IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS ENGINES communicated to him
t
"
from abroad by Céphas, François, Léonce Gardie, of Paris, France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS
ENGINES [a communication to him from abroad by Céphas François, Léonce
Gardie, of Paris, France]
"
This Invention relates to gas engines or motors and comprises the novel
construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described whereby a great
saving of gas is effected as compared with the quantity hitherto used for the
production of a definite amount of motive power.
According to the said invention the cylinder which is the principal part of the
motor is made of cast iron or other suitable metal. The said cylinder is partly
lined with an athermanous material such as porcelain or other suitable refractory
substance which must be thoroughly polished to decrease its radiating power.
In order to facilitate the expansion of the said material it is necessary to divide
the lining radially and also horizontally in order to form several layers of rings,
the said rings being subjected to different temperatures. I also provide a ring of
asbestos or other suitable material which is compressed when the lining expands.
A second cylinder which may be solid and of the same substance as the lining of
the first cylinder and may be provided with recesses, or composed of several parts
connected together in order to facilitate expansion, is fixed in any suitable manner
to a piston and moves together with the said piston in such a manner as to slide
without friction inside the lining in the upper part of the first cylinder.
It is necessary that the height of the said lining should be greater than the
stroke of the piston so that the portion of the second cylinder which enters the
cast iron wall of the motor should be at a low temperature. The slide valve which
moves between two faces is actuated by a cam or an excentric which is fixed to the
shaft and is capable of closing the cylinder port by means of a solid portion putting
the same into communication through channels with two apertures one of which
communicates with the atmosphere and the second with a reservoir which contains
the inflammable mixture in a compressed state which is introduced into the
cylinder.

page_text: A recuperator is also provided having a number of parallel platinum blades
which are thin and very close to one another, the said blades are arranged in a
metal tube (open at both its extremities) having the same section as the cylinder
port and fitted into the same.
For the platinum may be substituted any other metal not easily fusible but the
said metal must be covered with a thin layer of platinum gold or silver to preserve
it from oxidation. This recuperator is designed to absorb the heat from the gases
which escape after having acted upon the piston and to supply the heat thereof to
the combustible gases which are introduced at the following stroke of the piston.
For igniting the gas I provide a metal tube of small diameter and having a
platinum burner in order to prevent the flame arising from an explosion from
entering the said tube.
The said burner is supplied with the explosive mixture contained in the reservoir,
and is constantly burning, the jet of flame being directed upon a platinum wire
which is thereby maintained at a white heat.
Two valves are arranged in the cylinder one opening inside the said cylinder and
the other outside the same.
The air and gas which are admitted in suitable proportions through the first of
the said valves, and suitable stop valves are forced out through, the second valve
into the reservoir and compressed.
The proportions of air and gas admitted may be regulated by hand or auto-
matically by means of the said stop valves. Injectors are used to force water in
fine jets in the part of the cylinder which is situated above the piston. This water
is forced from the reservoir by the pressure of gas and air therein.
The operation of the motor is as follows that is to say the slide valve occupying
the necessary position for the entrance of the combustible gases into the cylinder,
the .cock with which the said burner is provided is opened together with another
cock which puts the atmosphere into communication with the space below the
piston, a light is now presented to this cock whereby the combustible mixture in
the said space is ignited the flame being communicated to the burner, the jet of
gas lighted and the platinum wire brought to a white heat. The regulating cock
or admission valve is then opened and communication established between the
reservoir and the cylinder through the aperture in the slide valve, the cock which
was first opened to ignite the gas now being closed. The combustible mixture
as it flows towards the cylinder, passes through the recuperator and thus becomes
gradually heated.
1,
The flames cannot extend as far as the reservoir, the platinum blades which are
close to one another serving to prevent this. When the piston has moved through
a part of its stroke the solid part of the slide. valve closes the inlet port the
remainder of the stroke being performed by the expansion of the said gases.
The exhaust commences a little before the piston has completed the up stroke
and is completed before the end of the-down stroke. Before escaping into the
atmosphere, the products of combustion pass through the recuperator the blades of
which becoming gradually less heated, cause a similar cooling of the gases.
As the piston descends, the inlet valve above it opens, whereby the gas and the
air mixed in suitable proportion are drawn into the space above the piston.
As the piston ascends the mixture of air, and gas is compressed. A lever
actuated by a cam is mounted upon the main shaft and acts upon the second valve
to hold it down for a greater or less period of time, so that part of the combustible
mixture is conducted into a flexible pocket, of india-rubber which communicates
with the box above the second valve which opens when the pressure of the
compressed gases is greater than the pressure of the gases in the reservoir.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Patent Office on the 7th January
1884.
