Improvements in Explosion Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosion Engines.
I, EDWARD JOEL PENNINGTON, of the City of Racine, in the County of
Racine and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates more especially though not exclusively to that class of
engines in which useful work is effected by the explosion of a mixture of hydro-
carbon oil and air at the back of a reciprocating piston, and has for one of its
chief objects to provide means whereby the initial charge or charges of oil admitted
to the cylinder at the starting of the engine, can be conveniently heated or
volatilized on entrance to the cylinder. Charges of heavy oils can thus be used
and the engine can be instantaneously started even when the cylinder is in very
cold condition.
Another object of my invention is to provide an electrically heated body for the
purpose of igniting the charges admitted to the cylinder of the engine.
My invention is particularly applicable to engines in which the cylinders are
composed of comparatively thin metal but I do not limit myself to such
application.
I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of an oil-engine cylinder and
Figure 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 1. 1.
Figure 3 is a. longitudinal section of an engine cylinder showing a modification
hereinafter more fully referred to.
Referring more particularly to figures 1 and 2 which illustrate my invention
adapted for heating charges of heavy oils A is the cylinder; 13 the piston; C an inlet
valve through which the explosive charges enter the cylinder; D an exhaust valve
through which the products of combustion escape from the cylinder; and E a
movable electric ignition device carried by the piston and operating in conjunction
with a fixed electric contact E' carried by the cylinder A and insulated therefrom.
The exhaust valve. D may be operated by any suitable device actuated by some
moving part of the engine.
F is a body of pumice, lava or other suitable material that is a poor conductor
of electricity. This body is preferably made in the form of a plate or disc having
an aperture therein. The said body is located within the cylinder A in proximity
to the inlet valve C, so that the oil charges that are admitted to the cylinder come
directly in contact with the said plate or disc. G and H are two insulated terminals
which are carried by screw sockets g and h passing through the walls of the
cylinder A. The aforesaid terminals G, H, communicate at their inner ends with
the plate or disc F within the cylinder and their outer ends are formed with binding
screws g¹, h¹, for enabling electric conductors g² h³, to be connected thereto. These
conductors lead from any convenient source of electric supply. The interiors
of the said sockets and h are provided with asbestos or other suitable
material g³ h³ for insulating the terminals G, H, from the cylinder.
When an electric current is allowed to pass between the terminals G, H, the
plate or disc F becomes incandescent, or sufficiently heated, to immediately
volatilize the charge of oil as it enters the cylinder and enablès the said charge to
be exploded by the electric ignition device E E¹.

page_text: After the cylinder has become heated by the successive explosions of the charges,
the passage of the electric current between the terminals G H may be stopped and
the engine then goes on working in the ordinary manner by the action of the electric
ignition device alone.
If desired the aforesaid body F may itself be used for ignition purposes.
By these means the engine starts working immediately the charges of heavy oil
are admitted thereto without the assistance of any external means such as are
generally employed for this purpose and without the injection of lighter oil to the
cylinder. The aforesaid heated plate or disc effectually volatilizes the oil
admitted to the cylinder and ensures immediate explosion thereof.
Although in the drawings I have shewn an advantageous manner of carrying out
my invention I do not confine myself thereto as modifications will readily suggest
themselves acquainted with the subject.
For instance instead of employing two insulated terminals G H both of which
extend through the walls of the cylinder A, I may use only one insulated
terminal, the other terminal being connected to the cylinder without extending
to the outside thereof. In this case one of the electric conductors would be in
electric connection with the outside of the cylinder; only one aperture would then
have to be formed in the cylinder for the reception of the other terminal.
I will now refer to the arrangement shown in Figure 3 which illustrates a
modification in which I employ means that serve both for volatilizing the oil and
for ignition purposes. If charges of vapours or gases are used instead of oil for
working the engine this arrangement is then employed for ignition purposes only.
In this figure A is the cylinder; B the piston; C the inlet valve and D the
exhaust valve.
I is a rod, pencil or other suitably shaped body of pumice or lava or other
appropriate material which extends through the cylinder cover and preferably
projects into the cylinder a sufficient distance to bring its inner end below the inlet
valve C. This rod or pencil I is insulated from the cylinder cover by a screw
socket I having a lining of asbestos or other insulating material interposed between
the rod or pencil I and the socket. I2 Is are binding screws connected to the outer
end of the rod or pencil for receiving and holding the electric conductors I* I".
Instead of making the said body I in the form of a rod or pencil it may be made of
tubular or other desired shape.
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. Means for facilitating the starting of an oil or similar engine by the employ-
ment of an electrically heated body substantially as described.
2. The combination of the parts F G and H for use in conjunction with an oil
or similar engine and for the purposes specified.
3. In an explosion engine an electrically heated body substantially as described
for volatilizing and igniting charges of oil admitted to the cylinder.
4. In an explosion engine the electrically heated body substantially as described
for igniting charges of gas or vapour admitted to the cylinder.
Dated this 14th day of January 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.