Improvements in Explosion-engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by LEVI SERGEANT GARDNER, of 215 Corondelet
Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer.]
Improvements in Explosion-engines.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co.,
of 11 and 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 contemplates the production of a motor or engine the power
whereof is the explosion of a charge of gas or other explosive or inflammable
agent.
The invention has for its object the production of a motor which shall be much
smaller in size and much lighter in weight, for a given horse power, thau the
motors now in use; one wherein the piston head is driven in each direction by
the explosion of the gas or vapor, thereby obviating the necessity of a large or
heavy fly wheel; one wherein two cylinders are employed to drive a single crank
shaft, the piston of one cylinder travelling slightly in advance of the other so that
there can be no dead centre; one wherein the piston of each cylinder is driven in
each direction by the explosion of the charge so that for one revolution of the
crank shaft there are four explosions; and a motor embodying other advantageous
features herein described and claimed.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation of my machine with one cylinder shown in section.
Figure 2 is a section view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view.
Figure 4 is a sectional view on the iine 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.
In carrying out the invention, A, A' (Figure 3) represent respectively the
cylinders constituting the driving cylinders of the engine. B represents the force
pump for forcing the vapor and air or other suitable gaseous charge constituting
the motive power into the cylinders. It is of course obvious that these cylinders
may be supported by any suitable framework and I will not herein further describe
the frame. C is a crank shaft of the engine and D the fly or balance wheel.
Referring now to Figure 1, I will describe more particularly the construction of
the driving cylinder A, it being understood that the cylinder A' is a duplicate of
the cylinder A. E is the shell of the cylinder. E' is an outer jacket, the space
between the two forming a water space. By means of a pump which I will here-
after describe, water is forced in at the inlet E, circles around the cylinder, and is
discharged at the outlet E, so that there is a constant circulation of water around
the cylinder to keep it cool. F, F' represent what I will, for convenience, term
the upper and lower ends of the piston. It will be observed that these ends of the
piston are of a peculiar shape, being recessed or cup shaped and having flanges f
By reference to Figure 4 it will be seen that the middle of the piston is provided
with a boxing or block G divided as at 9 (Figure 1) for convenience in inserting
into place. G' is a circular bearing movable in the boxing, into which the end h..
of the cross arm H on the pitman H' is inserted. This pitman as will be seen by:
reference to Figure 1 is connected with the crank shaft and the vertical movement
of the pitman will of course revolve the crank shaft. Gis a taper screw entering

page_text: between the boxing-Gand piston proper F, and is for the purpose of tightening
or loosening the parts G G₁ as desired. As has just been explained, instead of the
usual piston rod, I employ the cross head or arm H. This necessitates the elongated
opening in the side of the cylinder and to keep this opening covered, the flanged
end of the piston head is required. In order that, when the piston reaches the
end of each stroke, the new gas in that end may be compressed into as small a
space as possible, I provide at each end of the cylinder the projections E, each
adapted when the piston is at that particular end of the cylinder to enter and
substantially fill the space between the flanges f of the pistou head. Another
advantage of the projections E is that the water can circulate around a much
larger surface of metal and thus keep the temperature lower. In each piston head
as at e is an opening, and attached to the piston head and projecting into the
opening is a metallic spring e. E is a wire or contact piece insulated by the
insulation E from the frame of the machine. The end of the wire or contact E
terminating close to the path of the piston head so that the spring el will, as it
passes the wire E, come into contact therewith and as the piston moves still
further the contact will be broken. Now, by engaging one wire of any suitable
battery circuit to the wire E and the other wire of the circuit to the frame of the
engine, it will be obvious that as the spring e rides onto the wire E a contact or
circuit will be established and as this contact or circuit is broken a spark will be
made to ignite the gas as hereinafter set forth.
