Improvements in Hydrocarbon Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydrocarbon Engines.
PHILIP MITCHELMORE 41 Northumberland Road Southampton in the County
of Hampshire Mechanical Engineer. I do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to a improvement in hydrocarbon engines, in which, in
which a combustable mixture, is produced by mixing hydrocabon, with atmospheric
air, under pressure. The engines are constructed on the Otto cycle type, and can
be made, horizontal or vertical, or portable. I employ a novel means of using a
combustable cylinder, attached to the working cylinder; which is supplied with
a adjustable compression piston, with a ignition plate, for exploding the mixture.
Other arrangements, I employ a trip gear, for working the air, and exhaust valves,
and regulating the said valves, to cut off the supply of air and exhaust, as shewn
on the accompanying drawing, and can be adjusted to open and close instantaneous
at any portion of the stroke of the engine.
Marked and O. O' is a pair of geared wheels, the pinion is keyed on to the
crank shaft, marked O. O' is the spur wheel, with a guide and pin for same,
which is for adjusting the length of the stroke of the valves, to suite the power
required of the engine. On the guide marked I. for the crank pin; is fixed a
index marked I, I, with various cut offs, to suite various classes of hydrocarbon,
and compression of air; marked S, S', is the side rods for working the aforesaid
trip gear K.
Other arrangements:-In the combustion chamber is fixed a compression piston
marked C; this compression piston, can be made of iron or mild steel on any
other suitable metal, and can be made to fit the inside of the combustion chamber,
and can be made concave or flat, and is made adjustable by means of a screw or
spindle, marked F, secured in the centre of the cover of the combustion chamber,
as shewn on the accompanying drawing. The sliding of this compression piston,
either in, or out of the combustion chamber is to regulate the compression, to suite
various kinds of oils, or other combustable mixtures, and also to regulate the power
and speed of the engine.
Other arrangements:-On the aforesaid compression piston marked C, a ignition
plate is fixed, marked D; this ignition plate is made of copper, or any other
suitable metal for retaining heat at a high temperature, sufficient to ignite the
combustable mixture, without depending on the walls, or sides of the combustion
chamber; to regulate the temperature of the said plate, an inlet and outlet valve
is fitted at the back end of the compression chamber, the said valves are for
allowing a current of cold air, to pass through, to prevent the compression piston,
from over heating.
Other arrangements: Fig. 3. is a improved valve box for regulating the supply
of oil or other hydrocarbons, into the combustion chamber. The pump marked P.
is worked at a very high pressure, pumping oil from the tank, into the said valve
box, which is supplied with a receiving valve, marked R. and escape valve
maked V. and regulating valve W. the latter which takes its action off the
governor, as shown on the accompanying drawing..
Conical valve marked S. is for regulating the spray of oil; when the oil is
forced into this aforesaid valve box, at a high pressure, the supply required for
vapourising is regulated by this conical valve marked S. The escape valve U.

page_text: has a spiral spring fixed, to allow the oil over a required pressure to return back
into the tank, so there is a continuous pressure and escape in the valve box, and
by these means a sharp spray is forced into the vapourising pipe; on the delivery
end of the valve box marked Z, a suitable pipe is fitted which is called the vapourising
pipe, this said pipe, will retain sufficient heat to vapourise the oil, it is extended
to the centre, and back end of the cylinder and as close as possible to the piston ;
at the end of this pipe, a valve is fitted, which is to prevent the burnt produce,
getting into the said pipe; the action of this said valve, is, it opens by the
pressure of the pump, marked P, and closes by each explosion; and by every
stroke of the pump a spray of oil gas is forced into the cylinder at the appointed
time, and mixed with fresh atmospheric air, which is drawn into the cylinder, and
compressed as required. In starting the engine, the ignition plate is made hot,
by a oil or spirit lamp, and one or more holes are made in the cover of combustion
chamber A. to receive the spirit or oil lamp a sharp blast is forced against the
compression piston marked C, which is heated to the required temperature to cause
the ignition, without further aid of the lamp.
The advantage of the ignition plate, being placed in the combustion not be
exposed to the atmosphere, and will be kept at a even temperature, and as it is
adjustable with the compression piston, as herebefore described a good combustion
is obtained, in accordance with the power the engine is required to exert, and to
give the engine the greatest efficiency and economy.
To clearly explain the principle of this invention, reference is made to the
accompanying drawing, in which
Fig. 1. is a elevation of a base and bed plate, and cylinder, of a horizontal
engine; the cycle of operations in the cylinder, is the same as in the Otto, with
the aforesaid arrangements attached, as herebefore described.
P. is the pump which is worked off the side rod S, S', by the bell crank lever M.
B. B' is the base of the engine and oil tank, D. D is the delivery pipe to valve
box. Marked Fig. 4 E E' is the escape pipe from valve box to tank. M. is the
bell crank lever, for working the drop bar marked K. L. L' are the bars, F, F', is
the guide bracket for drop bar. G, G', is the spiral springs for closing the air
and exhaust valves. A. is the combustion chamber, E, is the cover of the said
chamber C, is the compression piston, D is the ignition plate, H. is the exhaust
valve J. is the air valve.
Fig. 3. is a section through valve box.
S. is the regulating valve, W. is the governor regulating valve, U is the escape
valve. Z is the delivery pipe to the combustion chamber.
Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation of the said valve box.
R. is the receiving valve.
U is the escape valve.
Vis the return tube to the oil tank.
PHILIP MITCHELMORE Mechanical Engineer 41 Northumberland Road
Southampton in the County of Hampshire do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what inanuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a improvement in hydrocarbon engines; in which a
combustable mixture is produced by mixing hydrocarbon with atmospheric air,
under pressure. The engines are constructed on the Otto cycle type, and can be

