Improvements in Starting Gear for Gas Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Gear for Gas Engines.
I, DUGALD CLERK, of Driffold Villa, Manon Hill, Sutton Coldfield, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
66
This invention relates to an improved "self starter" for gas engines, and it
may be applied to the Otto" cycle or any other type of compression gas
engine.
The object of the invention is to start a gas engine by the easy movement of a
lever without the aid of a reservoir of compressed gases, and 50 avoid the labour
of starting by rotating the engine by hand. The invention comprises an arrangement
for injecting inflammable gas into the cylinder of an engine, and an igniter for
lighting the gas as it enters so as to fill the cylinder with flame, and raise the.
pressure.
The invention also includes a method of forming an explosive mixture in a.
chamber or space outside the cylinder, separated from the cylinder by a check valve
and igniting that mixture in such manner as to fill the cylinder with compressed.
combustible gases and then fire, giving a powerful compression explosion for the
starting impulse.
In one method of carrying the invention into effect, an auxiliary gas supply or
starting cylinder is attached to or connected to the main cylinder. It is fitted with
a piston, connecting by piston rod to a lever or handle, and the piston rod side of
the piston opens to the gas supply pipe by a suitable inlet valve, and discharges
into the cylinder by an outlet valve. The larger area of the piston is freely open
to the engine cylinder by a passage of convenient dimensions. The gas discharge.
valve of the starting cylinder opens to a suitable nozzle or jet within the cylinder,
and the gas is discharged by holes, but an igniting contrivance is so arranged that
immediately the gas begins to flow from the jet, it is ignited as it enters the air
within the cylinder, and so burns with a flame.
The start is effected as follows:-The engine crank is set a little over the centre
in a favourable position for the application of pressure to start, and the combustion.
space and cylinder contain air drawn into the cylinder by the engine running a
little after gas was cut off before the last stoppage. The starting lever or handle
is moved to cause the starting piston to take into its cylinder a charge of
inflammable gas, the lever is then moved gently but quickly in the opposite
direction, and a charge of gas is injected into the air in the cylinder, which, igniting
as it enters, fills the cylinder with flame and increases the pressure, and causes the
motor piston to move. The pressure, as it increases, bears upon the larger area
of the starting piston, and assists the movement of the starting lever. In an
"Otto" cycle engine, the engine gets one flame impulse, and takes in a charge of
air which may be discharged or slightly compressed on the next in stroke.
Meantime, the starting piston is connected to the valve shaft and actuated by it,
so that a low pressure flame impulse is given at every second revolution till the
engine attains sufficient speed to apply the full compression and be actuated in the
ordinary manner, when the starting piston is thrown out of gear and the ordinary.
cycle put in action.
The starter may be similarly applied to an impulse every revolution engine, but
in this case a starting impulse at every revolution is given till the engine attains
sufficient speed.
The ignition at starting may be effected by the electric spark, an internal flame
or an incandescent solid introduced into the course of the gas jets, but preferably.

page_text: an igniter tube is applied of the kind described and patented to the present.
applicant in Patent No. 8805 of 1889, and illustrated at Figures 11 and 12 of the
drawings. The inflammable gas may be forced into the motor cylinder by a pump
which communicates with it, at one side only, but this necessitates the starting
lever being pushed with considerable force. Suitable cocks or valves are provided
to cut off communication between the main cylinder and the starting cylinder after
a start has been effected.
It will be readily understood that the mixture in the cylinder may be ignited a
Little after the injection of gas by the same apparatus, without departing from the
essential features of the invention.
