Year: 1888

page_text: I TOM BIRKETT BARKER of 68 Scholefield Street, Bloomsbury Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Engineer do heroby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to improve and render more efficient the valve
arrangement of gas engines.
In gas engines as hitherto constructed the governing of the engino is sometimes
accomplished by diluting the entering charge by throttling the gas supply; this
dilution can only act economically and efficiently within certain limits and beyond
those limits dilution causes the mixture to become uninflammable and so occasions
loss of gas by missing ignitions. Part of my present invention meets this difficulty
by arranging to cut off the gas supply altogether, before the point of dilution is
reached where there is danger of missing fire, and it consists of a simple method of
securing first a graduated but positive throttling action of the gas supply valve and
then a complete cut off.
Another part of my invention relates to methods of overcoming the difficulties
sometimes experienced in using igniting valves, due to their variation of temperature
under varying loads. The studs holding down these valves require to be screwed up
to a certain pressure in order that the explosion may not lift the valves from their
faces, and it often happens that on expanding by heat these valves bind and cut from
undue pressure of the studs. I arrange the construction of the holding down studs
so that although screwed down they have a certain elasticity and yield slightly or I
arrange that they become heated by the increasing explosions and by their expansion
relieve the excess pressure caused by the expanding valve.
One arrangement of my improved governing gear is as follows:-A lever receives
a to and fro motion from a cam on the second motion shaft and it has one face
serrated, the teeth extending for some distance from the end towards the fulcrum.
A second lever carries a sliding block with a simple knife edge projection, this lever
moves in the same plane as the other and the sliding block is moved on it by a link
from the governor; the gas supply valve spindle is actuated from this lever and as

page_text: the governor moves the block along it, so does the block knife edge engage any
particular tooth of the serrated lever, and increase or diminish the lift of the gas
supply valve. The positions of the lever fulcra are such that for each position of the
knife edge there is a particular lift of the gas valve and therefore a positive dilution;
but the point of opening and closing the valve remains constant throughout the whole
range of serrations. When the speed exceeds a certain limit the block is moved
beyond the end of the serrated lever, and the gas valve remains closed, until it falls
again.
The gas valve may be closed by a spring or weight and the levers may be returned
to their stationary positions by springs or weights.
By another arrangement I actuate both gas valve and air supply valve so that both
gas and air supply are regulated, in this way a greater range of variation of impulses
may be obtained without missing explosions. In this case the lever with the sliding
block may be arranged to actuate both gas and air supply. It is evident that the
sliding block may work on either the lever actuated by the cam or the second lever,
in which case the serrations will be placed upon the second lever actuating the gas
valve or the gas and air valves jointly.
One arrangement of my method of neutralizing the evil of undue expansion of the
ignition valve is as follows:-In my engines use a rotating disc valve and instead
of using rigid holding down studs I construct the studs with a loop, bend, or bow so
that when screwed down the stud has some elasticity in the direction of its length.
When the rotating disc valve expands by increasing explosions, then the stud yields
a little and does not bind the valve; when the explosions diminish in frequency then
the elasticity of the studs allows them to follow the contracting valve and so keep it
pressure tight under all circumstances of running whether the load on the engine
be light, with few explosions or heavy with consequently more numerous explosions.
It is evident that my elastic stud may be applied to the ignition slides of other gas
engines as well as to my rotating disc valve and that this form of it may be used
either in tension or compression.
By another arrangement I retain the use of rigid holding down studs but I make
them hollow and conduct into their interior, which is pressure tight, a portion of the
heat from the exploded gases in the engine cylinder by allowing these gases to freely
enter the studs. By this means, as the explosions increase in frequency and the
temperature of the valve increases, so does the temperature of the holding down
studs increase and both valve and studs expand simultaneously the increasing length
of the studs keeps pace with the increasing thickness of the valve thereby avoiding
undue pressure or binding. When the explosions diminish in frequency the whole
system cools down together and thereby the predetermined necessary pressure upon
the valve is approximately constant and the valve is kept pressure tight under all
.circumstances.
If it is found that the studs increase in length unduly and overrun the expansion
of the valve then an adjusting check pin or similar contrivance may be screwed down
to admit less of the hot gases from the engine cylinder or the capacity of the space
in the studs may be diminished and thereby cause less heating.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1888.

