Improvements in Gas or Hydro-carbon Motors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas or Hydro-carbon Motors.
We, ANDRE FRITSCHER, and ABEL RAYMOND HOUDRY, both of Provins, in the
Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of four-stroke gas or hydro-carbon motors
in which the cylinders, two in number, are arranged vertically, and refers more
particularly:
(1) To the operation of the discharge valves in such a manner that the cylinders,
although their pistons act simultaneously, have different periods (for instance
one is at expulsion while the other is at compression);
(2) To the connection of this operating mechanism with the governor, for sus-
pending the action of the cylinders when the motor exceeds the regular speed;
(3) To the arrangement of the governor for the purpose of enabling the speed
of the motor to be varied by varying the resistance of the governor.
Our invention refers also to the general arrangement of the motor, and to
certain features of detail which are hereinafter set forth.
Our improved motor comprises two working cylinders arranged vertically and
provided with a water jacket; two suction valves and two discharge valves; two
pistons and connecting rods throwing into a shaft carrying at one of its extremities
a fly wheel and a pulley or gear wheel, whilst the other extremity carries a
governor. The driving shaft has, practically, only a single crank, to which the
two connecting rods are attached, and by reason of this arrangement the two
pistons travel simultaneously, although the cylinders have different periods, as
will hereinafter be seen.
Our improved motor also comprises a special valve gear actuating each of the
discharge valves alternately, and a connection between this valve gear and the
governor for the purpose of suspending, under the action of the latter, the action
of the discharge valves. The suction and discharge valves are enclosed
in the same box which is bolted to the upper part of the two
cylinders and constitutes the rear of the latter, in which circulates
the water from the jacket of the two cylinders. Between these valves (a suction
valve arranged above a discharge valve) is provided for each cylinder an orifice
for the admission of the explosive mixture, opposite to which may be arranged
any kind of igniting device."
The admission valves communicate through a single pipe with a pipe conduct-
ing the mixture of air and gas.
Each of the discharge valves is subjected to the action of a spring tending to
keep it always closed, and below the valves is a discharge pipe which is common
to them. In line with the rod of each of these valves is an independent rod pass-
ing into a sleeve to which we will hereinafter refer. A spring is interposed
between a shoulder on the said independent rod and the sleeve.
We will now set forth the particular features of our improved motor.

page_text: Upon the driving shaft between the connecting rods is placed an eccentric
surrounded by a collar provided with an arm articulated to a ring which surrounds
the shaft and is pivoted to a convenient part of the framing. This ring is
furnished, opposite the pivot, with a nose engaging with a slot in a rod travers-
ing guides in a drum or part of the framing which serves as an oil receptacle.
At its lower part this rod may be controlled by a spiral spring whose tension can
be regulated, and which ensures a constant contact between the upper part of the
slot in such rod and the nose of the aforesaid ring. At its upper part this rod has
a cross or transverse piece, to the extremities of which are securely fixed the
sleeves hereinbefore referred to. Above this cross or transverse piece is fitted a
reciprocating bar engaging with and guided in openings in the said sleeves, and
which is provided with two projections designed to be pass alternately below the
aforesaid independent rods passing into the said sleeves, and with a lug held
between two springs located in the cross or transverse piece. These two springs
balance each other and tend to keep the said reciprocating bar in a middle position
so that its projections will not operate the rods. This piece is connected by
another rod to an oscillating lever the opposite extremity of which is in engage-
ment with a cam keyed upon the driving shaft.
This cam presents a groove which by its configuration constitutes two grooves
which cross each other and each have an inoperative portion corresponding to
the discharge period. The said lever carries a pivotal piece which. by reason of
its form is obliged to follow exactly the groove throughout its extent, thereby
giving the lever an angular movement with a rest at each of the extremities of
its movement. The movement of this lever is thus transmitted by the aforesaid
rod to the reciprocating bar, the lug on which compresses alternately the before
mentioned springs.
By reason of this alternating movement the projections on said reciprocating
bar are placed and remain alternately beneath each of the independent rods, which
are thus in turn operated by the rod submitted to the action of the eccentric.
