Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, JOHN CHARLES RAYMOND OKES, of The Limes, Brondesbury Park,
London, N.W., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be.
as follows:-
--
This invention has reference to that class of gas engines in which the working
piston is used in a double capacity, viz.-as a motor on one side and as a compressor
on the other. The air so compressed being employed for scouring out the products
of combustion and leaving a charge of air in the cylinder to mingle with the next
charge of gas (or gas and air) admitted to give the next impulse to the engine.
The improvements consist-(1) in means for producing a more efficient engine;
(2) in means for effecting economical results by extra expansion of gases; (3) in
the mode of working; (4) in means for governing and for regulating the charge of
gas by a force-pump of variable capacity, and (5) in a special combination of
parts.
The form of the engine may be either that in which the part beyond the working
cylinder is enclosed to act as an air pump and reservoir for the air, or the reservoir
may be constructed in a convenient position outside that part of the cylinder
forming the air pump, the cycle of operations being that in which an impulse, from
the ignition of a combustible mixture of compressed air and gas, may be produced
at every revolution and a scouring charge of air is passed through the cylinder
every revolution of the engine, and both the exhaust and admission of the gas
charge may be under the control of the governor.
I form the engine in either of two ways, which produce the same result, viz. :-
First. When the piston has nearly completed its outward stroke, it passes over
and uncovers a port or ports in the cylinder, which port or ports communicate with
the chamber containing the air which has been compressed by the outward stroke
of the piston, and allows of its being admitted into the cylinder.
At or about the same time, the exhaust valve, which is preferably placed at the
front end of the cylinder furthest away from the crank shaft, is opened mechanically
and allows of the escape of the products of combustion of the previous charge, and
leaves the whole or a part of the cylinder filled with air, into which a charge of gas,
or a mixture of air and gas, may be injected by means of a force-pump or
otherwise.
The amount of air left in the cylinder will be determined by the time, or
duration of period, in which the exhaust valve is held open (or the same effect may
be produced by a supplementary valve being operated in a similar manner), and on
this depends, to a great extent, the amount of expansion of the gaseous mixture or
charge when burned in the cylinder and hence the economy in the consumption
of gas.
When the exhaust port is closed, the forward motion of the piston commences to
compress the air remaining in the cylinder, together with the charge of gas, or
mixture of gas and air of such proportions as not to be explosive until further
diluted by the air already in the cylinder, which may have been injected or forced
into it by the gas pump or otherwise.
This charge of gas and air is compressed by the piston and forms a compressed
charge more or less mingled, and is fired by any known method, such as a heated
tube or by electricity.
The outward stroke then takes place and one cycle is completed.
Second. The piston in its outward stroke may uncover an exhaust port or ports

page_text: and so release the products of combustion. The air pressure from the opposite
side of the piston or compression chamber is conveyed round to the front end of
the cylinder and enters it by means of a self-acting valve controlled by a spring.
Towards the front end of the cylinder, I attach a relief or supplementary valve,
operated by mechanism from the crank shaft and regulated more or less by the
governor, or it may be operated entirely by the governor.
The effect of this is to reduce the charge of air left remaining in the cylinder
previous to the admission of the charge of gas or gas and air and so regulate the
degree of expansion of the gaseous mixture or charge when burned in the
cylinder.
The remainder of the cycle of operations will be substantially the same as in
the arrangement first described.
The governing is performed by varying the time of closing the exhaust valve, or
the supplementary valve, by means of suitable mechanism which can be either
regulated by hand or can be controlled by the governor; or by varying the
proportion of gas admitted into the cylinder either alone or mixed with air in such
a proportion as not to be explosive until further diluted in the cylinder. The gas
may be altogether excluded from entering the cylinder when not required, in which
case a charge of air only is passed through the cylinder, or the charge of gas may
be regulated on its way from the force-pump to the cylinder by means of a throttle
valve placed in the gas pipe.
The means for varying the supply of gas may be controlled either by hand or by
the governor.
It will be readily understood that the governing may be effected partially by
varying the time of closing the exhaust valve, or the supplementary valve, and
partially by varying the supply of gas.
I form the gas pump preferably in such a manner that the space or volume below
the plunger may be made variable at pleasure and thus the pressure of the charge
may be better controlled. This can be effected by hand or may be acted upon
mechanically by the governor:
Dated this 27th day of March 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Combustion Engines.
I, JOHN CHARLES RAYMOND OKES, of The Limes, Brondesbury Park, London,
N.W., 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 :—
This invention has reference to that class of gas engines in which the working
piston is used in a double capacity, viz.-as a motor on one side and as a compressor
on the other. The air so compressed being employed for scouring out the products
of combustion and leaving a charge of air in the cylinder to mingle with the
next charge of gas (or gas and air) admitted to give the next impulse to the
engine.
The improvements consist-(1) in means for producing a more efficient engine;
(2) in means for effecting economical results by extra expansion of gases; (3) in the
mode of working; (4) in means for governing and for regulating the charge of gas
by a force-pump, and (5) in a special combination of parts.
The form of the engine may be either that in which the part beyond the working
cylinder is enclosed to act as an air pump and reservoir for the air, or the reservoir
may be constructed in a convenient position outside that part of the cylinder

