US757632A - Explosive-engine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 757,62l2A FATBNTED ArR.19,19o4. f

11.11. PALMER BXPLosIvB ENGINE.

APPLIUATIOF FILED JAN. 12, 1903 .N0 MODEL.

T I ,13N/fe 7113074:

Patented April 19, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT R. PALMER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO'EDWIN FOWLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ExPLoslvE-ENGINE.

sPEcIrrcnrIoN forming part of 4Letters Patent No. 757,632, dated April 19, 1904.

Application led January 12, 1903. Serial No. 188.595. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT R. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The object of this invention is to provide an engine wherein the heat of the exploding gases is prevented from directly acting on the lubricating-oil, whereby it is possible to keep the explosive-chamber at a much higher temperature than otherwise, thus saving the heat and doing away with the water-jacket and its attendant disadvantages. I accomplish this by providing' on the head of the piston a cuplike'extensionwith its wall close to the wall of the cylinder, but out of contact therewith. The space between the wall of the cup and the wall of the cylinder is so small that the hot gases cannot work down between them to char the oil. At the same time the wall of the cup is kept out of contact with the cylinder, so that no lubricating-oil is required at this point and the lubricating-oil is confined to the surface of the piston proper at a point where it is not heated suiiiciently to be charred. I have found by actual test that such a device is eminently practical and satisfactory in operation.

I allow the explosion-chamber of my engine.

to attain such heat that it itself ignites the charge when it has reached the proper point of compression without a sparking device.

The regulation of the compression causing the automatic explosion at just the proper time is accomplished by increasing or decreasthan gasolene, but contains more heat units, Y

yend into the cylinder and at its lower end has a crank-chamber in which the crank-shaft B is journaled. The piston is designated C. It has the usual packing-rings c and` is connected by the connecting-rod D with the crank. The crank-shaft may have on one end the iiywheel E and on the other a pinion F, meshing with the gear G of twice the size, which gear carries a pair of cams H H,which operate the valves. Such construction is common in fourcycle engines.

YOn the upper end of the cylinder proper I providean extension forming the explosionchamber A', and on the upper end-of the piston proper I likewise provide an extension or cup C. These extensions are secured to their respective members, preferably with some heat-insulating substance, as mica, between them. Theseheat-insulatos are shown at a and c', respectively. They are preferred, but are not necessary. In fact, if desired, the extensions A and C can be of the same integral castings with the cylinder and piston, respectively. The external diameter of the piston-cup C is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cylinder and its extension, so lthat notwithstanding the expansion due to heat the piston extension does -not contact with the cylinder-wall, and therefore no lubricating-oil is necessary for it. The space between the walls is smallenough so that the hot gases cannot follow the piston with such rapidity or in such quantity as to heat the lower portion of .the piston or the cylinder proper. I have found that a space between the piston-cup and cylinder-wall of one-hundredth of an inch is satisfactory. This reduced diameter extends along the piston for such a distance that the lubricating-oil never reaches a point which is uncovered to the action of the hot gases. The oil is always protected from contact with the hot gases. Now when the explosion takes place between the cylinder-head A2 and the piston the latter is driven downward; but the wall of the cup C protects the cylinder from the heat of the gases. The radiation, without water-jacketing, keeps the cylinder proper at a temperature low enough so that the oil is not charred and keeps the extension A at a low enough temperature to prevent the premature expulsion4 of the hydrocarbon, though the temperature of this extension is way above that of the cylinder proper. The explosive mixture enters through the passage c2 during the downward stroke of the piston, 'but is compressed on the upward stroke to a point such that the heat of the extension A and the cylindercup C automaticallyV explodes the mixture without a sparking device. The amount of this compression 'is regulated by the addition or removal of plates Q2, secured within this cup C to reduce its capacity. The compression is such as to cause the expulsion at just the proper time as the piston is approaching the upper end of the cylinder. Then follows the propulsion-stroke and finally the expulsion-stroke, when the burned gases are forced out through the' passage a2 into the exhaust-pipe K, the passage being opened at this time by the valve J, which is raised by the exhaust cam-rod J and the cam H at the beginning of the expulsion stroke. This movement of the rod J also operates the small pump IJ, which forces a charge of petroleun through the pipe N into the bonnet P. This charge is drawn through the pipe N from a pipe N2, through which petroleum is continuously circulated i' rom the tank N3 by a pump Q, continuously operated by the main shaft B. The valves constituting parts of the pumps Q and L are indicated as q and Z, respectively, in the piping. As stated, during the expulsion of gases a new charge of liquid petroleum is formed by the pump L into the bonnet P. At the beginning of the return stroke the cam H acts to raise the rod S, thereby depressing and opening the airvalve S and also the admission-valve S2, directly beneath it and impinged by it. These valves are normally seated by their springs.

