US348998A - place - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets Sheet 1.

J. P. PLACE.

(No Model.)

GAS ENGINE.

d pt. 14,1886.

Patent [Java/2181'. %9%

5 SheetsSheet 2.

J. F. PLACE.

(No Model.)

GAS ENGINE.

Patented Sept. 14

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. F. PLACE.

GAS ENGINE. No. 348,998. Patented Sept. 1% 1886.

JAMES FRANK PLACE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

' GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 348,998, dated September 14. 1886.

Application filed February 3, 1886. Serial No. 190,092. (No model.)

To all 1071 0712, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES FRANK PLACE,

a citizenof the United States, and aresidcnt of the city, county, and State of New Y,ork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GasEngines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of gasengines in which the explosive charge is compressed before ignition and expanded successively in two cylinders after ignitionviz., compound compression gas-engines; and my 1 5 invention consists in variousimproved devices and combinations of devices having for their object, respectively, a high range of expansion of the burned gases, the conversion into work of a larger proportion of the heat in said gases than has heretofore been attainable, the

' thorough mixing of the air and gas before ignition, the reliable ignition of the explosive charge, and the regulation of the engine by varying automatically the volume of the eX- 1 plosive charge without varying its degree of inflammability. y

In the accompanying drawings similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Figure 1. is a vertical section through the center line of my engine, some of the parts, however, which are too small to illustrate properlyin section on this scale, and which are shown on a larger scale in the other fig- 5 ures, being represented in elevation. Fig. 2 is a. vertical section of the igniting-valve and its seat and backing-plate through the same vertical plane as that of Fig. 1, and represents this valve in the position which it occupies 0 just before an ignition takes place. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the backing-plate for the igniting-valve. Fig. 4 is a view of the vent or chimney ports in the backing-plate of the igniting-valve. Fig. 5isavert-ical section of the igniting-valve through the same plane,

as Fig. 2, and shows the valve in the position which it occupies when at the lowest point of its course between two ignitions. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on line C D of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section on line E F of Fig. 2. Fig. Sis a diagram showing the relative positions and movements of the ignitand compressing pump. Fig. 10 shows this pump in vertical section, illustrating the construction of its admission and emission valves, (l

and also shows in elevation the governor rep resented in plan in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents a horizontal section of the combined gas and air valves through which the gas and air under com pressionare admitted to the ignitingchamber. Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-section at line G H of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a vertical crosssection of the two cylinders, showing the pistons at half-strokeand illustrating the position occupied by the slide-valve which operates the cylinders when the pistons are at half-d'ownstroke. Fig. 14 is a plan of the pistons. Fig. 15'isa vertical cross-section of a portion of the largefcylinder, showing the po- -sition occupied by the slide-valve when the pistons arc at'half-upstroke. Fig. 16'represents two theoretical diagrams, respectively, of the 7 5 gaspump and of the air-compressing cylinder, and serves to furnish agraphic illustration of my method of varying the volume of the explosive charge without at- .any time varying its degree of inflammability.

Referring to Fig. 1, it is seen that my engine is shown of the vertical inverted type,

with the cylinders steepled or tandemthat is, set one above and in line with the other the two pistons being attached to the one pis- 8 5 ton-rod and connecting-rod, and operating one crank-pin. I do not wish to restrict myself. in this application to the vertical type of engine, as my engine can be built and operated horizontal, and all parts of the following-dc o scription would apply to this latter type, with the exception that the terms pistons moving up or down, upstroke, and down-. stroke, should read, for a horizontal engine, pistons moving in or out, instroke, and 5 outstrokc, &c. 1 is the frame or housing of the engine. 2 are the main bearingsof the crank-shaft 3. fare thecranks. his the connecting-rod, attached to the cross-head 6, working on the slides 7. 8 is the piston-rod, which I00 is hollow, closed at its upper end by the capnut 16, and open at its lower end inthe crosshead 6. 9 is the large or low-pressure'cylinder, which is double-acting,'and in which is 10.15116 gland fitted the piston 17. This cylinder is surmounted 'by the small' or high-pressure cylinder 18. This latter is single-acting, and in it is fitted the plunger 19, attached to and concentric with the piston 17. The plunger 19 is only fitted loosely to its cylinder 18, and the joint around it and between the two cylinders is formed by the packing 20 at the mouth of] the cylinder 18, which packing is secured by 21, and is keptcooled off by a waterjacket, 22, formed in the walls of the cylinder 18, and through which a circulation of water is maintained while the engine is in operation. This water-jacket 22, however, is shaped so as to merely surround the packing without extending far enough to chill the working-surfaces of the cylinder. Both the cylinders 9 and 18 are surrounded with jackets or cl othing,15,,

of non-conducting materialsueh, for in- 20 stance, as mineral wool-and the plunger 19,

' which is cast hollow, is filled with similar mat erial. The piston 17 (see, also, Figs. 13, 14, and 15) is cast hollow, the cored part being represented by 24. Two or more apertures, 23,

attached and through the sides of said piston-rod, establish a communication from the core 24 of the piston 17 through the apertures 32, the hollow rod 8, and the cross-head 6 to 0 the atmosphere. The flange 25, formed on the 18 is cast or attached a chamber, 27, which I.

call the igniting or explosion chamber.

