US1279085A - Engine-driven air system for diesel engines. - Google Patents

Description

G. C. DAWSON.

' ENGINE DRIVEN AIR SYSTEM FOR DIESEL ENGINES.

APPLICATION mm mm. 1916.

-1;279,085 Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

llVVE/VTOR GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISON, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR .TO ELEC TRIO BOAT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ENGINE- DRIVEN AIR SYSTEM FOR DIESEL ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 1'7, 1918,

Application filed April 3, 1916. Serial No. 88,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GREGORY C. DAv soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of New London, in the county of New Lon- This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines of the type in which one or more compressors are employed to feed air under pressure for cooperation with the oil-fuel fed to the fuel-spray valves on the engine cylinders. Heretofore it has been the practice to have such an engine drive a single compressor, or else drive several compressors provided as a group with but a single intake and but a single discharge, the several compressors being arranged for use or disuse as a single group with one compressor discharging into another before the air is led to the cylinders. In all such installations, disablement of the compressor or of any one of the group of compressors when such a group is employed, instantly causes a cessation of the supply of compressed air to the fuel-spray valves and consequent stoppage of the engine.

The present invention involves the provision of an improved construction whereby such interruption of the use of the engine will not occur whenever one of several compressors becomes disabled. A plurality of compressors are provided for supplying compressed'air to the fuel-spray valves of the engine and these are so arranged that either one may be employed independently ofthe other to supply the requirements of the engine. Preferably, both compressors would be employed together under normal conditions but either may be used alone when the other is temporarily out of service so as to continue the operation of the engine without interruption.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the means by which either compressor is rendered operative and other inoperative includes valves in the discharge conduits of the compressors which may be manipulated to connect either compressorto or disconnect it from the mam individually controllable discharge.

which carries the compressed air to the fuel spray valves of the engine. The two compressors are preferably duplicates and arranged alongside each other and they are driven directly bythe engine shaft. The piping arrangement of the two compressors is such that each has its-own separate and separately and individually controllable intake and its own separate and separately and Also,

each compressor is preferably a two-stage one equipped with its own individual cooling means.

he invention therefore involves the provision of at least two working compressors for simultaneous or alternative operation and permits a disabled compressor to be cut out either while the other compressor is left effective 'or just before the other compressor is cut in, according as a plurality of compressors or only one compressor was just previously Working, all within the space of a few seconds, so that the disabled compressor may be repaired while the engine is runnlng and without stoppage of the engine due to a failure of the air-supply.

In the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred embodiment,

Figure 1 is an elevation of one side thereof; Fig. 2 is a partial elevation of the opposite side thereof; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showin certain of the parts of anion.

Figs. 1 and 2 in fulllines and certain of these parts in dot-and-dash lines.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a bed plate or crank case for the engine. A threecylinder engine 2 has a suitable engine shaft 3 extending the entire length of the bed plate. The engine shaft is provided with parallel oflset cranks 3, in addition to the cranks located in the engine crank pit for the pistons of the engine cylinders 2, the cranks 3 driving the compressor-pistons 3".

Each cylinder is provided with a fuel inlet valve 2; and each valve is suitably associated with means (not shown) for injecting oil-fuel. These valves are adapted to have spray-air fed thereto by means of connections 45 leading from amain 4.

The twin compressors illustrated are each provided with the usual large or initial compression cylinder 5 and the usual smaller or final compression cylinder 6. Each compressor is also equipped with automatic inlet valves at 5 and 6 (Fig. 2), automatic out- 8 from the outlet valve to the inlet valve 6. and a connection 9 from the outlet valve 6 to the main 4.

Interposed in connections 8 and 9 of each compressor are suitable coils (Fig. 3) 1nclosed within a cooler 10 to serve that compressor. Coolers 10 are rendered efiective by a common circulation of cooling water through connections 10 in the direction indicated.

Each connection 9, before it joins the main 4, has interposed therein a separately and individually adjustable shut-off cock 9".

A separate intake 11 is provided for each inlet valve 5 both intakes conveniently leading from a common suction header 11 and each of these intakes has interposed therein a separate shut-off cock 11 The two cocks 11 may, when desired, be opened and closed simultaneously by means of acontrol rod 12. If desired, the operating members of the cocks 11 may be so connected to rod 12 that actuations of the rod may open and close only one of the cooks 11", or open one of the cocks while closing the other.

