US359920A - Gas-engine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

L. T. CORNELL.

GAS ENGINE.

N0. 359,920l Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

Unirnn; @rares Partnr @ariosG LEWIS T. CORNELL, OF CHICAGO, iLLlNGlS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,920, dated March 22,1887.

Application filed January. 5, 1886. Serial NoA 151,651).

To @ZZ whom, it muy concern;

Be it known that l, Lewis T. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, ofwliich the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in gasengincsin which an explosive mixture of illuminatinggas and atmospheric air is conlined within a chamber and exploded under compression in order to utilize to the fullest extent the explosive power oi'such a mixture against a piston-head.

The prime object of this invention is to combine with the exploding-chamber of a gas-engine a pocket constituting a primary exploding-chamber and communicating with the explosion-chamber ofthe engine in such a mauner and at such times that the primary ex plosion shall insure an explosion in the main chamber at regular and determinedintervals.

Another object of this invention is to produce a gas-engine in which the explosivemixture shall be compressed during the forward or in stroke and by the action ot' the piston in the exploding-chamber and without the employment of` any auxiliary compressor or pump.

A further object is to expel the products of combustion or the exploded gas from and reiill with and compress within the explodingchambcr the explosive mixture by and during a single forward or in stroke of the piston.

Further objects are to provide a piston having a double diameter,one of which parts plays in a suitable cylinder and constitutes a working-piston for supplying the explosive mixture to thc compressing-cylinder or exploding-chamber, and the other part works in the compressingcylinder and constitutes a compressing-piston adapted to first expel the products ot' combustion or exploded gas and then compress the said explosive inixturemherehy allot' these operations maybe produced by and during the forward or in stroke ot' said pis` ton; to provide a valve having a connectingchamber automatically operated to connect the inlet-port with a passage leading to the workingcylinder during the backward or out stroke ofthe piston, and to shift and connect (No model.)

said passage with the inductionport of the compressing-cylinder during' the forward or in stroke of the piston,whereby the said piston during each stroke thereof will draw in asupply of the explosive mixture from the inletpipe or reservoir and forcibly inject the same into the compressing-cylinder, and to provide a keeping-plate for said valve having a constantly'burning tlamejet for relighting the valvejet, and a pocket, constituting an auxiliary or primary explodingchamber, adapted to register with the connecting-passage in said valve when said passage registers with theinduction-port, in order to receive a supply of the explosive Vmixture simultaneously with the compressingcylinder or exploding-chamber and to receive the valvejet when said valve is at the limit of its stroke, and register with a passage through the valve leading to the iuduction-port,whereby anexplosion Iirsttakes place in said pocket and thence reverberates through said passage and the induetion-port to the explodingchamber, where it produces a second explosioinwhich acts upon the piston-head and operates the engine; also, to provide a pair of reduction-ports, one ot which is closed by the piston during its forward stroke and the other automatically just prior to the complet-ion of the forward stroke ot' the piston, whereby the products of combustion may be entirely expelled from the exploding or compressing chamber, and these outlets from the said chamber closed during the operation of lcompressing and exploding the gas; to provide a division-plate for the compressing-cylinder intermediate the induction and eduction ports, whereby the action of the iii-rushing gas or explosive mixture will eiectually expel the products of combustion or exploded gas and without materially inten mingling and escaping therewith; and, finally, to provide a governor for such an engine, whereby the speed ot' said engine may be automatically regulated and controlledn I attain these ob!)l ects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a horizontal section through an engine embodying my invention, with the piston at the limit of its backward stroke and the valve connecting the workingcylinder with the induction-port of the com- IOC drawings, Aindicates the main frame or cast-Y ing of my engine, having brackets or arms B B extending rearwardly therefrom to form bearings for the drive crank-shaft C, carrying upon its outer ends, respectively, the usual ily and belt wheels. This shaft is cranked centrally of its length and midway between the brackets B B, at which point is connected the piston-rod, as will hereinafter be more fully described.`

