US1787457A - Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

Jan 6, 1931.

c. M. 5mm ,181,451

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed April 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Ci/ZSM TH BY a Q, 4TTORNEY Jan 6, 1931.

5:. M. sun-H ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL GQIBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed Apri1'5, 192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet a I INVENTOR. C. M 5? I BY I TH

" ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1931 PATENT ()FFICE CLAUDE M. SMITH, OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed April 5, 1923, Serial My invention relates to improvements in rotary valves particularly to the type in which a single rotating member controls the admission of fuel to and the discharge of burnt gases from the engine cylinder;

Anob-ject of theinvention is to provide a valve of the character described, which will cause the valve and the bearing to become simultaneously and uniformly heated throughout their entire, length, thus constantly. maintaining practically the same degree of expansion or contraction of said members and insuring the proper fit at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary valve having connected inner and outer shells which may contract or expand independently of each other both laterally and longitudinally. 7

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a valve of the character described which causes the formation of an effective'lubricating medium between the bearing surface of the valve and its seat.

I A still further object is to'provide a valve of thecharacter described whichin itself constitutes an intake and exhaust manifold in addition to functioning as a valve.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .Vide a valve whichrwill permit the use of low gravity fuel for'starting the engine as well as running it. a

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage some of which with the foregoing will be set' forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention, which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myselfto the showing made by said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of one form of the valve of my invention incorporated with an internal combustion engine of the multi-cylinder type.

5,0 Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section or No. 630,073. Renewed May 28, 1930.

valve and engine taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, taken in the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, of the tolerance flange used for sealing one of the chambers of the valve.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the portion of the valve adjacent and including the exhaust port thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the casing for the exhaust port.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the valve 2 is incorporated with vertical multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and is rotatably mounted in a bearing or bore 3 having transverse port openings 4: which communicate with the interior of the cylinders 6. As here shown, the bearing is formed in the head 7 of the engine and is horizontally disposed therein; it is obvious however that the location of its valve may be changed, depending on the'type and design of engine to which it is applied, the number of cylinders, and various other factors.

The valve proper comprises a cylindrical shell casing 8 extending practically the full length of the cylinder, head and provided with a plurality of sets of intake and exhaust ports 9 and 10 associated with each cylinder and adapted to intermittently register with the opening 4.

Preferably concentrically arranged within the shell 8 and held in spaced relation with respect thereto is a cylindrical inner shell. 12 provided with openings 13 which are aligned with exhaust openings 10 formed in the outer shell. Two chambers or passages Li and 15 are thus defined by the shells, viz., a straight passage 14: enclosed by the inner shell, and an annular passage 15 formed between the shells. The inner passage 14 is utilized as an exhaust manifold. for the cylinders while the outer passage 15 forms the intake manifoli'l. V Extending from each opening 10 to its complementary opening 13 is a casing 17 adapted to resiliently engage the corresponding sides of the openings'and thereby seal the exhaust chamber from the intake chamber. The casing is formed of a section of cylindrical tubing Whose resiliency is such as to cause it to conform to the shape of the openings, When inserted therein. The cauing is held properly positioned in the openings by means of small protuberances 18, preferably pressed in the material and engaging the adjacent sides-of the shel Owing tothe fact that the exhaust gases c confined Within the inner shell and there-- fore cause the latter to be heated toacom paratively high temperature, Whilcthe outer shell due to having the comparatively cool intake gases on one side and the coolin'g efiect of the Water jacket19 of the cylinder head on the other side,'there Will ordinarily beaconsiderable difference in the temperatures of the respective shells. Howevensuchunequal temperature and consequent"differences n'the'expansion and contraction ofth'ere spective shells may take place Without cf fecting each other; This is allowed by reason of the fact that the casing 1'? connecting the shells is resiliently rather than rigidly engaged. The factor aiding in maintaining the seal of the casing under all conditions is that the exhaust pressure and intake suction on opposite sides of the casing both-tend to press the casing against the sides of the open ing. The foregoing effect-is aided by providing the casing 17 With-bevelled edges'fll as shovvn in Figure 51 Means are provided 'for sealing, th'e'eiids of the intake chamber in 'a niannei."whic h Will permit the independent expansion and contraction of'theshe'lls previously referred to Asfhere shown said means comprises tolerance members 23 nserted between the shells and provided with resilient flanges 24 which press radially-in opposite directions against the opposed faces ofthe shells. Pins 25; or the like slidably mounted in and pass a ing through the membersj23 and the shells I prevents rotative movement of one SllEllWl'tll respect to the iother, andstill permit theirr dependent expansion and contraction of the shells 1 I The outer shell and thevrall of the hearing or bore in Whichitrotates are formed of the same materials or materials l1af{i'iig*the same coefficients of expansion thereby insurii'ig the proper fit between the-shell in its bearing'at 7 all temperatures; inthepresent embodiment vboth of said members are formed ofcast iron. Since the casing 17 andtolerance members ing relatively high torsional "and tensile 23' allow the inner shell to expand independently of the outer ,shell the inner'shell is preferably constructed of material hay strengths so as toprovide' the yalve Wltlllllle necessary rig dity of structure.

