US1420266A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

8. LG. KNOX.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN,15v 1917.

1 266 Patented June 20, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR A TTORNEYS S. L. G. KNOX.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-15. 1911.

1 4:20, 2 6 6. Patented June 20, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Fig 2,

WI'PNESSES: INVENTOR %Z/ A Z Z Qf/Yi zoac A'ITORNEYB s. L. G. KNOX. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 15, 1917. 1,420,266. Patented June 20, 1922.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Fjgb.

WITNESSES:

SAMUEL L. G, KNOX. OF SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1922.

Application filed'January 15, 1917. Serial No. 142,529.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. SAMiim L. G. I\NOX, a citizen of the llnited States. residing at San Rafael. in the county of Marin and State of California. have invented new and useful Improvement in lnternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification. I

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means for charging the cylinders. of an internal combustion engine witl'i'a sufiicient volume of either air or combustible mixture to obtain a pressure'in the cylinders during the suction stroke of the pistons, which will be considerably in excess of atmospheric pressure; and particularly to provide a novel compressing arrangement therefor, whereby the existing structure of the engine is largely utilized and volumetric loss of the incoming charges may be reduced to a minimum. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described. and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the engine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, central section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the lower nd of one of the cylinders.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4--4: of Fig. 3, showing the valve head in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a section taken through the regu lating valve.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A and B indicate the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, which, in this instance, is operated on the Diesel principle. Each cylinder is provided with an inlet valve 2, an exhaust valve 3, and a piston 1, and each piston is secured to a piston-rod 5 which in turn is connected with a cross-head 6 connecting-rod 7 and acrank shaft 8 the cranks shown being positioned parallel to permit the pistons to reciprocate in unison when the engin is operated, as will hereinafter be described.

Secured to the lower end of each cylinder is a valve head, generally indicated at C, and secured centrally in each valve head is a stufiing box 9 through which the piston rod extends. Formed in each valve head, exteriorly of the stufiin'g box. are two sets of ports 10 and 11 which will respectively be known as the inlet and outlet ports. Suitably secured, as at 12, in the upper end of the valve head is a seat casting 13 in'which is formed an inlet port 1* and an outlet port 15; the port 14 being in register with the inlet port 10 and the port 15 with the port 11. Adapted to form a closure for the port 14 is a valve 16 which is guided by means of pins 17, and normally held against its seat by means of a plurality of springs, such as shown at 18. In a like manner positioned with relation to port 15 is a valve 19 which is normally held and guided with relation to the seat by means of springs 20 and guide pins 21.' The main inlet port 10 is in this instance open to the atmosphere; that is, air is admitted around the stufling box and the piston rod 5, while the main outlet port 11 is closed at its lower end to form a chamber which is connected, by means of a manifold 22. with the inlet valves 2 of the cylinders A and B. as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the main inlet and exhaust valves 2 and 3 are mounted at one end of each cylindcr, while a second set-.o'f'inlet and outlet valves is mounted in'the valve head C at the opposite end of each cylinder. This arrangement permits each cylinder to be divided into a firing chamber 25 and a compressing chamber 26 and, therefore, permits the charges of the two compressing chambers to be by-passed through the manifold to the firing chamber of either the cylinder A or the cylinder B.

The pistons 4 employed are of the usual construction, with the exception that the upper ends are cored out to form radially disposed ports 27 through which the compressed charges are adapted to circulate more or less durlng the operatlon of the engine for the purpose of maintaining the pistons as cool as possible. The length of each piston is considerable and to reduce volumetric losses to the smallest percentage possible, it will be seen that each valve head C is cylindrical in shape and extended to fit interiorly of each piston when these assume their lowermost positions; the exterior diameter of each valve head being approximately the interior diameter of the pistons. An annular chamber 30 is, therefore. formed between the lower end of each cylinder and the exterior of each valve head to receive the lower ends of the pistons, in this manner permitting practically all the air to he expelled and reducing volumetric losses to a minimum.

In general practice, where internal combustion engines of different types are employed, whether they are two-cycle, fourcycle, Diesel, or otherwise, it is practically impossible to produce atmospheric pressuremanner: The two pistons moving upwardly in' unison will permit air to enter the compressing chambers 26 through the ports 10 and 14 and reverse movement of the pistons will cause said charges to be compressed and by-passed through the annular ports 11 and 15 to the manifold '22, where it is delivered to the firing chamber of one cylinder or the other through the inlet valves 2. The present engine operates on. the four-cycle Diesel principle and only one inlet valve will open,'or, in other words, one cylinder will receive the compressed charges from the two cylinders during one revolution of the cycle, while the other cylinder will receivethe compressed charges from the two cylinders during the second revolution of the cycle of operation.

