Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in the United Kingdom), 28th Dec., 1896
Complete Specifiction Left, 28th Sep., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
Motors
I, EMILE OCTAVE L'HOMME, of Central Rouen Lower Seine, in the Republic of
France, Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be, as
follows:
My invention relates to a new system of motor of the category of motors termed
explosion engines, in which the explosion or rapid combustion of a gaseous body
generally constituted by a mixture of lighting gas and air or of hydrocarbon vapours
and air is utilized as motive power: Of course my motor is not designed to work
exclusively by means of these gaseous bodies, but with any gas or mixture of gas,
the combustion of which may produce motive power, and whenever I use in my
description the word "gas" it is in the most general acceptation of the word.
The gas motors heretofore used operating either on the four stroke cycle or on the
two stroke cycle present the inconvenience of mixing the fresh gases with a certain
quantity of the burnt gases from the preceding explosion; from this results a loss of
energy, sometimes no explosion takes place, hence an irregular motion and an
abnormal expenditure of gaseous products; moreover the exhaust valves, operating
in the inidst of gas at a very high temperature, easily become deteriorated aud their
movement becomes irregular.
In my improved system of motor I obviate it his cause of bad working by dispensing
with the exhaust valve or valves, and consequently all the parts which depend thereon,
and I realise the two stroke cycle with a single cylinder, wherein a piston moves
which has one face turned to the open air, whereas up to the present time the two
stroke motion with a single cylinder was obtained only by utilizing the two faces of
the piston.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section passing through the cylinder of the motor.
It will be noticed that the devices which are on the left hand side of the cylinder
have not been represented in section, but in elevation.
Figure 2 represents a section in plan passing likewise through the cylinder and a
plan view of the parts represented in elevation in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the cam of Figure 2.
It will be noticed that in Figure 1, the pistons are at the erid of their stroke, whilst
in Figure 2 they are at their rear-end.
A is the cylinder fixed upon the bed B. The cylinder is surrounded with a cooling
jacket a with its tubes a¹ and as for the admission and discharge of the water.
In the interior of the cylinder is displaced the motor piston C to which is jointed a
connecting rod D in connection with a crank shaft E turning in bearings F F
supported by the frame and provided with a fly wheel G.

page_text: H is a second piston fixed to a rod à sliding in a stuffing box I arranged at the
bottom of the cylinder. In the thickness of this piston are placed valves h¹...
which open from the rear face towards the front face. The rod h is fixed by its other
extremity to a transverse arm J carrying two friction rollers jj which are displaced
along the guides K K fixed on the one hand to the cylinder A and connected on the
other hand by means of a transverse bar k.
The transverse arm J carries two rings or forks jj embracing the slides K K ;
between the transverse device K and the rings two spiral springs are
arranged.
Upon a support. La sector M is pivotally connected, which comprises two
spokes m, m2 and a curved part ma. This sector M carries a pinion m+, fixed in its
centre, which gears with the bar 0, which is provided with teeth o toward one
extremity.
A band of flexible steel N is fixed on the one hand in n to the sector and on the
other hand to the extremity of the rod à upon the transverse arm J. This steel band
thus is located upon the curved part of the sector when the piston H is at the end of
its rear stroke (Figure 2).
The rod O slides.under soft friction in the supports ol of fixed to the cylinder and
to the frame; its extremity of bears against the cam P keyed on the shaft. E.
The rod:0 carries a collar o'; between this latter and the support or bearing ola
spring of is provided, the object of which is to always keep the extremity of well
applied against the cam P.
Upon the cylinder wall A the exhaust pipe Q is fixed, which is arranged exactly at
the place where the forward stroke of the pistons terminates, and in such a manner
that at this moment the orifice of this pipe is exactly covered by the edge of the
auxiliary piston H.
At the other extremity the device R for admitting the gaseous mixture is
arranged.
This admission device may be analogous to admission valves such as utilized int
motors, and the constructional arrangements of which are well known; I prefer
however to construct this device in the following manner:
A conical valve r bears against a seat provided with openings r; this valve is fixed
to a rod sliding freely in within the base ; in this base openings are
provided; the rod r is-screw-threaded at its lower extremity and earries a nut ;
between this nut and the base a spring 7 is arranged. The gas arrives through
the pipe, upon which a device for regulating the admission may be arranged.
