US1191174A - Piston for explosive-engines. - Google Patents

Description

wi/ memo I. D. GILLIGAN.

PISTON FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGlN ES.

APPLICATION man MAY 28. 1914.

Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J IT D STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE.

Jorm D. GILLIGAN, OFRHINELANDER, Wiscons n.

PISTON FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. GILLIGAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Rhinelander, in the county of Oneida and 5 State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pistons for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to. improvements in pistons for explosive engines of any class where the power is applied to a reciprocating piston by the explosion of a charge of gas, vapor, or other material that may be used, the nature of which is to impart its energy in impulses of great initial force, but of short duration.

The object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary piston that will absorb a portion of the energy liberated by a charge of fuel having the characteristics described, and which will contribute the power or force so held and reserved by the said auxiliary piston to the piston proper at a time later in the stroke, when the direct effect of the explod ing charge has been diminished.

The force of an exploding charge within the cylinder of an ordinary engine of the class described is so violent and comes with such sudden vigor that the efiect upon the mechanism of the engine is similar to the result that would follow from the concussion produced by sledge hammer blows ofequal force.

My improved piston may be made a part of the ordinary reciprocating piston, or it may be an independent auxiliary piston a(l.-'-

justable so as to enlarge the contents of the cylinder at the time of the severest effect of the explosion, and, then by returning to its former'condition in virtue of'the compressed resilient element associated therewith, reduce the contents of the cylinder to'its normal capacity, and thereby impart to the moving pistonthe energy that would bestored in the said element, which is compressed by the said auxiliary piston at the instant of the explosion. 3,

' Theabove and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated 5min their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particus Specification of Letters Patent.

Application i il edllay 28, 1914. Serial No. 841,639.

2 Patented July 18,1916.

larly pointed out in the claims which areap pended hereto and form apart of this application. I

In describing my invention in detail ref,- erence will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved piston, the engine cylinder in connection with which it is used, being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the piston; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan View of the piston, the piston rod or pitman being shown in section; and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the cylinder of an ordinary explosive engine, 2 the water jacket, 3 the crank case, and ithe crank shaft, the -con-.

struction of which may be varied or modified to an unlimited degree without in any way departing from the spirit of the present ,invention.

A reciprocating piston, designated as an' entirety by the numeral 5 is operable within the cylinder 1, a pitman or piston rod 6 C011".-

necting the said piston to the crank shaft 1 indicated at 9to the pitman or piston rod 6.

Piston proper 7 is engageable with the interior wall of the cylinder 1, packing rings 10 being associated therewith for an obvious purpose. The piston proper 7, as illustrated,

to advantage in Fig.2, is hollow, one end being closed as indicated at 11, said closed end forming an abutment for'one end of a spiral or helical spring 12 arranged withinthe said pistonproper, its opposite end abutting an annular flange 13 formed integrally with the auxiliary piston 8, the latter operating within the piston proper 7, the spring 12 serving as a means whereby the said piston proper is normally held with its closed end 11 out of engagement with the top edge of the said auxiliary piston 8, the latter, as shown in the drawings, being hollow or cylindrical in form. As a means whereby movement of auxiliary piston 8 is limited, I provide an exteriorly threaded band or ring 14, the

threads of I which are engageable with threads formed" upon 'the interior wall of,

piston proper 7 this arrangement providing for an adjustment of the said auxiliary piston to vary the length of the stroke of the piston proper relatively thereto when acted upon by the explosion of a charge of fuel within the cylinder. Annular flange 13 is engageable with the ring or band 14, such engagement limiting movement of piston proper 7,-holding the latter in operative position, and against tension of spring 12. Grooves 15, preferably four in number, and disposed at diametrically opposite points, are formed within piston proper 7, the grooves bein open to the interior thereof, as is clearly s own in.Fig. 4. Extensions 16 are formed integrally with the flange 13, upon the periphery thereof, the extensions fitting the respective grooves to serve as guide means for the piston proper 7 and preventing circumferential movement of one piston section independently of the other. The grooves and extensions are preferably dovetailed.

' To provide for the use of a spring offering a maximum of resistance, the auxlliary piston 8 is of a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the bore of piston proper 7, the space between the exterior wall of the auxiliary piston and the interior wall of the piston proper to provide for the arrange ment of the spring 12 therein, thereby permitting one end of the spring to abut, as above set forth, the annular flange 13 which is formed at a point adjacent the bottom edge of the piston section 8, that portion ofthe piston above the .flange serving as a means whereby the spring is held in place.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is apparent that piston proper 7 will be actuated against tension of spring 12 to receive the shock occasioned by the sudden explosion of a fuel charge; that the said spring 12 will return the said piston proper 7 to its normal position immediately subsequent to the explosion, the actuating force of the exploded charge being then evenly distributed to in this manner provide for reciprocation of the piston; and that the fierce and violent compression is not imparted to the working parts of the engine, a portion thereof being absorbed by the expansible piston, thus providing for a steady even motion or ation of the engine.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

oper- I desire to'emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invencure by Letters Patent, is

1. A piston for explosive engines including relatively movable piston sections, cushioning means interposed between said sections, means adjustable to vary the tension of said cushioning means, and means including a dove-tailed enlargement formed tion, what I claim as new andv desire to seuponone of said sections to fit a completial movement of one section independently of the other, the said extensions and grooves serving as guide means for the piston sections when moved relatively to each other, and spring means interposed between the flange of one section and one of the defining walls of the other section to form a cushion support, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A piston for explosive engines including a piston proper closed at one end, an auxiliary piston extending into said piston proper, an annular flange formed integrally with the said auxiliary piston, a spring interposed between the closed end ofsaid piston proper and said flange, said spring forming a cushion support for the piston proper, dove-tailed extensions'formed upon the periphery of said flange, the said extensions fitting dove-tailed grooves formed in the piston proper to serve as guide means for the piston sections when moved relatively to each other, a band adjustable relatively to the piston proper, said band forming an abutment for the flange ..to limit movement of one of the piston' sections, movement of said band permitting variation of the spring tension, as and for the purpose set forth. I

4. A piston for explosive engines including a piston proper closed at one end, an auxiliary piston extending into said piston proper, the diameter of the auxiliary piston being less than the diameter of the bore of the piston proper to provide a space therebetween, an annular flange formed integrally with the auxiliary piston, a single spring interposed between the closed end of said piston proper and said flange, said spring embracing the auxiliary piston and fitting the space aforesaid, extensions formed band permitting variation of the spring ten- 0 upon the periphery of the said flange, the sion, as and for the'purpose set forth.

said extensions fitting grooves therefor In testimony whereof I aflix my signature zvithin tlhe piston proper to prevent circumin presence of two Witnesses.

erentia movement 0 one piston section independently of the other, and an exteriorly JOHN GILLIGAN' threaded band adjustable relatively to the Witnesses: piston proper, said loand forming an abut- CHAS. CALKINS, ment'for the said flange, adjustment of the 1 E. H. REED.

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