The platinum was kept hot by the heat derived from the successive ignitions, and, the engine once started, no further external flame was required. I have here one of these platinum cages which has been in use. Finding this method not well suited for small engines, I produced the engine which is at present in the market under my name.
The cycle is different, and is designed for greater simplicity and the avoidance of back ignitions. It also consists of two cylinders, motor cylinder and the displace or charging cylinder. There is no intermediate reservoir. The displace crank leads the motor by a right angle, and takes into it the mixed charge of gas and air, in some cases taking air alone during the latter part of its stroke.
The motor on the outstroke crosses V-shaped parts about from one-sixth to one-seventh from the out end, the displacer charge now passing into the motor cylinder, displacing the exhaust gases by these ports and filling the cylinder and the space at the end of it with the explosive mixture. The introduction of some air in advance of the charge serves the double purpose of cooling down the exhaust gases and preventing direct contact of the inflammable mixture with flame which may linger in the cylinder from the previous stroke. The instroke of the motor compresses the charge into the conical space at the end of the cylinder, and, when fully compressed, ignition is effected by means of the slide I have upon the table.
This system of ignition has been found very reliable, and capable of acting as often as 400 times per minute, which the Otto ignite is quite incapable of doing. By this cycle the advantages of compression are gained and one step nearer to the steam engine is attained, that is, an impulse is given for every revolution of the engine.
As a consequence, I am able with my engine to give a greater amount of power for a comparatively small weight. In addition to this, I have introduced a method of self-starting; in this I believe I was the first—about 100 of my engines are now using self-starting.
The largest single engine I have yet made indicates 30 H.P. The consumption of gas in Glasgow is: Clerk engine consumes in Glasgow 18 cubic feet per I.H.P. per hour; Clerk engine consumes in Manchester 22 cubic feet per I.H.P. per hour. So far as I know, the Otto engine and my own are the only compression engines which have as yet made any success in the market. Other engines are being continually prepared, gas engine patents being taken out just now at the rate of 60 per annum, but none of them have been able as yet to get beyond the experimental stage. The reason is simply the great experience necessary to produce these machines, which seem so very simple; but to the inexperienced inventor the subject fairly bristles with pitfalls.
I have here sections of some of the earlier engines, including Dr. Siemens' and Messrs. Simon and Beechy. Although interesting and containing many good points, these have not been practically successful.
The Simon engine is an adaptation of the well-known American petroleum motor, the Brayton, the only difference consisting in the use of steam as well as flame.
Dr. Siemens worked for some twenty years on gas engines, but he aimed rather high at first to attain even moderate success. Had he lived, I doubt not but that he would have succeeded in introducing them for large powers. In 1882 he informed me that he had in hand a set of gas engines of some hundreds of horse power for use on board ship, to be supplied with gas from one of his gas producers modified to suit the altered conditions.
Summarizing the ground over which we have passed, we find the origin of the gas engine in the minds of the same men as were first to propose the steam engine, Huyghens and Papin, 1680 and 1690. Greater mechanical difficulties and ignorance of the nature of explosives caused the abandonment of the internal combustion idea, and the mechanical difficulties with steam being less, the steam engine became successful, and triumphed over its rival. The knowledge and skill gained in the construction of steam engines made it possible once again to attack the more difficult problem, and simultaneously with the introduction and perfecting of the steam engine, the gas engine idea became more and more possible, the practicable stage commencing with Lenoir and continuing with Hugon, Millein, Otto and Langen, F.H. Wenham, then Otto and Clerk. In 1860, 95 cubic feet of gas produced one horse power for an hour; in 1867, 40 cubic feet accomplished the same thing; and now (1885) we can get one horse power for an hour for from 15 to 20 cubic feet of gas, depending on the size of the engine used.