By this arrangement the discharge valves are raised in turn only once for two
revolutions of the driving shaft. Now, as this raising corresponds to the dis-
charge period it will be seen that the cylinders, although their pistons are adapted
to move simultaneously in the same direction, are at different periods at the same
moment; that is to say when one of them is at its period of discharge the other
is at its period of compression and vice versa. In like manner when one of them
is at its suction period the other is at its explosion period. Accordingly they
act alternately to drive the shaft.
The connection between the oscillating lever and the rod for communicating its
motion to the reciprocating bar is not an absolute connection. It is formed by
the simple fitting of a terminal square of the lever in a corresponding slot in the
said rod; from this it follows that if the latter is raised from any cause the con-
nection will be broken, and that the lever continues its movement under the
action of the cam, whilst the rod liberates the reciprocating bar, which under
the action of its balanced springs takes a middle position so that its projections
will be between the independent rods and unable to act upon them. Under these
circumstances the discharge valves remain blocked and the explosions are sus-
pended.
The raising of the said rod is effected by the governor when the regular speed
of the motor is exceeded and it remains raised until the regular speed is re-estab-
lished by the suppression of a certain number of explosions.
For this purpose the governor has its two balls connected to a sleeve having
a groove in which engage the terminal roller of one arm of a bell crank lever,
whose other arm is connected to the aforesaid rod. In practice the connection
between the square oscillating lever and the rod is very slight so that the least
departure from the regular speed causes their separation and the temporary sus-
pension of the explosions. Moreover the governor is mounted in a box or casing
fitted, with little friction, upon the driving shaft and held in place by a screw,

page_text: which may be turned directly by hand or by the aid of any transmitting device;
for example by means of a chain passing over a wheel keyed upon the said screw.
Between the box and the sleeve of the governor is interposed a spring the tension
of which tends to constantly push the box towards the said screw at the same time
that it opposes a greater or less resistance to the longitudinal displacement of
the sleeve.
In this manner I may vary the sensibility of the governor by turning the screw
and so compressing more or less the said spring.
Such is in its entirety and in its details the gas or hydro-carbon motor which
we have devised and which we may make in any sizes. It will also be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the precise forms, dimensions and arrangement
of its constituent parts, and we reserve the right to replace the eccentric actuating
the valve gear by a cam similar to that actuating the oscillating lever, which
would enable us to reduce to a certain extent the size or length of our motor.
Dated this 1st dose of An 1807
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
We, ANDRE FRITSCHER, and ABEL RAYMOND HOUDRY, both of Provins, in the
Republic of France, Engineers, 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:―
This invention relates to that class of four-stroke gas or hydro-carbon motors
in which the cylinders, two in number, are arranged vertically, and refers more
particularly:
(1) To the operation of the discharge valves in such a manner that the cylinders,
although their pistons act simultaneously, have different periods (for instance
one is at expulsion while the other is at compression);
(2) To the connection of this operating mechanism with the governor for sus-
pending the action of the cylinders when the motor exceeds the regular speed:
(3) To the arrangement of the governor for the purpose of enabling the speed
of the motor to be varied by varying the resistance of the governor.
Our invention refers also to the general arrangement of the motor and to certain
features of detail which are hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, as seen from the side of the
operating mechanism, of a vertical two-cylinder and four-stroke motor construc-
ted in accordance with our improvements.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the driving shaft and the governor
on line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a detail of one of the cams on the driving shaft, and
Figure 6 is a detail of the click designed to free the discharge valves in certain
cases.
Our improved motor comprises two working cylinders A. and 'A' arranged
vertically and provided with a water jacket; two suction valves a and a¹ and two
discharge valves band b¹; two pistons B and B connected by connecting rods C

page_text: and C¹ to the crank shaft D journalled in the bearings E and E¹ Figure 1, said
crank shaft being provided at one of its extremities with a fly wheel or a pulley or
gear wheel F, whilst the other extremity carries the governor G. The driving
shaft has practically only a single crank to which the two connecting rods are
attached, Figure 1 and by reason of this arrangement the two pistons travel
simultaneously, although the cylinders have different periods, as will hereinafter
be seen.
