Improvements in Gas Engine Starting Arrangements.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Gas Engine Starting Arrangements.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of 13 Bedford Row, London W.C.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
My invention relates to the starting of gas engines and the arrangements and
gear used in connection therewith, and its object is to reduce the manual labour
involved in starting some types of gas engines to the lowest point, and to entirely
obviate manual labour in others.
In applying my invention to a single cylinder, single. acting engine, of the well
Otto cycle I set the piston well back on the exhausting stroke so as to keep the
exhaust valve open to the exhaust pipe; and I admit to the exhaust pipe, (which
is filled with air drawn into the engine cylinder when stopping, after cutting off
gas) a charge of gas from the gas supply pipe. This gas flows in under the ordinary
pressure of the gas mains.
I then move the piston out by reversing the common direction of the rotation
of the engine fly-wheel and so draw into the cylinder a charge of air and gas
from the exhaust pipe by way of the exhaust valve. I continue the rotation of
the fly-wheel; and at the out end of the piston stroke the exhaust valve closes and
the piston is moved back compressing the charge so taken into the cylinder.
Immediately the pressure rises to a sufficient extent, the mixture ignites at the
ignition tube and the engine. receives a powerful impulse which at once starts it
rotating in its normal manner. The gas may be adjusted to flow into the exhaust
pipe in the volume required by regulating the time during which the gas valve
remains open, or by measuring in the charge of gas using a pump or bellows or
gas bag arrangement, but I prefer the following devices:-I arrange upon the
exhaust pipe leading from the exhaust valve of the engine, a chamber, into which
the exhaust pipe passes or projects leaving a considerable cubic capacity above the
lower end of the pipe; another pipe leads from this chamber to the open air. I
admit gas to the upper part of the exhaust pipe and it flows in, displacing the air
in the pipe, and any excess gas passes up around the projecting part of the pipe in
the chamber so that when the engine is rotated backwards to draw in a charge by
the exhaust valve, the excess of gas does not enter the cylinder, as air comes
from the exhaust pipe communicating between the chamber and the atmosphere
and passes by the projecting pipe, which it opposes, without taking excess gas
from the chamber.
Instead of this arrangement the chamber may be charged by a gas and air
injector arranged to act by the gas pressure and causing a mixture of gas and air
to flow into the chamber or exhaust pipe, displacing its contents. Or the chamber
or exhaust pipe may be fitted with a discharge valve, opening to discharge exhaust
but closing when the flow is reversed, and having also an inlet gas and air suction
valve, so arranged that when the engine is reversed by pulling round the fly-
wheel, a charge of gas and air passes by the exhaust valve into the cylinder.
Or a gas inlet valve only may be adopted, and the exhaust check valve designed
to keep slightly open or to leak and admit air from the exhaust pipe to mix with
the gas.
In applying my invention to twin cylinder or single cylinder double acting
engines of the Otto type I arrange to start the engine entirely without manual
labour.
In the case of twin cylinders with the pistons working together on the same
crank pin, I set the crank well on the in stroke 'under the centre, and in this
condition one of the pistons is on its compression stroke and the other on its

page_text: exhaust stroke. The cylinder on its exhaust stroke I charge with gas as
described, and that on the compression stroke I charge and ignite as described in
my Patent No. 19868 of 1889, the engine pistons then move out, rotating the
fly-wheel in the direction opposite to the normal, propelled by the low pressure
explosion. This causes the second piston to compress its charge when returning
and so soon as it is compressed sufficiently the igniter tube fires the compressed
mixture and at once propels the piston and starts 'the engine in the proper
direction.
When the crank pins of the twin pistons are opposed to each other I charge
the cylinder of which the piston is near its out stroke on the expansion stroke,
with gas by a cock, preferably having two passages, one-serving to admit gas. to
the cylinder to mix with the air within it and the other to allow a portion of the
contents to be displaced into the atmosphere. The latter passage terminates in a
nozzle, to enable the gases flowing from it to be tested as to explosiveness at &
gas flame and sometimes the mixture flame, is prevented from firing back by wire
gauze or other similar contrivance to. pass gaseous mixture under slight pressure
but stop ignition. When the cylinder is thus found to be filled with explosive
mixture the cock is shut off. The other cylinder is then charged with mixture as
described in my Patent No. 19868 of 1889; and when the mixture is fully formed
it is ignited and drives the piston out reversing the ordinary rotation of the engine
and compressing the charge-formed in the first cylinder, which charge ignites
when sufficiently compressed and starts the engine with a powerful explosion ab
already herein before stated.
