Knight Sleeve Valve Engine

This is a cutaway of a Knight Sleeve Valve engine. This design of engine does not use the traditional poppet type valve found in most other internal combustion engines. Instead it uses two coaxial sleeves that move up and down inside the cylinder. The sleeves have ports cut in them that line up to expose the intake and exhaust manifolds at the appropriate time.
Here are some links to more information on sleeve valve engines:
http://restored-classics.com/willy/page6.html
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/wokr/gallery/wk_eng.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/sleeve-valve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeve_valve

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Engine
• piston
• knight
• sleeve
• valve

[joness105639]

It seems to have a lot longer exhaust duration than intake duration, or is the guy turning the crank backwards?

[oisiaa]

The crank is labeled with an arrow so I assume it is being turned in the correct direction.

[pilatunes]

Do the sleeves that move up and down run directly of the crankshaft? I couldn't quite see.

[oisiaa]

The sleeves are geared at 1/2 crankshaft speed, you can see the mechanism that does this starting at :40.

[oisiaa]

You can see the two red discs on the front of the display. The first one is the crankshaft and is connected to the handle. The second one is the smaller crankshaft that is connected to the sleeves.

[wrangleroly]

Oh, sorry, it's the 1926 Willys Knight Model 70 featured in the other video when you search 1926 Willys Knight. Had it out on a nice drive the other day. 82 years old and still purrs like a kitten. Where was your video taken?

[oisiaa]

I took this at the 2008 Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant Iowa.

[howlerbike]

@jaekib The exhaust port is on the left side, and intake on the right. If you look at the ports themselves you can see when they get their opportunity as the apertures in the sleeves present themselves.

[jaekib]

Thanks for putting this up. (and turning the crank:^) I have a much clearer idea of the mechanism now. Can't sort out the inlet stroke unless this is a two stroke, but still very useful video.

Cheers.

[Clunk49]

Thanks for the video.

My late Grandfather, Mr. G.P. Stewart, had a Willys-Knight car as a young man in the early 1900's and bought a running engine shortly before he passed in 1976. He used to start the engine and describe the virtues of a sleeve valve engine while adding the proper amounts of Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel.

The engine was sold to Willys-Knight collectors so we know it's in good hands.

[chaosopher23]

That's a really long stroke engine!

[yamahabansheerider]

are these engines still being used in anything today?

[2boredfortv]

its like a 4 stroke 2 stroke. hmmm

[nashtwin8]

@TheCottonTop Actually, when these engines were first introduced 100 years ago, they were quite a bit better than engines with camshafts (poppet valves). For one thing, they never needed a valve grind, which regular engines needed every 25,000 miles or so. They were also a lot quieter, because the valves didn't make any noise slamming against their seats. Finally, where a poppet valve degrades as it wear, reducing compression, sleeve valves actually form a better seal after they carbon up!

[homerunhita12]

what a headache

[TheCottonTop]

HAHA omg. OHV even flathead, anything with a cam shaft is better than that!

[oiseautempete]

This system was use on the Panhard Dynamic, very silent and soft, but he's durabilty was poor cause fast wear (30 000km run maximum) and the oil consumption was enormous...

But Bristol simplify the system (only 1 sleeve), whit a excelent durability and acceptable oil consumption, and built very good aircraft engines with high reliability and low consumption, like the Hercules or the Centaurus.

The Hercules was buitd up to 1970' under license, by SNECMA for the Nord 2501 "Noratlas" aircraft.