the angularity
of the connecting rod, which absorbs a certain amount of power; and further that
the amount of power returned by the expansion of the compressed air is not equal
to that expanded in the compression of the air, the difference representing a certain
amount of lost energy. The chief object of my present invention is to obviate,
more or less completely, the losses of useful effect due to these causes, and for this
purpose I provide arrangements whereby, when the gas or vapour is not admitted,
instead of the exhaust valve being kept closed during the compression stroke of
the piston, so as to cause the charge of air to be compressed, the exhaust or other
suitable valve is allowed to open so that the charge of air, instead of being com-
pressed, is discharged into the exhaust or other pipe, then during the next outward
stroke of the piston, which would in ordinary course be effected with the compressed
air expanding behind the piston, a fresh charge of air is drawn in through the
ordinary air inlet passage, which air is, in its turn, discharged through the exhaust
valve like the preceding charge of air; and this drawing in of air through the air
valve, and its discharge through the exhaust valve, without being compressed, is
repeated until a supply of gas or vapour is admitted to mix with the air being
drawn in. When this occurs the exhaust valve is kept closed during the com-
pression of the charge of mixed gas or vapour and air, and during the explosion
stroke in the usual way; then, when the gas or vapour is again cut out by the
governor or otherwise, the charge of air alone is discharged into the exhaust instead
of being compressed, and a fresh charge of air alone, or of gas or vapour and air,
is drawn in at the next outward stroke of the piston.
By these means as there is no compression of the charge when it does not contain
gas or vapour, and consequently no expansive action of such charge during the
outward stroke of the piston, there is no friction on the cylinder due to the
angularity of the connecting rod, beyond what is due to the ordinary frictional
resistance of the unloaded engine; and further, there is no loss of useful effect due
to the excess of work done in compressing the air, over what is recovered by the
expansion thereof, besides which the charges of air only not being compressed, the
cylinder and valves are thereby kept cooler.

page_text: A further advantage is also obtainable by the employment of my invention, in
that whereas in engines employing the Otto cycle in the ordinary way, that is to
say compressing the charge of air, and allowing it to expand at the next stroke of
the piston, all four steps of the cycle have to be completed before a fresh charge of
gas or vapour and air is drawn in; by my arrangement a fresh charge of gas
or vapour and air can be drawn in during the outward stroke which would
correspond, in the ordinary arrangement, to the air expansion stroke. Therefore
when working in accordance with my invention the cycle, when no gas or vapour
is being introduced, may consist of two steps only instead of four, that is to say
instead of a compression stroke, an expansion stroke, and exhaust stroke and a
suction stroke, making together a four-step cycle similar to the ordinary working
cycle with an explosion, I dispense with the compression and expansion strokes,
using only the exhaust and motion strokes, and by this means much greater
regularity of motion may be secured, because a fresh explosion may be obtained
after two single strokes, equal to one complete revolution of the engine instead of
after four single strokes, equal to two complete revolutions of the engine, as are
necessary and unavoidable with the ordinary arrangement.
The special actuation of the exhaust or other valve, necessary for carrying out
my invention, may be effected by any suitable gear; for example, the governor
may be arranged to throw out of action the ordinary exhaust cam, and to bring
into action another one, differently timed, whenever the said governor fails to open
the gas or vapour valve; such other exhaust cam being so arranged that it opens
the exhaust valve, or allows it to open, every time the piston makes an inward
stroke, so long as no gas or vapour is admitted; but when gas or vapour is admitted
the governor throws out of action the extra exhaust cam, and brings into action
again the ordinary exhaust cam.
D11..
CEL
1000
E. L. BURNE,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
Improvements in Motive Power Engines Actuated by the Explosive
Force of Gases or Vapours.
I, EDWARD LANCASTER BURNE, of Brac Lea, Austen Road, Guildford, in the
County of Surrey, 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 aud by the following statement:-
This invention relates to gas or vapour engines in which what is known as the
"Otto" cycle is employed. It is well known that in engines of this kind, when in
consequence of a reduction in the resistance to be overcome, combustible gas or
vapour is not introduced into the working cylinder and therefore no explosion
takes place, the charge of atmospheric air drawn in without combustible gas or
vapour during the outward suction stroke of the piston is compressed during the
next inward stroke, and gives back during the next outward stroke of the piston a
certain proportion of the power expended in its compression; but it is also known
that this compression of the air, and its subsequent expansion produce pressure,
and consequently friction between the piston and the cylinder, due to the angularity
of the connecting rod, which absorbs a certain amount of power, and further that
the amount of power returned by the expansion of the compressed air is not equal

page_text: to that expended in the compression of the air, the difference representing a certain
amount of lost energy. The chief object of my present invention is to obviate,
more or less completely, the losses of useful effect due to these causes, and for this
purpose I provide arrangements whereby, when the combustible gas or vapour is
not admitted, instead of the exhaust valve being kept closed during the compression
stroke of the piston, so as to cause the charge of air to be compressed, the exhaust
or other suitable valve, such as the air valve for example, is allowed to open, or to
remain open, so that the charge of air drawn in through the air-valve, or the
products of combustion drawn back from the exhaust pipe, as the case may be,
instead of being compressed, is discharged into the exhaust or other suitable pipe.
