US1874377A - Control device for internal combustion and other engines - Google Patents

Description

W. F. STANTON coNTRoL DEVICE Eon INTERNAL couBUs'rIoN AND OTHER ENGINES Urignal Fi'led'larch 1.9. 1926 Aug. 30,' 1932.

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 WARREN I'. STANTON, 0F PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND CONTROL DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION OTHER ENGINES Applicationled March 19, 1923, Serial No. 96,088.. Renewed December 19,I 1931.

Broadly stated the object of my invention is to utilize the conditions existing in an engine cylinder at different points of the piston stroke, as for example, the pressures therein, to control automatically any one or all of a number of factors which enter into the operation of the engine to the end that the highest eiiciency thereof may be pro moted and hand adjustment by the engine operator be avoided or rendered unnecessary. Thus, the timing of the spa-rk, thev mixture strength, the mixture temperature,

and the density of the cylinder charge may be so controlled, and a feature of= my present invention is the control of all of these by one device. However, any one or any number of` these may be the subject of automatic control in accordance with my invention. Control of the density of the cylinder charge is of practical importance, beca-use it enables the construction of engines having higher compression than is now the practice with the advantages of the higher efficiencies and greater power that result from high `compression since the disagreeable knocking which occurs at low speeds of high compression engines is prevented and yet the full charge of gas at the higher speeds is assured.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a four-cycle valve-inhead internal combustion engine embodying my invention; l

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section;

'Fig 4 is a det-ail view on a. larger scale of the rotary reciprocating valve;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in section of th dash-pot;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof.

M y invention is based upon and utilizes my conception of providing a pressure actuated device which may be a piston in a cylinder, which at selected points in the stroke of the engine pistonwill be subjected to the engine cylinder pressure existing atv such selected points and moved thereby in one direction, or the other dependent upon what is superior pressure at the selected points or not moved at all if there is no difference in pressure, and to utilize movements of the pressure actuated device so produced to control the timing of the spark, or other factors important to be controlled.

To illustrated one embodiment of my invention I show it applied to a four-cycle, valve-in-head engine, which in accordance with my invention has, as hereinafter explained in detail, means to establish pressure communication between the combustion chamber and a piston in a cylinder so that the piston will be moved in one/direction or the other according to the pressures in the lcombustion chamber, and its movement utilized to operate the tim-er of the ignition system-to shift the time of ignition, advancing or retarding the ignition as may be necessary to bring about or approximate ideal conditions of ignition.

Outside the engine, 10, is mounted a cylinder, 12, within which is a piston, 13, which is connected with the timer, 14, of usual construction Which by the movement of the piston, 13, is shifted to advance or retard ignition by changing the time of opening the circuit through the primary circuit of the spark coil. Each end of the cylinder, 12, is adapted to be placed in communication with the combustion chamber, 15, to allow interchange or equalization of gas pressure upon either side of thel piston, 13, (according to which end of cylinder, 12,'is placed in communication with the combustion chamber) with the pressure in the combustion chamber. If the pressure upon the piston, 13, is unbalanced, the 9 piston will move in the direction of the side of lower pressure. i

Crank arm, 16, on the timer is` pivoted to a rod, 17, and to the rod, '17, is pivoted a crank arm, 18 on a vertical shaft, 19, havlng within the cylinder, 12, an arm, 20, that is connected by a link, 21, to the piston, 13, and thus the timer is operatively connected with the control piston, 13. m The timer has some form of centrifugal 1 governor that actsto advance the spark with the increase of engine speed. This may be the ring type, 22, on a shaft, 23, connected by bevel gears, 24, to the cam shaft, 25, of the engine, and revolved at the same speed.l

Regardless of what may be the action of the centrifugal advance, the automatic control by piston, 13, is effective since the latter acts on the timer body to turn the same.

By using a centrifugal controlled timer, set slightly late, designed to cover the wide open throttle range of action of any engine, a failure of the engine cylinder having the valve control hereinafter described (such as a missing spark plug, or badly leaking valve,

either of which would cause the control to y go to full retard) will not affect the engine to as great an extent as without the centrifugal advance. Practically all cars in America have the centrifugally controlled spark advance and due to the fact that hardly anyone moves the hand advance except at starting, the actual spark timing is late over 95% of the driving of the car, especially in the city and town work. The driver will not have a knocking engine or advance the spark when he should, therefore practically all engines are being run with a late spark except when the throttleis wide open, at'which time the centrifugal automatic timer may give a correct timing of the spark at all speeds. The combination of automatic control and centrifugal advance partl overcomes the full retarding action that ta es place with failure ofrmy valve-control automatic described hereinafter, when the control cylinder fails to function, by onl retarding to the wide open throttle spark a vance position at any speed. The engine thus equipped would perform as Well as do the cars now in use, even although my said valve control did not operate. This combination is not necessary at all'except in the ver highest grade cars, but might be used w1th cars already equipped with the centrifugal advance.

