An Improved. Hydro-carbon Motor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by JAMES MARTIN, Chairman of James Martin and
Company, Limited, whose registered office is at the Phoenix Foundry, Gawler,
in South Australia, Engineers and Ironfounders.]
An Improved. Hydro-carbon Motor.
I, JOHN CHARLES LANYON, of 27 Gresham House, Old Broad Street, London,
Merchant, 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 that class of motor wherein a reciprocating motion is
produced by means of a mixture of hydro-carbon vapour or gas and air being
admitted into a cylinder or cylinders and by ignition being exploded, thereby
imparting force, giving motion to a piston or pistons in the said cylinder or
cylinders, such reciprocating motion being transformed into a rotary movement by
the ordinary means in general use.
And the objects of my invention are-
First. To produce a motion wherein one explosion or impulse is obtained during
every reciprocal movement of each piston.'
Second. To improve the methods employed for delivering the charge of vapour
or gas and air into the combustion chamber for the purpose of such explosion.
Third. To provide improved means for the production of hydro-carbon vapour or
gas and its proper admixture with heated air.
Fourth. To ensure the automatic regulation and supply of same to the motor;
and
Fifth. To ensure a more efficient cooling of the walls of the cylinder and com-
bustion chamber by means of an induced current of air.
I will first explain the construction and operation of my invention relating
to motors having double cylinders working a shaft with its cranks placed opposite
to each other, as shown on drawings submitted herewith, and hereinafter.
described.:
The cylinders are of special construction, each having two diameters, and are
fitted with covers closing each end, the front covers being provided with a gland
box through which the piston rod reciprocates. The smaller end of the cylinders
through which the combustion chambers of the pistons move are jacketed, and the
spaces between the outside of the cylinders and the internal liners are formed into
annular air chambers, through which the atmospheric air is drawn for the purpose
of cooling the cylinders after the explosion of the gases, and for supplying the
requisite hot air for admixture with the hydro-carbon gas or vapour which is used
as the motive power in this motor.
The pistons are of a hollow type, fitting the different diameters of the cylinders,
and perform the following functions:-First, the small ends of the pistons form the
combustion chambers into which the mixture of vapour or gas and air is forced and
compressed for ignition; second, the large ends of the pistons form pump plungers,
by means of which the mixture of gas and air is drawn into one cylinder and
forced into the combustion chamber of the piston-opposite; third, the back of the
large ends of the pistons form pump plungers by means of which air is drawn into
the cylinders, through suitable valves placed' thereon, and circulated for the purpose
of cooling the walls of the cylinders and combustion chambers.
Communicating with the front or larger ends of the cylinders are ports or passages
(which are shown in the covers of cylinders on drawings herewith), and these ports
are fitted with check valves which communicate with the governor throttle valve

page_text: controming the quantity and proportions of vapour or gas and air to be admitted
to the cylinders. These valves are termed admission valves, and as the pistons
travel to and fro in the cylinders they automatically open to admit the gas and air
and close when the gases are being forced by the return stroke of the piston into the
combustion chamber of the opposite cylinder.
On the top of the cylinders at the front or larger end are ports or passages upor
which is fixed a valve box of peculiar construction fitted with two valves whereby
the gases drawn into the large end of one cylinder are passed over, to the com-
bustion chamber of the cylinder opposite by means of a delivery pipe; this is
termed a passover valve, and prevents the return of the compressed gases into
the front or large ends of the cylinders during the next period of admission of gases
for compression.
On the top of the cylinders at the back or small end, and communicating there-
with, are provided_two_back_pressure-valves, whereby the charge of compressed
-gas and air is confined in the combustion chamber, and the products of combustion
are prevented from returning through the gas supply pipes; these valves are
termed back pressure valves.
Connected to the admission valves is a throttle valve of special construction,
which can be actuated by any high speed governor; this throttle valve is connected
with a passage leading from one of the annular air spaces or belts on the cylinder
whereby the necessary hot air is supplied, and is also connected by means of a
pipe to the hydro-carbon vapouriser, and is so constructed that the admission of
hydro-carbon vapour or gas and air in fixed proportions can be varied in quantity
to suit the required force of explosion necessary to maintain a regular speed of
-motor.
When the mixture of hydro-carbon gas or vapour and air has been drawn
through the throttle valve and check valve into the large end of one cylinder, it is
compressed and forced through the passover valve and back pressure valve of the
cylinder opposite into the combustion chamber of the piston, and at the desired
moment by means of an electric spark or hot tube, commonly used with motors of
this class, the charge is ignited and exploded, thereby causing the piston to move
forward and communicate motion to a crank shaft by means of a connecting rod in
the usual manner.
When the pistons have travelled nearly to the end of their stroke, they auto-
matically uncover the exhaust ports, whereby the exploded gases are released and
the combustion chambers cleared for the next charge of gas.
The apparatus termed a hydro-carbon vapouriser can be placed in the bedplate
of the motor, or fixed in any convenient position adjacent thereto.
