Otto & Langen Atmospheric Engine 1864-1867

This is a 3/4 replica of the patent drawing for the Otto & Langen atmospheric engine.

This is a free piston engine that was designed to run on early "producer gas", while this one runs on hydrogen.

The cycle is controlled by the cams that only operate when a power stroke is required. The cams are started when the piston rod reaches the bottom and causes the pawl to engage the spinning ratchet. The first event is that a lever opens the intake valve and pushes the piston rod up about 4 inches to draw a charge into the cylinder. This then ignites, driving the piston up against air in the upper end of the cylinder. The resulting air pressure above the piston then produces the downward power stroke, spinning a one-way clutch to turn the output shaft.
After the energy has been transferred to the output shaft, the piston gradually descends as exhaust gas exits the lower end of the cylinder.

Otto & Langen continued developing this engine for many years, producing about 5000 of them. It was low power, but very fuel efficient, since the free piston allowed full use of the energy in the explosion. The biggest of these was only 3 hp, standing 12 feet tall, and requiring a very heavy foundation to handle the pounding recoil.

Lighting was marginal, next year we'll try some fill lighting.

For more info, go to Youtube member wgrenning.

The builder's website is http://sites.google.com/site/wgrennin...

Coolspring PA, Oct 15, 2010.

101015_Otto_Langen.wmv