I now describe the means for automatically placing the cylinder, 12,-in communication with the engine combustion chamber, 15, f. premising that from opposite sides of the piston, pipes or tubes, 26 and 27, respectively,

' lead from the cylinder to passages 28 and 29,`

respectively in the engine castmg that have valve-controlled communication 'with such combustion chamber, and thatl specific valve mechanism is one of the features of my invention. The valve, 30, of that mechanism is c lindrical with a tapered axial passage, 31, 1n direct communication with the com# bustion chamber of the engine, which has an over-head cam-shaft, 25, driven at onehalf crank-shaft speed by ,two-to-one gears, 33 and 34, that are driven from the engine crank-shaft (not shown) The engine shown, as I have said-,sis of the four-cycle, valve-inheadtype. The inlet and exhaust valves are 'one-half degrees to the cam shaft.

-37. The inlet-valve cam is 38. The exhaust-valve cam is 39, and 40 is the exhaust valve-stem guide. The exhaust-Valve meinbers are similar to the inlet valve members and are not shown completely.

The control valve, 30, is given a reciprocating and rotary or oscillating motion by eccentric, 41, that is mounted on shaft, 25, with its axis at an angle of twenty-two and This causes the eccentric to wabble through an angle of forty-five degrees for one complete revolution of the cam shaft and imparts the desired oscillating motion to valve, 30, at the same time it is reciprocating. A plate, 42, has a hub against whichwasher, 43, is held by cap screw, 44. Said plate forms one side of a groove in which shoes with pins, 45 and 46, ride. The position of eccentric, 41, can be adjusted by loosening the cap-screw, then turning the eccentric to the desired adjustment and then tightening the screw as it is held by the clamping action of said screw, in any desired adjustment. This means enables timing the control valve, 30. The eccentric, 41, is pivoted by the opposite pins, 45 and 46, in a yoke, 47, at the valve end. The yoke is pivoted by a pin, 48, to a block, 49, that is straddled by and pivoted to a fork, 50, lon the valve end. It will be seen that a fully universal joint action takes place at either end of eccentric-rod or yoke, 47.

The eccentric, 41, is shown at its point of approximately maximum velocity for the valve', 30, on the downward stroke. The enine piston, P, is at top dead center on the eginning of the power stroke. Port, 51, in valve, 30, has just closed after passing the passage, 28, in the engine cylinder casting. Thusy passage, 28, was in direct communication with combustion chamber, 15, for a short period just before dead center. Port, 52, will next be in communication with passage, 29, as'valve, 30, descends and the engine piston, P, has traveled downward about onetenth of its power stroke. Further downward movement of valve, 30, closes port, 29, and as the valve has been oscillated nearly forty-five degrees before thejports, 52 and i 51, nre again at a height to register with their respective passages, it will be `:seen that said ports and passages are only in communication on the downward stroke of valve,

.- 0. Any desired timing for the opening of the surfaces of eccentric, 41,- where the eX- groove, 53, in cam shaft bearing block, 54,

thence through passages, 55, 56 and 57, to

cess lubricates the various joints and surfaces of the control valve mechanism.

It will be seen that the valve, 30, has a very short passage, 31, between the engine combustion chamber and the valve ports, and this isyimportant as a short passage gives the most accurate control. that complete water cooling is assured for the valve and the passages, 28 and 29, which pass through the water space above the cylinder head. i

Valve, 30,'may be split so as to produce sealing of the ports y expansion of the valve under explosion pressure.

Ports may be arranged through the sleeves of Knight and other sleeve valve engines, so as to give the desired valve action without extra mechanism.

A cover, 58, encloses the valve mechanism and upon it is mounted the control cylinder 12.

Rod, 17, has a pointer, 59, showing by a scale, .60, on the instrument board of lthe car, its position at all times.

