US1379348A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

w. H. KNOWLES. V

INTERNAL coNBusnoN ENGINE.

I APPUCATION FILED JULY 20,1916. 1,379,348. atented May 24, 1921.

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INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION mu) JULY 20, 1916.

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INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, L916.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, I916.

Patented May 24, 1921.

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attomeq g VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. WILLIAM HQ KNOWLES, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN;

INTERNAL-COMBUSTIGN ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1916. Serial No. 110,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, WILLIAM H. KNOWLES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of l/Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in InternaLCombustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for its primary object increase in: power and efficiency. To this end the invention comprises, first, the means for super-charging the cylinders with the explosive gas, further, the means for cont pletely eliminating or scavenging the ex-- plosion chambers of the burnt gases; further, the means for mufliing the exhaust and at the sametime reducing the backpressure and further, various specific features as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the engine, partly in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof in the plane of one of the cylinders; Fig. 3 isa cross-section. in the plane of one of the valves;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionthrough the muffler;

Fig. 5 is a section on line y-y of Fig; 3; and

Fig. 6 isa section on line 03-00 of Fig. 3.

My improved construction preferably comprises a plurality of power-cylinders cast en bloc, and preferably with one valvecylinder serving to control twopowencylinders. Each power-cylinder contains a plurality of pistons arranged to produce a compression pump as well as the explosion chamber, and the transfer of the gases compressed by the pump to the power-cylinder, as well as the admission and exhaust of the latter are controlled by the valves in the valve-cylinder, the compression charges be ing temporarily stored within the valve. In detail, A and A are the power cylinders, which are of sufiicient length to receive two separated pistons Band B connected by a rod C passing through an intermediate head or partition D. The cylinders A and A are provided with waterjackets E and the heads Dare preferably hollow and connected with said waterjackets for proper cooling. F is a crank case and G the crank-shaft therein, which is connected by pitman rods H and H to the lower pistons B".

Each valve cylinder I is arranged intermediate a pair of power cylinders and is preferably arranged with its axis at an angle to the axes of the power cylinders. Within eachvalve-cylinder are arranged preferably a pair of sleeve valves J and J, and within these sleeves is a hollow core member K which is divided by partitions into the separate chambers L and L, L and L There is also an exhaust conduit M arranged with in the hollow core and preferably extending outward through the upper end thereof with a plurality of ports for controlling.

the admission and exhaust of each of thepair of power cylinders, also admission to and discharge from the pump of each cylinder,

while the air and gases compressed by the pump are temporarily stored Within the chambers L and L of the hollow core K. Specifically, the ports are so arranged that air passes through the chamber L in the hollow core and is admitted through the port 1 tothe chamber Q, below the head D and between the same and the piston B, so that in the down-stroke of said piston a volumeof air will be drawn into the cylin der and in the rip-stroke of said piston the air will be compressed and finally ejected through a port (not shown) into the chamber L within the hollow core. In the same manner the ports are arranged to control admission of gas or richly carbureted air into the chamber R above the partition D and between the same and the piston B, so that in the up-stroke of said piston a volume of gas will be drawn in through the chamber L and port 2 and will be compressed upon the down-stroke and ejected through a port 6 into the chamber L within the hollow core. The valve sleeves J and J further control the passage of the stored air and gas into the combustion chamber and the exhaust of the burnt gases from the explo- Patented May 24, 1921.

passes through the port 3 and the stored gas passes through the port 4: into the combustion chamber, and the burnt gases pass from the explosion chamber to the exhaust manifold through the port 5. The various ports for performing these several functions are suitably located and distributed along the cylindrical valve shell, and leakage is prevented by arrangement of packing rings S and S surroundingthe shell which divide the surface thereof into different zones.

In operation each reciprocation of the pistons within the cylinder will cause the pumping of a volume of air and a volume of gas, each equivalent to the volume displaced by the piston in the explosion chamber, and these pumped volumes will be stored in the chambers L and L within the hollow core. At the completion of each power stroke 01 the piston B the exhaust valve willopen and slightly later the port 3 will be opened for admitting air stored in the chamber L into the combustion chamber. The point of admission of the air is preferably located near one end of the explosion chamber, while the exhaust is located near the opposite end, thereby permitting the incoming air to displace or scavenge the cylinder of burnt gases. After this scavenging operation the port 4 will be opened to admit the compressed gas into the explosion chamber, the pressure npon the gas in the storage chamber being suificient for this purpose. All of the ports communicating with the explosion chamber are then closed and the charge is compressed by the upstroke of the piston B, ignition taking place at'the top of the stroke to develop power in the succeeding down-stroke. Thus there is an explosion in eachcylinder for each revolution of the crank-shaft, and as there is a'super-charge of gas for each explosion a marked increase in power is obtained. i

The power of the engine is further increased by reducing the back-pressure on the exhaust, which is accomplished by the fan P. Thisfan performs the further function 1. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a plurality of power cylinders, of a valve cylinder, means within said power cylinders for compressing gases and means within said valve cylinder for transferring said compressed gases, said gases be ing temporarily stored within said valve cylinder, and for controlling the admission and exhaust of said cylinders.

2. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder, a cylindrical member provided with separate chambers for respectively conducting air and gas to the engine cylinder and exhaust gases from said engine cylinder, and concentric valve sleeves surrounding said cylindrical member and con- 5 trolling the passage of the air, gas and exhaust gases. 1

3. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder, a valve cylinder provided with chambers forstoring air and gas communicating with said engine cylinder at different points and also provided with a passageway for the exhaust gases communicat ing with said engine cylinder, and valve mechanism within said valve cylinder for controlling the passage of air and gas into and out of said chambers at different points therein and for controllingthe passage of the exhaust gases through said passageway.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. Y 1

WILLIAM H. KNOWLES.

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