IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Andrew of the firm of J. E. H. Andrew
& Co of Stockport in the County of Chester Engineer for an Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Andrew at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February 1883.
CHARLES HENRY ANDREW of the firm of J. E. H. Andrew and C° of Stockport
in the County of Chester Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
"
The object of my Invention is to obtain a more explosive mixture of the air and
gas supplied to gas engines, and it is applicable to all engines in which the gas and
air are admitted to the cylinder without being compressed.
In such engines as at present constructed it is difficult to actuate the admission
valve for air and gas so as to admit the necessary quantity to work the engine
satisfactorily and my present invention is intended to overcome this well known
defect.
In performing my Invention I supply the gas and air to the explosion cylinder
through a valve as usual and I use a second supply of gas and air which passes
into the cylinder through a valve opened to admit the mixture by the suction of
the piston and closed in any convenient manner.-The second supply of gas may
be taken from the main gas supply pipe before it reaches the slide valve.
By the application of a second or independent supply of gas and air, the piston
of the gas engine is able to draw a small quantity of the mixture into the cylinder
as required and this is found to improve, in a marked degree, the working of the
engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Henry Andrew in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd August 1883.
CHARLES HENRY ANDREW of the firm of J. E. H. Andrew and Co of Stockport
in the County of Chester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS-ENGINES"
The object of my Invention is to obtain a more explosive mixture of the air and
gas supplied to gas engines and it is applicable to all engines in which the gas and
air are admitted to the cylinder without being compressed. In such engines as at
present constructed it is difficult to actuate the admission valve for air and gas so
as to admit the necessary quantity to work the engine satisfactorily and my
present Invention is intended to overcome this well known defect.
In performing my Invention I supply the gas and air to the explosion cylinder
through a slide valve as usual and I use a second supply of gas and air which
passes into the cylinder through a slide valve opened to admit the mixture by the
-suction of the piston and closed in any convenient manner.-The second supply
of gas may be taken from the main gas supply pipe before it reaches the slide
valve.
By the application of a second or independent supply of gas and air the piston
of the gas engine is able to draw a small quantity of the mixture into the cylinder
as required and this is found to improve in a marked degree the working of the
engine.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figs. 1 and 2 are views partly in section of a gas engine constructed according
to my Invention.
a is the cylinder of a gas engine: a¹ is a small opening in the cylinder which
admits the flame from the burner b for igniting the gas: b¹is a pipe which supplies
gas to the burner b: o is the piston connected by a rod c¹ to the working parts of
the engine d is the main gas supply pipe and d is a back pressure valve: e is
the main air supply pipe: the air passes to the gas through the valve e¹ and the
mixture of air and gas is admitted to the cylinder a through the slide valve f:
the slide valve f is connected by the rod fi to the eccentric f* upon the crank
shaft of the engine: g is a pipe through which an independent auxiliary air supply
is admitted to the cylinder through the valve gl: a small pipe g² conducts gas from
the main supply pipe d into the air pipe g.
Each of the valves de¹ and g₁ is particularly constructed of a perforated
seating covered by a piece of india rubber and the lift of the valve is regulated by
a metal guard: gas is drawn through the valve d' and air is drawn through the
valves e and g' by the suction of the piston and the force of the explosion presses
the india rubber against the perforated seating and thus closes the valves: h is
the exhaust pipe.
The drawing shows the piston c near the top of its stroke and the slide valve f
fully open. As the piston ascends a charge of gas and air mixed is drawn into
the cylinder a through the slide valve f and at the same time a supply of air and
gas mixed is drawn into the cylinder through the pipe g.
As the piston c descends the products of the explosion are driven out of the
cylinder a through the exhaust pipe h.

page_text: Having stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner of
performing the same
I declare that I claim
In gas motor engines in which the gas and air are admitted to the cylinder
without being compressed an independent auxiliary air and gas supply substantially
as and for the purposes herein shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Henry Andrew have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty first day of August One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three
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CHARLES HENRY ANDREW (L.S.)