US2288173A - Control for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

June 30 1942 G. J. woHANKA 2,288,173

CONTROLS FORl INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES- V Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 B e awww/IVW Sg ATTORNEYS June 30,1942.` G. J; woHANKA 2,288,173 f CONTROLS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSIION ENGINES Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV i TOR /th'o E: l v f 4 Z /l ATTORNEYS i Patented June so, 1942 CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES George J. Wohanka, St. Louis, Mo., assignor Busch-Sulzer Bros.-Diesel Engine Company,

to St.

Louis, Mo., a coi-poration of Missouri v Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,793

12 claims. (c1. (so-97) i The invention relates to internal combustion 5.

engines and particularly to internal combustion engines of the fuel-injection type. Primarily the invention provides mechanism especially suitable for controlling an engine of this sort. Additionally it provides a control arrangement for an installation comprising two or more such en gines.

Briefly, in controlling a single engine the invention contemplates the use of, say, a single handle having a few more or less definite positions such as stop, start and running, and power-operated mechanism to carry out automatically the operations necessary to effectuate the operators intentions as indicated by the placement of the handle in anyof these positions. If the engine is to' operatein reverse at times, as well as ahead, appropriate additional handle positions may be provided such as start astern and run astern, as well as start ahead, run ahead and stop. Instead of a single handle having such positions, a series of separate handles, switches, push buttons-or the like, say one corresponding to each. of these handle positions, might be substituted for the single handle. Preferably the speed of the engine is controlled by a separate handle; it may however be a series oflevers, switches, push buttons or the like, each representing, say, a desired speed. In the case of an installation consisting of a number of engines, two or more of the engines may be placed under the control of the same start-stop-run handle or the same set of devices eiectuating the same results, and two or more may be placed under the control of the same speed-controlling handle or a set of speedcontrolling devices.

As appears hereafter, the invention is particularly applicable to a power plant comprising two or more engines driving a load which at times needs to be driven in the reverse of its normal direction, and where each engine is connected to the load through a releasable stallations for driving ships are examples,

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically the preferred form of the invention as' applied to a reversible solid-injection engine of a substantially, conventional construction, and also as extended to a group of four engines for ship propulsion. It Will be understood however by those skilled in this industry, that the invention is not limited either to this form of engine or to the form of multiple-engine installation illustrated, but that the drawings are simply representativein those matters.

Fig. 1 illustrates particularly the application of the invention `to one such engine, but by indicated extensions of some of its elements this figure shows how the invention can be extended'to control lthree other engines as well. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a four-engine power plant vdriving a single ships propeller shaft, such as may be controlled by the extended form of my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of preferred construction.

Referring first ito Fig. l, and particularly to the construction 'of the engine to which my invention is here shown applied: At I is indicated .the top of a multiple-cylinder engine of the Diesel ty'pe,'of which however only one cylinder is indicated. Each cylinder of this engine is provided with a solid-injection fuel valve 2 to which fuel is supplied by pipe or connection 3 Afrom an individual fuel pump 4 of which 5 is the plunger and 6 is the control valve stem.` It

will be understood that each cylinder has its own injection valve 2 and fuel pump. Fuel is supplied to all the pumps by the manifold 1, and the plunger 5 of each fuel pump 4 is operated through a rocker arm 8 adjustable in the usual way by its eccentric fulcrum 9 carried by -the lead ,control shaft I0 which is common to all the clutch. Engine inpumps. This arm is operated by an individual cam II when the engine is being driven ahead,

or by another individual cam I2 when the engine is being driven in the opposite direction, i. e..

asternf All the fuel cams II and I2 of the various fuel pumps will be understood to be carried by .the same cam shaft I3. This cam shaft is driven in phase with and by the engine I crankshaft and can be moved 4longitudinally of itself to `bring the cams II underneath the rockers 8 or to bring the cams I2 underneath their rockers, as the desired 'direction of running of the engine may require. As will be understood, the lead, or time of fuel injection with respect to the operating cycle of each engine piston is ad justable by rocking the lead shaft I0.