When the cam opens the two of them, the suction caused by the receding piston draws in the air and liquid hydrocarbon, which from the heat of the explosion-chamber is immediately vaporized, the mixture being compressed and exploded onthe return stroke.

The operation above described is in the normal running of the engine. For starting the engine I provide a small tank of gasolene and a sparking circuit, which are used in the usual manner until the engine is under way and the expulsion-chamber has become sufficiently heated. lDuring this preliminary operation the petroleum is shut off at the cock Ni and it is idly circulated by the pump Q. The gasolene-tank is indicated at T, and it has a pipe T leading to the bonnet P and has a cock T2, which is normally closed. `The sparking device, as shown, consists of a pair of' electrodes U, circuit-wires U leading therefrom to the secondary U2 of an induction-coil. From the primary U3 of this coil the circuit leads through a battery U4 to a pair of contact-strips U5, which are closed and released at the proper time, as by a fiber cam H2, carried by the gear G. When the engine is under way, the opening of the switch U6 in the primary sparking circuit shows whether the explosion-chamber is hot enough to cause the explosions. When it has become hot enough, the cock T2 is closed and the cock N* openedand the engine thereafter operated automatically with petroleum.

The inside of the explosion-chamber will be very hot; but it is desirable to prevent the conduction of heat to the outer surfaces of the walls thereof. To effect this result, a

layer of non-heat-conducting material X is interposed between the inside of said chamber and the outer surface of its walls. In the construction shown this non-conducting material fills a cylindrical recess formed within the walls of said chamber. When so placed, it performs its functions and is entirely out of contact with the contents of said chamber. The space within the upper end of the cup C is also hot, and in order to prevent as far as' possible the conduction of said heat to the wall in the cylinder when the piston has moved down the cylindrical wall of this cup is made hollow and is filled with a non conducting material X. In the preferred construction this cup is really made of two cups, the inner one having a iange which is secured upon the end of the outer cup, and the inner cup is of less diameter and length than the outer cup, This leaves a space in the cylindrical walls and in the end of said cup which may be filled with non-conducting material, as stated.

I claim- 1. In an explosive-engine, in combination, a cylinder, a piston therein, a cup with its IOO IOS

closed end secured to the explosion end of a cylinder, a piston therein, a cup with its closed end secured to theexplosion end of said piston, said cup being of less diameter than the bore of said cylinder, a lining of heat-insulating material within said cup, a protector for said lining, and means for holding said protector Within said cup.

4. In an explosive-engine, in combination, a cylinder, a piston therein, a cup With its closed end secured to the explosion end of said piston, said cup being of less diameter than the bore of said cylinder, a lining of heat-insulating material Within said cup, and a metal cup inside of said liningv for protecting the same.

5. In an explosive-engine, in combination,

a cylinder, a piston therein, a cup with its closed end secured to the explosion end of said piston, said cup being of less diameter thanA the bore of said cylinder, a lining of heat-insulating material Within said cup, and a metal cup inside of said lining Jfor protecting the same, said last-mentioned cup having a flange resting upon the upper edge of said other cup.

6. In an explosive-engine, in combination,

a cylinder, a piston therein, a cup With its closed end secured to the explosion end of said piston, said cup being of less diameter than the bore of said cylinder, means Within vsaid cup for protecting it from the heat, and an,

insulating medium between said cup and the vexplosion end of said piston.

7. In anexplosiVe-engine, in combination, a cylinder, a piston therein, a eupwith its closed end secured to the explosion end of said piston, and means for increasing and decreasing the depth of said cup to Var)7 the amount `compression in the cylinder.

y In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. HERBERT R. PALMER. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES, N, L. BRESNAN.

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