Dec. 7, 1926.

1,609,361
A. E. JONES
RADIAL CYLINDER ENGINE
Filed March 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet

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Dec. 7, 1926. 1,609,361
A. E. JONES
RADIAL CYLINDER ENGINE
Filed March 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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 Patented Dec. 7, 1926,
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
ALBERT EDWARD JONES, OF WESTRIINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, TO THE
WHITEHEAD TORPEDO COMPANY LIMITED, of WESTMLNSTER, ENGLAND.
RADA, CYLINDER, ENGINE.
Application filed March 20, 1924, Serial No. 700,644, and in Great Britain December 21, 1923.
This invention relates to radial cylinder
engines particularly the compressed air en
gines of automobile torpedoes.
According to the invention the engine
5 comprises two series of radial cylinders
(four in each series for example) arranged
in separate planes transverse to the axis of
the crank shaft and so disposed that the
valve casings or chests of each of the two
10 series of cylinders are situated in the spaces
between the cylinders of the other series.
In this manner a particularly compact en
gine is provided as its overall length does not
materially exceed that of an engine having
15 half the number of cylinders. It will be
understood that a developed plan of the
improved engine shows the cylinders ar
ranged in staggered formation and the
valve casings arranged in similar formation
20 with the outer parts of the valve casings
projecting only slightly, if at all, beyond
the outer portions of the cylinders.
The pistons working in the two series of
cylinders operate on two cranks set at 180°
2 apart; these cranks are preferably made
integral with each other and with the
balanced crank webs and in this case the
usual segmental crank pin bearings or
brasses engaging in lateral recesses formed
30 in the crank cheeks are divided in a plane
transverse to the axis of the crank shaft and
after being slipped into position one half
at a time, are connected together by bolts
or screws passing through projections or
5 studs on the segmental bearings or brasses
and through tubular connecting rod ends in
which these projections or studs fit.
The valves are preferably of the poppet
type and may be actuated by cams formed
40 on the crank webs, the valves of one series
of cylinders being actuated by a cam on the
web of the crank pin appertaining to the
other series and the valves of the latter
series being actuated by a cam on the web
45 of the crank pin appertaining to the first
mentioned series. Alternatively the move
ment of each of the pistons is utilized for
operating, through a lever (one for each
cylinder), the valve of the cylinder immedi
50 ately behind that to which the piston re
1,609,361
lates, the ends of the said levers remote
from the ends that co-operate with the valve
stems being acted upon, in order to open the
valves, by the pistons or the gudgeon pins
at a predetermined position of each piston 5.
during its outward movement from the cyl
inder. Ordinarily with such an arrange
ment any variation of the lead will produce
a variation of the point of cut off; this is
not always desired and in these circumstances
the gudgeon pins may be recessed or slotted
in such a manner that at a predetermined
point in the Outward movements of the pis
tons the recesses or slots come opposite 65
bent ends of the levers and permit the valves
to close, the co-operation of the unrecessed
or unslotted portions of the gudgeon pins
with the said bent ends having effected the
opening of the valves. In this manner the 70
closing of the valves can be made to take
place at any predetermined point irrespec
tive of the point of opening.
In order that the said invention may be
clearly understood and readily carried into
effect, the same will be more fully described
With reference to the accompanying draw
ings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an end elevation, with the
upper part in section on the line 1, 1 of Fig 80
lure 2, of a compressed air engine construct
ed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a section taken approximately
on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a developed plan of the cylin
ders and valve casings. 85
Figure 4 is a view similar to the upper
part of Figure 1 showing an alternative
arrangement for operating the valves, and
Figure 5 is a view showing another 9)
arrangement for operating the valves.
A, A, A, A are the four cylinders of one
series, A, A, A, A are the valve casings
or chests appertaining to these cylinders
and a' . . . are the valves in these casings.
B, B, B, B, are the four cylinders of the
other series, B, B, B, B are the valve cas
ings or chests appertaining to the latter
cylinders and b . . . are the valves in
the latter casings. It will be observed from 100
Figure 3 that the valve casings of each of
 s 1,609,361
the two series of cylinders are situated in stems through interposed tappet levers
the spaces between the cylinders of the glx . .
. , t) : . . . , the former tappet lever's
other series. In this figure C, C, C, C, rep appertaining to the valves a' and the other's
resent compressed air inlet pipes and the to the valves b. In Figure 4 the valve
ducts leading the compressed air from b is lifted by a bell-crank lever b°the free 7
these pipes to the valve casings are repre end of which is arranged in the path of the
sented by the thick lines between the said gudgeon pin a (or of part of the piston)
pipes. The exhaust air from the cylinders appertaining to the cylinder A. So that the