The control valve 6 of each pump-4 isvoperated by a lever I6 in the usual ,way; one end of each lever I6 is carriedbetween collars on its associated pump plungerv and the other end ofk it turns on an eccentric I1 of the eccentric shaft I8 which serves similarly the suction valve levers of all the other pumps of the engine. By turning under the control of a slide valve in the slide valve chamber 2|; as customary, the slide valve in chamber 2| is positioned by action of the lead shaft l operating through lever 22 and, jointly therewith, by a link 23 the upper end of which is positioned in a pivoted cross head or link-motion guide 24, so that by sliding the upper end of the link 23 in cross head 24, as by means of the rock shaft 25, the position of the slide valve in 2| is changed correspondingly and thereby oil under pressure is admitted to one side or the other of the piston of piston rod 20 .to move the latter until the reaction from the lead shaft ||l again shifts the valve to stop the motion. Fuel pump eccentric shaft I8 is rocked to adjust and control the fuel input by means of the fuel control shaft 26 through a connecting arm 21. This fuel control shaft 26 is biased toward, i. e. tends to move to maximum fuel position, for example by the ac- .-tion of a spring 28. This motion is opposed by the governor 29 allocated to the engine (l. e., in

a multiple engine installation there is one such governor for each engine) this governor may be driven by the cam shaft |3 as indicated at 30. In the present instance an increase in speed causes Vthe governor 29 to shift the link 3| to the left, thus bringing hub abutments 32 against abutments 33 which are xed to the fuel control shaft 26 (see Fig. 4); thereby the governor 29 xes the position of the fuel control shaft 26 against the pull of spring 28. Additionally an overspeed orcut-out governor 34 may be employed, being related to the control shaft 26 in the same manner as governor 29 (cf. Fig. 4); i. e. normally the link 35 of this overspeed governor 34 is heldv so far 'to the right that its hub abutment 36 is well out of contact with the abutment 31 fast on the fuel control shaft 26 so thatthis governor is without effect; on the occurrence of a denite unduly high speed however, the abutments 36 are thrust against the abutments 31 and thereby the fuel control shaft 26 turned definitely to a position where all fuel is cut off from the engine as will be understood.

In the present instance the engine I (and if desired each of the engines of Fig. 2) is started by compressed air stored in starting-air tanks as customary. Briefly, some or al1 of the cylinders of the engine are provided with starting-air valves 45 which, when forced open, admit the flow of the compressed air from the starting-'air tank, through a manifold 46, to the respective cylinder. During theengine-starting periods, each starting valve 45 is opened at the proper times by compressed air supplied to it through an individual pipe 41. The supply of the controlling air is-under the direction of individual pilot valves 48 (one for each cylinder) each of which is operated by two cams 49 or 50 (one for use when starting the engine4 in the ahead direction and the other when starting the engine in the reverse or astern direction) carried by the cam shaft I3 of the respective engine. Preferably these pilot valves 48 are of such construction that the stems of the valve are held raised from their cams 49 and 50 until controlling air for the starting valves 45 is fed to them as later described; this permits the cam shaft I3 to be shifted lengthwise without .the governor 29.

the cams 49 and 50 striking the valve stems; h'owever, it is well to bevel the side faces of these cams to take care of abnormal conditions in this respect. Preferably, too, the pilot valves'48 are so constructed that they vent, ultimately,` any remnant of compressed air remaining in the pipe or pipes supplying them, after further supply to those pipes is shut off.

Preferably the 'combustion air is supplied to cylinders` of the engine l by a Root type blower, as will be sufficiently understood from United States Patent No. 2,021,204. However, an intake passage, and likewise a discharge passage leading to the engine combustion air manifold, is provided at each side of the impellers, and also valves are'provided to direct the air in eitherdirection,.dependent on the direction of rotation of the impellers; preferably these valves comprise two valves 56 and 51 of a semi-cylindrical rocking type as shown. This arrangement permits this type of blower to supply combustion air to reversible engines. Thus with the valves 56 and 51 in the positions indicated, rotation of the pump impellers 58 in the direction of the arrow will cause air from the atmosphere to be drawn in fromthe pump inlet port 59 and discharged into the combustion air manifold 60 from the engine, while reversal of the position of the valves 56 and 51 will permit the blower to supply air to the engine with the impellers 58 rotating in the opposite direction.

