3904 47th Ave. S., Seattle, Washington 98118
Early inventors as Huyghens, Papin, Robert Street, Barnett,
Samuel Brown and others, while testing versions of their engines,
realized considerable accomplishment when they were able to get an
engine to explode the fuel in a proper progression to create enough
power to keep a flywheel turning. Under such circumstances, with
crude machines, it was hardly possible to classify engines
according to a type such as two or four cycle.
From all of these efforts, a light was dawning. In England, an
engineer by the name of Dugald Clerk, worked on an idea of one
intake stroke and one power stroke on his engine by using the
travel of the piston to uncover a port in the cylinder to exhaust
the burned gases. His engine was built with an auxiliary cylinder
used to compress air for scavenging.
When the power piston moved towards the end of the expansion
stroke, it un covered a port thru which the exhaust gases pass;
thus reducing the pressure in the main cylinder to that of the
atmosphere. Pressure from the displacer cylinder was then admitted
thru a valve in the head, forcing out the burned gases and charging
the combustion space for the next power stroke. This series of
events within the cylinder is repeated in every revolution of the
engine. The auxiliary or displacer cylinder with the intake valve
arrangement made this a rather difficult engine to build. It was a
definite type, and Dugald Clerk explained his engine as a two-cycle
machine, establishing for the first time this fundamental
design.
During the next decade, this two-cycle type was improved and
simplified. Much experimentation and research has perfected the
two-cycle as it is known today; as it is widely used in the
smallest and largest gasoline and diesel engines on todays markets.
While Lenoir and Clerk were building engines, another French
engineer, M. Beau de Rochas, 1862, was conducting experiments on
the theory of the actual operating conditions inside the combustion
space of a gas engine and on the matter of the firing sequence. He
found a better operating system by utilizing one stroke of the
piston to charge the cylinder with the explosive fuel, and the next
stroke to compress the fuel mixture and then fire it at near top
dead center using the next forward stroke for power, with the
return stroke of the piston to exhaust the burned gases. Thus it
was Rochas, who was the inventor of the four-cycle internal
combustion engine.
During the period from 1860 to 1875, there were a number of
inventors at work improving the designs of Lenoir and Rochas.
Two men who contributed much in this respect to the development
of reliable gas engines in the early stages of this industry in
Europe were Nickolaus A. Otto and his partner Eugen Langen of
Germany. They improved on the four-cycle design, and in 1878, Otto
developed the first magneto ignition. They founded the N. A. Otto
and Cie Company, and also the Gas Mortoren Fabrick Deutz Co.
The output of their factories expanded and their engines were
shipped to the countries of Europe and to the United States. During
the years of 1878 to 1895, they sold over 45,000 engines.
The imports of the British, French and German engines into this
country influenced our first inventors. The Otto Gas Engine Co. was
established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where they manufactured
vertical cylinder engines from 1 Hp. to 3? Hp. and horizontal
engines from 2 Hp. to 120 Hp. Many old text-books describe these
original Otto engines as having horizontal open and water-cooled
cylinders bolted to a cast iron sub-base which also carried the
main bearing journals. From bevel gears on the crank shaft, the lay
shaft along the side of the engine, operated the slide intake valve
as well as the governor.
A 10 Hp. Novo hit and miss, about 1914 model. The nameplate
reads, ‘The Sprayer Engine, No. 20180, manufactured by Niagara
Brand Spray Company, Burlington, Ontario, Canada’. This engine
had not run for about 25 years and just needed cleaning. Even the
mag. required no repairs. Would like to know the original color.
This one appeared to be a medium green. I would like to hear from
other large Novo owners as this is the only 10 Hp. I know of Does
anyone have a 15 Hp. 2 cyl. Novo?
Ignition was by a gas flame and timed by the movement of the
slide valve mount ed horizontally across the back of the cylinder
head. The exhaust poppet valve was on the other side of the
cylinder head and at right angles with the intake valve. (For those
who may wish further details on this early engine, you can get
copies of the original N. A. Otto patent No. 194,047 dated Aug. 14,
1877, by writing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.
20231 for $.50 per copy).
In 1875, the U. S. Patent office issued the first three patents
in this country on gas engines.
The first patent was issued to G. W. Daimler of Wurtenberg,
Germany by the United States as No. 168,623. This patent covered a
very interesting design in stationary engines, because it seemed to
be back wards from all other models so far developed. Both ends of
the cylinder were open to the atmosphere. The power or working
piston and connecting rod were water-cooled. Then, there was a
loose piston at each end of the open cylinder and they were
arranged to seal the cylinder when the explosion was about to take
place. Ignition was by a gas flame. There was a crosshead at one
end of the cylinder, with side arms connecting the crosshead to the
flywheels at the other or opposite end of the engine. Anyone
wishing to study this odd design may secure a copy of G. W. Daimler
patent.
After years of development, Daimler built some of the worlds
finest auto mobiles. Associated with Messers. Benz, Maybach and
Otto, Mr. Daimler built high speed automotive and airplane
engines.
From these early factories came the simple small size gas
engines. The horse-power ranged from a fraction to 5 Hp. for
portable engines and up to approximately 100 Hp. for stationary
units. The builders were experimenting in new fields for a wider
application of their motors. In 1886, Mr. Benz and Daimler built
one of the first vehicles to be powered by a gas engine, and it was
successfully road tested as one of the first horseless
carriages.
Outmoded transportation conveyances were much in need of
improvement. Both land and water offered a great market for this
new motive power that could be operated without a cumbersome steam
boiler.
Sawing fire wood December 15, 1968 with a Fairbanks-Morse 15 Hp.
Gas and Oil Engine. My brother, Marlin Meachem, operating the saw.
He was sawing all hard wood, white oak. Notice Minnie in background
under steam. I have several gas engines to fool around with.
Daimler was one of the first inventors to build marine engines,
and in 1886, he was successful in putting an engine on a bicycle.
He licensed Panhard and Levas ser in France to build his engines.
They built a 3 cylinder machine.
Argyle Co. and Renault, Friers and New Orleans Co. in France,
were building an air-cooled engine at about this era, which was
used in some of the small cars such as the Renault.
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