IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robson, of 15, Guest Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1881.
JAMES ROBSON, of 15, Guest Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES."
My Invention relates to motive power engines worked by the internal combustion
of gas, or vapour and air, and principally to working the valves of and starting
such engines, in which a charge of gas and air is drawn or admitted into a cylinder
by the outstroke of the piston, and compressed by the instroke of the piston into
an elongation or combustion chamber at the back end of the cylinder, and then
ignited on the next outstroke, and the products of combustion expelled by the
following instroke.
I admit directly into the back end of the cylinder the charge of gas and air
during the outstroke of the piston by means preferably of the automatic flap valve,
covering by its face the gas and air inlets, as described and shown in my former
Patents for gas engines, which valve closes on the return or compressing stroke.
The charge is now ignited by the igniting slide, worked by an eccentric on the
fly wheel shaft. The rod of this eccentric has a slot in it and can move freely
on the slide pin without moving the slide, excepting when a hinged finger or block
is inserted between the rod end and the slide, when the rod and its finger move
the slide one way, and the slot's end by means of the slide pin the other way.
The finger is hinged on and near the rod's end, and it is lifted free from the slide
every alternate revolution of the engine shaft by means of a cam with, say, three
teeth, with its spindle revolving in the slide rod; on the cam's spindle there is
fixed a toothed ratchet wheel which engages with a pawl supported by the
cylinder. Now when the rod moves one way the pawl moves the ratchet wheel
round one tooth, and with it the cam, which by one of its teeth raises the finger
out of contact with the slide, the rod now moving the other way cannot move the
slide. The rod again moving the next other way the pawl moves the ratchet
wheel another tooth, and with it the can, which now inserts or drops the finger
between the rod's end and the slide to move the slide in the rod's next movement.
The escape may be an ordinary disc valve kept to its seat by a spring, and opened
...

page_text: every alternate revolution of the engine by an eccentric finger, cam, ratchet wheel,
and pawl, similar to the igniting valve arrangement. A hinged lever interposed
between the finger end and the escape valve closes the gas supply whenever this
lever is moved by the finger. I lubricate the piston and slide valve by ordinary
dip wires hung on cranks on a revolving shaft in the oil box; this shaft is turned
by a toothed wheel fixed on it, and gearing into an endless screw on an ordinary
governor spindle. The governor may be supported by the oil box and fixed on the
cylinder top. The governor is worked by a belt or other means from main shaft,
and when the engine's speed is too high its spindle moves a lever which moves a
stop in front of the hinged interposed lever between the finger and the gas supply
valve and escape valve and keeps the gas valve closed, so that air only is drawn
into the cylinder through the flap or supply valve in each successive forward stroke
of the piston, and expelled through the escape at each successive backward stroke
of the piston. A self-acting outward lift valve is used on the escape port to prevent
the escape products from being drawn back again into the cylinder in the forward
stroke of the piston. The governor lever also lifts and retains the slide finger out
of contact with the slide, so that the slide does not move when the speed of the
engine is too high. When the speed is too high the governor spindle withdraws its
screw out of gear with the oil wheels and ceases oiling.
To start these engines casily I lift and retain by means of two small eccentrics
and rods on a hand moved shaft the two pawls out of contact with their respective
ratchet wheels, so that the escape finger moves the escape every successive revo-
lution of the engine, and the slide finger does not move the slide at all. Now on
turning the engine round by hand, gas and air are drawn in at each successive
outward stroke by way of the flap valve until the piston is about half stroke, when
the eccentric rod, by means of a chain or other connection, draws a plate from
between a small outside flame and a hole in the pipe between the flap valve case
and the cylinder, and allows the flame to be drawn in, and explode the gases and
propel the piston, connecting rod, crank shaft, and fly wheel, the escape eccentric
rod by means of its now standing finger opens the escape during each successive
inward stroke of the piston. When the engine has attained a good speed, the small
eccentric shaft is moved round by hand, which drops the escape and slide pawls
into their ratchet wheels, and disengaging the chain and flame plate from the slide
eccentric rod the engine now begins to work on the alternate compressing system,
as hereinbefore described. Instead of the above small flame for starting an
electric spark may be employed in the cylinder for exploding the gases when the
piston is about the middle of its out stroke. I sometimes close the front end of
the cylinder round the piston rod, and use an air inlet valve from the apartment
and an outlet valve into the escape pipe, or a separate pipe leading to the external
atmosphere, for the purpose of ventilation, and throwing out any effluvia from the
front inner walls of the cylinder, or what may escape past the piston. The above
arrangements may be modified by using a side shaft turned by cog mitre gearing
from and at half the speed of the main shaft, and working the igniting slide by a
crank across the end of the cylinder; a cam on the side shaft moves the interposed
hinged lever to open the escape valve and shut the gas supply valve, the governor
acting on the gas supply valve as described in any former arrangement. In
starting this arrangement the escape lever would be shifted from the alternate
cain onto another cam with two projections on it for opening the escape during
each successive inward stroke, the lighter plate being also moved, and the explosions
take place every successive outward stroke. The charge of gas and air are
admitted by the flap valve at every successive outward stroke, as in my other
arrangements as before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Robson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
November 1881.
JAMES ROBSON, of 15, Guest Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer. “IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES.”
My Invention relates to motive power engines worked by the internal combustion
of gas, or vapour and air, and principally to working the valves of and starting such
engines in which a charge of gas and air is drawn or admitted into a cylinder by
the outstroke of the piston, and compressed by the instroke of the piston into an
elongation or combustion-chamber at the back end of the cylinder and then ignited
on the next outstroke, and the products of combustion expelled by the following
instroke.
I admit directly into the back end of the cylinder the charge of gas and air
during the outstroke of the piston by means preferably of the automatic flap valve
covering by its face the gas and air inlets as described and shown in my former
Patents for gas engines, which valve closes on the return or compressing stroke.
The charge is now ignited by the igniting slide worked by an excentric on the
fly wheel shaft. The rod of this eccentric has a slot in it and can move freely on
the slide pin without moving the slide, excepting when a hinged finger or block is
inserted between the rod end and the slide, when the rod and its finger move
the slide one way, and the slot's end by means of the slide pin the other way. The
finger is hinged on and near the rod's end, and it is lifted free from the slide every
alternate revolution of the engine shaft by means of a cam with, say, three teeth,
with its spindle revolving in the slide eccentric rod. On the cam's spindle there
is fixed a six toothed ratchet wheel which engages with a pawl supported by the
cylinder. Now when the rod moves one way, the pawl moves the ratchet wheel
round one tooth, and with it the cam, which by one of its teeth raises the finger
out of contact with the slide. The rod now moving the other way cannot move
the slide, the rod again moving the next other way the pawl moves the ratchet
wheel another tooth, and with it the cam, which now inserts or drops the finger
between the rod's end and the slide to move the slide in the rod's next movement.
The escape may be an ordinary disc valve kept to its seat by a spring, and
opened every alternate revolution of the engine by an eccentric, finger, cam, ratchet
wheel, and pawl, similar to the igniting valve arrangement. A hinged lever
interposed between the finger end and the escape valve closes the gas supply valve
whenever this lever is moved by the finger.
I lubricate the piston and slide valve by ordinary dip wires hung on cranks on a
revolving shaft in the oil box; this shaft is turned by a toothed wheel fixed on it
and gearing into an endless screw on an ordinary governor spindle. The governor
may be supported by the oil box, and fixed on the cylinder top. The governor is
worked by a belt or other means from main shaft, and when the engine's speed
is too high its spindle moves a lever which moves a stop in front of the hinged
interposed lever between the finger and the gas supply valve and escape valve and
keeps the gas valve closed, so that air only is drawn into the cylinder through the
flap or supply valve in each successive forward stroke of the piston, and expelled
through the escape at each successive backward stroke of the piston. A self-acting
outward lift valve is used on the escape port to prevent the escape products from
being drawn back again into the cylinder in the forward stroke of the piston.
The governor lever may also lifts and retains the slide finger out of contact with
the slide, so that the slide does not move when the speed of the engine is too high.
When the speed is too high the governor spindle withdraws its screw out of gear
with the oil wheel, and ceases oiling.

