Year: 1886

page_text: be performed to be particularly described
in and by the following statement :—
DESCRIPTION,
My invention is directed to the production of a double acting gas engine of
single acting cylinders placed in line, in which the gaseous mixture is ignited at
each end of every stroke of the engine, whereby a double ended plunger may be
used to receive the impulses of the explosions in both cylinders at both the forward
and backward movements of the plunger.
The objects of my improvements are, to ignite the charge in a highly heated
combustion chamber and at the same time provide for a comparatively cool
condition of the wearing surfaces of the plungers and the valves; to provide very
compact operating connections for a double ended plunger by the combined action
of two single acting cylinders, whereby to obtain a rotary or rectilinear movement,
or both froin the movement of the double ended plunger to operate a crank shaft;
and, may at the same time operate an air compression piston for supplying the air
constituent of the charge.
The operating connections for the double ended plunger, are provided with
rolling or rocking bearings to avoid the necessity of lubrication for such bearings ;
and to prevent friction of the bearing joints by the substitution of rolling contact
bearings for the usual sliding motion of connecting pins.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure, 1, represents a vertical longitudinal section of a double acting gas engine
of single acting cylinders.
Figure, 2, an elevation of the same, showing one supply and a mixing valve for
the combustible fuel, in section.
Figure, 3, shows a horizontal section of what I call the mixing valve of the
compression cylinder, showing the inlet passages for the gas and air and the valve
connection with the compression chamber.

page_text: the plunger, showing the lubricating surface.
Figure, 6, shows an enlarged section of one of the cylinders and its plunger.
Figure, 7, represents in elevation the crank connecting rod.
Figure, 8, a longitudinal section of the same, &
Figure, 9, an end view of the same, and;-
Figure, 10, the balance wheel governor in elevation.
The bearing cylinders, A, A, for the double ended plunger, are comparatively
short and are provided with suitable packing rings for maintaining a joint for the
plunger.
Water circulating jackets, B, B, are provided for the short cylinders for lowering
the temperature of its wearing surfaces.
The combustion chambers for each cylinder are formed by separate cylindrical
caps or extensions, C, C, the inner walls of which do not touch the plunger trunks,
and they may be externally covered with a non-conducting covering and, it is by
this construction that I obtain a hot combustion chamber with a comparatively
cool bearing cylinder.
The joining of the combustion chamber forming caps with the short bearing
cylinders may be made in any suitable way.
The engine valve cases, D, D, are mounted directly upon the hot combustion.
chamber forming caps, C, C, and are provided each with cooling jackets, 2, 2,
figure, 2, constructed so as not to reduce the temperature of the combustion
chambers.
The water jackets of the cylinders and of the valves, may connect for a continuous
flow; or they may have separate supply and discharge pipes.
The valve case is bolted to the combustion chamber so that very little heat from
the latter will be communicated to the former; and a small cooling jacket will be
sufficient for the valve case.
A compression cylinder, E, is placed in the frame, preferably beneath one of the
power cylinders for compressing the charge for the engine.
It is provided with a suitable air and gas inlet valve such as that shown at, F,
in figure, 2; and a suitable discharge valve such as that shown at, 3, in figure, 1,
by which the compressed products are discharged from the compressor into a
reservoir, G, by the pipe connections, H, from whence the charges are conveyed by
the pipes, I, to the valves placed in the valve cases, D.
This reservoir, G, is formed in the base of the frame preferably beneath the
compressor.
The power transmitting shaft, K, is mounted in the frame beneath the other
power cylinder and the connections of this shaft, of the air compressor piston, and
of the plunger I will now describe.
These three things are connected to a rocker arm, L, which is pivoted at, 4, at
the foot of the frame, & rising from said pivot passes at its upper end into an
opening, 5, in the double ended hollow plunger, N, to which it is connected by
means of separate and distinct plunger rods, M, placed between the bearing
cylinders of the said plungers, so as to drive the rocker arm, L, back and forth
with the movement of the pistons.