I may also start a single cylinder single acting "Otto" engine by a combina-
tion of the method described in my Patent already referred to, and my present
invention; in which case I set the crank under the centre on its compression
stroke and start the engine backwards by a low pressure explosion charging and
igniting as there described. The engine revolves in the reverse direction, and on
the succeeding out stroke takes in a charge of gas and air through the exhaust
valve as hereinbefore described, and compresses this charge while revolving
backwards, and the compression causes the charge to fire and set the engine
revolving in its normal condition by a powerful explosion.
Dated this 11th day of July 1891.
MARKS & CLERK,
13,. Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Engine Starting Arrangements.
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of 13, Bedford Row, London, W.C.
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 :-
My invention relates to the starting of gas engines and the arrangements and
gear used in connection therewith, and its object is to reduce the manual labour
involved in starting some types of gas engine to the lowest point and to entirely
obviate manual labour in others.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figures 1 to 10 inclusive
illustrate my improved starting arrangements.
In applying my invention to a single cylinder single acting engine of the well
known Otto cycle, I set the piston A Figure 1 well back on the exhausting
stroke so as to keep the exhaust valve B open to the exhaust pipe C; and I
admit to the exhaust pipe C, (which is filled with air drawn into the engine
cylinder when stopping after cutting off gas) a charge of gas from the gas supply
pipe by a cock such as D. This gas flows in under the ordinary pressure of the
gas mains.
I then move the piston A out by reversing the common direction. of

page_text: the rotation of the ongine flywheel as shown by the arrow, and so draw into the
cylinder a charge of air and gas from the exhaust pipe C by way of the exhaust
valve B. I continue the rotation of the flywheel; and at the out end of the
piston stroke the exhaust valve B closes and the piston A is moved back as shown
in Figure 2, compressing the charge so taken into the cylinder. Immediately the
pressure rises to a sufficient extent, the mixture ignites at the ignition tube and
the engine receives a powerful impulse which at once starts it rotating in its
normal manner or in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrows in
Figures 1 and 2. The gas may be adjusted to flow into the exhaust pipe C in
the volume required by regulating the time during which the gas cock or valve D
remains open or by measuring in the charge of gas using a pump or bellows or
gas bag arrangement. A bellows arrangement for supplying a measured charge
of gas is shown at Figure 3 where C is the exhaust pipe, Ď the gas cock and E
the bellows. When the gas flow is measured by time a pressure governor as
Figure 4 is applied. But I prefer the following devices. I arrange upon the
exhaust pipe lending from the exhaust valve B of the engine, a chamber F (see
Figure 5) into which the exhaust pipe C passes or projects leaving a considerable
cubic capacity above the lower end of the pipe; another pipe G leads from
this chamber to the open air. I admit gas to the upper part of the exhaust pipo
at a cock such as D and it flows in, displacing the air in the pipe, and any excess
gas passes up around the projecting part C₁ of the pipe in the chamber F, so that
when the engine is rotated backwards to draw in a charge by the exhaust valve,
the excess of gas does not enter the cylinder as air comes from the exhaust pipe G
communicating between the chamber and the atmosphere, and passes by the
projecting pipe C', which it opposes, without taking excess gas from the chamber.
Instead of this arrangement the chamber may be charged by a gas and air
injector H (see Figure 6) arranged to act by the gas pressure and causing a mixture
of gas and air to How into the chamber or exhaust pipe, displacing its contents. Or
the chamber or exhaust pipe may be fitted with a discharge valve K (see Figure 7)
opening to discharge exhaust but closing when the flow is reversed, and having also
an inlet gas and air suction valve L so arranged that when the engine is reversed
by pulling round the flywheel, a charge of gas and air passes by the exhaust
valve B into the cylinder. Or a gas inlet valve L only may be adopted and the
exhaust check valve K designed to keep slightly open or to leak and admit air
from the exhaust pipe G to mix with the gas.
In applying my invention to twin cylinder or single cylinder double acting
engines of the Otto type, I arrange to start the engine entirely without manual
labour as illustrated at Figures 8 and 9. In the case of twin cylinders (Figure 8)
with the pistons A, A¹ working together on the same crank pin, I set the crank
well on the in stroke under the centre, and in this condition one of the pistons A¹
is on its compression stroke and the other A on its exhaust stroke. The cylinder
on its exhaust stroke I charge with gas as described by way of the exhaust port,
and that on the compressiou stroke I charge and ignite as described in my
Patent No. 5479 of 1890; the engine pistons then move out rotating the flywheel
in the direction opposite to the normal propelled by the low pressure explosion.
