US623630A

US623630A - Governor for gas-engines

Info

Publication number: US623630A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1899-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1916-04-25

Description

No. 623,630. Patented Apr.. 25,1899.

J. C. SCHNEBL'E. GOVERNOR FUR GAS E NGINES.

(Application led Dec. 20, 1897.)

2 sheets-sheet i.

(N0 Model.)

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No. 623,630. Patented Apr. 25, |899. J. C. SCHNEBLE.

GOVERNOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

(Application led Dec. 20, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

x I I I l Nrrn STATES 'JOSEPH C. SOHNEBLE, OF ST MARYS, OHIO.

GOVERNOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.-

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,630, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed December 20, 1897. Serial No. 662,529. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. SCHNEBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Marys, in the county of Auglaize, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Governors for Gas-Engin es, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in governors for engines designed to operate by the explosion in the cylinder of'a mixture of air and a stable gas, such as illuminating-gas, or a mixture of air and an explosive vapor, such as that obtained from the vaporization of gasolene or naphtha.

The objects of the invention are to provide a governor for such engines which will be simple in character, very delicate in its operation, and capable of fine adjustments. In order that these objects may be accomplished, I adopt the general form of the engine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to

' which attention is directed for the more complete understanding of the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the improved gas-engine; Fig. 2, a rear view of the saine; Fig. 3, an enlarged View of my improved governor, showing the connections I between the same and the'gas-valve; and Fig.

4, a plan view of Fig. 3.

In all the above views corresponding parts are represented bycorresponding numbers of reference.

The engine is carried on a bed-plate 1, which may be of a single casting. A cylinder 2 is preferably bolted tosaid bed-plate, although it may be cast therewith, if desired. The said cylinder is provided with the ordinary water-j acket, by which it may be cooled.

The bed -plate 1 is provided with suitable bearings 3, carrying the main shaft 4, on each end of which is carried a fly-wheel 5, as is common in engines of the type to which my invention relates. The piston for the cylinder 2, which may be of any suitable character, is provided with a piston-rod 6, which connects with the crank 7 of the main shaft 4e. The elements referred to are well known and prominent in the art. Hence I make no claim for the same. Arranged in suitable bearings 7/ at one side of the bed-plate l, so as to extend parallel to the cylinder, is a cam-shaft S, deriving motion from the main shaft 4 and rotating, preferably, at one-half the speed of the latter. Any suitable gearing is interposed between said cam-shaft 8 and the main shaft to effect this 1novement.- Upon the cylinderhead 9 of the cylinder 2 is carried a heavy casting 10, having a gas-and-airpassage 11 therein, said passage 11 being provided with a valve-seat 12, with which cooperates the main valve 13. The stem 14 of said valve may extend down to the casting 10, as shown. This valve is normally seated by the pressure within the cylinder; but upon the suctionstroke of the piston it is elevated, so as to draw into the cylinder the necessary mixture of air and gas and make the explosion. Connected with the casting 10 is a separate mixer-box l5, having at its lower end an opening 16 for the admission of air by suction.

17 is the main gas-pipe, opening into the mixer-box 15 near its lower end, said pipe being provided with a valve-seat 1S, normally.