Between the pivot of the rocker arm and its connection with the double ended
plunger, the crank shaft, K, and the air compression piston, are connected to the
rocker arm by connecting rods, O, P, which stand in opposite directions so that the
back and forth movements of the rocker arm, L, will drive the piston, Q, of the air
compressor on one side of the rocker arm and drive the crank shaft, K, on its
opposite side.
This places the rocker arm between the power cylinders, the air compressor and
the crank shaft in a compact arrangement to utilize the rectilinear movement of
the double ended plunger.

page_text: As the rocker arm describes the arc of a circle struck from its pivot, 4, it is
necessary to provide connections with the double ended plunger to accommodate
such movement with the least amount of friction; and, for this purpose I prefer to
use the separate connecting rods, M, having rolling or rocking bearings, 6, 6.-7, 7,
and provide for taking up the wear of such bearings by making one of said
connecting rods adjustable in the head of the rocker arm by means of a key, 8, or
other suitable means. The double ended plunger, N, is a single hollow cylinder
provided at each end with a suitable piston head, R, and it has a diametral
opening or slot, 5, in the middle of its length to receive the rocker arm and
permit its connection and adjustment with the plunger connecting rods.
These rods are placed within the plungers in the same plane and have central
bearings upon the inner sides of their heads, R.
These bearings are formed of steel seats, 6, 6, with substantially flat bearing
faces and a central projection or point; while the connecting rods are formed with
bearing ends fitting the seat projections to hold them in proper central relation to
the plungers.
The other ends of the connecting rods, M, are seated upon opposite sides of the
swinging end of the rocker arm, and, for this purpose the latter has a suitable
seat, S. figures, 1, &, 4, within and upon which is firmly secured a bearing
block, S¹, and an adjustable bearing block, S', held within and upon its seat by a
cap, Ss, both bearing blocks being of steel and forming abutting bearings for the
ends of the connecting rods.
The bearing surfaces of the blocks, S1, S2, are formed upon arces struck from a
center between them; while the corresponding bearing ends of the rods, M, are
formed upon ares struck from their plunger bearing seats, thereby making points
of contact bearing of the separate rods upon the rocker arm.
These bearings will always roll in rocking contact with each other in all
positions of the double ended plunger and of the rocker arm, with little friction;
will require no lubrication; and gives a smooth and steady working to the
engine.
These advantages are of special importance in a gas engine, because the heat of
the engine dries and cakes the lubricant and the friction is thereby greatly
increased.
The taking up of the wear of the plunger rods is effected by the key, 8, driven
into the cap-plate, S³, between the bearing-blocks so as to force out the adjustable
bearing block as may be required to take up the lost motion of the parts.
The rolling contact action of these bearing surfaces may be obtained by knife
edge bearings, so that they fulfil the conditions stated and cause the separate rods
to act as a single rod to transmit the power of the double plunger to the rocker
arm to drive its non-pivoted end back and forth, and, through its connecting
rod, P, drive the crank shaft to transmit the power, and, by the connecting rod, O,
operate the air compressor piston, Q, to compress the charge for the engine.
The short cylinders are provided at their open ends with bearing rings, T, for
taking up the wear of the trunk plungers and for lubricating them; while the
inner end of the cylinder has packing rings, U, figure, 6, at its junction with the
cap for formning a tight joint.
This piston pack ring, T, is placed in a recess in the wall of the cylinder at or
near its junction with the cap which forms the combustion chamber, and is secured
in its seat by a screw follower, V, for maintaining a gas tight joint between the
piston and the cylinder.
Any form and kind of packing may be used; and it may be placed in the piston,
or in the plunger walls.
The adjustable bearing rings, T, are truncated cones placed in the cylinders at
their open ends so as to hear upon the plunger trunks, and they are held in place
and adjusted by means of an inclined seat in a recess of the cylinder, and the ring

page_text: follower, V, is screwed into a recess at the end of the cylinder, by which this
bearing ring is adjusted for taking up the wear and forming a close joint with the
plunger.
This bearing ring is utilized as a lubricating device for the plunger and for the
packing ring proper, and, for this purpose its inner wall is filled with plugs of
metaline which has a lubricating function in a well known manner.
