An Improved Starter for Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1898--Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Starter for Internal Combustion Engines.
We, ALFRED STIMPSON, of 104, Abington Street, Northampton, Merchant, and
WILLIAM HENRY GREEN, of St. James's End, Northampton, Mechanic, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means for starting oil and gas engines and has for
object to provide a simple and efficient appliance adapted to be readily affixed
to any existing engine and which will enable the latter to be started without the
necessity of first. rotating the flywheel or crank shaft by hand or otherwise for
the purpose of enabling the cylinder or explosion chamber to inhale the requisite
explosive charge.
The invention consists of a plug adapted to be screwed or otherwise fixed to
the explosion chamber or cylinder of the engine, clear of the path of the piston,
the plug passing through the wall of said chamber or cylinder and being traversed
from outside to inside by a passage of small bore normally open but adapted to
be closed by a pea valve contained within a cage attached to the plug and capable
of seating itself against a valve face in the passage in such manner that on the
occurrence of an explosion within the cylinder or explosion chamber the passage
of the plug is automatically sealed.
11
The action of the appliance is as follows:-
The crank shaft of the engine having been set beyond the dead centre, so as
to be capable of being rotated by the reciprocation of the piston, a small quantity
(proportionate to the size and power of the engine) of benzoline or other highly
volatile hydrocarbon is introduced, through the passage in the plug above des-
cribed, into the cylinder or explosion chamber, and the vapour, immediately there-
upon generated from said hydrocarbon is ignited by means of a lucifer match or
the like applied at the outer end of the passage in the plug. The resulting
explosion causes the pea valve to seal the passage in the plug, thus preventing
escape of the expanding gases, and at the same time actuates the piston of the
engine with sufficient force to ensure such a number of revolutions of the crank
shaft, and reciprocations of the piston, being performed as may be necessary
to fill the cylinder or explosion chamber by inhalation with the requisite explosive
charge. When this has been accomplished, the passage in the plug may be per-
manently closed by means of a cock or valve provided for that purpose on the
exterior of the plug.

page_text: 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:
This invention relates to means for starting oil and gas engines and has for
object to provide a simple and efficient appliance whereby to enable an initial
explosive charge to be introduced and fired for the purpose of starting the engine
without the necessity of first rotating the crank shaft by hand or otherwise for
the purpose of causing the cylinder to inhale the initial explosive charge.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this
specification wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a central vertical section
of the device.
The invention consists of a tubular plug A having a screw-threaded stem a
adapted to be screwed into a correspondingly threaded socket in the upper side B
of the explosion chamber or cylinder of the engine, the plug having a through
passage al contracted at c to form a coned seat against which a ball valve C is
capable of seating itself in the upward direction so as to automatically seal the
passage when the valve is raised by internal pressure generated by the initial
explosion. The ball is retained in position to so act by being enclosed in a cage d
forming an internal prolongation of the screw plug a and having openings by
which the thoroughfare of the plug is in free communication with the explosion
chamber of the cylinder except when the valve is closed as above mentioned.
The plug A is provided with a removable screw stopper D adapted to screw into
a corresponding socket in the upper end of the plug A.
The appliance is used as follows:-The crank shaft of the engine having been
set slightly beyond the inner dead centre, so as to be capable of being rotated by
the outward stroke of the piston, the screw stopper D is removed and a small
quantity (proportionate to the size and power of the engine) of benzoline or other
highly volatile hydrocarbon is poured in directly or through a funnel into the
passage a¹ and, the valve being open, is admitted into the explosion chamber of
the cylinder. The liquid or its vapour then being ignited by a flame applied
at the mouth of the passage, the resulting explosion causes the valve to immedi-
ately close the passage (as shown in Figure 2) against the escape of the expanding
gases, which thereupon actuate the piston of the engine with sufficient energy
to bring about such a number of revolutions of the crank shaft, and reciprocations
of the piston, as will ensure the inhalation in the ordinary way of the subsequent
explosive charge. When this has been accomplished, the stopper D would be
screwed on again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
The herein described appliance for introducing a charge of liquid hydrocarbon
for starting an internal combustion engine, the said appliance being constructed
applied and used substantially as specified.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents 53, Chancery Lane, London.