In applying the invention to, for example, an engine having the construction thus described, there is preferably employed a manual lever 64 to fix the speed at -which the'engine is to operate, From its function, such a lever can be called a throttle, and such a throttle may work along an arc 65 and at any moment be held at a tion in each instance, and to this end the throttle may be coupled through a shaft or shafts 68 and links and levers 69 and 1D to rock shaft 38 which, acting through a link 39, determines the load on By rocking shaft 38 by the throttle 64 therefore, to a new position, the governor 29, acting through the control shaft 26, is made to increase or decrease the rate of fuel supply as appropriate to secure the desired change in speed. At the same time, the rock shaft 38, acting through the link 40 for example, may shift the cross-head 24 of the leadcon trolling mechanism to change the lead of the fuel feed as may be appropriate to the change in' y reverse astern and also the starting of the engine, the changing over from air operation to operation on fuel, and the stopping of the engine, is exercised through a second or maneuvering lever 1| which may operate along an arc 12 to which it may be clutched in various positions corresponding to the direction it is desired to give. For example, it may have a start ahead position 13 (in which the engine will be started by and operated on compressed starting-air in the' ahead direction), a run ahead" position 14 (in which the engine -will be operated on' fuel in the ahead direction), -a stop position 15 (in which position neither fuel nor air will be supplied to the engine), a run astern position 16 (in which the engine will be operated by fuel in the opposite or astern direction), and al start astern position 11 (in which position the engine, being stopped, may be started inmotion in the astern direction by the`use of the starting-air). The lever 1I (like the throttle 84) may be located at any convenient position, and performs its function by setting a pilot mechanism or mechanism appropriate to the control of whatever medium may be selected to adjust the engine gearing. Preferably I employ compressed air for this medium, which may be taken from, for ex-v ample, the starting-air tanks, and in such a case the maneuvering pilot mechanism may consist of a setv of valves as hereafter described. This maneuvering pilot mechanism, whatever its nature, can be located at any convenient place; usually I mount it on the side wall of the engine. When it is located remote from the maneuvering lever 1| (or substituted device or devices), the movements of the lever (or substituted parts) are conveyed to it by appropriate mechanism such as the shafts 18 and connecting gears 19, for example.

The maneuver-ing pilot mechanism consisting of a series of valves in the present instance, the last of the shafts 18 carries a cam for operating earch of its valves. The rst of these valves, at 88, to which the operating air first comes, is primarily a shut-off valve to help prevent leakage of the operating air; its operating cam 88aI is so shaped as to hold the valve open whenever the maneuvering lever 1| is in start ahead or start astern position, and also (for a special reason 4appearing hereafter) Whenever lever 1| is in run astern position. Shown next in order are the valves at 8| and 82. The valve or valves at 8|, in one posiof their pilot valves 48. The cam 88a controlling valve 86 is so shaped as to hold this valve open when the maneuvering lever 1| is in its start ahead position; the cam 88a controlling valve 88 is so shaped as to hold valve 88 open when the maneuvering lever 1| is in its start astern position; in all otherpositions of the maneuvering lever 1|, these. valves 86 and 88 are closed. The

air flowing from the valves 86 and 88 (or one valve performing both functions) can be led to the air-starting pilot valves 48 direct but I prefer to insert in their (or its) line an interlocking valve, or interlocking valves 83, to prevent the flow reaching those pilot valves 48 except Awhen the engine gearing is in position for the starting of the engine; this as a safety measure.

Generally speaking, the motor or power device 88-85 does whatever may need to be done to the engine gearing for change in direction of engine running; specifically, the things to be done will depend on the nature of the particular engine gearing employed of course. In the present instance, it4 lifts the fuel pump plunger rockers 8 from their cams (preferably), then shifts the cam tion, direct the flow from valve 88, of the air necessary to change the engine gearingV from astern running position to ahead running,

' and in the opposite position of this 'or these valves 'permits the escape of air previously supplied for this purpose; the cam 8Ia controlling this or these valves at 8| is so shaped as to permit theilow of gearing-changing air while the maneuvering lever 1| is in its start ahead position, and in all other positions of the maneuvering lever, shuts oi this flow, .and permits the air previously supplied to escape. Likewise the valve or valves at 82, in one position, direct the oW, from valve 88 of vthe air necessary to change the engine gearing from ahead running to astern running, and in the opposite positionv permit the. escape of the air previously suppliedA for this purpose; the operating cam 82a of this or these valves 82 is so shaped as to permit the ow of such air While the maneuvering lever 1| is in its start astern and run astern positions, and, in.al1 other positions of the maneuvering lever holds open an escape passage for the air previously supplied through 82. The air iiowing from valve 88 through these valves at 8| and 82 is carried to a motor device to thereby shift the engine gearing from ahead to astern and vice versa.

