IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Edge, of the Tipping Iron Works,
Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Edge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
July, 1867.
I, JONATHAN EDGE, of the Tipping Iron Works, Bolton-le-Moors, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the "slide valves" used to regulate the admission
and discharge of the steam to and from the cylinders of steam engines,
and to the "governors" employed to control the speed of the said engines,
and consists, in so far as relates to the "slide valves," of a novel method
of actuating the said valves, applicable principally to engines working
expansively.
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ two separate valves for the
admission of the steam to the cylinder, and two for the discharge thereof or for
Price 1

page_text: <<
opening a communication between the cylinder and the condenser. The afore.
said valves are preferably of the discription known as "gridiron " valves, or of
a form similar thereto, the valve boxes being situated as near the ends of the
cylinder as is convenient for the purpose of obtaining short passages between
the "valves" and the interior of the cylinder, but they may be otherwise
situated if preferred; the said valves are actuated by means of "cams" or
tappits" fitted on a "shaft" or on "shafts," to which a rotatory motion is
imparted by the engine,the said shaft or shafts revolving at one-half the speed
of the "crankshaft" of the engine,that is to say, the said shafts make only one-
half the number of revolutions as compared with the "crank shaft." The
valve spindles are preferably furnished each with two "bowls" for the cam
to act upon, and with a suitable frame to carry the same, each cam being so
formed as to give two movements to the valve which it actuates during one
revolution of the said cam, the said movements being simi lar to each other
but in opposite directions, so that, taking for an example the inlet valve
admitting steam for the forward stroke of the "piston," the said valve is
moved by its cam in one direction to admit the steam to the cylinder for a
forward stroke, and back again to its former position to admit steam for the
next succeeding forward stroke, each movement admitting the steam for a
suitable portion of the stroke and "cutting off" the said admission at or
nearly at any desired portion of the stroke. The "cams actuating the "inlet
valves" may be "stepped" or otherwise formed or arranged for the purpose
of altering the "cut off," as is well understood. The valves may be actuated
by separate shafts, or one shaft may actuate two or more valves, as preferred
or found to be convenient. I sometimes give motion to the "cam shaft" or
shafts actuating the inlet valves through or by means of a pair or pairs of
eccentric " spur wheels" and suitably proportioned gearing, for the purpose
of accelerating the movements of the cams when "cutting off" the steam.
Suitable arrangements are made to allow of the inlet cam shaft being rotated
by hand when the engine is to be started.
My improvements in the "governors" of steam engines are as follows,
namely: On a shaft or stud conveniently situated a "ratchet wheel" or a
portion or segment of a ratchet wheel is mounted, having one half or other
suitable proportion of its teethpointing in a contrarydirection to the remaining
portion, or two separate wheels or segmentswith the teeth of each one reversed
as compared with the other may be employed. An arm or lever carrying two
pawls, and having a reciprocating motion derived from the engine, is mounted
on the same centre of motion as the above described "ratchet wheel," the