It can readily be seen that a pressure almost double atmospheric is obtained and that the general power output of the engine is thereby greatly increased. The charges admitted, as previously described, may be.

either air or an explosive mixture, but as no carburetor is here employed it is obvious that air only is handled, as far as the compressors are concerned. It is, therefore, necessary to provide a fuel nozzle 35 for each cylinder through which a suitable fuel is automatically sprayed during each firing stroke of the piston; ignition being secured by the high heat'of compression in the usual manner.

For the purpose of permitting a, great flexibility. as far as power is concerned, when running overloaded or undcrloaded, it is desirable to regulate the amount of pressure of the by-passed charges. This may be accomplished, for instance, by mechanically controlling the operation of the valves 17 and 19 or by providing a pressure regulating valve, such as indicated at 45. Vt'ith the engine operating under maximum load itis obvious that all the air from the two (0111- pressing units" should be by-passed to eat-h individual tiring chamber. The pressure of the air thus delivered in actual practice will then reach an approximate pressure of lifteen pounds bygage.

If it is desired to reduce the power of the engine, it is only necessary to set the pressure-regulating valve 45 to a point where it will automatically open when any desired pressure is obtained in the manifold 22. For instance, it might be desirable to reduce the pressure to five pounds. This is easily accomplished by setting the valve 45 to automatically open under this pressure and it can, therefore, be seen that all excess air would be automatically discharged at this point while the remaining volume of the two compressed charges would pass into the firing chambers in the cylinders each in its alternate turn. The general range of power may be greatly increased or decreased by means of a governor or as the operator may see fit and the efliciency of the engine as a whole may accordingly be maintained.

\Vhile the compressing attachment is here shown as em) o'yed in connection with a Diesel engine, it is obvious that it might be employed in connection with an ordinary gas would be air; if the engine operates like I an ordinary automobile engine, the gas yvould be a mixture of air and vaporized uel.

I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific dc- 5 sign and constructionhere shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a supercharging four-stroke cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylinder head in one end thereof. a valve head in the opposite end thereof. inlet and outlet valves carried by the valve head, a trunk piston in the cylinder adapted to be telescoped over the valve head, a piston rod connected to the piston and passing through a stuffing box in the valve head, a cross head connected to the picston rod, and a manifold connected to the valve head for leading compressed gas directly from thevalve head to the cylinder head, the piston acting as a gas compressor to complete two pumping strokes for each explosion stroke of the engine.

2. In a supercharging four-stroke cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of two cylinders, a cylinder head in one end of each cylinder, a valve in the opposite side of each cylinder and projecting into it, a trunk piston in each cylinder adapted to be telescoped over the respective valve head, inlet and outlet valves carried by each valve head, and a manifold connected to each valve head for delivering directly gas compressed by both pistons into one cylinder at a time, the piston acting as a gas compressor to complete two pumping strokes for each explosion stroke of the engine.

3. The combination with a two-cylinder internal combustion engine of a cylinder head secured on one end of each cylinder, a valve head secured on the opposite end of each cylinder said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufficiently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, said pistons adapted to reciprocate in unison, a stalling box in each valve head, a rod secured to each piston extending through each stuffing box, an inlet and an outlet valve carried by each valve head, an exhaust and an inlet valve in each cylinder head and a manifold having a passage formed therein which also acts as a receiver connecting the outlet valves with the inlet valves in the opposite end of each cylinder.

t. In a supercharging four-stroke cycle internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a cylin- (ler head on one end of the cylinder, a valve head on the other end of the cylinder and projecting into it, a trunk piston movable in the cylinder and telescoping over the valve head, an inlet and an outlet valve in the valve head, and means for leading compressed gas directly from the valve head to the cylinder head, the piston acting as a gas compressor to complete two pumping strokes for each explosion stroke of the engine.

