Improvements in Engines Worked by the Explosion of Gas.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engines Worked by the Explosion of Gas.
I CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY of 77 Raglan Road, Smethwick in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :—
My invention has for its object to provide engines worked by the explosion of
gas which are convenient in arrangement and more efficient in action than are such
engines as hitherto made and it has reference more especially to engines of the class
known as four cycle engines although it is not limited in its application to that
class of engines. To render the said engines capable of working with less shock
than hitherto I make the combustion chamber conical or lessening in capacity as it
recedes from the working cylinder the smaller or rear end being turned down or
round in a curve towards the gas inlet and igniter passage so that as the charge
enters the combustion chamber it easily spreads out clearing the chamber of burnt
gases and presenting the pure or practically pure gaseous mixture to the igniter the
ignition commencing at the smaller end of the combustion chamber and spreading
without shock to the larger end of the said chamber. In cases where a valve is
used for the igniter metals liable to oxidation are not suitable for the parts of the
valve subject to contact of condensed matters whilst brass, bronze and like metals
or alloys are unsuited to bear the heat and wear to which the face of the valve is
subjected. I therefore make the main body and spindle of the valve of a non-
oxidisable metal or alloy such as brass or bronze for instance and I attach thereto
preferably by screwing into the end of the spindle a hard metal (such as steel)
piece which bears upon the seat and acts as the valve proper. I prefer to make the
igniter tube extending upwards from the combustion chamber into a chimney into
which opens the nozzle of a Bunsen burner the flame of which plays upon and heats
the igniter tube: this burner I make telescopic so that the part secured to the
chimney can be moved with the chimney which is attached to the combustion
chamber or other suitable part so that by a screw or otherwise the chimney and the
part of the burner carried by it can be moved relatively to the ignition tube to
allow of the lamp flame playing upon any desired part of the igniter tube
according to the period of ignition desired.
The governing I preferably effect by a governing arrangement analogous to that
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 1218 of 1885 but instead of
being worked in the way there described I prefer to work it off the second motion
shaft by means of a cam the lever or pusher which acts upon the valve opening
arrangement and is provided with the incline as described in the said prior Specifi-
cation being carried by a lever arm centered to any suitable part of the engine the
said lever being provided with springs which keep the said lever in proper position
and enables the governing arrangement to be used in any position. One of the said
springs can by means of a screw be employed as a regulating spring so that
by operating the screw the speed of the engine can be regulated without
stopping it.
To ensure the gas and air being properly mixed I cause them to enter directly at
or about right angles to each other the gas flowing round an annular passage
surrounding the inlet chamber beneath the inlet valve and passing from the said
passage through a number of small openings into the inlet chamber the air entering
into the inlet chamber also from an annular passage surrounding it so that the air
cuts across the incoming streams of gas. To ensure the gas being cleared out of
the said annular gas passage I close the gas supply valve just before the piston of
the working cylinder reaches the end of its charging stroke so that air alone then

page_text: enters and passes by a communicating passage leading from the air passage into the
gas passage to clear it of gas. Gas cannot pass down the said communicating
passage owing to the vacuum necessary for charging purposes in the inlet chamber
being greater above the air inlet 'passage to the said chamber than below it which
can be effected by contracting the space abbve the said air inlet passage.
To prevent or lessen noise arising from the inrush of air when charging I provide
in the air inlet pipe or passage baffles against which the air strikes and so is
diverted or broken up and noise is prevented or greatly lessened.
Dated this 28th day of Anvil 1801
J. H. JOHNSON & Co., -
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.Ć., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engines Worked by the Explosion of Gas.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY of 77 Raglan Road, Smethwick, in the
County of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, 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 has for its object to provide engines worked by the explosion of
gas which are convenient in arrangement and more efficient in action than are such
engines as hitherto made and it has reference more especially to engines of the
class known as four cycle engines although it is not limited in its application to that
class of engines. In describing the nature of my invention I will also describe
with reference to the accompanying drawings the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying it into effect.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 2 a transverse section through the combustion chamber. Figure 2 also
shews the governing arrangement shewn also at Figure 3 (in a view at right angles
to Figure 2).
