Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1894-Accepter, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
JAMES ROOTS Engineer Holborn Place 261 High Holborn London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The cylinder is closed at the front end, the piston rod passing through a gland.
The front side of the piston draws in air, at first through a relief mushroom valve
opening inward and at about half stroke through a port in the cylinder side,
during the other half of the stroke air is drawn through the port only and on the
return stroke displaced again by the return of the piston for about half stroke
through the same port. Then the piston compresses this half or about half;
cylinder full of air for the remainder of the stroke, but after the exhaust valve has
opened permitting the outflow of waste products just before the end of the
working stroke, the pressure on the rod side of the piston having risen to between
5 and 10 lbs. per square inch opens a valve in the piston, and air flows from the
one side of the piston to the other and continues to flow until the stroke is.
completed; the piston valve closes immediately after the dead point, and the piston
on the rod side begins drawing in a fresh charge of air, while on the working side
the piston is displacing until mid stroke more of the waste products through the
exhaust valve, which closes at about half stroke, the piston then commences to
compress the contents remaining in the cylinder consisting almost entirely of pure.
air and simultaneously or during some part of the compression part of the stroke,
the gas pump delivers its charge through a nozzle containing a number of,
perforations fixed in the cylinder cover, which spreads the gas in jets throughout
the air. The charge is fired by a hot tube at or just after the dead point or by
any other known arrangement. The exhaust valve is operated by the rod of an,
excentric, the end being connected to a lever, the other end of which lever has a
fork fitted over the piston rod of the gas pump to operate the piston. An,
excentric may also be used to open the air valve at the required time in which
case the port in the cylinder side is not required. The governor may operate
upon the fulcrum of the lever; or the gas pump in being returned by a spring, the
spring may be made of such a strength as to only overcome the inertia of the gas
pump below a certain speed; or the centrifugal governor may operate a gas plug
for throttling.
The same parts are used for an oil engine with the addition of the vaporiser,
air heater, and oil feeder described in my Specification 19275 of 1891, the pump
drawing in the charge and delivering it through the nozzle before mentioned..
When the engine has become sufficiently hot the oil may be forced through
the same nozzle or a separate nozzle to the cylinder to mix with the charge
of air.
If a hot tube be used to fire the charge ou compression, then a pressure chamber
preferably annular may be used surrounding the ignition tube and enclosed with
the vaporiser to receive a portion of the charge from the pump under pressure to,
continue the heat of the tube after starting. The supply burning through two
small holes or through a tube directing the flame on the ignition tube.
Or a chamber may be fitted at the end of a tube channel outside the cylinder
lined with asbestos, fireclay, porcelain, or other good nonconductor to fire the.
charge, when the engine is hot.
The excentric nay be cut out to permit it to slip round to another position,
whenever it is required to start the engine in the opposite direction.

page_text: The said pressure chamber may be. of any shape or form and may be fitted with
a lift or mushroom valve to retain the pressure. The pressure in the chamber
may be obtained directly from a pump, or indirectly from the re-action of suction
lifting the valve and increasing the supply with each suction. The chamber must
be kept sufficiently heated. In the case of the valve lifting by the suction stroke
of the engine the working resembles that in a hydraulic ram.
improvements may be used with the necessary parts as a bammer.
Dated December 7th 1802
The described
JAMES ROOTS.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
JAMES ROOTS Engineer Manor Road Teddington Middlesex late of Holborn
Place High Holborn London 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:-
The cylinder is closed at the front end, the piston rod passing through a gland.
The front side of the piston draws in air at first through a relief mushroom valve
opening inward and at about half stroke through a port in the cylinder side during
the other half of the stroke air is drawn through the port only and on the return
stroke displaced again by the return of the piston for about half stroke through
the same port.