nested to the engine gearing to effect the shifting shaft I3 lengthwise to change the cams I I and I2 beneath the rockers and the cams 49 and 58 underneath the air starting pilot valves 48, and

then lowers the plunger rockers to their new operating cams also it rocks the reversing shaft 25 to change the position of the lead link 23 in the lead` cross-head 24, to obtain the proper lead for the reverse running, and changes the `positions of the blower v-alves 56 and 51. Conveniently, these things are done by rectangular cams 98 and 9|, mounted on the piston 85, and a pair of roller arms 92 and 93, bearing on these cams respectively and fastened to a rock shaft 94 which is so connected to the reversing shaft 25 andthe cam shaft I3 as to` shift these as the cams 90 and 9| pass under or from the roller arms 92 and 93; for convenience the blower valves 56 and 51 are connected to shaft 25 for operation thereby. The

' movement of the piston 85 to its lower position shifts the gearing to its ahead running position,

whereas movement of the piston to its opposite position adjusts the gearing to its astern running position. An arrangementI by which the motor 84-85 may lift and lower the pump plunger rocker 8 is described hereafter. The motor 84-85 may of course be set in any position desired andy convenient. If it is disposed vertically as illustr-ated, means may be provided, as a safety measure, to prevent it drifting from its upper to its lower, position. This is the purpose of holding the maneuvering pilot valves 88 and 82 open in the run astern position of the maneuvering lever 1|.

The interlocking valve or valve set 83 preferably comprises three valves 91, 98 and 99. Valve 91 receives air from maneuvering pilot valve 86 and, when open, permits the ow of that air to a line |88 leading to the air-starting pilot valves 48. Likewise valve 99 receives air from maneuver'- as the p-iston moves from one end of its stroke to the other as air isA supplied it through 8| or through 82. Additionally, the maneuvering pilot mechanism includes one, and preferably two other valves 88 and 88 which, when open, permit the flow, from valve 88 of the air necessary to actuate the starting-air valves 45 under the control .ing valve 88 and, when open, permits the flow of such air to the same line |88. The intermediate valve 98, when open, permits the escape of lair from the line |88. These valves 91, 98 and 99 are controlled by individual cams cn the motorcontrolled shaft |8I. The cam for valve 91 is so shaped that that valve is held open only when the motor piston is fully in the extreme position (illustratedin the drawing) to which it arrives after having reset the engine gearing in the run ahead position; the valve 99 Lis held open only when the motor piston 85 isin its exing is fully set in its run astern position; valve 98 is heldopen only for a short interval during the movement of the motor piston 85 from each of its extreme positions to its oppositevposition.

. It will be seen therefore that while the maneuverin the desired direction.

'I'he starting-air for the starting-air manifold p 46 is supplied from the starting-air tanks through pipe |02, and preferably a shutoff valve |03 is inserted between the starting air tanks on the manifold 46 to avoid leakage at the manifold and starting air valves when the starting air is not being used. For this purpose, I may provide a shutoff-valve |03 with a spring |04 tending to close it (or depend simply on the air pressure to close it), and also provide it with a piston |05 for automatic opening on the supply of air to the line |00. When air in this line is vented, this valve |03 will close as will be understood. Air is y supplied to the manifold 46 when needed therefor,`but at all other times is excluded from the manifold. v

As before indicated, air remaining in the line |00 after the closing of maneuvering pilot valves 86 and 88 is vented promptly at the pilot starting valves .48. If reversal of the engine gearing should be called for before line |00 is emptied, this line will be vented at the interlocking valve 98 during the reversing operation.

With the engine gearingv of the construction described at least, the control of the fuel at the pilot maneuveringl mechanism is effected mechanically, preferably. To this end, the last of the connecting shafts 18, for example, can be provided with a cam member |01 and a cooperating rod |08 and rocker |09, arranged to rock the fuel control shaft 26. 'I'he cam |01 is so shaped as to turn the fuel control shaft 26 to its no fuel position and hold it there whenever the maneuvering lever 1| is brought to either its start ahead" or start astern position (thus preventing fuel being supplied to the engine simultaneously with starting air) but to release the shaft 26 to the control of the governor 29 again whenever the maneuvering lever 1| is returned from start` ahead to run ahead, or is returned from start astern to run astern. Preferably also the cam |01 is so shaped as to turn shaft 26 to its no fuel" position, and hold it there, when the maneuvering lever 1| is brought to its stop position, thereby enabling the op- .erator to stop the engine by means of the maneuvering lever 1|. In the present instance, the lowspots ||0 or on cam |01 permit the rod |08 to fall to restore the placement of the fuel control shaft 26 in the control of the governor 29, and correspond to the run ahead and run astern positions of the maneuvering positions of the maneuvering lever 1|. All elsewhere the cam |01 holds the control shaft in no fuel position. The interrelation between the cam |01 and the cams 86a and 88a operating therewith, -prevents starting-air and fuel being supplied to any cylinder simultaneously.

