An Improvement in Gas or Oil Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Gas or Oil Engines.
HENRY JAMES WIMSHURST, The Greylands, Foleshill, Coventry, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The invention consists of a receiver larger than the capacity of the engine cylinder
into which is pumped oil and air seperately or together at a low temperature until
the pressure reaches about 100 lbs. per square inch. This is heated in the receiver
by a lamp or other means to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the oil. The
mixture is conveyed to either end of the engine cylinder by means of suitable pipes
and valves. Being at 100 lbs. pressure it is used to move the cylinder piston
(connected in the ordinary way to a crank and shaft) through a certain distance of
its stroke. This distance or cut off is regulated by suitable valves and tappet
motion worked from a govenor gear. The mixture is then allowed to move the
cylinder piston forward until it has expanded to a pressure of about 40 lbs. per
square inch and is then ignited the result of explosion carrying the piston the
remainder of its stroke. A suitable exhaust valve is provided for.
An air pump
is provided to work automatically with the stroke of the engine to keep up the
pressure in the receiver. Coal gas may be used in place of oil to combine with air.
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I, HENRY JAMES WIMSHURST, of Greylands, Foleshill, Coventry, 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:
This invention relates to oil and gas engines and has for its objects,-first to
get an explosion at every revolution; second, to reduce the loss of power which at
present arises in compressing the charge; third, to heat and expand the air used in
the charge before it enters the cylinder; and fourth to provide a self starting
arrangement.
I attain these objects by the attachment illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein,
Figure I is a longitudinal section through the said attachment.
Figure II is a transverse section on the line II-II in Fig. I, and
Figure III is an enlarged view of an admission controlling device which I find
it convenient to employ in connection with my invention.

page_text: Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The attachment consists of a metal receiver of greater capacity than the engine
cylinder. The receiver may be secured to the bed of the engine by the side of the
cylinder or in some other convenient position. The receiver consists of a preferably
cylindrical casing 2 and two dished cover plates 3, 4, and within it are arranged a
series of tubes 5 secured in end plates 6. The said end plates are secured to the
flanges 7 of the casing by countersunk headed screws 9. And alternately with
the screws 9, bolts 10 pass through the flanges 8 of the cover plates, the end plates 6
and the flanges 7, and secure the cover plates to the casing. The cover plate 4 is
provided with two apertures 11, 12 and a transverse web 13. The exhaust gases
or part thereof from the cylinder are led in through one of the apertures say 11,
through the lower tubes 5 up the space 14 in the cover plate 3, back through the
upper tubes 5 and out through the aperture 12. The web 13 prevents the exhaust
gases passing from one aperture to the other without passing through the tubes.
Cool air and oil are pumped together or separately, into the space between the
tubes 5 and end plates 6 by a suitable force pump. Preferably I employ an air
pump connected to the casing by a pipe such as 15, I introduce a branch pipe (in
the form of a nozzle) communicating with the oil supply into the suction pipe of
the air pump, so that as air is forced into the casing a suitable quantity of oil is
forced in with it. The air and oil forced into the receiver are heated to a tempera-
ture sufficient to vaporise the oil by the exhaust passing through the tubes 5 and
when required, as at restarting, by a lamp or other suitable means.
The pressure
of the force pump and the expansion arising from the heat, raise the pressure of the
vapor to say 100 lbs. to the square inch. The explosive mixture is admitted to
the engine cylinder through a suitable pipe, (such as 17) and regulating valves
operated by a tappet motion or corresponding device controlled by any suitable
form of governor gear. When a suitable charge has been admitted to the cylinder
and the valves closed, the said charge is allowed to expand to a pressure of say
40 lbs. and is then exploded, the result of explosion carrying the piston the
remainder of its stroke. The air pump which keeps up the supply and pressure of
air and oil is preferably worked automatically from the engine shaft.
A pressure gauge may be attached to the casing at 18 and a safety valve at 19.
To control the air and oil supply I may employ the device shown in Fig. III. This
consists of a small cylinder 20 communicating with the interior of the receiver
through the pipe 21. The cylinder 20 is provided with a piston 22 and between
this and the head of the cylinder is a spring 23, the strength of which is arranged
according to the pressure required in the receiver. The rod 24, attached to the
piston 22 at one end, carries a plate 25 at the other end. This plate slides in
suitable guides 26 closely over the inlet 27 to the air pump. As the pressure rises
or falls in the receiver the spring 23 correspondingly contracts or expands and the
plate 25 closes or opens the inlet 27 and the pump is rendered less or more effective.
But this device does not form an essential feature of my invention and other suitable
regulating devices may be substituted therefor.
Although I described my attachment more particularly in connection with an oil
engine it will be readily understood that coal gas or other suitable gas may be
employed instead of oil.
At the first time of starting the engine it will be necessary to fill the receiver
by rotating the fly wheel or by means of a pump, but afterwards provided the
receiver and attachments are tight, there will always be sufficient vapor left in
the receiver to start the engine, if the said vapor be heated.
By the use of my receiver a charge may be admitted to the engine cylinder and
exploded at each revolution, instead of at every alternate revolution as at present
usual. And as the necessary compression of the vapor is obtained largely by the
action of heat, the expenditure of power by the engine for this purpose is corre-
spondingly reduced.
I do not confine myself to the precise details hereinbefore set forth as these may
obviously be, modified without exceeding the fair scope of my invention,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The receiver for gas or oil engines constructed, arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. In a gas or oil engine, a receiver adapted to receive the constituents of the
explosive mixture at a low temperature, heat them and deliver them as a mixed vapor
at a suitable pressure to the engine cylinder, substantially as set forth.
3. A receiver for a gas or oil engine, consisting of a casing and cover plates
enclosing a series of tubes mounted in end plates, one of which end plates has a
cross web and apertures above and below such web, so that the exhaust gases or
part thereof may be led through some of the said tubes and back through others
of the said tubes and heat the mixture which is forced into the receiver between
the tubes and end plates, and led therefrom into the engine cylinder substantially,
as set forth.
4. The combination with a gas or oil engine of a receiver a force pump and suitable
connecting pipes and valves arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this in day of February 1000.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.