It consists of
a box shaped receptacle closed to the atmosphere and fitted with a pipe having an
air inlet valve on the top; a filter bed consisting of layers of pumice stone or other
similar substance of a spongy nature, alternated with layers of wool, is placed over
the pipe in sufficient quantities to prevent any of the hydro-carbon, with which the
vapouriser is charged, from being carried away in a liquid state when the gas is
drawn off. A pipe connected to the vapouriser as close to the top as convenient,
and to the gas or vapour branch of the throttle valve of the motor, and by means
of the large ends of the pistons in the cylinders of the motor air is drawn through
the air valve on the top of the vapouriser and down the pipe. through the filter
bed, and from thence as a saturated gas or vapour through the throttle valve
where it receives its admixture of heated air and passes on to the cylinders.
Where the hydro-carbons used are of a heavy nature, I pass a current of the
exhaust gases under the bottom of the vapouriser and the heat obtained thereby
facilitates the vapourising of the hydro-carbon..
Having now described the construction and operation of a motor having.double
cylinders where each cylinder depends upon the other for the proper supply of the
charge of compressed hydro-carbon gas or vapour and air, I will now describe the
construction and operation of a single cylinder motor so far as. its parts zand
operation differ from those of the motor previously described.
:

page_text: The cylinder is of special construction,, having three different diameters,
closed in at the back end only by means of a cover, the front end being open to
e atmosphere. That part of the cylinder in which the combustion chamber of
he piston moves is jacketed in a similar manner to the cylinders of the double
otor. The piston is of a hollow type, having three piston heads fitting the three
iameters of the cylinder and performs the same functions as the pistons in the
ouble motor in the following manner :-First-The small end of the piston forms
he combustion chamber into which the mixture of gas and air is forced and
ompressed for ignition. Second-The large end of the piston forms a pump
lunger, by means of which the mixture of gas or vapour and air is drawn into the
ylinder and forced and compressed into the combustion chamber. Third-The
middle piston head forms a pump plunger by means of which air is drawn through
the space between the cylinder liner and the outer body into the cylinder for the
purpose of cooling, the walls of the cylinder and combustion chamber.
This centre piston head has also another particular function, that of preventing
the gases from passing through the exhaust ports during the time of their being
compressed and forced into the combustion chamber.
A special valve box is connected to the cylinder communicating with the large
end of the piston. This valve box is fitted with a special double valve, through
which the required quantity of hydro-carbon vapour or gas and air is drawn as the
piston travels towards the crank shaft end of the motor, and on the return stroke'
of the piston the valves close, and the mixture is compressed and forced past the
back pressure valve into the combustion chamber in the small end of the piston.
This double valve is controlled in its lift by means of an ordinary centrifugal
governor, and performs the functions of the throttle valve and admission valves of
the double cylinder motor as previously described, the passover valve not being
required in this case.
In all other respects the construction and operation of both motors are alike, and
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the motors having reference to the
drawings herewith submitted.
Figure 1 is sectional elevation of a double cylinder motor constructed
according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan thereof.
Figure 3 is.a sectional elevation of a single cylinder motor showing the hydro-
carbon vapouriser in the bedplate.
Figure 4 is a plan of a pair of double cylinders, showing the pipe and valve
attachments.
Figure 5 is an end view of the pair of double cylinders, showing section of
throttle valve and arrangement and construction of admission and passover
A valves.
5
Figure 6 is a sectional plan of a single cylinder, showing valve and pipe
attachments.
Figure 7. is a cross section of a single cylinder taken through the combined"
admission and throttle valves.
The drawings having reference to the double cylinder motor have the following
distinguishing letters on their various parts, viz. :-A and A¹ represent the
cylinders, B and B₁ the pistons, C and C₁ the admission valves, D the throttle
valve, E the passover valve, F and F the delivery pipes, G and G₁ the back
pressure valves, H and H₁ the admission ports into the combustion chambers,
01 and I the exhaust ports and valve, K and K¹ the air valves communicating with
the throttle valve for supplying hot air to mix with the gas or vapour, L and
L' the air valves on air belts for cooling the walls of the cylinders and combustion
chambers, M the piston rods, N. the connecting rods, O the crank shaft, P the
bed plate.
55:
And the drawings representing the single cylinder motor have the following
distinguishing letters on their various parts-AA represent the cylinder, BB the
piston with three piston heads, CC the combined throttle and admission valves

page_text: DD the back pressure valve, EE the delivery pipe, FF the admission ports into
the combustion chamber, GG the exhaust ports, HH the exhaust valve, II the air
valve, communicating with the throttle valve for supplying hot air to mix with the
gas or vapour, KK the air valve on air belt for cooling the walls of cylinder and.
combustion chamber, LL the connecting rod, MM the crank shaft, NN. the.
bed plate, O the internal box of vapouriser, P and P¹ the air valve and pipe in
vapouriser, R the gas or vapour outlet pipe.
I will now describe one complete cycle of movements as performed by the double
cylinder motor as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Assuming the various parts to be in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2, then
if the crank shaft O is turned in the direction of the arrow shewn on the flywheel,
the piston B in the cylinder A travels backwards, and the large end of the
piston.draws in a charge of mixed hot air and hydro-carbon vapour or gas-through
the admission valve C, which is in communication with the throttle valve D, the
hot. air being supplied and drawn through the air passage d' from the air valve K,
and the hydro-carbon gas or vapour supplied and drawn through the pipe d², the
air and gas or vapour meeting and mixing within the throttle valve in desired
proportions.
