IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Pinkney, of Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Pinkney at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1881.
CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
My Invention has reference to gas engines in which the explosive mixture of
gas and air employed is in a compressed state and consists of the arrangement or
combination of parts hereinafter described for effecting the ignition of the explosive
mixture.
On one side of the cylinder containing the explosive gaseous mixture, and near
the end of the said cylinder is a tubular case parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
One end of this case terminates in a port communicating with the interior of the
cylinder, and at about the middle of the case is an opening communicating with
the atmosphere.
In the said case a sliding plunger works, the required reciprocating motion being
given to it by the engine. The inner end of the plunger is hollow and terminates
in a small screw valve which can be adjusted with nicety. Near the said valve a
series of layers of wire gauze is fixed, and an opening in the side of the plunger
communicates with the hollow part of the said plunger. Near to the opening in
the tubular case an outside flame is kept burning. When the plunger is drawn
out its side opening is coincident with the side opening in the case, and the hollow
part of the plunger is in communication with the atmosphere. When the plunger
is forced inwards its side communication is brought into the port of the cylinder,
the side communication of the case being virtually closed by the solid part of the
plunger.
The action of the parts is as follows:-A minute current of the explosive gaseous
mixture passing from the cylinder through the valve and wire gauze fills the
hollow in the plunger, and as the plunger is drawn out, its side opening becoming

page_text: coincident with that of the case, the gaseous mixture in the plunger is ignited by
the adjacent stationary gas flame.
The plunger is immediately moved inwards when the side opening in the plunger
is brought into the port of the cylinder, and the still burning gaseous mixture
ignites the contents of the cylinder. Thus as the plunger moves backwards and
forwards it first brings a small charge of combustible gas to the external flame,
where it is ignited, and the still burning gas is by the changed motion of the
plunger introduced into the cylinder filled with the explosive gascous mixture,
which is thereby ignited.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles William Pinkney in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1881.
CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS ENGINES."
"
My Invention has reference to gas engines in which the explosive mixture of
gas and air employed is in a compressed state, and consists of the arrangement or
combination of parts hereinafter described for effecting the ignition of the explosive
mixture.
On one side of the cylinder containing the explosive gaseous mixture, and near
the end of the said cylinder, is a tubular case parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
One end of this case terminates in a port communicating with the interior of the
cylinder, and at about the middle of the case is an opening communicating with
the atmosphere.
In the said case a sliding plunger works, the required reciprocating motion being
given to it by the engine. The inner end of the plunger is hollow and terininntes
in a small screw valve which can be adjusted with nicety. Near the said valve a
series of layers of wire gauze is fixed, and an opening in the side of the plunger
communicates with the hollow part of the said plunger. Near to the opening in
the tubular case an outside flame is kept burning. When the plunger is drawn
out its side opening is coincident with the side opening in the case, and the hollow
part of the plunger is in communication with the atmosphere. When the plunger
is forced inwards its side communication is brought into the port of the cylinder,
the side communication of the case being virtually closed by the solid part of the
plunger.
The action of the parts is as follows:-A minute current of the explosive gaseous
mixture passing from the cylinder through the valve and wiro gauze fills the
hollow in the plunger, and as the plunger is drawn out, its side opening becoming
coincident with that of the case, the gaseous mixture in the plunger is ignited by
the adjacent stationary gas flame.

page_text: The plunger is immediately moved inwards when the side opening in the plunger
is brought into the port of the cylinder and the still burning gaseous mixture
ignites the contents of the cylinder. Thus as the plunger moves backwards and
forwards it first brings a small charge of combustible gas to the external flame,
where it is ignited, and the still burning gas is by the changed motion of the
plunger introduced into the cylinder filled with the explosive gaseous mixturo,
which is thereby ignited.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which my Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section, and Figure 2 in cross section, taken
on the line A, B; Figure 1 a portion of a gas engine containing igniting apparatus
constructed according to my Invention; Figure 3 represents a portion of Figure 1
drawn to a larger scale, and Figure 1ª reprosents an end elevation of the burner.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
o is the cylinder of the gas engine in which the compressed explosive gascous
mixture is contained, and d is the piston working in the said cylinder; e is a
tubular case parallel with the cylinder c, in which case a reciprocating sliding
plunger works, the said plunger being actuated by an eccentric on the shaft of
the engine. The inner end of the said case e opens into the igniting chamber g,
and the latter communicates by means of the port h with the end of the cylinder c.
The inner end of the sliding plunger fis hollow at i and terminates in my improved
burner, herein after described, screwed in the manner represented into the end of
the plunger. The hollow end i of the plunger opens into the flame cavity
the Intter by means of the side openings at m in the plunger and case communicates
with the atmosphere; is tho stationary gas flame near the side openings at m in
the plunger and case, a cover or chimney p protecting the said flame. Tho burner q
besides an axial or longitudinal hole in its stalk has also a cross hole r which opens
at its ends into the igniting chamber g in communication with the cylinder c (BCе
the end view, Figure 14).
and
In the said burner is a regulating screw valve s fixed in its adjusted position by
the locknut t. The end of the said valves is conical, and the orifice u leading into
the hollow end i of the plunger may be more or less opened by adjusting the said
screw valve 8. In front of the orifice u a series of layers of wire gauze w is fixed
by their edges by means of the inner tube placed in the hollow end of the burner,
the said tube being secured in its place by the screwing home of the burner in
the hollow end i of the plunger, as represented.
When the plunger fis drawn out, as represented in Figure 1, its flame cavity k
is coincident with the opening at m in the case e, and the hollow part i of the
plunger carrying the burner is in communication with the external air and
stationary gas flame l. When the plunger is forced inwards its flame cavity is
brought into the igniting chamber in connection with the port h and the
communication of the said flame cavity h, and the hollow end of the plunger with
the stationary flame is cut off by the closing of the side opening m in the case 6
by the solid part of the plunger.
The action of the igniting apparatus is as follows:-
When the cylinder c is charged with the explosive gaseous mixture under
compression and the piston d is performing its instroke or moving in the direction
of the arrow, Figure 1, and the sliding plunger f carrying the burner is also at the
end of its instroke so that the burner is cut off from the outside stationary flame,
the said piston & forces a minute current of the said gaseous mixture from the
cylinder c through the passage », valve 8, orifice u, and wire gauze w into the hollow
cylinder i and Hame cavity k, and as the plunger fis drawn out its flame cavity k
is brought opposite the opening m in the case e, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the
gascous mixture in the said flame cavity and hollow plunger is ignited by the
external stationary gas flame 1. The plunger f is immediately moved inwards,
cutting off communication with the stationary gas flame l, and bringing the still

page_text: burning gasoous mixture into the flame igniting chamber g, where the said flame
ignites the gaseous mixture in the port h and cylinder c about the time that the
piston & has completed its instroke, as will be understood by an examination of the
Drawings.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention of improvements in gas engines,"
The combination with the hollow reciprocating igniting plunger of a gas engine,
of the regulating screw valve s and parts connected with it for regulating the passage
of the compressed explosive gaseous mixture from the cylinder to the said hollow
plunger in conjunction with the series of layers of wire gauze w near the acting
end of the said screw valve, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Pinkney, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eigth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY. (L.S.)
Witness,
W. F. PARKINS,
Leamington Villa,
Murdoch Rd.,
Handsworth,
Birmingham,
Clerk.