Improvements in and relating to Oil, Gas or Vapour Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Oil, Gas or Vapour Motors.
I, CAMILLE HAUTIER, of 30 b¹³. Rue Bergere, Paris in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention consists essentially in giving, in an explosion motor, lead to the
compression between the fixed head of the cylinder and the opposite and movable
face of the piston during the operation of the motor and without having to take
into consideration the number of revolutions per minute of its motor shaft.
"
In order to describe the application of my invention to a petrol" motor, I
have chosen a motor having a four-stroke cycle and having four cylinders fitted
with four pistons and with connecting rods coupled two by two at 180° apart
and acting alternately at each stroke, that is to say, having four explosions for
the four strokes during two complete revolutions of the motor shaft which is
carried in bearings formed in one with the framing or casing. The suction or
admission valves are opened automatically and are closed by a suitable spring.
A governor acting by centrifugal force and which is continuously lubricated,
derives its rotary motion through the means of a pinion formed in one with
the hub of a fly wheel. The tension of its coiled spring varies according to
the speed of rotation of the motor. The sleeve of the vertical shaft and of the
governor is formed with a groove in which engages the fork of a lever which
controls the valve of the carburetter which I arrange near the main framing.
The ignition of the explosive mixture takes place in each cylinder by means of
a sparking plug or by means of a hot tube.
The exhaust valves are operated by means of levers actuated by an eccentric
plate fixed on the vertical shaft.
According to my invention, I assume with the use of the herein before described
parts that at the 'starting of the motor, the explosion chamber has its maximum
capacity, and the speed of the motor is about 150 revolutions per minute. Accord-
ing as the speed of the motor increases and rises from 150 to 400 revolutions for
instance, I have noticed, first, that the speed of suction or admission becomes
too rapid and incomplete, and secondly that the compression is therefore in-
sufficient for a rapid explosion and that there is a great loss of expansive force.
I have therefore invented a device for giving lead to the compression and conse-
quently to the explosion by reducing the distance between the fixed head of
the cylinder and the opposite and movable face of the piston without changing
the stroke of the latter, and this whilst the motor is working.
For this purpose, nuts fixed to the mass formed by the cylinders are traversed
internally by screws having a shoulder and a washer at their lower part where
they enter the lugs of the casing, and ending at their upper end in a pin, keyed
and operated by an endless screw keyed on a horizontal shaft. By these means.
in operating the horizontal shaft to the left or to the right, the screws will
lower or raise the cylinders; the distance of the head of each cylinder from its

page_text: respective piston is thereby reduced in length, the compression is increased and
the explosion becomes more rapid and effective.
Dated this 14th day of September 1899.
..
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M.Inst. C.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.
Improvements in and relating to Oil, Gas or Vapour Motors.
I, CAMILLE HAUTIER, of 30 bis, Rue Bergère, Paris, in the Republic of 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:-
The invention consists in a gas motor or internal combustion engine having
means for regulating the compression chamber, between the head of the cylinder
and. the opposite and movable face of the piston, during the running of the motor
without taking account of the number of revolutions per minute of the motor
shaft.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a four cylinder engine embodying
my invention and Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the
line X-Y-Z of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 8 and 9 are detail views on an enlarged scale.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
To illustrate the application of my invention to a gas or internal combustion
engine I have shown a four-cycle engine with four cylinders 1, 2,
3, 4, having the four pistons 5, 6, 7, 8, with their connecting
rods 9, 10, 11, 12, arranged in pairs at angles of 180 degrees, and
working alternately with each other; that is to say to give four explosions for
the four cycles during two complete revolutions of the engine shaft, which latter
is formed by the four fly-wheels, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the horizontal shafts 17, 18
and 19 (Figure 1) resting in the boxes 20, 21, and 22, carried by the portions of
the frame 23, 24 and 25, which are intact with the frame portion 26.
The head piece 27 which contains the four cylinders 1, 2, 3, 4 is movable, as I
will describe farther on moreover in the interior of this casting there is formed,
as shown at 28, a water channel for cooling the cylinders 1 to 4. The cooling
liquid enters by the tube 29 and passes out by the tube 30, (Figure 3).
Near the motor, I place a carburettor 31 with pipes 32, 32ª (Figures 2 and 3)
which pipes conduct the explosive gases from the carburettor to the several gas
inlet valves 33, 34, 35, 36, (Figure 3), which are automatically opened, during
the operation of the engine, by the pistons 5 to 8, and are returned to their seats
by their respective springs. The course of the gases is indicated by the arrows,
Figures 2 and 3.
A centrifugal governor continually lubricated is composed of two levers with
the usual balls 37, 38, of the vertical shaft 39, and collar 40, placed above a
spring 41. This governor is revolved by a pinion 42 fixed on the hub of the
fly-wheel 15, and engaging with a mitre gear 43, keyed to the vertical shaft 39.
The tension of the spring 41 varies according to the speed of rotation of the
engine. The movable sleeve 44, on the vertical shaft 39, which is also a part of

page_text: the governor, has a groove 45, in which there engages the forked end of a lever,
not shown that controls the valve of a carburettor.