The main casting or shell A has, preferably, the contour of acylinder, supported on a suit-` able base, and has formed axially and longitudinally therein two chambers of differing diameters extending, respectively, about onehalf the-entire length of the shell A and constituting a working and a compressing cylin-` der or chambers. I prefer to eniploythe cyl-i inder having the larger diameter and located in the rear halt of the shell as the working` cylinder D, and the smaller one, E, as the compressing cylinder, which latter also subserves` the purpose of an exploding-chamber, as will be explained farther on. W'orking in these cylinders is a piston, F, also having a double `diameter to correspond with the differing diameters of the cylinders D and E, the larger diameter, of course, operating in the working-` cylinder and the smaller in the compressing-` chamber; and I may here add that this smaller portion subserves the double purpose of a com-l pressor or plunger and the piston-head,against which the explosive force of the gas is exerted.`

Pivotally connected to this piston at a suitable point and to the crank-shaft C, as before described, is the piston-rod G, by means of which the reciprocating movement ofthe piston is converted into a rotary motion in the crank-shaft, as is usual in engines of this class.

In general, the operation of this engine is to draw or suck into the working-chamber behind the piston, and during the outward stroke thereof, the supply of gas or explosive mixture, and on the in or forward stroke of the piston to forcibly `:inject this supply into the compressingcylinder, where it first displaces the exploded gas or product of combustion, and is then compressed in the forward end of the compressing-cylinder and exploded about the instant the piston completesits forward stroke, and thus exerts its explosive power upon the head of said piston, forcing it to return to its outer position, during which outstroke it sucks in a fresh supply of the explosive mix-` ture,to be in turn foreedinto the compressingcylinder and exploded, as just described.

The operation of lling the working-cylinder with the explosive mixture occurs during' the outstroke of the piston, but the transfer of the said mixture from the working to the compressing cylinder, the displacing and expulsion by it of the products or" combustion or exploded gas in the latter cylinder, the` compression of this new supply within the compressing-cylinder and the explosion of thegas or mixture while under compression all take place by and during the forward or in stroke of the said piston, and itis obvious that au explosion will take place at cach complete stroke of the piston.

In detail, in order to accomplish the results just enumerated,the wallof the shell has provided therein a passage, H, and inductionport I,connecting the working-cylinder D with the compressingcylinderE; but this passage andport do nothave a direct-communication with each other-that is to say, the passage does not lead directly to the induction-port, but across the ends of said passage and induction-port works an automatic slide-valve, J, provided with a chamber, K, which latter serves at proper intervals toiconnect the passage with the induction-port.; It also serves at alternating intervals to connect the passage H with the inlet-portL, thus permitting the pstonto draw inthroughthe passage to the working-cylinder asupply ofinew gasand air.

The slide-valveJ is rendered automatic and reciprocating by means of an `ordinary eccentric, a, secured `upon and rotating with the crank-shaft C, and la connecting-rod, Inconnecti-ng said eccentric with the valve,andiit is Y held imposition by means ofa keeping-plate, M, secured to the shell A. l

It will be observed by reference tothe drawings that the connecting-chamber K in the slide-valveextends entirely through said valve,` being virtually a slot or hole therein. This construction ofthe valve enters as an import-1 ant element in my invention, for in connection with an exploding-pocket, N, now tol bede-` scribed, it constitutes a vital element `in the construction and operation of my engine, and these parts are equally applicableto all gasengines in which the explosion `takes place-under compression.

The pocket N just mentioned is formed in the inner face of the keeping-.plate M` next the slide-valve, and is located just opposite and extends approximately across the openings of the passage H and induction-port I, and by` means of the connecting-chamber K it receives a supply of the explosive mixture simultaneously with therilling ofthe compressingchamber; hence the importance ofthe connecting-chamber extending-entirely through the slide-Valve, for without such a `pocket there would be no necessity for the chamber to extend entirely through the valve, as an oblong pocket l in the face of the valve would` serve the same purpose.