page_text: J, TOM BIRKETT BARKER of 68, Scholefield Street, Bloomsbury, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, 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 :-
My invention has for its object. to improve and render more efficient the valve-
arrangement of gas engines.
In gas engines as hitherto constructed the governing of the engine is sometimes
accomplished by diluting the entering charge by throttling the gas supply; this
dilution can only act economically and efficiently within certain limits and beyond
those limits dilution causes the mixture to become uninflammable and so occasions
loss of gas by missing ignitions. Part of my present invention meets this difficulty
by arranging to cut off the gas supply altogether before the point of dilution is
reached, where there is danger of missing fire, and it consists of a simple method of
securing first a graduated but positive throttling action of the gas supply valve and
then a complete cut off.
:
Another part of my invention relates to methods of overcoming the difficulties
sometimes experienced, in using igniting valves, due to their variation of temperature
under varying loads. The studs holding down these valves require to be screwed
up to a certain pressure in order that the explosion may not lift the valves from their .
faces, and it often happens that on expanding by heat, these valves bind and cut from
undue pressure of the studs. I arrange the construction of the holding down studs,
so that although screwed down, they have a certain elasticity and yield slightly, or
I arrange that they become heated by the increasing explosions and by their expansion
relieve the excess pressure caused by the expanding valve.
One arrangement of my improved governing gear is as follows:-A lever receives ·
a to and fro motion from a cam, on the second motion shaft, and it has one face.
serrated, the teeth extending for some distance from the end towards the fulcrum.
A second lever carries a sliding block with a simple knife edge projection, this
lever moves in the same plane as the other, and the sliding block is moved on it by
a link from the governor; the gas supply valve spindle is actuated from this lever
and as the governor moves the block along it, so does the block knife edge engage:
any particular tooth of the serrated lever and increase or diminish the lift of the gas
supply valve. The positions of the lever fulcrums are such, that for each position.
of the knife edge there is a particular lift of, the gas valve and therefore a positive
dilution; but the point of opening and closing the valve remains throughout the
whole range of serrations. When the speed exceeds a certain limit the block is
moved beyond the end of the serrated lever, and the gas valve remains closed until it
falls again.
•
The gas valve may be closed by a spring or weight, and the levers may be returned.
to their stationary positions, by spring or weights.
By another arrangement I actuate both gas valve and air supply valve, so that
both gas and air supply are regulated, in this way, a greater range of variation of
:

page_text: impulses may be obtained without missing explosions. In this case the lever with the
sliding block may be arranged to actuate both gas and air supply. It is evident that
the sliding block may work on either the lever, actuated by the cam, or the second
lever, in which case the serrations will be placed upon the second lever, actuating the
gas valve, or the gas and air valves jointly.
One arrangement of my method of neutralizing the evil of undue expansion of the
ignition valve is, as follows, :.
7671
In my engines I use a rotating disc valve and instead of using rigid holding down
studs I construct the studs with a loop, bend, or bow, so that when screwed down,
the stud has some elasticity in the direction of its length.
When the rotating disc valve expands, by increasing explosions, then the stud
yields a little, and does not bind the valve; when the explosions diminish in frequency
then the elasticity of the stud allows them to follow the contracting valve and so
keep it pressure tight under all circumstances of running whether the load on the
engine be light, with few explosions or heavy with consequently more numerous
explosions.
It is evident that my elastic stud may be applied to the ignition slides of other
gas engines, as well as to my rotating disc valve and that this form of it may be
used either in tension or compression.
By another arrangement, I retain the use of rigid holding down studs, but I make
them hollow, and conduct into their interior, which is pressure tight, a portion of the
heat from the exploded gases in the engine cylinder, by allowing these gases to
freely enter the studs. By this means, as the explosions increase in frequency and
the temperature of the valve increases, so does the temperature of the holding down
studs increase and both valve and studs expand simultaneously the increasing length
of the studs keeps pace with the increasing thickness of the valve thereby avoiding
undue pressure or binding. When the explosions diminish in frequency the whole
system cools down together, and thereby the predetermined necessary pressure upon
the valve is approximately constant and the valve is kept pressure tight, under all
circumstances.
If it is found that the studs increase in length unduly, and over run the expansion
of the valve then an adjusting check pin, or similar contrivance may be screwed
down to admit less of the hot gases, from the engine cylinder, or the capacity of the
space in the studs may be diminished and thereby cause less heating.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect
I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings, to be hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 1 and 2 shew the application of the first part of my invention, when I
actuate the gas valve in such manner as to obtain a graduated but positive throttling
action and then a complete cut off.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew the arrangement where I dispense with the lever G and use
instead the lever required for the air supply.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew an application of the second part of my invention to neutralize
the evil of unequal expansion of the ignition valve and holding down bolts.
On Fig. 1 which is an elevation of the governor and its connecting links to the
gas inlet valve, partly in section, A. is the second motion shaft, B the governor which
acts upon the sliding block C, by the forked lever D and the link E. The block (
slides upon a lever F pivotted at a, and a lever G pivotted at b. is driven through the
wheel or roller c by the cam d, upon the second motion shaft A, it carries a serrated
pièce or face e. The lever G is moved to and fro by the cam d striking the roller c,
and a knife edge projection upon the sliding block C engages one or other of the
teeth of the serrated piece e and is therefore pushed over, the lower end of F touches
the end of spindle of the gas valve H and opens it by any predetermined lift which
depends upon the position of the sliding block C with reference to the serrations in e.
The spring shewn in the drawing serves to return the gas valve H to its seat, when
the levers are free from the action of the cam d. The position of the serrated piece e
is so arranged that as the block C is caused to travel towards the piu a upon which
the lever F is pivotted the movement of the end of the lever F is increased and