25
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GAS
ENGINES" (a communication to me from abroad by Céphas Francois Léonce
Gardie of Paris, France)
This invention relates to improvements in Gas Engines, and has for its object a
novel method of construction and operation by which a great economy of the
inflammable gas used is obtained.
In the accompanying drawing, figure 1 represents a vertical section and figure 2
a horizontal section of the novel parts of a gas engine constructed according to
the invention, which operates by the expansion which takes place in a compressed
mixture of atmospheric air and a suitable inflammable gas or vapour when
burning.
The cylinder A, B, C, D, A¹, B, C, D¹, forms the principle part of the Engine,
and is fitted for a part of its height with an inner lining E, F, G, H, K, F¹, G¹, H¹, K¹,
of porcelain, earthenware, or other suitable refractory and heat resisting material,
having its inner surface as smooth as possible in order to reduce the friction
against it.
In order to allow for expansion it is preferable to divide the lining radially into
segments, as shewn in figure 2, and also by horizontal divisions so that it forms a
series of layers or thicknesses forming separate rings. which are subjected to
different temperatures.
In figure 1, L, L', represents an elastic washer of asbestos which becomes
compressed when the height of the lining becomes increased by expansion.
A smooth-surfaced cylinder M, N, O, M¹ N' O₁, of the same material as the
lining E, F, GH, K, F¹ G' H', K₁ represented as a solid mass in figure 1 but
which may be made hollow, or of several pieces united together in order to allow
for expansion, is fixed by any convenient means to the piston P, Q, P1 Q1, so that
they move together, and with little or no friction in the inside of the lining G HK,
G¹, H, K', and in the upper part C, D, C¹ D¹, of the cylinder.
It is preferable that the height of the lining G, H, K, G' H¹ K' should be
considerably greater than the stroke of the piston, so that the part R. N, R¹ N', of
the cylinder or virtual piston M N O, M¹ N', O' which penetrates the iron
cylinder G D, G, D¹, may remain at a moderate temperature.
The slide valve S, S'; which works between the plates. or surfaces f, f¹ and g, g
and which is operated in the ordinary, well known way by a cam or excentric
fixed upon the main or other shaft of the Engine, is capable of closing the
port T T by means of the bridge U or of putting it in communication, by means
of the two passages VV' and x x¹ with either of the openings Y Z, the first of
which Y communicates with the open air, and the second Z with a strong metal
vessel or receiver in which is contained the compressed inflammable mixture of air
and gas which is to be introduced into the cylinder.
A regenerative apparatus of the ordinary well known construction, not shewn
in the drawing, is formed of very thin parallel plates of platinum close together
and is arranged in a metal tube open at its two ends and enclosed in the
passage T T

page_text: Or instead of platinum plates, any other metal sufficiently infusible may be used,
and it is preferable that such plates should be coated with platinum, silver, or gold,
to preserve them from oxidation.
The object of the regenerator is to absorb the heat from the burned mixture of
gas and air after it has done its work in the cylinder and is being discharged, and
to restore it to the combustible gases which are afterwards introduced for the next
stroke of the piston. The igniter a, a¹, consists of a metal tube ending with a
platinum burner, of a diameter sufficiently small to prevent the flame of the
ignited mixture passing into it, on account of the rapid cooling effected by
conduction through its sides. It is supplied with inflammable mixture from the
receiver already described which supply is continually burning, the flame being
directed upon a platinum wire, not shewn in the drawing which is thus kept at a
.white or sufficiently great heat.
Two valves are shewn at b and c, the first opening inward to the cylinder
and the second outward from it. By means of two cocks or valves or other
convenient devices, the air and gas are brought mixed in the proper proportion to
the box of the valve b, whilst the valve c delivers them into the receiver already
described.
The relative proportion of air and gas in the inflammable mixture may be
regulated by hand or automatically, the governor of the Engine regulating the
quantity in the usual way.
Injectors of the usual well known kind, not shewn in the drawing, inject water
in fine spray into the part Q, D, Q1 D¹ of the cylinder above the piston.. Water
for the purpose is brought from the lower part of the receiver, the pressure in
which forces it into the injector.
"
To put the Engine in operation, the slide valve being in position to admit the
inflammable mixture to the cylinder, the cock of the igniter is opened, as well as
a second cock (not shewn in the drawing) which opens a communication between
the external air and the lower part of the space of varying capacity included
between d, d¹, and M M'; and a light is applied to the latter cock. The igniter of
the inflammable mixture is thus effected and the opening through the cock being
large enough it extends instantly to the space d, d, and to the igniting jet, and
the platinum wire becomes rapidly whitehot. An admission cock or valve is then
opened which brings the receiver into communication with the opening Z and the
Engine commences to work, the cock e being then shut. The inflammable
mixture which passes into the space d, d, M, M₁, traverses the regenerator from
right to left (figure 1) and becomes more and more heated; it then ignites as it
enters the variable space d d M M', and its volume increases as the piston ascends,
the pressure remaining little less than that in the receiver, the closely adjoining
plates of the regenerator serving the part of metal or wire gauze..
