T. A. N. LEADBETTER, A. L. K. GILCHRIST 6'4 W. H. TATE.

INTERNAL comsusnom mam.

APPLICATION FlLED SEPT-18.1917.

L3L1%L

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

<3

9
7

2a

.
. *

1a
'

% .0*

\\

o
A?

T. A. NfLEADBETTER, A. L. K. GILCHRIST & W. H. TATE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.
' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8. I:9I 7.

Law}, M19

'

Patentd Apr. 22,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

i
i

i
r

I1

'

O
O

3
<

QWOTN}O

l__
63

(a _

oI,

near
THOMAS ABNEY NAPIER LEADBETTER, OF HALE, ANDREW? LAWSON KNOX GIL-CHRIST,
0F LYTHAM, AND WILLIAM HENRY TATE, 0F BRQOKLANDS, ENGLAND, ~

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

1,331,141.

Speci?cation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, Matt}.

Application ?led September 18, 191?. Serial Ito. 191,939.

To all whom it may concern:

As illustrated in F ig. 1, the twin cylinders

Be it known that we, THOMAS ABNEY NA l, 2, open into a common combustion cham
PIER LnAnBn'rrnR, ANDREW Lawson KNOX ber 3, the pistons 1*, 2*, being connected re

GILCHRIST, and ~WILLIAM HENRY TATE, sub

jects of the King of Great Britain, and resi

55

spectively by rods 1", 2) to the crank pin 4,

and a knuckle 4 on the connecting rod 2* of

dents of Hale, Cheshire, England, Lytham, the other piston. The inlet and exhaust for
England, and Brooklands, Cheshire, Eng the fuel charge and spent gas into and from

60

land, respectively, have invented certain new the combustion chamber 3 are controlled by
and useful Improvements in or Relating to sleeves 5, 6, sliding in the cylinders 1, 2, the

Internal Combustion Engines, of whichthe pistons 1, 2a, reciprocating within the

following is a speci?cation.

sleeves. Ports 7 in each sleeve are adapted 65

This invention relates to improvements in as the latter reciprocates to uncover the in

internal combustion engines acting on the let and exhaust ports 8, 9, and thus control
Otto or four stroke cycle, and comprises cer the fuel charge and exhaust gases. The
15 tain constructional features and arrange
sleeves are reciprocated by links 10 driven
ments of the engine whereby a greater ?exi from auxiliary shafts 11, operated in any 70
bility and reduced fuel consumption may be suitable manner from the main crank shaft
obtained as compared with existing types. 12, the movement of the sleeves being timed
Further advantages of the invention lie in as required.
'
20 the fact that the improved engine may be
As shown in the diagrammatic View, Fig.
more economically manufactured and is 2, the pistons working in the cylinders are 75
more reliable owing to the simple disposition connected by rods to a crank pin common to
of the parts and valve gear, while the space all the engine units, one of the connecting
occupied for the same horse-power and num rods of each engine unit being pivoted direct
25 ber of revolutions as compared with other on the crank pin 4, and the other connecting
engines is considerably less.

rod being pivoted to a knuckle orlug 4 on 80.

According to this invention, each engine the other connecting rod near the crank pin.
unit comprises twin cylinders communicat
In operation, theengine follows the usual

ing at the top or head in an explosion cham

ber common to both cylinders. The inlet

four stroke cycle, a charge being taken into

the combustion chamber and cylinders by
and exhaust of the gases is>controlled by the outgoing pistons through the inlet 8
means of sleeve valves mounted between the when the latter is uncovered by the ports 7
pistons and the cylinders and operated either in the sleeve 6, the charge being then com

35

by a reciprocating or rotary movement, such

movement being effected by means of links
and disk cranks, chains, or eccentrics, from
an auxiliary shaft driven from the crank
shaft. The twin pistons of each unit are

85

pressed and ?red in any suitable manner.

Owing to the expansion of the exploded mix

ture taking place in, the two cylinders of
the engine unit, and acting on two pistons,
the consumption of fuel is less than with
coupled up to a crank pin common to both other types of engine, in which the combus
pistons. The engine may be arranged in tion chamber is merely an extension of one
any suitable form either in V-pattern hav cylinder.

90

95

ing two units working on a common crank

An engine of the type describedmay be
pin, or a series of engine units may be ar made of an extremely light, yet strong
ranged in radial form working on a crank and serviceable, construction. and in conse
45 pin common to a series of units.
,
quence is particularly suitable for aeroplane -

An engine in accordance with this inven

tion is illustrated in the accompanying draw
ings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section
through an engine unit having twin cylin

ders, the gases being controlled by sleeve

valves. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view show
ing a series of duplex engine units arranged
in radial form operating on a single crank
pm.
-

w<>rk,_ though the same principle of con

10b

struction may be applied for all classes of

motor vehicles and marine engines or-to sta

tionary engines.

By providing separate valves for the inlet.

and exhaust, leakage is prevented of the
gases passing direct from the inlet to the
exhaust and vice versa, while owing to the
large area possible for the valve ports a

105

1,301,141
ing on the four stroke cycle in which the
higher engine speed may be obtained due to engine uni-t comprises twin cylinders, a sin

35

the greater possible speed of the gases. Fur

ther owing to the large port openings pos

gle explosion chamber common to and com

{the duplex arrangement

connected with a crank pin common to both 40

municating with both cylinders, twin pistons

'sible and the low terminal pressure due to mounted to reciprocate in the cylinders and
of the cylinders,

the port edges are not liable to cut away.

pistons, an inlet port communicating with

A further advantage of the duplex sleeve the explosion chamber through. one of said
valve for each unit lies in the fact that the
an~ exhaust port communicating
setting of the exhaust valve may be altered cylinders,
with
the
explosion
chamber through the
10' without interfering with the setting of the other of said cylinders, and a sleeve valve 45
inlet valve._ Additional exhaust ports may working between each of said cylinders and
be provided for aero work and racing en its piston, said valves operating respectively
'gines.
said inlet and exhaust ports.
By ?tting blocks of four cylinders around to 3.control
An internal combustion engine operat 50
the
crank
case,
a
two
15 ~the circumference of
ing on the four stroke cycle in which the
throw crankshaft may be arranged, which engine unit comprises, twin cylinders come
results in an engine being obtained which municating at the head in an explosion
is balanced both in running and firing, and chamber common to both cylinders; twin
obviates the necessity for using balance pistons reciprocating in the cylinders and

weights.

connected to a crank pin common to both

,
pistons; a single inlet and a single exhaust
1. An internal 0 mbustion engine operat-_ port to the common explosion chamber, and
ing on the four stroke cycle in which the
sleeve valves controlling the inlet and ex- engine unit comprises twin cylinders, a sin haust
ports and working between the pistons 60
gle explosion chamber common to and com and the cylinders.
.
municating with both cylinders, twin pistons
In testimony whereof we a?ix our signa
mounted to reciprocate in the cylinders and tures in presence of' two witnesses.
connected with a crank pin common to both
We claim.

25

pistons, inlet and exhaust ports for the gases,

30

55

and a sleeve valve working between each of

said cylinders and its piston, said valves

operating one to control said inlet ports and
the other to control said exhaust ports.

2. An internal combustion engine operat

THOMAS ABNEY NAPIER LEADBETTER.

ANDREW LAWSON KNOX GILCHRIST.

WILLIAM HENRY TATE.

Witnesses:

'

EWALD SIMPSON MOSELEY,

Gannon WEAVER.