Improvements in or relating to Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Internal Combustion Engines.
I, EDWARD ALBERT MITCHELL, of GG, Thornlaw Road, West Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows;
-
My invention relates to an improved internal combustion engine.
The object of my said invention is to provide an engine in which a working
stroke may be given to the piston once during every revolution of the crank shaft
without the use of a force pump for compressing the motive fluid as commonly
employed in engines of the type under consideration.
In place of this pump, I provide a closed chamber in which the motive fluid is
under pressure and the pressure which I contemplate making use of is that
occasioned by the production of combustible gas in a confined space, as for
instance, by the action of dilute acid on granulated zinc, or by the action of water
upon a combination of calcium and hydrocarbon, or upon calcium carbide or any
other similar compound. The gas under pressure may be generated immediately
in connection with the engine in which it is to be employed, and may be supplied
direct thereto. Or it may be collected with suitable precautions in iron or other
cylinders of wellknown form, and may be stored in these and utilized for sup-
plying the engine at convenience.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is an elevation of an improved engine constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the cylinder and adjacent parts of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan view, portions of the same being removed, and Fig. 4 is a
section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.
1 is the generator or reservoir holding the compressed motive fluid; 2 pipe
connecting said generator with the feed valve 3 of the engine, said pipe is pro-
vided with a stop valve 4 and a reducing valve 5 of any suitable type. 6 is the
cylinder of the engine which is provided with a water jacket 7 as usual in engines
of this type. 8 is the piston, 9 the piston rod, 10 the cross head, 11 the connect-
ing rod, 12 the crank, and 18 the crank shaft which is supported in suitable bear-
ings 14, mounted on the bed plate 15 of the engine. The cylinder 6 is supported
on a casting 16 which also forms the guides for the cross head 10. 17 is the
exhaust opening from the cylinder, and 18 another opening by which air can
D

page_text: enter the cylinder through a chamber 19 when the valve 20 is open. Said valve
which is normally maintained closed by a spring 21 is controlled by a cam 22,
supported on the shaft 23. At the lower end of the cylinder is a second open-
ing 24 which communicates through the pipe 25 with the chamber 19, the open
end of said pipe projecting into the opening 18 above mentioned. 26 is a valve
located at the entrance to pipe 25, and normally maintained closed by a spring 27,
said valve is controlled by the cam 28, also secured to shaft 23. Said shaft 23 is
supported in bearings 29, and is driven through gear wheels 30, 31, from the
crank shaft 13. The shaft 23 is provided with a governor 32 of any suitable type,
the movable portion 33 of which carries an arm 34 adapted to engage with an
inclined block 35 secured to a lever 36. This lever is provided with a fixed
pivot 37 and is connected by a link 38 with the feed valve 3. Said feed valve is
normally maintained closed by a spring 39 in the usual manner.
The igniting device may be of any suitable construction, that shewn in the
drawings being for example an electrical device, consisting of a platinum wire 40
joined in series with a battery 41, or other suitable source of electrical energy.
Said igniting device is located at the place where the motive fluid enters the
cylinder. 42 is a stop cock provided in the opening 24, for a purpose herein-
after mentioned.
The operation of my improved engine is as follows:-
arm 34 on
The gas which is either generated or stored under pressure in the chamber 1
passes through pipe 2 and reducing valve 5, through stop valve 4 when the latter
is open and feed valve 3 into the cylinder 6 above the piston. With the parts in
the position shewn in Fig. 2, the piston is at the upper end of its stroke and is
about to move down. The valve 20 is closed and the air in the upper part of the
cylinder has been compressed through the previous upward stroke of the piston.
