IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS MOTOR ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horace Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1880.
HORACE ROBINSON, of the City of Manchester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS MOTOR ENGINES."
This Invention refers to further improvements upon an Invention for which
Letters Patent, No. 117, were granted to me on the 10th of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty, and more especially
relates to the mode of governing the actions of the gas motor engines described
in my former Specification. In the aforesaid gas motor engines the mixture
of gas or gases and atmospheric air is forced at a low pressure or allowed to
flow into a chamber, which chamber is in free communication with the working
cylinder. To bring about a proper mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric
air, and to cause the flow of this mixture into the igniting chamber, the front
or forward end of the cylinder is used as an air and gas pump. The suction
valve for the admission of the gas or gases and atmospheric air to the said pump
is of the disc form, the stalk or spindle of which is prolonged out into the open air,
and a centrifugal governor actuates an inclined plane or wedge, the inclined or
sloping edge of which restricts the lift or rise of the aforesaid valve, by engaging
with the said valve stalk or spindle, in such a manner that when the engine is
running faster than its normal speed the lift or rise of the said valve is diminished,
or when the engine is running slower than its normal speed the lift or rise of the
said valve is allowed to increase. Between the aforesaid pump and the valve
which acts as the delivery valve of the said pump there is a connecting pipe or
passage, and a certain quantity of atmospheric air is at certain times drawn into
this pipe or passage through or past a small disc valve opening inwards and
situated below or in the vicinity of the aforesaid delivery valve, but the escape of this
air is prevented by the said small disc valve, which valve is held against or brought
back to its face or seat by a light spring or the action of the air or gases after having
admitted the air. Whilst the aforesaid air and gas pump is drawing in a mixture
of gas or gases and atmospheric air through the suction valve of the said pump,
the said pump will also at certain times draw into the aforesaid connecting

page_text: passage or pipe a certain quantity of atmospheric air through or past the aforesaid
small air valve, thus causing that part of the charge which is near to the said
delivery valve (and consequently that part of the charge which is first delivered
into the ignition chamber) to be more diluted with air, or to consist entirely of
air, and when the inhaling action is over the aforesaid pump delivers its charge
over or past the said delivery valve, first delivering over the part thus diluted or
consisting entirely of air, and then the mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air
in suitable proportions for the ignition. If the engine runs faster than its normal
speed the action of the governor is such that it restricts the lift or rise of the
suction valve which admits the gas or gases and atmospheric air to the said pump.
As the quantity of this ignitable mixture is in this way lessened, the quantity of air
which will enter past or through the aforesaid air valve will be augmented, and
thus the expansive force of the charge when ignited will be diminished, though it
will still ignite, as it is not the whole but only the first part of the charge, or the
part of the charge first delivered through or past the delivery valve, which is
more diluted with air or which consists entirely of air, the part last forced or
allowed to flow into the ignition chamber consisting of the mixture of gas or gases
and atmospheric air in ignitable proportions, but the quantity of this ignitable
mixture may vary.
If the engine runs slower than its normal speed, then the
action of the governor is such that it allows the lift or rise of the suction valve to
increase, and thus a larger charge of gas or gases and atmospheric air is drawn in
by the said pump, and a smaller quantity of air is drawn in through the small air
valve. The speed of the engine is thus kept approximately the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Horace Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
December 1880.
HORACE ROBINSON, of the City of Manchester, Engineer.
GAS MOTOR ENGINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention refers to further improvements upon an Invention for which
Letters Patent, Number 117, were granted to me on the Tenth of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty, and more especially relates to
the mode of governing the actions of the gas motor engines described in my former
Specification. In the aforesaid gas motor engines the mixture of gas or gases and
atmospheric air is forced at a low pressure or allowed to flow into a chamber,
which chamber is in free communication with the working cylinder.