Our improved motor also comprises a special valve gear upon the driving shaft I)
actuating each of the discharge valves 6 and 61, alternately and a connection
between this valve gear and the governor for the purpose of suspending, under
the action of the latter, the action of the discharge valves. It will also be seen
that the suction and discharge valves are enclosed in the same box H which is
bolted to the upper part of the two cylinders A and A¹ and constitutes the lear
of the latter, in which circulates the water from the jacket of the two cylinders.
Between these valves (a suction valve arranged above a discharge valve) are
provided orifices o o¹ Figure 4 one for each cylinder, for the admission of the
explosive mixture, opposite to which may be arranged any kind of igniting device.
The admission valves a and a communicate through a single pipe c with a
pipe conducting the mixture of air and gas.
The discharge valves are subjected to the action of springs d d tending to
keep them always closed, and below the valves is a discharge pipe c¹ which is
common to them. In line with the rods of these valves are independent rods e e¹
passing into sleeves f f¹ to which we will hereinafter refer. Springs are
interposed between a shoulder on the said independent rods and the above men-
tioned sleeves.
We will now set forth the particular features of our improved motor.
Upon the driving shaft D, between the connecting rods C and C is placed an
eccentric I Figures 2 and 3 surrounded by a collar or sheave i provided with an
arm articulated to a ring J which surrounds the shaft and is pivoted at j to a
convenient part of the framing T. This ring is furnished, opposite the pivot j
with a nose engaging with a slot in a rod K working in guides g and g¹ in
the framing or drum T which serves as an oil receptacle. At its lower part the
rod K may be controlled by a spiral spring R, whose tension can be regulated,
and which ensures a constant contact between the upper part of the slot k in
such rod and the nose j¹ of the ring J. At its upper part the rod K is provided
with a cross or transverse piece t, (Figures 1 and 2) to the extremities of which
are securely fixed the sleeves f and fl hereinbefore referred to. Above this cross
or transverse piece is fitted a reciprocating bar engaging with and guided in
openings and in the said sleeves, and which is provided with two projec-
tions and designed to pass alternately below the aforesaid independent
rods e and e¹, and with a lug u² held between two springs vand v located in the
cross or transverse piece t. These two springs balance each other and tend to
keep the said reciprocating bar in a central position so that the projections u
and u will not operate the rods e and e¹. This bar t¹ is connected by a rod U to
the lever L oscillating at 12, the opposite extremity of said lever being in engage-
ment with a cam M keyed upon the driving shaft D.
This cam presents a groove (Figures 3 and 5) which by its configuration con-
stitutes two grooves which cross each other at r and each of which have an inopera-
tive portion (y or y¹) corresponding to the discharge period. The lever L carries
a pivotal piece 13 which by reason of its form is obliged to follow exactly the
groove throughout its extent, thereby giving the lever L an angular movement
with a rest at each of the extremities of its movement. The movement of this
lever is thus transmitted by the aforesaid rod U to the reciprocating bar t¹, the
lug on which compresses alternately the before mentioned springs and v¹.
By reason of this alternating movement the projections and u¹ on said
reciprocating bar are placed and remain alternately beneath each of the indepen-
dent rods e and e¹ which are thus in turn operated by the rod K submitted to

page_text: vice versa.
the action of the eccentric I. By this arrangement the discharge valves b and b
are raised in turn only once for two revolutions of the driving shaft. Now, as this
raising corresponds to the discharge period it will be seen that the cylinders A
and A', although their pistons are adapted to move simultaneously in the same
direction, are at different periods at the same moment; that is to say, when one
of them is at its period of discharge the other is at its period of compression and
In like manner when one of them is at its suction period the other
it at its explosion period. Accordingly they act alternately to drive the shaft.
The connection between the rod U and the oscillating lever L is not an absolute
connection. It is formed as a click by the simple fitting of a terminal square h
of the lever L in a corresponding slot Figures 1 and 6 in the said rod U; from
this it follows that if the latter is raised from any cause the connection will be
broken, and that the lever continues its movement under the action of the cam M,
whilst the rod U liberates the reciprocating bar which under the action of its
balanced springs and ¹ takes a central position so that its projection u and u¹
will be between the independent rods e and e¹ and unable to act upon them. Under
these circumstances the discharge valves b and b¹ remain blocked and the explosions
are suspended.