In another method of carrying the invention into effect, a separate chamber is
connected to the engine cylinder by a passage controlled by a check valve; a small
hand pump is caused to force a mixture of gas and air into this separate vessel and
through the cylinder, a blow off cock or valve being provided. The separate
chamber and the cylinder or combustion space are thus filled with explosive
mixture at atmospheric pressure. The mixture in the separate chamber is then
ignited at a point distant from the check valve, and the explosion compresses a
portion of the contents of the said separate chamber into the cylinder or engine
combustion space. The compressed mixture in the cylinder then ignites by the
ordinary tube igniter or other means, and the engine receives a powerful impulse
to start it. Or the separate chamber may be constructed as a long tube or coil of
tubes or a series of coupled tubes, and the proportions may be so arranged that
when ignition takes place at a point distant from the check valve, the first effect. is
to compress mixture through the said check valve into the cylinder, and then the
flame passes through the check valve and ignites the compressed mixture in the
cylinder, which causes the check valve to close. The compressed mixture,
however, may be fired in the cylinder by a tube igniter which acts when the
pressure increases.
Sometimes I prevent the flame in the separate chamber from reaching the
cylinder by means of a perforated plate with wire gauze backing or small shot or
other flame stop.
I vary the arrangement in several ways, but one feature of this part of my
invention consists in the use of an explosion from atmospheric pressure to compress
combustible mixture into an engine cylinder so as to get the benefit of a starting
explosion under compression.
A flame may be sucked in to ignite the mixture in the separate chamber, and the
pump piston may uncover the hole required.
Dated this 20th
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Starting Gear for Gas Engines.
I, DUGALD CLERK, of Driffold Villa, Manor Hill, Sutton Coldfield, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-.
"
This invention relates to an improved "self starter for gas engines, and it may
be applied to the "Otto" cycle or any other type of compression gas engine. The
object of the invention is to start a gas engine by the easy movement of a lever
without the aid of a reservoir of compressed gases, and so avoid the labour of
starting by rotating the engine by hand.
The invention comprises an arrangement for injecting inflammable mixture into
the cylinder of an engine, and an igniter for lighting the gas as it enters so as to fill
the cylinder with flame, and raise the pressure.

page_text: The invention also includes a method of forming an explosive mixture in a
chamber or space outside the cylinder separated from the cylinder by a check valve
and igniting that mixture in such manner as to fill the cylinder with compressed
combustible gases and then fire, giving a powerful compression explosion for the
starting impulse.
Referring to the three sheets of drawings accompanying ::
Figure 1 is a transverse section and Figure 1 is a sectional plan of a starter
arranged in accordance with the first part of my invention.
Figure 2 shows in section an arrangement suitable for a petroleum engine.
Figure 3 is a transverse section illustrating a starter made in accordance with
the second part of my invention, and
Figure 4 is a sectional plan corresponding to Figure 3. In Figures 3 and 4 the
chamber hereinbefore referred to is arranged as a coil of pipe.
Figure 5 is a section showing detail of the check valve used.
Figure 6 shows a modification also in transverse section and in this modification
part of the chamber is a cylindrical vessel and part a pipe or tube.
In Figures 3, 4 and 6 the chamber and cylinder are charged with combustible
mixture by a pump.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sections generally similar to Figures 3, 4, and 6,
but illustrating modes of charging the chamber by means of gas flowing into air, so
dispensing with a charging pump.
In one method of carrying the invention into effect as illustrated at Figures 1
and 14 of the drawings, an auxiliary gas supply or starting cylinder is attached
to or connected to the main cylinder a. It is fitted with a piston c, connecting by
piston rod to a lever or handle i, k, and the piston rod side of the piston c opens to
the gas supply pipe by a suitable inlet valve as h; and discharges into the cylinder
by an outlet valve g. The larger area of the piston is freely open to the
engine cylinder by a passage t of convenient dimensions, and an aperture controlled
by the screw down valve n.
The gas discharge valve g of the starting cylinder opens to a suitable nozzle or
jets within the cylinder a, or within a port as d connected to it, and the gas is
discharged by holes in the nozzle as indicated by, the arrows, but an igniting
contrivance is so arranged that immediately or soon after the gas begins to flow
from the jet, it is ignited as it enters the air within the cylinder a, and so either
burns with a flame or produces an explosion. The capacity of the cylinder bis
preferably so proportioned with respect to the air contained in the main cylinder a
that the piston c injects from th to 16th of the said air volume into it.