In starting the engine the operator pushes on the knob, 61, on the rod, 17, to close the switch of the starting motor. The combination of starting switch and manual ,retarding of the spark control removes any dan-I ger or possibility of the automatic control being in an advanced position when the starter motor is in operation. Many other arrangements can be devised to fit any particular requirements, such as a linkage to retard control, operating when a foot operated starting switch is used. y

The starting switch at the end of rod, 17, consists of laminated contact, 62, insulated from rod, 17, which closes the circuit by making contact with blocks, 63 .and 63, insulated from other parts b block, 64, fastened to engine cover, 58. short stiff spring, 65, is provided to keepthe circuit open except when suiicient force is applied to knob, 61, to push the rod. Starting battery is designated, 66, and the starting motor for the engine is designated, 67.

Preferably adash-pot is provided for the control piston, 13. I show a vane type of oil dash-pot as part of the control cyllnder casting. The lowerv end of shaft, 19, is slotted and fitted with a vane, 68, that oscillates in the cylindrical opening, 69, at the base of cylinder, 14. A cover closes this opening, 69, to retainv oil. The cover has two integral .vanes,`and 71. All parts are fitted with close clearances to give the desired dash action. A filler screw 72, is provided for the reservoir, 73, whichholds a small reserve of oil for the dash chamber, 69. Both, 73 and 69 must be lilled at the start.

Giving a description of the operation of the It will be also seen peating the detailed description of parts whichV has already been given, it will be understood vthat through the passages between the engine cylinder and the cylinder, 12,whichincludethe pipes, 26 and 27, pressure from the engine cylinder may be exerted on both sides of the piston, 13, the transfer of pressure between 'engine cylinder and cylinder, 12, being under control of the automatically operated valve, 30, no movement of the piston, 13, taking place if the pressure balances on. opposite sides thereof, and movement in one direction or the other taking place when there is a difference of pressure upon opposite sides of the piston, 13, and when movement of the piston, 13, takes place, the spark is advancedV or retarded by the rotation of the timer by means of the connections between it andthe piston, 13. By way of illustration, when the engine piston, P, has moved from dead center position through, say one-tenth of its power stroke, the valve, 30, will be moved to open communication between the combustion chamber and the cylinder, 12, on opposite sides'of its piston, 13. If ignition is delayed or occurs late after the power stroke movement of the engine piston begins, the rapid increase in explosion pressure which takes place will cause a superior pressure upon that side of the piston, 13, to the pressure upon the opposite sides which resulted from and exists in consequence of the pressure taken from the combustion chamber at the time the engine piston was in its dead center position and the result will be that the piston, 13,A will be moved in the direction to adjust the timer to advance the spark. `When the spark is too early a corresponding but opposite action of th'e piston, 13, will take place and in consequence the timer will be adj usted by the movement of the piston, 13, to retard the spark. By the automatic change of the point of ignition according to the pressure conditions in the engine a state of equilibrium is reached when the pressures at the deadcenter position of the engine piston on its compression stroke and when it traverses one tenth of its power stroke are substantially equal.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of an engine having a cylinder and a piston, a pressure operated means subjected to pressure within the cylinder at a predetermined point in the travel of the piston, ignition means including a timer, an operative connection between said pressure operated means and the timer, a reciproeating and oscillating valve to control communication between the engine cylinder and said pressure-operated means, and automatic means for actuating said valve.

2. The combination of a power producing engine having a power cylinder and a piston, pressure-operated means, means-'to cause the operation of said pressure-operated means by the differential of two pressures, one of which pressures is obtained from the engine at a predetermined point in the travel of the engine piston and means to utilize movement of said pressure-operated means for some purpose in the operation of the engine, comprising a reciprocating and oscillating valve.

3. A construction as in claim 2 in which the valve has an axial passage and ports opening thereto.

4. A construction as in claim 2 in which the engine is a.` valveinhead type, has an overhead cam shaft, and the valve is operatively connected with said shaft.

5. An internal combustion engine having ignition means capable of variation of the time of igniting the charge and having an automatic ignition timer, means subjected to two pressures at predetermined points within 2o the engine cylinder and a manual ignition timer.

6. The combination of a timer having a centrifugal ignition advance, means subjected to two pressures at predetermined points within the engine cylinder, comprising a piston and cylinder and means actuated thereby, and

means for causing the action of the piston by pressure taken from the engine.

7. The combination Iof a timer having a centrifugal ignition advance and another ignition timer, and means subjected to two pressures at predetermined points within the engine cylinder.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aihx my signature.

. WARREN F. STANTON.

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