Improvements in Carburetted Air or Internal Combustion Engines, particularly adapted for the Propulsion of Motor Cars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: ..
Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carburetted Air or Internal Combustion Engines,
particularly adapted for the Propulsion of Motor Cars and other
Vehicles.
I, AUGUSTE HENRI LOUIS GRIVEL, of 6, Rue des Poissonniers, Neuilly (Seine),
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention has reference to engines worked by explosion of carburetted air,
and its object is to provide an engine more particularly adapted for the propulsion
of motor cars and other vehicles.
The improved engine is of the kind in which the carburation of the air is pro-
duced by petroleum, gasolene and the like. It comprises two cylinders the pistons
of which respectively drive cranks set at an angle of 180° to each other; a perfectly
equilibrated motor is thus obtained and quiet working and freedom from vibration
ensured.
For the purposes of my invention I may employ any suitable carburetting
apparatus.
The starting of the engine is effected through the intermediation of a train of
gearing actuated directly by the driver, and automatically thrown out of gear as
soon as the motor is started. A drum brake is mounted so as to act upon the
differential gear box with which the driving shaft is provided as hereinafter
described.
The motor is put in gear with the axle of the vehicle by means of a conical ring
interposed between the differential gear and the nave of the retarding gear wheel
which is put in motion by a pinion keyed on the shaft of the engine itself.
The varying of the speed is effected by accelerating or retarding the time of
the explosions in the motor cylinders.
The construction and operation of my improved engine will be understood from
the following description.
The piston of each of the cylinders is coupled by means of a connecting rod to
a crank, each of these cranks having a double fly wheel. The two cranks are set at
an angle of 180° to each other in order to obtain one explosion at each rotation
of the driving shaft.
The driving shaft carries a pinion gearing with a wheel which drives the motor
axle of the vehicle through the intermediation of a differential gear constituted
by four conical pinions suitably disposed in relation to one another in a box or
casing. The connection of this wheel with the differential gear is effected by the
intermediation of a slightly conical ring interposed between the differential gear
and the nave of the wheel; there is thus obtained a secure driving contact of these
parts.
The exterior of the differential gear box is formed or turned so as to constitute
the drum of the brake, and a spring band or strap is suitably mounted so as to

page_text: bear upon the drum thus formed and stop the movement of the vehicle when the
driver operates the brake lever.
The operation of the escape valves is effected by cams suitably mounted upon
spindles and set in motion by the driving shaft through the intermediation of
gear wheels.
Upon the differential gear box is mounted a pinion which gears with a second
pinion carried by an arm adapted to pivot around the spindle of a third pinion.
By turning this third pinion the wheel which drives the motor axle of the vehicle
as before described is set in motion (the cone ring before described having been
first put out of gear to prevent starting of the vehicle), and this wheel gearing with
the pinion on the driving shaft of the engine, starts the motor. As soon as the
engine is started, the spindle of the third or starting pinion should be released;
the first pinion then repels the second pinion which is displaced and automatically
throws the apparatus out of gear.
My invention also comprises improved means for varying the speed of the engine
by producing longer or shorter intervals of time between the successive explosions
in the cylinders of the engine. In carrying out this part of my invention I provide
an insulating cylinder which rotates on its spindle and carries a metallic piece upon
which a spring contact constantly presses. Two other spring contacts are provided
connected respectively to the poles of the induction coil which produces the igniting
spark.
The box which carries the two last named contacts is capable of being moved
slightly on its axis by means of a suitable handle worked by the driver, its move-
ment being guided and limited by suitable slots. It will be understood that
according to the position of the box the spring contacts connected to the induction
coil will come in contact a little sooner or a little later with the metallic piece on
the insulating drum and will thus vary the time between the successive explosions
of the charge and thus modify the speed of the engine.
The carburetter is preferably placed at the back of the motor, and is rotated by
means of a small belt from any suitable shaft; the carburetted air or mixture of
air and vapour is led by a pipe to the chamber from which the suction valves draw
the charge into the cylinders.
Dated this 21at der of A 1807
Improvements in Carburetted Air or Internal Combustion Engines,
particularly adapted for the Propulsion of Motor Cars and other
Vehicles.
I, AUGUSTE HENRI LOUIS GRIVEL, of 6, Rue des Poissonniers, Neuilly (Seine),
France, 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 has reference to engines worked by explosion of carburetted air,
and its object is to provide an engine more particularly adapted for the propulsion
of motor cars and other vehicles.
The improved engine is of the kind in which the carburation of the air is pro-