Once the explosive gas is compressed as is common in four-cycle motors its
ignition is effected, in carrying out my invention, in each cylinder, by the
igniters 46, 47, 48 and 49 respectively (Figure 3), which consist of igniting
tubes rendered incandescent by heaters 46 placed underneath the said tubes.
For regulating the amount of compression and consequently the explosive
action, by adjusting the distance between the head of the cylinder and the
opposite and movable face of the piston, without interfering with the running.
of the engine of the screw threaded lugs 50, 51, attached to the cylinder head
casting 27, are traversed by the vertical screw rods 52, 53, with shoulders 54, 55,
and attachable collars 56, 57, on their bottom ends, engaging with the lugs 58, 59,
attached to the frame 26, and with each of their upper ends provided with a
pinion 60 and 61 respectively, keyed on the screw rods, and engaging with
worm, screws 62 and 63 respectively, keyed to a horizontal shaft 64 furnished
with a hand wheel 64. So that by turning to the left or to the right the hand
wheel 64° the screws 52, 53 lower or elevate the cylinder casting 27, or in other
words the group of cylinders 1, 2, 3 and 4, and thus, as I have shown, change, at
the will of the motor man, the distance which separates the head of each cylinder
from the opposed surface of its piston. It results that if the instant the com-
pression of the explosive gases introduced through the valves 33, 34, 35, 36, is
augmented, the explosion becomes more rapid and much more effectual.
After the explosion, the opening of the exhaust valves 65, 66, 67, 68 (Figure 3)
is effected by the aid of the vertical shaft 39, and the speed is altogether regu-
lated by the centrifugal governor above described. The upper end of the vertical
shaft 39 is provided with a disc 69 (Figure 1) carrying a crank pin 70 which
operates the flat connecting rod 71. A second disc 72 rigid with the shaft 39
has a crank pin 73 which operates the flat connecting rod 74.
It results from this symmetrical arrangement on the two opposed sides of the
cylinders 1, 2, 3, 4, that the movement of the exhaust valves 67, 68 is effected
on one side by the connecting rod 71, Figures 1 and 3 provided with a longi-
tudinal slot 75 (Figure 3) which has an alternate rectilinear movement and
engaging with the stud 77 (Figure 4) of the lever 76, shifts it. In order to
regulate the exact angular displacement of the stud 77 two pins 75 and 75b are
placed transversely in the slot 77. The lever 76 is fixed to a shaft 78, journaled
in bearings of the fixed support 79 and attached in a rigid manner to the piece 80
(Figures 1 and 6) so that by reason of a rectilinear movement of the stud 77, by
the slot 75 (Figure 3) there is effected a push on one of the stems of the exhaust
valves 67 or 68 (Figure 3) opening it for the necessary moment, by means of
the mechanism I have described. The elasticity of the spring of each valve
returns it to its seat.
The exhaust of the consumed gases is through the channels indicated by the
arrows of Figure 2, and for the two cylinders 3 and 4 by a single tube 81, fixed
to the cylinder head by a single bolt 82.
When the exhaust valves 65, 66 are to act that is to say an instant after the
valves 67, 68 and in consequence of the rotary and continued movement of the
vertical shaft 39, and the crank discs 69 and 72, the connecting rod 74, which
has a longitudinal slot 83 (Figure 3) provided with two transverse pins 83*
and 83 so placed that they move the lever 84 (Figure 7) by its stud, 85 (Figure 7)
and by reason on the connection that exists between the shaft 86 and its lever 87
(Figure 9) then with the piece 88, similar to that of 80, the two vertical stems of
the exhaust valves 65, 66 are operated by the arm 88 (Figure 8) and the escape
of the consumed gases takes place instantly. Then the spring fixed on each
stem of the exhaust valves returns to its seat the open valve. All the parts of
the mechanism described are now in the position shown by Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The consumed gases are exhausted through the tube 89, attached by a bolt 90
to the cylinder head.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) In a gas engine the combination, with suitable pistons, of the cylinders
adapted to be adjusted lengthwise or relative to the pistons, to vary the com-
pression space or gas chamber between the cylinder head and the pistons.
(2) In a four-cycle gas engine the combination with a series of cylinders and
pistons working in the cylinders, of means operated by hand during the running
of the engine to vary the space between the cylinder head and the end of the
pistons.
(3) In a four-cycle gas engine the combination with the adjustable cylinders
certain of which have screw-threaded lugs of means for effecting said adjustment
comprising vertical screw shafts working through the said lugs and having a
pinion and a horizontal shaft having worms meshing with said pinions to turn
the vertical shafts.
(4) In a gas motor or internal combustion engine the combination with the
cylinders supported at one end by portions of the engine frame in which the
cylinders are vertically adjustable, of means for effecting said adjustment with-
out stopping the engine, to vary the travel of the pistons in the cylinder.
(5) The combination with the cylinders closed at one end and open at the
other end, of the frame having portions in which the open end of the cylinders
are adjustable.
(6) In a gas engine the combination with the pistons, the cylinders, the inlet
valves, and the exhaust valves, of means for adjusting the cylinders relative to
the pistons without stopping the engine, and means for operating the exhaust
valves while the engine is running.
. (7) A gas motor or internal combustion engine constructed, arranged and
adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
Dated this 13th dor of June 1900
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M.Inst. C.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.