The amount of air in cylinder is sufficient to be more
than to sup-
port combustion of the motive fluid supplied during the working
stroke. The valve 3 being open by the action of
block 35, thereby raising the lever 36, the gas which is stored or generated in
the chamber 1 and the pressure of which is greater than that of the air compressed
in the cylinder 6 during the previous back stroke of the piston, flows into the
cylinder impinging against the igniting device at 40, being thereby ignited and
heating the compressed air or moisture in the cylinder. The piston thereupon
moves downward, the valve 3 being maintained open for a suitable length of time
which is determined by the operation of the governor 32. After the valve 3 has
closed, the heated air in the cylinder continues to expand moving the piston 8
forward, until the exhaust port 17 is uncovered by the piston, and the upper part
of the cylinder is opened to the exhaust. During the downward motion of the
piston, the air in that part of the cylinder below is forced out first of all through
the exhaust port 17. but when said port is covered by the piston, the valve 26
being open, the air escapes through the pipe 25 into the chamber 19. Almost
immediately after the upper part of the cylinder is opened to exhaust through
port 17, the valve 20 is caused to open by the operation of the cam 22, the air
rushes in through the opening 18, chamber 19 and through the cylinder and
exhaust port 17, thereby clearing out the products of combustion. The direction
of the current of air through the cylinder is determined by the fact that the
exhaust port 17 is opened before the valve 20 opens. Just before the piston
reaches the bottom of its stroke, the valve 26 is owing to the shape of the cam 28
permitted to close under pressure of the spring 27. and the air remaining in the
lower portion of the cylinder is slightly compressed. Before, however, the piston
has reached the dead point, said valve is opened again and the compressed air
permitted to rush out through the pipe 25. As the piston moves forward on its
up stroke, the valve 20 will remain open until just before the piston covers the
port 17, the remainder of the up stroke serving to compress the air in the upper
portion of the cylinder, until when the piston reaches its uppermost position the
feed valve is again opened, and the cycle recommences.

page_text: If the cock 4 is closed, the supply of motive fluid to the engine is cut off, while
if the cock 42 is closed the air remaining in the lower part of the cylinder when
the piston has covered the port 17 will be compressed during the forward motion
of the piston, or a vacuum will be formed if the piston is moving backward, in
either case the movement of the piston will be arrested. This sudden stoppage
of the piston will of course be used only in case of emergency, but when the
engine is utilized for motor car work, a pipe may be provided connecting the
lower part of the cylinder to an air brake apparatus, so that the compression of
the air produced by closing the cock 42 will operate said brakes to stop the
vehicle, or the air may be compressed into cylinders, for the purpose of starting
the engine.
It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to the precise type of
engine illustrated, but that other types of engine may be readily constructed in
accordance with my invention.
Dated th: 7th day of Ontation 1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., .
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Internal Combustion Engines.
I, EDWARD ALBERT MITCHELL, of 66, Thornlaw Road, West Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, Electrical 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 relates to an improved internal combustion engine.
The object of my said invention is to provide an engine in which a working
stroke may be given to the piston once every revolution of the crank shaft
without the use of a force pump for compressing the motive fluid as is commonly
employed in engines of the continuous combustion type. I thus avoid the loss of
efficiency due to the throttling during the inlet and transfer of the air or com-
bustible gas from the pump to the motor cylinder.
In place of this pump, 1 provide a closed chamber in which the motive fluid is
under pressure and the pressure which I contemplate making use of is that
occasioned by the production of combustible gas in a confined space, as for
instance by the action of water upon calcium carbide or any other similar com-
pound. The gas under pressure may be generated immediately in connection
with the engine in which it is to be employed, and may be supplied direct
thereto. Or it may be collected with suitable precautions in iron or other cylin-
ders of wellknown form, and may be stored in these and utilised for supplying
the engine at convenience.
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification
Figure 1 is an elevation of an improved engine constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the cylinder and adjacent parts of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan view, portions of the same being removed, and Figure 4 is a
section on the line 44, Fig. 1.
1 is the generator or reservoir holding the compressed motive fluid; 2, pipe
connecting said generator with the feed valve 3 of the engine, said pipe is pro-
vided with a stop valve 4 and a reducing valve 5 of any suitable type. 6, is the

page_text: cylinder of the engine which is provided with a water jacket 7 as usual in engines
of this type. 8 is the piston, 9 the piston rod, 10 the cross head, 11 the connect-
ing rod, 12 the crank, and 13 the crank shaft which is supported in suitable bear-
ings 14, mounted on the bed plate 15 of the engine. The cylinder 6 is supported
on a casting 16 which also forms the guides for the cross head 10. 17 is the
exhaust opening from the cylinder, and 18 another opening by which air can
enter the cylinder through a chamber 19 when the valve 20 is open. Said valve
which is normally maintained closed by a spring 21 is controlled by a cam 22,
supported on the shaft 23. At the lower end of the cylinder is a second open-
ing 24 which communicates through the pipe 25 with the chamber 19, the open
end of said pipe projecting into the opening 18 above mentioned. 26 is a valve
located at the entrance to pipe 25, and normally maintained closed by a spring 27,
said valve is controlled by the cam 28, also secured to shaft 23. Said shaft 23 is
supported in bearings 29, and is driven through gear wheels 30, 31, from the
crank shaft 13. The shaft 23 is provided with a governor 32 of any suitable type,
the movable portion 33 of which carries an arm 34 adapted to engage with an
inclined block 35 secured to a lever 36. This lever is provided with a fixed
pivot 37 and is connected by a link 38 with the feed valve 3. Said feed valve is
normally maintained closed by a spring 39 in the usual manner.
