Jim's "Green Hornet" (at least that's what I call it) is a non- compression gas engine.

Vince tells me that Lyle Cummins's book "Internal Fire" devotes a whole chapter to this type of engine. They were prevalent during the mid 1800's and were a forerunner of the Otto gas engine. Original designers were Lemuel Wright, Stuart Perry and Alfred Drake. These engines were based on double acting steam engines where power came from a force within the cylinder itself.

Jim's engine is double-acting with a single, horizontal cylinder. A needle valve maintains the desired fuel/air mixture. The poppet intake and exhaust valves are actuated by a rocker shaft operated by a cam on the crankshaft. Intake occurs during the very first portion of the outward piston stroke, and ignition occurs before 25-30 percent of the intake is complete. Cylinder pressure at the time of ignition is just at or below atmospheric. The original engines used a hot tube igniter for ignition while Jim uses spark ignition.

The only tragic event of the whole day occurred when Dave Gingery leaned over to study Jim's engine and became hypnotized by the flywheel. (The beer and the exhaust fumes probably contributed.)

Vince and Ben suggested that while Dave was entranced that they all slip out for a peaceful lunch. Sure enough, when they got back three hours later, ol' Dave was still stuck in this same position. When Jim shut off the engine ignition, the engine stopped and Dave woke up. Immediately everyone started yelling "Geez, Jim! Whadja have to do that for?"

Back to civilization (we think)

February 1999

Jim Lewis and his Linford engine.

You can build engines, too. You'll need a small lathe, and a milling machine is a great asset. You don't have to be a genius. What you need to know can be learned in the Gingery books. Start with by building the Haynes engine. Then you might want to build the two-cylinder Stirling engine. After that you can build a copy of the Lewis/Gingery Atkinson cycle engine. The Gingery's will walk you through it step-by-step. You'll be ready to take old patents, modify them, and create running engines that will amaze not only your technologically ignorant neighbors, but it will blow the socks off the experienced machinists you know as well. They'll think you're a genius! Learning how to build real, running, unusual internal combustion engines is worth doing!