As previouslydescribed, the pocket N in the keeping-plate is an exploding-chamber, in

IIO

which the primary explosion takes place just before the secondary explosion in the main compressingcylinder occurs, and which is designed to be a result of the primary explosion, and positively' insured by said explosion at each stroke of the piston. To produce this explosion at each stroke of the pistomthe slidevalve J is provided near its rear end with a llame-jet,@,supplied with gas from any convenient point and opening into asmall transverse slot or hole, d, in said valve, the forward wall of this slot being formed at an oblique angle to the valve,with the end on the side next the pocket N extending forwardly in such manner that the slot d, although designed to form a connecting-passagebetween the pocket and the imluction-port, will communicate first with thepockehas clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. when the dame-jet c, coming in Contact with the gas in the pocket, will produce an explosion therein.

rlhe continued forward travel of the Valve carries forward the slot d, and almost immediately establishes communication between the pocket and induction-port, thereby permitting the explosion which has occurred in the pocket to rcverberate through the inductionport into the exploding-cylinder, where it produces a secondary explosion. The violence of the explosion in passing across the flame-jet of course blows the jet out ateach explosion, and in order to relight this jet after each explosion a constant-llame jet, e, is provided in the' keeping-plaie M, burning in a suitable recess in said plate and having an opening in the side of the chimney extending from said recess registering with the slot d at each instroke oi' the valve,so that the flame from the jet c will immediately ignite the jet c, to` which latter a constant supply of gas is fur l nishcd during the entire operation of the en gine. l

I muy here state that I consider the pocket N as the most important elcmentin my invention, in that, although the other parts would perform their functions withoutit,at the same time the explosions would be so irregular and uncertain as to render the practical operation ofthe engine almost impossible7 for its stroke would be sovjerky as to be injurious to any machinery driven by the engine and to entirely preclude the performance of heavy work by the engine. So, also, would a great waste ot' the explosive mixture and danger of explosions be incurred in consequence ofthe excess of pressure which would occur should explosion not take place at the proper time. These disastrous results are more or less promoted bythe method of exploding the compressed mixture as at present in vogue, which consists in bringing the valve-jet directly or in first contact with the compressed explosive mixture; but, instead of producing an 'explosion, the light is put out by the action of the compressed gas, and this may occur several times before an explosion takes place, resulting in the jerky motion before described and promoting the liability to a disastrous explosion, destroying the engine.

By the employment of my exl'iloding-pocket all these difficulties are overcome, for the explosion of the gas contained in the pocket has not suiiicient volume or expansive force to blow out the valve-jet before the explosion takes place in said pocket, and by the time the explosion does take place communication is established between the pocket and exploding-chamber proper, into which the explosion in the pocket reverbcrates, carrying with it the valve llame-jet. producing the secondary explosion before described, which occurs in the compressing or exploding chamber, and acts upon the pistonhcad, forcing it backward to its outer position, from whence the momentum of the ily-wheel returns it to compress the next chamber full of gas.

To permit the Vescape of the exploded and products of combustion from the exploding-chamber, two ed notion-ports, lf/g", are provided in the shell or casing Adocated, respectively, near the front and rear end ol' the said chamber and connected by suitable passages with a single exhaust-pipe, It. The portgnear the front end of the chamber will be closed tirst bythe piston during its instroke; but the port g is designed to remain open unt-il the piston has nearly completed its instruire, when it will be automatically closed by means of an eccentric, t, corresponding to the eccentric u on the opposite side ofthe crank-slnift, which eccentric is connected by a rofhj, with an ordinary rotary valve, k, designed to cnt oit and open communication between the port g' and the exhaustpipe Ii at the proper moment. The closing of these ports at diii'erenttimes is done for the purpose of thoroughly exhausting the exploded gus from the compressing-cylinder, the peculiar means employed for expelling the said exploded gas almost necessitatiugthe employment of these two valves; but the valve (j might be dispensed with without materially interfering with the operation of the engine. The action of these ports and the results obtained by their'use will be more clearly understood when the means employed for expelling the gas has been described.

