Improvements in Starting Apparatus for Internal Combustion Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Apparatus for Internal Combustion Motors.
I, WILLIAM JOHN CROSSLEY, of Crossley Brothers, Limited, Openshaw,
Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the improvement of apparatus for starting
internal combustion motors and has reference mainly to the hand pump commonly
required with the type of starter most frequently used.
I construct my improved pump in such a manner that for a certain desired
adjustable portion of the suction stroke of the piston air only is drawn in and
for the remainder of the stroke gas only; the proper proportion of air to gas
can thus be maintained and is not affected by the speed of pumping, the
pressure of the gas in the main, sticking or clogging of valves or any other
irregularities which interfere with the proper proportion of the mixture in the
pumps commonly used which draw in gas and air together during the whole of
the stroke.
In carrying out my invention I preferably employ a suction valve for the air
and another suction valve for the gas and arrange suitable passages in a deep
piston for opening and cutting off communication with the respective valves
as may be required. For convenience it is not necessary to entirely shut off say
the air suction before opening to the gas suction, as a little overlapping will not
materially affect the result.
When working with ordinary town gas in the pump the gas would require to
be about one-eighth as much as the air, and the passages are arranged accord-
ingly. When working with weak producer gas however the proportion of gas
should be perhaps one-half of the total volume and modified passages would be
constructed to suit these conditions.
When the pump has to be constructed to work either with town gas or producer
gas passages suitable for town gas can be arranged on one side of the piston and
others suitable for producer gas on the other side so that by turning the piston
part way round the pump is suitable for either.
I prefer to operate the pump by means of a handle in a small flywheel on a
crankshaft over the open mouth of a single acting cylinder, making the connect-
ing rod adjustable in length, so that by altering this length the proportion of
gas to air may be modified.
To start the engine it is placed in such a position that pressure on the piston
will drive it round. The pump is now operated by hand so as to displace the
contents of the cylinder and replace them with a combustible mixture, a free
passage through the cylinder end. being provided by temporarily opening one
of the valves; this valve is. then closed and the pump still operated till there is
excess of pressure in the cylinder. The contents of the cylinder are now fired,
and an increased pressure generated which imparts energy to the moving parts of
the engine sufficient to keep it in motion until it drives itself.
In other instances the improved pump may be used in conjunction with a

page_text: chamber and self-acting valve as described in Letter Patent No. 18788 of A.D.
1891 or in any other suitable manner.
Improvements in Starting Apparatus for Internal Combustion Motors.
I, WILLIAM JOHN CROSSLEY, of Crossley Brothers, Limited, Openshaw,
Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the improvement of apparatus for starting
internal combustion motors and has reference mainly to the hand pump commonly
required with the type of starter most frequently used.
I construct my improved pump in such a manner that for a certain desired
adjustable portion of the suction stroke of the piston air only is drawn in and
for the remainder of the stroke gas only; the proper proportion of air to gas
can thus be maintained and is not affected materially by the speed of pumping, the
pressure of the gas in the main, sticking or clogging of valves or any other
irregularities which interfere with the proper proportion of the mixture in the
pumps commonly used which draw in gas and air together during the whole of
the stroke.
To enable my invention to be clearly understood I append two sheets of
drawings, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a vertical elevation in section through a
complete pump, Figure 2, Sheet 1, is a plan partly in section, Figures 3 and 4,
Sheet 2, are more or less diagrammatical part sections showing the relation of
the passages in the piston to the passages to the suction valves when the pump
is required for use with ordinary illuminating gas, and Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 2,
are similar views when adapted for weaker gases such as Dowson gas.
The pump consists of a piston A working in a cylinder B fitted with a suitable
connecting rod. crank, flywheel and driving handle as shown. The cylinder B
of the pump is fitted with a gas suction valve C, an air suction valve D and a
delivery valve E. In Figure 1 the piston A is shown at the bottom of its stroke,
and the section is taken through a vertical passage in the piston A, leading to
the passage to the air valve D. It will be seen that as the piston A makes an
upward stroke, air can be drawn in through the vertical passage F and air
valve D until the bar G closes the passage to the air valve D. Figure 4, Sheet 2,
shows the corresponding diagrammatical view. When the bar G closes the
passage to the air valve D. a small passage H (see Figure 3, Sheet 2) opens to
the gas valve C, when gas only can be drawn into the pump.
It will be seen
that air is thus drawn into the pump first during the suction stroke, followed
by gas only, the relative portions of the stroke during which air is drawn in and
then gas being decided by the length of stroke of the piston and the lengths of
the bar G and the passage H. When ordinary rich illuminating gas is used, the
proportion of gas to air is probably best when at the ratio of about 1 to 8.
At the completion of the upward stroke the gas and air are driven out through
the delivery valve E, being thoroughly mixed during the process.
When the starting pump is required to be worked with weak gas such as
Dowson gas. the air must be cut off earlier and the gas must be admitted longer,
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 2, show suitable passages under these circumstances, the
bar G¹ being considerably deeper than the bar G, and the passage H¹ being longer
than the passage H.

page_text: I prefer to make the piston A with duplicate passages as shown, one set for
rich gas being in the position in which the piston is drawn, another set of
passages are on the opposite side of the piston, so that by turning the piston half
way round in its relation to the crankshaft, the passages suitable for weak gas
then come into operation.
If the passage for the air is entirely closed before the passage for the gas is
open during a suction stroke, there would be a partial vacuum in the cylinder
about this time, which would materially increase the labour required to operate
the pump. To prevent this the air passage is allowed to be open for a short
interval after the opening of the passage to the gas valve, a slight over lapping
of the passages will not materially affect the result.
To enable slight alterations in the proportions of the mixture I prefer to place
between the crank pin brasses and the end of the connecting rod a liner I.
By varying the thickness of this liner desirable slight variations in the richness
of the mixture can readily be made.
When used for starting, the motor to be started is so placed that pressure on
its piston will drive it round. The starting pump is coupled up to the combustion
chamber of the motor by means of a suitable pipe, and is operated by hand, so
as to displace the contents of the cylinder, replacing them with a combustible
mixture, a free passage through the. cylinder being provided by a temporary
opening in one of the valves. This valve is then closed. and the pump still.
operated until there is a slight excess of pressure in the cylinder, the contents of
the cylinder are then fired, and increased pressure generated which imparts
sufficient energy to the moving parts of the engine to keep it in motion until it
drives itself.
In other instances the improved pump may be used in conjunction with a
chamber and self starting valve, as described in Letters Patent 18788 of A.D. 1891,
or in any other suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The use of a starter pump for internal combustion motors having provision
for drawing in air only during a definitely proportioned part of each suction
stroke and gas only during a further definitely proportioned part of the suction
stroke with or without an intermediate part of restricted duration whilst changing
from one to the other when both air and gas are drawn in, substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. In a starter pump constructed in accordance with Claim 1 the use of the
adjustable liner I for varving the proportions of the air and gas drawn in, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
3. In a starter pump constructed in accordance with Claim 1. the use of a
niston having two sets of passages, one set to be used for rich gas, and the other
for weak gas, substantially as described and illustrated.
4. The general arrangement and construction of starter pumps for internal
combustion motors, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 5th day of January 1900.
For WILLIAM JOHN CROSSLEY.
James Atkinson.