The air arriving through-the openings of the base enters the cylinder by passing
between the conical valve and its seat and is mixed with the gas arriving through the
openings ; in this manner, a very intimate mixing takes place. I do not insist on
such device which is well known. The admission device is so arranged that its orifice,
opening into the interior of the cylinder, is covered by the edge of the auxiliary
piston when this latter has reached the end of its rear-stroke,; as this orifice is closed
when the explosion takes place and as consequently the admission device never is in
contact with the gaseous products of this explosion, the valve is kept in an excellent
'state of wear and its temperature never becomes too high.
The ignition device is arranged in 8, it may be of any suitable system, electrical,
or with an incandescent tube and so forth.
The operation of my engine takes place in the following manner:
Let us suppose the motor is working; this condition is indispensable; it is known
in fact that gas, petroleum or similar engines cannot be started of themselves and
"that it is necessary to start them.
Supposing now, that an explosion has just taken place; the working piston is
pushed forward. Slightly before the end of its stroke and at the same time when it
commences to pass the orifice Q, the cam P occupies such a position that the fall p
lies at the end os of the rod O; the auxiliary piston which was at its rear-position
held applied against the bottom of the cylinder and connected to the rod O'by ineans.
of the connecting devices described, while the springs are compressed, is set

page_text: free under the action of the springs k¹ and is vehemently driven toward the piston C
and joins this latter, thus forcing forward the burnt gases which are thus completely
expelled through the opening Q
During the period that the piston H with its front face exhausts the burnt gases,
it draws in fresh gases from behind.
As the rotary motion of the shaft continues, the two pistons applied against one
another move back; after a small fraction of the stroke, the piston H driven by the
cam P by means of the connecting devices described, is separated from the driving
piston; the fresh gases which were behind the auxiliary piston enter by the
valves h¹ into the space which is formed between this latter and the piston C, so that
at the end of their back-stroke, the two pistons occupy the position shown in Figure 1,
the auxiliary piston H being applied against the bottom of the cylinder so as not to
undergo any strain when the explosion takes place, the driving piston C being
slightly moved forward, and in this intermediate space existing between them, the
compressed gaseous mixture is confined; the ignition is then effected, the explosion
takes place, the driving piston is pushed forward and the same series of phenomena
takes place. At the return the distance. which the auxiliary piston receives, in
advance over the driving piston is obtained by imparting to the cam P a suitable
curve.
It is thus evident that my motor operates on the so-called cycle of two operations,
with one motive operation for each complete revolution of the shaft, namely, by
utilizing only one face of the driving piston, whilst the other face is turned toward
the open air. The total expulsion of the burnt gases is thus realized with the
complete omission of exhaust valves.
My motor does not possess any delicate mechanism liable to come into contact
with the hot gases resulting from the explosion, since, the exhaust mechanisms or
valves being suppressed, the only valve or analogous mechanism in existence is the
admission valve, which cannot cominunicate with the inside of the cylinder at the
moment of the explosion, as its orifice is covered by the edge of the auxiliary piston.
I desire it to be understood that I reserve the right of modifying my motor as I may
consider suitable for the purpose in applying the principles on which the same operates;
thus, although having described my motor of two operations with a piston, one face
of which is turned toward the open air, I am free to construct my motor with a
closed cylinder, so as to obtain a cycle of one operation with two explosions per
revolution or combine a number of cvlinders either of one or two operations.
I bave also indicated a device for actuating my auxiliary piston, but it is.evident
that I may employ other means for actuating the same, such as are of current use
in mechanics: spiral springs, compressed-air cylinders combined with levers, rods and
the like, so as to communicate to the auxiliary piston the movements explained.
The ignition-device may be of any kind: an incandescent tube, electricity, and so
forth.... the cylinder may be cooled either by a circulation of water or by
fans.
I, EMILE OCTAVE L'HOMME, of Ronen, Lower Seine, in the Republic of France,
Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained' in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a new syetem of motor of the kind known as explosion
engines, in which the explosion or rapid combustion of a gaseous body generally
.constituted by a mixture of lighting gas and air or of hydrocarbon vapours and air is
utilized as motive power. Of course my motor is not designed to work exclusively
by means of these gaseous bodies, but with any gas or mixture of gas, the combustion
of which may produce motive power, and whenever I use in my description the word
"gas" it is in the most general acceptation of the word.