page_text: forming the air pump, the cycle of operations being that in which an impulse, from
the ignition of a combustible mixture of compressed air and gas, may be produced
at every revolution and a scouring charge of air is passed through the cylinder
every revolution of the engine, and both the exhaust and admission of the gas
charge may be under the control of the governor.
I form the engine in either of two ways, which produce the same result, viz. :-
First. When the piston has nearly completed its outward stroke, it passes over
and uncovers a port or ports in the cylinder, which port or ports communicate with
the chamber containing the air which has been compressed by the outward stroke
of the piston, and allows of its being admitted into the cylinder.
At or about the same time, the exhaust valve, which is preferably placed at the
front end of the cylinder furthest away from the crank shaft, is opened mechanically
and allows of the escape of the products of combustion of the previous charge, and
leaves the whole or a part of the cylinder filled with air, into which a charge of
gas, or a mixture of gas and air, may be injected by means of a force-pump or
otherwise.
The amount of air left in the cylinder will be determined by the time, or
duration of period, in which the exhaust valve is held open (or the same effect may
be produced by a supplementary valve being operated in a similar manner), and
on this depends, to a great extent, the amount of expansion of the gaseous mixture
or charge when burned in the cylinder and hence the economy in the consumption
of gas.
When the exhaust port is closed, the forward motion of the piston commences to
compress the air remaining in the cylinder, together with the charge of gas, or
mixture of gas and air of such proportions as not to be explosive until further
diluted by the air already in the cylinder, which may have been injected or forced
into it by the gas pump or otherwise.
This charge of gas and air is compressed by the piston and forms a compressed
charge more or less mingled, and is fired by any known method, such as a heated
tube or by electricity.
The outward stroke then takes place and one cycle is completed.
Second. The piston in its outward stroke may uncover an exhaust port or ports
and so release the products of combustion. The air pressure from the opposite
side of the piston or compression chamber is conveyed round to the front end of
the cylinder and enters it by means of a self-acting valve controlled by a spring.
Towards the front end of the cylinder, I may attach a relief or supplementary
valve, operated by mechanism from the crank shaft and regulated more or less by
the governor, or it may be operated entirely by the governor.
The effect of this is to reduce the charge of air left remaining in the cylinder
previous to the admission of the charge of gas or gas and air and so regulate the
degree of expansion of the gaseous mixture or charge when burned in the
cylinder.
The remainder of the cycle of operations will be substantially the same as in the
arrangement first described.
The governing is performed by varying the time of closing the exhaust valve, or
the supplementary valve, by means of suitable mechanism which can be either
regulated by hand or can be controlled by the governor; or by varying the
proportion of gas admitted into the cylinder either alone or mixed with air in such
a proportion as not to be explosive until further diluted in the cylinder. The gas
may be altogether excluded from entering the cylinder when not required, in which
case a charge of air only is passed through the cylinder, or the charge of gas may
be regulated on its way from the force-pump to the cylinder by means of a throttle
valve placed in the gas pipe, or by a bye-pass valve in the said gas or gas and
pump.
air
The means for varying the supply of gas may be controlled either by hand or by
the governor.
It will be readily understood that the governing may be effected partially by

