Improvements in Petroleum or Liquid Hydrocarbon Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petroleum or Liquid Hydrocarbon Engines.
I JAMES ROOTS Holborn Avenue 261 High Holborn London Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The admission valve for the mixture of oil and air is fitted on a separate
casting having a channel to convey the mixture to the cylinder, the channel is
continued a short distance beyond the valve and inside it, into which end of the
channel the ignition tube is screwed; the channel is also continued a short distance
outside the valve. Surrounding the ignition tube and forming the outside casing
thereof is a coil consisting of a grooved casting, which is kept hot by the flame
used for the ignition tube. The oil is fed from the tank by a reciprocating rod
worked by a lever and cam. It passes through a stuffing box and has three four
or more grooves cut in it and a valve seating on its end, the stroke of which rod
by means of an adjusting screw may be altered by the hand or by the governor so
that one two or all the grooves are brought in use as desired or as the engine
requires. At one end of its stroke the grooves on the rod are brought opposite a
port to which is fitted the supply pipe from the oil reservoir, the oil runs into and fills
the grooves and the air displaced from them by the oil is carried back to the top of the
reservoir by a separate pipe or the air pipe is simply carried up perpendicularly a short
distance. One two or more grooves full of oil according to the adjusted length of
throw of the rod, are at the other end of the stroke presented to a stream of air
directed at right angles to the rod caused by the suction of the engine, and the oil
is carried off by the air and together conveyed through a circular box placed
above the igniter case, and containing metal gauze fitted round it, preferably in
zigzag manner, where it is heated and then passed through the admission valve of
the engine into the cylinder and at the end of the compression stroke, is fired.
After it has been running sufficiently to get hot, a valve is lifted by hand and air
then passes through channels in the cylinder cover to heat it and supplements the
air passing through the coil, as this latter is, to economise heat, a somewhat
restricted channel.
The centrifugal governor may be applied directly to the regulating screw to
vary the throw of the reciprocating grooves, or the twin governing valves as
described in my previous Specification for oil engines may be fitted, or both
regulating devices actuated by the same governor may be applied in the one
engine. The coil casing for the igniting flame being fixed on the end of the
admission and the ignition channel, the channel walls forming a separate casting
supporting it, the heat from the enclosed flame used for heating the ignition tube
is conducted to the channel, and as practically no heat is lost by conduction,
thus ensures easy starting by the readiness of firing owing to the prevention of
condensation of oil vapour and also ensures clean combustion. The internal
ignition chamber or tube as described in my Specification 14549* may be
employed. The exhaust is conveyed round the outside of a chamber containing
perforated discs through which the air passes, by suction.
The exhaust valve may be operated, especially for twin cylinders by a disc
placed at an angle not a right angle on the countershaft, which is revolved by the
crank shaft once in two revolutions by ordinary worm and wheel. On the edge of
the disc fits a grooved boss within which the periphery of the disc revolves, and
which is pivoted to the end of a lever to allow of the necessary oscillation. The
lever presses the exhaust valve open at the adjusted time.
For preventing the leakage of vapour a deep groove is cut into the piston
having a ring placed beyond and outside of it. A hole is bored through

page_text: the piston at the bottom of the groove, and a pipe is fitted therein, on the other
end of which pipe is fixed a small closed chamber with thin walls which moving
with the piston is kept cool and condenses the vapour. Or the said pipe may fit
telescopically in another pipe connected with the suction channel from whence the
vapour is again drawn into the engine. And the port G shewn in my Specification
1955990 may be connected with the suction channel.
The ignition tube flame is produced by à vapour lamp the burner of which
consisting of bent tubing has a minute valve provided with a needle point for the
purpose of clearing out any obstruction in the vapour orifice. A small air pump
is fitted at the top of the reservoir to pump in air to maintain a pressure on the
oil to force it through the burner, a tube cover is fitted over the burner to retain
the heat, and additional air is permitted to enter the ignition tube casing with the
flame.
The water tank of the engine may in vertical engines be formed in four parts,
the hollow bed plate, the two hollow side frames for carrying the crank shaft, and
an additional tank fitted over the top of them or between them on one side of the
cylinder.
1
ז
JAMES ROOTS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petroleum or Liquid Hydrocarbon Engines.
I, JAMES ROOTS, of 261 High Holborn, London, 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:-
The admission valve for the mixture of oil and air is fitted on a separate casting
having a channel to convey the mixture to the cylinder, into which end of the
channel the ignition tube is screwed, the channel is also continued a short distance
outside the valve as far as the governing valve or valves. Surrounding the
ignition tube and forming the outer casing thereof is a coil consisting of a
grooved casting, which is kept hot by the flame used for the ignition tube.
