US947566A - Explosive-engine. - Google Patents

Description

Fig. l.

H. H. WIXON.

EXPLOSIVB ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1907,

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

SSHEBTS-SHBBT 1.

ms 1L H. H. WIXON.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.11.1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v H. H. WIXON.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11,1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 w. .mf F

mm M WHA/55555;

HOWARD H. WIXON, 0F ICHICVIAGrO, ILLINOIS.

ExPLosrvE-ENGINE.

i speaacaaon of Lettersratent. Patented J an. 25, 1910.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, lHOWARD H. WixoN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicafro, inthe county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Explosive-Engine of which the following description, with accompan mg drawings, is declared to be such a full, c ear, and exact description as will enable others skilled inthe art to'which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to such engines in which the combustible is burned explosively on what is commonly called the two stroke cycle. lMy improved engine is a modification of the engine shown in my earlier application, Serial N umber'343,277 lfiled November 13, 1906. It follows the general lines of the earlier engine and embodies'many of the features suggested but not shown or described in my earlier application.

The object of my present invention is chiefly to improve the construction of my earlier engine; and the invention lconsists in the features of construction, combination and Iarrangement'of parts, described in the specification, illustrated 1n the drawings, .and particularly pointed out or specified in the appended claims. y

My engine is es ecially adapted for use in automobiles an like service, but can vbe modified for stationary or otherv service without departure'from the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of my engine, showing themechanism and parts on this section; Fig. 2 is a side section of one cylinder along the line a--b of Fi' 1, shwing the parts and mechanism on this section; Fi 3 is a lview of the'lower part'of one en cam an auxiliary pump shafts; Fig. 4 is a view o the camshaft or inlet side, showing the mechanism on this side; Fig. 5 is a view of the other or exhaust side, showing the auxiliary air pump and parts on this side; Fig. 6 is a side section of the auxiliary air pump along the line c-d of Fi 5; 7

shows three views of one 0f t e transfer lvalve cams; Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the upper half of one of t-he crankshaft bearings, and Fig. 9is a section of the same along the line f-g of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a to view of the lower half of one of the cran shaft ,and passages. rate and 1s -bolted to the cylinders on .the

showing the bevel gear drive for 'the 30-31 for each cylinder, and by Application led March 11,1907. Serial No. 361,698.

bearings of which Fig. 1.1 is a section along the line kfz' (in Fig. 10) FigI 12 is a top view of the u per end of t e cylinders, showi dotte the location and arrangement il? e air and transfer passages; Fig. 13 is a crosssection of the cylinders and inlet valve box along the line j-s of Fig. 5; Fig. 14 is a section ofthe inlet valve box .along the-line Z-m of Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 -is a diagram .to illustrate the cycle of operations of the en ine.

The same re erence characters indicate similar .parts in the dili'erent ures.

My engine is constructed with two cylyinders 1 and'2, and an air cylinder 3 preferably all in one piece with the water Jacket 4. The head iece 5 is bolted to the cylinders and contains the air and transfer valves The inlet valve box 6 isV sepaside. The cylinders are in turn bolted to the crank case which is in two halves 7 and 8, and forms a gas tight compartmentfor fillers or counterweights 17 which may be formed integral with the crankshaft or made separate and fastened or bolted thereto in some suit-able manner.

)n the inlet' side of the engine in Fig. 4, the camshaft 18 runs in suitable bearings 19-20 and is driven by the bevel 4gears 21-22--23-24 from the crankshaft 9 with an even-or one to one gear. ratio. This camshaft is free to move to the left and right through the `gear 24 but is rotated by the gear 24 by means of` a square key 25 (in ig. 3) which is fastened to the gear and engages a slot or keywa in the camshaft.