It will be remembered that when the pistou is in the position shown in Fig. l the working-cylinder D is filled with a new supply of gas and air, while the exploding-chamber or compressing-eylinder is filled with exploded gas as the result of a previous explosion. Now, the instant the pistou starts to move forward, the fresh gas will be forced-through the passage H and induction-port I into the coinpressing-cylinder, whereupon the exploded gas will be displaced and expelled, first through the education-port g, and,when this is closed by the forward movement of the piston, then through the port g. lu order to more easily accomplish this result and prevent the fresh supply from flowing directly across the cham- IOC IIC)

ber and out through the port g, I have provided the compressingcylinder with a vertical division-plate, I, which acts as a deflector for the new gas and air and forces it to travel around the walls of the said cylinder before reaching the eduction-port, thus causing it to force along before it the exploded gas already contained in the chamber, all as clearly illustrated by the arrows in Fig. l.

The closing of the port g by the valve 7a before the piston has completed its instrokenot only serves to prevent the escape of the fresh gasand air which may now have mingled with the exploded gas, but also serves to convert the rest of the instroke of the piston into a coinpressing force by closing all the escape-oritices from the compressing cylinder. Vhen the piston has completed its instroke, the valve J will have traveled to approximately the position shown in Fig. 2, and produced an explosionzin the cylinder, as before described, when the gas is under the greatest compression. The force of the explosion acting upon the head ofthe piston forces the piston back to its outer position.

With the valve in the position just described, the connecting chamber therein establishes communication between the inlet-portandpassage Hyand the action ofthe piston on its outward stroke is to draw through the passage into the working-chamber a fresh supply of gas and air, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2. To regulate the speed of the engine it is not only necessary to provide an automatic governor, as obtains in all engines, but also one which may be employed in connection with the foregoing construction and shall have as `its principle the lessening of the supply of eX- plosive to limit the speed of the engine. To this end I have provided the device more clearly illustrated inFig. 3, in which is shown an extension, l,of the shell A above the valve, and. forming a loose bearing for an upright shaft, 2, having a sbcave or pulley, 3. loosely sleeved thereon and connected by a belt, 4, in any well-known and convenient manner with the crank-shaft C. Extending upwardly from the sheave 3,and preferably cast therewith,is a sleeve having formed thereon at the top two arms, forming pivots for the arms or levers of the balls 5. The upper and inner ends of the ball-levers project in an annular groove in an enlargement or 'collar rigid upon the upper end of shaft 2, whereby said shaft is elevated and depressed by the action of the governorballs, which action is common to all ball-governors. Then depressed,the lower end of the shaft projects in t-he path of van arrn,6,eXtend ingfrom a small spring-actuated slide-valve,`

' ot' its forward stroke, as shown in Fig. 2, the

valve 7 would be moved from its seat in the position shown in said figure to project over the mouth ofthe passage H, and thus prevent the entrance therein of the supply of fresh gas and air, and this operation will berepeated until the momentum of the governor, and con-` sequently the speed of the engine, is reduced.

In the construction of` my engine thelkeeping-plate for the valve may be cast with the cylinder A; but in practiceI prefer to form this plate separately and spring-scat it against the valve,as promoting the best mechanical results.

In conclusion, I may add thatawater-j acket may be provided, cast in the cylinder or frame A and partly or entirely surrounding the eX- plosion-chamber; but as this `feature is not new in gas-engines, I did not deem it necessary to illustrate it in the drawings.'

