US1783715A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

H. L. HORNING 1,783,715

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE I Filed Aug. 25. 1928 v Dec. 2, 1930.

' Zhverzfofi a zizj Pawnee Dec. 2,1930

era's OFF-ICE.

HARRY L. HORNING, F WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO WAUKESHA MOTOR COMEANY, OF 'WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 1 Application filed August 25, 1928, Serial No. 801,990..

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to their combustion chambers and the immediate appurtenances thereof, to the end of numerous 5, advantages in construction, operation and result.

In the drawings 7 Fig.1 is a vertical sectional view through an engine head and the upper portion ofa cylinder block, constructed in accordance with my invention, taken substantially in the plane of line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig 2 is a section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1; and i Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View through the head takenthrough the boss which receives the spark plug, the spark plug being shown. in elevation.

-' Head 1 is secured on the upper: end or top 1 is flat or planar and overlies the cylinder area and is disposed close to the upper end of cylinder 8 in which the piston 10 reciprocates; The throat 7 overlies one portion of the cylinder area and the fiat under face of head 1 overlies the other portion of the cylinder area,and the space between this portion and the piston 10, when in raised position, is slight, as-indicated at 11, providing.

a shielded area or space which occupies a very appreciable portion of the cylinder area. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the

vertical thickness of this space corresponds to the thickness of gasket 3. In practice, this space is approximately of an inch in 1 height, being only that required to assure mechanical clearance between the head and the piston. This is characteristic of a type of engine, in which the fuel charge is initially ignited in a combustion chamber off-- set from the cylinder, and the piston is disposed closely adjacent the overlyin portion of the head, when in its position of greatest compression, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In

this type of engine, the successful operation of the engine depends upon its ability to keep the gases trapped between the piston regard to detonation. This is accomplished, in the type of en ine referred to, by means of the cooling e ect of the large surface volume ratio of this space when the piston is in its upper position, andby the high velocity of the gases issuing from this space just before the piston reaches its top position. This space, in the type of-engine referred to, is in no sense a combustion chamber but, on the contrary, is so cooled and shielded by the relatively cool walls defining such space as to prevent preignition' of the fuel charge trapped in this space, due. to

high compression of the charge, as the cylinder approaches its position of greatest compression. The term shielded space as used herein, may, therefore, be defined as a space between the piston and the engine head, when the piston is in its position of greatest compression, such space being so related to the walls defining the same, that the fuel charge trapped in this space is cooled, by contact with such walls and by the high ve locity; of the gases issuing therefrom, to such an extent as to render the fuel charge trapped therein nonefiective as to detonation. The term shielded space, used in this sense, is an accepted term in the art and has a definite significance. This shielded space is to be distlnguished from a space and the head comparatively ineffective with of appreciable volume, such as would constitute a combustion chamber, since the fuel charge trapped in the latter space would inevitably be of considerable volumeand preignition and detonation would occur as the piston approached its position of greatest compression, due to the high compression 'of the fuel charge in this space. In the engine of my invention, I employ the shielded space of area of the type of engine above discussed, but initially ignite the fuel charge in this space, thus obtaining certain advantages, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. In this respect, my invention may be considered as an improvement over the type of engine which employs an offset combustion chamber and shielded area and initially ignites the fuel charge in the combustion chamber.

The head 1 is provided with an inlet passage 12 opening through the side thereof opposite to the exhaust passage 4. This inlet passage is controlled by an inlet valve 13, the under face of which, when seated, is flush with the under face of head 1. The stem of valve 13 operates through a guide sleeve 14 formed integrally with the head 1, and this valve is operated by a rocker arm 15 in a known manner, it being understood that the valve and rocker arm and associated parts are indicated more or less diagrannnatically.

The rocker arm 15 is operated by a push rod 16 in a known manner.

The engine head 1 and the cylinder block 2 are cored out, where feasible, to permit circulation therethrough of a cooling medium, as is well known in the art. The intake valve seat may be completely waterjacketed as in the case of the exhaust valve. The structure illustrated and described provides a compact turbulent producing combustion chamber and enables the use of high compression ratios.

