IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thomas Linford, Engineer and William Edward
Cooke, Traveller, both of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thomas Linford and
William Edward Cooke at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
19th January 1883.
CHARLES THOMAS LINFORD, Engineer, and WILLIAM EDWARD COOKE, Traveller,
both of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
"
This invention relates to that class of gas engines in which the motive gases
are not compressed previous to ignition the form of the engine may be of the
ordinary type of steam engine but having the stroke proportioned longer than that
usually employed in steam engine manufacture, but by our improvements the
engine is made in such a form as to be self contained and the weight and strain
are so distributed that little or no foundation is required and heavy base-plates are
dispensed with. When constructed of the vertical type the inverted form is
preferred as offering the most advantage in fulfilling the previous conditions.
In carrying out our invention, to an ordinary water jacketed cylinder fitted
with a trunk piston having connecting rod attached thereto and connected to the
crank in the usual manner, we cast a circular casing having a port leading there-
from into the cylinder just beyond the piston stroke and near the cylinder cover
which is also water jacketed; beyond the cylinder jacket and between the circular
valve casing we cast a facing or seat for the slide, or ignition valve which is planed
for the said valve to work therein; a rotating or cylindrical valve works in the
circular valve casing which has suitable ports provided therein for the purpose of
mixing the motive gases and exhausting the residues of the same after combustion;
this valve is operated by a shaft driven by suitable gear at the same speed as the
crank shaft; on the lower portion of the rotating valve and connected therewith
in motion is a grooved cam which gears into a roller on the slide valve lever and
imparts motion thereto, the slide valve is provided with an internal ignition jet
Price Rd1

page_text: .
which is lighted by a relighting jet after each extinction by the explosion, the
ignition jet communicates direct with the main port leading from the rotating
valve to the cylinder.
The combination rotary valve has formed upon its lower end a flange which runs
upon a similar facing in the valve box, the opposite end is enclosed by a cover on
a coned seat secured by an inclined flange or swing cross bar to facilitate the easy
removal of the valve for cleaning and other purposes.
In order to prevent explosion outside the ports, which might arise from prema-
ture ignition, check valves are used which prevent egress from the air and gas
supply ports.
The arrangement of the ports in the rotating valve may admit of the valve being
of other than circular form and instead of receiving a rotary motion it may have a
reciprocating or rectilinear motion and may be operated by cam or eccentric. The
method of ignition may be used with other forms and motion of slide valve as a
circular or plunger forin may be used.
In large gas engines the regulation of the speed of the engine is generally
effected by the opening or closing of the supply tap connected to the gas bag;
according to our improvements this tap is regulated by a cam on the governor
spindle which opens the tap for supply at the proper time, but upon the speed
becoming too great the cam is taken out of gear and the valve remains closed until
the normal speed is regained when tho cam comes again into play; the governors
receive their motion from the valve shaft and are preferably of the high speed
type, a valve is also fitted to the cylinder or supply port to supply air to the
cylinder; when the gas supply is cut off and no explosion takes place, the air
supply also being cut off at the point of ignition-it follows a vacuum would be
produced which would retard the speed of the engine; upon the formation of a
vacuum the valve lifts and air enters the cylinder to the end of the stroke.
The engine is started by hand in the usual manner by moving the fly wheel and
causing the piston to travel the distance required for the charge whereupon ignition
takes place and the explosion forces the piston to the end of its stroke; the return
or exhaust stroke is effected by the momentum of the fly wheel as also the portion
of the next outstroke during which time air and gas enter the cylinder till ignition
takes place when the engine commences to work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Thomas Linford and William Edward Cooke in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 18th July 1883.
CHARLES THOMAS LINFORD Engineer and WILLIAM EDWARD COOKE Traveller
both of Birmingham in the County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES"
This invention relates to that class of gas engines in which the motive gases are
not compressed previous to ignition the form of the engine may be of the ordinary
type of steam engine but having the stroke proportioned longer than that usually
employed in steain engine manufacture but by our improvements the engine is
made in such a form as to be self contained and the weight and strain are so
distributed that little or no foundation is required and heavy base plates are
dispensed with. When constructed of the vertical type the inverted form is
preferred as offering the most advantage in fulfilling the previous conditions.
In carrying out our invention, to an ordinary water jacketed cylinder fitted
with a trunk piston having connecting rod attached thereto and connected to the
crank in the usual manner we cast a circular casing having a port leading there-
from into the cylinder just beyond the piston stroke and near the cylinder cover
which is also water jacketed; beyond the cylinder jacket and between the circular
valve casing we cast a facing or seat for the slide or ignition valve which is planed
for the said valve to work therein; a rotating or cylindrical valve works in the
circular valve casing which has suitable ports provided therein for the purpose of
mixing the motive gases and exhausting the residues of the same after combustion;
this valve is operated by a shaft driven by suitable gear at the same speed as the
crank shaft; on the lower portion of the rotating valve and connected therewith in
motion is a grooved cam which gears into a roller on the slide valve lever and
imparts motion thereto, the slide valve is provided with an internal ignition jet
which is lighted by a relighting jet after each extinction by the explosion; the
ignition jet communicates direct with the main port leading from the rotating valve
to the cylinder
The combination rotary valve has formed upon its lower end a flange which
runs upon a similar facing in the valve box, the opposite end is enclosed by a cover
on a coned seat secured by an inclined flange or swing cross bar to facilitate the
easy removal of the valve for cleaning and other purposes
In order to prevent explosion outside the ports, which might arise from premature
ignition, check valves are used which prevent egress from the air and gas supply
ports.