The oil is fed from the tank by a reciprocating rod worked by a lever, it has
one or more grooves cut in it and may have a valve seating on its end, the stroke
of which rod, by means of an adjusting screw, may be altered by the hand or by
the governor, so that one or all the grooves are brought in use as desired, or as
the engine requires. At one end of its stroke, the groove or grooves in the rod are
brought opposite a port, to which is fitted the supply pipe from the oil reservoir,
the oil runs into and fills the groove or grooves, and the air displaced from them
by the oil is carried back to the top of the reservoir by a separate pipe, or the air
pipe is simply carried up perpendicularly a short distance but preferably the oil
pipe is made sufficiently large to readily return the air to the reservoir. One or
more grooves full of oil, according to the adjusted length of throw of the rod, are
at the other end of the stroke presented to a stream of air directed at right angles
to the rod, caused by the suction of the engine, and the oil is carried off by the air
and together conveyed through a circular box placed above the igniter case, and
.containing metal gauze fitted round it preferably in zigzag manner where it is
heated, and then passed through the admission valve of the engine, into the
cylinder, and at the end of the compression stroke is fired. After the engine has
been running sufficiently to get hot a valve by hand is lifted or turned, and air
passed through channels in the cylinder cover to heat it and supplements the air
passing through the coil as this latter is, to economise heat, a somewhat restricted
.channel.
The centrifugal governor may be applied directly to the regulating screw to
vary the throw of the reciprocating grooves, or the twin governing valves, as

page_text: described in my previous Specification for oil engines, or a single valve may be
fitted, or both regulating devices actuated by the same governor may be applied in
the one engine. The coil casing for the igniting flame is fixed on the end of the
admission and the ignition channel, the channel walls form a separate casting
5 supporting it, the heat from the enclosed flame used for heating the ignition tube
is conducted to the channel, and as practically no heat is lost by conduction,
ensures easy starting by the readiness of firing owing to the prevention of
condensation of oil vapour, and also ensures clean combustion.
The internal ignition chamber or tube as described in my Specification 14549⁰⁰
may be employed. The exhaust is conveyed round the outside of a chamber
containing perforated plates, through which the air passes by suction.
The exhaust valve may be operated, especially for twin cylinders, by a disc
placed at an angle, not a right angle, on the countershaft which is revolved by the
crank shaft once in two revolutions by ordinary worm and wheel. On the edge of
the disc fits a grooved boss or roller, within which the periphery of the disc
revolves, and which is pivoted to the end of a lever to allow of the necessary
oscillation. The lever presses the exhaust valve or valves open at the adjusted
time.
For preventing the leakage of vapour, a deep groove is cut or cast in the piston
having a ring placed beyond and outside of it. A hole is bored through the
piston at the bottom of the groove, and a pipe is fitted therein, on the other end of
which pipe is fixed a small closed chamber with thin walls which moving with the
piston is kept cool and condenses the vapour. Or the said pipe may fit
telescopically in another pipe connected with the suction channel from whence the
vapour is again drawn into the engine; and the port shown in my Specification
1955990
may be connected with the suction channel.
The ignition tube flame is produced by a vapour lamp, the burner of which
consisting of bent tubing has a minute orifice provided with a needle point for
the purpose of clearing out any obstruction. A small air pump is fitted to the
reservoir to pump in air to maintain a pressure on the oil to force it through the
burner, a tube cover is fitted over the burner to retain the heat and additional air
is permitted to enter the ignition tube casing with the flame.
The same letters refer to the same parts in all the drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation and part section showing the parts as arranged.
Figure 2 is an end elevation and part section of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the ignition tube casing which forms the air
heater and vapouriser.
Figure 4 shows cross sections of Figure 3 on lines a b, c d, and ef.
Figure 5 is an external view of air heater with a top cover to retain the heat
of the flame and direct it over the heating and mixing channel.
Figures 6 and 64 are views on a larger scale of the oil feeder and groove or
grooves.
Figure 7 is a diagram for the purpose of more clearly showing the action of the
nvention, the arrows indicating the passage of the air, or oil and air.
Figure 8 is an elevation of a vertical engine, some of the tubes being omitted to
ender it clearer, this construction being specially adapted for launches.
Figure 9 is a plan of the same.
Figure 10 is an alternative arrangement for lighter and higher speed engines for
riving the lever by means of a rotating side shaft by worm gear instead of a
eciprocating shaft.
Figure 11 is the construction of chamber for heating the incoming air by the
utgoing exhaust products.
Figure 114 is a plan of one of the plates shown in Figure 11.
