US1252757A - Explosive-engine. - Google Patents

Description

F. w. WILLIAMS EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8; IQHi- RENEWED APR- 7. 1917- 3. 252,?5? Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET F. W. WILLIAMS.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED APR; 8. l9l6- RENEWED APR-7.1917- },53? Patented Jan. 8,1918.

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F. W. WILLIAMS.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1916. RENEWED APR-1.1911.

Paten Jan, 8, 1918.

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Witnesses o w vim mam,

FREDRIC W. WILLTAMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN P. BANNAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 191 8.

Application filed April 8, 1916, Serial No. 89,909. Renewed April 7, 1917. Serial No. 160,539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIC W. VVIL- LIAMs, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Explosive-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved type of explosive engine embodying a plurality of radiating cylinders having a common combustion chamber and reciprocable pistons operating against the interior of a rotating element.

Another object is the provision of an en.- gine of this type in which the cycles of each series of cylinders are performed simultaneously, thereby minimizing the number and complexity of such working parts of the engine as the valve, valve operating mechanism, etc.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 represents a vertical central sectional view through the improved engine,

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view therethrough, partly broken away, taken at right angles to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 represents a fragmental detail sectional view through the engine, illustrating the timer mechanism in edge elevation, and

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary sectional View on. the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates a base on which is supported a pair of uprights 11, constituting a support for a relatively stationary and horizontally disposed shaft 12. Intermediate the bearings or supports 11, the shaft 12 is formed with an enlarged portion 13, having four equidistant radial recesses 11, forming continuations of the bores of a corresponding number of radiating cylinders 15, which are bolted or otherwise rigidly and detachably secured to the enlarged portion 13 of the shaft. The substantially rectangular chamber provided at the point of intersection of the recesses 14 constitutes a combustion chamber 16 common to each of the four cylinders 15. Pistons 17 are reciprocably mounted within the cylinders 15 and are provided with radially projecting piston rods 18 extending forwardly through and slidably mounted in detachable heads 19 secured in the outer extremities of the cylinders 15, for guiding the reciprocating movement of the piston rods 18. -The cylinder walls 15 are preferably formed with water chambers 20 communicating with passages 21 formed in the shaft 12 for effectively cooling the cylinders during operation of the engine.

A wheel 22 is rotatably supported by integral and relatively removable side plates 23 and 21, respectively, upon the shaft 12, the plates 23 and 24 being arranged upon the opposite sides of the enlarged portion 13. The wheel rim 22 is formed with an internal groove or channel of substantially polygonal formation, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, having a number of straight plane surfaces 26 corresponding in number to the number of cylinders 15 and connected by the curved portions 27. One side wall of the groove 25 is formed by a ring 28 secured internally of the wheel rim 22 and is spaced a sufiicient distance from the opposite side wall of the groove 25 to accommodate the bearing rollers 29 rotatably mounted in the outer extremities of the piston rods 18. Longitudinal ribs 30 are formed upon the piston rods 18 and are received within recesses formed in the apertures in the heads 19 receiving the piston rods whereby the latter are prevented from turning or twisting during operation. Spaced strips or tracks 31 are secured to the inner surface of the wheel rim 22 and the ring 28 and engage the inner portions of the rollers 29 to retain the latter in the groove 25.

The supporting shaft 12 is formed with a longitudinal bore in which are arranged partitions 32 and 33, forming the end walls of the combustion chamber 16 and having the inlet and exhaust ports 31 and 35, respectively, therein. The portion of the bore of the shaft extending outwardly from the ofa partition 32 constitutes an inlet passage 36 for admitting gaseous fuel to the combustion chamber 16, and the passage of fuel through the ports 34 is controlled by a valve 37, carrying a stem 38 slidably supported in a bracket 39 and having a coil spring 40 positioned thereover, which engages the bracket 39 at one end and a pivoted valve operating lever 41 at the opposite end. The lever 41 1s pivotally secured at 42 to a plate 43 secured to the upper portion of the relatively stationary shaft 12, one end of the lever extending downwardly through a radial slot 44 formed in the shaft and the opposite end being pivotally. connected at 45 with a horizontally disposed push rod 46. The push rod 46 is slidably mounted in a guide 47 and supports at the inner end thereof a roller 48', which is adapted to be engaged by either one of a pair of diametrically opposed cams 49 projecting laterally of the removable side plate 24, whereby the lever 41 is oscillated during operation of the engine and the inlet valve 37 intermittently opened.

