Improvements in Gas Engines and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Lelt, 2nd Jan., 1396-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by HENRI MARIE LEON CROUAN, Mechanical
Engineer, of 54 Lafayette, Paris, in the Republic of France.]
Improvements in Gas Engines and the like.
I JOHN WILLIAM MACKENZIE, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
_
This invention for improvements in gas engines and the like has for its object to
enable high speeds to be attained by replacing the usual cams actuating the valves
by eccentrics and making all the parts of the engine absolutely rigid with respect
to each other and the bearing surfaces sufficiently large; to increase the volume of
explosive mixture; to thoroughly clear the cylinder of exhaust products after each
explosion so as to ensure absolute certainty of action; to secure au intimate and
instantaneous mixture of the gas and air in the cylinder; and to provide a simple
efficient and thoroughly adjustable governor.
In an engine constructed according to this invention, the inlet valve is of the
suction type and is divided into two parts for the gas and air respectively. The
exhaust valve is actuated from an eccentric through a connecting rod, lever, and
catch rod acting on the valve stem. A second eccentric revolving at half the speed
of the first eccentric draws the end of the catch rod opposite the end of the valve
stem at each alternate stroke or when desired to open the exhaust valve.
The eccentric rod of the half-speed eccentric is in two parts connected together
by a spring pawl on one part taking into a notch on the other part. At the end
of the stroke of the eccentric the spring pawl is knocked out of its notch against an
adjustable stop by a second adjustable stop and when the speed is too great the
pawl is drawn by the eccentric away from the notch before it can again fall into the
notch so that the free part of the rod is not operated to place the catch rod opposite
the valve stem until the next cycle.
During the instroke of the piston air is drawn into the casing through a suction
valve and at the end of the outstroke the compressed air passes by a pipe to an
annular space communicating with the cylinder by a series of openings uncovered
by the piston at the end of the outstroke. The air rushes in and according to the
phase of the engine displaces the products of the previous explosion or mixes with
the air and gas drawn into the cylinder in the usual way and increases the volume
of the explosive mixture.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: :
Improvements in Gas Engines and the like.
I JOHN WILLIAM MACKENZIE, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, 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 for improvements in gas engines and the like has for its object to
enable high speeds to be attained by replacing the usual cams actuating the valves
by eccentrics and making all the parts of the engine absolutely rigid with respect
to each other and the bearing surfaces sufficiently large; to increase the volume of
explosive mixture; to thoroughly clear the cylinder of exhaust products after each
explosion so as to ensure absolute certainty of action; to secure an intimate and
instantaneous mixture of the gas and air in the cylinder; and to provide a simple
efficient and thoroughly adjustable governor.
In an engine constructed according to this invention, the inlet valve is of the
suction type and is divided into two parts for the gas and air respectively. The
exhaust valve is actuated from an eccentric through a connecting rod, lever, and
catch rod acting on the valve stem. A second eccentric revolving at half the speed
of the first eccentric draws the end of the catch rod opposite the end of the valve
stem at each alternate stroke or when desired to open the exhaust valve.
The eccentric rod of the half-speed eccentric is in two parts connected together
by a spring pawl on one part taking into a notch on the other part. At the end of
the stroke of the eccentric the spring pawl is knocked out of its notch against an
adjustable stop by a second adjustable stop and when the speed is too great the
pawl is drawn by the eccentric away from the notch before it can again fall into
the notch so that the free part of the rod is not operated to place the catch rod
opposite the valve stem until the next cycle.
During the instroke of the piston air is drawn into the casing through a suction
valve and at the end of the outstroke the compressed air passes by a pipe to an
annular space communicating with the cylinder by a series of openings uncovered
by the piston at the end of the outstroke. The air rushes in and according to the
phase of the engine displaces the products of the previous explosion or mixes with
the air and gas drawn into the cylinder in the usual way and increases the volume
of the explosive mixture.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings: Fig. 1 is an elevation of a
motor constructed according to this invention, and Fig. 2 is a section. Figs. 3 and 4
are detail views.
This motor is a four cycle motor. It comprises a frame A (forming a closed
drum) a cylinder D, a piston F, a crank G, and a connecting rod.