' 4 To this chamber is attached the i gniting-valve,

and it is in this chamber that the explosive charge of compressed air and gas is ignited at the beginning of each and every downward stroke of the pistons.

A port, 28, connects the chamber 27 and the cylinder 18. On the sideof the cylinder 9 is planed a valve-seat,

on which operates the slide-valve 29, worked by the eccentric 14, set at quarters with the main-erank pin. The valve 29 is held to its 0 seat by the backing-plate or cover 30, secured ,inplace by the studs 31, provided with the springs 32, 'forholding the valveto its seat, said springs being of suttieient tension to counteract any pressure tending to force the valve 29 oft its seat. The valve 29 regulates three -ports, 33,34, and 35. The port 33 leads from thevalve-seat to the upper end of the cylinder 5 18. The port34 leads from the valve-seat to the lower end of cylinder 9, and the third port,

6 35, leads from the valve-seat to the exhaustpipe 45. The valve 29 has a recess, 37, in its face, which is of sufficient width to put in communication alternately the ports 33 with 34 and 34 with 35 without it being possible,

however, for the ports 33 and 35 to be in direct' communication-with each other at any time. In the port 33 is a port, 38, opening ing from the port 38 to the receiver 44.

in the hub "to which the hollow piston-rod 8 is to one side'off the valveseat. I Tothis port 38 is attached a pipe, 39, leading to an outside.

tank or receiver, 44,with anintervening stopvalve, 41, and check-valve40, the latter openthe pipe 39, is provided a branch or by-pass pipe, 42, with a stop-valve, 43, which by-pass serves to establish a communication between I the receiver 44 and the port 38, without making use of the part of the pipe 39 on which are located the stop-valve 41 and the checkvalve 40. At the upper'part of th'eupper or compressor end oft-he large cylinder 9 is a port, 122, throughmhich the contents of that end of the cylinder 9 'maybe discharged into the pipe 51, which latter carries them to the combined air andg'as admission valve 56. On

the pipe 51, as close as possible to the cylinder 9, is located a check-valve opening from the cylinder out. This valve is not represented in these drawings, as it is behind the cylinder; but its position is indicated in Figs. 1 and 13 by 132, and I shall designate the Valve by that number in this description. Thenot shown attached directly to the pipe 51 is valve 56. It is made to lead the contents of the upper end of cylinder 9 on their way to said valve first to a regulator or economizer, 46. This economizer, constructed on the same general lines as an ordinary steamengine surface-condenser, consists of three superposed or" successive contiguous chambers, 52, 54, and 53, separated from each other, respectively, by the tube- sheets 47 and 48, in which-are secured the open tubes 49; These tubes form a eonneetionbetween the chambers 52mm 53. The pipe. 51 delivers its contents at one end of the chamber 54, and from the other end of said chamber apipe, 55,

carries them to the above-mentioned valve 56.

The port 35 (when the valve. 29 uncovers it) allows the contents of the lower end of the cylinder 9 to be exhausted into the exhaust-pipe 45. This pipe may be led to any convenient point,.but is shown in this case attached to the chamber 52 of thecconomizer 46. Therefore gases exhausted through the port 35 traverse the chamber 52;hence through the tubes 49 pass into the chamber 53, and from that the. pipe 45% are led to waster 10 is the power-pulley of the engine. 11 is the flywheel. 12 is an eccentric, which. operates the gas measuringand compressing pump 64. 13 is an eccentric, which operates the ignitingvalve 58. 69 is a pulley, which runs the gov ernor 66 bymeans of the belt 70 and shaft123, bevel-geared with the governor-shaft or spindle 108, and supported on a suitable bracket,

through In Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, which. are intended to illustrate the construction of the ig niting-valve, 58 represents the said valve. This valve works back and forth on a seat, 97, formed on thevertical outer end of the explosion or ignition chamber 27, this seat 97 not being the outer wall proper of the chamber 27, but being cast away from it, although connected to it the webs or ribs 63, and by the webs 124. These latter surround the port 80 1 on the face 97, forming around this port a.

' of the chamber 27.