The passage of the exhaust products of combustion from the combustion chamber 16 through the port 35 is controlled by an exhaust valve 50, carrying a stem 52, which latter is slidably supported in a bracket 53 secured in the bore of the shaft 127 The outer extremity of the valve stem 52, which projects into the exhaust passage 54, is pivotally connected with a valve operating lever 55, and is normally retained in closed position by the tension of a spring 56. The lever 55 is mounted in an opening 57 formed in the shaft 12, is pivotally supported upon a plate 58 secured to said shaft and is pivotally connected at its upper terminal with a horizontally disposed push rod 59, which latter is mounted in a guide 60 secured to the shaft 12. A bearing roller 61 is mounted in the inner terminal of the push rod 59 and is adapted to be engaged by either one pair of diametrically opposed cams 62 projecting laterally of the outer surface of the side plate 23, during rotation of the wheel 22 to effect an intermittent oscillatory movement of the lever 55 and a corresponding opening and closing movement of the valve 50. V

A preferred type of spark plug 66* is secured in the wall of the combustion chamber 16 and is connected by a conductor 67 with one pole of the magneto 64. The opposite pole of the magneto 64 is connected by a conductor 68 with a spark retarding and advancing lever, 69, pivotally secured at 70 to a bracket 71 secured to the relatively stationary shaft 12 and insulated therefrom by an insulator 72. An adjustable spring contact 73 is secured to the lever 69 outwardly of the pivotal axis thereof and is adapted to be intermittently engaged with 0.

pair of rotary contacts 74 carried by the adjacent plates 23, whereby one side of the circuit from the magneto 64 to the spark plug 66 is completed through the conductor 68, bracket 71, lever 69, spring contact 73, rotary contact 74 and the engine in which one electrode of the spark plug 66 is grounded in the usual manner; In the diagram illustrated in Fig. 5, the portion of the engine electrically connecting one of the electrodes of the spark plug 66 with the 1, the rotary wheel 22 is on dead center with relation to the piston rods 18, however, as the momentum of the wheel carries the latter in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 the plane surfaces 26 of the groove 25 move into angular position with relation to the piston rods 18, and thus when the explosion in the combustion chamber 16 occurs the consequent outward movement of the pistons 17 and rods 18 effect a rotary movement of the wheel 22. As the rotary movement of the wheel 22 is continued the next succeeding plane surfaces 26 are moved into engagement with the rollers 29 of the piston rods 18, thus effecting an inward movement of the pistons 17. During their inward movement, the pistons 17 eject the products of combustion from the bores of the cylinders and the exhaust valve 50 is automatically opened by one of the earns 62- and the lever 55 associated therewith, thereby permitting the exhaust products of combustion to escape through the exhaust passage 54. Durin the succeeding outstroke of the pistons 1% the intake valve 37 is automatically opened by one of the cams 49 and lever 41 associated therewith. An explosive charge is thus drawn into the chamber 16 and cylinder bores. The explosive charge is subsequently compressed during the subsequent instroke of the pistons 17 and is ignited at the proper time by an electric spark produced by the spark plug 66.

What I claim is:

1. In an explosive engine, a base, a relatively stationary shaft supported upon said base, a plurality of cylinders rigidly secured to and projecting radially of said shaft, pistons reciprocably mounted in said cylinders, piston rods carried by said pistons, heads secured in the outer extremities .tangular internal groove provided with rounded corners and receiving the outer termlnals of said plston rods.

nals of said rods.

3. In an explosive engine, a relatively stationary shaft having a longitudinal bore, a pair of spaced partitions arranged within said bore providing a combustion chamber and having ports therein, valves arranged in said ports, a plurality of cylinders radiating from said shaft and communicating with said combustion chamber, piston reciprocably mounted within said cylinders, rods carried by said pistons, a wheel rotatably supported upon said shaft having a substantially rectangular internal groove receiving the outer terminals of said rods, and means operable by said Wheel for actuating said valves.

4. In an explosive engine, a relatively stationary shaft having a longitudinal bore, partitions arranged in spaced relation Within said bore providing a combustion chamber and having ports therein, a plurality of cylinders radiating-from said shaft and coinmunicating with said combustion chamber, plstons reciprocably mounted in said cylinders rods carried by said pistons a wheel rotatably supported upon said shaft having a substantially rectangular internal groove receiving the outer terminals of said rods,

cams carried by said wheel, levers connected with said valves, means normally retaining said valves in closed position, and means carried by said levers adapted to be engaged by said cams for intermittently and alternately actuating said valves.

5. In an explosive engine, a relatively stationary shaft having an internal combustion chamber, means for admitting an ex-.

plosive charge to said combustion chamber means for exhaustin the roducts of combustion from said combustion chamber a plurality of cylinders radiating from said shaft and communicating with said combustion chamber, pistons reciprocably mounted within said cylinders, rods carried by said pistons, a wheel including side plates rotatably supported upon said shaft, said wheel having a substantially rectangular internal groove receiving the outer terminals of said rods, a guidable electric machine supported upon one of said cylinders, a pinion carried by said machine, an annular gear wheel having inwardly directed teeth meshing with said pinion, a spark plug secured 1n the wall of said combustion chamber, a pair of rotary contacts carried by said wheel, a connection between one of the electrodes of said spark plug and said machine, a connection between the operative pole of said machine and said lever and a spring contact carried by said lever adapted to be intermittently engaged by the rotary/contacts to close the circuit to the electrodes of said spark plug.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDRIC W. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

Gnonon Hnno'r, III, EDWARD A. JEFFREY.

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