To bring
about a proper mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air, and to cause the flow
of this mixture into the igniting chamber, the front or forward end of the cylinder
is used as an air and gas pump. The suction valve for the admission of the gas or
gases and atmospheric air to the said pump is of the disc form, the stalk or spindle
of which is prolonged out into the open air, and a centrifugal governor actuates an
inclined plane or wedge, the inclined or sloping edge of which restricts the lift or
rise of the aforesaid valve, by engaging into the said valve stalk or spindle, in such
a manner that when the engine is running faster than its normal speed the lift or
rise of the said valve is diminished, or when the engine is running slower than its
norinal speed the lift or rise of the said valve is allowed to increase. Between the
aforesaid pump and the valve which acts as a delivery valve of the said pump there
is a connecting pipe or passage, and a certain quantity of atmospheric air is at
certain times drawn into this pipe or passage through or past a small disc valve
opening inwards, and situated below or in the vicinity of the aforesaid delivery
valve, but the escape of this air is prevented by the said small disc valve, which
valve is held against or brought back to its face or seat by a light spring, or the
action of the air or gases after having admitted the air. Whilst the aforesaid air
and gas pump is drawing in the gas or gases and atmospheric air through the
suction valve of the said pump, the said pump will also at certain times draw into
the aforesaid connecting passage or pipe a certain quantity of atmospheric air
through or past the aforesaid small air valve, thus causing that part of the charge
which is near to the said delivery valve (and consequently that part of the chargo
which is first delivered into the ignition chamber) to be more diluted with air, or
to consist entirely of air; and when the inhaling action is over, the aforesaid pump
delivers its charge over or past the said delivery valve, first delivering over the
part thus diluted, or consisting entirely of air, and then the mixture of gas or gases
and atmospheric air in suitable proportions for the ignition. If the engine runs
faster than its normal speed, the action of the governor is such that it restricts the
lift or rise of the suction valve which admits the gas or gases and atmospheric air
to the said pump. As the quantity of this ignitable mixture is in this way lessened,
the quantity of air which will enter past or through the aforesaid air valve will be
augmented, and thus the expansive force of the charge when ignited will be
diminished, though it will still ignite, as it is not the whole but only the first part
of the charge, or the part of the charge first delivered through or past the delivery
valve, which is more diluted with air, or which consists entirely of air, the part last
forced or allowed to flow into the igniting chamber consisting of the mixture of
gas or gases and atmospheric air in ignitable proportions, but the quantity of this
ignitable mixture may vary. If the engine runs slower than its normal speed, then
the action of the governor is such that it allows the lift or rise of suction valve to
ncrease, and thus a larger charge of gas or gases and atmospheric air is drawn in

page_text: by the said pump, and a smaller quantity of air is drawn in through the smaller
And in
air valve; the speed of the engine is thus kept approximately the same.
order that this my said Invention may be better understood and carried into
practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my
improvements in gas motor engines, and will now proceed to describe the same by
reference to the Figures and letters of reference marked thereon, the same letters
being used to denote similar parts in several views. Fig. 1 is a section of the
governor and suction valve taken in a line through the axis of the governor spindle.
Fig. 2 shows a view of the governor and plate or valve seat from the side on which
the inclined plane or wedge works. Fig. 3 shows a section taken on line a-b,
Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section of a part of the pipe or passage leading from the pump and
clearance to the ignition chamber, and shows the delivery valve and an air inlet valve.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the said delivery valve; Fig. 6 is a plan of the air valve in
position on its seat. In my gas motor engine described in Specification, Number 117,
dated the Tenth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and eighty, the mixture
of gas or gases and atmospheric air is forced at a low pressure or allowed to flow past
or through the valve E into the ignition or igniting chamber. To bring about a
proper mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air, and to cause the flow of this
mixture into the ignition chamber, the front or forward end of the cylinder is used
as an air and gas pump. A¹, A¹, A', are tho holes for the admission of atmospheric
air, and A2 is the hole or passage for the admission of the combustible gas or gases.
B' is the suction valve, which is preferably of a disc form, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
or of an annular form, as shewn in Fig. 34, and is of such a diameter or size that
It covers the holes or openings A¹, A¹, A', and A2 when in contact with the cover or
seating B. This suction valve B¹ is for the admission of the gas or gases through the
hole or opening A, and atmospheric air through the holes or openings A', A', A¹³, to
the said pump. This valve B₁ may be formed either with or without the intervention
of india rubber or other similar material between it and its seating, or the metal
valve may come directly in contact with the seating. A spring either in com-
pression or in tension may be employed in bringing back or to assist in bringing
back the valve B₁ to its seat B after the inflow of the gas or gases and atmospheric
air has ceased. The pump causes the gas or gases and atmospheric air to be forced
or allowed to flow through or past the delivery valve E into the ignition chamber.
The stalk or spindle B of the valve B¹ is prolonged out through the seating or
cover B, and a hole or slot R¹ is formed through it. Q is a wedge or inclined plane
engaging into the spindle B2 through the hole or slot R¹. The spindle may be
provided with suitable adjustments or stops for adjusting the lift of the valve
relatively to the sloping side of the inclined plane or wedge. The inclined plane or
wedge may be moved longitudinally by the action of the centrifugal govenor Q²
Qis the governor spindle, which is free to move round with the governor, but should
it be impelled in the direction of either of the arrows, shown in Fig. 1, it will also
carry with it the inclined plane or wedge Q, as suitable rollers S³ are formed
upon Q Q is a pulley for driving the governor.
The action of these parts, which are for controlling the lift or rise of the valve B¹
for the purpose hereinafter described, is as follows:-The centrifugal governor Q
driven from the engine shaft, actuates the inclined plane or wedge Q, and holds this
wedge or inclined plane in a position varying according to the speed of the engine.