page_text: aforesaid "pawls" acting in opposite directions on the teeth of the "ratchet
wheel," and being kept out of action when the engine is running at its proper
speed by a curved guard which is interposed between the pawls and the
ratchet teeth, the said guard being moved around the ratchet wheel by a
rod or other suitable connection which is actuated by the sliding "sleeve" of
the governor, so that as the said "sleeve" rises or falls with the varying speed
of the governor one or other of the "pawls "is allowed to act upon the ratchet
teeth and the ratchet wheel is rotated, the said movement of the ratchet wheel
being employed to move the inlet cams in the arrangement described in the
former part of this Specification for the purpose of altering the "cut off," or
may be employed in connection with any other arrangement for controlling
the admission of steam to the cylinder, as is well understood. In order to
allow the balls of a "governor " to remain at varying heights with a constant
or nearly constant speed of the engine at the different positions of the balls I
sometimes connect the "sleeve" of the governor with a curved lever or bar
which rocks upon a bearing at or near its centre, and from or upon which a
sliding or rolling weight is suspended or mounted, the arrangement being such
that when the balls rise or fall above or below their normal position the said
weight moves in a direction suitable to assist the balls in their movement; or
the said lever may be fitted at each end with a receptacle containing water or
other suitable fluid, the said receptacles being connected together for the
passage of fluid from one to the other, the action being similar to that of the
moving weight above described. I also sometimes apply a flexible spring
between the wheel on the governor "spindle" and the said spindle to prevent
any unevenness of motion of the engine being imparted to the governor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jonathan Edge in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 25th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JONATHAN
EDGE, of the Tipping Iron Works, Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lan-
caster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said Jonathan Edge, Her special license that I, the said Jonathan Edge,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Jonathan Edge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jonathan
Edge, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jonathan Edge, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:―
My Invention relates to the "slide valves" used to regulate the admission
and discharge of the steam to and from the cylinders of steam engines, and
to the "governors" employed to control the speed of the said engines,
and consists in so far as relates to the "slide valves" of a novel method
of actuating the said valves applicable principally to engines working
expansively.
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ two seperate valves for the
admission of the steam to the cylinder, and two for the discharge thereof, or
for opening a communication between the cylinder and the condenser, these
aforesaid valves are preferably of the description known as "gridiron" valves,
or of a form similar thereto, the valve boxes being situated as near the ends
of the cylinder as is convenient for the purpose of obtaining short passages
between the valves and the interior of the cylinder, but they may be otherwise
situated if preferred. The said valves are actuated by means of "cams" or
tappits" fitted on a "shaft" or on "shafts" to which a rotatory motion is
imparted by the engine, the said shaft or shafts revolving at one-half the
speed of the "crank shaft" of the engine, that is to say, the said shafts make
only one-half the number of revolutions as compared with the "crank shaft."
The valve spindles are preferably furnished each with two "bowls" for the
cam to act upon, and with a suitable frame to carry the same, each cam
being so formed as to give two movements to the valve which it actuates

page_text: during one revolution of the said cam, the said movements being similar to
each other but in opposite directions, so that, taking for an example the inlet
valve admitting steam for the forward stroke of the "piston," the said valve
is moved by its cam in one direction to admit the steam to the cylinder for a
forward stroke, and back again to its former position to admit steam for the
next succeeding forward stroke, each movement admitting the steam for a
suitable portion of the stroke, and "cutting off" the said admission at or
nearly at any desired portion of the stroke. The "cams" actuating the
"inlet valves" may be stepped, or otherwise formed or arranged for the pur-
pose of altering the "cut off," as is well understood. The valves may be
actuated by seperate shafts, or one shaft may actuate two or more valves,
as preferred or found to be convenient. I sometimes give motion to the
"cam shaft" or shafts actuating the inlet valves through or by means
of a pair or pairs of "excentric "spur wheels" and suitably proportioned
gearing, for the purpose of accelerating the movements of the cams when
cutting off the steam. Suitable arrangements are made to allow of the inlet
cam shafts being rotated by hand when the engine is to be started.
"
My improvements in the " governors of steam engines are as follows,
namely: On a shaft or stud conveniently situated a ratchet wheel is mounted
having one-half or other suitable proportion of its teeth pointing in a contrary
direction to the remaining portion; or two seperate wheels or segments with
the teeth of each one reversed as compared with the other may be employed.
An arm or lever carrying two pawls and having a reciprocating motion derived
from the engine is mounted on the same centre of motion as the above
described "ratchet wheel," the aforesaid "pawls" acting in opposite directions
on the teeth of the "ratchet wheel," and being kept out of action when the
engine is running at its proper speed by a curved guard which is interposed
between the pawls and the "ratchet teeth," the said guard being moved
around the ratchet wheel by a rod or other suitable connection which is
actuated by the sliding "sleeve" of the governor, so that as the said sleeve
rises or falls with the varying speed of the governor one or other of the
"pawls" is allowed to act upon the ratchet teeth and the ratchet wheel is
rotated, the said movement of the ratchet wheel being employed to move the
inlet cams in the arrangement described in the former part of this Specifica-
tion for the purpose of altering the cut off, or may be employed in
connection with any other arrangement for controlling the admission of
steam to the cylinder, as is well understood. In order to allow the balls of
a "governor" to remain at varying heights with a constant or nearly constant

