IMPROVEMENTS IN OUTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OUTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN. A communication from abroad by Sebastien François, of Paris, in
the Republic of France.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johuson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad
by Sebastien François, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to a motive-power engine constructed on new principles
and worked by two pistons carried on one and the same piston rod, one of such
pistons being capable of sliding on the said piston rod.
Each of the pistons works in a separate cylinder, and the two cylinders which
(assuming the engine to be a vertical one) are situate one above the other on the
same axis are capable of being placed in communication under certain conditions.
The loose or sliding piston contained in the lower cylinder is worked by the
direct action of the gas, the explosion of which underneath such piston causes it to
slide rapidly along the piston rod, thereby instantaneously compressing the air
above it, and this compressed air being admitted underneath the piston in the
upper cylinder imparts motion to the same by its gradual expansion.
This motive-power engine possesses numerous advantages, it works noiselessly,
and enables the whole of the expansive force of the explosive gases to be utilised
for compressing the air instantaneously; the heat generated by the combustion of
these gases is also utilised for expanding this compressed air which acts upon a
Prins G71

page_text: piston connected to the engine, and the vacuum produced after the explosion is
also utilised.
At the side of the tube forming the two cylinders there is erected a column, pro-
vided with two arms at its upper extremity which support a shaft, having a crank
disc operated by the upper piston. The slide valves are actuated by means of
grooved or face cams in the said disc.
The piston of the upper cylinder is made in segments, and the piston rod secured
to it is formed with a conical enlargement at the lower end, the said rod extending
to the bottom of the lower cylinder, and passing through the centre of its piston
which is capable of sliding on the rod, as before mentioned.
A circular valve supported by a bridge and pressed by a spring, through the
centre of which the piston rod passes, serves to cut off the communication from the
upper cylinder to the lower cylinder, but allows free communication froni the lower
cylinder to the upper cylinder.
The slide valves are arranged at opposite ends of the lower cylinder.
The lower slide valve serves to admit the explosive mixture employed to the
bottom of the lower cylinder, a governor being provided for the purpose of regu-
lating the flow of the explosive mixture by means of a suitable valve.
A gas jet, situate in an opening in the valve chest, serves to ignite another jet
situate in a recess or chamber behind the valve, a port or passage being formed in
the said valve for the purpose of placing these two gas jets in communication at
the requisite periods.
A passage is provided for the escape of the carbonic acid or burnt gases resulting
from the explosion, which are conducted through a suitable pipe to the jacket of
the upper cylinder, whence they are permitted to escape.
The upper valve at the upper part of the lower cylinder serves for the admission
of air above the piston in the said cylinder, and for the escape of the expanded air
froin the upper cylinder.
The air and gas composing the explosive mixture to be exploded in the lower
cylinder are conducted to the valve chest by suitable pipes. The air employed
either for mixing with the gas or for being compressed is caused to pass through a
water bath, in order to intercept any particles of dust which might be carried with
it, this arrangement being of great utility for preventing the fouling of the
cylinders.
The air admitted above the piston in the lower cylinder is first caused to circulate
in the jacket surrounding the said cylinder, into which it is admitted through holes
near the bottom; this circulation of cold air serves to cool the cylinder, which is
liable to become overheated by the explosions.
The Invention is applicable to engines of every description, whether locomotive,
portable, or stationary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st December 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. " IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad
by Sebastian François, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The said Invention relates to a motive-power engine constructed on a new
principle and worked by two pistons carried on one and the same piston rod, one
of such pistons being capable of sliding on the said piston rod.
Each of the pistons works in a separate cylinder, and the two cylinders which
are situate one above the other on the same axis are capable of being placed in
communication under certain conditions.
The loose or sliding piston contained in the lower cylinder is worked by the
direct action of the gas, the explosion of which underneath such piston causes it to
slide rapidly along the piston rod, thereby instantaneously compressing the air
abovo it, and this compressed air being admitted underneath the piston in the
upper cylinder imparts motion to the same by its gradual expansion.
A motive-power engine is thus obtained, working on an entirely new principle.
and possessing numerous advantages, among which the following may be enu-
merated, videlicet.-It works noiselessly and onables the whole of the expansive force
of the explosive gases to be utilized for compressing the air instantaneously; the
heat generated by the combustion of these gases is also utilized for expanding this.
compressed air which acts upon a piston connected to the ongine, and the vacuum
produced after the explosion is also utilised.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed two Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional elevation,
shewing the general arrangement of a motive-power engine constructed according
to the said Invention; and Figure 2 is an elevation of the same, the view being
taken at right angles to Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 (on Sheet 2) are sectional views drawn to a larger scale,
representing different positions of the slide valves employed in connection with the
two cylinders of the engine.
'
A, B, are two cylinders, by preference of phosphor bronze, which are placed one
above the other and connected together by bolts, the said cylinders being arranged.
at the side of a cast-iron column C, and enclosed in jackets a, b.
The column C is provided at its upper extremity with two arms, carrying
plummer blocks y, y¹, which support a shaft d, and the latter has keyed on one'
end thereof a crank dise F, carrying a crank pin f; the fly wheel and driving
pulley of the engine are also secured upon the shaft d but are not shewn in the
Drawing.
On the side of the disc F, opposite to that at which the crank pin is situate, there'
are provided cam grooves 1, 2, which impart motion to two slide valves m, n,'
arranged respectively at the upper and lower ends of the lower cylinder A, and the
connecting rods N, M, of the respective valves are provided at their upper
extremities with friction rollers N', M', working in the cam grooves 1, 2, in the
crank disc F.
The connecting rod M is supported laterally by the main shaft & which passes'
through it, and the connecting rod N is similarly supported by a guide x provided
on the cap piece of the plummer block y.
The upper cylinder B contains a piston G made in segments; to which is secured
at its under side by means of a nut a pendent piston rod c, having a conical enlarge-
:

