IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND SIMILAR ENGINES AND MECHANISM CONNECTED THEREWITH, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Atkinson, of Springdalo Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
AND SIMILAR ENGINES AND MECHANISM CONNECTED THEREWITH, PART OF
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 7th October 1879, and dated the 11th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Atkinson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1879.
JAMES ATKINSON, of Springdale Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND SIMILAR ENGINES AND MECHANISM
CONNECTED THEREWITH, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
•
This Invention relates to improvemonts in engines driven by gas, gas and air, or
other mixtures that will rapidly ignite, and the improvements have for object the
simplifying the construction of such engines and increasing their efficiency and
durability. The Invention also relates to improved mechanism used in transmitting
the power of such engines.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a horizontal working cylinder combined
with a compressing cylinder, both cylinders being single acting and placed side by
side with their axes parallel to each other; these axes are so arranged that they do
not intersect the axis of the crank shaft, one being a little above and the other a
little below, in such a manner that when the connecting rods have their maximum
strains upon them they will be in a more direct line with the axes.
The con-
necting rods are connected by preference to one crank pin, which is made long
enough for this purpose, so that the rods make their strokes inwards and outwards
together, or nearly so. These connecting rods are connected to plungers packed
with glands constructed as hereinafter described. The plunger of the compressing
cylinder in making an outward stroke draws in a charge of air, or air combined with
gas or other suitable explosive mixture; or during the return inward stroke this charge
is compressed and delivered into a chamber which by preference is of such a capacity
that it will just contain this charge at a desired pressure, which pressure will vary
under different circumstances. The charge after it is shut off from the compressing
cylinder is admitted to the working cylinder, which is beginning or about to begin

page_text: its ontward stroke, and the charge is ignited by any usual method, or by the
arrangement hereinafter described, and is burned in the working cylinder and also
in the chamber, expands in doing so to a high pressure, thus propelling the plunger
outwards; on the return stroke the consumed gases are expelled through a suitable
*valve and the next charge compressed during the last return stroke of the com-
pressing plunger is ready for admission to the working cylinder and thus repeat
the process, a working stroke being obtained at each outward stroke of the plungers,
the inward strokes being carried through by the work stored up in the fly wheel
and the working parts of the engine.
The inlet and outlet valves to the compressing cylinder are preferably self-acting,
and those for the working cylinder may be mushroom or similar valves, onc
eccentric on the crank shaft lifting the inlet valve at one portion of its throw and
the outlet valve at the opposite portion of its throw; or the valves may be controlled
by a slide driven by au eccentric or cam; and one slide may be used to control the
inlets and outlets of both cylinders, such slide being driven by an eccentric placed
at right angles or thereabouts to the crank.
I make the working cylinder or both cylinders of separate rings, placed end to
end, or within each other concentrically (or both) with a view to prevent the heat
travelling so rapidly from the end where the gases are exploded to the glands
through which the plungers pass, or to the water in the water jacket surrounding
the cylinders, and to decrease the loss from radiation. These separate rings are of
any desirable material, and one or more at the explosion end of the working
cylinder may be of terra-cotta, porcelain, or similar material, as also may any other
surface exposed to a high temperature and not required to make a gas tight joint
with another surface. The refractory material (which is placed in recesses provided
for it) may consist of fire clay or similar material pressed whilst soft into the
recesses which may be under cut or dovetailed so as to firmly retain it. The
plungers may be built up of separate lengths, and the inner end of that in the
working cylinder of a block of terra-cotta or similar material.
The glands through which the plungers worked are formed in the usual manner,
excepting that in place of ordinary packing I prefer to substitute one or more
metallic rings which fit on the plungers with a bearing surface of their full depth
but narrow rapidly outwards till they touch or almost touch the larger diameter of
the gland; they are thus somewhat of a triangular or dovetail section; the spaces on
each side of and between the rings are filled in with asbestos; the rings are cut
through in one or more places, the object being to get an elastic durable packing
with as much metallic rubbing surface as possible. This description of gland
packing may be used for other purposes in place of ordinary glands. If pistons
are used instead of plungers a similar kind of packing can be substituted for
ordinary piston rings; in this case of course the rubbing surface of the rings will be
on the outside of the rings instead of the inside as when used for plungers. In
both cases they may be tightened up from the outside.
The arrangement herein before referred to for igniting the charge consists of a
thin piece of porcelain, platinum, or similar material heated chiefly in one small
place from the outside by a small jet or pencil of flame similar to a blow pipe flame
and exposed on the inside to the charge to be ignited. It may be kept permanently
in communication with the working cylinder, or masked and unmasked as desired
by a slide; or it could be fixed in a slide and travel with it.