The greater the speed the more will the balls or revolving weights S1, S2, fly out-
wards, and they will thus cause the spindle Q1 to be moved in the direction of
arrow 1, in Fig. 1, and the sloping side S of the wedge or inclined plane Q thus
allows less lift or rise to take place in the valve B', and so permits only a smaller
quantity of gas or gases and atmospheric air to enter the pump and clearance
through or past the valve B¹. The slower the speed of the engine and governor
and the nearer will the balls or weights S2, S2, approach each other, and so cause
the spindle Q to be moved in the direction of arrow 2, and to the position
shown in Fig. 1, as a spring either in tension, as shown (but which may be formed
to act in compression), exerts a constant force on the governor, which tends to bring

page_text: the balls or weights S2, S, inwards, or into the position shown in Fig. 1. The said
spring consequently tends to bring the wedge Q into the position shown in Fig. 1,
or with its thinner part through the spindle B². The spindle B and the valve B¹
have now their maximum lift or rise, and thus a larger quantity of gas or gases
and atmospheric air is allowed to enter into the pump through or past the
valve B¹.
The suction valve and governor may be placed either below, or on either side, or
above the cylinder, or in any convenient 'position.
D, Figs. 4 and 5, is a pipe or passage leading from the pump and clearance to the
ignition chamber, the delivery valve E being at the end nearest the ignition chamber.
e, Figs. 4 and 6, is a small air valve below or in the vicinity of the delivery valve E;
this valve e is preferably of the disc form, and opens inwards, the stalk or spindle b
of which may be prolonged downwards or outwards into the open air. e¹ is a light
spring upon the spindle b; this spring is for the purpose of assisting in bringing
back the valve e to its seat. b' are lock [nuts for adjusting the lift or rise of the
valve e. e2 is one of a number of holes or openings through which the air enters at
certain times in the manner described hereafter. a is a short pipe extending
upwards or towards the delivery valve E. Whilst the aforesaid gas and air pump
is drawing in the gas or gases and atmospheric air through the suction valve B³,
the said pump will at certain times draw into the aforesaid connecting pipe or
passage D a certain quantity of atmospheric air through or past the aforesaid valve
and through the pipe a; this has the effect of keeping the valve E cooler, and also
causes that part of the charge which is near to the delivery valve E to consist
entirely of air, or to be more diluted with air.
The pump, when its inhaling action is over, and when it commences and during
its return stroke slightly compresses the charge so drawn in as aforesaid, and as
soon as the piston at or about the end of its outward stroke uncovers the exhaust
of the working end of the cylinder, the aforesaid charge is delivered or allowed by
its elasticity to flow at a slight pressure over or past the delivery valve E into the
ignition chamber, first delivering over the part thus diluted or consisting entirely
of air, and then the mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air; the air will thus
first come into contact with the products of combustion of the previous charge, and
will thus expel a portion of the said products through the exhaust before the
mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air is delivered into the ignition chamber,
and will at the same time prevent any tendency which the ignitable mixture of
gas or gases and atmospheric air might otherwise have to become ignited by the
said products whilst the piston is at or about the outward or forward end of its
stroke. The action of the atmospheric air and gas or gases and atmospheric air
may also to a certain extent have the effect mentioned by John Henry Johnson in
bis Specification of Letters Patent, No. 335, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty. The action of the governor Q2 in connection with the
valve e upon the working of the engine is as follows: If the engine runs faster
than its normal speed, the governor balls or weights S2, S2, fly outwards and
restrict the rise of the suction valve B', in the manner already described, and thus
restrict the quantity of gas or gases and atmospheric air, which will enter past or
through the suction valve B'. As the quantity of gas or gases and atmospheric
air which will enter past or through the suction valve B¹ is in this way lessened,
the quantity of air which will enter past or through the valve e will be augmented,
and thus the expansive force of the charge when ignited will be proportionately
diminished, though it will still ignite, as it is not the whole, but only the part of
the charge first delivered through or past the delivery valve E into the chamber,
which is more diluted with air or which consists entirely of air, the part last forced
or allowed to flow through or past the valve E into the chamber consisting of the
mixture of gas or gases and atmospheric air in ignitable proportions, as before
described. (The quantity of this mixture may vary.) If the engine runs slower
than its normal speed, then the governor balls or weights S2, S², approach each
other and allow the lift or rise of the suction valve B₁ to increase in the manner

page_text: already described, and thus a larger charge of gas or gases and atmospheric air is
drawn through or past the valve B¹, and a smaller quantity of air is drawn in,
through, or past the smaller valve e, and the expansive force of the charge, when
ignited, is proportionately increased. In this manner the speed of the engine is
kept approximately the same.
Having thus described the nature of this my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be carried into practical effect, I would have it to be understood that
I claim,-
1st. In a gas motor engine, the general arrangement and construction of the
governor in combination with the suction valve, through which gases and
atmospheric air or gas and atmospheric air are drawn in, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. In a gas motor engine, the inclined plane or wedge actuated by a governor
for restricting the lift or rise of the suction valve through or past which gas and
atmospheric air or gases and atmospheric air are drawn in, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The use of a wedge or inclined plane working in conjunction with the
stalk or spindle of the suction valve, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Horace Robinson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.