- admitted to the igniting-chamber 27.

pocket orchannel, 7 7 whichextends into the chamber 27, and which has also a lateral extension between' the-face 97 and the end wall To this lateral extension is attached the pipe 57, leading from the combined gas and air admission valve 56, so that this valve may discharge its contents into the pocket 7-7.." -.From the pocket 77 the gases are As the charge leaves the pocket 77 to enter the eham ber 27, it meetsi'the deflecting-plate 78, which causes the charge to bethrown out to the sides of the chamber '27 at the same time that a slightconical inclination to the end wall of the chamber gives a slightlyrforward direction to are faced off parallel with the the flow, the effect of both deflections on the current of entering charge resulting in thedirection illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The deflecting-plate 78 is secured in place by means of a-set of lugs, 79, cast on the inside of the end'wall' of the chamber 27 around the mouth of pocket 77, the ends of which lugs 79 face 97, to re-. ceive the deflectingpla'te 78; Thelugs 79 are so shaped thattheir sides deviate from the radii of a circle, and therefore. the entering charge, in addition to the deflection which it receives from the plate 78',- is given a whirling motion by passing 79, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7.

Below the lowerweb, 63,'on the face 97, is

eurel'y bolted together with an intervening 'layer of wire-gauze, 91, and the two halves of the valvcj are so shaped that when put together with the gauze 91 three compartments or-lobes are formed, 88,89, and 90, the chamber 88 being on the side nearest theigniting-chamber 27, and the chambers 89 and 90 being in the opposite half of the valve. The valve 58 is faced on both sides, one side running on the seat 97, whilethe other side is pressed upon by the plate or cover 59, held up to its seat by the studs 61, provided with the springs 74, of suflicicnt tension to withstand any pressure tending to throw the valve off the seat 97.

In the face of the valve, and opening into the lobe 88, are the ports Stand 87, while in the tance above the port 83. 'A hole, 126, is'

d illed horizontally from one side of the plate dinary ball type,

between the lugs -zontal planeas the center line of 'zont-al.

A suitable spring,

59 to its center, where it meets another hole,

86, drilled with an upward slant from the face of said plate 59 just above the port 92. The

,hole 126 is made toeonnect with the pipe'125,

juring and compressing pump 64, governor66, and combined air and gas admission valve 56, 66 represents the governor,which is of the orthe spring 109 being intend ed to draw the balls to the center, and the centrifugal force causing them to fly apart. The governor is here shown at rest. The governor is set on the end of the horizontal shaft 108,

which run'sfiu suitable bearings. (Not shown in these drawings.) This shaft is bevel-geared with the shaft 123, run by the belt70andpul? ley 69, and is at right angles to the plane of section .Fig. 1, in which therefore the gov ernor only appears in end elevation. The outer end of the governor can play back and forth upon the end of the shaft 108,-while the other end is securedfirmly thereto by the setscrew 128. the shaft 108, isinthe shapev of the ball-and socket joint'99,which catches the ball 129 of the link 100. The other end of the link ishinged to a piece or fitting, 102103, composed of a round straight part, 103, the center line of which is parallel with and on thesame horishaft 108, and of a pointed toe-shapedpart, 1'02, extending an the other side of the pin 101, which is the hinge or pivot by means of which thelink 100 is attached .to the piece'102 103. In a horizontal bearing, 105, carried by or supported upon the 'head72 of the pump 64,the axis of which bearing is normal to that of the shaftlOS, lies' The outer end,beyond'the end of a short shaft or trunnion, 106, havingoutside of the bearing 105 on one side 'a header cross piece, 104;, and on the other side aprojecting end, to which is keyed or otherwise securely attached an arm, 107. The head 104 is bored at right/angles to thenxisof106,toreceive the round part 103 of the piece 102 103, as shown very distinctly in Fig. 9, a plan in which the head 10 on the shaft 106 has been shown in section to illustrate the connection between it and the piece 102 103. The arm 107 is set so as to stand vertical when the piece 103'is hori- The arm 107 is attached to the stem of the valve 111, which valve serves to close the opening between the two chambers 112 and 113,formed in the head 72 of the gas-pump 64. 110, tends to draw the lever 107 toward the pump, andthereb'y to close the valve 111, the valve being closed when the arm 107 stands, as shown, vertical, or about so.

The chamber 112 is connected to the gas-sup ply through the opening 130. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The chamber 113 is connected with the chamber 112, as stated above, through the I opening controlled by the valve 111, and is connected to the pump-barrel by means of the ports 11.4, a number of which are drilled in a circle. A false head,131,is provided, through .111, through the chamber 113, and through the ports 114, and under the .valve 115, the valve 117 being drawn to its seat during this period of admission, and that during the returner compression stroke the gas is forced out of the pump by the piston through the ports 116 and beyond the valve 117 into the annular recess or chamber 118, the valve 115 having during this time been held to its seatby the pressure in the pump. The discharge recess or chamber 118 in the head 72 is connected to the pipe 73, which leadsthe compressed gas to the combined air and gas valve 56. This valve, or, rather, this fitting, is

'made, as shown, in several pieces, which,

when put together, assume the shape of a T. The main or straight channel, at either side of its junction with the lateral'one, is contracted, and-asleeve or tube of wire-gauze,

121, the axis of which c'oincideswi'th that of the main channel, is slipped and secured between the two contractions above referred to. An annular space, 127, closed at both ends, is thereby formed between the body of the fitting 56 and the tube of wire-gauze 121 This annular space is in direct com munication with the lateral branch of the T, while it has no communication with the main channel except through the wire-gauze 121. The pipe 73, attached to the lateral branch of the T, brings to the annular space 127 the gas compressed by the gas-pump 64, an intervening cheek-valve, 120, being provided in the fitting 56, and the pipe 55 brings the compressed fluid from the compressor end of the large cylinder 9 to one end of the main channel, provided, also, with a check valve, 119. The other end of the main channelisfastened to the pipe 57 which leads to the port 77, Fig. 2, and-hence to the igniting-chamber 27.

I will now describe the working of my engine, showing first how it operates as a whole,

and taking up afterwards the different parts and describing their individual mechanism and mode of operation. I wish tostate at the outset that owing to lack of room the receiver 44 and the economizer 46, Fig.1, are shown neither in' actual working proportions as regards tion which they would occupy in practiee,be-

most convenient of erection.

ing represented, in fact, without any apparent support. both these appliances may be set wherever If desired, the receiver 44 could-be formed by coring out .portions of the frame of the engine, &c. In Fig.

' cover and the port 35 is closed.

through the ports of its .course,

the rest of the engine nor in the posi-' This, however, is immaterial, as.

' through the port 1 the engine is on its upper center, in the position it occupies just before the ignition of the charge of gas and air contained in the igniting-chamber 27. eccentric 14 of which is at right angles to the. cranks) is in mid-position, and both theports 33 and 35 are covered. As the explosion occurs, the burned gases force down the plunger 19 and the piston 17, to which it is attached, and the slide-valve 29, which is ahead of the pistons, also travels downward and uncoversthe port 35, thereby permitting the contents of the lower end\ of the cylinder 9 to exhaust through port 34, cavity 37, and port 35 into The slide-valve 29 (thethe pipe 45. As the piston 17 goes down, the

check-valve 132 on the pipe 51 closes anda partial vacuum is formed in the upper part of cylinder 9, which causes the valves 26 to open and atmospheric air to be admitted from the outside through the cross-head 6, (which should be designed to simulate in shape at its lower end the mouth of a funnel,) the .hollow piston rod 8, the ports 23, the core 24 of the piston 17 and the valves 26 into the upper part of said cylinder 9.. At mid-stroke going down the parts assume the positionshown in Fig. 13. The valves 26 are off their seats, the course of the air entering the .upper port of cylinder 9 being represented by arrows, and the valve 29 has reached the limit of its down ward stroke, opening the port 35- to its full extent. It should be stated that the eccentric 12,

which operates the gas-pump 64, is set with the cranks, so that the strokes of said pump are synchronous with those of the pistons. At the same time, therefore, that the pistons are going down and a charge of air is being drawn into the upper end of the cylinder 9, the pumppiston is going down and drawing in acharge of gas. At the end of the stroke, when the crank-pin reaches its lower center, the valve 29 is again in the position shown in Fig. 1, with'the difference that it is now on its upward stroke, with the result that, as soon as the center is passed, the port 33 begins to unthe burned gases, which have already been expanded anddonework in thecylinder 1.8, to pass 33 and 34 into the lower end of cylinder 9, and on account of the difference in the areas of the two cylinders the burned gases force the pistons upward, in doing which the said gases are further expanded and do additional work. In mid-position on the upstrokethe valve 29 reaches the highest point as shown in Fig. 15viz., the port 33 is wide open, and duringthe last half of the upstroke the-valve gradually'lowers, till, as the center is reached, it again assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the cranks turn, the lower center and the pistons begin theirupward stroke, the-valves 26 close, and the air with which the upper part of the cylinder 9 was filled during the downst-roke, is compressed by the piston 17 and forced out the pipe 51, to the combined air and gas ad- This causes 122,-the check-valve 132 and mission valve 56. The gas-pump 64 likewise compresses during the upstroke the gas which it drew in during the downstroke, and forces it through the pipe 73 to the same valve 56. From the valve 56, both the gas and the air which mingle therein enter the chamber 27, and when theupstroke is Completed, the parts all being in the position shown in Fig, 1, the igniting-valve, operated by, the eccentric 13, causes the explosive charge in the chamber 27 to be fired and the cycle of operations above described to be repeated.viz., on the downstroke expansion of the burned gases in the high-pressure cylinder 18, expulsion of fullyexpanded gases from-lower end of low-pressure cylinder-9, admission of air to the upper end of said cylinder, and admission of gas to thegas-pump, and on the up or return stroke admission of gases from high-pressure cylinder 18 to the lower'end of. low-pressure cylinder 9, and their further expansion therein compression of air in the upper or compressor end of low-pressure cylinder 9, compression of gas in the gas-pump, and admission to the chamber 27 of afresh charge of gas andair for explosion at the beginning of the next 7 downward stroke.

