Oil is supplied by a positive pump that measures the lubricant in exact proportion to the load on the engine. Both the oil and the gasoline mixture enter the crank case through the hollow crank shaft and mingle in the form of a vapor. This oil mist reaches every moving part and results in perfect lubrication. The pistons are provided with oil shields which carry the oil directly to the cylinder walls and prevent the loss of oil through the exhaust valve.
Ignition is performed by a high tension magneto through a distributer which directs the current to the proper cylinder. As in all rotary engines, the Gyro has an uneven number of cylinders (3, 5, and 7) in order that the cylinders receive firing impulses through equal angles of rotation. An even distribution of firing is impossible with an even number of cylinders, as two adjacent cylinders out of six alternately fire together and then 180° apart. This produces a very jerky turning movement, and is productive of much vibration. In the seven cylinder motor the magneto is driven by gears having a ratio of 4 to 7, and the high tension current is distributed to the cylinders by 7 brushes, the leads from the brushes being taken direct to the spark plugs.
The Gnome was the first rotary aviation motor built in Europe and is still one of the most capable flight motors abroad as its many victories and records prove. It is built in four sizes, 50, 70, 100, and 140 horse-power, the 50 and 70 horse-power motors having 7 cylinders, and the 100 and 140 horsepower, having 14 cylinders, which consist of two rows of 7 cylinders per row. The cylinders of all sizes rotate about a stationary crank shaft while the pistons rotate in a circle, the center of which is the crank pin. Vibration is practically eliminated at high speed as the pistons do not reciprocate in the ordinary sense of the word, but simply revolve in a circle, the reciprocating relation between the cylinders and pistons being obtained by the difference in the centers of the two revolving systems. The cooling effect of the radiating ribs is greatly increased by the air circulation set up by the rotation of the cylinders. This method of cooling introduces a great loss of power due to the blower action of the cooling ribs, this loss often amounting to 15 per cent of the output of the engine.