The centenary patent – Single-sleeve valve engines

This article commemorates the centenary of the grant of a key patent in the development of the single-sleeve valve (often referred to as the Burt–McCollum sleeve valve). This emerged as an alternative to the conventional spring-loaded poppet-valve systems in internal combustion engines in automobiles, especially in applications where their smoother and quieter characteristics are significant.The rivalry and litigation resulting from several inventors patenting similar systems at about the same time is described, together with the later application of the single-sleeve valve system to aero engines.