Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Governing the Admission of Gas and Air into Gas Motor Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Governing the
Admission of Gas and Air into Gas Motor Engines.
I SAMUEL GRIFFIN, Engineer, of Kingston Iron Works Bath in the County of
Somerset do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
My invention relates to improved apparatus for regulating and governing the
supply of combustible gas and air into the cylinder of gas motor engines in such a
manner as to prevent throttling or undue resistance caused thereby in the cylinder
or passages when the supply of combustible gas is cut off by the action of the
governor. This defect of throttling (by the existence of which undue negative
work is thrown on the engine between the intermittent impulses when running light)
is specially marked in cases where a gas of comparatively low heating power is
used such for instance as Dowson or water gas-it being necessary to introduce a
very large volume of such gas in proportion to the volume of air in order to obtain
a sufficiently high temperature and rapidity of combustion. For the purpose of
introducing this large volume of gas the air passage requires to be proportionately
contracted and consequently when air alone is passing into the cylinder under the
conditions already described undue resistance and loss of power results.
My present invention is designed to remedy these defects by introducing a valve
of any suitable arrangement and construction into the air supply passage between
the gas inlet and the atmosphere. This valve may be actuated either by a suitably.
arranged cam or other device or it may be actuated directly or through any suitable
intervening mechanism by the governor itself. In either case its motion is con-
trolled by the governor in such a manner that whenever the supply of gas is
decreased or cut off altogether by the action of the governor the said air valve is
simultaneously opened in about the same proportion so that throttling may be
prevented and the cylinder be allowed to freely charge itself with air only.
In cases where (for obtaining steady running) it is desirable to govern the engine
by varying the power of the impulses in the cylinder instead of cutting out the
charge altogether as is usual this arrangement is specially suitable as by its
operation dilution of the charge is effected without diminishing its volume or
density and compression before ignition is thus rendered uniform.
Dalad this Jul, 1000
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Governing the
Admission of Gas and Air into Gas Motor Engines.
I SAMUEL GRIFFIN of Kingston Iron Works 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 relates to improved apparatus for regulating and governing the
supply of combustible gas and air into the cylinder of gas motor engines in such a
manner as to prevent throttling or undue resistance caused thereby in the cylinder
or passages when the supply of combustible gas is cut off by the action of the

page_text: governor. This defect of throttling (by the existence of which undue negative
work is thrown on the engine between the intermittent impulses when running
light) is specially marked in cases where a gas of comparatively low heating power
is used such for instance as Dowson or water gas-it being necessary to introduce
a very large volume of such gas in proportion to the volume of air in order to
obtain a sufficiently high temperature and rapidity of combustion. For the purpose
of introducing this large volume of gas the air passage requires to be propor-
tionately contracted and consequently when air alone is passing into the cylinder
under the conditions already described undue resistance and loss of power results.
My present invention is designed to remedy these defects by introducing a valve
of any suitable arrangement and construction into the air supply passage between
the gas inlet and the atmosphere. This valve may be actuated either by a suitably
arranged cam or other device or it may be actuated directly or through any
suitable intervening mechanism by the governor itself. In either case its motion is
controlled by the governor in such a manner that whenever the supply of gas is
decreased or cut off altogether by the action of the governor the said air valve
is simultaneously opened in about the same proportion so that throttling may be
prevented and the cylinder be allowed to freely charge itself with air only.
In cases where (for obtaining steady running) it is desirable to govern the engine
by varying the power of the impulses in the cylinder-instead of cutting out the
charge altogether as is usual-this arrangement is specially suitable as by its
operation dilution of the charge is effected without diminishing its volume or
density and compression before ignition is thus rendered uniform.
And in order that my present invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into practice I will proceed to further describe same with reference to the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a section through a valve apparatus arranged according to my present
invention showing the valves in position for admitting gas and air or explosive
compound into the motor cylinder.
Figure 2 is a similar section showing the gas valve closed and air valve fully
open.
Figure 3 is sectional plan showing air passages past valve C.
The actuating mechanism which may be of any suitable kind is not shown.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each drawing.
.
1
A is the valve spindle carrying the gas valve B and air valve C the latter being
adjusted by means of the lock nuts D D. The casing E has three tubulars or
openings viz. the air supply F the gas supply G and the delivery H leading to the
cylinder. When the engine is running below its normal speed (i.e. doing work) the
valves by the action of the governors will be in the position shown in Figure 1
the gas passing by B and the air by C will mix in the passage H flowing thence
into the motor cylinder where it operates in the usual way. When by reason of
decrease of work or other cause the engine exceeds its normal speed the governors
will raise the spindle A closing the gas valve B at the same time fully opening the
air valve C see Figure 2.
Air alone now passes freely into the motor cylinder at each charging stroke of
the piston until the normal velocity of the engine is again reached when air and
gas is again admitted as before described.
It will be obvious that the governing mechanism which actuates the valve
spindle A may be so arranged as to vary the position of the valves B and C
in any desired proportion between that shown in the drawings the proportion of the
air and gas or explosive compound being relatively varied.
The adjustment of the air valve is effected by the lock nuts D D.
I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement and details herein described,
these may be modified without departing from the nature of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. The arrangement of valves and apparatus as hereinbefore set forth by means
of which the volume of atmospheric air entering the motor cylinder during the
charging stroke when the gas valve is closed may be diminished when the gas valve
is opened.
2. The improved arrangement of valves and apparatus as hereinbefore set forth
by means of which the proportion of gas of gas and air forming the working
charge or explosive compound may be varied.
3. The combination of the valves and apparatus such as A B C D E F G H
with a gas motor engine substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK.
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.