GB160479A - Improvements in internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Abstract

160,479. Hefford, P. H. Oct. 1, 1919. Valves; regulating.-Relates to engines of the type having a number of cylinders 10 revolving around a fixed hollow shaft 11 through which the working charge is supplied, the cylinders being preferably parallel with the shaft, the pistons 27 driving crank shafts 15 in separate crank cham. bers 28, and the crank shafts being geared to the fixed shaft. Specification 140,537 describes a two-stroke engine of this kind. According to the invention, an adjustable sleeve 26 is provided with in the hollow shaft 11 with ports so arranged that, according to the position of the sleeve, the engine works upon a two-stroke or four-stroke cycle as desired. The sleeve is divided into inlet and exhaust compartments 39, 38 by a partition 40, 43. In Fig. 1, the sleeve 26 is shown at the extreme position towards the right; the charge is drawn from the pipe 31 through ports 4, 5, 1 into the crank chambers, and thence through transfer passages 47 into the working cylinders; the cylinder ports 3 are permanently closed by the sleeve 26, and the exhaust gases pass through the terminal ports 2 in the cylinders and one or other of a pair of opposite ports 6 in the sleeve to an exhaust chamber 38 in the central shaft. When the sleeve 26 is moved to its extreme position towards the left, the engine works upon the four-stroke cycle; the ports 1 are then permanently closed by the sleeve, ports 7, 54 in the sleeve register with inlet and exhaust ports 46, 45 in the shaft, and one of the exhaust ports 6 in the sleeve registers with the terminal exhaust ports 2 in the cylinders. In this position, the cylinder ports 3 serve both for inlet and exhaust, and the ports 2 serve as auxiliary exhaust ports.