Patent GB-151424-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to towing engines
IPC: B63H15/00
Filed: 1919-08-05
Abstract: 151,424. Miller, T. S. Aug. 5, 1919. Winches; constanttension and tensionregulating winding and paying-out apparatus.- Relates to towing- winches provided with means for controlling automatically the tension of the hawser. The winding drum is mounted on a movable support which as it moves controls the motor so that the hawser is paid out when the tension increases and wound on when the tension decreases. The shaft 36, Fig. 2, of the winding - drum 37 is mounted in a frame 33 which rests on circular bearings 31 in the bed of the apparatus and tends to move in the inhauling direction under the action of springs 40. Any shock which may result from the recoil movement of the frame is absorbed by a spring buffer device which comprises a block 46, Fig. 9, with inclined faces and slidable friction blocks 50 acted on by springs 64. The supply of steam to the engine is regulated by a throttle valve 65, Fig. 1, the outlet of which is connected to the casing 70 of a reversing valve forming part of the controlling valve structure. The casing 70, Fig. 12, is divided by a vertical partition into cylindrical chambers 72, 73, the latter of which is connected by oppositely disposed pipes 74, Fig. 1, opening into the annular port 99 to the valve chests 25 of the engine cylinders 24. The chamber 72 contains a cylindrical valve way having annular openings 75, 76, 77 communicating with annular passages 78, 79, 80, respectively. The passage 80 is connected to the steam-pipe through the valve 65, the passage 78 to the exhaust pipe 81 from the valve chests 25, and the passage 79 communicates with the port 82 leading to a cylindrical valveway 83 which opens at one end into a chamber 73 and at the other into a port 84 opening through the valveway in the chamber 72 to the exhaust chamber 85. The exhaust passage 78 communicates with the chamber 85 through ports 86. The upper and lower ends of the cylindrical valveway in the chamber 72 are connected by ports 86, 87, passages 88, 89 and exhaust chamber 85. A double piston valve having heads 91, 92 works in the valveway and the heads are at such a distance apart that the space between will span either of the openings 76, 77 or 75, 77. The piston valve is shifted from one position to the other by turning the hand-wheel 94 which is screwed on an extension rod 92a of the piston valve and rotatably mounted on the valve casing. A cylindrical cage 95 having openings 96, 97, 98 communicating with ports 84, 82, 99 is arranged in the valve way 83 and contains a poppet valve, the head 100 of which in conjunction with a valve seat 101 controls the now of steam between the chamber 73 and the port 82. The head 100 has a groove 102 which communicates with the interior of the valve through openings 103. The chamber 73 communicates with the interior of the valve through an opening 105. The head 100 is connected by a .reduced stem 107 to a lower annular piston head 106. The poppet valve is normally pressed on to its seat by a spring 107<a> which is seated in a plate 108 engaged by an adjusting bolt 109 threaded through the head of the casing. A piston 110 is arranged in the cage 95 and either bears against the head 106 or is separated therefrom to permit communication between the chamber 73 and passage 89. In one construction the piston 110, Fig. 2, is mounted loosely on a stem 111 having an enlargement 112 slidably mounted in an extension of the casing. The piston 110 is forced against a nut 114 on the screwed end of the stem by a spring 115. In another construction the piston 110, Fig. 12, is secured on the stem 116 which projects through an opening in the cylindrical member 118. A spring 121 forces the piston towards the valve. In either construction the enlargement 112 or the member 118 is connected by a ball-and-socket joint to a threaded rod 122 slidably but non- rotatably mounted in the base of the apparatus. On the rod 122 is screwed a pinion nut 126 having a collar 127 which supports a sleeve 129<x> pivotally connected to one end of a lever 129. The other end of the lever is joined by a link 131 to a block 132 which is slidably mounted in a slot in a bracket fixed to the frame 33. The block can be adjusted lengthwise of the slot by a threaded bolt 135 to vary the swing of the lever 129 and consequently the extent of movement of the piston head 110 and valve 100. The head of the valve 100 is connected to a hollow rod 138 which passes through the tubular bolt 109 and is provided with a pointer 139 which moves over a scale 140. A pointer 142, which moves over a scale 143, is carried by a rod 141 which passes through the rod 138 and is attached to the valve head 110. The poppet valve may be actuated independently of the automatic means by a vertical shaft 144 carrying a long pinion 145 in gear with the pinion 126 and connected by bevel gearing to an horizontal actuating shaft 148. In order that the shaft 144 may not be turned to supply too much steam, the shaft is threaded and carries a nut 153 which is prevented from rotating and is provided on its upper and lower faces with locking shoulders 158. Corresponding shoulders are provided on stop nuts 189 each of which has a serrated face co-operating with the serrated face of a locking collar 163 fixed to the shaft. The nuts are adjusted so that one is in a position at which no steam will be fed to the controlling valve and the other is at a position corresponding to maximum steam pressure. A pointer 167 moving over a scale 168 is carried by a vertically movable rod 166 pivotally connected to the nut 153. The piston rods 23 are connected by cross-heads and pitmen to crank disks 17 on a shaft 16 which is concentric with the bearings 31 and geared to the drum shaft 36. The disks 17 may be provided with a band brake 169 applied by a pedal 170. A shaft 171, Fig. 2, can be geared at will to the shaft 16 and is connected bv bevel gears to the shaft 180 carrying at one end one member 183 of a friction clutch, the other member 190 of which is carried by a shaft 191 mounted in a bracket in the main frame. In a slot in this bracket is mounted a travelling nut 197 which is threaded on the shaft 191 and co-operates with stop nuts 200 in a manner similar to the nuts 153, 159. The other end of the shaft 191 is connected by a bevel gear 205 to a bevel gear 206 loose on the shaft 207 which is connected by bevel gears to the shaft 144. The gear 206 can be coupled to the shaft 207 when desired. The member 183 of the friction clutch has a cylindrical recess 194, Fig. 7, which receives a cylindrical boss 195 on the other member 190 of the clutch.