Figure 12 is a detail view of the clutch or hook governing the oil feed.
Figures 13 and 13ª are views on a larger scale showing the ignition lamp and
urner.
The oil flows from the reservoir A when the stop cock is opened to the feeder B;

page_text: within which is fitted the rod plunger B' provided with the groove or grooves B³.
The rod or plunger B' is thrust in by the lever C, the other end of which is
connected by a slotted link C¹, Figure 1, to the reciprocating side shaft D operated
in the usual manner to open the exhaust valve D¹. The spring C which is fixed
to a stationary pin fixed in the side of the cylinder returns the lever C which
pulls out the grooved plunger B'. 133 is the oil space, and B* the air channel
into which the oil is delivered by the groove B. E Figures 3 and 4 is the
igniter tube casing constructed similarly to, but an improvement on that described
in Figures 3 and 4 of my Specification 158828. Air only passes through the
lower channels E' of the ignition tube casing E and air and oil through the upper
channel E2 only.
Alternate portions of the dividing ribs as shown in Figures 3 and 4 are
cut away to form a port, so that the air traverses the whole of the channels
successively, half the air passing round one side and half on the other of the same
channel, the two currents of air meeting at the next port or part cut away E³,
and traversing in the same way the next channel. E, Figure 5, is a casing or
cover placed over the top of the channel E to retain more of the heat of the
flame by preventing radiation and deflecting the flame over the top of E². F is
the ignition tube kept hot by the. flame from the burner G. F' is a loose tube or
casing carrying an asbestos lining fitting within E having a hole or port F in it,
through which the flame is directed from the burner G. The object of F is to
enable a new ignition tube to be readily screwed in without taking off the casing E.
Fslides up within E and enables a pair of pliers to be used upon the tube F.
H is the governor driven by a strap from the crank shaft by the pullies H¹and H³,
or any other convenient method.
When the speed becomes excessive the centrifugal action of the governor pulls
the valve spindle I and closes the valve in the valve box J thus cutting off the
mixture of oil and air, the other end of the valve spindle I is provided with a
collar, which passes through the small rod K pivoted at one end and provided with
a hook or clutch at the other. The clutch or hook is pulled forward at excess
speed simultaneously with the closing of the valve 1, and prevents the outward or
normal movement of the lever C and the plunger B by means of the spring C³,
this is shown on a larger scale at Figure 12.
Figure 7 is a diagram for the purpose of showing the working of the invention
but in which the parts are not in their exact relative positions in order to render
the working more clear, the arrows indicating the direction of the air and working
charge. The air enters a channel Z preferably cast in the cylinder cover Y and
passing into the tube Z enters the lower channel of the casing E, and thence
through all the channels E'. It then passes through the pipe X to the air
space B' in the feeder B, the groove B' delivering its feed of oil into the air space
during the suction stroke by means of the spring C2 shown in Figure 1, the air
sweeps off the charge of oil, and both together then pass through the pipe X¹ to
the top or vapourising channel E2, a portion of which may be fitted with a piece of
gauze, as shown at Figure 4. A piece of gauze not shown may also be fitted
in B under the groove to receive the oil. The air and oil together heated and
mixed in E³ pass through the pipe X to the valve box J when if the valve I be
open the mixture passes by the pipe J' by the admission valve L to the explosion
channel M and by the port N into the cylinder. After the engine has
been running for a short time the two way valve W is opened by hand, and
heated air passes through the channels in the cover, then by the pipe W
through the valve W, as shown, to further dilute the oil and air mixture passing
into the valve box J by the pipe X². The valve W may be turned, 80
that half heated and half unheated air is permitted to flow through W.
Only one valve is shown on the valve spindle I but in larger engines a second
valve is fitted on the same spindle to balance the resistance to the action of the
governor. On the return stroke of the piston the charge is compressed into the
hot tube F and fired.

page_text: Figures 8 and 9 show the method of applying the invention to a vertical launch
or vertical engine, Figure 8 being an elevation, and Figure 9 a plan. This
engine has twin cylinders most of the parts being duplicated in one engine, but
there is one feeding plunger rod B' provided with two feeding grooves one for each
cylinder which deliver the oil to the air spaces B. The one air heater is used for
both cylinders but the top or vapourising channel is divided into two, the half
serving to mix and vapourise for the one cylinder, and the other half for the other
cylinder. The action of the air and oil is the same but no governor is shown
fitted. The plunger B' is reciprocated by the link C¹ which is fitted at its other
end to the lever R fixed by a set screw to the oscillating. spindle of the exhaust
valve lever S which is operated by the side rod D connected to the pin in the one
to two gear wheel in the usual manner, or as shown in Figure 10. This method of
operating the oscillating exhaust rod S is preferred for smaller and higher speed
engines to reduce the noise. The side shaft S¹ rotated in the ordinary manner by
skew gear, carries a disc fixed obliquely upon it which fitting into the roller S
oscillates the exhaust valve lever S, the spindle of which carries the lever R in
the same way as before described. Owing to the high speed at which this engine
is run, the cylinder cover is also jacketed in the usual manner, and the heated air
is obtained by connecting the exhaust pipe T to the jacket T¹ surrounding the
cylinder T, within which is fitted a series of perforated plates, as shown in plan at
Figure 11, through which the air is drawn.