Then during the next outward stroke of the piston, which would in ordinary
course be effected with the compressed air expanding behind the piston, a fresh
charge of air is drawn in through the ordinary air inlet passage, or products of com-
bustion are drawn back from the exhaust pipe, which air or products of combustion,
as the case may be, is, in its turn, discharged through the exhaust-valve like the
preceding charge of air; and this drawing-in of air through the air-valve or
drawing back of the products of combustion, and the discharge thereof through the
exhaust-valve, without being compressed, is repeated until a supply of combustible
When this occurs
gas or vapour is admitted to mix with the air being drawn in.
the exhaust-valve is kept closed during the compression of the charge of mixed
gas or vapour and air, and during the explosion stroke in the usual way; then,
when the combustible gas or vapour is again cut out by the governor or other-
wise, the charge of air alone or of products of combustion is discharged into
the exhaust instead of being compressed, and a fresh charge of air alone, or of
products of combustion, is drawn in at the next outward stroke of the piston.
The special actuation of the valves necessary for carrying out my invention
may be effected by any suitable gear or apparatus; but I have found the arrange-
ments illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawinge suitable for the
purpose.
In the said drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation of one arrangement of the apparatus, and
Figure 2 a side view of the cams seen in Figure 1 showing them in their relative
positions to one another on the cam shaft.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a slightly modified arrangement of the apparatus
shown in Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a side view of the cams seen in Figure 3, showing them in their
relative positions to one another on the cam-shaft.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A represents the ordinary cam-shaft rotating at
balf the speed of the engine crank-shaft in the fixed bearings B, B. C is the
usual exhaust-valve cam, and D the usual cam to relieve compression at starting,
both secured on the cam-shaft A by keying or otherwise so as to rotate therewith.
The exhaust-valve cam C acts upon the anti-friction roller E mounted on the
end E of the exhaust-valve lever. G is the cam for operating the air-valve; the
said cain is connected with a sleeve H mounted on the cam-shaft A so as to be
free to slide longitudinally thereon, but to be rotated therewith by means of a
feather H' on the shaft or otherwise. C is a supplementary exhaust-valve cam
secured on or formed with the sleeve H, and standing in a position diametrically
opposite to the cam C. G is a supplementary air-valve cam secured on or formed
with the sleeve H, and standing in a position diametrically opposite to the cam G..
I is the combustible gas or vapour-valve cam also secured on or formed with the
sleeve H, and acting on the roller I on the end 12 of the gas or vapour-valve
lever. The air-valve cam G acts upon the anti-friction roller F mounted on the
end F of the air-valve lever. K is a face cam keyed, or otherwise secured, on the
cam-shaft A so as to rotate therewith, and adapted to act upon an anti-friction
roller L mounted on the crosshead M of a rod M sliding in holes in the fixed
bearings B, B, and carrying pivotted to it at its other end an inertia or jerk
governor N, the point N' of which engages with the trip shoulder O on the end of

page_text: the rod P, which also slides in holes in the fixed bearings B B, and has attached to
it the yoke or fork Q which engages between the flanges H2 H' of the sleeve H.
The rods P and M are constantly urged towards the left in Figure 1 by the
springs R and S respectively.