This lubricating function is extended to the packing ring by means of the
plunger since the walls of the latter become thoroughly coated with the metaline
throughout its length so that the packing ring bears upon this metaline coating in
the operation of the plunger and is therefore itself coated and kept constantly
lubricated from the plunger walls.
The bearing ring is split so that it can be set up to the plunger by the screw
follower to maintain a close bearing.
The independent relation of the packing and of the lubricating rings affords a
bearing for the trunk plunger at the top and at the bottom of the cylinder; and
renders the bearing ring accessible.
The screw follower, V, operates in a threaded recess in the lower open end of
the cylinder and upon a shoulder of the bearing ring to adjust the latter when
required, by moving it inward upon its inclined seat in the cylinder walls, so as to
close the split bearing ring closely upon the plunger walls.
The plunger works in comparatively cool short bearing cylinders into hot
combustion chambers formed by the separate caps, the inner walls of which have a
clearance space around the plunger so that it has no contact with the combustion
chamber.
This construction permits the combustion chamber to become very hot in order
that the gases may loose no heat while doing their work; while the bearing part
of the plunger will work in a comparatively cool cylinder, much shorter than the
stroke of the engine; while a long plunger works within a long combustion
chamber which is maintained at a high heat.
The cooling jacket of the power cylinder is extended around the air compression
cylinder as shown.
The reservoir, G, is for the storage of a uniform mixture of the gas and air and
it is from this reservoir that the power cylinders are directly supplied by the
valves through the pipe connections, H, I, shown in figure, 2.
In figure, 3, the valve connection with the compressor is shown by the passage, W,
in the cylinder head; while the air passage is shown at, X; and the
for
passage
the gas
is shown at, Y; so that as the valve, F, is reciprocated a certain portion of
the air will be sucked into the cylinder and a certain portion of the gas will also
pass therein.
The supply valves, J, for the combustion chambers are operated by the con-
necting rods, Z, and controlled by a governor device carried by the balance wheel;
and the supply valve, F, for the compression cylinder, is operated and controlled
by the connecting rod, Z2, and cam, Z³, figure, 2.
The governor which I have devised is especially adapted for admitting to the
power cylinder a definite quantity of the combustible mixture at each stroke of
the engine in charges exactly suited to the work, which I will now describe.
To the rim, figure, 10, of the wheel weights, a, a, are pivoted or connected at
their free ends to spiral springs, b, b, which are connected to the spokes of the
wheel by an adjusting device, c, set by lock nuts, d, to regulate the tension of
the springs, so as to balance the centrifugal force of the pivoted weights, in
the revolution of the wheel.
The free ends of the pivoted weights are also connected by links, e, e, with the
cam, f, on the shaft; such connection being made by pins on opposite sides of the
shaft.
This cam, f, is free to turn on the shaft and is of such form, in connection with
the valve connecting mechanism, as to properly operate the valve.

page_text: The valve connecting mechanism consists of a rocking arm, g, hung upon one
end of a rock shaft, h, mounted in the engine frame, to the other end of which
rock shaft is fixed a lever arm, i, which connects with the valve connecting rod, Z.
The free ends of the rocking arms, g, are provided with rollers, j, which roll
upon the surface of the cam, f, so that the turning of the latter operates the
rocking arms, and through the latter the valve operating connections.
The rocking arms are maintained in contact with the cam, f, by the pulling
force of the springs, k, which may be placed in the chambers of the valve cases, D,
as shown in figure, 2, but I may use any other means for this purpose.
The roller arms are placed on opposite sides of the cam and the valve connections
are such as to operate the valves alternately for each power cylinder.
As the reduction of friction and the avoidance of lubricating oils, is of very
great importance in a gas engine I use a connecting rod, O, for the air compressor
piston, Q, having rocking or rolling bearings upon the pins, l, which connect the
rocker arın with said air compressor piston, as shown in figure, 1.
As shown this connecting rod is composed of the rod, m, properly enclosed by a
strap, O, which also encloses the bearing pins, upon which the ends of the rod, m,
abut directly by lines of contact.