The arrangement of the ports in the rotating valve may admit of the valve being
of other than circular form and instead of receiving a rotary motion it may have a
reciprocating or rectilinear motion and may be operated by cam or eccentric. The
method of ignition may be used with other forms and motion of slide valve as a
circular or plunger form may be used.
.
In large gas engines the regulation of the speed of the engine is generally effected
by the opening or closing of the supply tap connected to the gas bag; according to
our improvements this tap is regulated by a cam on the governor spindle which
opens the tap for supply at the proper time, but upon the speed becoming too
great the cam is taken out of gear and the valve remains closed until the normal
speed is regained when the cam comes again into play; the governors receive
their motion from the valve shaft and are preferably of the high speed type, a
valve is also fitted to the cylinder or supply port to supply air to the cylinder;
when the gas supply is cut off and no explosion takes place, the air supply also

page_text: being cut off at the point of ignition-it follows a vacuum would be produced
which would retard the speed of the engine; upon the formation of a vacuum the
valve lifts and air enters the cylinder to the end of the stroke
The engine is started by hand in the usual manner by moving the fly wheel and
causing the piston to travel the distance required for the charge whereupon !
ignition takes place and the explosion forces the piston to the end of its stroko;
the return or exhaust stroke is effected by the momentum of the fly wheel as also
the portion of the next outstroke during which time air and gas enter the cylinder
till ignition takes place when the engine commences to work
In order to enable our invention to be fully understood we will proceed to 1
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1
shows a side elevation and figuro 14 a part sectional elevation of a vertical gas
engine constructed according to our invention figure 1B is a horizontal section
drawn to a larger scale shewing a section of the cylinder and water jacket and
valves and governor arrangement; figure 2 is an end elevation of a horizontal
engine shewing the cylinder partly in section; figure 2. is a longitudinal elevation
and figure 2º a plan of the same; figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a pair of
vertical engines, one of the cylinders and the framing being shewn in section, the
cranks are placed opposite and in line with each other, each motive part being a
duplicate of the other so that the engines are balanced; figure 34 is a longitudinal
elevation and figure 3B a horizontal section of the same; figures 4 to 12 are details
drawn to a larger scale. Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts
We will first describe our improvements by reference to figures 1 1ª and 1ª
A is the ordinary cylinder and b, the water jacket of the same; C is the trunk
piston connected by the rod d, to the crank e in the usual manner; F is the
circular valve casing--and G the port leading therefrom into the cylinder A;
1 is the slide or ignition valve; H is the rotating or cylindrical valve working in
the circular valve casing F; 0 0' 0" and P are the ports in the valve H for
mixing the motive gases and exhausting the residues of the same after combustion
as hereinafter described; W is the shaft for operating the valve H and driven from
the crank shaft e of the engine by a pair of mitre or skow bevel wheels at the
same speed as the crank shaft; K is the grooved cam on the lower portion of the
valve H and fixed on the shaft W, the said cain gearing into the roller on the slide
valve lever K, the roller being pivotted on a stud as shewn in figures 14 1B and 2;
motion is thus imparted to the ignition valve I which is provided with an internal
ignition jet as shewn at T figure 1B which is lighted by a relighting jet T after
each extinction by the explosion; the ignition jet communicates direct with the
main port G leading from the valve H to the cylinder A
The operation of the engine is as follows:-supposing the piston C in the
Cylinder A figure 14 to have travelled the distance shewn which is about the point
of cut off and the ignition of the gases contained in the space in the cylinder A to
have been effected by the movement of the piston G the mixture of combustible
gas und air is obtained in the following manner: supposing the piston is about to.
commence its first outstroke, by moving the flywheel e¹ the valve H will be in the
position shewn in figure 18 with the port O about to communicate with the port G
the atmospheric air enters by the annular space L in the box L' into the passage M
and port N in the valve casing F and in passing through the port O in the
valve H comes into contact with the combustible gas issuing from the port O"
which is supplied through the ports O¹ and 0° from the port P¹ figure 7 direct
from the gas supply tap; upon the piston C reaching the position shewn the
port O in the valve H cuts off communication with the port G and the mixture is
fired, in the manner hereinafter described; upon the piston reaching the end of its
outstroke the annular port P in the valve H then communicates with the port G
and the port P figure 5; the port P is continued into P P as shewn in figure 4
which is an enlarged view of the valve H and is so arranged as to leave a sealing
space between the port G and the port P³. Upon the completion of the exhaust or

page_text: instroke the ports G, P, PP, and P. are closed and the port O comes again into
communication with the port G for a fresh charge of combustible fluid.