page_text: speed of the engine at the different positions of the balls I sometimes connect
the "sleeve" of the governor with a curved lever or bar which rocks upon a
bearing at or near its centre, and from or upon which a sliding or rolling
weight is suspended or mounted; the arrangement being such that when
the balls rise or fall above or below their normal position the said weight
moves in a direction suitable to assist the balls in their movement; or the
said lever may be fitted at each end with a receptacle containing water or
other suitable fluid, the said receptacles being connected together for the
passage of fluid from one to the other, the action being similar to that of the
moving weight above described. I also sometimes apply a flexible spring
between the wheel on the governor spindle and the said spindle to prevent
any unevenness of motion of the engine being imparted to the governor.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood 1 have annexed
to this Specification two Sheets of Drawings, having letters of reference
marked thereupon, the same letters indicating corresponding parts in the
various Figures.
Referring now to Sheet 1 of the said Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view
partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line A, B, in Fig. 1, of
the cylinder of a steam engine of the class known as horizontal, the said
cylinder being shewn as fitted with the arrangement of valves and of mechanism
for actuating the same, which I prefer to use for horizontal cylinders, the
said Figures being drawn to a scale of about two inches to a foot.
Figs. 3 and 4 are detached views in section drawn to the same scale as
Figs. 1 and 2, and shewing modifications of the valves.
Fig. 5 is a detached view of a portion of Figs. 1 and 2, and Figs. 6 and 7
are detached views, shewing the arrangement which I prefer to use to
obtain a greater evenness of motion in the governor.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 8 is a side view, and Fig. 10 a plan of a portion of the
cylinder and "valve motion," shewing my improved method of regulating
the amount of expansion of the steam by means of apparatus controlled by
the governor, Fig. 9 being an elevation of the " governor stand" looking
from the cylinder end of the engine, and shewing a portion of the improved
"cut-off motion," the three Figures being drawn to a scale of about three
inches to a foot.
Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a portion of a governor stand" and
spindle, shewing one method of applying the curved bar or lever and
shifting weight to the governor.
In Sheet 1, Figs. 1 and 2, a, a, are the inlet valves, and b, b, the exhaust

page_text: valves, the inlet valves being shewn as when open in Fig. 2, and the exhaust
valve as when closed, the letters of reference a' and b¹ on the dotted lines
indicating the positions of the two valves, which for convenience are hidden
from view in the Drawing. The valve spindles c, c, are connected to the
carriages d, d, the said carriages sliding on suitably formed beds, brackets, or
fixings d', d', and being provided with antifriction bowls or rollers e, e, upon
which the cams or tappits f, f', operate, the cams and carriages actuating
the valves a and b not shewn in the Drawing being similar to those actuating
the valves a¹ and 6. The said cams or tappits are suitably formed to give
motion to the valves for the purpose of opening and shutting the same, as will
be herein-after described, and are fixed to the revolving shafts g, h, the said
shafts deriving their motion from the shaft i, which in this instance makes
two revolutions for one revolution of the crank shaft, and derives its motion
from the crank shaft or from anyother suitable revolving portion of the engine.
On the said shaft i is fixed an eccentric wheel k gearing with a corresponding
wheel attached to the pinion A, which is in gear with the wheel / mounted
on the shaft g, the said wheel being four times the size of the pinion ¹, by
which it follows that the shaft g will make one revolution for two revolutions
of the crank shaft, and that the speed of the said shaft g will be accelerated
four times in each revolution through the action of the eccentric wheels, the
adjustment of the cams being such as that each of the said accelerations takes
place at the time that one of the valves is cutting off the steam from admission
to the cylinder. The shaft is also driven from the shaft i by means of the
gearing m,m,the said gearing being suitably proportioned to drive the shaft h
at the same speed as the shaft g. Each of the cams f and f¹ is suitably
formed to give the following described movement to the valve which it actuates,
namely, taking for example, the back stroke exhaust valve b, as shewn in
Fig. 2, a movement to the right hand to open the valve by bringing the ports
in the valve and in the valve face into coincidence a dwell or slow movement
in the same direction of sufficient duration to allow the steam to pass freely
from the cylinder,and a continuation of the same movement to the right hand
to close the "ports," which will complete the movement of the valve for one
back stroke of the engine,the movement for the next back stroke being similar
but in the contrary direction, namely, from right to left, the cam operating
upon the two rollers e, e, alternately. The wheel is loose on the shaft g,
being mounted on the boss of a disc j which is keyed to the shaft g, the said
wheel giving motion to the disc j through catches 3, 3, which bear against
projections on the disc, as shewn detached at Fig. 5, and turns the said disc

