Improvements in Carbon Dioxide Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carbon Dioxide Engines.
I, LEWIS BOYD WHITE, Mechanical Engineer, of 1223, Broadway, in the City
of New York, Borough of Manhattan, County of New York, State of New York,
and United States of America, 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 carbon dioxide motors.
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved carbon dioxide
motor to be operated by such carbon dioxide under extremely high tension or
by other gases or vapors under such high tension, which motor is simple in con-
struction, very compact, so as to adapt it for use in motor vehicles of all kinds,
is economical in use and is strong and durable.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in
which like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of my improved motor, parts
being omitted.
Figure 2 is a plan view, parts being broken away.
The motor, as shown, has three cranks on its crank-shaft, and for each crank
has two opposite pistons in line and two opposite cylinders in line, in which the
two opposite pistons work. As each set of pistons and corresponding cylinders for
each and every crank of the shaft is the same, I will describe only one set in detail.
Each crank-pin A. passes through the transverse, vertical slot B₁ of a vertical
frame B the slot B' being of such size that the crank-pin A fits snugly in the
same without any lost motion, in a horizontal direction, but so that it can move
up and down freely within the slot, and when this frame is reciprocated horizon-
tally, can turn the crank-pin on a circular line. From the opposite sides of the
frames B two pistons C project in directly opposite directions horizontally and in
line with each other, and each piston is composed of a cylindrical shell (i secured
to a stem C2, as shown in Figure 1.
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Each piston fits snugly within a cylinder D, in which it can reciprocate, the
two cylinders being opposite each other and in line and each cylinder is closed
at the outer end and open at the inner end, and between the inner ends of the
cylinder a compartment E is formed in which the frame B can reciprocate and
through which a crank-shaft passes. The chamber E is composed of two halves,
each half being made integral with the corresponding cylinder, and these sections
are provided at their inner ends with flanges H at the bottom, sides and top, which
flanges are bolted together to complete the frame of the engine. For each set of
pistons, two disks J are fixed on the crank-shaft, at opposite sides of each frame B
and the crank-pins A are secured to such disk. In case of a three-crank machine,
such as the one shown, the cranks are at angles of 120 degrees to each other.
the outer end of each cylinder an inlet valve K is mounted which is composed of
a poppet valve seating against a seat K2 formed on the outer end of a sleeve K¹
inserted into a bore in the top of the cylinder wall and through said sleeve the
At

page_text: stem L of the valve K passes longitudinally, so as to project at the end opposite
to the one to which the valve is attached, into the chamber E.
A spring L2
surrounding the stem. L presses the valve against its seat. A channel N extends
from the valve seat K2 to the outer end of the cylinder and is controlled by said
valve.
A
The gas is conducted into a chamber at each end of the engine through a
neck connected with a suitable supply pipe, and from said chamber a
channel leads to each inlet valve. A rock shaft. P is mounted in the top
flanges H of the motor frame and carries suitable cams P₁, which when said
shaft P rotates, can act on an arm Q of an L-shaped lever Q pivoted to the top
of the flanges and extending through a slot in the top of the chamber E into
said chamber and resting against the inner end of the valve stem L. One such
lever and arm Q is provided for each inlet valve and a corresponding cam is
provided on the shaft P and said cams are so located on the shaft that at the
proper time the lower end of the lever Q is moved outward, that is, toward the
outer end of the cylinder, for an infinitesimal part of a second, so as to open the
inlet valve and admit a minute charge of the gas under pressure into the outer
end of the cylinder, which gas at once expands and forces the corresponding
piston in the direction toward the chamber E, at the same time forcing the
opposite piston into the opposite cylinder for the purpose of expelling the exhaust
gas in said opposite cylinder. It is thus evident that the gas is admitted alter-
nately into the outer ends of the opposite cylinders, and the exhaust gas is always
forced out of one cylinder while the effective gas expands in the opposite cylinder.
I have shown the inlet valve at the outer end of the cylinder only, although each
cylinder has its inlet valve, and at the outer end of the other cylinder I have
shown the exhaust valve, of which each cylinder has one. The exhaust valve R
fits. snugly in a bore R¹ in which it can reciprocate, and serves to close the
exhaust channel S in the top of the cylinder at the outer end thereof. The
exhaust valves R for two opposite cylinders are secured on stems T extending
from the opposite ends of a bar U, located in the chamber E and having a recess U
through which the vertical reciprocating frame B passes, the recess U being of
such size that the frame B can strike against the ends of said recess at the ends
of the stroke of said frame B. For example, when the frame B moves to the
right under the action of the gas admitted into the left-hand cylinder, it strikes.
the right-hand end of the recess U₁ an instant before the right-hand stroke of
the pistons is completed whereby the said bar or piece U and the two exhaust
valves R are shifted to the right sufficiently to open the left-hand exhaust port S,
and at the same time close the right-hand exhaust port S an instant before the
stroke to the right is completed so that the exhaust gas remaining in the outer
end of the right-hand cylinder forms a cushion for the piston. In like manner
when the two pistons move to the left under the action of expanding gas acting
on the right-hand piston, the frame B strikes the left-hand end of the recess i
and shifts the said bar or piece U, stems T and exhaust valves R to the left suffi-.
ciently to close the exhaust port S of the left-hand cylinder an instant before the
left-hand piston has completed its stroke to the left, and at the same time the
exhaust port of the right-hand cylinder is open. The cam shaft P is driven by
suitable gearing of any approved construction or in any other suitable manner
from the crank-shaft of the engine, so that said cam-shaft can turn at the required
speed and cause the cams to actuate the inlet valve at the proper time, and such
gearing has only indicated in dotted lines in Figure as its detail of construction
is not material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A motor, having two opposite cylinders and a chamber between the inner

page_text: ends of the cylinders, a crank-shaft passing between the inner ends of the cylinder,
a slotted frame mounted between the inner ends of the cylinders and engaging
the crank-pin, on the crank-shaft, a piston projecting from said reciprocating
frame into each cylinder and valves controlling the ingress and egress of the
motive fluid to and from the cylinders, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. A motor, having two opposite cylinders closed at the outer ends and open at
the inner ends and an open chamber between the inner ends of the cylinders, a
crank-shaft passing through said chamber, a reciprocating frame in said chamber,
through which frame the crank-pin on the crank passes, two pistons projecting
from the reciprocating frame in opposite directions into the cylinders, each cylinder
being made integral with one-half of the chamber walls, between the cylinders,
and said chamber walls being bolted together, and valves for controlling the
ingress and egress of the motive fluid, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In a motor, the combination with two opposite cylinders, open at the inner
ends and closed at the outer ends and in line with each other, of a piston in each
cylinder, a slotted frame to which the inner ends of the two pistons are secured,
a crank-pin passing through said frame, a crank-shaft, an exhaust valve for eacli
cylinder, a recessed piece with which said two exhaust valves of the cylinders are
connected, and through the recess of which piece the reciprocating frame attached
to the inner ends of the pistons passes, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a motor, the combination with two opposite cylinders open at the inner
ends and closed at the outer ends and in line with each other, of a piston in each
cylinder, a slotted reciprocating piece to which the inner ends of the two pistons
are attached, a crank-shaft having a crank-pin passing through the slot of said
frame, an exhaust valve at the outer end of each cylinder, which two exhaust
valves are connected with each other, means for operating the exhaust valves
directly from the slotted reciprocating piece, an inlet valve at the outer end of
each cylinder and gearing for operating said inlet valves from the crank-shaft,
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated the 24th day of January 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.