US820497A - Gas-engine. - Google Patents

Description

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. o l l l l lll 4l A f PATENTED MAY 15, 1900 P. H. HURLBUT @L T. W. MUNROB,

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 512.24. 1905.

No. 820,497. PATENTBD MAY 15, 1906.

' F. H. HURLBUT L T. W. MUNROB.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.Z4, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 820,497.A PATENTE-D MAY 15, 1906. F. H. HURLBUT & T. W. MUNROE.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 24, 1905.

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No. 820,497. PATBNIED MAY l5, 1906. Y

F. H. HURLBUT L T. W.' MUNROE.

GAS ENGINB.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

U'Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK H. HURLBUT, OF ALAMEDA, AND THOMAS W. MUNROE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

vGAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed February 24, 1905. Serial No. 247,105.

States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines and we hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description o the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to explosive or internal-.combustion motive engines impelled by gas or volatilized hydrocarbons and to certain useful improvements in such engines, as described in the following specificationv and illustrated by drawings that -form a part of the same.

Our improvements `consist in various features of a constructive and operative nature that cannot 'well be defined without the aid of the drawin s and will be set out in a description to fo low and by claims at the end of this specification.

The objects of our invention are to attain in an economical manner what is called a two-cycle action of such engines, to regulate the power of the same, and provide for quickly reversing their rotative motion, as is required. in marine propulsion, hoisting, and like purposes.

Referring to the drawings, Figure` I is a front `elevation of a 4motive engine constructed according to ou'r invention, partially broken away to disclose interior parts; Fig. II, a plan view of the same engine, also broken to show interiorpassages; Fig. III, an end view of the same engine, partly broken to disclose interior parts, the fly-wheel and other parts mounted on the front end of the crank-shaft being omitted. Fig. IV is another end View of the same engine, partially in section, showing in part the ignition devices, a section through the charge-compressing engine, the pistons and induction-valves for the same; Fig. V, an enlarged front View of the devices for controlling ignition and reversing the engine. Fig. VI is a correspond- Ing view to Fig. V, showing the same parts in side` Viewv and partial section andy further illustrating the-igniting and reversing devices 5 Fig. VII, a detail diagrammatic front view showing a part of the igniting and reversing devices; Fig. VIII, another detail diagrammatic front view of the same devices with the same parts in a different position; Fig. IX, a third view of the same parts, showing them in a still different position; Fig. X, a section through one of the valves to regulate the by-pas'sing or circulation of the surplus gas or fuel.

Stated in general Jterms, our invention consists in two single-acting motive cylinders and pistons positively connected to a crankshaft and between these, operated by the same crank-shaft, a double-acting charge mixing and compressing cylinder and piston, the displacement or volume of which exceeds that of the motive cylinders and supplies gas or fuel at a pressure or volume corresponding to the` resistance or work to be performed by the motive engines, an automatic means of regulatin the pressure and volume of the gas or fue thus supplied and the power of the motive engines by means of by-pass or circulating connections controlled by centrifugal regulatin devices that return and conserve gas orfue in excess of that burned in the niotive cylinders and required by the 'load or resistance, also an adjustable means of causing or permitting a like circulation, conservation, and return of unused gas or fuel when stopping, starting the engine, and other operating conditions of the engine permit such surplus circulation and conservation of the gas or fuel furnished by the mixing and compressing cylinder.

Our invention further includes an adjustable means of controlling the point of ignition, lead, and retardation and cessation of the same. Consequently all motions of the engine, including the reversal of the course of rotation and at the same time and by the same and connected devices control the circulation and conservation of sur lus gas or fuel, the Awhole of this latter-'name apparatus operatingin a manner analogousto what is known as link-gearing for engine slidevalves, theengines being dual except as to the double-actmg compressing cylinder and piston, and the whole constituting an organized and interdependent motive engine adapted for-marine propulsion and like uses, especially those that involve reversal of the enl gines rotation.

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' and passage 30.

Referring to theadrawings, 1 is the usual base-frame on which is mounted the crankshaft 2 in the bearings 3. Y

4 and 5 are motive cylinders supported on the base-frame 1 by struts 7 and provided with pistons 8 and connecting rods or links 9, attached to opposite cranks 10 and 11 in the shaft 2 in the usual manner of double engines of this type. f

The motive cylinders and contiguous parts exposed to high temperature are protected by cooling-water supplied through the pipe 12 and circulating in the several ychambers marked 0. 1.3 is the supply-pipe for gas or fuel, and 14 the exhaust-pipes for the spent vapor or gas discharged through the parts or passages 6 when the pistons 8 pass below these, as shown in Fig. I.