'
The start is effected as follows:-The engine crank is set a little over the centre
in a favourable position for the application of pressure to start, and the combustion
space and cylinder a contain air drawn into the cylinder by the engine running a
little after gas was cut off before the last stoppage. The starting lever or handle i, k
is moved by the convenient handle part k to cause the starting piston c to take into
its cylinder a charge of inflammable gas from the gas supply pipe, the lever i, kis
then moved gently but quickly in the opposite direction, and a charge of gas is
injected into the air in the cylinder through the valve' and nozzle'; 'which,
igniting as it enters, fills the cylinder a with flame and increases the pressure,
and causes the motor piston to move. The pressure, as it increases, bears upon
the larger area of the starting piston c, and assists the movement of the
starting lever i, k. In an
"Otto" cycle engine, the engine gets one flame
impulse, and takes in a charge of air which may be discharged or slightly
compressed on the next in stroke. Meantime, the starting piston c is connected
to the valve shaft and actuated by it, so that a low pressure flame impulse
is given at every second révolution till the engine attains sufficient speed' to
apply the full compression and be actuated in the ordinary manner, when the
starting piston is thrown out of gear and the ordinary cycle put in action. The
shaft operates the lever i, k by the cam m and the roller r, and the cam mis
arranged to inject gas as the crank is crossing the centre, or slightly before.

page_text: A spring pulls the lever k against the cam m, or it may be held against by
hand pressure. The lever i, k pivots at g, and the roller is arranged to
slide on a pin, so as to be placed in and out of gear with the cam m
required.
as
The starter may be similarly applied to an impulse every revolution engine, but
in this case a starting impulse at every revolution is given till the engine attains
sufficient speed.
The ignition at starting may be effected by the electric spark, an internal flame
or an incandescent solid introduced into the course of the gas jets, but preferably
an igniter tube is applied of the kind described and patented to the present
applicant in Patent No. 8805 of 1889, and illustrated at Figures 11 and 12 of the
drawings.
Such a tube is shown at e Figure 1; it is heated to incandescence as usual
and bas a diaphragm to guide the gas and air into the hot part as shown. The
fiame then strikes back and ignites the gas flowing from the jets, filling the cylinder
with flame and raising the pressure.
The inflammable gas may be forced into the motor cylinder by a pump which
communicates with it, but this necessitates the starting lever being pushed with
considerable force. Suitable cocks or valves are provided to cut off com-
munication between the main cylinder and the starting cylinder, after a start has
been effected. This arrangement is conveniently applied to petroleum engines or
engines started by means of liquid fuel, and it is shown in section at Figure 2.
The pump plunger c is actuated by the lever i, k with its roller r, by the cam m
and by hand as hereinbefore described; and petroleum or other liquid fuel is
forced by way of suitable valves to the tube x which is heated by the burner y.
The said tuber acts as a vaporizer in a well known manner and the inflammable
vapour is injected into the cylinder a and acts as hereinbefore described to start
the engine.
The vaporizer tube may be enclosed in a non-conducting casing.
The tube e with its diaphragm facts as described when gas is used; the nozzle s
and other parts are lettered as in Figures 1 and 1A where like parts are employed.
A valve is shown at n Figures 1 and 1* and it is operated by the screw down
wheel o, when the engine has started, to cut off communication between the
cylinder and the piston c.
.
It will be readily understood that the mixture in the cylinder may be ignited a
little after the injection of gas by the same apparatus, without departing from the
essential features of the invention. In this case an explosion will result instead of
a flame impulse. The valve p shown in plan Figure 1 is the inlet valve; the
exhaust valve is not shown.
In another mode of carrying the invention into effect as illustrated at
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings, a separate chamber is connected to:
the engine cylinder by a passage controlled by a check valve B; a hand pump E
is caused to force a mixture of gas and air into the separate vessel D and through
the cylinder or combustion space A; a blow off cock or valve C being provided.
This valve however may be the indicator cock or other existing valve or connection.