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure `by Letters Patent, 1s

l. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder,

the compressi11g-cylinder, an inlet-port, and a` passage and induction-port connecting said cylinders, in combination with an automatic valve having a connecting-chamber alternately connecting said inlet-port and passage and the passage and induction-port, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, `the working-cylinder,`

port with the passagefand then the passage` with the induction-port, whereby said piston during the outstrolie will draw in through they passage into the working-cylinder a fresh supply ot' the explosive mixture and during the .instroke will transfer and forcibly inject the same into the compressing orlexploding cylinder, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder, the compressingcylinder, and a: passage and induction-port connecting said cylinders, in combination with `a valve intermediate said passage and induction-port, having a connecting-chamber extending transversely through said valve, and a pocket registering with; said chamber when connecting said passage and induction-port, whereby said pocket `may re-y ceive a charge of the explosive mixture, substantially as described.`

4. In a gas-engine, `the working-cylinder, the compressing-cylinder, an inlct-port, and a passage and induction-port connecting said cylinders, in combination with an automatic slide-valve having a connecting-chamber intermediate said inlet-port and passage or induction-port and passage, a doublepiston working in said cylinders, akeeping-platc for said valve, and a pocket in said keeping-plate registering with the connecting-chamber in saidvalve when connecting the passageland induction-ports, substantially as described.`

5. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder,1 the compressing cylinder, and the passage and IOO induction-port connecting said cylinder, in combination with the double piston Working in said cylinders, the pocket, and the automatic slide-valve having the connecting-chamber and flame-jet located in a transverse slot, substantially as described.

G. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder or exploding-chamber, and the induction and eduction ports on either side thereof, in combination with a longitudinal division-plate or defiector in said cylinder interposed between said induction and eduction ports, substantially as described.

In a gas-engine, the compressing or exploding cylinder, the piston thereof, and the induction and the eduction ports on either side ol' said cylinder beyond the limit of the forward or in stroke ofsaid piston, in combination with a longitudinal division-plate or defiector in said cylinder intermediate the induction and eduction ports, substantially as described.

S. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder, the piston thereof, and the passage leading to the compressing-cylinder, in combination with the compressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, theinduction and eduction ports on either side of said cylinder, and the longitudinal divisionplate or deilector intermediate said ports, substantially as described.

9. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, the induction-port, and the valve for opening and closing said port, in combination with the deliector or divisionplate and eduction ports, all of which are adapted to be automatically closed just prior to the completion of the instroke of the piston, whereby the gas contained in said cylinder will be compressed during the rest of the stroke, substantially as described.

10. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, and the inductionport located forward of the instrolre of said piston, in combination with the deiiector or division-plate and one or more eduction-port-s,

all except one of which are located Within and closed by the stroke of the piston, which latter is automatically closed just prior to the coinpletion of the stroke of the piston, whereby a supply of fresh gas will enter the explodingchamber through the induction-port, be deflected forward and along the walls of said chamber, and hence force the exploded gas first out through the eduction-ports closed by thepiston and then through the automaticallyclosing eduction-port until this latter port is closed, after which the induction-port Will be closed and the remainder of the stroke serve to compress the gas in the cylinder, substantially as described.

l1. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinders D andr E, piston F, passage H, induction-port I, Valve J, having connectingchamber Ii, jet c, and slot d, pocket N, deflector fi, and eduction-ports y and g", substantially as described.

12. In a gas-engine, the Working-cylinder, the compressing-cylinder, a combined gas and air inlet port, a passage and indu cti on-port connecting said cylinders, and an automatic slide- Valve havinga connecti ngchamber alternately connecting said inlet-port and passage, and the passage and induction-port, in combination with a spring-actuated slide-valve carried by and Working in the chamber of said automatic valve, a Valve-rod secured to the springactuated slide-Valve and projecting beyond the automatic valve, and a governor-rod adapted to be depressed by the speed of the governor to project in the path of travel of said Valverod, whereby the spring-actuated slide-valve will project over and seal the mouth of the passage at each stroke of the automatic slidevalve, substantially as described.

LEWIS T. CORNELL.

lVitnesses:

WILL R. Ononnxnno, W. XV. ELLIOTT.

Images