US2407788A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1946. R. H. KNAUSS Y INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 1, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 7 R. H. KNAUSS INTERNAL Sept. 17, 1946.

COMBUSTION ENGINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed July 1, 1944 Sept. 17, 1946. H, KNAUS 2,407,788

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE I Filed July 1, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m k 27 'I 26 v pounds.

Patented Sept. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,407,788 IN TERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE Richard H. Knauss, Peoria, Ill.

Application July 1, 1944, Serial No. 543,062

12 Claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a unit comprising twin engines wherein compressions auxilary to and greater than those produced by the usual power pistons can be introduced into the combustion chambers of each said engine by the employment of auxiliary pressure creating pistons, such auxiliary pressures being valved in timed order from one engine toward the other engine as a part of a firing charge through a valve which is capable of being set for any predetermined pressure or such a pressure as is necessary to provide for proper engine performance forplanes operating at high altitudes.

Another object is that by building up pressures and introducing them into the firing chambers of a pair of engines through valving means capable of being set to open under any given pressure for high altitude purposes.

That the structure of my engine may be fully understood the appended drawings are provided as parts thereof.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section in elevation, of the engine of my invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same, produced on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is also a horizontal section of the engine taken on line 3-3 of said Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the engine as produced on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan of a valve arrangement in horizontal section constructed according to Figures 1 and 2 but much enlarged and Figure 6 is a vertical section of part of a valve case.

My improved structure is arranged and adapted for operation at high altitudes where atmospheric pressure may be even as low as twelve Since power pistons cannot take in as much air for compression at high altitudes as at low altitudes, near sea level for example, I

provide an auxiliary piston for each of the two pistons employed in the power unit shown, such pistons having greater areas than said power pistons by which the explosive mixture is far greater in density than that resulting from the power pistons alone. This as an overcharge is forced into each firing cylinder in turn, in alternate manner, in the two engines and, due to the compressed volume of firing mixture the unit will operate as efficiently at high levels as at sea level. These pressures are set up alternately in alternate firing cylinders first by one auxiliary piston and then by the other, the proper pressure charges being provided by spring held valves adapted to open at a predetermined setting for pressure at'the altitude to be attained.

In Figure 1 of thedrawings, I represents the base portion or crank case of twin engines of the power unit, while 2 isthe single crank shaft serving both engines, and 3 the upper body structures of each secured in a customary manner to the crank case and which includes firing cylinders 4 and 5 spaced from each other, wherein are the usual powerplstons B and 1, respectively, above which are exhaust valves A in the engine heads operated in the usual way with respect to timing. The said cylinders 4 and 5 in this instance depend into the crank case I, the cylinder 4'being encircled by a ring piston 8, the cylinder 5 being encircled by similar ring piston 9, it being noted that each of the connecting rods ID of such pistons engage about a cracked portion ll of the crank shaft 2, which portions l l are spaced opposite the connecting rods l2 of the said power pistons 6 and l, i. e., at opposite sides of the crank-shaft-center so that the power pistons and ring pistons will move in opposite directions. In the crank case a web 3' lies midway between the two engines, and serves as a bearing support for the crank shaft together with those at 3 at the crank case ends.

An outer wall 2' of each upper body structure encircles and is spaced from the cylinders 4 and 5 forming a companion cylinder for the ring pistons 8 and 9, the two latter, therefore, working between said wall 2 and cylinders 4, 5 respectively.

Further, outward from the wall 2' of each structure 2 is a wall 2 spaced from the said wall 2' creating an annular recess I3, Figure 3, which in this instance partially encircles the latter and both of which merge into each other at 2 between the structures as in Figures 2 and 3, the purpose of the recess l3 appearing later herein. It is to be stated however, that in the wall 2' of each engine is a series of transfer openings or ports l4 through which the space l3 may 3, communicate with the cylinder in which the ring pistons 8 and 9 travel.

Again, each upper structure 2 has a wall l each partially encircling the cylinders 4 and 5 in spaced relation thereto creating a recess [6 which may communicate with the bores of the said cylinder 4, 5 through transfer openings or ports H in the walls of the two latter, a recess 8 of the upper structure of each engine together forming a conduit or passageway, as Figures 1 and 2, lying between said structures.