5. The combination with a two-cylinder internal combustion engine of a cyl1nder head secured on one end of each cyhnder, an

exhaust and an inlet valve in each cylinder head, a valve head secured on the opposite end of each cylinder said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a'trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufliciently large to permit the same tov move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, said pistons adapted to reciprocate in unison, a stuliing box in each valve head, a rod secured to each piston extending through each stufling box, a pair of annular ports in each valve head,'one exteriorly of the other and surrounding the stutfing box, an annular disk valve adapted to open and close each port in unison with the movement of the pistons and a manifold having apassage formed therein WlllClltl/ISO acts as a receiver connecting one of the ports with the inlet valves in the opposite ends of the cylinders. a I

6. The combination with a two-cylinder internal combustion engine of a cylinder head secured on one end of each cylinder, an exhaust and an inlet valve in each cylinder.

head, a valve head secured on the opposite end of each cylinder, a piston in each cylinder, said pistons adapted to reciprocate in unison, a stufiing box in each valve head, a rod secured to each piston extending through each stuffing box, a pair of annular ports in each valve head, one exteriorly of the other and surrounding the stuffing box, an annular disk valve adapted to open and close each port in unison with the movement of the pistons, a manifold having a passage formed therein which also acts as a receiver connecting one of the ports with the inlet valves in the opposite ends of the cylinders, and a pressure regulating valve connected with the manifold adapted to regulate and maintain a predetermined pressure in the manifold.

7 The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder,

' said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufliciently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber anda compressing chamber, means for admitting gas to eaci compressing chamber, and means for bypassing the compressed charges of two compressing chambers to one firing chamber.

' 8. The combination with a two-cylinder internal combustion engine of a valve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylin-- ders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistonshaving an interior diameter sufliciently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during coilipression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compression chamber, said pistons adapted to reciprocate in unison, an inlet and an outlet port formed in each valve head, a valve adapted to open "and close each port, an inlet valve for each firing chamber and a manifold connecting the outlet ports with the inlet valves ,which communicate with the firing chambers.

9. The combination with a two-cylinder internal combustion engine of avalve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufliciently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over thevalve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing eachcylinder into a firing chamber and a comp izessing chamber, said pistons adapted to reciprocate in unison, a stuffing box in each valve head, a rod secured to each piston extending through each studing'box, a pair of annular ports formed in each valve head, one exteriorly of the other and surrounding the stuffing box, an annular disk valve adapted to open and close each port, an inlet valve for each firing chamber and a manifold acting as a receiver connected at one end with one port in each valve head and at the opposite end with the inlet valves.

10. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, a piston in each cylinder dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compressing chamber, a stufii'ng box in each valve head, a rod secured to each piston extending througheach stutting box, a pair of annular ports formed in each valve head, one exteriorly of the other and surrounding the stuffing box, an annular disk valve adapted to open and close each port, a manifold acting as a receiver connected atone end with one port in each valve head and at the opposite end with the firing chamber of each cylinder, and a pressure regulating valve on the manifold.

11. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, said valve headsbeing circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylin= ders, a trunk piston in each'cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufficiently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compressing chamber, an in-i let and an outlet port formed in each valve head. a valve adapted to open 'andclosc each port, a manifold connecting the outlet ports with the firing chambers, and a pressure regulating valve on the manifold.

12. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valvc head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufliciently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compressing chamber, an inlet and an'outlet port formed in each valve head, a valve adapted to open and close each port, a manifold connecting the outlet ports with the firing chambers, and means for regulating the pressure in the manifold.

13. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valve head secured on the inner end of each cylinder, said valve heads-being circular in cross section andprojecting upwardly into the cylinders, aitriink piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior-diameter 'sutlicientlylarge to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compressingchamber, means for admitting gas to each compressing chamber, means fo i by-passing the compressed charges of two compressing chambers to one tiring chamber, and means for regulating the pressure of the by-passed charges.

14. The combination with a inulti-cylinder internal combustion engine, of a valve head secured onthe inner end of each cylinder, said valve heads being circular in cross section and projecting upwardly into the cylinders, a trunk piston in each cylinder, said trunk pistons having an interior diameter sufficiently large to permit the same to move telescopewise over the valve heads and expel approximately all the air during compression, dividing each cylinder into a firing chamber and a compressing chamber, means for admitting gas to each compressing cham ber, means for bypassing the compressed charges of two compressing chambers to one firing chamber, means for regulating the pressure of the by-passed charges, and means for automatically maintaining the pressure after regulation.

15. In a supercharging four stroke cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of acylinder, a cylinder head at one end of the cylinder, a valve head at the opposite end of the cylinder, inlet and outlet valves carried by the valve head, a manifold for leading compressed gas directly from the 31.30

valve head to the cylinder head, and a piston In testimony whereof I have luu'vuuto set rod passing: through the valve head and voumy haml m the prvsem-v of l\\o suhsvrihmg nected to a cross-head, the plstou mukuu: wituvssos.

two pumping strokes for each explosion in SAMUEL L. (L KNOX. 5 the cylinder, to supply o the cylinder 8. \Yitxmssos:

double charge at substantlally twivv :mnow A. Kmmslcur,

pheric pressure. J. C. NICORA.

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