It will now be understood that each revolution of the cam-shaft A causes the
rod M and inertia or jerk governor N to be moved to the right by the cam K in
opposition to the action of the spring S, and as long as the speel of the engine does
not exceed the prescribed limit, the point N' of the governor arm comes in contact,
at each such movement, with the trip shoulder O on the raid P, and the latter is
thereby moved also to the right in opposition to the action of the spring R, and
with it the yoke or fork Q and the sleeve H into the position shown in Figure 1,
in which position the supplementary exhaust and air-valve cams C¹ and G¹ cannot
act, as they revolve, on the rollers E and F. respectively of the exhaust and air-
valves levers E F¹, but the gas-valve cam I is brought opposite the roller [¹ of
the gas lever I', thereby allowing gas or vapour to be drawn in along with the air,
the mixture compressed, and exploded, and the products of combustion exhausted
during the four half revolutions of the engine composing an "Otto" cycle. If,
however, the speed of the engine increases to such an extent that the weight T of
the governor lags behind when the rod M is moved to the right, so that the
point N¹ of the governor arm is lowered far enough to miss the trip shoulder O on
the rod P, the latter is not moved to the right, and consequently the spring R
pressing it and the fork Q to the left moves the sleeve H to the left also, whereby
the supplementary exhaust cam C₁ is brought over the roller E, the gas-valve
can I clear of the roller I', the air-valve cam G further to the left, but still in
engagement with the roller F, and the supplementary air-valve cam G' over the
roller F. When the sleeve, and the cams mounted on it are in this latter position
no gas or vapour is admitted because the gas-valve lever I cannot be operated by
the cam ; the air-valve is not only opened to admit air during the ordinary
suction stroke, by the cam G, but also during what would otherwise be the
expansion stroke by the cam G'; and the exhaust-valve is not only opened during
the ordinary exhaust stroke by the cam C, but also during what would otherwise
be the compression stroke, by the cam C', so that whenever the speed of the engine
exceeds the prescribed limit the sleeve H and cams C', I, G and G¹, are moved to
the left stopping on the one hand the supply of gas or vapour, and on the other
hand preventing the compression and expansion of the air drawn in when no gas
or vapour is admitted; but when the speed of the engine does not exceed the
prescribed limit the sleeve H and cams C', I, G and G¹ are moved to the right
allowing gas and air to be introduced, compressed, exploded, and the products of
combustion exhausted in the usual way.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4, a disc J is mounted on the
sleeve H instead of the supplementary cam C₁ shown in Figures 1 and 2. When,
in consequence of the speed of the engine exceeding the prescribed limit, the
sleeve H is allowed to remain in the left hand position, as explained in reference
to Figure 1, the disc J, which is preferably of slightly smaller radius than the
largest radius of the cam C, is brought over the roller E, taking a position close
by the side of, or near to the cam C, and preventing the roller E and exhaust
valve-lever E rising so as to close the exhaust-valve; that is to say the exhaust-
valve is held open so long as the disc J remains over the roller E. The movement
of the sleeve H to the left also moves the cam G to the left out of eugagement
with the roller F of the lever F, which in this case is supposed to operate both
the air-valve and gas or vapour-valve in a manner well understood in connection
with engines of this kind. The roller F then rises into contact with the collar U
fixed on the shaft A, thereby keeping the gas or vapour and air-valves closed until
the cam G is again moved to the right. The movement of the sleeve H, disc J,
and cam. G to the left has, therefore, the double effect of causing the exhaust valve
to be held open so that the products of combustion remaining in the exhaust pipe

page_text: together with more or less air can be drawn in through the said exhaust valve by
the suction or outward strokes of the piston, and ejected again through the same
valve by the next inward strokes of the piston without being empressed, and the
gas or vapour and air-valves to remain closed so long as the speed of the engine
remains greater than it should be. When, however, the speel of the engine has
become so reduced that the point N¹ of the governor arm again comes in contact
with the trip-shoulder O, when the rod M is moved to the right, the rod P is
thereby moved to the right also, and with it the slenve H, whereby the disc Jis
drawn clear of the roller E, and allows the latter to again follow the motion of
the exhaust-valve cam C, and the gas or vapour and air-valves cam G is again
brought into engagement with the ruller F, so as to enable a charge to be drawn
in, compressed, exploded, and the products of combustion exhausted in the
usual way.
It will be observed that the rollers E and F are made wider than the cams
acting upon them, in the case of the roller E to permit the disc J to come into
engagement with it as well as with the cam C; and in the case of the roller F, to
permit the said roller to bear against the collar U, which is somewhat larger than
the smallest part of the cam G, when the said cam G is drawn aside out of
engagement with the said roller F.
The cam K is so shaped, proportionel and timed that the sleeve H is moved to
the right, if a charge is to be drawn into the cylinder, before the suction stroke of
the working piston commences, and is allowed to slide back towards the left at or
about the moment that the exhaust-valve is opened.
In order to provide against the event of the spring R failing to act, the rod P
may be extended to the right so that the cross head M', which carries the
roller L, must strike against it when the said crosshead moves back towards
the left.