The receiver'or tank 44 is used to storeat periods when the engine is running a suflicient amount of the gases under pressure to start up the engine again after the .next stoppage by admitting said gases to the cylinders. This is done in the following manner: While the engine is running, the valve 43 being closed,

thevalve 41' is opened. 7 At every explosion a certain amount of the gases is forced through port 38, pipe 39, check-valve 40, and valve 41' into the receiver 44. Neither can the gases escape into the low-pressure cylinder when .-up .or return stroke, as they are retained by the port 33 is open to the port 34 during the the check-valve 40. When, after a few strokes, the pressure in the receiver 44' has reached theinitial pressure of the explosion, which is the maximum to be obtained, t-he valve 41. should be 'shut off. After a stoppage, when it is'desired to use the pressure stored in the receiver 44 to start up the engine, it is only necessary to open the valve 43, by doing which the contents of the receiver 44 are allowed to escape through the port 38 and the bypass pipe 42 into the port 33.' On the downstroke, when the valve 29 covers the port 33, the pressure acts on the high-pressure plunger 19 alone, On the upstroke, when'the port-33 is open to the port34, the pressure acts on the plunger 19 and on the lower side of piston 1'7,-as well causing them to move upward on account of their difference'in area, and at the same time air and gas are forced into the igniting-chamber for explosion at the next downward stroke.

In the preceding description of the operation of my improved gas-engine, I have re ferred to the expulsion of the fully-expanded gases from the lower end of the cylinder 9 withoutstat-ing where such gases areled, and

adjunct to its eflic'iency, The drawings show plainly how a certain amount'of the heat'still contained in the spent gases from the lower end'of cylinder 9 may be transmitted through the surface of the tubes 49, which said gases traverse on their way to waste to the contents of the upper endof cylinder 9 on their way from said cylinder through pipe '51, middle compartment,'54, and'pipe. 55 to the valve'56. The calorimeter of the tubes 49, or, in other words, their aggregate internal cross-section,

should exceed considerably the cross-section of the exhaust-pipe-45, so as to avoid causing back-pressure, and it should benoted, also,that the radiating-surface of said tubes should be very ample on account of the low terminal 1 temperature of the gases due to their unusually large expansion in the two cylinders. 1

An important advantage of my engine lies; in the absence of water-jackets in contact with or in proximity with-that portion of the cylinder-walls in whichthe expansion of the burned gases takes place. Such a disposition is made possible by the use of the lodseplunger 19 and touch the walls of the cylinder 18, it is obvious that. no cooling of the walls of said cylinder is required. By the time the gases, after loo the packing 20. As the plunger l9-does not being expanded in the'high-pressure cylinder, f

are allowed to further expand in the lower end of the low-pressure one on the return-stroke, their temperature has already fallen sufliciently to make it practicable town the piston 17 lubricated. --'Ihe packing 20 around the plunger'19 forms a joint around the said plunger and also between the two cylinders. this packing tight without cutting it, I sur-- round. it with the water-jacket 22; .but this jacket does not extend beyond the packing,

with ordinary packing-rings and to keep them To run and to facilitate matters I make the cylinder .13 and the plunger 19 very long, so that the upper end of the plunger-19, which is the hottest, never enters the packing, even on the lower center, and, in fact, is even at that point some distance'above it. By this arrangement, .v as will readily be understood, and by-the thorough jacketing of all exposed surfaces with the non-conducting material 15, no heat is abstracted from the exploded gases, except by expansion -that is, by doing work-and a very great efliciency must be developed from my engine asthe natural result of the construction described.

The igniting-valve 58 operates in. the following manner: Its eccentric-is set,jas shown in diagram Fig. 8, later than the crank-pin, so

6 I I K:

that when the latter is on its upper center at A the valve has still to perform-a portion of its upward stroke, represented by the are a b of its eccentric and equal in length to the width of the igniting-port'81. In other words, when the engine is on its upper center the igniting- ,valve is, as shown in Fig.2, still on its upward stroke and on the point of opening the port 81 to the port 80 on the seat 97. Before 10 this port closes again it is evident that the valve must travel downward an amount equal 4 to'the width of the port 81; or, to put it differe'ntly, its eccentric must reach the point A so that the port 81 has been open during a pe- I5 riod represented by the are a b a, of the eccentric corresponding to the are A A, of the crankpin, (in these drawings about one-quarter of a revolution.) The. igniting'valve at this stage has therefore returned to the position shown in 4 Fig. 2, with the diflerence that it isnow on its downward stroke. As it keeps on going down,