The igniting device may be of any suitable construction, that shewn in the
drawings being for example an electrical device, consisting of a platinum wire 40
joined in series with a battery 41, or other suitable source of electrical energy.
Said igniting device is located at the place where the motive fluid enters the
cylinder. 42 is a stop cock provided in the opening 24, for a purpose herein-
after mentioned.
The operation of my improved engine is as follows:-
-
The gas which is either generated or stored under pressure in the chamber 1
passes through pipe 2 and reducing valve 5, through stop valve 4 when the latter
is open and feed valve 3 into the cylinder 6 above the piston. With the parts in
the position shewn in Fig. 2, the piston is at the upper end of its stroke and is
about to move down. The valve 20 is closed and the air in the upper part of the
cylinder has been compressed through the previous upward stroke of the piston.
The amount of air in cylinder is sufficient to be more than to sup-
port combustion of the motive fluid supplied during the working
stroke. The valve 3 being open by the action of arm 34 on
block 35, thereby raising the lever 36, the gas which is stored or generated in
the chamber and the pressure of which is greater than that of the air compressed
in the cylinder 6 during the previous back stroke of the piston, flows into the
cylinder impinging against the igniting device at 40, being thereby ignited and
heating the compressed air or moisture in the cylinder. The piston thereupon
moves downward, the valve 3 being maintained open for a suitable length of time
which is determined by the operation of the governor 32. After the valve 3 has
closed, the heated air in the cylinder continues to expand moving the piston 8
forward, until the exhaust port 17 is uncovered by the piston, and the upper part
of the cylinder is opened to the exhaust. During the downward motion of the
piston, the air in that part of the cylinder below is forced out first of all through
the exhaust port 17, but when said port is covered by the piston, the valve 20
being closed, this air will undergo a slight compression but not sufficient to
cause any loss of efficiency. Almost immediately after the upper part of the
cylinder is opened to exhaust through the port 17 the valve 20 is caused to open
by the operation of the cam 22, and immediately afterwards the cam 28 opens
the valve 26, so that a blast of air rushes through the pipe 25 and through the
chamber 19 and into the cylinder driving out the products of combustion. Said
blast induces a supplementary current of air to flow with it from the atmosphere
through the chamber 19 and the valve 20 into the cylinder. As the piston moves
forward on its up-stroke, the valve 20 will remain open until just before the
piston covers the port 17, the remainder of the up-stroke serving to compress

page_text: the air in the upper portion of the cylinder, until when the piston reaches its
uppermost position the feed valve is again opened, and the cycle recommences.
During the upstroke the air enters the lower part of the cylinder through the
opening 24.
If the cock 4 is closed, the supply of motive fluid to the engine is cut off, while
if the cock 42 is closed the air remaining in the lower part of the cylinder when
the piston has covered the port 17 will be compressed during the forward motion
of the piston, or a vacuum will be formed if the piston is moving backward, in
either case the movement of the piston will be arrested.
This sudden stoppage
of the piston will of course be used only in cases of emergency, but when the
engine is utilized for motor car work, a pipe may be provided connecting the
lower part of the cylinder to an air brake apparatus, so that the compression of
the air produced by closing the cock 42 will operate said brakes to stop the
vehicle, or the air may be compressed into cylinders, for the purpose of starting
the engine.
It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to the precise type of
engine illustrated, but that other types of engines may be readily constructed in
accordance with my invention.
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. An improved internal combustion engine having an impulse every revolu-
tion and operating without the use of a force pump for compressing the motive
fluid by means of combustible gas under pressure, said gas being supplied at a
higher pressure than any pressure existing in the cylinder before the time of
ignition substantially as described.
2. In an internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, a pipe connecting
the space in front of the piston with the open chamber of the air inlet valve, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.
3. An internal combustion engine, substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of July 1900.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham.