US2222441A

US2222441A - Engine ignition means

Info

Publication number: US2222441A
Application number: US327947A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Nawman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-02-17
Filing date: 1940-04-05
Publication date: 1940-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1957-11-19

Description

' Nov. 19, 1940. w. L. NAWMAN 2,222,441

' ENGINE IGNITION MEANS Original Filed Feb. 17, 1939 INVENTOR.

William L. Newman BY- A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Original application February 17, 1939, Serial No. 256,906. Divided and this application April 5,

1940, Serial No. 327,947

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 256,906, filed February 17, 1939 for Engine ignition means.

The invention relates to internal combustion 5 engines and more particularly to an ignition means for internal combustion engines.

An object of the invention is to provide an ignition means for an internal combustion engine which may be embodied as a sturdy, integral part of the engine with all of the parts thereof confined entirely to the engine cylinder and operated automatically by the movement of the engine piston to the head end of the cylinder without the use of any external mechanical or electrical parts as heretofore customarily relied upon for igniting the compressed gas in the engine cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective ignition means of the char-' acter above which will provide a uniform firing of the compressed gas throughout the entire combustion space of the cylinder! The invention'possesses other objects and feai) tures of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing. will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing the single figure is a ertical sectional view of a part of an internal combustion engine embodying an ignition means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The ignition means of the present invention consists briefly in the provision of a chamber in the engine in communication with the engine cylinder and into and from which is reciprocated an auxiliary piston which causes the compression and ignition of gases within the chamber, where-v upon the ignited gases are passed into the engine cylinder to effect an ignition of the gases therein. In accordance with the present invention the aforementioned relative reciprocal movement of the chamber and auxiliary piston is effected in timed relation to the movement of the engine piston, whereby ignition will take place substantially at a top dead center position of the engine piston in the customary manner. Also, the chamber and auxiliary piston are so formed as' to cause a uniform discharge of the ignited products entirely throughout the combustion space of the engine cylinder, thereby effecting a most complete and effective ignition of the compressed charge of fuel in the cylinder.

With reference more specifically to the accom,

panying drawing, the engine and ignition means;

therein depicted comprise an engine casing 6 providing an internal engine cylinder 1 and formed with suitable inlet and discharge passages with valves therein (not shown) for intake of fuel into the cylinder and discharge of spent products therefrom. The engine used in combi nation with the present device may operate upon either a two or four stroke operating cycle, Mounted within the cylinder 1 is an engine piston l3 which reciprocates to and from the head 14 of 15 the cylinder to operate on the gases in the cylinder in accordance with the cycle of operation of the engine. I

The ignition means of the. present invention comprises an auxiliary chamber [6 which is arranged in communication with the engine cylinder and a plug member or auxiliary piston; I! which is adapted for movement into and from the chamber to compress explosive gases in the chamber to a self-igniting pressure and drive means is provided for causing the relative reciprocal movement of the member I1 and the chamber IS in timed relation to the movement of the engine piston l3, so as to cause an ignition oi the gases at a proper time in the operating cycle.

In the embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated, the chamber l6 and the member I!v are provided on the engine casing and-piston'so, that the reciprocation of the member ll into and out of the chamber will be effected in proper timed relation to the movement of the engine piston itself, and without the use of any interven- 1 ing drive mechanism. As seen in the figure, the chamber I6 is provided in the head end of the engine casing, while the member I! is provided on the piston. j

The chamber !6, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, is of generally cylindrical shape and is provided with a reduced neck portion I9 at the open end thereof. This latter portion is preferably of cylindrical form and adapted for a sliding fit with a cylinder head portion 2| on the member ll, whereby such head portion on engagement through the neck I 9 will cause a compression of the gases, contained Within the chamber. In accordance with the present construction, the head portion 2| has an axial length somewhat less than that of the chamber and is positioned immediately ahead of a reduced membe portion 22, whereby upon movement of the head 2| completely into the chamber as illustrated in the figure, the portion 22 will become ucts within the chamber.

aligned with the neck I 9, so as to'define an annular passage between theportion 22 and the neck for the cylindrical discharge of the ignited prod- As will be understood, the head portion 2! of the auxiliary piston 21 is of suffi cient length relative to the length of the chamber-and'thevolume of the chamber to cause a compression of the fuel gases therein to the point of self-ignition, whereby upon movement of the head portion 2i past the neck it), such ignited gases will be allowed to pass around the.

head 2| and out through the annular passage defined between the neck l9 and the reduced portion 22. In this manner a substantiallyicontinuous sheet of fire is discharged fro'm'the ignitionmeans into all parts of'the combustion 2b chamber. Preferably, the axis of thechamber I6 and thatof the member I! is coincident with the central axis of the engine cylinder, whereby the discharge of the ignited productswill be -most effectively distributed throughout the cornbustion space of the engine cylinder andcompletely'across the headend of the piston.

The chamber I6 is formed'inanjinsertedpiece 21 which is set in an opening 28: in the cylinder head and secured in place by means of a lock- .Washer 293 and'nut 3| engaged with a threaded portion of the ins'ert'at theouter' side of the cas ing. The auxiliary-piston member l'l' is attached to the piston l3 for movement therewithand is connected to the head end 32 of-"thejpiston 'in a curved conical base'33 which connects the head end 32 of the piston to the reduced portion 22 of the auxiliary piston. "The compressed ignited gases discharged from the chamber-l6 flow downwardly from the chamber in a continuous ring" of fire and strike the downwardly andoutwa'rdly curved surface"33,"whereby' the ignited gases are spread uniformly acrossthe entire combustion p e of the enginecylinder and across'the head end of the piston. 1

I I'claim: F

f 1. In combination with an internal combos tion engine having a'cylinder and a reciprocating piston therein and fuel'inlet and discharge means connected to said-cylinder, means communicated with said cylinder and providinga compression "chamber formed with a smooth internal cylindrical wall and a cylindrical passage of reducedarea opening to said cylinder, a second piston mounted'for reciprocation into and from said chamber through said passage and being of cylindrical first piston.

2. An ignition means for an internal combustion engine comprising, a chamber in communi cation with the cylinder of the engine and having a reduced open portion, a piston engageable in said chamber to compress and ignite gases therein and 1 having an enlarged head portion having a sliding fit with said chamber reduced portion, said piston head portion having a length less'than said chamber so as to move completely into said chamber and uncover said reduced portionto thereby afford an annular discharge passage for the escape of the gases compressed in said chamber, said chamber and piston head portion beingformed to define a uniformannular space around said head portion in said chamber, and means causing a relative reciprocal movement of said piston and chamber in timed relation to the movement of the piston of the engine. 3

3. An internal combustion engine comprising, an engine casing providing a cylinder, a piston reciprocally mountedin said cylinder, said casing being formed with a chamber at the head end of said cylinder-having its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and having a reduced open portion opening into said cylinder,

and a member carried bysaid piston and projecting longitudinally therefrom in substantially coaxialrelation with said chamber and having a portion engageablein said chamber and having i a sliding fit with said chamber reduced portion to compress andignite gases in said chamber, 1

said member being reduced in cross-sectional area adjacent said member portion and at a position to register with said reduced chamber portion to'provide an annular passage for the discharge of; gases fromsaid chamber, said member having a conical base portion connected to said piston for uniformly spreading the gases discharged from said annular passage across-the end of the piston.

' WILLIAM L. NAWMAN.