Referring now to Figure 2, B as before stated represents the pump employed to
force the explosive gaseous charge into the cylinders. It is an ordinary force
pump with the piston B¹ and the piston rod B. Attached to this piston rod at 6 is a
rod B, the lower end of which is engaged to a ring d in the cam grooved in the
fly wheel D, the result being that when the fly wheel revolves it moves the rod B³,
and consequently the piston rod B2 vertically. J represent the pipe leading from
the source of vapor or gas supply which may of course be located at any convenient
point. At this pipe is branched, one branch leading to the top of the cylinder
where a check valve J¹ is provided, and the other branch leading to the bottom of
the pump cylinder where a check valve J2 is provided. J represents the pipe
leading from the pump to the cylinders. Connected with this pipe J³ is a pipe
controlled by the check valve, and also the pipe controlled by the check valve³,
the valves and being the check valves governing the delivery pipe from the
pump. It will thus be observed that at each stroke of the pump piston B' a charge of
explosive gas is forced through the pipe J. This pipe as shown at Figure 3 is
branched as at J and J. The pipe J' leads to the cylinder A and the pipe J'
to the cylinder A', the inlet for the cylinder A being shown at J, Figures 1, 4
and 5, and the cylinder A having a corresponding inlet. The exhaust from each
cylinder is shown at J', Figures 4 and 5, there being of course one inlet and one
exhaust for each cylinder.
It will also be observed by reference to Figure 1 that the inlet is an opening
elongated horizontally, as shown by the dotted lines in that figure, and it will also
be observed by reference to Figure 4 that the exhaust opening is somewhat larger
than the inlet opening. It will be further observed by reference to Figure 4 that
the upper end of the piston head is provided with an inlet f¹ and an outlet f" and
that the lower end of the piston head is provided with an inlet and an outlet f.
The inlets, being substantially the same shape and size as the inlet for the
cylinder while the exhaust openings f, fare substantially the same shape and
size as the outlet J' of the cylinder. It will now be seen that when the piston is
at its lower position the inlet opening f¹ in the piston head will register with the
inlet J of the cylinder and the exhaust f will register with the exhaust J' of the
cylinder and that when the piston travels to its upper position the inlet f³ will
register with the inlet Je and the exhaust f* register with the exhaust J. In
order that the explosive gas when it enters J, f, may be prevented from
travelling directly across and passing out through the exhaust f, J', I provide in
each cylinder head the partition or deflector K shown in Figures 4 & 5, against

page_text: which the said gas will impinge and be forced up or down as the case may be into
the cylinders behind the piston head. By reference to Figure 2 it will be
observed that the lower end of the piston rod B of the pump B enters a
cylinder M. This cylinder M constitutes a bearing for the lower end of the
piston rod and also forms a water pump for the purpose of circulating water around
the driving cylinders A, A. Suitable check valves may of course be located
at any convenient point in the system and the pipe M¹ be arranged in any suitable
manner to connect with the water inlet E of each cylinder so that by the motion
of the piston rod B2 water will be forced into each of the jackets surrounding each
of the cylinders and a constant circulation thus be maintained.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The machine is started by setting
the fly wheel D in rotation. The motion of the piston head B¹ of the pump B
whether it be up or down, forces a charge of explosive gas out of the pump
through the pipe Js to the inlet J of each cylinder. The mechanism is so timed
that the inlet for f, as the case may be, will not register with the inlet J until
the piston B of the pump has travelled about one third of its stroke, thereby
compressing the explosive gas in the pump to a pressure of say twenty pounds to
the square inch, more or less. While this operation is going on, and while the
inlet for fis coming into register with the inlet Je, the exhaust ports have
registered with each other (because of the fact that they are larger than the inlet
ports) and the burnt gases from the previous explosion have escaped or at least
substantially all of the burnt gases have escaped. The inlet ports then register
with each other and the explosive gas or vapor then enters to the interior of the
piston head, strikes the partition K and flows upward and fills the space between
the cylinder head Es and the piston head F. Should any of the burnt gases
remain they would be driven out by the higher pressure of the new gas. The
continued revolution of the fly wheel now moves the piston upward until the inlet
and exhaust ports are cut off and the charge of gas is compressed between the
piston and cylinder heads. The movement continues until the spring e' comes into
contact with the wire E and passes over and separates therefrom, when a spark
will be formed that will ignite the charge of compressed gas, thus forcing the
piston head down to its lower position. But as the piston head reaches its upper
position, and the gas is ignited by the spark, the inlet port and exhaust portf
at the lower end of the piston register with the inlet port J and exhaust port J',
the return stroke of the pump has filled the lower end of the cylinder with the new
charge of gas and, as the piston moves down, the charge of gas in the lower end of
the cylinder is compressed and the operation is repeated. Thus the piston in each
cylinder is driven in each direction by an explosion of gas.