A' is the air pipe for conveying the air away from the oil groove B but which is
not necessary if the pipe A be large enough.
In Figure 1 is shown the condensing space or chamber P in the piston to which
is attached the small cooling chamber P connected by pipe with it. P² is the
pipe in dotted lines, which when connected with the admission channel may be
used to draw the uncondensed vapour from the piston space P.
In the vertical engine Figures 8 and 9, the air passing through E is drawn
directly from the atmosphere through the perforations in the bottom channel of E.
Figure 13 shows the lamp and burner. The tube G' is bent round, in the
manner shown, in a loop the end G2 is closed by brazing it to the side of the tube,
the other end G³ is screwed into the pipe leading to the oil lamp reservoir. The
point of the needle G projects into the orifice G forming an annular orifice, and
into the groove G; upon it, the screw fits to hold the needle in position. The
reservoir being partly filled with oil to the filling nozzle, a lighted piece of asbestos
or cotton fibre is placed in a small receptacle placed under the burner (not shown),
the cock G³ is closed and the small air pump G is worked by hand for a few
strokes to put pressure upon the surface of the oil, and the pipe G' being now
heated, the oil is vapourised by the heat of the tube, and the asbestos packing in
the tube, and issues from the annular orifice Go a jet of vapour which being ejected
under pressure injects into and becomes mixed with air in its passage through the
burner nozzle G. In the burners of this class hitherto the difficulty has been to
prevent, as far as possible, and remove any obstruction arising either from dirt in
the oil, or particles of carbon formed in the burner, which collects in the orifice.
By the needle point being always in the orifice the likelihood of its being com-
pletely stopped up is much reduced, as the orifice is annular. If the needle turns
on a screw, there is the great disadvantage of a constantly varying adjustment
caused by increasing the size of the orifice each time the needle is screwed forward,
this is obviated by the arrangement described which is equally effective in removing
obstruction on turning the needle round while it has still a very slight to and fro
movement owing to the groove being wider than the screw end. Figure 13ª shows
a modification of the arrangement shown at Figure 13 the needle being provided
with a packed gland G'.
It will be observed in the oil feeder, Figures 6 and 6 the construction is such
that neither a gland nor any packing is required, and yet there is no leakage. The
only working part where there could be leakage ie. the outside guide of the

page_text: plunger B', there is a tendency for air to be drawn through during the suction
stroke.
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 an oil engine, the construction of a casing E shown at Figure 3 with
partitions arranged as described with intercepting channels for air and with
channel E² for oil and air, the vessel being heated by direct action of flame as and
for the purpose set forth.
2. In an oil engine, the employment of feed rod B¹ in combination with oil
vapourizing vessel E2 in the manner described.
3. The particular construction and arrangement of the appliances shown at
Figures 6 and 6 by which the rod receives its charge of oil, carries, and delivers
it to the current of air passing in B, as set forth.
J
4. The construction of the feed apparatus B¹ and its adjacent parts in com-
bination with the air heater E and air and oil heater E*.
and
5. The employment of the channels E', E, the cylinder cover channel Z con-
structed and arranged as described in combination with the hand controlling a
governing valves I, W, for the purpose described.
6. The construction of burner with an orifice in which is a needle shaped plug
to partially close same and form an annular passage for the vapourised oil to pass,
as described with reference to Figures 13 and 13 of the drawings..
7. Constructing the lower end of the casing E with an opening, and arranging
therewith an asbestos lined tube for the purpose described.
8. As part of the piston of an oil engine, and having the annular space P, the
condenser P¹ as and for the purposes described.
9. In an engine operated by explosion of combined air and oil vapour, the con-
struction of the several parts as above described and arranged as shown at
Figures 1, 2, 8, 9, of the annexed drawings, Figure 7 being a diagrammatical
sketch of the arrangement, substantially as set forth.
The 2ndrday of September
3
LUC
ԿԱԼԱՒ Ս ԵԵՍՆԵՈՍԵԼ
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said James Roots.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said James Roots.