The strap, O, encloses one of the pins, l, and has a flat bearing thereon opposite
to the bearing of the rod; while the other pin, l, is held upon the other end of the
rod by an abutting block, n, secured to the ends of the strap, O, against the other
side of said pin by a key, n¹, and gib, n², which passes through corresponding slots
in the strap & in the abutting block; and serves to drive and keep the latter upon
the bearing pin.
The rod, m, is therefore clamped between and upon lines of contact on the
bearing pins, within and between the strap.
The bearing pins have lines of contact on opposite sides in line of the rod and
upon such points the rod and strap are free to move without slipping or sliding.
The ends of the rod are formed with bearing surfaces having an arc struck from
the middle of the length of the rod; and the pins are cylindrical so that the same
distance between their centers will always be preserved within any required
movement of the connecting rod which may occur under the conditions of use.
The bend of the strap has an interior flat bearing, corresponding to the flat
bearing of the abutting block, so that the four points of bearing are in the line of
the rod, I may however use knife edge bearings for the four points and obtain the
same results.
The key, n¹, forces the abutting block, n, against its bearing pin and draws the
strap hard upon the other bearing pin and thereby take up the lost motion
produced by wear at both bearing pins.
As the pin, K³, figure, 1, of the power transmitting crank shaft is liable to
become out of line, I construct the connecting rod for the crank pin so that the
bearing boxes will accommodate themselves to the deflected position of the
pins, K; K³, and thus give an even bearing upon them and prevent binding and
unequal wear upon the pins and upon their boxes.
For this purpose the bearing boxes, P2, have an outside curved surface forma-
tion, p, figure, S, in form the section of a sphere, the box being in sections of
semi rings.
The convex formation describes an arc of a circle struck from the center of the
box so as to permit the box to have a rolling movement upon its bearings such as
a section of a sphere would have if confined within corresponding bearings.
Each end of the rod, PS, is made to fit the spherical formation of the box; and
each end of said rod is also curved to form a concave seat for the convex formation
corresponding to the convex part of the semi ring section of the box.
At one end of the rod, the box is confined upon its seat by the strap, P, having
an inner concave surface conformation corresponding to the spherical formation of
the box and seated thereon,

page_text: At the other end of the rod, the box is confined by an abutting block, q, having
a conformation to fit upon the box the same as the strap, and the latter extending
the length of the rod, encloses the end box, the edges of the rod and the abutting
block to which the strap ends are keyed.
As the strap encloses both boxes one key and gib are sufficient to secure the
parts; and to take up the lost motion produced by wear in both boxes, since the
key, r, forces the abutting block against its box and draws the strap against
the other end box which is encircled and bound by the strap.
The edges of the rod and the edges of the abutting block correspond to the inner
side curved formation of the strap, so that the latter is held in true relation to its
bearing upon the box sections as shown in figure, 9.
A binding screw, 8, is set in the side of the abutting block and is bound upon the
key when the boxes are properly set upon the pins and thus prevent the key from
becoming loose.
By such construction the bearing boxes can move slightly about their centers
within the body of the rod and upon the encircling end of the strap & by this
movement the boxes will be free to take any position that the pin upon which it
bears, may assume or stand within the limits of motion allowed to its boxes.
It is therefore certain that the pressure of the bearing surfaces upon the pins will
be disposed equally on each side of the center of the bearing and therefore each
portion or side of the pin will be subjected to an equal pressure and wear.
In the operation of the engine the governor device operates to vary the point of
the stroke of the valve at which the admission of the charge is cut off and the
charge ignited, in the following manner.
The engine being in motion a high speed will cause the pivoted weights to be
thrown outward toward or against the wheel rim, causing the springs to expand
and the cam, f, by means of its weight connecting links to be turned upon its shaft
in the direction of the moving wheel and thereby change the position of the cam, f,
with respect to the roller arms to so govern the stroke of the valve as to ignite the
charge at an earlier point of the stroke thereby reducing the quantity of the charge,
and, in proportion, the power developed.
