Improvements in Gas Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Gas Engines.
A communication from JOHN CHARTER, THOMAS ALEXANDER GALT, and GEORGE
TRACY, of Stirling, County of Whitesides, State of Illinois, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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 :-
This invention has reference to certain improvements in gas engines and consists,
essentially, in certain additions hereinafter described to the structure shown and
Patented in British Letters Patent No. 1168, dated January 25, 1887, for improve-
ments in gas engines by means of which vaporized gasoline or like oil is substituted
in the explosive mixture for the gas mentioned in said former organisation.
And the present invention consists further in certain novel mechanism whereby
electricity is utilized to ignite the explosive mixture in the power cylinder in lieu of
a gas jet and its adjunctive mechanism used for said purpose in the aforesaid
organisation.
In those engines in which illuminating or other manufactured gas is required in
the combination of the explosive mixture it is obvious that it is practicable to use
such engines only where communication can be established with such gas and this
restriction would limit the use of such engine for the most part to localities in which
such gas was manufactured and would preclude the use of such engine in smaller
cities and villages and other situations remote from gas works.
One prominent advantage therefore in substituting vaporized oil for the former gas,

page_text: consists in the fact that it renders the use of the engine feasible in every locality
whether near or remote from gas manufactories.'
Another advantage of the employment of said oil as aforesaid is in the reduced
expense thereof as compared with the manufactured gas.
The advantage of the substitution of the electrical igniter for the gas jet in the
former construction results from the fact, first that the requisite electricity can be and
is in my construction generated by the machine itself and therefore the means of
ignition is not as in said former construction dependent upon exterior communication
with gas pipes or mains but like the use of the oil aforesaid can be employed in any
locality however isolated and, second, as the electrical ignition occurs in the inlet
port of the power cylinder it is neither seen nor heard and there is therefore
avoided what to some are the objectionable features of the puff, smoke and smell of a
flame igniter.
As my invention consists of the two departments of means for vaporizing and using
the oil in the explosive mixture and mechanism for utilizing the electrical.igniter and
the remainder of my machine is in construction and operation, substantially as shown
in said former patent and I do not deem it necessary to show or describe said residue
of the machine further than to exhibit and explain the relation thereto and operation
of the present improvements.
I generate electricity in the machine which I have thus far operated by means of a
small dynamo attached to the machine and operated by the balance wheel thereof.
But in as much as there is nothing new in such generation of the electricity the
latter can be provided in various modes and I do not deem it essential to encumber
this description with an illustration of the one mode at present employed by me.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a machine embodying my present invention.
Fig. 2, is a partial longitudinal section in the line passed vertically through the
centre of the cut off chamber, 32.
Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail partially in section of a portion of the upper parts
of fig. 2.
Fig. 4, is an enlarged vertical section of some of the lower parts of the fig. 2.
Fig. 5, is a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the power and supply
cylinders exhibiting the inlet port in the end of the latter, for the admission of the
explosive mixture (the arrow connecting the figs. 2, and, 5, showing the communication
between the opening in the tube of fig. 2, and said inlet port in fig. 5.)
Fig. 6, is an enlarged partial horizontal section in the line, cx, of fig. 1.
Fig. 7, is a detail partially in section of the oil injector which at the same time
acts as hereinafter described as a regulator and the relation of the same to the
governor, the latter being constructed and seated on the main shaft as more particularly
described in said former patent.
The power cylinder, 1, and supply cylinder, 2, are seated relatively, provided with
pistons and operated as described and shown in said former patent. The reciprocating
rod, 3, is actuated as in said former construction by having its outer end pivotally
connected to the vertically oscillating arm, 4, and near the upper end of the latter,
the lower end of said arm being pivoted to the bed of the machine and its upper end-
furnished with a friction roller, which in the rotation of the main shaft, 5; of the
machine intermittently traverses the crescent flange or cam, 6, formed on the sliding
collar, 7, seated loosely on said shaft being held adjustably thereon by a suitable
spring. The collar, 7, is adapted to be shifted back and forth by the governor as fully
described in said former patent, so that the increased speed of the engine will serve
to draw the flange, 6, out of the path of said friction roller and cause the latter to
traverse merely the rounded exterior of the collar, 7, under which condition no
movement will be imparted to the rod, 3.