The speed of the engine is governed by any usual method; or when it is desired
to keep constantly altering its speed a governor may be attached which deflects,
contracts, or expands springs by means of the centrifugal force of small weights;
one end connection of this governor is connected to the regulating mechanism of the
engine, and the other end, which is usually fixed, is moved further from or nearer to
the other end to get the desired speed by means of levers and rods if necessary
from any convenient position; for instance, if the engine is employed in propelling
a tramcar a lever would be placed in a convenient position to enable the driver to
thus alter the speed at will.

page_text: To facilitate the starting of the engine the fly wheel may be left unkeyed on
the shaft, so that by turning it round when disconnected with the engine power
will be stored up in it which will start the engine when it is conrected with it.
It can be connected and disconnected by the following novel arrangement, or by
other suitable means:-A thread is cut on the fly wheel shaft where it is attached,
and a corresponding female thread cut in the hole through the centre of the fly
wheel to such a hand that if the fly wheel is turned round ou the threads in the
direction in which it will run when at work, and the shaft is stationary, the wheel
would travel longitudinally upon the shaft towards a collar or cone upon the shaft;
if a sufficient number of revolutions have been made by the wheel, and sufficient
power stored up in it by the time it comes in contact with this collar or cono it
will give up some of this stored power to the shaft and cause it to revolve and
thus start the engine. A spring catch.or ratchet may be employed to prevent the
fly wheel starting back whilst the engine is at work.
To disconnect machinery driven from the engine by a belt whilst starting I
prefer to have the belt pulley upon the engine shaft left loose upon it; on the shaft
itself and close to the bars of the pulley I cut a screw thread to such a band that
if a nut upon it was so arranged it could be made to revolve with the pulley, and
the pulley in starting is free from the shaft, the engine will draw this nut up
against the boss of the pulley so long as the pulley is stationary, and so nip the
boss between the face of the nut and a collar or cone upon the shaft that it shortly
revolves with the shaft. A simple disengaging gear is arranged so that the nut can
be screwed back again previously to starting.
The exhaust gases in some instances are led by a blast or nozzle pipe into a
larger pipe, so that by means of the induced current into this larger pipe, and also
by the current induced in it if it rises upwards by means of the ascending draught
of hotter and lighter gases, air and other gases will be drawn away from the
neighbourhood of the engine, so that any unpleasant smell, heat, vapour, or
escaping gas will thus be removed, also the temperature of the waste pipe will be
lower, and there will be less risk of causing a fire by its passing near or into contact
with any inflammable material.
In adapting these engines to driving machinery which frequently requires stop-
ping and reversing, such as would be necessary in propelling tramcars, boats, or
vessels, the following mode of connection can be used --The engine runs always in
one direction, and is not stopped when it is necessary to stop or reverse the driven
mechanism; for short stoppages I employ four bevel, toothed, or friction wheels
geared together. If the engine or driving shaft is in a line with the driven shaft
one of these wheels may be fixed permanently to the driven shaft, one is loose on
the engine or driving shaft, and the other two have separate shafts; a clutch
sliding on a feather on the engine shaft if put it into contact with the wheel on
the driven shaft would cause it to revolve with the engine shaft; if this clutch is
disengaged and second clutch is brought into action so as to cause the wheel upon
the engine shaft to revolve with it, the wheel on the driven shaft will be driven in
an opposite direction through the two other wheels; if the driveu shaft is at
right angles to the crank shaft a slight modification of the clutch gear will enable
it to be driven in either direction as desired. When both clutches are out of gear
the engine is free to run independently; or I may employ a suitable arrangement of
parallel friction or toothed wheels.
in some cases the engine may be constructed vertically.
I prefer to filter the air before it enters the cylinder by drawing it through a
suitable filtering material such as cotton wool; and I propose employing a jet or
spray of hydrocarbon oil directed onto the herein before described heated platinum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Atkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February
1880.
JAMES ATKINSON, of Springdale Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS AND SIMILAR ENGINES AND MECHANISM
CONNECTED THEREWITH, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in engines driven by gas, gas and air, or
other mixtures that will rapidly ignite, and the improvements have for object the
simplifying the construction of such engines, and increasing their efficiency and
durability. The Invention also rolatos to improved mechanism used in transmitting
the power of such engines.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a horizontal working cylinder combined
with a compressing cylinder, both cylinders being single acting and placed side by
Bide with their axes parallel to each other; these axes may be so arranged that they
do not intersect the axis of the crank shaft, one being a little above and the other a
little below, in such a manner that when the connecting rods have their maximum
strains upon them they will be in a more direct line with the axes.