Within this space I8, and lying between the head portions of the two engines is a valve case l9 suitably secured in place and closing the space between them as in Figure 2 and having two compartments or passages therethroughleading into said heads through windows [9, Figure 4, the case with normally seated valves therein forming a barrier to cormnunication of the floores for the pistons 8, 9, and the bores of the cylinder 4, 5 with each other, a closure [9 for the top of the case completing the barrier thus provided. Referring to Figure 5 particularly, the said case I9 is divided into the two named compartments by a wall 20. One end of each compartment is open, while at the other end of each is a seat 2| 'for a valve 22. The valves are designed to open outwardly, in opposite directions or each toward a cylinder 4, 5, the stem 23 of each valve being slidable in a support 24, each stem also carrying a nut 25, for example, threaded thereon for adjustment therealong. Between a support 24 and an adjacent nut 25 of each stem is a compression spring 26, these springs normally holding the valves in their said seats 2|. The adjustment of the nuts vary the tension of the springs, the spring tensions being equal one to the other for the present purpose. Included inthe valve structure is a grooved collar 27 fixed on each stem, each groove adapted to receive the end of a shiftable member 29 slidable through a wall of the valve case and each so placed with respect to a collar that both the valves may be held firmly in their seats when desired, any suitable means not shown, being used to shift the members 29 simultaneously into and out of engagement with the collars.

In the present instance'ea'ch valve seat 2| is situated inward from the ends of the case l9, the valves 22 therefor each having a guide member 22' snugly slidable within a cupped member 22 screwed, for example, into one end of each of a named compartment, there being an opening 23' in the wall of eachmember 22 which leads through the wall of said case l9 and the cover l9 to the outer air, see Figures 5 and 6, said opening serving as a breather for the cavity behind. the said'guide member 22" as a valve shifts position. Also, in the lower wall of the case in each -compartment is an opening, or port, 23 for passage therethrough for gases under pressure from the valve casing when each valve is forced open,

the purpose of this structure appearing later herein.

The valve so provided lies between the cylinders 4, 5 as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2 and either compartment of the same through its open end, may communicate with a recess IB leading to cylinders 4, 5. Also the compartments are in communication separately, only, with the cavities of the cylinder for the ring pistons 8, 9, Stated in another way, but one compartment of the valve box can communicate separately at its open end with the space or recess l8 at the cylinder 4 and the ring piston cavity adjacent thereto while the other compartment can only communicate with the recess H3 at the cylinder 5 and the ring plston cavity at that same cylinder, it being Ob! served that the Walls of the cylinders 4, 5 as in Figures 1 and 3, are connected by a bridging portion I4 for closing communication between the said cylinders having said pistons 8, 9. Therefore, neither of the cylinder cavities can communicate with its neighbor except through the unseating of a valve 22.

In the wall 2' below the position of the valve case is an inlet opening 30, Figures 1 and'3, for the intake of the explosive mixture conveyed by a manifold connection 3 l, the inducted mixture being free to enter the cavity for ring piston 8, or the cavity for ring piston 9, as each piston in its travel uncovers the openings l4 of the wall 2.

The adjustment of spring tension at the valves determines the degree of compression necessary to unseat the valves, both said valves being set for a like pressure, as stated.

In operating the unit at or near sea level, the valves may momentarily be prevented opening by engaging the ends of the members 29 in the grooves of the collars 21, said members being so located of course that their engagement with the collars is always at the closed or seated position of the valves. This arrangement serves to place a full charge of gas from the bores of the cylinders 2' for the ring pistons 8, 9 into the firing chambers. Thus a sudden increase in power is available, and such charges may also serve for starting purposes.

The numerous openings l4 and H are provided at the recesses l3, l6 merely in order that the compressed gases may have free flow into the cyl inders 4, 5 though, perhaps this free flow may 7 be obtained in other ways.

In Figure 1 the auxiliary or pressure piston 8 drawn gas mixture through ports [4 of the cylinder 4 the power piston 6 having reached the top of its stroke. The piston 9 has reached the top of its compression stroke, having closed the inlet ports !4 at the cylinder 5, and at this time the power piston I has reached the extreme of its power stroke. As said piston 5 descends due to the fired gas charge thereabove the said piston 8 moves upward to compress the gas mixture above it, after closing the port [4 adjacent it. At this time the piston 9will move down and the piston I will move up.

In the upward travel of the piston 8 a gas charge above, and received by it from the port 14, is compressed during the time the piston 6 is descending, is confined by the closed valve 22 and is forced into the cylinder 4 above said piston 5 when that member uncovers the adjacent port i1. Any pressure above or in excess of that introduced by said piston 8, or that pressure in excess of that for which the valves are set, unseats the valve that opens toward the piston l to admit such excess, or overcharge,into that portion of the passage ii; at the engine of which said piston I is a part.

During the descent of the piston B the piston I is, of course rising, the port I! adjacent it being closed thereby, the gas for that piston having previously passed through that port in the upward compression stroke of the piston 9 which, as"

shown in the drawings, has just reached the limit of that stroke. The excess pressure, or overcharge, as in the first instance, will unseat the other of the valves 22' for movement of that charge toward and into the passage l6 at the engine having the piston 6, these overcharges being subsequently-parts of further fresh gas charges withdrawn, are the amounts that balance the charges forced into the cylinders above the pistons 6, 7 and the exact amount displaced by their pistons in said travel.

Naturally, when the lighter air at higher altitudes is inducted the valves 22 will be opened at the same pressures as at low altitudes but following higher positions of the pistons, i. e., longer 'travels thereof so that the same exact cubic charges will still be placed in the cylinders 4, 5 although, of course, the overcharges will be less due to lighter air.

The pistons B, -9 each has a cubic displacement 42% greater than the displacement of either piston 6, 1. That is to say, the cubic displacement of pistons 8, 9 each with a stroke of one inch is 42% greater than the cubic displacement of either piston 6, I having a stroke of but one inch and'three quarters.

Naturally, each piston 8, 9 in its descent for intake of gases will create a vacuum within its cylinder that may tend to unseat the valve 22 above it. If the vacuum is sufiicient to overcome the spring tension on said valve, or in addition thereto, if pressure of gas is on the valve at the same time said valve might unseat and thus the proper joint functioning of the two engines would be interfered with by premature release of pressure, with consequent insuflicient charges introduced into the power cylinders. For this reason each valve is hooded by a described cupped member 22 so that a formed vacuum cannot affect it. Thus provided, the valves can be un-seated only by gas pressure, that is to say such pressures as have been predetermined by the tension of the springs. However, other ways for accomplishing the same end may, of course, be employed.

At sea level any well known method of calculating for the setting of the valves '22 may be employed so that they will each be unseated at a given pressure at any altitude. Naturally unseating of the valve will occur at shorter travels of the piston 8, 9 at or near sea levels than in the more rarified atmospheres. In other words greater travels of these pistons would be required progressively as altitudes become greater.

The intake of the gasses may be in excess of charges needed by the power cylinder of either engine to function at any altitude, this excess overflowing into the opposite pressure cylinder as the piston in the latter recedes in its intake stroke. Thus all fuel mixture is used and no more is drawn from the intake manifold than required to supply a deficiency, should there be such.

Important is the fact that the single intake for fuel mixture supplies both engines so that a proper mixture for one of them is correct for the other, all other conditions being equal. Thus by a correct carburetor setting the twin engines work together as a unit in perfect coordination, a smoothly operating mechanism being assured.

At sea level the operation of the unit is like that of any conventional engine unit, overcharg" ing occurring as high flying levels are attained.

The power units composed of twin engines .as

herein provided may be multiplied for providing power plants of greater power, a single crank shaft serving all of such units, naturally.

In employing my invention with Diesel engines air charges only, of course, are'inducted by auxiliary pistons. These air charges are then injected into the power cylinders, and finally mixed with separately injected fuel therein to create firing charges during the compression strokes of the power pistons. Any overcharge of air, i. e., charges above the set requirements for such engines are still passed through the valves 22 but are finally discharged into the outer air in any desired manner as surplus. As may be seen, thereiore, the said valves 22 in effect meter the charges in any engine, whether overcharging explosive mixtures as in the earlier description herein, or as in said Diesel engines where the overcharges are charges of air only.

While I have adapted my invention to an engine of the two cycle type it may also be adapted to a four cycle engine, in principle.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a pair of companion engines of the two cycle type jointly forming power unit and each including power piston and power cylinder, and including also a pressure piston and a compression cylinder, the latter to confine pressures set up by the former, like pistons of each engineacting in opposite directions, there being a transfer port in a wall of the compression cylinder of each engine in communication with the bore of that cylinder when the pressure piston is begnining its compression stroke, said port having communication with a source of fuel mixture, there also being a port in a wall of the power cylinder to communicate with the bore of the latter at the end of the fuel intake stroke of said power piston, said port and the first named port being communicable with each other and with the fuel source, there being a single avenue of communication between the bores of the compression cylinders of the two engines with each other, the two named ports of each engine also communicable jointly with the named avenue, a valve case lying in said avenue comprising two separatepassages, and an elastically controlled valve in each passage and normally seated to close communication through said avenue and adapted to be unseated separately in opposite directions by pressures set up alternately in said compression cylinders by the pistons therein for directing pressure from one of each cylinder of one engine into the power cylinder of the companion engine in alternate order.

2. A power unit including in its construction a pair of engines of the two cycle type, each engine including a power piston and its cylinder, and a pressure piston and a pressure cylinder for compression of gases, there being two passageways connecting the bores of the pressure cylinders, said bores being otherwise noncommunicable with each other, there being a port in each power cylinder and a port in each pressure cylinder communicable with a source of fuel mixture, the said ports of one engine being c0mmunicable with but one of said passages, and an elastically controlled valve in each passage normally seated and closing communication between the bores of said pressure cylinders, said valves adapted to be separately unseated in opposite directions by pressure set up alternately by the pressure pistons of the engines, and means for adjusting each valve mechanism to hold it seated except under a given gas pressure thereon.

3. A power unit including in its construction a pair of engines of the two cycle type, each engine including its power piston and cylinder, and havins a pressure piston and a pressure cylinder for compression of gases, a pair of passageways connecting the bores of the pressure cylinders, there being a port in each power cylinder and a port in each pressure cylinder communicable with a source of fuel mixture, said ports of one engine being communicable with but one of said passageways, a valve case seated between the engines and open at opposite sides forming communications with the bores of both pressure cylinders, said case being divided into two compartments separate one from the other, a valve mounted in each compartment one of them arranged to open in a direction opposite to that of the other, and a spring to hold each valve elastically in'its seat.

4. A power unit including in its construction a pair of engines of the two cycle type, each engine including its power piston and its cylinder, and having a pressure piston and a pressure cylinder for compression of gases, a pair of passageways connecting the bores of the pressure cylinders, there being a port in each power cylinder and a port in each pressure cylinder communicable with a source of fuel mixture, said ports of each engine being separately communicable with one of the said passageways, a valve case seated between the engines and open at opposite sides forming a passage therethrough communicating with both pressure cylinders, said case being divided into two compartments separate one from the other, a valve mounted in each compartment, one arranged to open in a direction opposite to that of the other, a spring to hold each valve elastically in its seat and, means to adjust the tension of the spring of each valve for setting each of the latter to open at a given pressure of a gas thereagainst.

5. A power unit including in its construction a pair of engines of the two cycle type, each engine including a power piston and its cylinder, and having a pressure piston and a pressure cylinder for compression of gases, a pair of passageways connecting the bores of the pressure cylinders, there being a port in each power cylinder and a port in each pressure cylinder communicable with a source of fuel mixture, said ports of one engine being communicable with but one of said passageways, a valve box seated between the engines and open at opposite sides forming a communication between both pressure cylinders, said case being divided into two compartments separate one from the other, a valve mounted in each compartment one arranged to open in a direction opposite to that of the other, a spring to hold each valve elastically in its seat, means to adjust the tension of the spring of each valve for setting eachof the latter to open at a given pressure, and means for preventing unseating of the valves.

6. A power unit including in its construction two internal combustion engines, each engine having a pressure cylinder and a piston therefor in addition to the power piston of each, the two pressure pistons having opposite directions of travel, and like pistons having opposite direction of travel in the two engines and all of them arranged to draw from a fuel mixture source, the pressure cylinders of the engines being normally noncommunicable, there being a pair of passages communicable with both said cylinders, an elastically controlled valve in each passage normally closing each said passage, and adapted to be unseated in opposite directions each in the direction of a different cylinder, and means for setting each valve to unseat under a given pressure of gas thereagainst, pressures from the two pres- 8 sure cylinders adapted in alternate order to 'un- 'seatthe valves, the gases under pressurein one engine of the two being forced into the firing chamber of the other engine in alternate order. '7. A power unit including in its construction two internal combustion engines of the two cycle type, each having'an auxiliary piston and cylinder in additionto its power piston and a cylinder for compressing gas charges from afuel source common to both engines, there bein a cavity adjacent each engine to communicate with the firing chambers thereof wherein to receive compressed fuel charges set up by said auxiliary pistons, a pair of separate normally elastically seated valves normally separating said cavities one from the other, the valves adapted to separately unseat in opposite directions each toward a recess under the pressure charges so set up, said charges being separately forced into the firing chambers of opposite chambers in alternate order.

8. A power unit including in its construction two internal combustion engines of the two cycle type, each having an auxiliary piston and cylinder in addition to its power piston and cylinder for compressing gas charges from a fuel source common to both engines, there being a cavity adjacent each engine to communicate with the firing chambers thereof wherein to receive compressed fuel charge set up by said auxiliary pistons, a pair of separate normally elastically seated valves normally separating said cavities one from the other, the valves adapted to 'separatelyunseat in opposite directions each toward a recess under the pressure charges so set up, said charges being separately forced into the firing chambers of 0ppositechambers in alternate order and means to vary the degree with which the valves are elastically seated whereby they may be unseated by varying predetermined pressure charges. I

9. A power unit including in its construction a pair of internal combustion engines having power pistons operating in contrary directions, a separate pressure piston on each engine for'intaking and compressing fuel charges, the same operating in contrary directions, and each operating in a direction contrary to the travel of the power piston of the same engine of which. each said pressure piston is a part, there bein a port for intake of fuel to both said pressure pistons, there also being a passage arranged to communicate with thecylinders of the power pistons while having communication also with the cylinders of the pressure pistons and with said port, said passage being separated in a part thereof into two passageways, an elastically seated valve in each passageway adapted to unseat in separate order in opposite directions, each in the direction of a given engine, the compression stroke of the pressure piston of one engine adapted to force a gas charge through said passageupon the power piston of the same engine, said charge also unseating the valve directed toward the companion engine when the pressure of such gas charge is in excess of that required for the named power piston.

,10. The invention as defined by claim 9, including means for setting each valve to unseat at a predetermined pressure thereupon.

11. A power unit including in its construction a pair of internal combustion engines having power pistons operating in contrary directions, a pressure pistonrat each engine for intaking and compressing fuel charges, the same operating in contrary directions and each operating in a direction contrary to the travel of the power piston for the same engine of which each said pressure piston is a part, there being a passage between the power-piston cylinders, said passage being divided into two separate passageways, an elastically controlled valve in each passageway adapted to unseat under pressure in opposite directions, the Wall of each cylinder having a port, the ports communicating with the said passage and with each other through the latter when one or the other of the valves is unseated, said pas sage also being in communication with both pressure-piston cylinders and communicating with the source of fuel mixture, the power pistons in their travel exposing and closing the named ports, the compressing stroke of the pressure piston of one engine adapted to force a gas charge through the said passage upon the power piston of the same engine, said charge also unseating the valve directed toward the companion engine when such charge is in excess of that required at the named power piston.

12. A power unit including in its construction a pair of internal combustion engines including their power pistons operating simultaneously in contrary directions, a separate pressure piston in each engine for intaking and compressing iuel charges, each operating contrary to the travel oi the power piston of the engine of which power piston is a part, and each having a greater displacement area than that of its corresponding power piston, there being a port for intake of fuel charges to both pressure pistons, there also being a passage arranged to communicate with the cylinders of the pressure pistons and with said port, a valve casing having two separate and in-' to alternately unseat the valves and force fuel charges through and beyond the valves toward and into power-piston cylinders when the pressure of fuel charges are in excess of those normally required for such power pistons, the said valve casing having a cavity separate from and in line with each bore thereof, there being a port leading from each cavity into the named passage, there also being a port leading from each cavity to the atmosphere, and a piston in each cavity each as a part of one of the named elastically seated valves, each of the last named pistons adapted to alternately expose one of the named ports of a cavity, and to close the other port during the seating and unseating of said valves.

RICHARD H. KNAUSS.

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