', it opens the port 82 to the chimney-ports 85, so as" to purge the three lobes 88, 89, and 90 of the burned gases with which they are filled. As the valve recedes a little farther, the port 83 comes opposite the port 92, and the port 87 comes opposite the port 94, and by the draft of the chimney 60' the flame 95 is drawn throughtheports 91 and .87 into the o lo'be 88. Thedr'aft of the chimney 60 also causes air to be drawn from the atmosphere through ports 92 and 83int0 the lobe 90; then through the gauze 91 to the lobe 88, hence through the gauze 91 again to the lobe 89, and 3 5 through the ports 82 and 85 to the chimney 60. The hole 86, however,which is now uncovered to, the groove 96 on the reverse face of the valve, allows gas to escape from the supplypipe 125 and port 126 into the port 92, which 40 gas is mingled anddrawn in with theentering air through port 83. When this mixtii re passes .the wire'gauze 91 and enters the lobe 88, it becomes ignited by" contact with the flame 95 and burns on the face of the wiregauze, as shown in Fig. 5. In this Fig. 5the igniting-valve is shown in its extreme lowest position. As the valve moves up, it successively closes the ports 94 and 92 and the chim: ney-p0rts 85, (as well as the port 86;) but the 0 flame still lingers on the gauze 91, and when, the port 81 is opened to the'port 80 this flame,

valve 56 serves to mix the air and gas compressed, respectively, by the compressor end of the low-pressure cylinder and by the gas:

'pump,and by its construction and--itslocation' as close aspossible'to the chamber 27 =itdoes' away with the necessity of havingin'any. part of the engine, except beyond this. valve, an

explosive mixture of air and gas, .as this'valve only allows the air and gas tomix in such amountsand at such times as it is required to introduce a fresh explosivecharge in the igniting-chamber- 27.

Reference to the draw ings and to the description of this valve given 7 above shows without further explanation how it acts and how the current of air'passing through the gauze-tube 121 draws the gas from the-annular space 127 through the meshes,

of said gauze-tube.

- I will now describe the operation of thegovern'or and the gas-measuring pump. The object of my governoris to regulate the speedof the engine by varyingthe amount of gas admitted to the engine for each explosion. This, I am aware, is a feature possessed by other existing engines; but my method and the devices I eln ploy difler, essentially, from any heretofore in use, in the'fact that while by all other methods any variation in the amount of gas admitted to theengine must necessarily alter the degree of inflammability of the explosive charge, and

therefore make the explosion uncertain or imperfect, the use of my method, while it involves a variation .of the amount of explosive charge admitted to the engine, insures by positive means a uniform'degree of inflammability to each and every charge. By my meth- 1 .od the volume or amount of gas only is variedby the actionvof the governor; but the relative proportions of gas and atmospheric air in each and every charge,-whether large or small, is independentaltogether of the fluctuations of the governor, and is made dependent only upon one constant element-viz., the relative displacements of the gas-pump and the airconipressing cylinder. The toe or tappet 67 is attached permanently to some moving part of the engine. In this case itis shown at tached to the stem 75 of the igniting'valve. The tappet isshaped so as to come under the piece 102 of the .fitting 102 and- 103, and its top is'composed of a series of steps, I II III IV V, the downward pitch of which is turned toward the governor, and the upper andlower limits of travel of which are represented by dotted lines. The dotted horizontal through the point of the toe 1.02 is the line below which this toe cannot fall, no matter how much it may be drawn in by the governor, as when the toe is on that line ,the valve 111 is closed. The governor-balls are shown close IIO line

together,which correspond with the minimum speed of engine with full load and maximum admission of gas. .The tappet 67 is set so that when the piston 98 of the gas-pump 6t is at half-stroke the step I is on the horizontal.

line through 102, and i'n contact with said toe 102. As the piston and the tappet move up,

.- by admitting gas fromthe supply through the chambers 112 and 113, the valve 111, and the ports 114. If we assume that the outer circle in Fig. 8 represents the path of the gas-pump crank or eccentric, (which is synchronous with the main cranlg) while the inner one represents that of the igniter-eecentric, then i we see that when the pump reaches the upper half of the downstroke of center at A thetoe 67 is at a position corresponding to a and'still moving upward. Vhen the crank reaches mid downstroke at A the tappet 67 is at a position corresponding to a, and, as said above, its step I reaches the horizontal line through 102, Fig. 10, and the valve 111 becomes closed. It follows then that gas was admitted during the first the gas pump. (If desired, the admission could be made to last a little longer -by a different setting-of the tappet 67. In other words, the maximum charge may be regulated at will.) After the tappet 67 has fallen below the line 102, and the valve 111 has closed, a partial vae-. mum is formed in the gas-pump during the second half of its downstroke, which vacuum is taken up again, during the first half,of its up or return stroke, so that when the pump. piston 98 reaches half-stroke on its way up the gas has recovered its admission -pressure.-