The separate chamber D and the cylinder or combustion space A are thus filled
with explosive mixture of inflammable gas or vapour and air at atmospheric
pressure. The mixture in the separate chamber D is then ignited at the igniting
valve I at a point distant from the check valve B, and the explosion compresses a
portion of the contents of the said chamber D into the cylinder or engine
combustion space A. The compressed explosive mixture in the cylinder then
ignites by the ordinary tube igniter or other means, and the engine receives a
powerful impulse to start it. The igniter on the engine cylinder is not shown in
the drawings.
The separate, chamber may be constructed as a long tube or coil of tubes as
shown at D Figures 1 and 2, and the coil may be made up of a series of coupled
tubes. The proportions may be so arranged that when ignition takes place at a
.point distant from the check valve B as at I, the first effect is to compress mixture

page_text: through the said check valve into the cylinder, and then the explosion flame passes
through the said check valve B and ignites the compressed mixture in the cylinder
or space A, which causes the check valve to close and produces a powerful
explosion. The compressed mixture, however, may be fired in the cylinder by a
tube igniter of known construction open to the cylinder, which acts when the
pressure increases as hereinbefore described.
Sometimes when I ignite by tube in the manner just described, I prevent the
flame in the separate chamber D from reaching the cylinder or combustion space
by means of a perforated plate with wire gauze backing or small shot or other
flame stop.
At Figure 6 I show one of my arrangements hereinbefore specified where a
chamber D contains part of the combustible mixture, the chamber D being of
cylindrical or like configuration and having the igniting valve I attached to it.
The pipe D connects to the cylinder A by the check valve B and my separate
chamber is thus made up of two parts, one a cylinder of considerable diameter D
leading into another a pipe D.
I preferably arrange the cylinder D with conical ends so as to ensure the
expulsion of the mixture by the flame in such manner as to fill the cylinder or
combustion space A with compressed mixture. I preferably ignite at the apex of
the cone and take away my compressed mixture at the apex of the opposing cone.
The igniting valve I is of any well known construction; as shown it ignites by
means of a flame within a port in the plug. I¹ is the handle of the plug cock.
F is the inlet gas and air valve of the pump, and H is the gas supply cock, while
G is the exit or discharge valve of the pump.
In the plan Figure 4, K is the exhaust valve of the gas engine and L is à part
of the piston.
In Figure 5 the screw B¹ is shown to close the valve B when desired by pressing
on the collar B³.
As herein before described the arrangements shown at Figures 3, 4 and 6 are
intended to be charged by means of the hand pump; and the cock C Figures 3
and 4 is intended to allow the mixture to be blown through the cylinder. When
chamber and cylinder are charged C is closed before igniting at I.
The chamber D and the pipe R together with the cylinder A may be charged
with combustible mixture without the use of a pump by the device illustrated at
Figures 7, 8 and 9.
In Figure 7 the check valve B is held open and an igniting nozzle M of
the kind described in the Specification to Lanchester's Patent No. 5479 of 1890
is opened. The gas cock N is then opened and gas flows preferably under
ordinary towns pressure through the jet O into the cylindrical chamber D and from
the jet P into the cylinder or combustion space A in the manner indicated by the
arrows. Combustible mixture is thus formed in the cylinder A and in the chamber D,
the gas mixing with the air in those spaces. Some air is displaced by way of the
nozzle M but after a time combustible mixture flows out of the said nozzle and is
ignited at the external flame M¹. When from the nature of the flame it is found
that enough gas has been injected the cock N is closed and the flame passes back
through the nozzle M into the chamber D closing the valve in M by the explosion
produced and forcing compressed combustible mixture from the chamber D and
pipe R by the valve B to the cylinder A, there to be exploded as hereinbefore
described to produce a high pressure explosion and start the engine.
In Figure 8 the chamber D is connected to the valve B by two pipes Q, R or a
divided pipe, and the chamber D and pipes Q, R are charged by circulating
from the jet O as indicated by the arrows while A is charged from P also as
indicated.