On the contrary, the engine being under reduced speed, the springs will act to
overcome the centrifugal force of the pivoted weights and draw them in toward the
center such movement being limited by the stop, a¹, on the spokes, thereby causing
the cam, f, to turn back upon its shaft and hence the charge is cut off and ignited at
a later point in the stroke of the valve, causing the engine to develop a greater
amount of power.
To obtain a sensitive action of the governor device I use comparatively heavy
weights & extremely elastic springs so that a slight variation in the velocity of the
balance wheel will move the weights quickly and to the proper extent.
The speed of the engine may be changed by increasing or diminishing the tension
of the springs by their adjusting devices.
The governor wheel may be adapted to control the valves of two or more power
cylinders by similar connecting mechanism for each valve.
It will be understood that the connecting rods need not necessarily be the
driving organs as it is obvious that the power may be applied directly either to the
crank shaft; or to the vibrating arm.
In either of the latter cases the connecting rods are the means for transmitting
the power applied to either the shaft or arm, & when said power is applied to the
vibrating arm, the connecting rods, as well as the crank shaft, are made the means
through which the power is transmitted.
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 combination, in a gas engine, of a double ended plunger, with bearing
cylinders therefor placed in line, & separate combustion chambers formed of

page_text: cylinder caps having their inner walls free of contact with the plunger trunks,
& suitable operating connections for the double ended plunger and power trans;
mitting crank substantially as described.
2. The combination in a gas engine, of a double ended plunger, with bearing
cylinders therefor placed in line having cooling jackets, and separate combustion
chambers formed of non-jacketed cylinder caps having their inner walls free of
contact with the plunger trunks, and suitable operating connections for the plunger
and power transmitting crank, substantially as described.
3. The combination, in a gas engine, of a double acting piston or plunger, with
a combustion chamber for each end of said plunger, and a pivoted rocker arm
having suitable connections with the said plunger between the open ends of said
cylinder chambers and suitable connections with the crank shaft substantially as
described.
4. The combination, in a gas engine, of a bearing, cylinder having a water
cooling jacket, and a combustion chamber formed thereon by a separate cap, with
an induction valve case having a water jacket upon the combustion chamber,
whereby the bearing cylinder, and the supply valve are prevented from being
unduly heated, while the combustion-chamber is maintained highly heated, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
5. In combination, in a gas engine, a bearing cylinder, a plunger, a separate
cap-forming combustion chamber, and joint forming rings having bearing upon
said plunger, the said cylinder having a length less than the stroke of the engine,
the said cap-forming combustion-chamber having an interior diameter greater than
that of the plunger to allow the latter to operate therein, and maintained at a
greater heat than said cylinder, substantially as described.
6. The combination of the bearing-cylinders placed in line and separate cap-
forming combustion-chambers, with a double ended plunger, the separate plunger
connecting rods and an air compression cylinder, with a pivoted rocker arm,
connecting said plunger between the open ends of said cylinders, the crank
shaft connecting rod, and compressor connecting rod, whereby the combined
power of the cylinder is transmitted in a rotary motion for the crank shaft and
a reciprocating motion for the compressor, substantially as described.
7. The combination with the power trunk cylinders arranged in line, the double
ended plunger, and the rocker arm, with the connecting rods and the compression
cylinder, the storage chamber, the engine supply valves, and the supply connections
for the charge for both cylinders, substantially as described.
8. A gas engine composed of two power cylinders, placed in line, each having a
combustion chamber, and a rigid double ended piston or plunger having power
transmitting connections adapted to rock upon contact bearings upon each piston-
head and upon the said power connections, as described.
9. The combination, in a gas engine, of two power cylinders placed in line, and
a piston or plunger for each cylinder rigidly connected, having power transmitting
connections adapted to rock upon contact bearings at their points of connection,
and a compression pump connected with said piston rocking connections, as
described.
10. The combination, in a gas engine, of two power cylinders placed in line, and
connected pistons or plungers for each cylinder, with independent cylinder and
piston arranged below one of said power cylinders, a power transmitting shaft.
arranged below the other power cylinder, and suitable connections for the moving.
parts, substantially as described.