Between the motive cylinders 4 and 5 and integrally constructed therewith we provide a double-acting charge-compressing pump or engine 15, having a piston 17, piston-rod 18, cross-head 19, connecting-rod 20, attached to a crank 22 in the shaft 2 as shown in Fig. I.

The mixing and compressing piston 17 is double acting and draws in its charges of gas or fuel alternately through valves 28 and 29 On its upward stroke this piston discharges its contents of gas or fuel through the valve 23, the passage 24, and valve 32 into the motive cylinder 4, as indicated in Fig. II. On its downward stroke it discharges into the motive cylinder 5 through the valve 2'5 and passage 27, as shown in Figs. II and IV.

The inlet or induction valves 28 and 29 for the compressing-cylinder communicate at the top and bottom with the passage 30, as shown in Fig. IV, and this passage is in communication by means of the supply-pipe 13 withI a Vcarbureter or other "source of gaseous fuel, so the compressed charges from the'engine 15 are on the upward and downward stroke thereof ldischarged wholly or partially and alternately into the motive cylinders 4 and 5, as before explained.

The displacement volume of the compressin and mixing piston 17 exceeds that of eit er of the motive pistons 8, including the passages leading thereto, by so much as will determine the maximum pressure required for the compressed charges of fuel. This difference in volume or displacement is in practice made from ten to twenty per cent., the

proportion not requiring to be exact because of any surplus or overcharge being returned and not consumed, as will be hereinafter explained.

The crank 22 stands in a definite relation to the motive cranks 10 and 1 1 being about fifty# l six degreesbehind the crank of the motive piston being charged and one hundred and thirty degrees in advance of the other crank and changes this relation, respectively, as the engine is running right or left.

III, the crank 22 of the compressing-engine 15 stands about fifty degrees behind the crank 10 of the motive engine 5 when the engine is running forward or, as indicated by the. arrow, the top part of the compressingengine supplying a charge of fuel to the motive engine 5 after the piston 8 of the latter has moved upward sufliciently to close the exhaust-ports shown at 6 in Fig. I.

If the engines are reversed to run lin the opposite direction, then the crank 22 has a simiar relative position in respect to the crank 11 of the motive engine 4 that it had to the crank 10 of the motive engine 5 when running in the opposite direction, and the charge of fuel-gas from below the piston 17 is supplied to the 'motive engine 4. In this manner it will be seen that when the engine is running in either direction the advance of the crank 22 maintains a like relation to one or the other of the cranks 10 or 11, respectively. This feature has especial reference to the devices for reversing and controlling the engine and igniting the charges in the motive cylinders, as will be hereinafter explained.

Referring now to the regulation of the en'- gines power and the consumption of fuel charges drawn in and discharged by the mix-. ing and compressing piston 17, such parts of the charges as are not required instead of whollyentering the motive cylinders 4 and 5 are forced back through the pipes 35 and 37 to the pipe 13 and to the source of supply or are circulated without being consumed. The charges of fuel-gas thus delivered to the motive engines enter at their tops and being diffused in a circular form in passing the in-l duction-valves 25 and `32 are s read around the interior of the cylinders, riving ahead and expellingspent gas that may have remained therein.

The surplus of compressed fuel that may be returned or circulated is regulated by two separate means employed together or independently, according to the nature of the work to be performed by the engine. If the engine is to operate against a variable load or resistance, but at a uniform rate of revolution, a regulating or throttling valve 39 is placed in the circuit formed by the pipes 35, 37, and 38 and is operated by a centrifugal regulator 40 in the usual manner of such apparatus.

When the rate of the engine increases, the regulator 40 opens the valve 39 accordingly, so that charges of fuel compressed and dischar ed by the piston 17 may in 'part or Wholly be circulated, thus attenuatmg the volume and force of the charges in the motive cylinders 4 and 5 and, if required,reduc ing the pressure of the fuel-gas below the point of ignition, so that none Will be wasted.