The raising of the rod U is effected by the governor G when the regular speed
of the motor is exceeded and it remain raised until the regular speed is re-estab-
lished by the suppression of a certain number of explosions.
For this purpose the governor G has its two balls connected to a sleeve N
having a groove in which engage the terminal roller n of one arm of a bell crank
lever Ŏ, whose other arm is connected to the rod U by means of an adjustable rod P.
It will thus be seen that when the balls are separated the sleeve N is pushed
back and that the rod P lifts the rod U which turns about its point of attach-
ment upon the bar t¹. In practice the engagement of the square h of the lever L
with the slot in the rod U is very slight so that the least departure from the speed
causes their separation and the temporary suspension of the explosions. More-
over the governor G is mounted in a box or casing Q fitted, with little friction,
upon the driving shaft D and held in place by a screw V, which may be turned
either by hand or by the aid of any transmitting device; for example by means
Between the
of a chain passing over the wheel V₁ keyed upon the said screw.
box Q the sleeve N of the governor is interposed a spring R¹ the tension of which
tends to constantly push the box Q towards the said screw V at the same time
that it opposes a greater or less resistance to the longitudinal displacement of
the sleeve N.
In this manner I may vary the sensibility of the governor by turning the
screw V and so compressing more or less the spring R
Such is in its entirety and in its details the gas or hydro-carbon motor which
we have devised and which we may make in any sizes. It will also be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the precise forms, dimensions and arrangement
of its constituent parts, and we reserve the right to replace the eccentric actuating
the rod K by a cam similar to that actuating the oscillating lever, which would
enable us to reduce to a certain extent the size or length of our motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
The hereindescribed improvements in four-stroke gas or hydrocarbon motors
having two vertical cylinders and more especially
First. The combination of the discharge valves of the two cylinders having
their pistons attached to the same crank of the driving shaft, with a part submitted
to a vertical movement and a transverse movement, for the purpose of raising
alternately the said discharge valves and causing the two cylinders to act in turn,
although their pistons move in the same direction, as hereinbefore specified.
Second. The combination of the cross or transverse piece t submitted to an

page_text: alternating vertical movement in each turn of the driving shaft, with a bar t¹
provided with projections u and u¹ at its extremities, submitted to the action of
two antagonistic springs and 1 and submitted to an alternating horizontal
movement, with a rest at each of the extremities of its horizontal movement, the
said combination having for its object to act alternately by means of the projec
tions u and u¹ upon the discharge valves, as herein before specified.
Third. The combination of the mechanism forming the subject of the second
claim with a rod K actuated by an eccentric or by a cam keyed upon the shaft and
transmitting to the cross or transverse piece t the alternating vertical movement,
and with a special cam M which, by a lever L, transmits to the bar tan alter-
nating horizontal movement with a rest at the extremities of the movement, as
hereinbefore specified.
Fourth. The combination of the bar t¹ having projections u and u¹ and inter-
posed between the springs and v¹, and of the special cam M with a click between
the lever L and the bar t¹, the said click being placed under the action of the
governor and having for its object, when the motor exceeds its regular or normal
speed, to liberate the bar t¹ which, under the action of its springs and v¹, takes
a central position in order to produce no action upon the discharge valves, as and
for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The special arrangement of the governor whose parts, submitted to
the action of the centrifugal force, are mounted in a box Q arranged upon the
driving shaft and comprised between a spring R¹ and an abutment screw V; the
said screw enabling the spring R¹ to be compissed more or less and consequently
the sensibility of the governor to be regulated, tris governor acting upon the click
forming the subject of the fourth claim or upon any other parts of the motor,
as herein before specified.
Sixth. The motor as herein before described in its entirety and in its details
with reference to the accompanying drawing, reserving the forms, dimensions
and arrangement of its different constitutive parts, as hereinbefore specified.
Dated this 6th day of January 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.