The Project Gutenberg eBook, Aviation Engines, by Victor Wilfred Pagé

Title: Aviation Engines

Design--Construction--Operation and Repair

Author: Victor Wilfred Pagé

Release Date: December 2, 2011 [eBook #38187]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AVIATION ENGINES***

 

E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Harry Lamé,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)

 

 

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PRINTED IN U. S. A.

COMPOSITION, ELECTROTYPING AND PRESSWORK
BY THE PUBLISHERS PRINTING CO., NEW YORK

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PREFACE

In presenting this treatise on “Aviation Engines,” the writer realizes that the rapidly developing art makes it difficult to outline all latest forms or describe all current engineering practice. This exposition has been prepared primarily for instruction purposes and is adapted for men in the Aviation Section, Signal Corps, and students who wish to become aviators or aviation mechanicians. Every effort has been made to have the engineering information accurate, but owing to the diversity of authorities consulted and use of data translated from foreign language periodicals, it is expected that some slight errors will be present. The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to such firms as the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co., Hall-Scott Company, Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation and General Vehicle Company for photographs and helpful descriptive matter. Special attention has been paid to instructions on tool equipment, use of tools, trouble “shooting” and engine repairs, as it is on these points that the average aviation student is weakest. Only such theoretical consideration of thermo-dynamics as was deemed absolutely necessary to secure a proper understanding of engine action after consulting several instructors is included, the writer’s efforts having been confined to the preparation of a practical series of instructions that would be of the greatest value to those who need a diversified knowledge of internal-combustion engine operation and repair, and who must acquire it quickly. The engines described and illustrated are all practical forms that have been fitted to airplanes capable of making flights and may be considered fairly representative of the present state of the art.

Victor W. Pagé,
1st Lieut. A. S. S. C., U. S. R.

Mineola, L. I.,
October, 1917.

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CONTENTS

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38187@[email protected]#ChI" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">CHAPTER I   PAGES Brief Consideration of Aircraft Types—Essential Requirements of Aerial Motors—Aviation Engines Must Be Light—Factors Influencing Power Needed—Why Explosive Motors Are Best—Historical—Main Types of Internal Combustion Engines 17-36   CHAPTER II   Operating Principles of Two- and Four-Stroke Engines—Four-cycle Action—Two-cycle Action—Comparing Two- and Four-cycle Types—Theory of Gas and Gasoline Engine—Early Gas-Engine Forms—Isothermal Law—Adiabatic Law—Temperature Computations—Heat and Its Work—Conversion of Heat to Power—Requisites for Best Power Effect 37-59   CHAPTER III   Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engines—Various Measures of Efficiency—Temperatures and Pressures—Factors Governing Economy—Losses in Wall Cooling—Value of Indicator Cards—Compression in Explosive Motors—Factors Limiting Compression—Causes of Heat Losses and Inefficiency—Heat Losses to Cooling Water 60-79   CHAPTER IV   Engine Parts and Functions—Why Multiple Cylinder Engines Are Best—Describing Sequence of Operations—

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38187@[email protected]#SecIV_4" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">Simple Engines—Four and Six Cylinder Vertical Tandem Engines—Eight and Twelve Cylinder V Engines—Radial Cylinder Arrangement—Rotary Cylinder Forms 80-109   CHAPTER V   Properties of Liquid Fuels—Distillates of Crude Petroleum—Principles of Carburetion Outlined—Air Needed to Burn Gasoline—What a Carburetor Should Do—Liquid Fuel Storage and Supply—Vacuum Fuel Feed—Early Vaporizer Forms—Development of Float Feed Carburetor—Maybach’s Early Design—Concentric Float and Jet Type—Schebler Carburetor—Claudel Carburetor—Stewart Metering Pin Type—Multiple Nozzle Vaporizers—Two-Stage Carburetor—Master Multiple Jet Type—Compound Nozzle Zenith Carburetor—Utility of Gasoline Strainers—Intake Manifold Design and Construction—Compensating for Various Atmospheric Conditions—How High Altitude Affects Power—The Diesel System—Notes on Carburetor Installation—Notes on Carburetor Adjustment 110-154   CHAPTER VI   Early Ignition Systems—Electrical Ignition Best—Fundamentals of Magnetism Outlined—Forms of Magneto—Zones of Magnetic Influence—How Magnets are Made—Electricity and Magnetism Related—Basic