page_text: made either horizontal or vertical or portable. I employ a novel means of using
a combustion cylinder, which is attached to the working cylinder, the said com-
bustion cylinder is bored ont, and a piston is fitted, which is termed a compression
piston, and which is adjusted by means of a screw or other arrangement, which is
fixed to the back cover of the said cylinder.
Other arrangements, I employ a trip gear for working the air and exhaust
valves, and is regulated to open & close the said valves instantaneously at any
portion of the stroke of the engine, as required. To more fully explain the
principle of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing with
the Provisional Specification. Marked O and O O' is a pair of geared wheels,
the pinion is keyed on to the crank shaft, 001, is a spur wheel, with a pin and
guide for same, which is for adjusting the lengths of the stroke of the valves, to
suite the power required of the engine; on the guide marked I, for the crank pin,
is fixe a index marked I. I with various cut offs to suite the various classes of
combustable mixtures, marked S S', is the side rod for working the aforesaid trip-
gear K. Other arrangements :-In the combustion chamber, is fixed a compression
piston marked C, the said piston can be made of iron or mild steel, or any other
suitable metal and is made to fit the inside of the combustion chamber, and can be
made either concave or flat, and is made adjustable, by means of a screw or spindle
marked F, secured into the centre of the cover of the combustion chamber as
shewn on the drawing, the sliding of this said compression piston, either in or out
of the combustion chamber, is to regulate the compression to suite the various
kinds of oils, and also to regulate the power of the engine. Other arrangements:-
On the aforesaid compression piston a ignition plate is fixed marked D, this
ignition plate is made of copper or any other suitable metal for retaining heat, at
a high temperature sufficient to ignite the combustable mixture, every alternate
revolution of the engine, without the aid of any other heat, only when starting
the engine, to regulate the temperature of the said ignition plate, and to keep it
from over heating, I use two valves, a inlet and outlet, which is fixed on the back
end of the combustion chamber to allow a current of air, to pass through same,
this air can be drawn into the compression space of the engine if required. Other
arrangements: Fig. 3 on the drawing is a improved valve box for regulating
the supply of hydrocarbons or vapour into the compression space. The
pump marked P, is worked at a high pressure, pumping oil from the tank
into the aforesaid valve box, which is supplied with a receiving valve marked R,
and escape valve marked V, and regulating valve W, the latter which
takes its action off the governor. The conical valve marked S, for regulating
a spray of oil; when the oil is forced into this aforesaid valve box at a
high pressure, the supply required for vapourising, is regulated by this said
conical valve; the escape valve U, has a spring fixed to allow the oil over a
required pressure to return back to the tank, so there is a continuous pressure, and
escape in valve box, and by these means a sharp spray is forced into the
vapourising pipe Z, on the delivery end of the valve box, a suitable pipe is fitted,
which is termed the vapourising pipe; this said pipe will retain sufficient heat, by
the explosions of the combustable mixture, to vapourise the oil; at the ead of the
said pipe, a suitable valve is fitted which is to prevent the burnt produce from
getting into the said pipe; the action of this said valve is it opens by the pressure
of the pump P, and closses by each explosion; and by every stroke of the pump,
the vapourised oil is forced into the compression space at the appointed time and
mixed with the charge of air, which is drawn into the cylinder by the working
piston and compressed as required. In starting the engine the ignition plate is
made hot by a oil or spirit lamp, a opening is made in the back of the cover, of
the combustion chamber, to receive a spirit or oil lamp, a sharp blast or flame is
forced against the said compression piston marked C, the latter is perforated with
holes, for the purpose of allowing the flame to heat the ignition plate, to the
required temperature, sufficiently to start the engine, the said ignition plate being

page_text: placed inside the combustion chamber A, as it is not exposed to the atmosphere, it
will be kept at a even temperature.
To more clearly explain the principle of my invention, reference is made to the
drawing accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which
Fig. 1. is a elevation of a base and bed-plate and cylinder of a horizontal
engine; the cycle of operation in the cylinder is the same as in the Otto with
the aforesaid arrangements attached as hereinbefore described.
P is the pump which is worked off the side rod S S', by the bell crank lever M.
B, B', is the base of the engine and oil tank, D D', is the delivery pipe, to the
valve box, E, E¹, is the escape pipe from the valve box to tank, M is the bell
crank lever, for working the drop bar marked K.
LL' are the bars P P¹, is the guide bracket for the drop bars. G G¹ is the
spiral springs for closing the air and exhaust valves, A. is the combustion chamber,
E is the cover of the said chamber, C. is the compression piston D is the ignition
plate, H. is the exhaust valve. J is the air valve. Fig. 3 is a section through the
valve box. S is the regulating valve, W is the governor regulating valve, U is the
escape valve, Z is the vaporising pipe. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the said
valve box R is the receiving valve U is the escape valve, V is the return tube to
the oil tank.
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) In hydrocarbon engines, I employ a combustion cylinder, which is attached
to the working cylinder of the engine, in this said combustion cylinder, I employ
a compression piston, which is made to slide either in or out of the cylinder to
suite the compressions, which is required for various classes of hydrocarbons or
combustable mixtures. The said ignition plate, which is fixed to the front side of
the compression piston; this aforesaid ignition plate, being enclosed in the com-
bustion cylinder, will retain sufficient heat to explode the charge of the combustable
mixture every alternate revolution of the engine, substantially as herein before
described.
(2) In
a hydrocarbon engine a trip-gear for regulating the instantaneous
opening and closing the air and exhaust valves as substantially herein before
described.
(3) In a hydrocarbon engine the employment of a improved valve box for
regulating the supply of hydrocarbon or vapour into the compression space of the
engine, and substantially as herein before described.
Dated the 17th day of December 1894.
PHILIP MITCHELMORE.