To prevent the possibility of fuel being supplied. to the engine inadvertently by movement of the maneuvering mechanism from stop toward start astern while the engine gearing is set for ahead running (or vice versa), the appropriately 2,288,173 l treme opposite position in which the engine geari opposite low spot V(||| or 0) may be bridged temporarily. This may be done by a followup cam ||2 mounted loosely on the axis of the fuel cam |01, face to face with this fuel cam and vof sucient length to bridge, one at a time, the

low spots H0, assisted by a (here compressed) spring ||3 tending to force this follow up cam toward the astern edge of the cam |01 when the engine gearing is set for ahead running, and vice versa, and the point of connection of which crosses the axial line of the two cams as cam |01 moves from one extreme position to the other. Thus when these two cams are in the positions illustrated in the drawing, movement of the maneuvering handle 1| to start astern will cause the followup cam ||2 to be carried underneath the fuel control rod' |08 and thereby this rod prevented from dropping into the low spot However, at least as soon as the maneuvering lever 1| is started-back toward run astern position, the action of spring ||3 will throw the followup cam ||2 to opposite the low spot I |0, thus making the low spot available to the control rod |08. Likewise when maneuvering lever 1| is turned to start ahead again, the

followup cam ||2 will'carry the fuel control rod |08 across the low spot ||0, and subsequently the return of the maneuvering lever to run ahead will result in the followup cam ||2 being returned to the position illustrated in the drawing, thus making the low spot ||0 available to the fuel control rod |08.

Whenever the engine Ais lstarted anew in either direction, it is desirable that it receive maximum fuel at the beginning of the operation on fuel (i. e. immediately following the period during which the engine is put in motion by startingair). When I do this I do it, preferably, by forcing the controlling governor 29 to be in its maximum fuel (lowest speed) position at the conclusion of each starting-air period at the moment operation on fuel is begun,- i. e. to this end, preferably, when the governor is of appropriate construction, I provide an oil booster ||6 having a piston ||1 connected to the air supply line |00 so that on the supply of air tothis lineA |00, the piston |1 is moved to transfer oil within the governor 29 in such a manner as to force the governor to its maximum fuel position. On the release of pressure in the air supply line |00, the return of the piston ||1 restores the governorl 29 to its normal sensitiveness; for example a spring ||8 may restore the piston ||1 on the venting of the air. 'I'he form of the oil booster I I6, and indeed the manner in which its function is performed, is of no considerable importance. Accordingly the foregoing description of this feature will sufiice.

As an additional precaution, arrangement may be made for assuring the non-supply of fuel to the engine during the periods when the engine gearing is being shifted from ahead to astern" and vice versa. To this end the supply of fuel can be put under the control of the motor 84-85 which shifts the gearing. For example, the shaft |0| driven by this motor may be provided with a cam |20 operating on a rocker |09 and so shaped as to hold the fuel control shaft 26 ln its no fuel position except when the motor piston 85 is in one or the other of its two extreme positions.

Also the motor shaft |0| can be used to lift rod |08.

again after this movement is completed. For this the shaftl may be provided with a cam |2| operating on a follower |22 acting to turn a`rock shaft |23 provided with a lifting finger |24 reaching underneath each of the plunger rockers 8. This cam |2| is so shaped that the initial movement of the motor piston 85 toward its opposite position rocks the rock shaft |23 to lift the rockers 8, and this is accomplished before the cam shaft I3 begins to slide longitudinally, and the completion of the movement of the piston restores the rockers to their cams, i. e. after the cam shaft |3 has fully Ireached its new position.