Then the piston compresses this half or about half cylinder full of
air for the remainder of the stroke but after the exhaust valve has opened
permitting the outflow of waste products just before the end of the working stroke,
the pressure on the rod side of the piston having risen to between 5 and 10 lbs. per
square inch opens a valve in the piston and air flows from the one side of the piston
to the other and continues to flow until the stroke is completed, the piston valve
closes immediately after the dead point, and the piston on the rod side begins
drawing in a fresh charge of air while on the working side the piston is
displacing until mid stroke more of the waste products through the exhaust valve
which closes at about half stroke, the piston then commences to compress the
contents remaining in the cylinder consisting almost entirely of pure air and
simultaneously or during some part of the compression part of the stroke the gas
pump delivers its charge through a nozzle containing a number of perforations
fixed in the cylinder cover which spreads the gas in jets throughout the air.
The charge is fired by a hot tube at or just after the dead point or by any other
known arrangement. The exhaust is operated by the rod of an excentric the end
being connected to a lever the other end of which lever has a fork fitted over the
piston rod of the gas pump to operate the piston or the pump may be worked by a
separate excentric. An excentric may also be used to to open the air valve at the
required time. The governor may operate upon the fulcrum of the lever or the
gas pump in being returned by a spring the spring may be made of such a strength
as to only overcome the inertia of the gas pump below a certain speed or the
centrifugal governor may operate a gas plug for throttling, or by means of screw
varying the length of the excentric rod.
The same parts are used for an oil engine with the addition of the vaporiser air
heater, and oil feeder described in my Specification 19275" the pump drawing in
the charge and delivering it through the nozzle before mentioned. When the
engine has become sufficiently hot the oil may be forced through the same nozzle
or a separate nozzle to the cylinder to mix with the charge of air.
If a hot tube be used to fire the charge on compression then a pressure chamber
preferably annular may be used surrounding the ignition tube and enclosed with
the vaporiser to receive a portion of the charge from the pump under pressure to
continue the heat of the tube after starting, the supply burning through two small
holes or through a tube directing the flame on the ignition tube.

page_text: Or a chamber, may be fitted at the end of a tube channel outside the cylinder,
lined with asbestos, fireclay, porcelain or other good non-conductor to fire the
charge when the engine is hot."
The excentric may be cut out to permit it to slip round to another position when-
ever it is required to start the engine in the opposite direction.
The said pressure chamber may be of any shape and form and may be fitted
with a lift or mushroom valve to retain the pressure. The pressure in the chamber
may be obtained directly from a pump or indirectly from the reaction of suction
lifting the valve and increasing the supply with each suction. The chamber must
be kept sufficiently heated.
The same letters refer to the same or like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan,
Fig. 2 an end view of Fig. 1, ·
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of a modified arrangement,
Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3,
Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the distributing nozzle for the effective mixing
of the fuel with the air,
Fig. 6 shows a form of governor that may be used with the engine.
Referring to Fig. 1. When the piston A commences its working stroke starting
from the position shown it displaces or ejects air previously drawn in from the
cylinder B through a portion of the stroke through the port Z after which it
compresses the remaining air until at or near the end of the working stroke the
pressure having on the combustion side of the piston, the air pressure opens the
valve Y and the air flows through to the other side of the piston. The piston then :
begins its return stroke and draws in air from the ordinary mushroom valve W
shown in dotted lines on Fig. 2 until the port Z is again uncovered when air is drawn
during the remainder of the return stroke through the port Z and on the commence-
ment of the working stroke ejected through it until again covered as before. On
the other or combustion side of the piston starting from the position (dead point).
shown, ignition is just about to take place. It is effected by means of the charge.
being compressed along the channel X into the ordinary hot tube surrounded by
the casing X¹. The combustion pressure drives the piston on its working or
outstroke and the gases continue to expand until a short distance from the end of
the stroke when the exhaust valve E is opened by the excentric rod F and the
very slight pressure remaining escapes, upon which the air slightly compressed
upon the other side of the piston flows through the valve Y. Directly after the
dead point is reached the valve Y closes and the piston continues the return stroke.
the exhaust valve E is held open and products of the previous combustion are..
ejected until at about half stroke or at a point determined by the governor the
exhaust valve closes and compression of the almost pure air remaining commences.