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 1, 2, Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are sections at right angles to each other shewing the ignition
valve.
To render the engine capable of working with less shock than hitherto I make
the combustion chamber conical or lessening in capacity as it recedes from the
working cylinder the smaller or rear end being turned down or round in a curve
towards the gas inlet and igniter passage so that as the charge enters the combustion
chamber it easily spreads out clearing the chamber of burnt gases and presenting
the pure or practically pure gaseous mixture to the igniter the ignition commencing
at the smaller end of the combustion chamber and spreading without shock. to the
larger end of the said chamber.
In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings A is the combustion chamber
constructed as herein before described. The igniter passage B and the inlet valve C
are both arranged at the small end of the combustion chamber and the operation is
as follows.
When the piston (not shewn) is making its charging stroke the inlet valve C
lifts by the action of the piston (or by being mechanically operated) and the gas
valve D (Figure 4) is caused to lift by the governor L Figures 2 and 3 and levers W
and Y through the shaft X and gas and air then enter the smaller end of the
combustion chamber A and expand on their way to the larger end of the said
chamber which is fixed at the explosion end of the cylinder thus clearing out all the
spent gases of the previous charge. The gaseous charge in the small or lower end.
of the combustion chamber A at the igniter passage B being now free from inert
gases will be easily and regularly ignited in the following. manner. The piston
having completed its charging stroke.commences to compress the gaseous charge

page_text: taken into the cylinder back into the combustion chamber A to say about one fifth
of its previous volume a small portion of the charge passing through the passage B
into the ignition tube b until it reaches the part thereof which is hot enough to
cause ignition and this being ignited will ignite the main charge in the combustion
chamber A at the small or lower end thereof and will burn gradually and regularly
through the entire charge owing to the conical shape of the chamber A thus
preventing shock. In cases where a valve is used for the igniter metals liable to
oxidation are not suitable for the parts of the valve subject to contact of condensed
matters, whilst brass, bronze and like metals or alloys are, I have found, unsuited
to bear the heat and wear to which the face of the valve is subjected. I therefore
make the main body and spindle of the valve of a non-oxidisable metal or alloy
such as brass or bronze for instance and I attach thereto preferably by screwing
into the end of the spindle E a hard metal (such as steel) piece as shewn at G in
Figures 5 and 6 which bears upon the scat and acts as the valve proper. The
valve seat facing F I also preferably make of a removeable hard metal (such as
steel) piece. This valve may be operated by a lever H and cam I on the second
motion shaft in the usual way. Referring again to Figure 1 I prefer to make the
igniter tube extend upwards from the combustion chamber A into a chimney into
which opens the nozzle of a Bunsen burner the flame of which plays upon and heats the
igniter tube; this burner I make telescopic so that the part secured to the chimney
can be moved with the chimney which is attached to the combustion chamber or
other suitable part so that by a screw or otherwise the chimney and the part of the
burner carried by it can be adjusted by being moved relatively to the ignition tube
without breaking any of the joints and to prevent injury to small pipe connections
in places where the engines are not fixed on rigid foundations and also to allow of
the lamp flame playing upon any desired part of the igniter tube according to the
period of ignition desired.
This is shewn in Figure 1-I construct the bottom of the chimney J so a to form
a socket j into which introduce the nozzle of the Bunsen burner K fitted to slide
freely and forming a telescopic connection. The chimney J is fitted with a
projection arranged to fit over the adjusting screwed collar in on a screwed stud m
so that when the proper position is arrived at it is secured in that position by the
nut m³.