The operation of the invention as so far described is therefore, brieiiy, substantially as follows: Assuming the maneuvering lever 1| is in its stop position, the maneuvering cam |01 holds the fuel control shaft 26 in its .no fuel position and accordingly the engine is stationary. Assuming that air under pressure is supplied to the maneuvering shut oif valve 80 from some suitable source (for example, the starting-air tanks), the engine may be started in the ahead direction by moving the maneuvering lever 1| to its start ahead position 13. This supplies 'may be like the engine of Fig.'l, and that each is provided with control apparatus like that air to the top of the piston 85 (from the bottom of which air is exhausted atvalve 82), and also supplies air to the interlocking valve 91. If the engine gearing is already in its ahead position as illustrated in the drawing, nothing happens at the motor 84-85 and air will flow through valve 91 to start the engine in motion. On the other hand, should the engine gearing be in its astern position, the interlocking valve 91 is closed so that no air can pass it at the moment, and the firstV action is the movement of the motor piston 85 to its lower position, to

shift the engine gearing to its ahead position, and endingI with the opening of valve 91. So long as the maneuvering lever 1| is held in its start ahead position thereafter, air will iiow through pipe |00 to start and maintain the engine in motion on air from manifold 46;A also air at booster ||6 holds the governor 29 to its maximum fuel position. Return of the maneuvering lever 1| to its run ahead" lposition stops the supply of starting air to the engine bv the closing of the maneuvering pilot valve 86, and permits the supply of fuel by bringing the low spot ||0 of the maneuvering cam |01 beneath rod |08. Furtherreturn of the maneuvering lever 1| to its stop position stops the engine by action of the maneuvering cam |01 on l'n starting and operating the engine astern, the same sort of operations is gone through as will be apparent; the followup cam ||2 will carry rod |08 across the low spot in moving to start astern. and thus prevent the supply of fuel at this point at this time.

Fig. 2 serves to illustrate multiple-engine installations to which an extension of my invention as so far described is applicable. particular installation. shown in this Fig. 2. a ships propeller shaft |30 is directly connected to a gear |3| which is driven by two pinion gears |32 and |33. One of the engines |34 is coupled to pinion |32 by means of a releasable clutch |35, for example a magnetic clutch of a well known kind. Likewise another engine |36 is coupled to the same pinion 32 through such a similar clutch |31, and engines |38 and |39 are similarly coupled to pinion |33 through like In the y |44 to the left of its middle stop position |48,

shown applied to the engine Preferably, however, one maneuvering lever (or other mechanism substituted for it as before suggested) is used to control each two engines, e. g. one of the engines connected to pinion |32 andone. of the engines connected to pinion |33.` To thisend for example, maneuvering lever 1| may be, connected to and vcontrol the maneuvering pilot mechanisms of both the forward engines |34 and |38 as will be recognized by the extension of lthe shaft 18 to the left in Fig. 1, and similarlyl a maneuvering lever |4|, similar in all respects to lever-1|, may bearranged to control the other two engines |36 and |39, yas will be recognized from the showing of rock shaft .|42 controlled by lever |4| in Fig. l1. For convenience however I usually .provide for locking the two maneuvering levers |4| and 1| together so that they may be operated as a unit during normal operation or for high speed maneuvering. For this purpose (Fig. 3) a sleeve |60, while always in engagement with for example-lever 1| through a tooth |6| thereon, is adapted to slide into and from engagement with a tooth |62 on maneuvering lever |4|; a swinging handle |63 is a convenient means for sliding the sleeve to lock the two maneuvering levers together and release them from each other. Preferably further, the speed of all the engines is controlled bya single throttle, e. g. throttle 64 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the showing of the shaft 68 and its connections in Fig. l. Preferably too :all the engine clutches are controlled` by one instrumentality; for example the control lever |44 may have, say, four positions, namely position |45 in which all four couplings |35, |31, |40 and |4| are fully energized, |46 in which none of the couplings are energized, |41 in which only the two forward couplings |35 and |40 are energized, and |48 in which only the stern couplings ,|31 and |4| are energized. AFor` convenience, however a position |49 in which all the couplings are deenergized is usually provided between the ahead anIl "astern positions |41 and |48; also in order tf reduce heating of the couplings when full powe" is not necessary (in case magnetic couplings o" clutches are used), I usually provide a position |50 in which all four couplings arel energized but at only part power, say half power.

It will b'e observed that despite the small num'- ber of instrumentalities requiring the operators attention, he has all the control yof the multiple enginesrequired. By the single throttle 64 he can increase or decrease the speed at` any time as required. For high speed maneuvering oi.' the vehicle, he can lock the twomaneuvering levers 1| and .|4| together and operate them as a unit to drive the vehicle ahead or astern as he may desire. For ordinary slow speed maneuvering. he can work the clutch or coupling lever separate the two maneuvering levers 1| and |4| and set. say. the stern engines |36 and |39 to running astern while the forward engines run ahead and then by shifting the clutch lever |44 between its astern. intermediate stop and ahead positions |48, |49 and |41, he can move the vehicle astern. ahead or stop it withclutches |40' and |4|. Generally speaking, this 75 out stopping and restarting any engine.

