History Gas engine

1 history

1.1 lenoir
1.2 otto , langen
1.3 four-stroke engine
1.4 crossley
1.5 tangye
1.6 preservation

history

lenoir gas engine 1860.



otto-langen gas engine 1867.



3bhp gas fired crossley atmospheric engine in action @ anson engine museum.


lenoir

there many experiments gas engines in 19th century first practical gas-fuelled internal combustion engine built belgian engineer Étienne lenoir in 1860. however, lenoir engine suffered low power output , high fuel consumption.

otto , langen

his work further researched , improved german engineer nikolaus august otto, later invent first 4-stroke engine efficiently burn fuel directly in piston chamber. in august 1864 otto met eugen langen who, being technically trained, glimpsed potential of otto s development, , 1 month after meeting, founded first engine factory in world, na otto & cie, in cologne. in 1867 otto patented improved design , awarded grand prize @ 1867 paris world exhibition. atmospheric engine worked drawing mixture of gas , air vertical cylinder. when piston has risen 8 inches, gas , air mixture ignited small pilot flame burning outside, forces piston (which connected toothed rack) upwards, creating partial vacuum beneath it. no work done on upward stroke. work done when piston , toothed rack descend under effects of atmospheric pressure , own weight, turning main shaft , flywheels fall. advantage on existing steam engine ability started , stopped on demand, making ideal intermittent work such barge loading or unloading.

four-stroke engine

the atmospheric gas engine in turn replaced otto s four-stroke engine. changeover four-stroke engines remarkably rapid, last atmospheric engines being made in 1877. liquid-fuelled engines followed using diesel (around 1898) or gasoline (petrol) (around 1900).

crossley

the best-known builder of gas engines in uk crossley of manchester, in 1869 acquired uk , world (except german) rights patents of otto , langden new gas-fuelled atmospheric engine. in 1876 acquired rights more efficient otto four-stroke cycle engine.

tangye

there several other firms based in manchester area well. tangye ltd., of smethwick, near birmingham, sold first gas engine, 1 nominal horsepower two-cycle type, in 1881, , in 1890 firm commenced manufacture of four-cycle gas engine.

preservation

the anson engine museum in poynton, near stockport, england, has collection of engines includes several working gas engines, including largest running crossley atmospheric engine ever made.