In order to allow either shellto or displaced-longitudinally with respect to the other during unequal linear expansion 'of the shells the outer shell is formed in tWo or more sections-.26 andf27 hich-"are by the presence 'ofthe circulating be moved;

spaced longitudinally as at 28. Each of the sections is held on the inner shell entirely inde Jendent of the other, and furthermore they are preferably fixed to the inner shell at but one point in their length-which as I here shown is effected by the pins passing through thetolerance' members. Vith this construction not only is either shell permitted to telescope on the other, but it provides for independent longitudinal movement of one portion of outer shell With-respect to the other. It Will thus be clear that practically 7 cylinderthree of said sets. In this manner the valve s'adapted to makevone-revolution for each three complete power strokes of any one cylinder. In View of the 'foregoing the ralve here illustrated revolves at one-sixth the speedo-f the crankshaft. As shown in Figure 1,-the driving of the valve may be effected by means including a sprocket 32 vWhich may be driven by chain from the crankshaft and is mounted on an extension dof the inner shell. Since the engine here illustrated has four cylinders it is apparentthat when one exhaust port of thevalve registers Wlllll the opening communicatingwith a cylinderythe remaining eleven exhaust ports Wlll be inactive, but Will permit the exhaust gases discharged into or confined in the exhaust'rnanif-old to come in directcontactwith its the bearing or bore Wall. Dueto this direct contact'of the exhaust gases With the irall of the bore, Whose temperature owing to the cooling: system tends to remain lower thannlh.

the temperature of the outer shell, the tem-- ['perature of said wall is raised to equal that of the outer shell which is heated largely by radia ion from the exhaust gases, it being noted inconnect on with the foregoing; that since the heating of the outer valve shell is thus eifec'tedjby radiationfrom the hot exhaustgases and such heating effect reduced fuel the temperature change through which the Wall of the'bore must beraised' to equal that of the saidcshell, is comparatively small. A114 other result of thisdirect contact. of the exhaustwith the bore or sleeye is that the Lee in temperature ofthe valve shell and sleeve ivill takerplace simultaneously and irnniedi-h atelyupon the starting; of the engine. Still "another advantage of the multiplicity of idle ports is that therpressur'e of the exhaust gas c s partially spent aga nst the shell casing 8T thereby diminishing the upward thrust of the valve against the bearing and preventing any undue wear of the upper portion of the bearii'ig. In this manner it \villbe clear that perfect ht of the valve will be invariably '36 of the intake ports.

It will be noted that the valve of my invention is in effect a self contained intake and exhaust manifold, and by reason of the fact that the intake manifold completely surrounds the exhaust manifold, an eflective means of early volatilization of the incoming fuel prior to its entrance into a cylinder, is

attained. The further effectiveness of the foregoing is gained through means of the many thin-walled exhaust port casings which are distributed throughout the length and function to instanly transmit the exhaust heat to the fuel. By reason of such readiness on the part of the casings to transmit the exhaust heat, the effects of the exhaust will be communicated to the incoming fuel gases directly with the initial exhaust of gases, there by permitting the volatilization of the fuel before the walls of the engine have become heated. In this manner the necessity for using more than a priming charge of high grade fuel in starting, is overcome, and enablesthe engine to-operate on low grade fuel almost from thefirst explosion. In priming the manifold, I preferably introduce the priming mixture under pressure and in the form of a spray into the intake manifold and against the exhaust manifold, said mixture being preferably introduced into the valve through the openings 29, by means of a conduit 34 leading from a container independent of the main fuel supply. As a contributing feature toward better volatilization, is the ability of my device to subject the incoming fuel to a high degree of turbulence or agitation, this being accomplished by the contact of the gases with the labyrinth of passages defined by the exhaust ports.

While in the present embodiment of the invention, the valve has been adapted for use in connection with an internal combustion engine, it may as a whole or in part be readily adapted for use in connection with air compressors, steam and other engines.

I claim:

1. In a rotary valve for internal combustion engines, a. pair of cylindrical shellspositioned one within the other and arranged in spaced relation whereby an annular chamber is provided between them, annular tolerance flanges interposed between said shells and resiliently engaged therewith to seal the ends of said chamber, and means associated with said flanges for preventing the rotation of one shell with respect to the other.

2. In combination with a pair of cylindrical shells positioned one within the other and arranged in spaced relation whereby an annular chamber is defined between them, an annular tolerance flange interposed between said shells and resiliently engaged therewith to provide a sealed partition for said chamber, and means associated with said flange for preventing the rotation of one shell wit respect to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, at Oakland, this 19th day of March,

CLAUDE M. SMITH.

Images