page_text: varying the time of closing the exhaust valve, or the supplementary valve, and
partially by varying the supply of gas.
The gas pump may be formed in such a manner that the space or volume below
the plunger may be made variable at pleasure or a bye-pass valve may be inserted
between the opposite ends of the pump, and thus the pressure of the charge may be
better controlled. This can be effected by hand or may be acted upon mechanically
by the governor.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown my invention as applied to an
engine in which the piston in its outward stroke uncovers ports which admit a
scouring charge of compressed air to the working side of the piston for driving out
the products of combustion of the previous explosion, and in which both the gas (or
gas and air) admission valve as well as the exhaust valve is under the control of the
governor.
In such drawing: :―
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the gas engine constructed according to my
invention.
Fig. 2 a sectional plan view of same.
Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the cylinder, and
Fig. 4 a transverse section through the gas and air valve and the exhaust valve,
showing the means for operating and controlling same.
In these drawings A is the cylinder in which piston B reciprocates, its rod C
being connected to crank shaft D by the usual connecting rod (not shown in the
drawing). At the end of the cylinder A nearest the crank shaft, ports I are formed
and communicate with an air compression chamber J provided with a suitable air
inlet valve K. The ports I are controlled by the piston B.
The exhaust port and valve L is situated at the end of the cylinder farthest
removed from the crank shaft D, and is controlled in any suitable manner, the
arrangement shown in the drawing consisting in the employment of a shaft M
driven by gearing from the crank shaft, and carrying a cam N, which actuates the
pivotted lever O carrying roller O', and so controls the exhaust valve L. The
shaft M also carries a second cam P, which through lever R carrying roller R',
controls a bye-pass valve Q for the gas, or gas and air, supply in the same way as
cam N controls the exhaust.
Any suitable pump S may be employed for forcing the gas, or non-explosive
mixture of gas and air, into the cylinder, and be actuated at the proper time from
the engine by any suitable means, such as by an eccentric T mounted on the crank
shaft Ď.
In the drawing the arrangement shown is for supplying a non-explosive mixture
of gas and air, s being the gas inlet and s¹ the air inlet. If it is desired to supply
gas only the air inlet a is abolished.
The operation of the engine is as follows:-In the position shown in the
drawing the piston B has just completed its effective or outward stroke, and the
ports are open to the air chamber J, while exhaust valve L is open, or just about
to open.
The compressed air contained in chamber J therefore passes into
cylinder A in front of piston B, and drives out the products of combustion of
the previous explosion through the exhaust valve L. The piston B then begins its
return movement, whereby the ports I are closed, and the charge of air in front of
the piston consequently completes the scouring of the cylinder. At any suitable
point in the inward stroke of the piston the exhaust valve L is closed by the action
of cam N, and the pump S is actuated and forces a charge of gas and air into the
space between the piston B and the end of the cylinder A, which mingles with the
air contained therein. The explosive mixture coutained in such space will be
compressed by piston B, until the completion of the inward stroke. As soon as the
requisite amount of gas (or the non-explosive mixture of gas and air) has entered
the cylinder, the pump S ceases to operate.
It will be seen that the back end of the cylinder A communicates with the air
compression chamber J, as shown at a, so that during the inward stroke of the

page_text: piston, air, which enters chamber J through valve K, will pass from chamber J
into the end of the cylinder behind the piston.
As soon as the inward stroke is completed the explosive mixture in front of the
piston is exploded by any suitable known means, thus driving the piston outward
and consequently actuating the crank shaft D, while at same time the air
contained in the cylinder behind the piston B will be compressed and pass into
chamber J, the valve K of which will close automatically as soon as the outward
movement of the piston begins.
The operation described is then repeated, and thus it will be seen that an
impulse will be given to the crank shaft at each revolution.
A convenient arrangement for controlling the duration of the time for which the
exhaust valve L, and also the bye-pass valve Q (which when necessary allows any
portion of the charge to pass back into the pump instead of entering the cylinder),
remain open, automatically by the action of the governor, is shown in the drawings,
and consists in shifting the rollers O' and R' respectively, along the cams N and P
which actuate same, or vice versa, such cams being made conical, so that according
to the position of the rollers thereon, the levers O and R carrying such rollers, will
remain raised for a longer or shorter period, and the valves L and Q controlled by
such levers will be correspondingly operated. The shifting of the rollers O¹ and R¹
is effected by mounting each of same on a spindle o and r, respectively, carried by
the levers O and R, so that same can slide thereon.
Each of such rollers is embraced by a fork U, both carried on a horizontal
sliding spindle V, which by a crank lever W is connected with the sleeve X of
governor Y, so that as such sleeve rises or falls the spindle V will be caused to
move horizontally, and through the forks U carry the rollers O¹ and R' to a
different position in relation to the cams N and P which actuate same, or the same
effect may be produced by moving the cams on the shaft.
It will be readily understood that instead of the piston B controlling the
admission of the scouring charge to the cylinder as described, such piston may
control the exhaust port, and the scouring charge may pass from the opposite side
of the piston or the compression chamber to the front end of the cylinder, and enter
same through a self-acting valve, and in this case the front end of the cylinder may
have a suitably actuated relief or supplementary valve applied thereto, which may
be regulated or entirely operated by the governor.
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 :-
In internal combustion engines in which the piston acts in a double capacity,
as a motor and as an air compressor, and wherein an impulse is obtainable every
revolution and a scouring charge of air admitted to the cylinder between each
impulse,
1. Regulating the charge of air left remaining in the cylinder by causing the
exhaust valve, or its equivalent, to be held open by means of the governor, during
Jonger or shorter period, and thus allowing a portion of the charge of air to escape
previous to the gas being admitted, substantially as specified.
a
2. Regulating and varying the charge of air left remaining in the cylinder and
also the charge of incoming gas (or gas and air), by means of the governor,
substantially as specified.
3. The means of regulation consisting in the employment of rollers which are
shifted by the governor in relation to cams which actuate same, or vice versa,
whereby the exhaust valve (or its equivalent) controlled by one of such rollers is
kept open more or less as required, and at the same time a throttle valve or a bye-
pass valve on the gas (or gas and air) pump, controlled by the other roller, is
proportionately opened or closed for the purpose of regulating the mixture of air
and gas in the cylinder, substantially as specified.

page_text: 4. The combination of the various parts for producing the above named improve-
ments as described and set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of December 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.