For marine propulsion and other; cases Where the resistance or load of the engine is As shown in i constant, the centrifugal regulating devices IOO IIO

are not essential, but may be usefully employed to prevent thev racing of propellerscrews or excessive speed of the engine inany` case; but another means of regulation is provided. e

Besides the regulating-valve 39 We employ a second double-acting or dual valve 42 (shown enlarged in Fig. X) to control the consumption and circulation of surplus gas or fuel, This valve, which will be further eX- plained, acts automatically or by connection with the igniting and reversing i devices, which are combined and interdependent. To explain these latter devices, they are the same for each motive engine with like functions and movements and are adjusted in unison with respect to the two motive engines and the direction of their rotation by means of a cross-shaft 43, operated by a hand-lever 44, (indicated by the dotted lines a in Figs. VII, VIII, and IX.) This lever is locked at various points by a notched segmental rack 45 in the manner of link-motion gearing for engine slide-valves and has like purposes.

Fastened at the ends of the shafts 43 are segmental toothed quadrants 47, that mesh into and turn or oscillate the gear-Wheels 48, mounted loosely on a sleeve around the short shaft 49, as shown most clearly in Figs. VI and VII. This shaft 49 is mounted in a bracket 54 and is driven by a pinion 50, the number of teeth and relative rates of revolution being as one to two of the crank-shaft 2.

The gear-wheel 48 turns on a sleeve 53, formed on the bracket 54, as shown in Fig. VI, and to the side thereof is attached an insulated disk 55, in which are inserted two opposite diametrically-movable electrodes or contact-pins 59, which as the disk 55 revolves are pressed inward during a portion of their revolution by the insulated segmental guide 58 while they are assing over its arc and when ressed inwar to to'uch or bear upon the disk 60, each pair contacting simultaneously the small metal bars or rods 61, embedded in the face of this revolving insulated member 60, which is fastened on the end of the shaft 49, as shown in Fig. VI.

To avoid a positive iit between the pin 59i and the insulated parts 58 and 60 and to secure an elasticcontact, they are preferably made in two parts to contact in the center, a spring'v -56 being provided to hold them slightly apart and keep the electric circuit o en until the outer pin engages the guide 58. TIiis is a constructive expedient to avoid undue pressure at the ends of the pins that might occur if they were in one piece and.

rigid. Their operation is, however, the same in either case. This closes the electric circuit ,between the contacting pins or electrodes 59 and between the wires-62 and 63, held in the posts 66, that connect to part 58, to the igniting devices shown and an electric battery in the usual manner and as indicated in Figs. I and IV. When either of the pairs of pins or electrodes 59 come in contact with thebars 61, the electric circuit is closed between the pins, causing a spark andignition of the charges in the corresponding motive cylinders 4 and 5 in the usual manner of electrical ignition and not requiring description beyond that of the diagram in Fig. IV. In so far as these devices perform electrical ignition of the charges in the motive cylinder 4 and 5 their function is plain and corresponds to common practice; but their varying relation to the position of the cranks of the motive and compressing cylinders and in controlling and reversing the course of the engines rotation their functions are peculiar and important.

The contact or circuit-closing pins 59 are dual, dis osed diametricall o posite in the insulatedp member 60, an tllfe postion of these the circuit-closing bars l61 and of the segmental guide 58, with the activeA and in'ert arts of their revolution,'all have definite reation to certain positions of the two oppositely-placedcranks 10 and 11 and the crank 22, constituting a combination not easy to ex lain in words.

eferring to Figs. VI, VII, and VIII, where the dotted lines a represent the lever 44, it must b'e kept in mind that the contacting segment or guide 58, which occupies about ninety degrees ofparc orforty-five degrees each way, has no time function except that it covers the range of ignition pressing inward and contacting the pins 59 each way throughout this range. The parts 58 and 61 may be said to maintain a constant relation in respect to the shafts 49 and 2, so the variable or time function becomes a sequence of the position of the contacting pins r59 between these partsV 58, 59, and 61 and of the adjustment of the latterabout the axis of the shaft 49 by means of the gear-wheell 48, segmental lever 47 and the operati ng-lever 44.

There being two oppositely-placed pairs of the contacting pins 59,' it i sY obvious that their motion oppositely about the axis of the shaft 49 must produce like results when revolving in either direction or when the engine is reversed, also that when neither of the con-n tacting pins 59 is between the segmental guide 58 and the circuit-closing bars 61 ignition will cease and the engine will stop operating in so far as control in the same manner as in the case of valve-link-gearing ap aratus for. steam-engines; If, for examp e, the shaft 2 and the shaft 49 are revolving in the direction indicated'by arrows in Fig. VII and the lever 44 is set on the line a in notch 65, then the pins 59 .will be pressed inward at 69 and will jointly contact the Icircuit-closing .bars 61, so as to ignite the charge in one of the motive engines-4 or 5 at approximately ninety degrees after the engine has passed IOC IIO

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its center or is at its quarter-stroke. If, then, this lever is moved to the notch 67, the position of the pins 59 will be advanced and ignition will take place on the center or extreme upper stroke of the motive engine in circuit.

vIf the lever is again moved to the notch 68, ignition will again be advanced or given lead, as it is called, ignition taking place before the center is reached or before the pistons 8 have reached their extreme upper stroke. If ,then, the lever is moved back to line c, the pins 59 will not contact the part 58 and circuit-closing bars 61 at the same time and the engine will stop for want ofiigni ting the charges.