On the return stroke of the piston B the charge of gas and air contained in the
large end of cylinder A is compressed and forced through the passover valve E and
along the delivery pipe F1 through the back pressure valve G₁ and the annular
series of holes H into the small end of the cylinder A' and the compression is
completed in the combustion chamber of piston B'. The crank shaft has now made.
one complete revolution, and the parts of the motor are again in the position shewn
on the drawing, but the combustion chamber of the piston B¹ is now charged with
the necessary explosive mixture of hot air and hydro-carbon gas or vapour, and at
this point ignition takes place, the resultant gases expanding and forcing the piston
to travel forwards, giving motion through the piston-rod M³ and connecting rod N'
to the crank shaft O. When the piston B' has travelled nearly to the end of its
stroke the exploded and expanded gases are allowed to escape through the exhaust.
ports and valve I', and the cylinder A¹ has completed its cycle of operations and
is ready to admit the charge for the next cycle, and so on continuously as long as
required. During the cycle of operations just described, the large end of piston B'
in cylinder A' has drawn in a charge of gas and air, and forced and compressed it into
cylinder A and combustion chamber of piston B, and the gas in cylinder A is
now ignited and expanded as described in cylinder A'. Thus with the two
cylinders I obtain two impulses or explosions during every complete revolution of
the crank shaft.
During the reciprocal movement of the pistons B and B₁ the inner side of the
large end of the pistons alternately draws in air through the valves L and L',
circulating it around and cooling the cylinder bodies and combustion chambers of
pistons, and on the return movement of the pistons the heated air is expelled
through the exhaust ports I and exhaust valve 1', thus keeping the motor in a cool
and workable condition.
I will now describe one complete cycle of movements as performed by the single
cylinder motor, as shewn in Figures No. 3, 6 and 7.
Assuming the various parts to be in the position shewn in Figure 3, then, if the
crank shaft MM is turned round in the direction indicated by the arrow on the
flywheel, the large end of the piston BB in the cylinder AA travels forward and
draws in a charge of mixed hydro-carbon gas and hot air through the combined
throttle and admission valves CC, which are in direct communication with the air
valve and air passage II and the hydro-carbon vapour or gas outlet pipe on.
vapouriser, the hot air and gas meeting and mixing within the throttle valve. On
the return stroke of the piston the charge of gas and air contained in the cylinder
between the large head of the piston and the middle head is compressed and
forced through the delivery pipe EE and the back pressure valve DD into the
combustion chamber of the piston. When the piston has travelled back to the

page_text: osition shewn in Figure 6, ignition takes place and the exploded gases
using the piston to move forward, and by means of the connecting rod LL give
otion to the crank shaft MM, thus completing the cycle of operations and
otaining one explosion or impulse for every complete revolution of the crank
haft.
The centre piston head during its reciprocating motion forms a wall for the
revention of the escape of the mixture of gas and air into the exhaust chamber
uring the period of compression, and also performs the functions of a pump
lunger whereby cold air is drawn into the cylinder through the air valve KK for
he purpose of cooling the walls of the cylinder and combustion chamber, and is
orced out through the exhaust ports GG and exhaust valve HH.
The bedplate NN forms the vapouriser, and its operation is as follows:-When
he large end of the piston BB travels forward it draws atmospheric air in through
he air valve P down through the pipe P, and after the air has percolated
hrough the filter bed in the box 00 it is drawn through the outlet pipe R as a
aturated gas or vapour into the throttle valve, where it mixes with the hot air
as before described.
The vapouriser is shown in Figure 3 as formed in the bedplate, but it may be
a separate chamber if desirable.
.
The operation of the motors, as herein described, in conjunction with a vapouriser,
can be performed in a similar manner without a vapouriser, where the use of coal
gas or other prepared hydro-carbon gas is preferred.
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-
:
First. A hydro-carbon motor having two cylinders (the ends of which are
closed) each fitted with pistons having two diameters, whereby the combustion
chamber of one cylinder is supplied with a charge of explosive gas by means of
the piston in the large end of the other cylinder, and vice versa; substantially as
herein described and set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
Second. A hydro-carbon motor, having one cylinder of three diameters (one
end only being closed) fitted with a piston the large end of which supplies the
charge of explosive gas to the combustion chamber of the piston; substantially
as herein described and set forth, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings.
Third. In a hydro-carbon motor, the specially constructed cylinder or cylinders
and piston or pistons herein described, whereby a current of cold air is maintained
around the cylinder body and combustion chamber for the purpose of cooling same;
substantially as herein described and set forth, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth. A hydro-carbon motor having a vapouriser fitted with an inlet valve
and pipe, and a filter bed consisting of layers of pumice stone or other spongy
material alternated with layers of wool placed over such air inlet pipe; the whole
being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and set forth,
5 reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
Webruary 1893.
ABEL & IMRAL,
Agents for the Applicant.