This movement is contro led by the handle or rod 26 which is attached -to the camshaft by a ball bearing connection 27 so that the handle or rod 26 remains stationary and can lmove the rotatin camshaft to the left or right as desired. his camshaft carries four cams, one transfer valve cam28-f29 for each cylinder and one inlet valve cam shifting the camshaft to the left the tinnnglof the valves is changed. These valves. are normally held (closed by the springs 32 but are opened when required by the rollersof the valve rods running on the high part of the cams. Y

The explosive mixture inlet 33 (to which a carburetor may be attached) branches'oif to the two inlet valves 34-35 and .then through passages .36-37 to the transfer passages 38-39 (shown in Figs. 13 and 14, and dotted in Fig. 4) which connect the opposite ends ,of their cylinders. On the exhaust side of the engine 5', the crankshaft 40 for the auxiliary air pump 3 runs in suitable bearings 42-43 and is driven by the bevel gears 2144.- -41 from the engine crankshaft 9 with a two to one gear ratio, so that the air pump piston 46 makes twice thenumber of strokes as either of the engine pistons. ln the section of this pump in Fig. 6, the inlet valve 47 is held in place by the light'spring 48 and operates automatically to admit 4the air to the pump; and the outlet passage 49 leads to the automatic air valve 50-51 of both cylinders through the passage 52 (shown dotted in Fig. 12). Both of these valves are alike, one of them (51) being shown in Fig. 22 and either of them will open when there is more pressure on the back of the valve than in the engine cylinder. In the side Ysection in Fig. 2 of one cylinder of-which both are alike, except that the moving parts of one are s aced for operation 180. or one-half revo ution behind the other, the transfer passage 38 con v nects the' puin or crank case chamber 53, formed by the ower end of the cylinder and crank case, with the up er end of the cylinder or explosion Acham er 54. The transfer'valve 55 for this assage 'is normally held closed by the sprin 32, through the rod 56 and lever 58, an its stem is surrounded by the packing box 59 to prevent "close always at about the same time.

exhaust from the explosion chamber 54 is leaka e. rl`his valve is' opened bythe cam 28, o 'which Fig. 7 'ves enlarged views, and closed by the spring 32. 'lhis cam 28 (Fig. 7) is shown for rotation in the direction of the arrow 60 and its forward edge 61 is parallel with the camshaft so that the transfer valve is always opened at about the same time, but its rear edge-62 slants across the cain so that the transfer valve is allowed to close earlier or later depending on the position of the camshaft 18 as explained in connection with Fig. 4. The,

corresponding. inlet valve cam 30 (Figure 4) is similarly sha ed, but is reversed and spaced so that its s anting edge engages the inlet valve roller just after the transfer valve closes, and then the inletvalve is held openfor the required time and allowedmto as usual by a port 69' the cylinder wall,

transfer passages. the piston (F to E) the explosive mixturel erases compression around or pastthe crankshaft I from pressure in the crank case. The lower half 68 of the bearing (Figs. 10 and 11), which receives the wear, is similar to the ordinary plain half round bushin As this half of the bearing wears down in use, the upper half 67 of the bearing (Figs. 8 and 9) is made with a number of circular slots 63 into which are fitted, the (nearly) half round rings 64 which are pressed out against the crankshaft by the dat spring strips 65 so that as the lower half of the bearing wears down, the rings 64 fill in the resultant space'in the top of the bearing and thereby prevent leakage of gas ast the crankshaft. An igniter 66 (Fig. 2 of some suitable kind, preferably electrical, is provided iii the compression space of the explosion chamber. i

