Improvements in and relating to Gas Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1897-Accepted, 14th Aug., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gas Engines.
I, JOHN DENISON Russ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
No. 1231 W Street, in the City of Brooklyn, county of Kings and State of New
York, United States of America, gentleman, 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 gas engines.
The perfect gas engine cycle consists of four distinct operations, viz., intake of
fresh charge, compression, explosion, and exhaust. It has been the aim of all
designers of these engines to embody these four cycles in as few strokes of the
piston as possible, as only one of the above operations is actually power producing.
The four cycle engines employ four strokes to accomplish this perfect cycle, while
the so-called two cycle engines have utilized crank cases, accessory cylinders and
pumps, or employed a differential piston to gain their end. But in all these
engines the intricate mechanism has prevented high speed, as well as caused
difficulty in operation and management.
The object of my invention, therefore, is by the use of one plain cylinder, with-
out accessory contrivances, to accomplish in one revolution the four operations of
this perfect cycle.
My invention comprises, generally stated, a cylinder closed at both ends having
a piston therein, an automatic valve controlled port leading to a space behind, or
below, the piston and between said part of the piston and lower head, or back, of
cylinder, a passage with open communication to and leading from before men-
tioned space behind, or below, the piston, through an automatically valve controlled
port into head of cylinder, whereby the explosive mixture is first admitted into
the lower portion of cylinder, and then forced by the action of the piston into the
upper part of the cylinder, where it first expands, cleaning cylinder of the old
gases, and where it is afterwards compressed and exploded.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe
the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is
a sectional elevation of my improved engine; Figure 2 is a like section of a part
of the engine showing the piston at the upper end of its stroke; Figure 3 is a
section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
Like letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.
I have illustrated my invention as applied to the upright, or vertical, form of
engine, although it is apparent that it is equally applicable to the horizontal type.
The base a has bolted thereto the standard, or open column, b which supports
the cylinder c.
The cylinder c is surrounded by the water jacket d which is shown
clearly in Fig. 3. The cylinder c is closed at its upper and lower ends by the
cylinder heads ². Within the cylinder c is the piston e which can be either
hollow, or closed. The piston e when in its lowest position is at the bottom of
the cylinder e close to the cylinder head e³, but at its highest position there remains
a space between the upper cylinder head and the upper end of the piston for the
compression of the explosive mixture. The cubic contents of the upper portion

page_text: of the cylinder when the piston e is at its lowest "dead" point is larger than the
cubic contents of lower portion of cylinder when the piston is at its highest "dead"
point: that is, the space between the upper head of the cylinder and top of
piston, when said piston is at its lowest dead" point, is greater than space
between the lower head c³ of the cylinder and the bottom of said piston, when
said piston is at its highest "dead" point. This is due to the clearance just
mentioned in the upper portion of the cylinder for the compressed explosive
mixture. The piston rod f passes. down through a suitable stuffing-box g in the
standard b, said piston rod being connected to the cross head h moving in suitable
guides i.
Formed within the walls of the cylinder c is the pipe or passage k, said passage
communicating by means of the port 7 with the lower end of the piston chamber c¹
of the cylinder c. The upper end of the passage communicates with the by-
passage m leading into the upper end of the piston chamber c¹. A check valve n
engages with the seat n' at the upper end of the passage k, the stem of said valve
moving in the recess formed in the plug ². The plug n² is threaded and engages
with the threaded openings in the cylinder c.
The exhaust port o leads from the piston chamber e¹ and is uncovered by the
piston when part way on its down stroke. An auxiliary port leads from the
passage into the piston chamber c', said port being uncovered when the piston
is at its lowest point. A deflector on the piston e tends to direct any of the
explosive mixture entering by the port up within the piston chamber c¹.
Water is supplied to the water jacket d by means of a pipe d'.
The explosion may be caused by an electric spark, or by a hot tube, or other
igniting means. I have illustrated a means for exploding by means of electricity.
The rod p passes down through a suitable opening in the cylinder heads 2 and
attached to the lower end of said rod is a piece of flat steel 22 bent as shown.
Another piece of flat steel p³ is attached to the top of the piston. When the piston
reaches its highest "dead" point these two pieces of steel meet, establishing the
current, and when they start to separate a spark is formed which explodes the
charge. The wires p' are connected up to a suitable battery.
The pipe q conveys the explosive mixture to the cylinder, and at the upper end
of said pipe is the check valve which is operated by the action of the piston,
as will be fully hereinafter set forth. The pipe is in communication with the
air pipe s and gas pipe t. The valve controls the gas supply to the pipe q, and
this valve is connected up with the ball governor which regulates the speed of
the engine by opening and closing the gas inlet. By having a governor located
to regulate the supply before it enters the cylinder said governor regulates the
fresh mixture before it enters the engines. When the gas inlet is completely
closed, nothing but air passes through the cylinder and consequently a great saving
of gas is obtained.
The fly-wheel v is mounted on the shaft w and the pitman r is connected up
to a suitable crank.
The operation of my improved engine is as follows: With the piston in the
position shown in Fig. 1 the explosive mixture admitted through the port by
the previous up-stroke of the piston has been forced up through the passage k,
the check valve n being unseated, into the space above said piston. The admission
of the mixture above the piston acts to expel the foul gases caused by the previous
explosion through the exhaust port o. The auxiliary port admits a further
quantity of the explosive mixture as said piston uncovers said port in its descent.