closed by the gas-valve 19. The pipe 17 is connected to the gas-supply or to-a suitable carbureter in case the engine is used with an unstable vapor. The gas-pipe 17 may be provided with aV regulating-valve 20, having a handle 2l cooperating with a suitable scale and by which the supply of gas may be regulated, as will be understood and as iscommon in this art. o The stem of the gas-valve 19 extends upwardly through the gas-pipe, being suitably packed to prevent leakage, and terminates at its upper end in an inclined surface 22, with which a iinger- 23, carried on -a hit-and-miss lever 24, may'engage when the speed of the engine is sufficiently low, but which finger will miss said inclined surface when the speed of the engine is above the desired point. The hit-and-miss lever 24 is connected at its lower end with a lever 25, pivoted to a bracket 26 and having a frictionroller 27 at its free end, and which roller cooperates with a cam-surface 28 on the camshaft S. In order that the position of .the hit-and-miss lever 2 4 may be determined, so that it will either engage or avoid engagement with the upper end of the stem of the gas-valve, I connect the said hit-and-miss lever with a suitable governing device which is more particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4L. Carried upon the cylinder 2 or bed-plate 1 is a bracket 29, in the end of which is rigidly IOO mounted a long bearing-sleeve 30. Carried within the bore of said sleeve is a vertical governor-shaft 3l, which is provided at its lower end with a bevel-pinion 32, meshing with a bevel-gear on the cam-shaft S. The bearing-sleeve 30 may be secured in place within the bracket 29 bya set-screw BLW/hereby it may be adjustable vertically, if desired. Mounted upon the governor-shaft 3l, above the bracket 29, is a long collar 255, which collar is keyed to said governor-shaft, whereby it will rotate with the same but be capable of vertical movement thereon. The collar 35 is provided at its upper end with two pairs of ears 36, and between each pair of ears is pivoted a governor-ball 37, hanginf,r downward. Said governor-balls are each provided with a bell-crank lever 3S, one end of which engages a recess 39 in the governorshaftl, and said governor-balls are normally held in a vertical position by a spring 40, connecting` the same. The tension of this spring maybe regulated by the nuts 41, working on the adjusting-bolt et?, as will be understood. In order to limit the upward movement of thc collar 35, I provide an adjustable limiting-stop 43 at the upper end of the governor-shaft 31. It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 4 that the collar 35 is cut away at each side, so as to allow it to pass the bellcrank levers 38 on its upward movement. The collar 35 is provided with the usual groove 4i formed therein, with which groove coperates the yoke 45 in the ordinary inanner. Said yoke is carried on one end of a lever 4G, which lever is fast to one end of a short shaft 50, journaled in a bearing 47, cast with the bracket 29. Said lever 46is preferably' provided at its outer end with a coiled spring 4S, extending between the same and an auljusting-screw 49, the latter engaging the bracket 29, as shown. By elevating or lowering this adjusting-screw 49 the tension upon the end of the lever 4G may be regulated so as to normally keep the collar 35 in its lowermost position. Upon the other end of the shaft 50, to which the said lever-t6 is connected, is secured a downwardly-extending controlling-lever 5l, having a slotted open lower end 52, and the said slotted end. cooperates with a pin or stud 53 on the upper end of the hit-and-miss lever 2i, so that as the collar 35 is elevated bythe action of the governor-balls the controlling-lever 5l will be opera-ted, if the speed is sufficiently high, to throw the hit-and-miss lever to one side, so that it will not engage the gas-valve, and the latter will thereby be kept closed.

The engine may be provided with a separate exhaust-chamber 54, secured to one side thereof, said chamber having an exhaust-passage 55 therein,` the exit 5G of which connects, preferably,with a suitable mu ftler (not shown) or directly with the atmosphere. The exhaust-passage 55 is adapted to be normally closed by an exhaust-valve 57, said exhaustvalve being provided with a stem 5S, which extends through a suitable box 59 in the end of the exhaust-chamber.

G0 represents the exhaust-operating lever, which is pivoted to the side of the bed-plate l or to the side of the cylinder, having a horizontal arm provided at its end with a friction-roller 61 and a vertical arm having an adjusting-screw G2 therein, which adjustingscrew is adapted to engage with the end of .the stem 5S to open the exhaust-valve 57 at the right moment and maintain the same open during the exhaust-s troke. In order that this y may be accomplished, the friction-roller Gl cooperates with a suitable cam (53 on the camshaft 8. main valve, is provided above said valve with an explosion-chamber G4, which may be integral with said casting or a separate elcment, said explosion-chamber being incommuni'cation with the interior of the cylinder, so that upon the compression-stroke it will be supplied with the compressed explosive mixture. In this explosion-chamber I carry the electrodes for producing the spark. It is possible to use fixed electrodes in said chamber and to produce the spark by an inductioncoil. I may employ a stationary electrode in the explosion-chamber and a movable electrode carried on a shaft G7, mounted in a suitable bearing in the rear face of said explosion-chamber. The shaft 67 is provided on the outside of the explosion-chamber with a finger G9, with which coperates an adjusting-screw 70, carried on the end of what I term a separating-lever 7l. The said separating-lever is pivoted at or about its center, preferably upon an eccentric 72, the position of which may be adjusted bya lever 73. The free end of the separating-lever 7l is adapted to be gradually'elevated and suddenly allowed to dropby a suitable cam 74 on the cam-shaft S. The said lever maintains its position to keep the electrodes normally separated by means of a spring 75. The two electrodes are allowed to make contact with each other as the free endl of the separating-lever is elevated by the cam 74E in 'any suitable Way such, for example, as by making the finger G9 sufliciently heavy, or by employing a spring to effect such movement, or bypositively connecting the adjusting-screw with the finger 69.

The operation of my improved gas-engine is as follows: It is of the well-known four-cycle type, there being an explosion under ordinary circumstances on every second outward stroke of the piston. After the explosive stroke the exhaust-stroke expels the products of combustion from the cylinder. Upon the next outward or suction stroke the new charge of air and the explosive agent are driven into the cylinder, upon the second return or compression stroke the said charge is compressed,and upon the next outward stroke it is exploded. It being understood in the particular embodiment of my invention the lever or cam-shaft S turns at one-half the speed of The casting l0, which carries thc IIO the crank-shaft 4, the