The operation of this engine is similar to that of my earlier form and is as follows in A stroke of the engine piston: 0n the up' stroke of the engine piston (E to F) the inlet valve is opened by its cam and the explosive mixture (gas and air or carbureted air) is drawn into the lower end of the cylinder or pump chamber through thev inlet and 0n the down stroke of is compressed in the crank case or'puxnp chamber to about 8 or 9 pounds, and at the saine time a charge ofair is drawn in and compressed in the auxiliary air pump, At p the point G the exhaust begins from the `explosion chamber through the exhaust port and continues to the point J.' At the point l-l the pressure in the explosion chamber has fallen sufiiciently low so that the air'pressure from the auxiliary air pump opens the automatic air valve (5l in Fig. 2) and admits t-he charge of air into the explosion chamber, the bulk of it entering before point I is reached where the transfer valve (55 in Fig. 2) is opened by its cam and the fulll charge of ex losive mixture enters (through the trans er passage) the explosion chamber (in addition to the air charge){ driving outf-tle products of combustion (ex-3 hausting) to the point J. The combined displacement' capacity of the pump chamber andthe auxiliary air puin icient to entirely displace t e burned charge from the explosion chamber. lNow if the full ower is desired from the engine, the camshaft 18 is 'moved to the corresponding should be suf-l position (by the handlel Q6 in Fig. 4). Then the transfer valve will close at J and the entire charge of explosive mixture will be retained and compressed in the upper end of the cylinder on the up stroke (E to F) to point L where it is exploded by the igniter. At the' same time on the' up stroke just after the transfer valvey closes, `the inlet valve is opened by its cam (and held open to about F) admitting another explosive charge to the crank case ump chamber; and also during this time t ve auxiliary air pump draws in and compresses another charge of air, but as there is now a high pressure. inthis cylinder (or explosion chamber) its automatic air valve is held closed and the air charge enters the other cylinder which is just exhausting, and in this manner the auxiliary air pump delivers' a charge of'air alternately to each Cylinder as onev cylinder is exhaust'- iug while the other is on compression.` On the next down stroke (F to E) expansion of the exploded mixture takes place from E down to exhaust G doing work, and at the sarne time the mixture in the crank case is compressed" and the auxiliary air pump draws in and compressesa charge of air read to be delivered at exhaust as before; It will be' understood that theI cycle of opera-V tions for each cylinder is completedat each revolution of the' crankshaft and that the cycle of one cylinder' is one half revolution or 180 behind the other as is usual in the ordinary form oftwo cylinder two cycle engine. If less than full poweris desired from the engine, the camshaft 18 is moved correspondihgly (to the left of the position in Fig. 4) by the handle' 26. The transfer valve then will be opened .as before at point I, but instead ofclosing as before at point J it is held open for a longer period by its cam and closes at a point between lJ andK depending on. theposition of the camshaft, so that part of the explosive mixture (which has` entered the explosion chamber) will be returned to the .pump chamber again, leaving only such charge in the explosion chamber to be ignited as is required to produce the desired power. The inlet valve to the pump chamber is not opened by its cam until the transfer'valve closes as there is no suction in the pump chamber before then, and the inlet valve 1s then held open until the piston reaches the top of its stroke (F) so that sufficient explosive mixture is drawn in to again make a. full charge in the pump chamber ready for compression as before.

It will be noted that my present invention is largely a very practical, compact. and efficient construction of an engine built on the .same general principles of my earlier invention, the two working cylinders heilig used to give a more even application of power and also to balance the moving parts. The arrangement of the auxiliary air pump gives a quick injection of the air charge when it is needed, andthe mechanical operation of the inlet and transfer valves makes higher engine speeds practical as well as reducing the loss due to the resistance of the valves.

'It is obvious that many of the features of construction, wh'ich are combined to perform more than one function or operation, can be separated without departure from the invention, such as for instance the transfer valvx which is used both to control the transfer of thel charge to the explosion chamber and also to control the return of part of the charge to the pump chamber for power regulation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. The combination with a two cylinder two cycle explosive engine of the class described, of a single actinf auxiliary air pump, means to operate said pump at twice the speed of the engine, and means whereby the a1r charge is delivered alternately to each of the engine cylinders, substantially as described.

2. In a two cycle explosive engine, the combination of a crank case forming a pump chamber, an attached cylinder forming anv explosion or working chamber at its outer end and having therein a working piston which is commonA to both of said chambers, an inlet passage to the pump chamber, a normally closed inlet valve controlling said passage, an inlet cam lhaving operating means therefor in connection with the engine shaft meanscoperating with said inlet cam and said inlet valve whereby the cam operates to open the valve to admit a charge of explosive gas to the pump chamber, a transfer passage directly connecting the pmnp and. explosion chambers around the cylinder, a

normally closed transfer valve controlling said transfer passage, a transfer cam having operating means therefor in connection with the engine shaft, and means coperating with said transfer cam and transfer Valve whereby the transfer Cam operates to open the transfer valve to allow the transfer of the explosive charge to the explosion chamber during exhaust therefrom of the burned charge of the previous explosion.