escapes through holes in the cylinder Walls downward movement of the piston a effects
O (some of these holes being shown at a in the lifting of the valve b which appertains
Figures 1 and 4) when the pistons reach the to the cylinder B immediately behind the
end of their outward strokes. It will be cylinder A. The other valves b are opened
seen from Figure 3 that the outer parts of in a similar manner (éach valve having its
the valve casings do not project beyond separate bell-crank leyer), and the valves a
5 the outer portions of the cylinders, are also similarly opened by bell-crank 80
. .. W "... . . . .. . . . . . . .
Each piston a is connected by a gudgeon levers operated by the pistors of the cylin
pin a” to a connecting rod A° which is made ders B. . . . In this construction any
tubular as shown so that the lower end can variation of the lead will produce a varia
receive semi-cylindrical projections or studs
20 a', as on divided segmentalbrasses A*A* for
tion of the point of cut off and vice versa. 85
Figtire 5 shows a construction in which
the crank pins A, B. These crank pins the closing of the valves can be made to take
are set at 180° apart and are made integral place at any predetermined point irrespec
with each other and With balanced crank tive of the point of opening, this result being
webs a, b*. The said divided segmental obtained by forming the gudgeon pin a
25 brasses engage in lateral recesses formed in with a recess or slot a in such a manner 90
the crank cheeks as shown in Figure 2 and that at a predetermined point the recess or
are slipped into position one half at a time, slot, comes opposite the bent end b* of the
it being understood that the arcuate lengths bell crank lever band allows, the valve to
of the said brasses are, such as to alloy, the close at the desired interval after the valve 95
30 last half of the fourth brass to be slipped has been opened by the co-operation of the
into position when the previous three com unrecessed or unslotted portion of the gud
plete brasses and the first half of the fourth geon pin with the said bent end. It will be
brass have been placed in position, there understood that each of the valves is oper
being
ing Sufi
sufficient room between the first brass ated in a similar manner, through separate
35 and the first half of the fourth brass for the bell-cranklevers, the valves a being oper 100
Second half of the latter brass to be inserted; ated by the gudgeon pins relating to the
this second half is then moved sideways into pistons of the cylinders B. . . . .
engagement with its lateral recess and then Although the engine above described with
moved circumferentially into place by the reference to the drawings is intended to be
40 side of the first half, or conversely the latter operated by compressed air, it is to be under
half is moved circumferentially into place by stood that with suitable modifications of a
the side of the second half. The assembled constructional nature it would operate as an
Brasses are connected to the connecting rods internal combtistion engine. , :
by lifting the latter and engaging their ends What I claim, and desire to secure by
45
over the projections or studs a, cland, then Iötters Patent of the United States is:-
passing a bolt or screw a through holes in 1. Tn a radial cylinder engine, the coin
the said projections or studs and in the tubu bination of a series of radial cylinders, a
lar end of the connecting rod. . . m second seriesparallel
in a plane of radial cyliiders
to that arranged
cottaining the
The crankpins A, B and their brasses
are lubricated from axial boresa', b (Fig first series, the cylinders in the two series li5
tire 2) in the crankpins, which, bores are being disposed in staggered formation, a
supplied with oil by centrifugal action series of valye, casigs, appertaining to the
through holes in the crank webcommuni spaces irst series of cylinders and sitated in the
cating with a small central chamber A in between the cylinde's of the second
this web, oil being supplied to this chamber series and series of valve casings apper
under pressure in any suitable manner. taining to the second series of cylinders
The valves a.... , b, ... are of the and situated in the spaces between the cylin
spring, controlled poppet type and may be dé's of the first series. . . . . . .
opened in any of the three ways shown in 2. In a ridial cylinder égive, the coff
Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 and Figure 5. bination of a series of radial cylinders, a
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will be second sétiés of radial cylinders arranged
seen that the valves at . . . are opened by in a plane parallel to that containing the
a cam 09 on the crank webb and the valves first series, the cylinders in the two séries
b' . . . are opened by a cam a on the crank being disposed in staggered formation, a
65 Web a”, these cams operating upon the valve Series of valve casings appertaining to the 30
 1,609,361 3.

first series of cylinders and situated in the appertaining to the first series of cylinders
spaces between the cylinders of the second for lifting the second series of valves, and a
series, a series of valve casings appertainingcam on the web of the crank pin appertain- 10
to the second series of cylinders and situateding to the second series of cylinders for
in the spaces between the cylinders of the lifting the first series of valves.
first series, poppet valves in said valve cas ALBERT EDWARD JONES.
ings, a cam on the web of the crank pin