 Gottlieb Daimler 3
All in all, one can well see here the main development step for Daimler and Maybach engines; the second, only slightly less important step being the changeover from gas to ligroin (gasoline), which Daimler/Maybach insisted on calling petroleum. More important was the hot tube ignition preferred by Daimler and Maybach, which was because of the higher engine speed of the smaller engine. Even this is not an invention of the two but was brought to their attention during Daimler's time at Deutz, but it was obviously prevented by Otto.
The ignition by an open gas flame required much mechanical effort. The space in which the flame burns continuously, has to be opened and the sudden pressure difference controlled. Then the flame ignites the mixture and the space is closed again. This process and all other ignition methods known from this time, also the electric ones, were not adequate for the planned fast running engine. What remained was the hot tube ignition already used experimentally at Deutz.
Actually, Daimler proved to be not only a gifted and far-sighted engineer but also skilful in creating and defending patents. Many other great inventors such as Otto, Benz and Diesel had experienced great difficulties with their patents and even disqualifications; not so Gottlieb Daimler. He was able to protect himself with his hot-tube ignition against hostilities, even though it was part of work of Henry (published 1824), Drake (patent 1855), Funk (patent 1879) and Watson (patent 1881).
Like almost all patentee he formulated his patent specification before completion of his object with the hope that even without constantly heated glow tube it continue to run. So that he was close to the diesel engine in the most modern research, which however would only become reality 15 years later. But the wrong approach proved to be useful, to pretend to himself and others that he had a kind of self-ignition (Daimler: pneumatic ignition).
It is amazing that many patents did not withstand judicial examinations at that time, but Daimler's did. Maybe it was the fact that the glow tube was combined with the more coincidental ignition of the fuel-air mixture, or simply due to his and his lawyer's talent. So Daimler with the help of his lawyer succeeded in 1888 to get rid of the clause according to which, he should not have been working in a similar field as Deutz for five years.
Much was based on Daimler's right to file patents on his name while working at Deutz. This differed fundamentally from the later contracts which he concluded with Maybach. He claimed for himself much later some of the common developments with Daimler, but without success (but also without a lawsuit).
One of these was controlling the exhaust valve, at this time the only one, because the intake valve was conceived as a check valve. So-called cam grooves were in the flywheel and the two designers thus spared an extra camshaft. Additionally, the flywheel with additionally attached blades was able to provide for air cooling of the cylinder with elongated, integrally cast cooling fins. 07/13
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