3. In a two cycle explosiverengine, the combination of a crank case formi-ng a pump chamber, an attached cylinder forming an explosion or working chamber at its outer end and having therein a working piston which is common to both of said chambers, means to admit a charge of explosive gas to the pump chamber, a transfer passage directly connecting the pump and explosion chambers around the cylinder, a` normally closed valve. controlling said passage, a cam which operates said valve and is so shaped that it will open said valve to allow the transfer of the explosive charge to the pump chamber and whichy can be shifted or moved so that various portions of the cam will also holdv said valve open during more or less of the up or outward stroke of the engine piston thereby allowing a part lof the explosive charge to be returned to the pump chamber,

a pump chamber, an attached cylinder forming an explosion or working chamber at its outer end and having therein a working piston which is common to both'of said chambers, an inlet passage to the pump chamber,

a normally closed inlet valve controlling theadmission of the explosive charge to the pump chamber, means to permit a more or less part of the admitted ex losive charge in the explosion chamber to e'returned to the pump chamber to regulate the speed or power of the engine, and means to permit exhaust of the burned charge from the said explosion chamber; of means to operate the said inlet valve, comprising a camshaft having operating means therefor in connection with the engine shaft, a `cam which is mounted on said camshaftand is soshaped that various portions of it will operate to open the inlet valve earlier thanother portions, means coperating with said cam and said valvoe whereby the cam voperates. the

' valve, and means to shift or move the cam during the operation of the engine whereby various portionsof the said cam are'caused to operate said valve as and for the purpose f described, the said shifting means coperating with the means to permit the return of part of the explosive charge to the'pump chamber.

5. rl`he-combination with' a twoycycle explosive engine having a crank case forming a pump chamber, an attached e linder forming an explosion or Working c amber at its outer end and having therein a working piston which is common to both of said chambers, meansto admit a charge of explosive gas to the pump chamber, means to transfer the explosive charge to the explosion. cham'- ber, and means to permit exhaust of the burned charge from the said explosion chamber; of a passage connecting-.the two chambers, a valve in said passage adapted to con-l Atrol the same, a camshaft having operating means therefor in connection with the engine shaft, a cam whichis mounted on said camshaft and is so shaped that various portions of it will operate to open said valve during a more or less part of the upward orouthaust erases ward stroke of the engine piston and thereby by the cam operates the valve, and means to shift or move the cam (relatively to the part that operates the valve) during operation of the engine whereby various portions of said cam are caused to operate said valve.

6. In a two cycle explosive engine, the

combination of a crank-case forming a pump chamber, an attached cylinderA forming an explosion or working chamber at its outer end and having therein a working pistonl which is common to both chambers, an inlet passage to the pump chamber, a normally closed inlet valve in said inlet passage controlling ',the admission of the explosive charge to the pump chamber, means to transfer the explosive charge from the pump chamber to the explosion chamber, means to permit exrom the explosion chamber, a passage directly connecting the'two said chambers, around the cylinder, a normally closed valve in s aidconnecting passage controlling the same, a camshaftl having operating -means therefor in connection with the engine shaft, a cam on said camshaft having'ineans cooperating therewith to operate the said inlet valve, a cam on said camshaft having means cooperating therewith to operate the valve in the said passage'connecting the two chain-vv bers, each ofvsaid 'cams being so shaped that various vportions of them will operate to open their respective valves for a longer time than other portions, and said cams being also so set and shaped with relationto.

each other and the engine parts that the valve in the connecting passage is opened during a more or less part of the up or outward stroke of the engine piston to-permit the return of part of the explosive charge to the pump chamber and then the inlet valve is opened durin stroke of the vengine piston to permit the admission of the explosive charge to the vpuinp chamber; and means to shift or move the said camshaft or cams during operation of the engine whereby more of the explosive charge is returned to the pump chamber-fand less charge admitted through the inlet or vice versa.