11. The combination in a gas engine,. of two short bearing cylinders arranged in
line, with a piston or plunger for each cylinder, having a stroke greater than the
length of said cylinders, a combustion chamber forming-cap for each cylinder,
& suitable operating connections for said plungers, substantially as described.
12. The combination, in a gas engine, of two power cylinders placed in line,
& connected pistons or plungers for each cylinder, with a storage supply.chamber

page_text: & suitable supply connections for the charge for both cylinders, substantially as
described.
13. The combination, with the power cylinders each having a combustion
chamber placed in line, and a separate piston for each cylinder, of a connecting
rod device for said pistons consisting of separate and independent connecting rods,
and a vibratable or rocking arm having bearing surfaces for the abutting ends of
said connecting rods, substantially as herein set forth.
14. The combination, with the power cylinders placed in line, and a piston or
plunger for each cylinder, of a rocking or vibrating arm having bearing seats on
opposite sides, & independent connecting rods having rolling or rocking contact
seats upon the vibratable arm and upon the pistons substantially as described.
15. The combination, with the power cylinders placed in line, and a piston for
each cylinder rigidly connected, of a pivoted arm having its non-pivoted end
entering an open way in said rigid piston connection at or about the middle of
its length provided with curved bearings on opposite sides, and independent
connecting rods having abutting end bearings upon the moving parts substantially
as described.
16. The combination, with two power cylinders each having a combustion
chamber placed in line, and rigidly connected pistons or plungers for each
cylinder, of a pivoted arm having a fixed and adjustable bearing, the independent
rods connecting the pivoted arm, and an adjusting device for said rocker arm, as
described.
17. The combination, with the double ended plunger, of the separate connecting
rods, and a vibratable arm having bearing surfaces for the abutting ends of said
connecting rods.
18. The combination, with the double ended plunger having bearing seats, of a
vibratable arm having bearing seats on opposite sides and independent connecting
rods having rolling surface seats upon said vibratable arm and upon both ends of
the plunger.
19. The combination, with the power cylinder, a piston, and a packing ring for
the latter, of an adjustable ring bearing seat for the plunger independent of the
packing ring arranged at the open end of the cylinder.
20. The combination, with a piston or plunger, and a cylinder having a packing
ring, of an independent bearing ring having its inner surface provided with
metaline to lubricate the walls of the plunger and the said packing ring.
21. The combination, with the cylinder, the plunger and the packing ring
therefor, of an independent lubricating bearing ring seated upon an inclined sent
in the cylinder walls, & an adjusting screw ring fitted in said cylinder upon the
said lubricating bearing ring.
22. A pitman or connecting rod having self adjusting bearing boxes seated upon
the ends of the rod, in combination with a separate strap forming a bearing for
one of said boxes and contining said rod and separate boxes upon their seats.
23. The combination, with a bearing having a circumferential bearing of the
form of a sphere, of a rod having bearing seats corresponding to the arc bearing of
the box, a confining and enclosing strap, and a fastening key and gib.
24. A self adjusting journal bearing-box composed of two semi-ring-sections, in
combination with a connecting-rod, and means whereby the said bearing sections
are secured upon the ends of the rod.
25. The combination, in a connecting rod having pin bearings, of a rod and its
bearing pins having lines of contact at each end of the rod adapted to rock or roll
upon each other.
26. In a connecting rod having pin bearings, the combination with the rod and
its pin bearings having lines of bearing contact at each end of the rod, of a strap
enclosing said bearing-pins and the rod having a contact bearing line upon one of
said pins.

page_text: 27. The balance wheel governor, consisting of the pivotal weights the springs
and their adjusting connections, the loose cam and the links connected thereto
and to the free ends of said weight arms in combination with the rocking arm the
lever and the supply valve.
28. A balance wheel governor consisting of the pivoted weights the springs
for supporting the weights, the links, the loose cam, and means for adjusting the
tension of said springs to change the speed of the engine.
Dated this 19th day of Ta1900