page_text: therefore the lift of the valve H, but the time of opening and closing is not altered.
That is, although the lift of the gas valve increases or diminishes by the movement
of the sliding block towards or from the pin a yet the time of opening and closing
with reference to the movement of the piston of the engine is constant. When the
block C is moved low enough by the governor, its knife edge passes beyond the
serrations and although the lever C is still moved by each revolution of the cam d,
yet the lever F is not so moved, and consequently the valve H remains closed and
the gas supply to the engine is entirely cut off. By this means I dilute the explosive
charge within predetermined limits within which the mixture can still be ignited
with certainty and economy but when the limit is exceeded 1 cut off the gas entirely
and so avoid waste which would otherwise be occassioned when the engine was
running with little or no load. Fig. 2 is a side elevation part in section similarly
lettered as in Fig. 1.
On Fig. 3 is shewn an arrangement in which the air supply lover is used instead of
the interinediate lever G. In this case the governor B by a lever D and link E
moves up and down a knife edge upon the end of the link E, and the sliding block
is also dispensed with. The air valve lever K is actuated by a cam d, acting on a
roller c Fig. 4, and it carries a serrated face piece e, the lever I opposing the serrations
and pivotting on the pin g actuates the gas valve H and as the governor link E
moves up or down the knife edge f, so is the movement of the lover I, and therefore
of the vaive H increased or diminished. In this arrangement a downward move-
ment of increases the lift of the gas valve and an upward one diminishes it. When
the engine runs light, frises too high to engage any of the teeth of the serrated
face e and the gas valve remains closed for that stroke.
Fig. is an end elevation part in section lettered similarly to Fig. 3. I may use
either of these arrangements to vary the lift of the air valve as well as the gas valve
by the use of the intermediate lever G and by connecting the gas and air valves
together and actuating them from the intermediate lever.
Figs. 5 and 6 show my improved construction of holding down stud for the
ignition valve or disc. The stud L is formed with a loop such as m. m so that when
one end is screwed into the metal of the engine and a nut or adjusting screw is
placed upon the other end to hold the ignition valve or disc firmly to its face, the
stud L has some elasticity in the direction of its length and if the metal of the diso
or valve expands unduly the stud will yield and prevent binding. On the other hand
if the valve cools down the studs cause the cover to follow it up and keep it against
its working face, pressure tight.
The hollow studs hereinbefore described and for the same purpose are readily
understood without drawings.
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 arrangement of governing levers and gear as in Figs. 1. 2. 3. & 4 of the
accompanying drawings substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
(2). The elastic stud as in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
(3). The use of hollow holding down studs for admitting the hot gases from the
cylinder substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham,
Agents for Applicant.