The inner end, 10, of the rod, 3, is fitted to fill and reciprocate in a smaller
cylinder, 8, (fig. 7) and here is afforded the means for injecting the oil. A small-
opening, 9, is formed in the wall of the cylinder, 8, through which the required-
amount of oil passes into the cylinder, 8, by hydrostatic pressure the oil reservoir
being placed at an altitude slightly above said opening.

page_text: The instroke of the rod, 3, drives the amount of oil then in the cylinder, S, through
a small opening, 11, in the wall of the vertical chamber, 12, in which chamber is scated
the upwardly opening automatic valve, 13.
The impulse imparted by the rod, 3, forces the oil against the lower face of the
valve, 13, raising the latter and causes the oil to pass out of the chamber, 12, through
the higher opening, 14, in the opposite wall therein, and into the horizontal tube, 15,
communicating therewith at its outer end and having its inner end projected into the
vertical air tube, 16. That portion of the tube, 15, which is projected transversely
into the air tube, 16, has perforations, 17, around its entire periphery to permit the
escape of the oil therein in small distributed quantities.
In the air tube, 16, above and below the perforated end of the tube, 15, are seated
respectively a series of annular sieves or perforated plates, 18, in order that the oil
escaping through the perforations, 17, may be more thoroughly atomized and
disseminated by and through the ascending current of air in the tube, 16.
The lower end of the air tube, 16, has communication in any suitable manner with
the outer atmosphere and the out stroke of the piston in the supply cylinder, 2, draws
the air up through the air tube, 16, through the perforated plates, 18, through the
automatic valve, 19, seated in said air tube out through the opening, 20, in said-air
tube and through the tube (not shown but indicated by the arrow aforesaid) connecting
said opening, 20, with the opening, 21, in the inner end of the cylinder, 2. Thus the
explosive mixture is drawn into the cylinder, 2, and the returning in stroke of the
piston in the said cylinder, 2, forces the mixture back through said tube connecting
openings, 20, and, 21, and the valve 19, having mean while closed of its own gravity
said mixture is forced through the vertical opening, 22, into the cut off chamber, 23,
(fig. 2) and from this through the inlet port, 24, in the power cylinder, 1, where under
compression as fully described in said former patent, said mixture is ready fo
ignition and explosion.
The hydrostatic or gravity pressure of the oil is not sufficient of itself and witho
the aid of the rod, 3, to force the oil past the valve, 13, by opening the latter, a
therefore when the reciprocal action of the rod, 3, is intermitted as aforesaid, no oil is
passed into the air tube, 16, and the velocity of the engine is thereby reduced until the
reengagement of the rod, 3, with the cam or flange, 6, again imparts a propelling
force to the oil.
Thus the rod, 3, operates as a regulator to the feed as well as an injector of
the oil.
The atomizing, vaporizing and thoroughly mixing of the oil with the air has its
initiative where the current of incoming air comes in contact with said oil at the
perforations, 17, and is continued throughout the process of being drawn into the
supply cylinder, 2, and driven therefrom into the power cylinder 1, as aforesaid until
at the period of the admission of the explosive mixture in said power cylinder said oil
bas become thoroughly vaporised and intermixed with the coincident charge of air.
The advantage of thus distributing the oil throughout the air is, that substantially all
of the oil is taken up in the air and thus each succeeding charge is of the same quality
and strength as the preceding ones and no diminution of power is experienced as is
the case where the exhalations of the volatile portions of the oil are solely relied upon
to impregnate the air and where there will constantly remain a residuum of a
constantly decreasing volatility.
The electrical ignition is communicated to the explosive charge in the following
manner, A horizontal screw bolt, 25, having its outer end suitably connected by wire
to an electric battery or other generator is screwed into the end of the machine so
thai, its inner end is projected through the side of and into the inlet port, 24, of the
power cylinder.
A vertical pin, 26, is passed downward through the machine so that its lower
end projects through the upper side of and into said inlet, 24, in position to be
intermittently brought into contact with the inner end of the bolt, 25. A lever, 27,
vibrating in a vertical plane is suitably fulcrumed near its longitudinal centre upon
the machine and has its inner end loosely attached to the upper end of the pin, 20.
F

page_text: The upper end of the pin, 26, is connected by wire to the battery or other electrical
generator as aforesaid and said pin is suitably insulated from both the lever, 27, and
from the machine. In my present construction I use insulating rubber washers.
