IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robson, of North Shields, in the County of
Northumberland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
1070
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1879.
JAMES ROBSON, of North Shields, in the County of Northumberland.
MENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to engines worked by the internal combustion of inflammable
gas or vapour and air.
One arrangement of my improved engines consists of a horizontal or vertical
cylinder closed at both ends, in which works a piston and rod. I use one stroke of
the piston to draw in a charge of gas or vapour and air on the front side or the
underside of the piston by means preferably of a flap valve; and on the return
stroke this charge is forced through a lift valve and passage into a reservoir, and
retained there by the closing of this lift valve, at which time the piston has com-
pleted its outward or downward stroke. At this moment the escape valve is opened
by an eccentric on the crank shaft, and permits the products of combustion to escape
out by a port situated in the cylinder's side, and about the middle of the piston's
travel. A self-acting valve now opens or is opened by a cam or eccentric between
the back or upper space in the cylinder and the reservoir, and allows the compressed
gases in the reservoir to enter the cylinder and expel the remaining products of
combustion through the escape port. When the piston has moved back or upwards
a short distance the escape valve closes, and then the valve communicating with the
reservoir also closes, confining the partially compressed inflammable gases in the
back or upper space and port ways of the cylinder, which compression is completed
by the backward motion or by the ascent of the piston. When the piston is at its
back or upper end the compressed gases occupy a space between it and the cylinder
cover, and also in the portways. About this period a slide valve worked by an
eccentric on the crank shaft, containing a gas flame, is brought over a porthole in
the cylinder and explodes the gases, which by their consequent augmented pressure
and expansion drive the piston forward or downward, which by a connecting rod

page_text: turns the crank shaft and fly wheel during each successive outward or downward
stroke, the return stroke being performed by the momentum of the flywheel.
In my second arrangement the gases are compressed into the reservoir in the
same manner as in my first arrangement, but when the piston is at the back or
upper end of the cylinder the reservoir valve is opened and permits the gases to
enter the cylinder on the back or upper side of the piston, until the piston travels
out or down for about one third of its stroke. The reservoir valve is now closed,
and the flame slide is brought into communication with and explodes the gases on
the back or upper side of the piston at each successive outward or downward stroke,
which drives the piston, connecting rod, crank shaft, and flywheel, as in my first
described arrangement, and escape valve at the back or upper end of the cylinder is
opened during the entire backward or upward stroke of the piston, and allows the
products of combustion to escape. An ordinary governor is used, in connection with
an eccentric, wedge, and cock, to regulate the supply of gas or vapour.
In some cases I explode the gases in the cylinder by an insulated wire and electric
spark obtained from an induction coil worked by a magneto-electric machine which
is turned by the engine itself. I sometimes allow a portion of the exploded gases
to force themselves through a tube and lift valve into a reservoir, to be there stored
and used for working a small cylinder, piston, valves, crank shaft with toothed
pinion gearing into a toothed wheel on the main engine shaft to turn and start the
engine.

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 4th May 1880.
JAMES ROBSON, of North Shields, in the County of Northumberland. “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
My Invention relates to engines substantially of the following construction :--
One arrangement of my improved engines consists of a horizontal or vertical
cylinder closed at both ends, in which works a piston and rod. I use one stroke of
the piston to draw in a charge of gas or vapour and air on the front side or the
underside of the piston, by means preferably of a flap valve, and on the return
stroke this charge is forced through a lift valve and passage into a reservoir, and
retained there by the closing of this lift valve, at which time the piston has com-
pleted its outward or downward stroke. At this moment the escape valve is opened
by an eccentric on the crank shaft, and permits the products of combustion to escape
out by a port situated in the cylinder's side, about the middle, or, if desirable,.
nearer the end of the piston's travel. A self-acting valve now opens or is opened
by a cam or eccentric between the back or upper space in the cylinder and the
reservoir, and allows the compressed gases in the reservoir to enter the cylinder and
expel the remaining products of combustion through the escape port. When the
piston has moved back or upwards a short distance the escape valve closes, and then
the valve communicating with the reservoir also closes, confining the partially
compressed inflammable gases in the back or upper space and port ways of the
cylinder, which compression is completed by the backward motion or by the ascent
of the piston. When the piston is at its back or upper end the compressed gases
occupy a space between it and the cylinder cover, and also in the port ways. About
this period a slide valve worked by an eccentric on the crank shaft, containing a
gas flame, is brought over a port hole in the cylinder and explodes the gases, which
by their consequent augmented pressure and expansion drive the piston forward or
downward, which by a connecting rod turns the crank, the shaft, and the fly wheel
during each successive outward or downward stroke, the return stoke being
performed by the momentum of the fly wheel.
In my second arrangement the gases are compressed into the reservoir in the
same manner as in my first arrangement, but when the piston is at the back or
upper end of the cylinder the reservoir valve is opened and permits the gases to enter
the cylinder, also the port ways and space on the back or upper side of the piston.
When the piston has travelled a short way out or down its stroke the reservoir
valve is now closed and the flame slide is brought into communication with and
explodes the gases on the back or upper side of the piston at each successive out-
ward or downward stroke, which drives the piston, connecting rod, crank shaft, and
fly wheel, as in my first described arrangement. An escape valve at the back or
upper end of the cylinder is opened during the entire backward or upward stroke
of the piston, and allows the products of combustion to escape. An ordinary
governor is used, in connection with an eccentric, wedge, and cock, to regulate the
supply of gas or vapor, or with a simple cock alone. In some cases I explode the
gases in the cylinder by an insulated wire and electric spark obtained from an
induction coil worked by a magneto electric machine which is turned by the engine
itself. I sometimes allow a portion of the exploded gases to force themselves
through a tube and lift valve into a reservoir, to be there stored and used for
working a small engine with cylinder, piston, valves, crank shaft, with toothed
pinion gearing into a toothed wheel on the main engine shaft to turn and start the
engine.