The gas motors heretofore used, operating either on the four stroke cycle or on the
two stroke cycle present the inconvenience of mixing the fresh gases with a certain
quantity of the burut gases from the preceding, explosion. From this results a loss
of energy, sometimes no explosion takes place, hence an irregular motion and an
abnormal expenditure of gaseous products; moreover the exhaust valves, operating
in the midst of gas at a very high temperature, easily become deteriorated and their
movement becomes irregular.
-In my improved system of motor I obviate this cause of bad working by dispensing
with the exhaust valve or valves, and consequently all the parts which depend
thereon, and I realize the two stroke cycle with a single cylinder, wherein a piston
moves which has one face turned to the open air, whereas up to the present time the
two stroke motion with a single cylinder was obtained only by utilizing the two faces
of the piston.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section passing through the cylinder of the motor.
It will be noticed that the devices which are on the left hand side of the cylinder
have not been represented in section, but in elevation.
Figure 2 represents a horizontal section through the cylinder and a plan view of
the parts represented in-elevation in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the same shown in plan in Figure 2.
It will be noticed that in Figure 1 the pistons are at the forward end of their
stroke, whilst in Figure 2, they are at their rear-end.
A is the cylinder fixed upon the bed B. The cylinder is surrounded with a
cooling jacket a with its tubes a¹ and a² for the admission and discharge of the
.water. :
In the interior of the cylinder is displaced the motor piston C to which is jointed
-a connecting rod D in connection with a crank shaft E turning in bearings FF
.supported by the frame and provided with a fly wheel G.
His a second piston fixed to a rod h sliding in a stuffing box I arranged at the
bottom of the cylinder. In the thickness of this piston are placed valves A¹¹ which
open from the rear face towards the front face. The rod his fixed by its other
extremity to a transverse arin J carrying two friction rollers jj which are displaced
along two guides KK fixed on the one hand to the cylinder A and connected on the
other hand by means of a transverse bar k.
The transverse arm J carries two rings or forks 1 embracing' the slides KK;
between the transverse device k, and the rings two spiral springa k' k' are
arranged.
Upon a support La sector M is pivotally connected, which comprises two
spokes m, m2 and a curved part m. This sector M carries a pinion m', fixed in its
centre which gears with the bar O, which is provided with teeth o toward one
extremity.
A band of flexible steel N is fixed on the one hand in n to the sector and on the
other hand to the extremity of the rod h upon the transverse arm J. This steel
band thus is located upon the curved part.of the sector when the piston H is at the
end of its rear stroke (Figure 2).
The rod O slides ander soft friction in the supports o¹ o fixed to the cylinder and
to the frame; its extremity o³ bears against the cam P keyed on the shaft E.,
The rod O carries a collar o, between this latter and the support or bearing of a

page_text: spring o is provided; the object of which 18 to always keep the extremity or wen
applied applied against the cam P.
Upon the cylinder wall A the exhaust pipe Q is fixed, which is arranged exactly at
the place where the forward stroke of the pistons terminates, and in such a manner
that at this movement the orifice of this pipe is exactly covered by the edge of the
auxiliary piston H.
At the other extremity the device R for admitting the gaseous mixture is
arranged.
This admission device may be analogous to admission valves such as utilized in
motors, and the constructional arrangements of whcih are well known; I prefer
however to construct this device in the following manner.
A conical valver bears against a seat provided with openings 1, this. valve is fixed
to a rod sliding freely in within the base 4, in this base openings are
provided; the rod is screw-threaded at its lower extremity and carries a nut ;
between this nut and the base a spring 7 is arranged. The gas arrives through
the pipe, upon which a device for regulating the admission may be arranged.
The air arriving through the openings of the base enters the cylinder by passing
between the conical valve and its seat and is mixed with the gas arriving through the
openings, in this manner, a very intimate mixing takes place. I do not insist on
such device which is well known. The admission device is so arranged that its orifice
opening into the interior of the cylinder, is covered by the edge of the auxiliary
piston when this latter has reached the end of its rear-stroke; as this orifice is closed
when the explosion takes place and as consequently the admission device never is in
contact with the gaseous products of this explosion, the valve is kept in an excellent
state of wear, and its temperature never becomes too high.
:
The ignition device is arranged in S, it may be of any suitable system, electrical,
or with an incandescent tube and so forth.
The operation of my engine takes place in the following manner:-
Let us suppose the motor is working; this condition is indispensable, it is known
in fact that gas, petroleum, or similar engines cannot be started of themselves and
that it is necessary to start them.