page_text: duced by petroleum, petroleum spirit, gasolene and the like. It comprises two
cylinders the pistons of which respectively drive cranks set at an angle of 180° to
each other; a perfectly equilibrated engine is thus obtained and quiet working and
freedom from vibration ensured.
The starting of the engine is effected through the intermediation of a train of
gearing actuated directly by the driver, and automatically thrown out of gear as
soon as the engine is started. A drum brake is mounted so as to act upon the
differential gear box with which the driving shaft is provided as hereinafter
described.
The engine is put in gear with the axle of the vehicle by means of a conical ring
interposed between the differential gear and the nave of the retarding gear wheel,
which is put in motion by a pinion keyed on the shaft of the engine itself.
The varying of the speed is effected by accelerating or retarding the time of the
explosions in the motor cylinders.
The construction and operation of my improved equilibrated engine will be
understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompany-
ing illustrative drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical section;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section, and
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 1, of one arrange
ment of engine constructed according to this invention.
Figure 4 is a plan of the upper ends of the engine cylinders,
Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sections taken at right angles to each other, illus-
trating the mode of operation of the valves; and Figure 7 illustrates the mode
of actuating one of the exhaust valves.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a vertical and a horizontal section of the
arrangement of parts for varying the moment of explosion.
Figure 10 is a side elevation to a smaller scale of a motor car fitted with my
improved engine.
Figure 11 is a plan partly in section showing a modified arrangement of my
improved engine.
In each of the cylinders A A there works a piston B which is coupled by means
of a connecting rod C to a crank D, each of these cranks DD having a double
fly wheel E. The two cranks DD are set at an angle of 180° to each other in
order to obtain one explosion at each rotation of the driving shaft F.
The driving shaft F carries a pinion G gearing with a toothed wheel H which
drives the motor axle of the vehicle through the intermediation of a differential
gear constituted by four conical pinions a a a a suitably disposed in relation to one
another on axles fixed in a box or casing m. The wheel H is mounted with its hub
loose on the exterior of the box m, and the connection of this wheel H with the
differential gear box m is effected by the intermediation of a slightly conical ring I
interposed between the differential gear and the nave of the wheel H; there is thus
obtained a secure driving contact of these parts.
The exterior of the hub of the loose wheel H is formed or turned at b so as to
constitute the drum of the brake, and a spring band or strap c is suitably mounted
so as to bear upon the drum thus formed and stop the movement of the vehicle
when the driver operates the brake lever, the action of the brake strap c being
transmitted through the conical ring I to the box m and thus to the axle of the
driving road wheels.
The operation of the exhaust valves is effected by cams such as K (Figure 7)
suitably mounted upon spindles L set in motion by the driving shaft F through
the intermediation of gear wheels M N.
Upon the hub of the wheel H is mounted a pinion O which gears with a second
pinion P carried by an arm R adapted to pivot at S around the spindle of a third
pinion T. By turning this third pinion T the large wheel H which drives the
motor axle of the vehicle as before described is set in motion (the cone ring I before

page_text: described having been first put out of gear to prevent starting of the vehicle), and
this wheel H gearing with the pinion G on the driving shaft F of the engine,
starts the engine. As soon as the engine is started, the spindle of the third or
starting pinion T should be released; the first pinion O then repels the second
pinion P which is displaced and automatically throws the apparatus out of gear.
My invention also comprises improved means for varying the speed of the engine
by producing longer or shorter intervals of time between the successive explosions
in the cylinders of the engine. In carrying out this part of my invention which
is shown separately in Figures 8 and 9, I provide an insulating cylinder U which
rotates on its spindle and carries a metallic piece d upon which a spring contact e
constantly presses. Two other spring contacts ff are provided connected respec-
tively to the poles of the induction coil which produces the igniting spark at the
end of the igniting device V (Figure 6).
The box which carries the two last named contacts ff is capable of being
moved slightly on its axis by means of a handle g worked by the driver, its move-
ment being guided and limited by two slots hh. It will be understood, that
according to the position of the box X the spring contacts ff connected to the
induction coil will come in contact a little sooner or a little later with the metallic
piece d on the insulating cylinder and will thus vary the time between the succes-
sive explosions of the charge and thus modify the speed of the engine.
For the purposes of my invention I may employ any suitable carburetter with
this engine, but I prefer to employ the improved carburetter forming the subject
of my Application for British Letters Patent No. 9784 of 17th April 1897.
In the Figures, the carburetter Z is shown placed at the back of the engine,
and is rotated by means of a small belt from any suitable shaft; the carburetted air
or mixture of air and vapour is led by a pipe to the chambers Y from which the
suction valves k draw the charge into the cylinders.
The modified arrangement of my improved engine shown in Figure 11, com-
prises six cylinders arranged in three sets working on one and the same crank
shaft, each set consisting of two cylinders with their pistons working opposite to
each other. The connecting rods of the two opposing pistons of each set of two
cylinders work on the same crank pin; and the three crank pins are arranged in
line with one another. The arrangement is such that the three cylinders on each
side can be worked by means of one single admission valve and one single exhaust
valve.
The cylinders may be arranged in any desired position,- vertically, horizontally
or inclined.
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. The improved equilibrated internal combustion engine comprising two cylin-
ders with two pistons acting on cranks set at an angle of 180° to each other on one
and the same driving shaft, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
herein before described and shown.
2. In combination with internal combustion engines for driving motor cars and
other vehicles, the arrangement of a ring for throwing at will the engine into and
out of engagement with the driving axle of the car or vehicle, constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as described and shown.
3. In internal combustion engines, the improved arrangement of parts for vary-
ing the moment of the production of the electric spark for exploding the charge,
arranged and operating substantially as described and shown.
4. In combination with internal combustion engines for driving motor cars and
other vehicles, the improved arrangement of parts for starting the engine by means
of a train of gearing which is automatically thrown out of engagement on the

page_text: starting of the engine, arranged and operating substantially
shown.
Dated this 21st day of January 1898.
as described and
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.