At soine point during the compression portion of the stroke preferably just after it.
commences the gas is delivered by a pump G the piston of which is operated by:
the excentric rod G 4. The gas cuters by the gas supply pipe G 1 through the
suction valve in the box G 2 and is delivered through the delivery valve H in the
box H 1 and spread and mixed with the air by the perforated nozzle J shown on a
larger scale at Fig. 5. At or just after the highest compression the charge is fired
by the ignition tube connected to the channel X when the series of operations
re-commences, C is the cylinder cover and L is the lubricator.
In Fig. 3 instead of using the port Z through which to eject the air not required,..
the valve W is held open the desired time by means of the excentric rod W₁, and..
instead of the valve Y being placed in the piston it is placed on the cover and
connected to the other end of the cylinder through the valve box enclosing the
valve W delivering the air by pressure in the same way as before described.
The gas pump is operated by means of a lever which has its upper-end attached
to the excentric rod F, the fulcrum (not shown) being fixed on the working:
cylinder wall the lower end of the lever operates the gas pump piston.
Fig. 6 shows a method of governing which may be employed.

page_text: The centrifugal weights M are arranged on the ordinary marine patterii a
spring (not shown) being fitted to resist the weights assuming the right angle
position. The link N connects the weights to the sleeve O which oscillates the
lever P. The lever P,is attached to the sleeve Q which has a right and left hand
screw thread fitting the excentric rod so that the rod is lengthened to vary the
timing of the valve E or if desired of the pump. G, and so alter the volume of
charge fired. In Fig. 3 for the sleeve Q to be effective, the rod F should be
jointed (not shown) and work either in a larger guide, or in two guides.
Fig. 7 shows the annular chamber K which is fitted inside the air heater casing,
and has the ignition tube passing through the centre of it, a stream of air is
supplied by the pipe K 1 to which pipe also the oil is fed the oil is vaporised in
passing together with the air through K and the mixture is directed by the pipe K2
upon the ignition tube (not shown). Fig. 8 is a chamber connected by a pipe to
the outside of the combustion space and coated with non-conductive material to
fire the charge after it has become thoroughly heated. The charge is compressed
into it as in an ignition tube and the inner lining remains red hot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is.
1. In an internal combustion engine in which air is drawn in on one side of the
piston and displaced by the piston to supply part of the working charge in the
other or working side, obtaining a double or much increased expansion by
retaining the exhaust valve open during about half the return stroke, or some
portion of it determined by the governor, delivering the necessary fuel through a
nozzle or its equivalent for mixing, to the air when under compression, and thus
firing only half or a varying portion of the maximum volume, substantially as
described and shown.
2. The combination of an internal combustion engine of the series of operations,
comprised in, drawing in air on one side of a piston, ejecting a part of this to the
outer air, delivering the remainder to the other or working side of the piston,
retaining the exhaust valve open during about half the instroke, compressing about
half or a quantity determined by the governor of the full volume of cylinder
charge, and delivering the fuel gaseous or liquid, to this air after the exhaust
valve is closed, and while it is undergoing compression.
3. The combination in an internal combustion engine having an impulse every
revolution, and expanding to a larger volume than the volume ignited, of a
cylinder and piston, mechanism for retaining the exhaust valve open during a
portion of the return stroke, which portion can be varied by the governor, a pump
to deliver the charge of fuel gaseous or liquid which also can be varied by the
governor, to the air remaining in the working end of the cylinder during
compression, and the nozzle or its equivalent for distributing and mixing the fuel
with the air under compression.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts, and operation of the same,
forming my improved internal combustion engine as described herein.
5. The ignition chamber, connected by a tube, on the outside of the combustion
space as described and shown.
6. The annular chamber or its equivalent, surrounding the ignition tube, for
heating and mixing the mixture of oil and air used to maintain the tube at a
red heat.
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