page_text: ment at the lower end; this rod when in its lowest position extends to the bottom
of the lower cylinder A, and passes through the centre of a piston E fitted in the
suid cylinder, and which is capable of sliding upon the piston rod c.
The pistons and the piston rod c are by preference made of the same metal as
the cylinders.
The piston G in the upper cylinder B imparts motion to the crank disc by means
of a connecting rod D, which is attached to it by a round bolt, allowing of the
requisite motion; this connecting rod may be forked in order to admit of a guide
being employed on the top of the cylinder.
The piston E in the lower cylinder A is not fixed upon the piston rod c, but is
mounted loosely so as to be capable of sliding upon it, as herein-before stated, the
under part of the said piston being however normally in contact with the conical
enlargement j at the lower end of the piston rod c.
A circular valve e, supported by a bridge e¹ and pressed by a spring through the
centre of which the piston rod c passes, serves to cut off the communication from
the upper cylinder B to the lower cylinder A, whilst allowing free communication
from the lower cylinder A to the upper cylinder B.
The lower slide valve m serves to admit the explosive mixture employed at the
required periods to the bottom of the lower cylinder A through a suitable port i, a
governor w being provided for the purpose of regulating the flow of the explosive
inixture by means of a suitable valve h.
A gas jet, situate in an opening k, Figures 3, 4, and 5, in the valve chest, serves
to ignite another jet situate in a recess or chamber behind the valve m, a port or
passage g being formed in the said valve for the purpose of placing these two gas
jets in communication at the requisite periods.
A passage o and port p, Figures 3, 4, and 5, are provided for the escape of the
carbonic acid or burnt gases resulting from the explosion, which are conducted
through a suitable pipe q, provided with a valve 2, to the jacket b of the upper
cylinder B, whence they are permitted to escape through a pipes (Figure 2).
The upper slide valve n at the upper part of the lower cylinder A serves for the
admission of air above the piston in the said cylinder and for the escape of the
expanded air from the upper cylinder.
The air and gas composing the mixture to be exploded in the lower cylinder A
are conducted to the valve chest by suitable pipes t, r, Figure 2, one of which, t,
serves for the admission of gas, and the other, r, for admitting air. The air
employed either for mixing with the gas or for being compressed is caused to pass
through a water bath, in order that any particles of dust which might be carried
with it may be intercepted, this arrangement being of great utility for preventing
the fouling of the cylinders.
In order to start the engine the main shaft is caused to turn by moving the
fly wheel in the direction of the arrow, the two pistons E, G, will rise and the lower
slide valve m being in the proper position, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the
explosive inixture will enter through the port i and fill the space underneath the
lower piston E. So soon, however, as this piston has performed, say, one-sixth or
one-fifth of its stroke the slide valve m, actuated by the cam groove 1 in the crank
disk F, will rise with a sudden motion, establishing the communication between
the port i, cominunicating with the space below the piston and the recess or
cavity 7 behind the valve containing the gas jet, by means of a recess or hollow
formed in the back of the valve m, whereby the explosion of the mixture contained
in the cylinder under the piston is caused to tako place.
P
Under the force of the explosion the piston E is impelled upwards and caused to
slide along the piston rod c, and the air contained in the upper part of the lower
cylinder A is compressed; this air lifts the valve e between the cylinders, and
passes into the upper cylinder B, filling the space under the upper piston G with
compressed air, which expands, forcing up the said piston, whereby the connecting 5
rod D is actuated and rotatory motion is imparted to the crank disk F.
When the upper piston G reaches the end of its stroke the upper slide valve n

page_text: rises and assumes the position in Figure 3, allowing the heated air to escape
through ports y, y, y, as the piston G desconds, whilst the lower piston E is
caused to descend by the pressure of the atmosphere on its upper surface, acting
against the vacuum formed underneath it.
The piston E draws down the piston rod c by means of the enlargement j on its
lower end and consequently acts upon the crank disc, which is thus actuated by
the compressed air on ascending, and by the normal atmospheric pressure acting
against the vacuum as it descends. The utilization of these two forces is of great
importance, although the one is much inferior to the other, the compressed air
being the most powerful agent.
The air admitted above the piston E in the lower cylinder is first caused to
circulate in the jacket a surrounding the said cylinder, into which it is admitted
through holes near the bottom; this circulation of cold air serves to cool the
cylinder, which is liable to become overheated by the explosions. When the pistons
have performed, say, five-sixths of the down stroke the vacuum underneath the
piston E is destroyed; at this moment the lower slide valve m descends to the
position indicated in Figure 4, allowing the carbonic acid to escape through the
pivots i, p, and passage o, whence it passes through the valve and pipe q
(Figure 5) into the jacket of the upper cylinder B, for the purpose of heating the
same; the heat thus utilized assists in expanding the compressed air by increasing
its volume and consequently its power.
The Invention is applicable to stationary, locomotive, portable, and other engines,
the details being varied according to the particular purpose to which it is applied.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,―
First. The system of motive-power engine having two pistons, one of which
mounted loose upon the piston rod is exposed to the direct action of explosive gases,
and serves to effect the instantaneous compression of air, whilst the other piston
is fixed to the piston rod, and actuated by the expansion of the air so compressed,
substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming a motive-
power engine, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and scal, this Sixteenth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)