Patent GB-436518-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in steam locomotives
IPC: F01K15/02
Filed: 1934-03-12
Abstract: 436,518. Motor power plant. REIDINGER, A., 5, Hurst Road, Winchmore Hill, London. March 12, 1934, No. 7740. [Class 110 (iii)] [See also Group XXXI] Relates to steam locomotives having a reciprocating engine and an exhaust turbine. According to the invention, (1) the turbine drives one of the axles through an hydraulic coupling, the supply of fluid to which is controlled from the driver's cab ; relay means operated from the driver's cab and interlocked with the reciprocating engine reversing gear may control the valves governing the supply of steam to the turbine and the supply of fluid to the coupling ; (2) an exhaust steam receiver between the cylinders and the turbine is arranged as a saddle member between the cylinders or side frames ; (3) the turbine is non-reversing and is coupled to an axle and selector means are provided whereby only one coupling can be engaged at a time ; and (4) control means, operated from the cab by relay devices, are provided whereby the turbine may be connected to the reciprocating engine, shut off therefrom or supplied direct with steam not passed through the cylinders. In the simplified construction shown in Fig. 4 an exhaust steam turbine 8 drives an axle 22 through a unidirectional hydraulic coupling 14 and gearing 18, 21. Steam may be supplied to the turbine from the exhaust pipe 3 of the cylinder (not shown), of a reciprocating engine, through a valve 5 and a receiver 4, the inlet 10 of the turbine leading from the receiver. In the position shown, the valve 5 connects the exhaust pipe 3 direct to the blast pipe 6, but if the valve is moved to the right the pipe 3 is connected to the receiver and the turbine exhaust pipe 7 is connected to the blast pipe, so that the turbine is driven and drives the axle if the hydraulic coupling 14 is filled. The valve 5 is controlled by the pressure in fixed concentric pipes 53, 54 connected to a fixed piston in the valve. Pipe 53 is in permanent communication with a steam pipe 24 so that steam is always acting against the left side of the fixed piston and tends to keep the valve in the left-hand position shown. If steam is admitted to pipe 54 it acts on the greater area of the right side of the piston and moves the valve to the right to bring the turbine into action. The hydraulic coupling 14 is filled and emptied by pumps K, L driven from the turbine through a shaft 24A and connected to a cooler P and a sump Q. The valve 5 and the pumps K, L are controlled by the handle 47 of the reversing gear 46 of the reciprocating engine, this handle also operating a cam y acting on valves j-m. In the mid-gear position shown of the reversing gear, the valves k, m are shut and j, l open, so that (1) pipe 54 is shut off from the steam pipe 24 and is open to exhaust 17, so that steam cannot be supplied to turbine 8, and (2) pump K, if at work, circulates oil idly through pipe 18, valve j, pipe 19 and sump Q. If the reversing gear is moved to any reversing position the valves j-m are unaffected, but if the gear is moved to a forward position valves j, l are shut and k, m are opened, with the result that (1) valve m admits steam to pipe 54, valve 5 is moved to the right and the exhaust pipe 3 is connected to the receiver and the turbine so that the latter is driven, and (2) pump K fills the coupling 14 from the sump Q through pipe 18, valve k and pipe 20. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the turbine 8 drives the axle 22 through reversing gearing 11 and two hydraulic couplings 14, 15 one for each direction of rotation, the one not in use at any time being emptied. Also, in addition to the valve 5 for admitting exhaust steam to the receiver 4, two other valves 40, 61 are provided ; of these, the valve 40 automatically admits live steam to the receiver 4 if the receiver pressure falls below a predetermined limit, and the valve 61 is used to supply live steam at will to the receiver independently of the supply to or from the reciprocating engine, so that the tubine 8 can be used when the engine is shut down. In this construction the valve 5 acts as described in connection with Fig. 4 to connect the exhaust pipe 3 from steam cylinders 1 either to the receiver 4 or to the blast pipe 6, the outer pipe 53 is permanently connected to a main steam pipe 24 by a pipe 55, and the inner pipe 54 is connected either to the steam pipe 24 or to exhaust by a valve 56 controlled by means of pipe lines 57, 67. The valves 61, 40 are similarly controlled by valves 66, 74 controlled by means of pipe lines 67 77. The valves 61, 40 have outer steam pipes 64, 76 permanently connected by a pipe 65 to the steam pipe 24, and inner pipes 63, 75 which, in the position shown, are connected to exhaust by the valves 66, 74. In this position steam can pass from a pipe 70, supplied with steam from a point between the regulator valve (not shown), and the cylinder valve-chest 2, through the space 69 of valve 61 and port 72 to valve 40. If the pressure in receiver 4 falls, valve 40 moves to the right and steam passes from pipe 70 through ports 72, 73 to the receiver to raise the pressure until the valve moves to the left again. If the turbine is to be driven independently of any exhaust from the cylinders, the control valves 66, 74 are operated to cause the valves 61, 40 to move to the right ; this closes port 70 but opens port 71 so that steam is supplied from pipe 24 to the receiver 4 through both valves and ports 71, 72, 73. The turbine is controlled from the driver's cab by a relay device comprising a series of cams A-H, Fig. 3, rotated by a handle 30, the cams controlling valves a-h in a valve box 31. These valves control the supply of steam to various pipe lines including the pipes 57, 67, 77 for the valves 56, 66, 74. The relay is also connected to the reversing gear control 46, 47 to ensure that the turbine cannot be put into the forward drive condition while the reversing gear is in reverse. For this purpose a series of cams Y connected to the reversing gear controls valves j-m in a valve-box 44 supplying steam to pipe lines 86, 87. These pipe lines, in conjunction with vaves a, band c, d supply steam to cylinders 41, 42 operating cams 34, 35 which control valves p-t in valveboxes 81, 84. The valve-box 81 is connected by pipes 78, 79 to the hydraulic couplings 15, 14, and by pipes 80, 88 to the pump K and the sump Q for the couplings. A return pump L is also connected to the couplings by a pipe 83. The valves s, t in the box 84 control the pipe line 57 to valve 56, Fig. 3, steam being admitted to the pipe line from steam pipe 43 by valve s and the pipe line being connected by valve t to exhaust 85. The steam pipe 43 also supplies steam to the cylinders 41, 42 controlling the hydraulic couplings, to the valve-box 44, and to valves e, g in valve-box 31. The valveboxes 31, 44 are provided with exhaust pipes M. In the position shown, the couplings 14, 15 are both empty, so that the turbine is not coupled to the axle 22, the cams A-H are in the position in which the turbine is not driven, and the reversing-gear 46 is in mid-gear.