7. In a two cycle explosive engine, `the combination of a crank case forming a. pump chamber, an attached cylinder forming an the' remainder of .the 'up explosionl or rWorking chamber at its outer cam on said camshaft having means cothe cylinder, a valve in said to control the transfer of the explosive charge v bersaround the cylinder, a normally closed transfer valve controllin said transfer passage, means to permit ex aust of the burned charge from the explosion chamber, a camshaft having operating means therefor in 'connection with the engine shaft, an inlet operating therewith to operate the said inlet valve, a transfer cam on said camshaft havmg means coperating therewith to operate the said transfer valve, eaeh of said cams being so shaped that various portions of them will operate to open'their respective valves longer than other portions, and said cams being also so set and shaped with relation to each other and the engine parts that the said transfer Valve is opened by 'its cam to permit the transfer of the explosive charge from the pump chamber to the explosion chamber and held-:open during a more or less part of the up or outward stroke of the engine piston to4 permit the return of partof the explosive charge to the pump chamber and then the inlet valve is opened by its cam during the remainder of the u stroke of the engine piston to permit admission of the explosive charge to the pump chamber, and means to shift or move the camshaft or cams during operation of the engine whereby more of the ex losive charge is returned to the pump cham er and less c harge admitted through'the inlet or vice versa, substantially as described.

8. In a two cycle explosive engine, the combination of a crank case forming a pump chamber, an attached cylinder forming an explosion or working chamber at its outer end and having therein a working piston which is common to both of said chambers, means to admit a charge of ex losive gas to` the pump chamber, a trans er passage directly connecting the two chambers around passage adapted to the explosion chamber, in the cylinder wall controlled and opened by the wlorking piston, an auxiliary air pump, and means to introduce the charge of air under pressure from said air pum directly into the explosion chamber in ad( ition to and ahead and independently of the transferred explosive charge substantially as described.

9. In a two cycle explosive engine, the

an exhaust port.

combination of a crank case forming a pump chamber, an attachedl cylinder forming an explosion chamber at its outer end and hav- 'f ing therein a working piston which is common to both of said chambers, means to ad- -emit a charge ofexplosive gas to the pump chamber, means to transfer the said charge to the'explosion chamber, an auxiliary air pump, means to introduce the charge of air from said air pump directly into the ex losion chamber 1n addition to 'and ahea of and independently of the transfer of the explosive charge substantially as described, and means to return a part of said transferred explosive charge back to the pump said cylinder.

11. The combination of a cylinder and supply chamber, of a piston working therein, a valve controlling the admission of the explosive mixture from the supply chamber to the cylinder,a valve for admitting the explosive mixture to the supply chamber, and cams combined with valve actuating mechanism operated by said cams, said cams bein constructed to cause the closure of said va ves at different points in the back stroke of the piston when a relative movement is effected between the cams and the valve actuating mechanism.

12. The combination of a cylinder, and supply chamber, a iston working therein, a valve controlling t e`admission of the explosive mixture to the supply chamber, a valve controlling the admission of the explosive mixture from the supply chamber to the cylinder, longitudinally movable cams having longitudinally varying peripheral enlargements, valve-actuating mechanism operated by said cams, said cams actuating the aforesaid valves, valve actuating mechanism operated by said cams, and means for shifting said cams relatively to said valve-actuating mechanism.

.13. The combination in an explosive engine, of a cylinder and a supply chamber, a piston working in both, a valve for permitting the infiux of explosive mixture into the supply chamber, a valve for permitting the flow of explosive mixture under ressure from the-supply chamber to the cylinder, a cam for operating the valve controlling the flow into the supply chamber, a cam for operating the valve controlling the flow into the cylinder, and means whereby the first aforesaid cam is not permitted to open its valve before the cylinder valve has been closed.

14. The 'combination in an explosive engine, of a cylinder and a supply chamber, a piston working in both, a valfe for permitting the influx of explosive mixture into the -supply chamber, a valve for permitting the flow of explosive mixture under pressure from the supply chamber to the cylinder, a cam for operating the valve controlling the stroke of the pisto11, by a relative mvement efected between the cam and the valve actu- 10 ating mechanism.

HOWARD H. WXON.

/Vitnesses:

HENRY 1WEHLAN, CHARLES L. DIBBLE.

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