several cams

28, 63, and 74 will be brought around into contact with their several coperating elements to effect this cycle of operation. Upon the suctionstroke the gas-cam 2S will elevate the outer end ofthe lever 25, causing the hit-and-miss lever 24 to engage the upper end of the stem of the gas valve 19 and open said valve, whereupon the supply of gas will be drawn by suction through said valve, and upon entering the mixing-chamber 15 will be mixed with the proper supply of air, this mixture then passing through the passage Il, the main valve 13 being elevated by the suction. The cam 28 is so arranged that the gas-valve 19 will be opened an instant'before the commencement of the suction stroke and be closed a sufficient time before the conclusion of that stroke, as to allow the gas-supply to be drawn int-o the cylind-er and prevent waste thereof through the mixer-box. Upon the compression-stroke all of the cams are inactive except the igniter-cam 74, which is slowly elevating the lower en d of the separating-lever 7l and allowing the electrodes to be brought into contact. This contact occurs at the finish of the compression-stroke. Immediately upon the starting of lthe explosive stroke the free end of the separating-lever drops down off of the igniter-cam and the upper end thereof positively' engages the finger G9, so as to force it up and rapidly separate the contacts G5 and 66. This causes a spark between said contacts, which ignites the charge and impels the piston forward. After the explosive stroke has been made and almost upon its completion the exhaust-cam 63 is commencing to slowly elevate the lever 60, causing the exhaust-valve 57 to be opened, whereby upon the exhaust-stroke the products of combustion will be forced down the cylinder through said exhaust-valve. The operation of the cam-shaft is rapidly rotating the governor-shaft 31, carrying the collar 35 with it and running the balls 37 at high speed, said balls by centrifugal effect spreading outward, and by reason of their connection to the bell-crank levers 3S (which are fulcrumed in the recesses 39 in the shaft 3l) they tend to elevate themselves, the ears 3G, and the collar 35, such elevation carrying the yoke 45' upward and swinging the controlling-lever 5l. This movement of the controlling-lever 5l, if sufficiently great, movesv the hit-andmiss lever out ofthe path of the upper end of the gas-valve, so that upon the suctionstroke said gas-valve will not be open and the engine will miss in consequence the succeeding explosive stroke, whereby the speed will be sufficiently reduced to allow the hitand-miss lever to again engage said gas-valve, so asto continue the cycle of operation referred to.

By providing several coperating parts of the device with the forms of adjustment illustrated a very perfect and accurate operation may be obtained. The exhaust-valve is very nicely adjusted both as to the time and extent of its movement by the adjusting-screw G2. The opening of the gas-valve is effectively regulated by weakening or increasing the tension of the spring 48.

Having now described my' invention, what 4I claim as new, and' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. An improved governor for gas or analogous engines, comprisinga shaft driven from the engine, a centrifugal device operated by said shaft, a gas-valve controlling the admission of the explosive mixture to the cylinder, a hit-and-miss lever for operating said gasvalve, a` bell-crank lever connecting the centrifugal device and said hit-and-miss lever, and an adjustable spring coperating directly with said bell-crank lever for regulating the resistance of said bell-crank lever in opposition to the movements of the centrifugal device, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with a cylinder, piston and crank-shaft, of a main gas-pipe, a gas-valve in said gas-pipe, a hitand-miss lever adapted to normally engage the stem of the gas-valve to open the same, connections between the crank-shaft and said hit-and-miss lever for operating thelatter, a governor-shaft, connections between the governor-shaft and crank-shaft for operating said governor-shaft, a collar carried by the governor-shaft, governor-balls for moving said collar longitudinally on the shaft by the centrifugal effect, a yoke coperating directly vwith said collar, a spring coperating with the yoke for resisting the centrifugal effect, a controlling-lever operated from said yoke, and connections between said controlling-lever and the hit-and-miss lever, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination with a cylinder, piston and crank-shaft, of a main gas-pipe, a gas-valve in said gas-pipe, a hitand-miss lever adapted to normally engage the stem of the gas-valve to open the same, connections between the crank-shaft and said j hit-and-miss lever for operating the latter,a

governor-shaft, connections between the governor-shaft and crank-shaft, a 'collar carriedl by said governor-shaft, governor-balls for moving said collar longitudinally on the shaft by the centrifugal effect, a rock-shaft, a yoke carried on one end of said rock-shaft and cooperating with said collar, a controlling-lever carried by the other end of said rock-shaft, and connections between said controlling-lever and the hit-and-miss lever, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, piston and crank-shaft, of a cam-shaft operated from said crank-shaft, a gas-cam on said cam-shaft, a main gas-pipe, a gas-valve in said gas-pipe, a hit-and-miss lever operated by said gas-cam and adapted to normally engage the stem of the gas-valve IIO ` said yoke and connections between said eontrolling-lever, and :L hit-and-miss lever, sub stnntinlly as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 24th day of November, 1897.

' JOSEPH C. SCHNEBLE.

\Vitnesses:

'WAL U. IIOUNEL,

MICHAEL FITZGERALD.