The reverse motion of the lever 44 to the notches 70, 7 2,A and 73 brings into action the opposite pair of contacting pins 59, producing the converse of what has been explained, and, as shown in Fig. VIII, where themetion is reversed, as indicated by the arrows,

the notches 70, 72, and 73 showing positionsV of the lever 44 for ignition at different points y as before.

The diagram Fig. IXA shows the position for lead or advanced ignition when the movement of the engine is as indicated, this occurring when one pair of the contact-pins 59 arel opposite to or converging with the mark 74.

in the center of the segmental guide 58.

Referring to the valve 42, whichy is of the piston type, as shown enlarged in Fig. X, it is double-acting and double-ported, as shown, the passages 77 in the valve registering with the one, 78, in the walls on the up and down movements and as the engine is moving right or left. This valve is operated by a stem 79 and a crank or lever 80 on the shaft 43, coincidently, with motions of the lever 44 as is opened when this lever is locked in or is between the notches 65 and 67 and the notches 70 and 72 in the bar 45. When this valve 42, which connects the pipes 37 and 38, is open, it permits circulation or return of the charges compressed by the piston 17 gradually an in proportion to its movement between the points named and has for its object attenuating or 'weakening'the charges and the impulses of ignition when the engine is stopped, started,-or reversed. object that when closed it permits the compressing-engine 15 and the piston 17 to maintain full-pressure char es in the motive cylinders 4 and 5 and in c amberls and passages connecting therewith, so the engine will be prepared to start at any time ,and in either direction with a full charge.

It will be s een that the functions of this valve 42 do not interfere with the one, 39, operated by theregulator 4() and that both can be employed when the purposes to which the engine is applied requires their joint control'.

To the left in Figs. I and II is shown lgearing for transmitting the power of the engine to a screw-propeller or other shaft 82,jen-

It has also the further `gaged to the engine-shaft 2 by a frictionclutch 83; but any other suitable means of transmission can be employed.

Having thus explained the nature and 0bjects of our invention and means for its application in practice, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gas-engine, twosingle-acting motive cylinders, with pistons connected to oppositely-placed cran s on a common shaft, a double-acting compressing-cylinder between said motivecylinders, having a displacement volume greater than either of said motive cylinders, a piston in said compressing-cylinder connected toa crank on the common shaft at an angle to the motivepiston cranks, inlet-valves in said compressing-cylinder at both ends, ipes and passages from a fuel-su ply to saidhnlet-valves, a valve at each endp of said compressing-cylinder with passages leading to each motive cylinder respectively, a check-Valve in each motive cylinder at the terminus of each of said passages, circulatory passages between the compressing-cylinder and the motive cylinders, and a regulating-valve in said circulatory passages, substantially as specified.

2. In a gas-engine, two single-acting motive cylinders, with pistons connected to oppositely-placed cran s on a common shaft, a double-acting compressing-cylinder between said motive cylinders, having a displacement volume greater than either of said motive cylinders, a piston in said compressing-cylinder connected to a crank on the common shaft at an angle to the motive-piston cranks, inlet-valves in said compressing-cylinder at both ends, Cpipes and passages from a fuel-supply to sai inlet-valves, a valve at each end of said compressing-cylinder with passages leading to each motive cylinder respectively, a check-valve in 4each motive cylinder at the terminus of each of said passages, circulatory passages between the compressing-cylinder and the motive cylinders, a regulating-valve in said circulatory passa es, igniting means, and a double-acting regu atingvalve operatin in connection with said igniting means, su stantially as specified.