As will be seen by reference to Figure 1, (from the position of the arm H) the
piston in the cylinder A' is slightly in advance of the piston in the cylinder A, 80
that the piston in the cylinder A' will reach the end of its stroke and start back
slightly in advance of the piston in the cylinder A. This has the effect of tilting
the arm H at each end of each stroke of the pistons and this tilting of the arm H
tilts the lower end of the pitman H' and carries the crank on the crank shaft over
its dead centre.
It will be seen that by the above mechanism I have very largely increased the
capacity in a given weight and size of machine, because I have in the first place
so arranged the mechanism that the piston head is given an explosion at each of
its strokes or in other words, at each half revolution of the crank-shaft. Or, to
put it in another way, the mechanism is so arranged that the explosion will take
place on each side of the piston head. This enables me to reduce the size and
weight of the fly wheel to a minimum and also to reduce the size and weight of
the cylinder and the other parts to a minimum; again, I have provided two
eylinders, such as above described, thereby again enabling, for a given horse
power, a reduction to be made in the size and weight of the machine; again, by
means of the two cylinders and a single pitman for the two, I am enabled to

page_text: obviate dead centres and to concentrate the power of both cylinders upon the
single point in the crank shaft. Again, by the utilization of the piston rod of the
explosive gas or vapor pump as a piston for the. water pump, I am enabled, without.
materially adding to the size and weight, or to the expense of the machine, to keep
a constant circulation of water around the cylinders, thereby keeping them cool so
also by this construction, after the machine is started, I can, by providing a
suitable valve j¹ in the gas inlet pipe J, admit more or less air with the gas and
thereby decrease or increase, as desired, the speed of the engine without the necessity
of applying braking power to the fly wheel.
It is obvious that many of the minor features of my invention might be altered or
dispensed with, and I would have it understood that I can make any obvious
mechanical changes or substitutions for the parts shown and described without
departing from the spirit of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two cylinders arranged adjacent
to each other, and pistons working therein, of a common pitman connected to and
carried by both pistons, said pitman connected with the crank shaft, and having no
connection or bearing except with the crank shaft and pistons, substantially as
described.
2. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with two vertical cylinders arranged
adjacent to each other, each cylinder being provided with an opening in its
side and having a piston working therein, of a cross-head or arm connecting
the pistons, and a single pitman carried by the cross-head, the latter having
no bearing or connection except with the pistons and pitman, substantially as
described.
3. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two vertical cylinders arranged
adjacent to each other and each having an opening in its side, a piston in each
cylinder, a single cross-head or arm, one end of which is pivotally connected with
one piston while the other is pivotally connected with the other piston, and a
pitman integral with or rigidly connected to the cross-head or arm, said cross-
head having no connection or bearing except with the pistons, substantially as
described.
4. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two vertical cylinders, each having
an elongated opening in the side, a piston head in each cylinder, an opening in the
side of each piston head and a connection extending from each piston through the
opening to a single shaft, said connection working in the vertical slot in each
cylinder and piston, substantially as described.
5. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two vertical cylinders, a piston in
each cylinder and connections from each piston to a common crank and crank
shaft, a gas inlet and a gas outlet for each cylinder and means for igniting the gas
in each cylinder, said ports so arranged that the gas in one cylinder will explode
slightly in advance of the explosion in the other cylinder, substantially as
described.