Principles of Magneto Action—Essential Parts of Magneto and Functions—Transformer Coil Systems—True High Tension Type—The Berling Magneto—Timing and Care—The Dixie Magneto—Spark-Plug Design and Application—Two-Spark Ignition—Special Airplane Plug 155-200   CHAPTER VII   Why Lubrication Is Necessary—Friction Defined—Theory of Lubrication—Derivation of Lubricants—Properties of Cylinder Oils—Factors Influencing Lubrication System Selection—Gnome Type Engines Use Castor Oil—Hall-Scott Lubrication System—Oil Supply by Constant Level Splash System—Dry Crank-Case System Best for Airplane Engines—Why Cooling Systems Are Necessary—Cooling Systems Generally Applied—Cooling by Positive Pump Circulation—Thermo-Syphon System—Direct Air-Cooling Methods—Air-Cooled Engine Design Considerations 201-232   CHAPTER VIII   Methods of Cylinder Construction—Block Castings—Influence on Crank-Shaft Design—Combustion Chamber Design—Bore and Stroke Ratio—Meaning of Piston Speed—Advantage of Off-Set Cylinders—Valve Location of Vital Import—Valve Installation Practice—Valve Design and Construction—Valve Operation—

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">Methods of Driving Cam-Shaft—Valve Springs—Valve Timing—Blowing Back—Lead Given Exhaust Valve—Exhaust Closing, Inlet Opening—Closing the Inlet Valve—Time of Ignition—How an Engine is Timed—Gnome “Monosoupape” Valve Timing—Springless Valves—Four Valves per Cylinder 233-286   CHAPTER IX   Constructional Details of Pistons—Aluminum Cylinders and Pistons—Piston Ring Construction—Leak Proof Piston Rings—Keeping Oil Out of Combustion Chamber—Connecting Rod Forms—Connecting Rods for Vee Engines—Cam-Shaft and Crank-Shaft Designs—Ball Bearing Crank-Shafts—Engine Base Construction 287-323   CHAPTER X   Power Plant Installation—Curtiss OX-2 Engine Mounting and Operating Rules—Standard S. A. E. Engine Bed Dimensions—Hall-Scott Engine Installation and Operation—Fuel System Rules—Ignition System—Water System—Preparations to Start Engine—Mounting Radial and Rotary Engines—Practical Hints to Locate Engine Troubles—All Engine Troubles Summarized—Location of Engine Troubles Made Easy 324-375   CHAPTER XI  

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38187@[email protected]#SecXI_1" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">Tools for Adjusting and Erecting—Forms of Wrenches—Use and Care of Files—Split Pin Removal and Installation—Complete Chisel Set—Drilling Machines—Drills, Reamers, Taps and Dies—Measuring Tools—Micrometer Calipers and Their Use—Typical Tool Outfits—Special Hall-Scott Tools—Overhauling Airplane Engines—Taking Engine Down—Defects in Cylinders—Carbon Deposits, Cause and Prevention—Use of Carbon Scrapers—Burning Out Carbon with Oxygen—Repairing Scored Cylinders—Valve Removal and Inspection—Reseating and Truing Valves—Valve Grinding Processes—Depreciation in Valve Operating System—Piston Troubles—Piston Ring Manipulation—Fitting Piston Rings—Wrist-Pin Wear—Inspection and Refitting of Engine Bearings—Scraping Brasses to Fit—Fitting Connecting Rods—Testing for Bearing Parallelism—Cam-Shafts and Timing Gears—Precautions in Reassembling Parts 376-456   CHAPTER XII   Aviation Engine Types—Division in Classes—Anzani Engines—Canton and Unné Engine—Construction of Gnome Engines—“Monosoupape” Gnome—German “Gnome” Type—Le Rhone Engine—Renault Air-Cooled Engine—Simplex Model “A” Hispano-Suiza—

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38187@[email protected]#SecXII_11" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">Curtiss Aviation Motors—Thomas-Morse Model 88 Engine—Duesenberg Engine—Aeromarine Six-Cylinder—Wisconsin Aviation Engines—Hall-Scott Engines—Mercedes Motor—Benz Motor—Austro-Daimler Engine—Sunbeam-Coatalen—Indicating and Measuring Instruments—Air Starting Systems—Electric Starting—Battery Ignition 457-571   INDEX 573   LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS  

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AVIATION ENGINES
DESIGN—CONSTRUCTION—REPAIR

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CHAPTER I