There are only two valves, one a, the suction valve for the explosive mixture, which
is formed during entry, the valve a being divided into two parts by a partition, and
drawing in air on the one side and combustible gas on the other; the other b is the
exhaust valve for the burut gases. The former is loose and rises under suction
from the piston, the second is actuated by the following mechanism :-On the
shaft an eccentric E actuates a rod T, which by means of the elbow C, bears
But under these
through the tappet X on the exhaust valve and raises it.
conditions the lift would take place at each revolution; in order that it may
only take place once for each two revolutions a wheel R engages with a pinion r one
half as large, keyed on the shaft L. This wheel R is fitted on an axis M together
with an eccentric e actuating the rod t which is jointed to the tappet ✗. The

page_text: eccentrics are keyed on in such a manner that when the tappet X is horizontal (at
the moment when the eccentric e moves at about the lowest point) the eccentric E
travels through the upper half of its circular course. The tappet X then raises
the valve band moving backwards allows it to fall on its seat again; at this moment
being still drawn by which commences to travel through the lower half of its
course it is obliged by the rod t to take the position X', the eccentric e carrying it
with it in its upward movement. At the moment when this eccentric e travels
through the upper part of its course, the eccentric E which again commences the
upper half of its revolution again pushes the tappet X forward but this time, as
the latter occupies the position where it is maintained by e'it cannot impart
movement to the valve, and the stroke is made in the air.
The same cycle is then repeated.
All the parts being connected together by tight joints any speed may be obtained
without shocks and without noise.
This first point enables any speed of rotation to be given to the motor by making
all the parts absolutely rigid with respect to each other and by suppressing the
wear which high speed would entail, thanks to the large bearing surfaces which the
eccentrics permit.
REGULATOR.
In order that the number of explosions may correspond to the work required,
the rod t (Fig. 2) is divided into two parts (Fig. 4) the lower part carrying
a tube which slides on the upper part. In this tube is an opening
corresponding to a notch p¹ made in the rod. On the lower part is fitted a
a ratchet spring p which normally catches in the notch on the upper part of the
rod which is constantly held up by the spring / (see Fig. 2) pulling on the tail of
the tappet X.
The spring p (Fig 4) carries a tail & butting against a screw at the moment
when the lower part of the rod t reaches the top of its travel. This tail in so
butting causes the spring to disengage itself from the notch in the rod and to rest
on the screw, being deflected more or less according to the adjustment of the
latter. When the rod again descends it tends to straighten and to again catch in
the notch p of the rod and so carry it with it in its movement.
If the speed of the motor exceeds that corresponding to the speed with which
the spring straightens under the influence of the pressure of the screw u, the
spring will not have time to fall into the notch and the lower part of the rod t will
not carry with it the upper part which will continue to strike into space without
raising the exhaust valve.
The motor thus decreasing in speed, since explosions are suppressed by the non-
opening of the escape valve and the suppression of the suction of fresh gas, the
spring will be able to catch into the notch which it missed on the preceding strokes
and the explosions will recommence so long as the speed which it is desired to obtain
is not exceeded.
This speed is furthermore adjusted as desired by screwing up more or less the
screw v, attaining an extreme simplicity with a facility for varying the speed of the
motor almost without limits.
The increase of the speed of the explosive gases for each cylinder-full is here
obtained in a manner at once sure and simple without valves or any movable
accessory mechanism, in the following manner. Around the cylinder D is an
annular crown B connecting to the cylinder by a series of openings i arranged so
as to be uncovered when the piston arrives at the lowest point of its travel.
annular ring communicates by two large pipes O, O with the closed dram A which
acts as a base and which is provided with a suction valve S.
This
The piston acts alternately with respect to the volume of the base, as a suction
and force pump. At each stroke it will draw in air which it will compress on
descending. At the movement when it uncovers the orifices the compressed air
in the base will pass to the top of the piston increasing the volume of the gases in

page_text: the cylinder, and a larger compressed volume will be obtained, that is to say, a
stronger explosion.
-
This combination is obtained without additional valves liable to be burnt or to
fail in action: This procedure presents the following advantages. Absolute
security of action, duration of opening rigorously proportional to the speed of the
motor itself, intimate and instantaneous mixture due to the large number of the
inlet openings and to the division of the jets of air in the mass of gas in
the cylinder.
The speed of opening and closing the orifices is proportional to the speed of
the motor itself, thus permitting the latter to have an absolutely regular movement
at no matter what speed.
Finally the arrangement and the number of the openings each projecting a thin
film of air permits of an intimate mixture, and one which is instantaneous, without
any complication of accessory parts, which is of immense importance in light
motors.
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 double combination of the eccentrics described, one raising the valve
directly and mounted on the shaft, the other rotating at half speed and suppressing
alternately the action of the first on the valve.
2. Augmenting the volume of the gases of each cylinder-full by the introduction
of a supplementary volume of air coming from the drum and obtained, substantially
.as described.
3. The spring regulator, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1896
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C. Agents.