6. In a gas or vapor motor the combination with two vertical cylinders, each
having a piston head, a gas inlet and a burnt gas outlet for each cylinder,
connections from each piston head to a common crank and crank shaft and
means for igniting the gas in each end of each cylinder, said parts being so
arranged that the gas in one end of one cylinder will explode slightly in advance
of the explosion in the corresponding end of the other cylinder, substantially as
described.
7. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with two cylinders, each having a
piston head, of a gas inlet and a burnt-gas outlet for each cylinder, a single pitman
connected with each piston, and means for igniting the gas in each end of each

page_text: cylinder, said parts being arranged so that the gas in onerend of one cylinder will
explode slightly in advance of the explosion in the corresponding end of the other
cylinder, substantially as described.
8. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with the cylinder having inlet and
outlet ports for the fresh and burnt gases respectively, of. the piston, having a
deflector or diaphragm against which the fresh gases strike, said deflector having
its side edges extended in a plane parallel with the longitudinal plane of the inlet
and outlet, and said edges terminating closely adjacent to the outlet, substantially
as described.
9. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with the cylinder having inlet and
outlet ports, of the piston, having. a flanged end, inlet and outlet ports in said
flange, and a deflector opposite the inlet, said deflector having its edges
extended in a plane parallel with the longitudinal plane of the inlet and outlet.
and said edges terminating closely adjacent to the outlet substantially as.
described.
10. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and
outlet ports and an elongated slot in the side thereof, a piston in said cylinder-
having its end flanged to cover said elongated slot in the cylinder, a shaft
connection extending from said piston through the cylinder slot, inlet and outlet
ports in the flange on the piston head and a deflector opposite the inlet, substantially
as described.
11. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and
outlet porte, and an elongated slot in the side thereof, a piston in said cylinder
having its end flanged so as to cover eaid elongated slot in the cylinder, a shaft
connection extending from said piston through the cylinder slot, inlet and outlet ports
in the flange on the piston head, and a deflector opposite the inlet, the end of the
cylinder being shaped to project inward and fill the space in said flanged end of
the piston, substantially as described.
12. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two vertical cylinders each.
having inlet and outlet ports; and an elongated slot in the side of each, a piston in
ench cylinder, each piston having at least one end flanged to cover said elongated
slot in the cylinder, a shaft connection extending from each piston through the
cylinder, a common crank shaft, inlet and outlet ports in the flange on the piston
head, and a deflector in each piston head opposite the inlet, the end of each
cylinder corresponding with the flanged end of the piston head projecting toward
the interior of the cylinder to substantially fill the space within the flanged end of
the cylinder, substantially as described.
13. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination of two vertical cylinders each
having an inlet and an outlet port, and an elongated slot in the side of each, a
piston in each cylinder, each piston having each end flanged to cover said elongated
slot in the cylinder, a shaft connection extending from the piston through the
cylinder slot, a common crank shaft, inlet and outlet ports in each flange at each
end of the piston head, a deflector on each end of each piston head opposite the
inlet, each end of each cylinder projecting toward the interior of the cylinder to
substantially fill the space within the flanged end of the piston head, substantially
as described.
14. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with the cylinder having an inlet.
and an outlet opening, the latter being opposite to and somewhat larger than the
former, of a piston having a cupped or flanged end, corresponding inlet and outlet
ports in the piston flange, and a diaphragm opposite the inlet, substantially as
described.
15. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with the cylinder, of the piston
having a flanged end, and inlet and outlet ports therethrough, an electric contact,
insulated from the cylinder, projecting to a point adjacent to the path of the piston,
another opening in the piston flange, and a contact spring extending through the
latter opening, substantially as described.

page_text: 16. In a gas or vapor motor, the combination with the fly wheel having an
eccentric groove, of a rod, one end engaging the eccentric groove, a rod to which
the eccentric rod is engaged, said rod operating the gas pump piston at one end and
the water pump piston at the other, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of April 1896
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.