page_text: To start these engines easily I lift and retain, by means of two small eccentrics
and rods on a hand moved shaft, the two pawls out of contact with their respective
ratchet wheels, so that the escape finger moves the escape every successive revolu-
tion of the engine, and the slide finger does not move the slide at all. Now in
turning the engine round by hand, gas and air are drawn in at each successive
outward stroke by way of the flap valve until the piston is about half stroke,
when the eccentric rod by means of a chain or other connection draws a plate
from between a small outside flame and a hole in the pipe between the flap valve
case and the cylinder, and allows the flame to be drawn in and explode the gases
and propel the piston, connecting rod, crank shaft, and fly wheel, the escape eccentric
rod, by means of its now standing finger, opens the escape during each successive
inward stroke of the piston. When the engine has attained a good speed, the
small eccentric shaft is moved round by hand, which drops the escape and slide
pawls into their ratchet wheels, and disengaging the chain and flame plate from the
slide eccentric rod. The engine now begins to work on the alternate compressing
system, as herein before described. Instead of the above small flame for starting an
electric spark may be employed in the cylinder for exploding the gases when the
piston is about the middle of its outstroke.
I sometimes close the front end of the cylinder round the piston rod, and use an
air inlet valve and an outlet valve into the escape pipe leading to the external
atmosphere, and throwing out any effluvia froin the front inner walls of the
cylinder, or what may escape past the piston.
The above arrangements may be modified by using a side shaft turned by cog
mitre gearing from and at half the speed of the main shaft, and working the
igniting slide by a crank across the end of the cylinder. A cam on the side shaft
moves the interposed hinged lever to open to the escape valve and shut the gas
supply valve, the governor acting the gas supply valve, as described in my former
arrangement.
In starting in this arrangement the escape lever would be shifted from the
alternate cam on to another cam with two projections on it for opening the escape
during each successive inward stroke, the lighter plate being also moved and the
explosions taking place every outward stroke. The charge of gas and air are
admitted by the flap valve at every successive outward stroke, as in my other
arrangements as before described.
The accompanying Drawings are for the purpose of more fully showing the mode
of carrying into practice my Invention with its various details.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. A and B shew the general principle of engine to which my improvements
are applied. 1 is a water jacketted cylinder; 2, the piston with its rod 3,
connecting rod 4, crank and shaft 5, and flywheel 6, eccentrics 7, governor strap
pulley 8. On the piston 2 I fix by studs 9 a plate piston 10 with an aperture in
which a nearly balanced free swinging valve 11 is placed. On the outstroke of the
piston 2 a charge of gas and air or vapour and air is drawn into the cylinder by
way of the port 12 from the gas and air admission valve 13, but is prevented by
the plate piston 10 and valve 11 from mixing with the previously consumed gases
contained between the two pistons 2 and 10; this plate piston 10 may be
perforated with holes instead of valve 11; on the next instroke this mixture is
compressed partly into the port 12 and between the two pistons, which forms a
combustion chamber, " or this chamber may be formed of a tubular arrangement,
shown at 14, Fig. C, with its valve 11, the piston 2 in this case coming near the
end of the cylinder."
On the following outstroke the charge is exploded by the igniting slide 15, the
resulting pressure propelling the piston crank and fly wheel. On the following
instroke the products of combustion are expelled through the exhaust port and
valve 16, as shown in Fig. D.

page_text: In Figs. D, E, F, 15 is the igniting slide valve which is worked by the eccentric
and rod 7; this rod has a slot in it moving freely on the slide pin 17 excepting
when the hinged finger 18 is inserted between the rod and the slide when the rod
and finger move the slide one way, and the slot's end and [slide pin the other
way. The finger 18 is hinged on the rod at 19, and it is lifted free from the slide
every alternate revolution of the engine shaft by the three-toothed cam and
spindle 20 revolving in the slide rod. On the cam's spindle there is fixed a six-
toothed ratchet wheel 21, which engages with the pawl 22 supported on its pin by
the cylinder. Now when the rod moves towards the engine shaft the pawl moves
the ratchet wheel 21 round one tooth and with it the cam 20, which by one of
its teeth raises the finger 18 out of contact with the slide, the rod now moving the
other way cannot move the slide. The rod moving again towards the shaft the
pawl moves the ratchet wheel and cam another tooth, which inserts the finger 18
into contact with the slide to move it in the next movement to ignite the cylinder
charge.