type of engine installation is well known and the* In order that any one engine may be started and operated alone (since by preference a number of engines are controlled by each maneuvering lever, for example 1| and I 4| as explained), I .usually provide each engine with an individual manually-operated mechanism |53 to supply and ing power being compressed air, I provide each engine with a cylinder |54 connected by pipe |52 to the respective control valve |53, and with its piston |55, spring-pressed in opposition to the air pressure, connected to the fuel control shaft 25 so as to hold this shaft in its "no fuel position when not supplied with air; each manual valve |53 is then so constructed as to vent its line l|52 when not supplying air to this line. By actuating. a valve |53 to cut off the supply of air through it, therefore, the corresponding engine is brought to rest without affecting the others. In order that the pistons |55 may not interfere with the control of their engines by the governors 29, each is connected to its fuel control shaft 26 by anarrangement substantially like that of Fig. 4; i. e.. (Fig. 1), the loose sleeve coni nected to the piston is provided with abutments |56 to coact with abutments |51 fixed to the shaft. Preferably also'I connect each piston |55 with a switch |58 in the circuit of the magnetic coupling (|35, |31, |40 or |4|) of its respective engine. Each of these switches is closed therefor'e (Fig-1) only when air is supplied to its cylinder |54. Any engine accordingly may be stopped regardless `of the position of the clutch controller |44; and regardless of the fact that this clutch controller |44 controls the clutches or couplings in groups, any one or more of the group of engines can be used to drive the load (propellerfshaft |30) while the remainder are stopped.l

With the switches for the electromagnetic clutches arranged as described, an interlock can be used to prevent the clutch lever |44 being moved to its half power or full power position (in which positions and |45, all/four clutches are energized) while the forward and stern pairs of engines are running in opposite directions. This will be e'ected by any arrangement that will prevent the maneuvering levers 1| and |4| being separated for independent movement except when the clutch or coupling lever |44 is at its stop position |46 or at the |48 side of this position, and that will prevent also the movement of this clutch lever |44 to the |45 side of its arc except when the two maneuvering levers are connected together for movement as a unit. Such an interlock` is provided readily by a finger or bar |68 mounted on or at least sliding with the maneuvering lever clutch sleeve |60 and a plate |69 fastened to or at least moving with the clutch lever |44, the pin and plate being so related that the plate stands in the path of the pin except when the clutch lever is in its middle stop position |46 or somewhere between that position and its fastern position |48, and the pin is in the pathof the plate except for movements of the plate between these two positions |46 and |48. Preferably further the maneuvering levers 1| `and |4| are so related also that maneuvering lever 1|, the engines of whichare usually driven ahead, cannot be moved to its astern position unless the maneuvering lever |4| of the stern engine is inv or is carried toits astern position simultaneously. 'Ihis may be eiectedby a hinged pawl |64 on lever 4| and a cooperating pin on the lever clutch sleeve as will be understood from this drawing.

It will be understood of course that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and operation described above, nor to engines or` engin'e installations constructed as shown in the drawings, but is applicable to other forms of engines and other forms of multipleengine installations as have been indicated be- Ifore and will be apparent to those skilled in this industry. In general the construction can be modified greatly and the invention embodied in other forms of apparatus, and accordingly is n ot limited to the matters specifically illustrated and described herein except as appears hereafter in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a power plant, the combination with an internal combustion engine having means to supply fuel, engine gearing shiftable to cause thev engine to operate ahead and astern, means providing power to start the engine in motion, and a motor to shift said engine gearing from ahead to astern running position and vice versa, of a manually operable mechanism to control the supply of fuel to the engine, another mechanism manually operable independently of the first mentioned mechanism, to control the operation of both said motor and said engine-starting power means, and means to prevent the supply of fuel to the engine while said engine-starting power means is in'operation.

2. In a power plant, the combination of an internal combustion engine having engine gearing to direct the operation of the engine on fuel and, A shiftable to direct the operation of the engine ahead and astern,` of means providing power to start the engine in motion, a motor to shiftthe said engine gearing from ahead running to astern running and vice versa, a manually operable pilot maneuvering mechanism to control the operations of both said motor and said engine-start- -ing power means and to shut-off and direct the supply of fuel to the engine, and means related to said engine gearing to shut-off the supply of fuel to the engine and prevent the operation of said engine-starting power means except when said gearing is in an engine operating position.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized by the fact that means are provided, related to said engine gearing, to also control said enginestarting power means, said means preventing the operation of said engine-starting power means to start the engine except when said gearing is in an engine-operating position.