page_text: together with the shaft g in the direction of the arrow, this arrangement
allowing the shaft g to be revolved by hand when required, a hand wheel h
or other suitable equivalent being provided for the purpose. When it is
required that the rate of expansion shall admit of alteration during the
working of the engine the cams f, f, are made to slide upon the shaft g, or
the shaft g is made capable of sliding in its bearings, as shewn in the Draw-
ings, the said cams being made of a stepped form, or of a curvature varying
from end to end as is well understood, means for effecting the said sliding
movement of the shaft and cams being shewn in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 2,
to which I will now refer. The cams f, only one of which is herein shewn,
in this instance are stepped to suit eight different degrees of expansion, and
are fixed to the shaft g which is free to slide a short distance in the bearings
n, n, in either direction to the right or to the left from its position, as shewn
in the Drawing, for the purpose of changing the portions of the cams operat-
ing on the rollers e, e, as will be well understood. The end of the said shaft g
is connected with the lever o by means of a joint p which admits of the revolu
tion of the shaft, the said lever being fixed to the shaft q,the bearings of which
are not shewn to avoid confusion. Mounted loosely on the shaftqare the lever r
carrying the pawls r³, 1, and the shield and levers, which latter is connected
to the governor "sleeve "t by the rod and lever t¹, t¹, fixed to the shaft. q is a
portion of a ratchet wheel u, having two sets of teeth cut right and left with
respect to each other, so that a rocking motion being given to the lever / by
the cam 2 or by other suitable means the ratchet wheel will be caused to
revolve in either direction, according as one or the other of the ratchets is in
gear. The shields when the governor is running at its normal or intended
working speed raises both pawls from contact with the ratchet wheel,
but on the balls falling the shield is moved to the left as in the Drawing,
and allows the right-hand pawl to take hold of the ratchet wheel and thereby
to rotate the shaft q, the lever o causing the shaft g to slide a short distance
to the right, and the steam will be cut off later, a contrary effect being pro-
duced when the balls rise. Thisarrangement or a modification thereof may
be employed in connection with other means for cutting off the steam than
those herein described and illustrated in the Drawings.
Although my improvements are shewn as applied to a horizontal engine
the said improvements are equally applicable in the case of engines having
vertical cylinders. In this latter case a modification of the arrangement
shewn in the Drawings may be employed, the shafts g, h, being vertical, or if
preferred two horizontal shafts may be employed,each shaft actuating an inlet