In Figure 9 the pipe R is charged with gas from a series of holes in the pipe S
and D is charged also from the gas pipe S while A is charged as in Figure 8. It
will be readily understood that the mixture in the chamber D may be ignited in
any well known manner as by the electric spark, or a flame may be sucked into the

page_text: chamber through an aperture. The explosion may be originated in the pump
cylinder by causing the piston E Figure 3 to overrun an aperture in the pump
cylinder and suck in a flame from the atmosphere.
Instead of a check valve as B several check valves may be adopted dividing the
chamber D into a series of chambers, and this arrangement is useful when a very
high pressure explosion is desired in the engine cylinder. The cock C is usually
kept open while charging the cylinder by the pump, but both cylinder and separate
chamber may be charged without opening it by compressing by the pump E to a
certain extent. I vary the arrangement of this part of my invention in several
ways, but in all variations I retain the feature consisting in the method of
originating a low pressure or comparatively low pressure explosion to compress
inflammable mixture and produce a high pressure explosion to start an engine. The
proportions may vary within wide limits, but I would point out that in the case of
a coil chamber or long pipe chamber a considerable internal diameter of pipe is
preferred such as from 3 to 4 inches in order to prevent the prejudicial action of
excessive cooling surfaces.
.
With regard to the separate chamber as D Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 I find a vessel
of 6 inches internal diameter and about 16 inches long answer well when coupled
to the engine cylinder by a pipe.2 inches diameter by about 2 feet long. The
engine piston being 6 or 7 inches diameter and the total capacity of the separate
chamber including pipe being from two to three times that of the combustion space
in the engine cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is
1. The method of starting a gas or like engine by means of a gas or vapour jet
or jets injected into air in the cylinder or space connected therewith, which jets are
ignited to produce a flame or an explosion impulse, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
2. The method of starting a gas or like engine by means of a gas or vapour jet
or jets injected into air in the cylinder or space connected therewith, which jets are
ignited to produce a flame or an explosion impulse, the gas being injected by a
piston freely open on one side to the cylinder, the other side acting as a gas pump,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. The method of and mechanism for starting a gas or like engine substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated at Figures 1, 1^
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
4. Producing by compression a compressed inflammable mixture in the cylinder
by means of the ignition of an inflammable mixture contained in a vessel exterior
to the cylinder.
5. The method of starting a gas or like engine by the explosion or combustion
of inflammable mixture, the said explosion or combustion being so arranged that
a portion of inflammable mixture is thereby compressed into the engine cylinder
or combustion space and the inflammable mixture so compressed is ignited and
produces a high pressure starting explosion as hereinbefore set forth.
6. In apparatus in which an inflammable mixture compressed by means of an
explosion or combustion exterior to the cylinder is exploded in the cylinder, the
use of a check valve for the purpose of allowing a free passage of the compressing
gases into the cylinder, and preventing the escape of the gases after the explosion
or compression.
7. In apparatus in which inflammable mixture is compressed within the engine
cylinder by combustion exterior to the cylinder, the use of a check valve for the
purpose of allowing ignition to reach the gases compressed within the cylinder
and preventing the escape of such gases from the cylinder on ignition taking
place.
8.. An arrangement for starting a gas or like engine comprising a chamber of

page_text: tubular or other elongated form communicating with the engine cylinder or com-
bustion space by way of a check valve; the said chamber and combustion space
being charged with combustible mixture by a pump or other charging device, the
combustible mixture being ignited at a point distant from the check valve so that a
portion of the inflammable mixture is compressed before the advancing explosion
or combustion flame through the check valve and a powerful compression explosion
is given to start the engine, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated, reference being had to Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of
the accompanying drawings.
9. Compressing by means of the combustion of an inflammable mixture, an
inflammable mixture which is subsequently to be exploded for the purpose of
starting or actuating a piston as hereinbefore described.
10. The self starting gear herein before described with reference to Figures 3, 4,.
5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of August 1892.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.