Advertisement Of An Antique Gasoline Engine

 The well-known Otto engine was invented by Dr. Nicholas Otto, of Germany, and was patented in this country in 1877. It follows the cycle that has been described by Beau de Rochas , now known as the four-cycle, or sometimes as the Otto cycle. The engine was first known as the Otto-Silent, to distinguish it from the free-piston engine, which was rather noisy. It immediately established the internal-combustion engine on a firm footing, and the engines of the four-cycle type sold today show merely minor improvements. The sliding valve on 1876 has been replaced by poppet valves, and the flame ignition has been replaced by the electric spark. Otherwise, the Otto cycle of 1876 has persisted and at this time thousands of them are being manufactured.