3. In a gas-engine, two single-acting motive cylinders, with istons connected to oppositely-placed cranlis on a common shaft, a double-acting compressing-cylinder between said motive cylinders, having a displacement volume greater than either of said motive cylinders, a piston on said compressing-cylinder connected to a crank on the common shaft at an angle to the motive-piston cranks, inlet-valves in said compressing-cylinder at both ends, ipes and passages from a fuel-su ply to said)inletvalves, a valve at each en of said compressing-cylinderP with passages leading to each motive cylinder respectively, a check-valve in each motive cylinder at the terminus of each of said passages,

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circulatory passages between the compressing-cylinder and the motive cylinders, a regulating-valve in said circulatory passages, igniting means, a double-acting regulatingvalve operating in connection with said igniting means, and a reversing-gear in connection with said igniting means, substantially as specified.

4. In a gas-engine, two single-acting mo- `\p tive and a double-acting charge-compressing piston connected to a common crank-shaft, a

second shaft connected to and driven by the salire` crank-shaft at half its s eed, around this second shaft an adjustable insulated disk or lcollar provided with oppositelyplaced pairs of electrodes or contacting pins, electric wires connecting from these pins to an electric battery and to the combustionchambers of the motive istons, means to connect the inner ends of) these contacting pins and close the circuit at different oints of the stroke of the motive pistons, -su stan--v tially as specified.

5. In a gas-en e, two single-acting mocrank-shaft, means to supply and regulate fuel charges for the motive engines, a second shaft geared to the crank-shaft to revolve at half its rate, on this shaft a revolving insu-4 lated disk provided with two diametricallyV opposite circuit-closing bars 61, concentric with this insulated disk a segmental insulated member, wires therefrom to an electric battery, spark-coils and the combustionchambers of the motive cylinders and between the rotary insulated disk and concentric insulated member 58, pairs lof movable contacting. and circuit-closing pins 59 mounted radially and oppositely in a revoluble insulatedfdisk and adjustable byhand, substantiallyfa's specified.

6. "In a gas-engine, two single-acting motive pistons and a double-acting char e-compressing piston connected to a cran -shaft, second shafts for each motive piston geared to revolve at half the speed of the 'crankshaft, a gear-wheel and connected insulated disks arranged to turn loosely about the axis of this second shaft, two pairs of electric contacting pins oppositely placed in these disks adapted to move outward and inward, a fixed insulated segmental guide and a revolving contact to close the circuit between the contact-pins in each pair and between electric wires to transmit electric current through these pairs of pins connected thereto thereby igniting charges in the motive cylinders, in the mannersubstantially as speciie 7. In a gas-engine, two single-acting motive istons, a double-actin charge-corn pressm piston, all connecte to a common crank-s aft, means to reversethe motion of the crank-shaft consisting of the revoluble disk or member 55 containing two airs of diametrically opposite electric contacting pins 59, a gear-wheel to turn this disk and change its relation to the cranks'of the en e, segmental toothed racks to engage t 's gearwheel and a shaft on which these racks are held to produce coincident action of the arts for each motive engine, a hand-lever and notched segmental bar to lock the 1ever, reverse the engine and indicate the point ofi nition, arran ed and operating substantialIy as describe 8. In agas-engine, two single-acting inotive pistons and a double-acting char e-compressingpiston connected toone cra shaft,

ipes and passages connected to these, ad-

justable electric devices to ignite the chargesl in the motive cylinders, producing rotation of the engine either Way, a cross-shaft to adjust the electric igniting devices simultaneously for each motive engine and connections from this shaft to a valve that ermits circulation and lattenuation of the el-gas when stopping, starting and reversing the engine, substantially as shown and described.

9. In agas-engine, two single-acting motive. pistons and a double-acting charge-compressing pistonaconnected to one crank-shaft y cranks that permit' revolution of the engine each way, electric devicesto ignite the charges in the motive engines, these devices dual, and the electric contacts adjustable by means of an oscillatory cross-shaft and connections for each motive engine that acts simultaneously, a connection from this shaft to a valve that opens each way and permits circulation and attenuation of the fuel-gas, a hand-lever to adjust this i oscillating shaft and a spaced scale to indicate the points of electric contact and ignition each way and at various points, substantially as specified. j

10. In a gas-engine, two single-acting motive pistons and a double-acting charge-compressing piston, all connected to a crankshaft and o erating in definite relation one to` the other, t e charge-compressinglpiston displacing a volume inlexcess of t e required su ply inthe motive cylinders respectively, a and-adjusted valve to ermit circulation and return of a portion o the fuel char es and su plementary thereto a second va ve `with li e functions, controlled by centrifugal apparatus and by the' engines s eed of revolution, substantially as speciie In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

j FREDERICK H. HURLBUT;

THOMAS W. MUNROE.I

Witnesses: j

ALFRED A. ENQUIST, J. RICHARDS.

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