Supposing now, that an explosion has just taken place, the working piston is
pushed forward. Slightly before the end of its stroke and at the same time when it
commences to pass the orifice Q, the cam P occupies such a position that the pall p
lies at the end o³ of the rod 0; the auxiliary piston which was at its rear-position
held applied against the bottom of the oylinder and connected to the rod O by means
of the connecting devices described, while the springs kk are compressed, is set free
under the action of the springs k¹ and is vehemently driven toward the piston C and
joins this latter, thus forcing forward the burnt gases which are thus completely
expelled through the opening Q.
During the period that the piston H with its front face exhausts the burnt gases,
Iit draws in fresh gases from behind.
As the rotary motion of the shaft continues, the two pistons applied against one
another move back; after a small fraction of the stroke, the piston H driven by the
cam P by means of the connecting devices described, is separated from the driving
piston, the fresh gases which were behind the auxiliary piston enter by the valves h¹
into the space which is formed between this latter and the piston C, so that at the end
of their back stroke, the two pistons occupy the position shewn in Figure 1, the
auxiliary piston H being applied against the bottom of the cylinder so as not to
undergo any strain when the explosion takes place, the driving piston C being slightly
moved forward, and in this intermediate space existing between them, the compressed
gaseous mixture is confined, the ignition is then effected, the explosion takes place,
the driving piston is pushed forward and the same series of phenomena takes place.
At the return, the distance which the auxiliary piston receives in advance over the
driving piston is obtained by imparting to the cam P a suitable curve:
It is thus evident that my motor operates on the so-called cycle of two operations,
with one motive operation for each complete revolution of the shaft, namely, by

page_text: utilizing only one face of the driving piston, whilst the other face is turned toward
the open air. The total expulsion of the burnt gases is thus realized with the
complete omission of exhaust valves.
My motor does not possess any delicate mechanism liable to come into contact with
hot gases resulting from the explosion, since, the exhaust mechanisms or valves being
suppressed, the only valve or analogous mechanism in existence is the admission valve,
and piston valves, which admission valve cannot communicate with the inside of the
cylinder at the moment of the explosion, as its orifice is covered by the edge of the
auxiliary piston.
I desire it to be understood that I reserve the right of modifying my motor as I
may consider suitable for the purpose in applying the principles on which the same
operates, thus, although having described my motor of two operations with a piston,
one face of which is turned toward the open air, I am free to construct my motor with
a closed cylinder, so as to obtain a cycle of one operation with two explosions.per
revolution or combine a number of cylinders either of one or two operations.
I have also indicated a device for actuating my auxiliary piston, but it is evident
that I may employ other means for actuating the same, such as are of current use in
mechanics: spiral springs, compressed-air cylinders combined with levers, rods and the
like, so as to communicate to the auxiliary piston the movements explained.
The ignition device may be of any kind, an incandescent tube, electricity, and so
forth....
the cylinder may be cooled either by circulation of water or by fans.
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. In a gas, petroleum or similar motor the employment of an auxiliary piston
having a stroke greater than that of the driving piston, this auxiliary piston effecting
the exhaust of the burnt gases upon one of its faces and the suction of fresh gases
by the other face, the whole as hereinbefore set forth and for the purpose
specified.
2. In such an anxiliary piston the employment of one or more valves
enabling the fresh gases to pass from one side of this piston to the other, the whole
as herein before set forth and for the purpose specified.
3. In combination with an auxiliary piston, the use of an actuating device,
maintaining the same motionless during the greater part of the stroke of the driving
piston and enabling the same to start moving in order to join the driving piston as
soon as the latter has passed the exhaust orifice the whole as herein before set forth
and for the purpose specified.
4. In the driving uechanism forming the subject of the 3rd claim a device enabling
the auxiliary piston to perform an advance movement slightly after the commencement
of the back stroke which it commences to execute while kept applied against
the driving piston, the whole as hereinbefore set forth, and for the purpose
specified.
5. In a valve for the admission of the gases the employment of a conical seat
pierced with orifices for the admission of the gas, the entrance of air taking place
between the seat and the valve in auch a manner as to realize an intimate
mixing of the gases, the whole as hereinbefore explained and for the purpose
specified.
..
6. The general arrangements and combinations and the various details of
construction herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of September 1897.
HASELTINE LAKE & Co
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. Agents for the Applicant.