In Figs. D, F, I, are shown the port and escape valve 16, which valve is kept to
its seat by a spring 23, and opened every alternate revolution of the engine by the
eccentric rod 7, finger 24, cam 25, ratchet wheel 26, and pawl 27, similar to the
igniting valve arrangement, a hinged lever 2$ between the finger end, and the
escape valve closes the cylinder gas supply valve 29 whenever the lever is moved
by the finger.
I lubricate the cylinder and slide valve by dip wires hung on cranks on a
revolving shaft and toothed wheel 30 in the oil box 31, shown on larger scale in
Fig. L. This wheel and shaft 30 is turned by an endless screw 32 by a governor
spindle 33 passing through it. When the speed of engine is too high, the governor
spindle 33 descends and allows the screw to come into contact with the oil box
bottom; the spindle 33 now revolves freely without turning the screw. On the
spindle's ascent it again raises and turns the screw by a collar 34.
The governor
may be fixed on the oil box 31 and worked by a belt or other means from engine
shaft, and when the speed is too high its spindle moves a lever 35 and stop 36 in
front or over the interposed lever 28, and holds it down by a projection 37, and
keeps the escape valve open and the cylinder gas supply valve 29 closed, so that
air only is drawn into the cylinder through the supply valve 13 in each successive
forward stroke of the piston, and expelled through the escape at each successive
backward stroke of the piston. A self acting outward lift valve 38 is used on the
escape port to prevent the return again of the escape products into the cylinder.
In Fig. F is shown as a detail to the escape pipe a turbine 39 revolving in the
dash pot 40; this turbine is revolved by the first high pressure exhaust, and its
acquired momentum assisting in clearing the cylinder of the final exhaust, and
drawing in fresh air at self acting valve 13 while the escape valve is open. Figs. G
and H are enlarged detail views of the application to this principle of engine of the
self-acting gas and air supply valve 13, as described in my former Patents for gas
engines, which valve may be either a disc or, preferably, a hinged flap 13 for
admitting and closing the air and gas ports 41 and 42 by the action of the same
valve. For these valves I prefer to use a seat of asbestos or other non-inflammable
soft material as at 43.
To facilitate the starting of this engine I use the arrangement shown in Figs. E,
F, I, where a shaft with two eccentrics and rods 44 turned by the handle 45 lift
and retain the two pawls 22 and 27 out of contact with their respective ratchet
wheels 21 and 26 in Fig. D, so that the escape finger moves the escape valve every
successive revolution of the engine, and the slide finger does not move the slide at
all; now on turning the engine round by hand gas and air is drawn in at each
successive outward stroke by way of the flap valve 13 until the piston is about
half stroke, when the slide eccentric rod by means of a chain 46 draws a plate 47
from between a small outside flame 48, and a small hole with its valve 49 in the
portway 12 between inlet valve 13 and the cylinder. The small flame being drawn
in ignites the charge and propels the piston to the end of its stroke, the eccentric

page_text: rod by means of its now standing finger 24 opens the escape valve 16 during each
successive inward stroke of the piston. When the engine has attained a good
speed the small eccentric shaft is moved round by hand, which drops the escape
and slide pawls into their ratchet wheels; the chain 46 may also be disengaged
from the slide eccentric rod; the small firing hole can now be closed by the point of
the hand screw 50. The engine now begins to work on the alternate compressing
principle, as hereinbefore described. Instead of the small flame being used an
electric spark may be employed to explode the charge; the spark may be obtained
from an induction coil worked by an accumulation battery, which may be charged
by a magneto machine worked by the engine. The engine may also be continuously
worked on this last described principle. The front end of the cylinder may be
closed by a cover and stuffing box, and the above described gas and air supply
valve be added thereto, also an escape valve and firing arrangement, so that the
front end of the cylinder can be used for starting, and when the engine has attained
a good speed the gas can be changed from the front end to the back, and afterwards
air alone be drawn in on the front side through its supply valve and expelled at
the exhaust. This system of starting this principle of gas engines may be used in
conjunction with my patented system of starting by a supplemental engine worked
by the stored high pressure exploded cylinder gases or air put under pressure, or
towns, or other high pressure water.
