US1398354A

US1398354A - wright

Info

Publication number: US1398354A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1921-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1938-11-29

Description

H. WRIGHT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 1919.

1 ,398 ,354, Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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ATTORNEY,

H. WRIGHT.

a Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY H. WRIGHT. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

AFPLICATI-ON FILED OCT. 23. I919.

I 1,39 ,354, Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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In ITIT IN V EN TOR.

' A5 TORNEY UNITED STATES HENRY WRIGHT, OI FRESNO, CALIFORNIA,

IN TERNAL-COMB USTION ENGINE.

Application filed October 23, 1919.

T 0 all 10 ham it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fresno, in the county of Fresno, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application. p

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, and particularly to that typeconstructed on the &-cycle principle having rotatable sleeve-valves for controlling the admission and exhaust of the fuel mixture to and from the cylinders.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a pressure lubricating system for such valves so that they may turn freely with the working of the engine.

Another object is to provide a lubricating means so arranged independently for each cylinder that the oil pressure will be cut off whenever one of the valve ports in the rotating valve-sleeve registers with the oil intake for that particular cylinder. By this means, a great saving of oil is effected, as it prevents the oil from being drawn into the valve-sleeve with the suction or exhaust strokes of the engine.

I have also provided a means apart from the employment of the usual piston type of compression rings, for insuring that the sleeve adjacent each port will have a gas tight seat in its casing.

A. further object is to so connect the lubricating means that the supply of oil fed to the valve-casings will be proportionate to the speed of the engine since the faster the engine is turning over the more heat is generated and conducted to the metal walls of the valve casings and the valves themselves, and hence more oil is necessary to insure their proper working and to prevent the possibility of the valves freezing in the casings.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

Serial No. 332,719.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side section of the intake valve or sleeve and easing of a four-cylinder engine, showing the oil distributing system installed in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the position of the exhaust port at that point in the rotation of the sleeve when the flow of oil to that portion of the valve casing commences.

Fig. 8 is a similar section, showing the valve sleeves rotated so that the intake sleeve casing is about to receive a supply of oil over that portion of its length corresponding to the diameter of that cylinder fed by the intake port shown.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of an oil distributing unit.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same with the cover or feed-pipe holder removed.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a valve-sleeve adjacent one of the ports therein, showing longitudinal grooves or scorings therein.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a tubular and open ended exhaust valve casing positioned lengthwise of the engine above the cylinders 2 while 3 is the intake valve casing extending parallel to the casing 1, similar thereto, but smaller. Both casings of course have separate openings l leading therefrom to each of the cylinders 2. These casings are water jacketed throughout their length as at 5, as is common custom.

Rotatably mounted in the casing .1 is a hollow valve sleeve 6 having a port 7 therein for each cylinder of the engine. Similarly the casing 23 contains a sleeve 8 having a port 9 for each cylinder. These sleeves are made of an alloy steel having a high resistance against the warping effects of heat, and a very small coefficient of expansion.

They are open at one end, each being adapted to communicate with exhaust and intake manifolds 10 and 11 respectively, secured to the end walls of the casings 1 and 3. The other ends of the sleeves are closed and have spindles 12 projecting outwardly therefrom, on which spindles are keyed intermeshing gears 13 ball mounted as at 14: in a removable gear housing 15 secured to that end of the casings and cylinder casting. Adjustable screws 16 are mounted in the housing 15 and bear against the ends of the spindles 12 in order to take up any end thrust thereon, the gears 13 being slidable on the spindles.

By reason of the intermeshing gears 13, the sleeves 6 and 8 will of course rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows on Figs. 2 and 3.

These sleeves are driven from the crank shaft of the engine at half the speed thereof by suitably connected g aring to either the intake or exhaust sleeves. This construction is not here shown, since such an arrangement follows standard practice, as for instance is embodied to drive cam shafts.

The exhaust and

intake ports

7 and 9 in the sleeves 6 and 8 respectively are of course so positioned therein relative to each other and to the rotation of the crank shaft of the engine that they will open communication with each cylinder through the openings 4- in the casings at the proper times with regard to the exhaust and suction strokes of .the engine, and to the order of firing of each cylinder. This being merely a matter of proper designing and coordinating of the parts, i will not go into further detail regarding the same.

1 will now describe the lubricating system employed to suitably oil the exhaust and intake valve sleeves.

In the drawings, 1 have shown the lubricating device as applied only to the intake valve casing and sleeve, and will consequently limit the description of the same to the intake valve for the sake of simplicity, since the lubrica ing of both casings, while coordinated and connected with a single distributing unit, is each independent of the other, while at the same time the distributing of the oil, relative to the positioning of the ports. is exactly the same for each casing. This lubricating system is shown in connection with a four-cylinder engine, though it may be equally well arranged for any number of cylinders by merely omitting or adding on certain feed pipes, and other features which are merely duplicated for each cylinder.