The governing I preferably effect by a governing arrangement analogous to that
described in my Specification of Letters Patent No. 1218 of 1885 but instead of
being worked in the way there described I prefer to work it off the second motion shaft
by means of a cam the lever or pusher which acts upon the valve opening arrange-
ment and is provided with the incline as described in the said prior Specification
being carried by a lever arm centred to any suitable part of the engine the said
lever being provided with springs which keep the said lever in proper position and
enables the governing arrangement to be used in any position. One of the said
springs can by means of a screw be employed as a regulating spring so that
by operating the screw the speed of the engine can be regulated without stopping
it. This is shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
The incline lever L is here shewn as being fixed at the end of the lever / the
opposite end of which is centred on a pin and is provided with projections 1 and 1
to which are attached the springs n and n³ the spring n serving to keep the roller /
at the lower end against the cam P while the spring n' is used for regulating the
speed of the engine adjusted by the nut n³ and bolt n. When the engine is working
at its normal speed the packery on the incline lever L strikes the top of lever W
on the shaft X which operates the lever Y and opens the gas valve D but if the
speed of the engine increases beyond its proper rate the outer end of packer q
will be thrown over the top of lever W and so no gas will be given to the
engine. At the end of the shaft X opposite to the gas valve I fix a small lever a
which works against the stop y against which it is held by the spring z thus
ensuring the levers W and Y being held in the same position after being operated
by the governor, By this arrangement the governing gear can be used in any

page_text: position. The incline lever L and the roller both work on the same pin
in its place at the bottom or lower end of lever / by the nuts 1.
held
To ensure the gas and air being properly mixed I cause them to enter directly at
or about right angles to each other the gas flowing rourd an annular passage
surrounding the inlet chamber beneath the inlet valve and passing from the said
passage through a number of small openings into the inlet chamber the air entering
into the inlet chamber also from an annular passage surrounding it so that
the air cuts across the incoming streams of gas. This is illustrated in Figures 1. 2
and 4.
I arrange the valve box ▼ so that the air enters the cylinder in line with
the inlet valve C through the passage R while the gas enters the said box V
at right angles to the valve C as follows. When the gas valve D is opened the gas
passes through the passage d into the annular passage and through the small
holes in streams into the box V and mixes with the air on its way to the
cylinder through the valve C.
To prevent waste of gas and ensure the spent gas being cleared out of the annular
gas passage I make the passage w Figure 1 in connection with the annular air
passage R and arrange the gas supply valve D so that it closes just before the
piston of the working cylinder reaches the end of its charging stroke so that air
alone then enters and passes by the communicating passage w into the gas passage
to clear it of gas which passes out through the holes d'. Gas cannot pass down the
said communicating passage w during the charging stroke owing to the vacuum
necessary for charging purposes in the inlet chamber being greater above the
air inlet passage to the said chamber than below it which can be effected by
contracting the space above the said air inlet passage. This is shewn in the
drawing as being effected by the contraction in the valve box V at the point S
which makes the vacuum greater at the holes d' than at the lower end of the
passage w.
To prevent or lessen noise arising from the inrush of air when charging I
provide in the air inlet pipe or passage baffles as at T in Figure 4 against which the
air strikes on its way to the valve box V as shewn by the arrows and so is diverted
or broken up and noise is prevented or greatly lessened. The baffles T are shewn as
being held in position by the pin t and nuts t³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In gas engines a combustion chamber of conical form (or lessening in
capacity as it recedes from the cylinder) with its smaller end turned down, or round,
and with the inlet valve, or valves, and igniter situated at, or towards, the smaller
end substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. In gas engines an ignition or timing valve made of the combination of metals
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore explained with reference to
Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In gas engines the telescopic burner and chimney substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In gas engines the combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
governor which can be used in any position substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In gas engines the arrangement of gas and air passages in the inlet valve box
and the communicating passage w substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and shewn in Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. In gas engines the arrangement of baffles substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings,

page_text: 7. The arrangement and combination of parts as a whole for use with gas
engines substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
יוני
1
T
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.