But, however, before the fresh mixture has opportunity to escape through the
exhaust port, the piston begins to ascend and closes said exhaust port. As said
piston continues to ascend the automatic check valve n in the pipe is raised
by the suction caused by the ascent of said piston. This permits a fresh charge
of the explosive mixture to enter by the port 7 the lower end of the cylinder below
the piston. The ascent of the piston compresses the explosive mixture in the
upper end of the cylinder above the piston, the check valve n being held in its

page_text: "
"
seat by the pressure of the explosive mixture upon it. By the employment of the
passage communicating at its upper end with the space above the piston and
controlled at its upper end by the check valve n when the piston ascends the
explosive mixture is prevented from passing back again into said passage and
consequently "back-firing is prevented. This back-fire" is a great source
of trouble in many gas engines, and is a permature explosion of the
"dead'
new charge occurring before the piston reaches its highest
point
which tends to retard the power of the engine. By taking the fresh charge
alone through an inlet, such as the auxiliary port in the side of the cylinder,
said charge would sometimes come in contact with part of the old charge before
it is "dead and reaches the exhaust, and would be prematurely exploded. But
by letting in the new charge first at the upper end of the cylinder through a valve
which is released as soon as the piston covers the exhaust port, it drives the
old charge straight down towards the exhaust port, so that when the auxiliary
inlet port k¹ is uncovered, through which the main portion of the incoming charge
rushes, the old charge is entirely "dead" and mostly exhausted. If the inlet
port at the upper end of the cylinder was alone employed, though there would be
no
back-firing" it would take longer for the charge to enter, said inlet port
being somewhat removed from the compression of the mixture caused by the
descent of the piston. Thus it will be seen that by the combination of the two inlet
ports all loss of power from "back-firing" is avoided and higher speed is obtained
from the rapidity with which the fresh charges can be taken into the exploding
portion of the cylinder.
When the piston has reached the position shown in Fig. 2, an electric spark
ignites the gases whereby the piston descends and the power is produced. The
descent of the piston seats the valve r and the fresh explosive mixture which was
below the piston is compressed and driven through the passage k to the upper
end of the cylinder to be again compressed and exploded in the manner herein-
before set forth. By having the lower end of the cylinder closed and leaving no
clearance between the lower end of the piston and the lower cylinder head, the
compression from the down stroke is powerful and uniform, and compresses
directly on the valve at the entrance to the upper or exploding portion of the
cylinder. This insures prompt and immediate action. I thus provide a passage of
such cubic contents as to hold the fresh mixture when compressed by the downward
stroke of the piston to a desired pressure. This pressure carries the fresh charge
into the upper end of the cylinder through valve n and port at the proper time,
leaving the passage always full of fresh mixture at atmospheric pressure, the
piston being at lowest
dead"
point. The cubic contents displaced on descent
of piston expands in the upper portion of the cylinder and obtains the economy
claimed.
"
The valves are opened and closed automatically so that no power is required to
operate same and there is no friction to be overcome. The action of the piston
itself causes the admission and discharge of the gases.
As there is an explosion every revolution, and as the ignition can only take
place when the piston on reaching the upper, or
"dead point commences to
release the compressed charge, there is no danger of premature explosion or
"back-firing."
In my improved engine the same up-stroke both sucks in the fresh mixture to
the lower portion of the cylinder, and compresses the fresh charge already in the
upper part of the cylinder to the point of ignition, while the same down-stroke
carries the power of explosion and also exhausts the foul gases by admitting the
fresh charge under pressure. In this manner the perfect cycle is obtained in
one revolution, and continues independently, while the simplicity of construction
makes it possible to obtain the high speed of steam engines."
It may also be noted that the piston is cushioned at each end of its stroke which,
with an explosion every revolution, gives steadiness of motion and removes all
annoyance due to jarring.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the exact construction set forth but claim such equiva-
lent constructions as will give like results.
of my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having a port communicating with the space below
the piston and above the lower head of said cylinder, a passage leading therefrom
to the space above said piston when said piston is at its highest point, and a valve
at the upper end of said passage, substantially as set forth.
2. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having an automatically valve controlled port com-
inunicating with the space below the piston and above the lower head of said
cylinder, a passage leading therefrom to the space above said piston when said
piston is at its highest point, and a check valve at the upper end of said passage,
substantially as set forth.
3. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having a port communicating with the space below
the piston and above the lower head of said cylinder, a passage leading therefrom
to the space above said piston when said piston is at its highest point, a check
valve at the upper end of said passage and an exhaust port opened and closed by
said piston itself, substantially as set forth.
4. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having a port communicating with the space below
said piston and above the lower head of said cylinder, and a valve controlled
passage leading therefrom to the space above said piston, the cubic contents of the
upper portion of said cylinder when the piston is at its lowest dead" point being
larger than the cubic contents of lower portion of said cylinder when piston is at
highest "dead" point, substantially as set forth.
5. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having a port communicating with the space below
the piston and above the lower head of said cylinder, a passage leading from said
port to the space above said piston when said piston is at is highest point, a valve
controlling said passage, and an auxiliary port between said valve and said port
leading from said passage to the piston chamber and controlled by said piston,
substantially as set forth.
6. In gas and like engines, the combination of a cylinder closed at both ends, a
piston therein, said cylinder having a port communicating with the space below
the piston and above the lower head of said cylinder, a passage leading from said
port to the space above said piston when said piston is at its highest point, a valve
controlling said passage, an auxiliary port between said valve and said first men-
tioned port leading from said passage to the piston chamber, and an exhaust port
just above said auxiliary port, both said exhaust port and auxiliary port being
controlled by said piston, substantially as set forth.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.