A tension coiled spring connects the inner end of the lever, 27, with the machine and
serves to hold the lower end of the pin, 26, in contact with the adjacent end of the
horizontal bolt, 25, under which condition the electrical circuit is complete. On the
side of the outer end of the lever, 27 is formed a shoe or cam, 29, and in the instroke
of the cut off plunger, 30, a projected transverse bolt, 31, (fig. 2) in said plunger
passes over and rides upon the cam, 29, holding the contiguous end of the lever, 27,
down and the lower end of the vertical pin, 26, up, and out of contact with the adjacent
end of the bolt, 25, until in the out stroke of the plunger, 30, the bolt, 31 passes off
of the cam, 29, and releases the lever, 27, when the spring, 28, draws the pin, 26
again into contact with the bolt, 25. The breaking of the circuit by the action
aforesaid of the bolt, 31, upon the lever, 27, occasions an electric spark to pass from
the horizontal bolt, 25, to the adjacent end of the vertical pin, 26, which spark in its
passage ignites the explosive-charge in the inlet port, 24, which of course is instantly
communicated to the residue of said charge in the power cylinder. The cut off
plunger, 30, is reciprocated in the cut off chamber, 23, by an eccentric connection at
its outer end to the main shaft, 5, in precisely the manner described and shown in
said former patent, when said plunger performed the two functions of a cut off for
the inlet port, 24, and also assisted in the ignition of the charge.
In my present construction said plunger, 30, performs the two functions of a cut
off for said current as aforesaid through the medium of said lever, 27. The move-
ment of the plunger, 30, is so adjusted that the inner end thereof closes the outer end
of the inlet port, 24, just previous to the ignition of the explosive charge in said port
as aforesaid, and keeps said port closed until after the explosion of the charge in the
power cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In a gas engine the combination with the air tube 16, provided with perforated
transverse partitions, 18, the cylinder, 8, provided with the opening, 9, therein, the
reciprocating rod, 3, and the communicating tube, 15, provided with perforations 17,
substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
2. In a gas engine, the combination of the air tube, 16, having intermittent
communication with the supply cylinder, 2, and provided with perforated transverse
partitions, 18, the automatic valve, 19, the supply cylinder, 2, and piston therein the
perforated tube, 15, projected within said air tube, and means substantially as shown
for intermittently forcing the proper quantity of oil through said perforations,
substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
3. In a gas engine the combination of the supply cylinder, 2, provided with a
piston therein, the air tube, 16, communicating with said cylinder and provided with
means for distributing the air therein, the tube, 15, having the perforations, 17,
projected within said air tube and means substantially as shown for forcing the oil
through and out of said tube, 15, substantially as shown and for the purpose
described.
4. In a gas engine the combination of the bolt, 25, suitably connected with the
electrical battery or generator, and having one of its ends projected within the inlet
port, 24, and pin, 26, also connected with the battery or other electrical generator and
insulated from the remainder of the machine and having one of its ends projected
within the inlet port, 24, the lever, 27, attached to said pin, 26, provided with the
cam, 29, the plunger, 30, adapted to engage said cam and the spring, 28, whereby
the current of electricity passing through said pin and bolt is intermittently broken
and the charge ignited, substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
5. In a gas engine, the combination, substantially as shown with the feed tube of a
gas engine, the chamber, 12, provided with a valve, 13, and openings, 11, and, 14, and
having a perforated communication with the interior of said air tube cylinder S,

page_text: provided with oil entrance, 9, piston, 3, a sliding collar, 7, provided with cam, 6
means for holding the outer end of piston, 3, in engagement with said collar, and a
suitable governor to move said cam in and out of engagement with said piston, 3; for
the purpose described.
6. In a gas engine, the combination with the chamber, 12 provided with ports, 11,
and, 14, the valve, 13, seated in said chamber, the cylinder 8, provided with oil
entrance, 9, and piston, 3, adapted to be thrown in and out of action by a governor,
substantially as shown and for the purposo described.
7. In a gas engine, the combination with the air tube, 16, the chamber, 12,
communicating with said tube, and provided with ports, 11, and, 14, the valve, 13,
seated in said chamber, cylinder, 8, provided with oil entrances, 9, piston, 3, and
means substantially as shown for imparting reciprocal movement to said piston and
intermitting the same whereby said piston performs the double function of an injector
and regulator.
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