This causes the second piston A. to compress its charge when returning, and so
soon as it is compressed sufficiently the igniter tube fires the compressed mixture
and at once propels the piston and starts the engine in the proper direction. It is
to be clearly understood that the piston A' is started, its cylinder being charged
and ignited as described in my Specification No. 5479 of 1890 and a represents the
igniting nozzle there described while b is the gas charging pipe.
When the crank pins of the twin pistons are opposed to each other (see Figure 9)
I charge the cylinder of which the piston A is near its out stroke on the expansion
stroke with gas by a cock M Figure 10 preferably having two passages, one serving
to admit gas to the cylinder to mix with the air within it and the other to allow a
portion of the contents to be displaced into the atmosphere. The latter passage

page_text: terminates in a nozzle to enable the gases flowing from it to be tested as to explosive-
ness at a gas flame, and sometimes the mixture flame is prevented from firing back
by wire gauze or other similar contrivance to pass gaseous mixture under slight
pressure but stop ignition. Figure 10 shows the cock on a larger scale and the
gas enters the cylinder by the hole while the displaced gases flow out by.d and
ignite at the nozzle e.
C
Wire gauze is shown at to prevent the flame passing back when gas is shut
off. When the cylinder is thus found to be filled with explosive mixture the cock
is shut off.
The other cylinder A¹ is then charged with mixture as described in my
Patent No. 5479 of 1890, and when the mixture is fully formed it is ignited and
drives the piston out reversing the ordinary rotation of the engine and compressing
the charge formed in the first. cylinder, which charge ignites at a tube igniter
when sufficiently compressed and starts the engine with a powerful explosion as
already herein before stated.
I may also start a single cylinder single acting Otto engine by a combination of
the method described in my Patent already referred to and my present invention;
in which case I set the crank under the centre on its compression stroke and start
the engine backwards by a low pressure explosion charging and igniting as there
described. The engine revolves in the reverse direction and on the succeeding
out stroke takes in a charge of gas and air through the exhaust valve as hereinbefore
described and compresses this charge while revolving backwards, and the com-
pression causes the charge to fire and set the engine revolving in its normal direction
by a powerful explosion.
To do this it is only necessary to fit the engine shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the
starter described in Specification No. 5479 of 1890 as well as the exhaust pipe
charging arrangement shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of starting a gas motor engine by charging the exhaust pipe or
a chamber through which the exhaust passes with inflammable mixture and taking
the charge into the cylinder through the exhaust valve by a backward revolution
of the engine, continuing the backward revolution till the charge is compressed and
ignited so as to produce an explosion of conipressed mixture to start the engine
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The method of starting a gas motor engine by first starting it in the reverse
direction by a low pressure explosion in the cylinder, charging the cylinder with
inflammable mixture by way of the exhaust valve, during the rotation so produced
and igniting the mixture under the compression caused by the said rotation
to start the engine in the required direction substantially as hereinbefore
described;
3. The method of starting a twin cylinder or a double acting gas motor
engine by charging one cylinder or one end of a cylinder with inflammable mixture
admitted by way of the exhaust valve or by a special cock and charging the other
cylinder with inflammable mixture, igniting at atmospheric pressure so as to start
the engine backwards and compress the inflammable mixture contained in the first
mentioned cylinder, igniting the said compressed mixture so as to start the engine
in the required direction substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. Charging the exhaust pipe or chamber of a gas engine with inflammable
mixture. by measuring in a volume of gas by a pump or bellows as and for
the purpose herein before described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. Charging the exhaust pipe or chamber of a gas engine with inflammable
mixture by means of a time regulated cock and gas pressure governor as and for

page_text: the purpose herein before described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
6: Charging the exhaust pipe or chamber of a gas engine by a pipe projecting
into a chamber so that excess inflammable gas passes up around the said projecting
pipe and is not drawn into the cylinder substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5 of the drawings.
7. Charging the exhaust pipe or chamber of a gas engine by an injector injecting
a mixture of gas and air substantially as and for the purpose described with reference
to Figure 6 of the drawings.
8. Charging the exhaust pipe or chamber of a gas engine by means of the
apparatus herein before described with reference to Figure 7 of the drawings for
the purpose set forth.
9. Charging the cylinder of a gas engine by means of a cock arranged so as to
control the admission of gas and the efflux of mixture by one plug substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 10 of the
drawings.
$1100
his 19th day of April 1902.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.