The connecting rods are connected by preference to one crank pin, which is made
long enough for this purpose, so that the rods make their strokes inwards or out-
wards together, or nearly so. These connecting rods are connected to plungers
packed with glands constructed as horeinafter described. The plunger of the com-
pressing cylinder in making an outward stroke draws in a charge of air, or air
combined with gas or other suitable explosive mixture; during the return inward
stroke this charge is compressed and delivered into a chamber, which by preference
is of such a capacity that it will just contain this charge at a desired pressure which
pressure will vary under different circumstances. The charge, after it is shut off
from the compressing cylinder is admitted to the working cylinder, which is
beginning or about to begin its outward stroke, and the charge is ignited by any
usual method or by the arrangement hereinafter described, and is burned in the
working cylinder and also in the chamber, expands on doing so to a high pressure,
thus propelling the plunger outwards; on the return stroke the consumed gases are
expelled through a suitable valve, and the next charge compressed during the last
return stroke of the compressing plunger is ready for admission to the working
cylinder, and thus repeat the process, a working stroke being obtained at each stroke
of the plungers, the inward strokes being carried through by the work stored up in
the fly wheel and the working parts of the engine.
But to make my Invention better understood I will now proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1, repre-
sents a plan of a gas engine constructed in accordance with my Invention; Figure 2
Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation of same through the working cylinder; Figure 3,
Sheet 1, is a part sectional elevation through the compressing cylinder, and Figure 4,
Sheet 1, is an end elevation; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 1, are details;
Figure 11. Sheet 2, is a view of the arrangement I employ for driving tram-cars,
vehicles, or ships when the driven shaft is in a line with the engine shaft; and
Figures 12 and 13, Sheet 2, views of the arrangement when the shafts are at right
angles. Similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
The engine is arranged and fixed upon a substantial bed or foundation casting F,
the two cylinders being placed at one end of the casting F and the crank shaft at
the other end. A is the compressing cylinder; B, the working cylinder; and C the
chamber or receiver; D is the plunger of the compressing cylinder A, which in
making an outward stroke draws in a charge of air and gas through the valve 4,
which is made self-acting, as hereinafter described. On the return stroke of the
plunger D this gas and air is delivered through the self acting valve 5 and passage 6

page_text: into the chamber or receiver C. During the same return stroke the plunger E of
the working cylinder B has compressed some of the spent gases left from the previous
stroke into the end 10 of the working cylinder B, and the capacity of the chamber
C and the space 10, left in the end of the working cylinder B when the plunger is at
its extreme in ward stroke, are so proportioned that though there may be a free com-
munication between them none of the charge will pass from the chamber C into the
space 10, but a small quantity of the spent gases may pass from the space 10 into the
chamber C without materially affecting the working of the engine When the plungers
commence their outward strokes the valve 5 closes. The capacity of 10 increases, thus
drawing a portion of the charge from the chamber C through the passage 7 and the
igniting arrangement 8, which will be hereinafter described. As soon as any of the
charge passes through the igniting arrangement 8 it is ignited, and communicates
its ignition to the whole of the charge in the chamber C. The charge is thus raised
in temperature and expanded; it is also mostly delivered into the body of the spent
compressed gases in the space 10, communicating some of its heat to them and
expanding them. The whole of the contained gases are thus at an increased
pressure, and the working plunger E is propelled outwards, thus communicating
power to the engine. When the working plunger E has arrived at or about the end
of its outward stroke the exhaust valve II is opened by means of the levers 12 and
13, which are controlled by the eccentric 14. This valve 11 closes in time to prevent
the escape of all the spent gases, and a portion is retained to be compressed into the
end 10 of the cylinder B, as hereinbefore described; meanwhile a fresh charge has
been drawn in and the operation is repeated, a working outward stroke being
obtained at each revolution of the fly wheel G.