page_text: which is a fly wheel 6, all being arranged on a base 7. When the piston is moving
back in a horizontal engine, or ascending in a vertical engine, it draws in a charge
of combustible gas, or vapour and air, through a flap valve 8 provided with gas
and air ports 9 and 10, as seen in Fig. K; on the return stroke of the piston this
charge is forced through a lift valve 11 and passage 12 into and retained in a
reservoir 13, at which time the piston has completed its outward or downward
stroke; at this moment the escape valve 14 is opened by an eccentric and rod 15,
and permits the products of combustion to escape out by the ports 16 in the
cylinder's side, about the middle or near the end of the piston's travel A self
acting valve 17 now opens, and allows the compressed gases in the reservoir to
enter the back end of the cylinder and ports 18, and expel the remaining products
of combustion through the escape valve. When the piston has moved back or
upwards a short way the escape valve closes, and then the valve communicating
with the reservoir also closes, confining the partially compressed inflammable gases
in the back or upper space and portways of the cylinder, which compression is
completed by the backward motion, or by the ascent of the piston. When the
piston is at its back or upper end the compressed gases occupy a space between it
and the cylinder cover, and also in the portways 18. About this period a slide
valve 19 worked by an eccentric and rod 20 containing a gas flame is moved over
the cylinder port, and ignites the gases, which by their consequent augmented
pressure and expansion drive the piston forward or downward, which by its rod
and connecting rod turns the crank shaft and fly wheel at each successive out or
down stroke, the return stroke being performed by the momentum of the fly wheel.
To ensure the gases firing I construct the slide 19 as shown in larger scale in
Figs. D, E, and F; 21 is the flame cavity, supplied with gas by a pipe and hole
in the slide back 22, which is cut off by the movement of the slide just before the
flame cavity opens to the cylinder port, at which moment a small portion of the
cylinder gases is allowed to pass from the port 18 through the cavity 21 and
shield 23, and lower air way 24 in the slide back into the atmosphere, or through
small holes 25, Figs. E and F, and then by a tube into the bed plate; the slide
flame is relighted each time by a constant flame 26 in the air circulating recess 27;
28 is one or more plates in the cylinder end for the uniform distribution of the
entering gases; Fig. G shows a cylinder constructed according to my second
arrangement. The gases are compressed into the reservoir 13 the same as in my
first described arrangement, but when the piston is near the back of its travel the
slide 29 allows the gases to enter the cylinder portways and tubular space 31 by
way of 30 from the reservoir pipe 18 on the back side of the piston. When the
piston has travelled a short way out or down its stroke the slide then cuts the
entering gases off, and brings the flame cavity over the cylinder port, and ignites
the gases as in the first arrangement. The escape valve 32 is open during the back
stroke of the piston. An ordinary governor 33 is used in connection with a cock
or valve 34 for controlling the gas, or in connection with an eccentric wedge and
cock to cut the supply of gas entirely off at intervals. In Figs. A and B 35 is a
spring loaded lift valve, which on the explosion of the gases in the cylinder lifts
and allows part of the high pressure gases to pass by the tube 36 into the reservoir 37
to be there stored and used for working a small engine 38, with cylinder, piston,
valves, and crank shaft similar to a steam engine, having on its shaft a friction
toothed pinion 39 gearing into a large similarly toothed wheel, or the fly wheel 6
on the main engine shaft; the small engine shaft runs in rocking supports 40,
which are supported and turn with a shaft 41, which moves in and is supported by
a bracket 42 fixed to the bed-plate. A lever handle 43 is fixed to the shaft 41, so
on starting the small engine by letting the compressed gases from the reservoir 37
by the cock 44 into it, and then pressing the pinion 39 against the large wheel 6
by the lever handle 43, which may be moved by a screw or by hand, the main engine
is started with little manual exertion. I lubricate the cylinder and piston by using
a lubricator 45 with a revolving plug 46, in which is one or more cavities to take
a little oil round each revolution of the plug from the outside oil cup, and deposit it

page_text: in a hole opening into the top of the cylinder, the plug 46 is revolved by a ratchet
wheel and lever 47 worked by the eccentric rod 20. A similar lubricator is used
for the slide valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in Gas
Engines," substantially as herein before set forth and described, wherein the following
are important points or features:-
(Firstly.) The arrangement and general combination of engine, by which a
charge of inflammable gases is drawn in, and then compressed into a reservoir by
one side of a piston working in a cylinder, and the expulsion and replacement
during the backward stroke on the other side of such piston of the burnt gases of
the previous forward stroke by the compressed gases from such reservoir, and
completing the compression of the gases by the continued backward motion or
ascent of such piston, and explosion on the forward stroke for obtaining motive
power, substantially as herein before described, or any mere modification thereof.
(Second) Constructing the igniting valve with a shield plate in the internal flame
cavity, to protect such flame from the violent inrush of the compressed gases from
the cylinder, substantially as hereinbefore described, or any mere modification
thereof.
(Thirdly.) Using a small supplemental engine worked by the high pressure
exploded gases obtained from the cylinder, and stored in a reservoir for starting
gas engines, substantially as hereinbefore described, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty
Witness,
JAMES ROBSON, junior,
16, Bedford Street,
North Shields.
JAMES ROBSON. (L.S.)