During the first half of the upstroke the piston 17 has been compressing air, and it follows that the air-pressure in the compressor end of cylinder 9 is greater at-mi'd-stroke than that pressure of the gas in the gas-pump-in other. words, that while the air and gas pistons are synchronous the former has the lead over the latter in the point of pressure. It follows,also, that when further in their upward stroke the air-pressure is sufficient to overcome the pressure in the igniting-chamber 27 and cylinder 18, and therefore the air-passes into said igniting chamber and cylinder through the valve 119, another portion of the stroke must elapse before the same pressure is also reached inihe gas-pump, and only when this occurs can the valve 120 open and gas be admitted withvthe entering air to the chamber 27. From the point where the gas begins to enter as the two pistons of the air and the gas pumps are moving together, and as the pressure in both pumps is the same, the relative amounts of gas and air introduced intothe chamber .27 depend solely upon the relative displacements of the two pumps. It

becomes evident, therefore, that even with the maximum admission of gas before any of the gas can possibly enter the igniting-chamber 27 a certain amount of pure atmospheric air must have entered first. If the speed of the engine increases. causing the governor-balls to fly out, the piece 103 slides in the head 10st, and the toe 102 is drawn in toward the governor. It follows that this toe 102, instead oi coming opposite the step I of the tappet 6'7, comes opposite a lower step, say, for illustration, the step Ill, and this step Ill being lower than the step I will let the valve close before the pump-piston has reached the mid dle of its downward stroke. The admission being closed soonerwe will say, for example,

at quarter-stroke-the pump-pistonwill draw a partial vacuum for the last three=qnarters of its downstroke and take it-up during the first three-quarters of its upstroke,'the-compression of the gas above its admission pressure only, beginning with the last quarter of the upstroke. In the meantime the air-compressor has been compressing since turning the lower center, and the lead of the pressure therein over that inthe gas-pump is'proportionately larger than it-was'with maximum admission of gas, so that the time at which the entering pressure is reached in the gaspump is postponed until a proportionately later period of the stroke. When this pressure is reached in the gas pump and only thcndoes the valve'120 open and gas mingle with the-air; but the amount of gas in proportion to the'air is the same as it was with full admission.v I nether words, in this case alarger volume of pure air entered the igniting-chamher 27 before anygas was admitted, and the introduction after that was of gasyand. air for a smaller period, but in the set proportions determi'ned by thed isplacements of the gas-pump and the air-compressor.

As many steps are provided as practice may indicate- The last step (V in this case) is set so that it does not reach the horizontal line drawn through the point 102. Therefore when the speed of the engine is such thatthe governor draws the point 102 opposite the last step no gas at allis admitted, and an explosion is missed on the following downstroke. Owingto the high expansion provided for in my engine it might happen that when an explosion is thus missed the-charge of compressed air alone thus 'nsed might be expanded below atmospheric pressure in thelow-pressure cylinder, causing a par-' tial vacuum therein, and thereby checking the engine to an undersirable extent. I A shifting; valve would naturally suggest itself, but it would be useless, as reference to the drawings will show that it such an occurrence should take place the construction of the engine automatically affords the relief required. If a vacuum should form in the lower end of-cylinder 9 on its upstroke, air would be admitted to it at once from the atmosphere through piston-rod 8, ports 23, core 24 of piston 17, valves 26, upper part or compressor end of cylinder 9, port 132, pipe 51, valve 119, chamber 27. port 28, cylinder. 18, port33, recess 37 in valve 29, and port 34, and even if a vacuum should form as early as'in the downstroke of plunger 19 the relief would be given automatically in the same way.

- The diagrams Fig; 16 show without being Ilsto anyscale the results of my governing meth od. will assume it requires to enter the ignitingchamber 27. The air-compressor reaches this Forty pounds is the pressure which we pressure at a period, (6,fl30l11 the end of its stroke, and does so at each and every stroke,

forcing at that point a certain stated volume pressure to enter. case, this diagram also shows the working of the pump at half-admission-viz., shutting off of air in the chamber 27, regardless of the variations in the speed of the engine. With the maximum admission of gas to the pump (halfstroke in this case) thegas-pump reaches the entering pressure at a period, c, from the end of its stroke, so that the charge in the explosive-cha'mber will consist, of a portion of pure air not mixed with gas, which entered first, and a portion uniformly mixed with gas throughout lying near the igniting-valve, the formercorresponding in volume to A-G, and the latter to c, the degree of infiamma-' bility of the mixture being regulated once for all by the relative displacements of the gaspump and the aircom'pressor. The mixture is indicated by all that portio'n'of the ignitingchamber diagram which is cross-sectioned. The part left white is pure ,air,'and the-gas can never enter that part, as that was putin the igniting-chamber before the gas, even at maximumadmissionfhad reached sufficient To better illustrate the the gas at quarter-stroke, a vacuum is formed for the last three-quarters of the downstroke,

is taken up during the first three-quarters of the up or return stroke, and compression above admission pressure begins with the last quarter. The volume of gas-forced in by the gaspumps corresponds tub in this case. The volume of air is represented as under all circumstances by a. It follows that a volume a'-b of pure air first enters theehamber 27 and is followed by a volume corresponding to b of mixture of the invariable degree of inflammability. In this case in the diagram ofthe chamber 27 the pure airis represented by the segment left white plus the segment in single cross section, while the segment in double cross-section represents the explosive charge, The proportional lines, connecting the airpump diagram to that of the explosive-chamber are mere construction lines,bear'ing no relation to the diagrams, except for the purpose of carrying out graphically the proportions of pure air-and explosive mixture asmeasured off the diagrams of both pumps.