The gas inlet 1 is an ordinary tap or valve; it may be controlled by the governor
or by hand, and does not open and close at each revolution of the engine. The
air is drawn through the light non-return valve 2 after being filtered by being
drawn through cotton wool or similar material contained in the recess 3, the
cotton wool being retained in a perforated cage, into which it is loosely packed so
as not to cause much resistance. The combined air and gas pass through the self-
acting valve 4. The outlet valve 5 is an ordinary mushroom valve. The chamber
or receiver c, as it contains the bulk of the charge when it is ignited, is the hottest
portion of the engine, and is isolated as much as possible; in some instances it may
consist of a coil or other arrangement of wrought iron pipes. There is no valve
shewn between the chamber or receiver C and the working cylinder, though in
some instances it might be desirable to have one, in which case a plain lift valve
or butterfly valve may be employed, controlled by the said eccentric 14, being
opened at the opposide end of the throw of the eccentric to that used for opening
the exhaust valve 11. In the Drawings I shew two passages 7 and 8 between the
chamber and the space 10, the passage 7 being provided, because it would not be
desirable to pass the whole of the charge through the igniting arrangement 8,
excepting in a small engine. The igniting arrangement 8 is constructed as follows:-
The passage consists of a small tube of porcelain, platinum, or similar material
packed with glands at each end; at about the middle of its length it is exposed to
an external flame of a high temperature, which keeps a small portion hot enough
to ignite any explosive mixture which may pass through the tube. This small
tube is shewn passing through a thin tube, at the base of which is an atmospheric
burner supplied with gas direct from the gas main; the larger tube serves the
double purpose of creating an upward current or blast, thus increasing the heat
and also serving for protecting the flame from draughts. Instead of this atmospheric
burner a blast frame may be used, and the desired pressure may be obtained from
the compressing cylinder A, and instead of employing the thin porcelain as a tube I
may use it as a thin plate or dish, and when used for other arrangements of engines
it may be arranged so as to be masked and unmasked as desired by means of a
slide, or be fixed in a slide and travel with it.
The working cyclinder B is built up of separate rings 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, of
which 16, 17, 18, and 19 are of suitable metal, such as cast iron, and are placed

page_text: end on to each other, they are turned up with projections and recesses to fit
lineably to each other and are drawn together by two (or more) bolts 21. The
inner concentric ring 20 is of torra cotta, porcelain, or similar material, or for cheap-
ness it may be made of metal. It is packed in its place by stemming asbestos
between it and the outer ring 19. The rings 16, 17, and 18 are shewn with annular
spaces for water jacketing. It will be understood that the number or these rings
may be more or less, according to circumstances, also any or none of them may be
water jacketed. It will be observed that the portion of the cylinder containing the
gland packing is in one with the bed or foundation casting F, and any undesirable
amount of heat which travels to this end of the cylinder is rapidly conducted away;
the object of these arrangements is to prevent beat travelling to the gland end of
the cylinder, to confine the heat as much as possible to the chamber or receiver C,
and hot end of the working cylinder 10, and to reduce the loss of heat through
water jackets.
Figure 5
The glands through which the plungers work are formed in the usual manner,
excepting that in place of ordinary packing they are packed in the novel manner
shewn, and which method of packing can be used for other purposes.
shews a piston rod drawn to a larger scale and packed in this manner; the packing
consists of one or more metallic rings (three are shewn in the Drawing) which fit on
the rod or plunger with a bearing surface of their full depth, but narrow rapidly
outwards until they touch or almost touch the larger diameter of the gland; they
are thus somewhat of a triangular or dovetail section; the spaces on each side of
and between the rings are filled in with asbestos rings also somewhat of a triangalar
or dovetail section, but having their greatest depth outwards; the metallic rings
are cut through in one or more places, and if necessary the asbestos rings may be
put on in halves, the object being to get an elastic durable packing with as much
metallic rubbing surface as possible. This description of gland packing may be
used for other purposes in place of ordinary packing, and screwed up in the
ordinary way. It can also be used for packing pistons; in this case of course the
rubbing surface of the metallic rings will be on the outsides of the rings, and when
used in an open ended cylinder may be adjustable from the outside.
The speed of the engine may be governed by any usual method, or when it is
desired to keep constantly altering its speed a governor may be attached, which
deflects, contracts, or expands springs by means of the centrifugal force of small
weights; one end connection of this governor is connected to the regulating
mechanism of the engine, and the other end, which is usually fixed, is free to be
moved further from or nearer to the first mentioned end to obtain the desired speed
by means of levers or rods from any convenient position; for example, if the engine
is employed in propelling a tramcar a lever would be placed in a convenient
position to enable the driver to thus alter the speed at will.
A suitable arrange-
ment of this construction of governor is shewn in Figure 6, Sheet 1.
