Specification is made of 13 essential factors that the author believes are necessary for attaining better engine performance; he then describes how improved results have been obtained by the use of a single-valve mechanism on an engine having an unusually high compression-ratio and using ordinary gasoline as fuel.
The latest type of engine built with the single-valve mechanism is illustrated, and detailed descriptions of its development, design and operation are given, together with comments upon its factors of advantage and data obtained from tests.
In designing this single-valve mechanism, the primary object was to solve the problem of positively closing poppet-valves without using springs and thus to produce a type of engine that would operate efficiently at greater speeds than are possible with spring-closed valves. Another object was to reduce the temperature of the exhaust-valve. The author claims that the design under consideration overcame disadvantages, such as carbon deposit, regrinding of the valves, overheating and detonation, and permits an increased compression-pressure and a consequent gain in power and efficiency.