page_text: valve and an exhaust vale, the inlet cams being cause to slide upon the shafts
to vary the expansion, or the exhaust cams may be lengthened so as to allow
the shafts to be slid as in the Drawings. The excentric wheels shewn in the
Drawings may be dispensed with either in the case of horizontal or of vertical
cylinder engines, in which case the shaft i may revolve at the same speed as
the crank shaft or at the same speed as the shafts g, h, or at any other con-
venient speed, the method of actuating the shafts g, h, being capable of great
modification and adaptation to varying circumstances, the speeds of the said
shafts as relative to the crank shaft being retained as herein described. If
preferred, the inlet cams may be formed in two portions, one portion opening
the valve and the other portion closing the same, the latter portion being
capable of being moved round on the shaft when it is desired to alter the
"cut off."
In Sheet 1 Fig. 3 is a section through an inlet valve and valve box or
case, wherein a is the valve and a² is a loose plate fitted thereto and having
ports coinciding with the ports in the valve . During the ordinary working
of the engine the plate a² remains, as shewn in the Drawing, but in the event
of the engine greatly exceeding its proper speed the governor acts upon the
spindle vin any suitable manner that will cause the said spindle to be thrust
further into the valve box, and the collars on the spindle by limiting the
traverse of the plate a³ will "throttle" the passage of steam through the
ports. Fig. 4 shews an arrangement in which a valve working on a curved
face is employed for the purpose of obtaining the shortest possible steam
passages, the ports being comparatively short but increased in number to give
the necessary area of passage. In Figs. 6 and 7 w is the lower part of a
governor spindle, and is a block or collar firmly keyed thereto, the bevil
wheel x¹ being fitted loose on the shaft and being connected to the said block
by means of the spiral spring y, in consequence of which arrangement the
power required to drive the governor is transmitted through the spring, the
said spring to a great extent equalising the motion so transmitted. The form
aud application of the said spring may be varied to suit different circumstances
and diverse opinions.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 11, w is a governor spindle, w is the sliding sleeve, y' is
the curved and slotted bar, and is the shifting weight. In the Drawing the
position of the various parts is supposed to be as when the governor is running
at its ordinary speed with the balls in an intermediate position. On the bails
rising the end of the lever y', marked 5, will be raised, and the weight z will
move along the said lever towards the end thereof marked 6, being fitted with

page_text: an antifriction wheel z¹ which rolls in the slot in the said lever, so that
supposing the curve of the lever and the gravity of the weight to be correctly
proportioned, the said weight whilst assisting the balls to rise will counter-
balance the greater tendency of the balls to fall when in their higher position
than when in the medium position, thus allowing them to retain their said
higher position whilst making the same number of revolutions as when in the
medium position, and on the other hand supposing the balls to fall from the
medium position the weight will move towards the end of the lever marked j,
and will counterbalance the greater tendency of the balls to rise when in their
lower position than when in the medium position, the effect being to equalise
the speed of the engine to a greater or lesser extent, according as the curve of
the lever and the gravity of the weight approach the correct proportions. In
place of the curved lever being slotted the weight may be suspended from its
upper surface, and the said lever and weight may be otherwise applied and
arranged so long as the movement of the weight acts upon the balls of the
governor to produce the effect herein-above described. In the example herein
given the governor is connected to the throttle valve or other regulating
apparatus by means of the rod 7.
Having described the nature of my Invention and methods for carrying
the same into practical effect, I will now proceed to define the extent of
novelty in my said Invention to the best of my belief, and therefore wish
it to be understood that I claim,―
First, the construction and employment of inlet and exhaust valves for
steam engines having the peculiar movements imparted to them, as herein-
before described.
Secondly, the general arrangements of the gearing excentric wheels and
shafts for actuating the cams, tappits, or wipers, as herein-before described
and illustrated wholly or in part in the Drawings attached, or any mere
modification thereof.
Thirdly, the arrangement employed in connection with a governor to shift
the inlet cams or otherwise to alter the "cut" off" during the working of the
engine, as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of the attached
Drawings, or any modification or other adaptation thereof.
Fourthly, the employment of a curved bar or lever fitted with a shifting
weight or with two receptacles to contain fluid, and connected to the sleeve
or other suitable part of the governor so as to tend to equalise the speed
of the said governor, in the manner as herein-before described.
Fifthly, the transmitting of the power required to cause the revolution

page_text: of the balls and spindle of a governor through a spring for the purpose
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Edge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JONATHAN EDGE. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the said
Jonathan Edge in the presence
of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent to the Patentee,
Manchester,
and 6, Windsor Terrace, City Road, N.