The Otto engine must be so familiar in appearance to all of you, that I need hardly trouble you with details of its external appearance.  I shall briefly describe its action.  Its strong points and its weak points are alike caused by its cycle.  One cylinder and piston suffices to carry out its whole action.  Its cycle is:  First outstroke, gas and air sucked into the cylinder; first instroke, gas and air compressed into space; second outstroke, impulse due to ignition; second instroke, discharge of exhausted gases.  When working at full power, it gets one impulse for every two revolutions; this seems to be a retrograde movement, but, notwithstanding, the advantages obtained are very great.  The igniting arrangement is in the main similar to that used on the rack and clutch engine.  The engine has been exceedingly successful, and is very economical.  The Otto compression engine consumes 21 cubic feet of gas per I.H.P. per hour, and runs with great smoothness.

In 1876 I commenced my work upon gas engines, and very soon concluded that the compression system was the true line to proceed upon.  It took me two years to produce a workable engine.  My efforts have always been directed toward producing an engine giving at least one impulse every revolution and, if possible, to start without hand labor, just as a steam engine does.  My first gas engine was running in 1878, and patented and exhibited in 1879.  It was first exhibited at the Kilburn Royal Agricultural Society’s show.

This engine was self-starting, gave an ignition at every revolution, and ignited without external flame.  It consisted of two cylinders, a motor, and a compressing pump, with a small intermediate reservoir.  Suitable valves introduced the mixture of gas and air into the pump, and passed it when compressed from the reservoir to the motor cylinder.  The igniting arrangement consisted of a platinum cage firmly fixed in a valve port; this cage was heated in the first instance by a flame of gas and air mixed; it became white hot in a few seconds, and then the engine was started by opening a valve.

The platinum was kept hot by the heat derived from the successive ignitions, and, the engine once started, no further external flame was required.  I have here one of these platinum cages which has been in use.  Finding this method not well suited for small engines, I produced the engine which is at present in the market under my name.

The cycle is different, and is designed for greater simplicity and the avoidance of back ignitions.  It also consists of two cylinders, motor cylinder and the displace or charging cylinder.  There is no intermediate reservoir.  The displace crank leads the motor by a right angle, and takes into it the mixed charge of gas and air, in some cases taking air alone during the latter part of its stroke.