Sleeve Valve Engines

[Allen Smithee]

Has anyone ever built one? How difficult is it to get the sleeve to seal - is it "just" a matter of lapping the sleeve into the cylinder as well as the piston into the sleeve?

AS

[b.lindsey]

Allen,

No I haven't built one, but those of us at last years Cabin Fever show over on this side of the pond saw a beautiful model that Lee Hodgson is offering as plans. If you don't get a good answer here on MEM, you might contact Lee and see if he can provide some input. His website is www.agelessengines.com and there seems to be some general information on the site as well.

Bill

[tvoght]

Hi Allen,
There was a constuction article -with plans- of a Barr & Stroud sleeve valve motorcycle engine in Strictly I.C. magazine.
The two installments are in the October/November 2001, and December 2001, January 2002 issues.

It sure would be interesting to see a sleeve valve build here.

--Tim

[Ginger Nut]

I haven't built one but saw one which had not long been finished Its in the video I took 2 weeks ago. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8chGzFjV9w" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8chGzFjV9w</a>

[BillTodd]

sleeve valve engine?  I'd love to see a model of a crecy engine




Bill

[Graham Meek]

I saw a slide valve engine on this sight recently and traced the builder to the site below, a very elegant design as are all the other designs at this site.

http://www.metallmodellbau.de/Sleeve_Valve_Engine.php

My best regards
Gray,

[Allen Smithee]

It was a Crecy-type that sparked my interest, as it happens. It looks simple enough, but I suspect making working sleeves needs a bit of skill and practice!

When I looked at that animation a few days ago I wondered whether the small centre cylinder is just a way of achieving the sleeve linkage geometry or is it the injector pump?

AS

[Allen Smithee]

I saw a slide valve engine on this sight recently and traced the builder to the site below, a very elegant design as are all the other designs at this site.

http://www.metallmodellbau.de/Sleeve_Valve_Engine.php

That's a useful link - thanks!

He used "ETG100" for the sleeve - I've never heard of it, but googling suggests it's a swiss special-purpose steel. Googling equivilents suggests SAE4137 (which is a stainless, isn't it?). WHat would people suggest as an alternative that is reasonably easy to machine, doesn't need heat treatment and can be bought in small quantities in the UK (or any two out of three of those!).

His cylinder, piston & rings are "GGG60" which (AFAICS) is just an SG cast iron. All these similar materials make me think this motor would need careful lubrication to avoid pick-up/galling (he has a high-pressure oil pump in his design). I wonder if the sleeve could be made from brass or bronze rather than stainless. I'm also wondering if (for a sleeve valve 2-stroke) the sleeve couldn't be driven from a ballrace on an eccentric journal on the crankshaft, giving the sleeve a pure vertical motion and eliminating the need for the ball-linkage in the drive.

Need to put on a pair of my best thinking trousers and ponder...

AS

[BillTodd]

When I looked at that animation a few days ago I wondered whether the small centre cylinder is just a way of achieving the sleeve linkage geometry or is it the injector pump?

AS

It seems to  accelerate the closing of the valve on the compression stroke and increase the exhaust openning time (the inlet is super charged and blows through to scavenge the exhaust gases). whether it had any auxilliary use, I don't know.

It's offset position adds a twist to the sleeve drive which may help lubrication - many sleeve valve engines had rotating and oscilating sleeves . Lubrication is obviously important to prevent seizing but it also transmits heat to the cylinder walls for cooling - you may need to consider an oil pump.

[Stuart]

some more reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Hercules
http://www.enginehistory.org/pioneering_sleeve_valve.shtml
and finally get your ear muffs on

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzXeFql-1VU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzXeFql-1VU</a>


research shows me that they were used in the USA in some early cars

Stuart

[compspecial]

Yes, Stuart, they were made by willys Knight and known as the "silent knight" mass produced for jeeps and other vehicles.
   Stew

[Allen Smithee]

I'm always mystified that when people talk sleeve-valve engine history they always seem to focus on the Bristol engines (Hercules and Centaurus) whilst overlooking both Napier (Sabre) and Rolls Royce (Exe, Pennine, Eagle).

AS

[Allen Smithee]

It looks like there is a progressive research programme shaping up for next year:

1. Build a conventional 2-stroke (probably upright twin) with blower-charging rather than crankcase-pumped charging (probably a centrufugal blower).
2. Build a single cylinder sleeve-valve 2-stroke to explore the materials and lubrication issues.
3. Look at expanding (2) into a straight 4
4. On to the V12
5. Stop smoking that stuff...

 

AS

[lohring]

There are two types of four stroke sleeve valves that were widely used, the double sleeve valve and the single sleeve valve.  The pioneer who developed the latter was Sir Harry Ricardo, who felt that the single sleeve had significant advantages over poppet valves.  His influence was such that many of the last British and US large aircraft piston engine prototypes before and during World War II were designed with sleeve valves.  This all ended with the gas turbine.  His book, The High Speed Internal Combustion Engine, outlines single sleeve valve research and development in both the four stroke and the two stroke.  See http://www.amazon.com/High-Speed-Internal-Combustion-Engine/dp/B001TGPTGE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417528689&sr=1-1&keywords=ricardo+the+high+speed+internal+combustion+engine  for a reasonably priced reprint.  Anyone interested in the development of the internal combustion piston engine, and especially the development of sleeve valve engines, should read this book. 

Lohring Miller

[dieselpilot]

The small "piston" in the Crecy animation above serves as a guide mainly. It's there to restrict movement, otherwise the sleeves would not be controlled. I've had the Barr & Stroud drawings from SIC for years now. Made a Solidworks model some time ago. I really should just build it.

Bristol is really the only well known sleeve valve. They built something like 52,000 Hercules engines and many continued to fly after the war. It's a shame that there are so few running examples. Napier Sabre barely saw reliable service, did the others make it off the test stand? They were too late. Bristol was flying them in the early 1930's through the 1950's when jets replaced those in service.