The distributing unit comprises a body member of casing 17 provided with an orificed flange 18 on one end to adapt it to be secured to the engine casting at any desired location.

A disk 19 is rotatably mounted in the casing 17, the outer face of this disk being faced in alinement with the outer face of the flange 18. One half of the periphery of the disk 19 is of smaller diameter than the remainder. to form an elongated port 20 to communicate with an annular channel 21 formed in the casing 17. This channel is in constant communication with an oil supply pipe 22 leading from an oil pressure pump, not shown.

A shaft 23 is formed with the disk 19 and projects through the same, and has a gear 2 1 thereon preferably meshing with one of the gears 13 to turn the disk in the direction shown by the arrow on Fig. 6.

F or clearness of illustration, 1 have shown this distributing unit mounted on top of the intake casing 3, with the gear 2 1 meshing with the intake sleeve gear, and the housing 15 covering the distributer gear and secured to the casing 17. It is to be understood however, that I do not confine myself to the positioning here shown, since it may be located in the crank case of the engine, or to one side thereof, as the prof erences of the designer and the limits of space available may dictate.

A face plate '25 is secured to the flange 18 over the disk 19, and is provided with spaced openings or ports 26 in horizontal alinement with the port 20, there being one of such ports 26 for every cylinder of the engine.

The casing, disk and face plateare all machined tobe an accurate fit with each other, so that no oil can pass from the channel 21 to any of the ports 26 unless the port 20 in the disk 18 is positively registered therewith.

The valve sleeve 8 adjacent each endof each of the ports 9 is provided wi h peripheral grooves 27 and compression rings 28 between each adjacent pair of such grooves.

Longitudinal grooves 29 are cut in the casing 3 to one side of the openings 4: (in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3) between each pair of oppositely positioned grooves 27, by oppositely positioned meaning the grooves at each end of each port.

Therefore, in a four cylinder engine, there are four sets of peripheral grooves 27, and four communicating and independent longitudinal grooves 28, the outer or'extreme end ones of the grooves 27 being merely blind grooves beyond any of the cylinders.

Oil pipes 30 lead from the ports to the casing 3, each one communicating with one of the grooves 27 at corresponding ends of the ports 9. Pipes 31 lead from the other ones of the ports 27, and combine with a sin gle pipe 32 discharging into the casing 15 exhaust plate communicating with the interior of the casing 17 at suitably spaced points, as indicated at 33.

It will also be evident that by merely increasing or decreasing the number of ports 26 and pipes leading therefrom, the same mechanism may serve for a two, six, eight, or any mutiple cylinder motor.

The sleeves 6 and 8 are longitudinally scored or grooved as shown at 34 in Fig. 7, intermediate the opposed grooves 27, in order that a deposit of carbon may collect therein, and give the sleeve a more perfect gastight fit in the casing.

The principle of operation of the oiling system is as follows Each port in either sleeve passes at some point in the rotation thereof across the path of the grooves 29. As each port is in a different alinement from the others, the times of passage over the grooves vary.

Therefore, the valve sleeve being common to all the cylinders, the suction stroke of one cylinder would be drawing in a charge of r the fuel from the sleeve while one of the other ports therein was positioned so that its oil groove 29 registered therewith.

If oil under pressure were in the grooves during the entire rotation of the sleeve, the oil would flow in great quantities whenever a port 9 crossed the same, and a lot of this oil would be drawn in the cylinder then sucking in its fuel charge. This is not desired since the cylinders have their own oil supply, and any additional quantity is not only wasteful and unnecessary but would tend to foul the cylinder walls and plugs, and cause trouble.

It has therefore been my object to eliminate the possibility of such a feature by the use of my automatic distribution unit. The ports 26 are so spaced in the plate 25 and the rotation of the disk 10 so coordinated therewith and with the rotation of the sleeves 6 and 8, that when any port in the sleeves reach a point about as shown in the position of the intake sleeve in Fig. 3, the port 20 in the disk 19 will begin to aline w1th the port 26 and pipe 30 leading to the groove 29 covering that portion of the length of the sleeve and will admit oil thereto from the channel 21.

Owing to the length of the port 20, the admission of oil will continue during a half revolution or so of the disk 19, this being arranged to turn at the same speed as the valve sleeves.

Similarly when each intake port reaches the position as shown in Fig. 3, oil under pressure is admitted to its corresponding pipe 30, and is similarly shut off after a travel of 180 degrees. Hence, when any port crosses the path of its groove 29, the oil therein will lie quiescent, since the oil cannot flow therefrom without a tendency to vacuum being formed in the pipes, presuming of course that all joints are air tight.

The oil flowing through any of the pipes 30 then passes around the corresponding groove 27, into groove 29, thence around the groove 2? at the other end, and out into the discharge pipe 31, to be deposited into the crank case sump through the housing 15, when it is again picked up by the pump and fed into the channel 18 in the distributing housing 17.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with a cylinder thereof, a cylindrical casing connected with the cylinder and opening thereinto, a valve sleeve rotatably mounted in the casing and having a port adapted to communicate with t 1e cylin der opening at some period in its rotation, a peripheral oil groove in the sleeve beyond each end of the port, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting the peripheral grooves, means whereby circulation of oil through the grooves may he had and means for automatically cutting off the flow during the passage of the port in the sleeve over the longitdinal groove in the casing.

2. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with a cylinder thereof, cylindrical .casing connected with the cylinder and opening thereinto, a valve sleeve rotatably mounted in the casing and having a port adapted to communicate with the cylinder opening at some period in its rotation, a peripheral oil groove in the sleeve lJBf-flOlUl each end of the port, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting the peripheral grooves, an oil supply pipe leading to one of the peripheral grooves and discharge pipe leading from the other groove, and means interposed in the supply pipe for cut ting off the supply of oil thereto at predetermined periods in the rotation of the valve sleeve.

3. In an internal combustion engine, in

each end of the port, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting the peripheral grooves, a supply pipe leading to one of the peripheral grooves and a discharge pipe leading from the other groove, and means interposed in the supply pipe and actuated in coordination with the rotation of the sleeve for cutting oil the supply of oil to the pipe during a certain period of the rotation of the sleeve.

4. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with a cylinder thereof, a cylindrical casing connected with the cylinder and opening thereinto, a valve sleeve rotatably mounted in the casing and having a port aoanted to communicate with the cylinder opening at some period in its rotation, a peripheral oil groove in the sleeve beyond each end of the port, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting the peripheral grooves, an oil supply pipe leading to one of the peripheral grooves and a discharge pipe leading from the other groove, a body member filled with oil, a face plate over the body member, the supply pipe being connected to said plate to communicate with the body, and rotatable means in the body member adjacent the face plate and adapted to close communication from the body to the supply pipe during a certain period of its rotation.

In an internal combustion engine, in combination with a cylinder thereof, a cylindrical casing connected with the cylinder and opening thereinto, a valve sleeve rotatably mounted in the casing anc having a port adapted to communicate with the cylinder opening at some period in its rotation, a peripheral oil groove in the sleeve beyond each end of the port, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting the peripheral grooves, a supply pipe leading to one of the peripheral grooves and a discharge pipe leading from the other groove, a body member filled with oil, a face plate over the body member, the supply pipe being connected. to said plate to communicate with the body, and a rotatable disk closely fitted in the body member adjacent the face plate and having a peripheral port therein adapted to provide communication between the body and the supply pipe for a certain portion of the rotation of the disk, the disk being arranged to turn in coordination with the rotation of the valve sleeve.

6. In a multi cylinder internal combustion engine, a pair of cylindrical casings connected with the cylinders and opening into each of them, valve sleeves rotatably mounted in the casings and provided with ports for each cylinder and circumferentially positioned in relation to .the firing order of each ylinder, peripheral grooves in the sleeve at the ends of each port therein, a longitudinal gro ve in the casing connecti'ng each such pair of peripheral grooves, an oil supply pipe leading from one of each pair of peripheral grooves to a common source oi? supply, the other ones of said grooves communicating with adischarge pipe, and means interposed between the source of supply and the individual supply pipes for admitting oil to each one during a certain period of the rotation of the valve sleeves, such period bearing a definite relation to the position or" each sleeve port adjacent each peripheral groove ted by the intllliClHfLl supply pipes.

7. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a pair of cylindrical casings connected with cylinders and opening into each of them, valve sleeves rotatably mount ed in the casings and provided with ports for each cylinder and circumferentially positioned in relation to the tiring order of each cylinder, peripheral grooves in the sleeve at the ends of each port therein, a longitudinal groove in the casing connecting each such pair of peripheral grooves, an oil supply pipe leading from one of each pair of peripheral grooves to a common source of supply, the other ones of said grooves communicating with a discharge pipe, and means interposed between the source of supply and the individual supply pipes, and

coordinated in operation with the rotationof the sleeves and the position of the ports therein, for admitting oil to each supply pipe du"ing a certain period of the rotation of tie sleeves; such period for each supply pine having a direct relation to the position of the corresponding valve-port in the casing.

8. In a lulnii'ating system for rotary vaives, an oil supply pipe leading to the valve, a body member filled with oil, a face plate over the body member, the supply pipe being connected with the plate to communicate with the oil-space in the body, and rotatable means in the body adjacent the face plate arranged to shut off the supply pipe during a certain period of its rotation.

5), In a lubricating system for rotary valves, an oil supply pipe leading to the valve, a body member filled with oil, a face plate over the body member, the supply pipe being connected with the plate to communicate with the oil-space in the body, and a rotatable disk in the body operated in con- JtlllCClOIl with the rotary valve and arranged 'to shut oii? the supply pipe "from communication with the body during a certain period of its rotation, the supply pipe being off-set from the axis of the disk.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. HENRY NRIGH'I.

vVitnesses MYRTLE JErsnN, J. P. Trans.