When the piston 10 is in its uppermost position, the quantity of gases or" fuel mixture entrapped in the space 11 is negligible, practically the entire volume of the charge to be ignited being compressed in the pocket 6. I have found that, by igniting the small charge or volume of fuel mixture in the shielded space 11, a more uniform flame propagation is obtained than is possible where the charge is ignited in the pocket or combustion chamber 6, and smoother operation results. I accomplish this by mounting a spark plug 17 in a suitable boss 18 provided in head 1, this boss opening, at its lower end into the space 11.

The spark plug is of such length that the electrodes thereof are disposed within the lower portion of boss 18 in a space or ignition chamber 19 defined by the lower portion of the boss. By means of the spark plug, the charge is ignited in the shielded space 11, initially, and this serves to ignite the main charge in the pocket or combustion chamber 6. WV hat I claim is 1.- In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder said engine having an exhaust passage lying alongside the cylinder, ahead having a pocket overlying said exhaust passage and part of said cylinder, the head also having a portion overlying and close to the remainder of the cylinder area, said overlying portion of the head forming with the piston, when in its raised position, a shielded space, said engine having an intake passage opening through the overlying portionthereof, valves for said passages, and means for initially igniting the charge in said shielded space.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, said engine having an exhaust passage lying alongside said cylinder, a head having a pocket overlying said exhaust passage and a part of said cylinder, said head also having a portion overlying and close to the remainder of the cylinder area, said pocket representing substantially all of the effective combustion space when the piston is in the position of greatest compression and said piston and the overlying portion of the head forming a shielded space when the piston is in said position, the head having an intake passage opening through said overlying portion thereof, valves for said passages, and means for initially igniting the charge in said shielded space.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, a head having a combustion chamber wholly above and communicating with the cylinder, said head also having a portion overlying and close to the cylinder area, said engine 7 having an exhaust passage opening into said chamber, and an inlet passage opening into the cylinder, valves controlling said passages, said overlying portion of the head forming with the piston, when in its position of greatest compression, a shielded space, and means for initially igniting the charge in said space.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, said engine having a combustion chamber wholly above and communicating with the end of said cylinder, a wall overlying and close to the cylinder area and forming with the piston, when in its position of greatest compression, a shielded space, the combustion chamber representing substantially all of the effective combustion space when the piston is in said position, the engine having an exhaust passage opening into said chamber and an inlet passage opening into the cylinder, valves controlling said passagespand means for initially igniting the charge in said space.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, said engine having a combustion chamber wholly above and communicating with the end of said cylinder, a wall overlying and close to the cylinder area and forming with the piston, when in its position of greatest compression, a shielded space, the combustion chamber representing substantially all of the effective combustion space when the piston is in said position, the engine having an exhaust passage opening into said chamber and an inlet passage opening into the cylinder, valves controlling said passages, said wall having an ignition chamber opening into the shielded space, said ignition chamber being minute relative to the combustion chamber, and means for initially igniting the charge in the ignition chamber.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, the engine having an exhaust passage, a head having a pocket overlying said exhaust passage and part of said cylinder, the head also having a portion overlying and close to the remainder of the cylinder area, said overlying portion of the head forming with the piston, when said piston is in the position of greatest compression, a shielded space, the

entire effective combustion space being above the piston when said piston is in said position of greatest compression, the head'having an intake passage opening through the overlying portion thereof, valves for said passages, and means for initially igniting the charge insaid shielded space. I

7. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, a head having a pocket overlying a part of the cylinder, the head also having a portion overlying and close to the remainder of the cylinder area, said overlying portion of the head forming with the piston, when said pioton is in the position of greatest compression, a shielded space, the entire effective combustion space being above the piston when said piston is in said position of greatest compression, the engine having intake and exhaust passages for supplyinga fuel mixture to and exhausting burnt gases from the cylinder and the pocket, valves for said pasv sages, and means for initially igniting the charge in said shielded space.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder and having its upper face normal to its axis, a head having a pocket overlying a part of the cylinder, the head also having a portion overlying and close to the remainder of the cylinder area, said overlying portion'of the head being normal to the cylinder and forming with the piston, when said piston is in the position of greatest compression, a shielded space, the engine having intake and exhaust passages for supplying a fuel mixture to and exhausting burnt gases from the cylinder and the pocket, valves for said passages, and means for initially igniting the charge in said shielded space.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day of August, 1928. HARRY L. HORNING.

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