When the piston has thus passed, under full pressure through a certain part of
its stroke, the bridge U of the slide valve S S₁ is brought over the inlet port T T¹
and the period of expansion commences and continues until nearly the end of the
up-stroke, when the exhaust or outlet port is opened and continues open, until
nearly the end of the down stroke so that the compression period thus produced
prevents the injurious effect of the space.
Before escaping into the atmosphere the products of combustion traverse the
regenerator from left to right (figure 1) so that its plates becomes gradually
reheated whilst the escaping gases become cooler.
'
By the descent of the piston gas and air, mixed in the proper proportion, are
drawn in through the valve b into the space Q, D, Q¹ D¹. The compression of the
combustible mixture above the. piston takes place either during the whole of the
upstroke or during part of it only. For this purpose at the moment that the
piston commences its upstroke, a lever operated by a cam upon the main or other
shaft of the Engine actuates the valve b so as to keep it opened for a greater or
less period, so that the inflammable mixture above the piston instead of being

page_text: compressed returns in part into a flexible india rubber or other bag communicating
with the box of the valve b. Directly the valve bis released and closes, the
compression of the mixture remaining above the piston commences and the valve
rises when the pressure becomes somewhat greater than that in the receiver, into
which the compressed mixture flows as well as 'the water which the injectors are
constantly introducing in the form of spray. This water which becomes somewhat
warmed by cooling the gas during the compression, falls again to the external
temperature after remaining for a time in the receiver, and can be used over and
over again.
The details of arrangement and proportion, and the materials of which the
apparatus is constructed, may be varied to suit varying circumstances, but having
now described the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I
claim -
1. The method of constructing the cylinder of the Engine of a metal casing
having its sides and bottom lined with heat resisting material arranged in a series
of superposed rings, such rings being also divided into segments, in order to allow
free expansion of the different parts when unequally beated, substantially as herein
described and shewn in the drawing.
2. The method of constructing and arranging the piston of the Engine of a
cylindrical metal part provided with suitable metallic packing and having fitted to
its lower part a cylinder of heat resisting material working with little or no
friction in the cylinder lining of the same material, the length of these two parts
respectively being so much greater than the stroke of the piston that the metal
parts of the piston and cylinder are not subjected to too high a temperature,
substantially as described and shewn in the drawing.
3. The method of employing a regenerator for recovering a great part of the
heat contained in the escaping mixture of burned air and gas and for restoring
such heat to the inflammable mixture when it enters the cylinder, such regenerator
consisting of a series of thin platinum or other non-oxidizable metal plates in close
proximity to each other, and being situated in the inlet orifice into the cylinder
substantially as herein described.
4. The combination in a gas engine having its cylinder and the lower part of
the piston lined and covered with heat-resisting material and provided with a
regenerator formed of thin metal plates, of the method of supplying the combustible
mixture of air and gas so that it is first drawn in, then compressed in the upper
part of the cylinder and delivered into a separate receiver; whence by means of a
double slide valve it is brought to a single opening containing the regenerator and
serving both as an inlet and opening for the gases, substantially as herein described
and shewn in the drawing.
5. The combination with a gas Engine provided with heat-resisting linings to
the cylinder and piston, and a regenerator formed of thin metallic plates, of the
method of continuously burning the inflaminable mixture of gas and air during the
whole time of its admission to the cylinder, by means of an ignition burner
supplied with the combustible mixture and having its flame supported by a
platinum wire heated to a sufficiently high temperature by the burner itself,
substantially as herein described.
6. The combination with a gas Engine provided with heat-resisting linings to
the cylinder and piston and a regenerator formed of thin metallic plates, of the
method of regulating the quantity of inflammable mixture introduced at each
stroke of the piston into the receiver, such regulation being effected by a governor
operating upon a valve through which the mixture is supplied, substantially as
herein described.
7. The combination in a gas Engine provided with heat-resisting linings to the
cylinder and piston, and a regenerator formed of thin metallic plates, of the method
of arranging and operating the slide valve so that the inlet opening remains open

page_text: whilst the inflammable mixture is burning continuously in the cylinder, and the
pressure therein remains practically the same as in the receiver, substantially as
herein described and shewn in the drawing.
In witness whereof I, the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
band and seal this 7th day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
W ROBT, LAKE (L.S.)