It should be noted that my method of regulating the speed of the engine and the gaspump and its operating devices described in this specification are not confined in their application to the compound type of gas engines, but may be applied to advantage to any gas-engine of ahy type whatsoever. p \VhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure .by Letters Patent, is-' 1. In a compound gas-engine, the combinationof the single-acting high-pressure cylina der, low-pressure cylinder, one sideof which operates as an air-compressor, suit-able ports,

'33, 34, and 35, and slide-valve 29, .all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a compound gas-engine wherein one end of the low-pressure cylinder is used as a compressor, the hollow piston-rod, hollow piston, and inlet-valves 26, through which the fluid to be compressed may be admitted to the end of said low-pressure cylinder used as a compressor, substantially as described.

3. In a compound gas-engine constructed as described above, the port 38,0,peningto the port 33, and the pipe 39,1eadin g to' the storagetank or receiver 44,with the intervening checkvalve40, for the admission of the compressed air or products of combustion from the cylinder v 18 to the tank 44, substantially as specified.

4. In a compound gas-engine, in combination with the ports 38 and 33, pipe 39, re-

ceiver 44,'check-valve 40, the 'by-pass pipe purpose specified.

5'. In a compound gas-engine'cOnstructed 42, and valve 43, substantially as and for the asdescribed above, 'the combinatiomwith the single-acting high-pressure cylinder 18 and low-pressure cylinder 9, one end of which acts as an air-compressor, of the gas-pump 64, substantially as described.

6.- In a gas-engine in which the two elements of the explosive charges are compressed inseparate pumps, and in which the air-pump displaces a uniform volume of unmixed air at each stroke, a gas-pump, the supply of gas to which is shut-oft at varying points of its outstroke, according to the variations'of the speed of the engine, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I 7. In a gas-engine in which the two elementsof the explosive charges are compressed in separate pumps,and in which the air-pump displaces a uniform volume of unmixed air at each stroke, a speed-governor controlling a gas-supply valve to the gas-pump in such a manner as 'to close said valve at varying points of the outstroke of said pump, substantiall y as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a gas-engine in which the two elements of the explosive charges are compressed in separate pumps,and in which the air-pump displaces a uniform volume of unmixed air at each stroke,the eombination,with a gas-pump provided with suitable automatic inlet and outlet valves, and a separate gas-supply valve on the gas-supply, of a speed-governor operating said valve and causing it to close at varying points of the stroke of said pump, according to the fluctuations in the speed of the engine, substantially as described.

. 9. In a gas-engine, in'combination, the gaspump 64, governor 66, bearing 105, shaft 106, with head 104, fitting 102 103, link 100,-arm 107, valve 111 on the gas-supply to the pump, and tappet 67, with steps I II III IV V, all being operated and connected substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In agas-engine ,the T-shaped combined air and gas admission fitting 5,6,provided with air-valve 119, gas-valve 120, and sleeve of Wire-gauze'121, all substantially as and for the purpose specified. n

11. In agasv-engine, a seat for the slide igniting-valvecast off the wall proper of the pieces allowing for a circulation of air to cool off said seat, substantially as described.

12. Ina gas-engine, the deflecting-plate 78, f set at right angles to the entering charge, and

held in position by means of the lugs 79, between which the charge is compelled to pass and receives a rotary'motion, substantially as described.

13. In a gas engine, a slide igniting-valve made in two portions, secured with an intervening sheet of wire-gauze, 91, so as to form the three chambers 88, 89, and 90, substantiallyas described.

14. In a gas-engine, a slide igniting-valve held to a seat, 97, on which are the ignitingport 80 and the relighting-port 94 to the burner 95, by a spring-pressed backing-plate,

59, on which are the vent-ports 85, the chimney 60, the gas-supply port 86, and the air-supply -'port 92,said valve being made in two sections,

the

with .the intervening gauze 91 forming chambers 88 with ports 8l-and 87, 89 with port 82, and 90 with port 83, all connected and operated substantially as described.

15. In 'a compound gas-engine constructed as describedabove, the combination'of an 1 economizer, 46, with the exhaust-pipe 45', and,

Witnessesi F. J, HEUM, I J. S. SHERBURNE.

the pipe 51, leading from the compressor end of the low-pressure cylinder to the admissiono

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