In the arrangement of apparatus above described, and shown in Figures 3 and 4
of the drawings it is assumed that the gas or vapour and air valves are formed as
two separate valves and that they are both operated by the same lever F; but
one valve may, as is well known, serve the double purpose of admitting both gas
or vapour and air. It is obvious however that the arrangement may be modified
by using one cam and lever as I, 1 in Figure 1 for the gas or vapour-valve, and
another cam and lever as G, F, Figure 2, for the air-valve. It is also obvious
that in either of the arrangements illustrated the exhaust-valve may be worked in
the usual way, and the air-valve or other suitable valve arranged to be held open
during what would otherwise be the compression and expansion strokes of the
piston by means of a disc similar to the disc J shown in connection with the
exhaust-valve cam C, or by means of a supplementary cam such as G in Figures 1
and 2 for example. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, instead of the
supplementary cams C or G, discs similar to the disc J in Figures 3 and 4 may
be employed to keep the valve levers E F from operating when no gas or vapour
is admitted. In cases where the air-valve is arranged to open automatically and
the exhaust-valve is not held open as above described, it is necessary, in order to
apply my invention, to provide a special cam and lever, such as the cam G' and
lever F for example, to hold the said air-valve open during the inward or
compression stroke of the piston following the ordinary suction stroke.
Instead of moving the cams with reference to the valve levers the latter, or the
anti-friction rollers on them, may be moved with reference to the cams, by sliding
them to and fro instead of the cams.
It is obvious that instead of using the exhaust-valve or the air-valve for
preventing the compression and expansion when no gas or vapour is admitted, a
special valve may be provided for the purpose and be opened or held open, by
mechanism of the kind hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings.
It is also obvious that the air-valve may be allowed to open automatically
during every forward or outward stroke of the piston during such time as gas or

page_text: vapour is not being admitted, in which case in order to apply my invention a
supplementary exhaust cam such as C in Figure 1 and a cam, roller and lever
such as I 1 and 12 Figure 1 to work the gas or vapour valve would have to be
provided.
Instead of an inertia or jerk governor, such as that shewn in the drawings
for example, an ordinary centrifugal governor may be employed to operate the
trip gear.
By the means above described as there is no compression of the charge when it
does not contain gas or vapour, and consequently no expansive action of such
charge during the outward stroke of the piston, there is no friction on the cylinder
due to the angularity of the connecting rod, beyond what is due to the ordinary
frictional resistance of the unloaded engine; and further there is no loss of useful
effect due to the excess of work done in compressing the air, over what is
recovered by the expansion thereof. There is also considerable saving in wear
and tear, especially of the cylinder, piston and connecting rod brasses, and as the
charges of air only are compressed the cylinder and valves are not liable to be
beated by such compression.
In order to lubricate the journals of the shaft A in the bearings B, and the
sliding rods M and P where they pass through these bearings, I have found it
convenient to employ the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 3, which consists in
making a hole W extending from the oil cup X downwards through the holes in
which the rods M and P slide as far as the hole in which the journal of the cam-
shaft A revolves; by this means oil supplied at X finds its way through all the
bearings in successiou, and a separate oil hole for each bearing is thus avoided.
I do not, however, make any claim to this method of lubrication.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In a motive power engine actuated by the explosive force of combustible
gases or vapours, the improvement which consists in holding the exhaust, air,
or other suitable valve open during the compression or expansion stroke of the
working piston, or during both the compression and expansion strokes thereof,
when, by reason of the too great speed of the engine, combustible gas or vapour
is not admitted, substantially as described.
Second. In a motive power engine actuated by the explosive force of
combustible gases or vapours, mechanism for opening the exhaust-valve during
the compression stroke of the working piston and for opening the air-valve
during the expansion stroke thereof, for the purposes herein described, which
consists of a sliding sleeve on the cam-shaft, supplementary exhaust and air-
valve cams mounted on the said sleeve, and devices connected with the governor
for operating the said sliding sleeve, in order to bring the said cams into and
out of engagement with the levers operating the said valves, substantially as
described.
Third. In a motive power engine actuated by the explosive force of combustible
gases or vapours, mechanism for holding the exhaust, air, or other valve open
during the compression or expansion stroke of the working piston, or during
both the compression and expansion strokes thereof, for the purposes herein
described, which consists of a sliding sleeve on the cam-shaft, a disc mounted
on the said sleeve, and devices connected with the governor for operating the
said sliding sleeve, in order to bring the said disc into and out of engagement
with the lever operating the said valve, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a motive power engine actuated by the explosive force of
combustible gases or vapours, mechanism for opening, or holding open, the exhaust
valve, for opening, holding open, or leaving closed the air-valve, and for leaving

page_text: closed the gas or vapour valve during certain strokes of the working piston when,
by reason of the too great speed of the engine, combustible gas or vapour is not.
admitted, constructed and operating substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of December 1896
E. L. BURNE,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..
E. L. BURNE,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..