During operation of the engine, either or both compressors may be operative. If it is desired to use both compressors for. normal service, opening the two shut-0E cocks 9 and the two shut-off cocks 11' are the only operations required. If it is desired to use but a single one of the compressors for normal service, it is only necessary to open the shutoff cocks 9 and 11 of the compressor to be used and close the shut-off cocks of the other compressor. In the case of the compressor thus functioning, during a half revolution of the engine shaft the compressor draws in atmospheric air througlf'its intake 11 and intake valve 5 into its larger compression cylinder 5. During the next half revolution of the engine shaft, the air thus drawn in is compressed within the compressors cylinder 5 and thence forced through its outlet valve 5 into its connection 8 which passes through cooler 10. During the next half revolution of the shaft, the compressor draws this cooled and partially compressed air from connection 8. through inlet valve 6 into the smaller compression cylinder 6. At the same time, an

additional supply of atmospheric air'for initial compression is being drawn through the compressors intake 11 and inlet valve 5 into the larger compression cylinder 5.

During the next half revolution of the shaft,

the compressor further compresses and discharges the air from its smaller compression cylinder 6 to the connection 9 which also passes through cooler 10, the finally compressed and cooled air being delivered to the fuel-spray valves 2* through main 4. At the same time, the air previously drawn invents into the compressors cylinder 5 is being initially compressed and discharged through its outlet valve 5 into its connection 8 to pass through the cooler 10. Throughout the running of the engine, the compressor opcrate continually in this manner to deliver air under proper pressure to the fuel-spray If desired, only one of the compressors may be run normally. Then the control rod 12 may be permanently disconnected from the two cocks 11"; or these cocks may be so adjusted and permanently connected to the rod 12 that when the rod is moved to open one cock l1 the other cock 11 is closed. If the working compressor become disabled it may be out out and the idle compressor cut in. The time required to close the shutoff cocks 9 and 11 of the disabled compressor and to open the cooks 9 and 11 of the previously idle compressor, will not cause a cessation of the air supply. Even should the trouble in the disabled compressor cause the inlet valve 5 to stick in open position, the lowering of the air pressure as the result of leakage at that valve-will not leadto stoppage of the engines if either of the cooks 9 and 11 of the disabled compressor be closed, and the two cocks 9 and 11 of the other compressor opened promptly. There-. after the other of the two cocks 9F and 11 of the disabled compressor should be closed.

As to any compressor thus cut out for the purpose of making repairs thereto during running of the engine, the piston of that compressor would continueto be driven by the engine shaft; but the cut-out compressor would not pump air, and the valves-thereof could be removed, examined, repaired and replaced, and the compressor again out in at pleasure. It should be remembered that in practically every case of the accidental 'crippling of a compressor, the fault is in the valves or their connections, and not in the piston or its connections.

If desired, the normal operation may involve the use of both compressors. In anticipation of a possible future disablement of either compressor,the control rod 12 may be connected to the two cocks 11 so that the' rod may be moved in one direction or the other to' close the cock 11 of the disabled compressor without closing the cock 11 of the other compressor, or the rod 12 may be disconnected from the two cocks ll sothat the cock 11 ofthe disabled compressor may inlet valve 5 to stick in open position, the lowering of the air pressure as the. result of leakage at that valve Will not lead to stop page of the engine if either of the cocks 9 and 11 of the disabled compressor be closed. Thereafter the other of the tWo cocks 9" and 11" of the disabled compressor should be closed.

In a submarine boat, heavy oil internal combustion engines for many reasons have been the power plants generally employed for surface and awash running and the compressor and engine organizations heretofore employed in such power plants have possessed objectionable characteristics apparently impossible of avoidance. That these previous organizations often become disabled, sometimes rendering necessary an emergency utilization of the storage battery plant aboard the submarine, a plant provided primarily for use during submerged navigation, is a fact that has been heretofore accepted as representing an unfortunate contingency which must always be present. The present invention involves the provision of a simple and convenient mechanism whereby one of the causes of failure of the powerplant is practically eliminated. In this connection, it is to be remembered'that Within a few seconds after the failure of the compressed air supply, the engines of a submarine boat will come to a dead stop, due to the absence of fly-Wheels.

I claim:

1. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine of the Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from either one of the compressors at will, comprising manually-operated means for rendering either compressor operative and the other inoperative.

2. An internal combustion engine organi zation comprising an engine of the Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven there- Copies of this potent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

by, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from either one of the compressors at Will, comprising means, manually-operative While the engine is running, to render either compressor operative and the other inoperative.

3. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine of the Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from either one of the compressors at will, comprising independent air intakes for the compressors, valves in said intakes, and a control rod connected to said intake valves and adapted to close either one and open the other.

4. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine of the Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from either one of the compressors at Will, comprising independent air intakes forthe compressors, valves in said intakes, separate discharge connections for each compressor, valves in said discharge connections, and a control rod connected to the intake valves and adapted to close either one and open the other.

5. An internal combustion engine organi zation comprising an engine of the Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven therey, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from either one of the compressors at Will, comprising independent air intakes for the compressors, valves in said intakes, separate discharge connections for each compressor, valves in said discharge connections, a common discharge main communicating With the separate discharge connections and With the inlet valves of the engine, and a control rod con-- nected to said intake valves and adapted to close either one and open the other.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISON.

Washington, D. Q.

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