The ignition of the charge is effected in the following manner: the internal gas
jet at T is supplied with gas by means of the tube T which communicates with
the port T leading into the burning cavity S; the lower portion of the cavity S
communicates with the air port U₁ figure 2 which is situated below the port U;
the upper portion of the cavity S communicates with the port U leading into the
port V which may be round as shewn or of other suitable form and in which burns
the gas jet shewn at T; upon the valve I being caused to rapidly travel upwards
by the motion of the cam K the ports S, U, T, T and U₁ are cut off; at the point
of cut off of supply of gaseous fluid to the cylinder A the piston having reached
the position indicated in figure 14 the ports S and R are brought into communi-
cation and the flame enters the port R leading into the port G and the mixture is
fired; a short distance is allowed for the valve to travel beyond this point, when it
again descends and the outside gas jet Tz burning in the port V relights the jet T;
the total length of stroke of the valve I is about one inch; upon reaching the end
of the stroke the valve remains stationary until it again rises and repeats the
operation just described.
In large gas engines the regulation of the speed of the engine is generally effected
by the opening or closing of the supply tap connected with the gas supply';
according to our improvements the regulator valve is regulated by a cam on the
governor spindle by a simple lever. The governor slide 2 carries two spheres G*
revolving with the governor spindle which receives motion by means of wheel gear
as shewn from the shaft W the action of the spheres upon the engine running above
the normal speed causes the slide Z to rise, carrying with it the cam or collar G¹¹
which is attached thereto until it comes into contact with the cam or roller G*
attached to the lever G³ closing the valve O, O in the gas supply tap GG; upon
the spheres G again falling the roller and cam again come out, of gear and the
valve O, O, is suddenly opened. We sometimes place the cain or collar G", above
the roller G, in which case the valve O. O, in the gas supply tap G. G, is caused
to close by the spring shewn; upon the cam G being taken out of gear by the
governor slide Z, rising, the valve, O., O, closes, but when the cam G", again falls
it comes into gear with the roller G, and the valve O, O, is opened as will be scen
by reference to figures 11 and 12 which shew enlarged sections of the gas supply
tap G. G, as shown in figure 1" with the first arrangement described.
Figure 2, shews an application of our improvements to a horizontal engine; the
operation of the various arrangements are precisely the same as described with
reference to figures 1 and 14. The valve H may be arranged to work in a
horizontal position in line with the shaft W; it will be evident that the valve H,
can be easily removed and placed in position, it can be either parallel as shown or
of conical form it receives motion by means of the two pins in the lower face
gearing into holes provided in the cam K or the pins can be in the cam K. and the
holes in the valve H, or other suitable means may be employed for driving the
valve H. The cover for the valve H shewn in figures 9 and 10 of the drawing
may be used as shewn in figures 1 and 1ª or it can be dispensed with for smaller
sizes of gas engines
Figure 3 shews a double arrangement of vertical engine the object of this.
arrangement being to obtain a balanced engine having two impulses to one united
revolution, making a more powerful and efficient engine than a single one such as
that shewn in figures 1 and 14 and figures 2. 24 and 2B of the drawing; double
horizontal engines may also be constructed upon our improved system; in the
double arrangement the operation of feed, expansion, and exhaust, are precisely
the same as described with reference to figures 1, and 1ª but the arrangement of
the port in the valve H, differs somewhat from that shewn in figures 4. 5. 6 and 7,
being arranged for the feeding and exhaust of two cylinders; figure 8, is an
enlarged view of the valve H. In figure 3B the port O, is shewn about to com-
municate with the port G, to supply the combustible mixture to the cylinder A. on

page_text: the right hand, whilst the port P, which communicates with the exhaust outlet P*
is about to communicate with the port G leading from the cylinder A. on the left
hand side, the two slide valves are shewn both worked from one cam K; each
valve has similar ports and performs the same operations as described with reference
to figures 1 and 14. In this Engine it will be seen that only one mixing
arrangement and one gas supply are necessary
In the working of the engine should a partial vacuum be produced, upon the
outstroke through non ignition of the explosive charge contained in the cylinder
the said partial vacuum would greatly retard the speed of the ongine, a defect
which is obviated by a small air valve J, opening into the port G., and weighted
with a spring so as not to open when a charge is entering the cylinder; but upon
ignition or expansion of the charge not taking place, the valve then opens by
atmospheric pressure and destroys the vacuum by admitting atmospheric air
Having thus described the nature of our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be carried into effect we would have it understood that what we
claim is.-
Firstly The circular feed and exhaust valve as shewn in figures 1B, to 7 sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth and described
Secondly The combination of the ignition slide and the grooved cam for
operating the same as shewn in figures 14, 2, and 34, of the drawing substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and described
Thirdly The herein described governor action in combination with the governor
valve as shewn in figures 1³, 11, and 12, of the drawing substantially as and for
the purpose set forth and described
Fourthly The general arrangement and construction of the improved gas engines
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1. 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawing
In Witness whereof we the said Charles Thomas Linford and William Edward
Cooke have hereto set our hands and seals this seventeenth day of July in the
year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
A M
FINRADD