4. In a power plant, they combination with an internal combustion engine having engine gearing shiftable tocause the engine to. operate ahead and astern, means providing power to start the engine in motion, a motor to shift said engine gearing from ahead to astern running position and vice versa, and a manually operable maneuvering mechanism to control the operations of both said motor and said engine-starting power means, said gearing including a device operable to control the rate of fuel supply to the engine,

and astern, means providing power to start the engine in motion, a motor to shift said engine gearing from ahead to astern running position f and vice versa, and a manually-operable maneuvering mechanism to control the operations of both said motor and said engine-starting power means, said gearing including a member operable to control the rate of fuel supply to the engine, characterized by the fact that said maneuvering mechanism includes means to actuate said member to its no-fuel position when said maneuvering mechanism directs the starting of the engine by said power means.

6. In a power plant, the combination of an internal combustion engine having engine gearing shiftable to cause the engine. to operate ahead Fand astern, means providing power to start the `engine in motion, a motor to shift' said engine gearing from ahead to astern running position and vice versa, and a manually operable maneuvering mechanism to control the operation of both said motor and said engine-starting power means, said gearing including a member operable to control the rate of fuel supplyto the engine, characterized by the fact that said maneu- Vering mechanism includes means to actuate said member to its no-fuel position when saidmaneuvering mechanism directs the starting of the engine by said power means, said means releasing said member when said maneuvering mechanism discontinues the operation of said power means, and further characterized by the factthat mechanism is provided, related to said engine gearing, to hold said member in its no-fuel position except when said gearing is in an engine-operating position.

7. In a power plant, the combination of an internal combustion engine having engine gearing shiftable to cause the engine to operate ahead and astern, means providing power to start the engine in motion, a motor to'shift said engine gearing from ahead to astern running position and vice versa, and a manually operable maneuvering mechnism to control the operations of both said motor and said en gne-starting power means, said gearing including a member operable to control therate of fuel supply to the engine,

characterized by the fact that'said maneuvering mechanism includes means to actuate said member to its no-fuel position when said maneuvering mechanism directs the starting of the engine by said power means,and also when said maneuvering mechanism does not direct .the starting Y of the engine whereby the engine may be stopped by the pilot mechanism.

8. In a power plant, the combination of an internal combustion engine having engine gearing shiftable to causey the engineto operate ahead vering mechanism-to control the operations of both said motor and said engine-starting power means, said gearing including a member operable to control the rate of fuel supply'- to-the engine and there being a governor to control the position of said member during operation of the engine on fuel, characterized by the fact that said maneuvering mechanism includes means to hold said member to its no-fuel position while said maneuvering mechanism directs the starting of the engine by said power means, said mean's'of the maneuvering mechanism releasing said member tothe control of the governor when the maneuvering mechanism discontinuesv vthe operation of the engine-starting power means. i

9. 'Ihe combination with a plurality of in-i ternal combustion engines each including engine gearing shiftable to cause its engine to operate ahead and astern, and means providing power to Vstart said engines in motion,of a motor at each engine to shift the engine gearing of its engine from ahead running to astern running position and vice versa, manually operable pilot maneuvering mechanism to control the operation of said motors of all said engines simultaneously and also to control the operation of said engine-starting power means.

'10. The subje/ct matter of claim 9, characterized by the fact that manual means are provided to control the speed of all said engines simultaneously. 11. The subject 'matter of claim 9, characterized by the fact that a manual means is provided for each engine to control the application of saidl engine-starting power to the respective engine, subject to the control of saidpilot mechanism, and adevice is provided for each engine to direct thel supply ofv fuel to the respective engine and to shut-off fuel therefrom responsive to the application of engine-startingpower to the engine and the shutting-bil' of such'powertherefrom respectively.

l2. The 'subject matter of claim 9, -releasable, clutches being provided to couple\ ll said eri-- gines -to the same load and there being. clutchl actuating mechanism operable on. all said clutches simultaneously, characterized by the fact that a manual means is providedfor each engine to control the application of said enginestarting power to the respective engine, subject to the control of said pilot mechanism, and adevice is provided for each engine to direct the closing of the' clutch of the respective engine and to open the same responsive to the application of engine-starting power to the respective engine and the shutting-off of such power therefrom respectively.

' GEORGE J. WOHANKA.'

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