Gas-engine attachment for steam-engines.

Application filed February 27,1902. Serial No. 95,897, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Henry B. Nicodemus, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Aiie5 gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air and Gas Attachments for Steam;Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accomio panying drawings.

My invention is an improvement in gas-engine attachments for steam-engines, whereby a steam-engine can be readily converted into a gas-engine when the steam is shut off and 15 commingled air and gas admitted or used as a steam-engine’when the commingled air and gas is shut off and steam is admitted.

One object of my invention, is to provide means which will enable the piston to be op20 erated either by steam or by the explosion of comminged air and gas, the piston-cylinder providing either a steam-chamber or'an ex_rplosion-chamber. .

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side 25 elevation bf a steam-engine having my improved gas-engine attachment applied to the cylinder thereof, the cylinder haying an ordinary rotary valve and link motion. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cylin30. der end of the engine. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the cylinder end of an engine, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. looking in the direction of the arrows, the cylinder having a chest and slide-valve. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of 35 the same. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section of the air and gas valve. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the piston40 cylinder. Fig. 8 is a view of the outer end of the‘piston, showing the defleotor-plates.

In the drawings I have shown an engine which is adapted to be driven either by steam or by commingled air and gas as an explosive. 45 compound. /., . , is a main cylinder constructed with a feed pipe or passage 1“, having a flanged inlet/’, on which is secured a feed-chamber 2, with which'is connected a steam-pipe 2% having a controlling-valve 2^b. Surmounting this feed- 50 chamber 2 and secured thereto is a valve-casing 3, formed in its lower part with ain-inlets 3^a and at its upper part with an opening 3^b, with which is connected a gas-pipe 3^C, having a controlling-valve 3^d. Within this valve- 55 casing 3 is located an outwardly - seating spring-supported check-valve 3^e for admitting combined air and gas to the feed-chamber 2, which acts as a commingling or mixing chamber for the combined air and gas flowing 60 thereinto. The main cylinder is also provided with a rotary valve 4, located, at the outlet of the feed pipe or passage 1°, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for directing the feed to either the front or the rear branch passages 4^a of the 65 chest 4^b, having an exhaust 4^C, the rotary valve 4 having a crank-arm 4^d, which' is operated by the usual link mechanism 4^e. Instead of the rotary valve 4 I may employ a slidevalve 4^£, having a chamber 4^h directing the 7° feed into either the front or rear branch passages 4‘. .

is a piston-cylinder located partly within the main cylinder 1. This piston-cylinder 5 is constructed at its inner part within the 75 main cylinder 1 with pairs of flanges 5^a and a packing-ring 6 between the flanges 5^a of each pair, so as to make the passage l^a between the inner flanges of each pair of flanges tight at the sides. The outer part of the piston- 8p cylinder 5 is constructed with a water-jacket j; 5^b, a flange 5^C, whereby the piston-cylinder 5 11 is bolted to the outer flange Τ of the main j cylinder 1, an inner port 5^d, an outer port 5 , 1 an inner passage 5^£, with which the outer 85 branch passage 4^a and inner port 5^d communicate, an outer passage or antechamber 5^g, and, an exhaust-port 5¹¹, receiving a checkvalve casing 7. (See Fig -)

Sis the flanged head of the piston-cylinder 9° 5, which is forined with an opening for theinsertionof an.t form of igniter 9. (SeeFig. L) ’ 10 is a valve-casing having a passagfe 10^a,. providing communication between the mner passage 5'and the outer passage or antecham- 95 ber 5^g of the piston-cylinder 5.

is an outwardly-seating spring-check valve within the valve-casing 10 for closing the passage 10“· within the valve-casing 10 and which may be held open by a screw-rod 12.

13 is the piston operating within the pistoncylinder 5, and having its outer head- 13^a provided with deflecting-plates 13^b, whereby the explosive mixture is directed toward the outer end of, the chamber of the piston-cylinder.

io The space within the piston-cylinder 5 between the head 8 of the piston-cylinder 5 and the outer head 13^aof the piston 13 provides an explosivechamber.

. In order to start the engine by commingled ¹⁵ nb^r₁_^and,^gas,it.^isnecessary that the steam-valve be closed tight. If the engine has a rotary valve 4, it is necessary for the link mechanism 4 to be disconnected from the crank-arm 4“ , and the rotary valve 4 reversed, so that the 20 branch passages 4^a will be opened through the . valve-chamber from end to end; thereby permitting, the explosive mixture to pass from the inner end of the piston 13 to the outer end of the Chamber of the piston-cylinder 5. The 25 exhaust of the main cylinder 1 is closed by the reversal of the rotary valve 4, and the air and gas having been previously thoroughly mixed in the feed-chamber 2 is permitted to enter the outer end of the chamber of Uie piston3° cylinder 5, at which time the fly-wheel (not shown) of the engine is moved to such a position that the piston 13 is moved to the rearward direction, the piston 13 thereby creating a partial vacuum, which will cause the explo35 sive mixture to enter into the chest 4^b through the branch passages 4^a to the end of the piston-cylinder, at which time the piston 13 is moved forward, causing the explosive mixture to move back through the branch pas40 sages 4^a in the steam-chest 4^b and in the passages 5 5^g in the piston-cylinder to the checkvalve 11 and from thence into the piston-cyl.mder., The piston 13 is no w moved back again and compresses the explosive mixture. The 45 ignitei now acts, and the explosion occurring at this time will start the engine. Attention is called to the fact that while the engine is in motion the explosive mixture does not go through the check-valve 11 until· the engine exhausts.

. -l·-* nfder to use steam as a means of propulsion within the piston-cylinder, the screw-rod 12 of the check-valve 11 is raised sufficiently to cause the check-valve 11 to be unseated, 55 thereby lifting the valve 11, so the steam will freely pass the steam-valve 4, the latter being rearranged to regulate the steam. When the steam is turned on, the pressure thereof will keep the air and gas check valve 2^b closed, so 60 that the steam will not interfere with the air and gas check valve 2^b.

If the engine has a slide-valve 4^f, the valverod must be disconnected and the valve moved, bo that the branch passage 4*may be open from 05 end to end of the piston-cylinder.

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It will therefore be apparent that by simply arranging certain valves the engine can be driven by either steam or an explosive mixture.

Tq start the engine by gas in a rotary-valve 7 0 engine, the rotary valve is turned upside down to open the ports in the main cylinder and at the .same time close the exhaust of the main cylinder. The crank at the forward end of the engine is set in position, and in turn the 7 3 piston will be set in position, so that-when the gas is turned on and the fly-wheel (not shown) turned back the piston will draw in a charge of commingled air and gas into the front end of the cylinder. Then the fly- 80 wheel is turned ahead to press the commingled air and gas into the exploding end of the piston-cylinder. Then if the fly-wheel is turned back the air and gas will bei compressed and make the explosion. At the same time there 85 will be another charge in the front end of the cylinder ready to be received in the exploding end when engine exhausts the old charge.

To start the engine by gas bn a slide-valve engine, the valve-slide is disconnected from go the cam-rod and the slide-valve moved, so .that the ports will be wide open and to let the commingled air and gas travel free from the front end of the cylinder through the steamchest to the exploding end of the piston-cyl- 9« inder. ' . ’

When it is desired to run the engine by steam, the steam-exhaust is opened, the exhaust closed on piston-cylinder, and the valves properly arranged to let steam pass through 100 tree, and then turn on the steam.'