To facilitate the starting of the engine if it is of considerable size, I leave the fly
wheel unkeyed to the fly wheel shaft, so that when turning it round when discón-
nected from the engine power will be stored up in it which will start the engine
when it is connected with it. I connect or disconnect it by the novel arrangement
shewn in Figures 7 and 8. A thread 22 is cut upon the fly wheel shaft at the place
where it is attached, and a corresponding female thread cut in the hole through the
ceutre of the fly wheel to such a hand that if the fly wheel is turned round on the
threads in the direction in which it will run when at work, and the shaft is sta-
tionary, the wheel would travel longitudinally upon the shaft towards a collar or
cone 23 upon the shaft. If a sufficient number of revolutions have been made by
the wheel, and sufficient power stored up in it, by the time it comes in contact with
this collar or cone 23 it will give up some of this stored up power to the shaft, cause
it to revolve, and thus start the engine. A spring catch or ratchet 24 is employed to
prevent the fly wheel starting back whilst the engine is at work.
To disconnect the machinery driven from the engine by a belt whilst starting, I
use the arrangement shewn in Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 1.
The belt pulley upon

page_text: the engine shaft is left loose upon it. On the shaft itself, and close to the boss of
the pulley, I cut a screw thread 25 with a nut upon it, which can at will be made to
revolve with or not to revolve with the pulley by means of the bolt 26. The pulley
in starting is free to remain stationary whilst the shaft revolves, and the nut if
screwed clear of the boss revolves with it; if the bolt is now drawn into the hole
provided for it in the nut, it can only revolve with the pulley, and so long as the
pulley remains stationary the nut traverses along the thread, which is cut to such a
band that it is drawn towards the boss of the pulley, which it presently nips between
itself and the cone or collar 27 so tightly that they all revolve together.
The exhaust gases in some instances are led by a blast or nozzle pipe into a
larger pipe, so that by means of the induced current into this larger pipe, and also
by the current induced in it if it rises upwards by means of the ascending draught
of hotter and lighter gases, air and other gases will be drawn away from the neigh-
bourhood of the engine, so that any unpleasant smell, heat, vapour, or escaping gas
will thus be removed, also the temperature of the waste pipe will be lower, and
there will be less risk of causing a fire by its passing near or into contact with any
inflammable material.
In adapting these engines to driving machinery which frequently requires
stopping and reversing, such as would be necessary in propelling tram-cars, boats,
or vessels, I employ the mode of connection shewn in Figure 11, Sheet 2. Figure 11
is a view of this arrangement as applied to a driven shaft in a line with the driving
shaft. The engine runs always in one direction, and is not stopped when it is
uecessary to stop or reverse the driven mechanism for short stoppages. I employ
four bevel, toothed, or friction wheels a, b, c, d, geared together as shewn. One of
these wheels a is fixed permanently to the driven shaft e, one b is loose on the
engine or driving shaft f, and the other two c and d have separate shafts g, h; i is
a clutch sliding on a feather on the engine shaft f. If the clutch is put into con-
tact with the wheel on the driven shaft, it would cause it would cause it to
revolve with the engine shaft f; but if this clutch i is disengaged and a second
clutch j is brought into action so as as to cause the wheel & upon the engine shaft
to revolve with it, the wheel a on the driven shaft e will be driven in an opposite
direction through the two other wheels c, d. If the driven shaft is at right angles
to the crank shaft I employ the modification shewn in Figures 12 and 13, Sheet 2,
the action of which will be understood without further description. Although in
the Drawing I shew the engine placed horizontally, it will be evident that it may
be constructed vertically.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down and shewn in
the Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar
character of my Invention, but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The general arrangement and construction of the improved gas engine,
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawing.
Secondly. Effecting the ignition of the explosive mixture in gas engines by the
employment of a thin tube or its equivalent of platinum or porcelaiu, or other
suitable material but little liable to deterioration from the effect of heat and pressure,
such tube being heated externally by means of a flame at a high temperature, as
hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. Constructing the working cylinders of gas engines of several rings, as
hereinbefore described.
Fourthly. The construction and application to gas engines of an isolated chamber
or receiver in which the bulk of the charge is ignited and burned whilst in commu-
nication with the working cylinder, as herein before described.
Fifthly. The peculiar method of packing glands or pistons, as hereinbefore
described and represented in Figure 5, Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixthly. The peculiar arrangement for filtering the air before being used in a gas

page_text: engine, as hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 3, Sheet 1, of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Seventhly. The construction and employment of the improved governor, arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described and represented in Figure 6,
Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings.
Eighthly. The method of starting gas engines by the employment of the arrange-
ment of mechanism for utilizing stored up power in the fly wheel, as shewn in
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings.
Ninthly. The arrrangement for connecting and disconnecting the driving pulley
on the shaft of a gas engine, as herein before described and represented in Figures 9
and 10, Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings.
Tentbly. The application to gas engines of the arrangements of gearing shewn in
Figures 11, 12, and 13, Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings, for transmitting the
power of the engine, as and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Atkinson, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JAMES ATKINSON. (L.s.)