Figs. J, K, M, N, O, show another modification of my improvements. The
interposed lever 28 is worked direct by the teeth of the cam 51, which has fixed
on its spindle the six toothed ratchet wheel 52 which is turned by the pawl 53.
The lever 28 moves by a pin 54 on its side another lever 55, which by a spring
prolongation 56 closes the cylinder gas supply valve 29 whenever the levers are
moved by the cam tooth in opening the escape valve; a projection 57 on the bell
crank lever 55 just lifts the pawl 53 out of contact with its ratchet wheel 52, and
if the speed is too high the governor stop 37 holds the lever 55 down, and the
pawl 53 up from its ratchet wheel, leaving the cam 51 standing to open the escape
valve every back stroke; on the cam and ratchet wheels spindle is fixed another
three toothed cam 58 which depresses a bell crank lever 59, which opens a small
gas supply valve 60 communicating with the slide outside light 61, see Figs. E
and F. This valve 60 has a small passage through it, so as not to cut the gas off
entirely from this flame, and will not ignite the slide internal gas flame 62, Fig. F,
but when valve 60 is opened and enlarges this flame 61 it ignites the slide internal
flame, so as to ignite the compressed charge in the cylinder, the slide in this modi-
fication being continuously worked by the eccentric, as shown in Figs. M and N.
In Figs. M, N, O, is shown another modification for alternately turning up and
down the lighting flame 61; this consists of a revolving three way gas cock 63
revolved by a six toothed ratchet wheel 64, which is moved one tooth every outward
motion of the slide by a pawl 65 carried on the eccentric rod; a small continuous
gas feed to this flame is allowed round by the groove 66, or this slide flaine and the
small starting flame 48 may be moved to and from their respective positions. In
Fig. J, 67 is a projection on the end of the governor lever 36, which by pressing
the lever 59 holds open the gas valve 60 when the speed is too high, and the
engine taking in and exhausting air only at every successive revolution, so as to
enlarge the outside flame 61 and light the slide flame 62, and not allow it to escape
unburnt.
In Fig. F is shown another arrangement for preventing the internal slide gas to
pass away unburnt. 68 is a constant burning flame which ignites the slide gas on
the top only of a wire gauze partition 69 when the flame 61 is lowered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practice,
I hereby declare that I claim,――
(1st.) Applying to the engine hereinbefore described my previously patented self-
acting supply valve in which the action of the said valve opens and closes the gas
and air ports, in combination with the arrangements for starting the engine,

page_text: combining thereby the compressed and non-compressed principles of working, as
described and shown, or any mere modification thereof.
(2nd.) Effecting the alternate movement of the slide by a finger and cam moved
by a pawl and ratchet wheel with double the number of teeth, and worked by an
eccentric from the engine shaft, as shown and described, or any miere modification
thereof.
(3rd.) Effecting the alternate movement of the escape valve by a cam moved by a
pawl and ratchet wheel with double the number of teeth, and worked by an
eccentric from the engine shaft, shown and described, or any mere modification
thereof.
(4.) The application of the governor to give an intermittent oiling action, and
also the means by which the governor operates the exhaust valve, so as to permit
the fresh air drawn in at the supply valve at every outstroke to pass out at the
escape at every instroke when the speed is too high, as shown and described, or any
mere modification thereof.
(5.) The arrangements for effecting the starting on the non-compressed principle,
and then changing it to the alternate compressing principle of engine, as shown and
described, or any mere modification thereof. The foregoing claims apply to motive
power engines on the principle of a charge of gas or vapor, and air drawn or
admitted into a cylinder by the outstroke of the piston compressed on its instroke,
exploded on the next outstroke and exhausting on the following instroke.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
5
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S. W.
JAMES ROBSON. (L.S.)