IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH SPEED STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We GEORGE ANSLOW and HENRY ALEXANDER BAYLEY both of Coalbrookdale
in the County of Salop, Electrical Engineers do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH SPEED STEAM ENGINES" to be as
follows:-
According to this invention we construct the engine as single acting while at the
same time the return of the piston is assisted by the expansive force of heated air
which is contained in a chamber formed on or bolted on to the end of the steam
cylinder and containing the bearings for the crank shaft. The piston which we
prefer to pack with suitable elastic packing is formed with two projecting side
parts which form guide blocks working against the interior of the cylinder, the
latter being for this purpose at these places continued into the aforesaid air
chamber. In a web which connects the two projecting side parts or guide blocks
we form the single eye or fork eye for the connecting rod which we prefer to make
of a cross shaped section. The crank end of the connecting rod takes onto a crank
pin which is mounted in two crank discs fixed each on its shaft and formed of a
wedge shaped section to counterbalance part of the weight of the connecting rod,
or in case the engine is arranged vertically or vertically inverted, which latter form
we prefer for driving dynamo machines, the crank discs are made to counterbalance
the weight of the piston and the connecting rod.
Steam is admitted and exhausted from the back or top of the piston by means of
a piston valve having an annular recess for the steam inlet. This valve is by
preference worked by eccentric fixed on the crank shaft within the air chamber,
the cylinder being formed with a lateral chamber for the eccentric rod to work in
and with a stuffing box for the piston slide rod to work through. In order to
produce the aforesaid air pressure for helping the bringing back of the pistou we
provide a piston valve also by preference worked from an eccentric on the crank
shaft within the air chamber. This valve emits the hot air in the chamber when
the force of the steam admitted behind the cylinder piston is nearly spent and
admits cold air into the air chamber wherein it becomes heated by contact with
and radiation from the hot cylinder and its interior parts in consequence of which
the air expands and thus facilitates the back stroke of the piston. The consequence
of the aforesaid construction and arrangement of parts is that the engine is simple
and 'cheap of construction and can work with great regularity at a very high speed
of revolution, such as will make it suitable for driving dynamo machines, screw
propeller shafts and other machinery requiring high speed of revolution.

page_text: "B
COMPLIE
"
SPEED STEAM ENGINES
We GEORGE ANSLOW and HENRY ALEXANDER BAYLEY both of Coalbrookdale
in the County of Salop Electrical Engineers do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGHI
" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
According to this invention we construct the engine as single acting while at the
samo time the return of the piston is assisted by the expansive force of heated air
which is contained in a chainber formed on or bolted on to the end of the steam
cylinder and containing the bearings T for the crank shaft.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a section of an engine constructed
according to this invention and Figure 2 is a section of a modified form of the
engine. We will first describe Figure 1. The piston C Figure 1 which we prefer
to pack with suitable elastic packing is formed with two projecting side parts A
which form guide blocks working against the interior of the cylinder, the latter
being for this purpose at these places continued into the aforesaid air chamber X
which is formed by a continuation of the cylinder S and closed by a cover Y. In
a web which connects the two projecting side parts or guide blocks A we form
the single eye or fork eye D for the connecting rod F which we prefer to make of a
cross shaped section or we may make it of brass cast hollow, having loose brasses
so as to be able to take up all wear see Figure 2. The crank end of the connecting
rod takes onto a crank pin G which is mounted in two crank discs E fixed each on
its shaft and which may be formed of a wedge shaped section as shown to counter-
balance part of the weight of the connecting rod, or in case the engine is arranged
vertically or vertically inverted, which latter form we prefer for driving dynamo
machines, the crank discs are made to counterbalance the weight of the piston and
the connecting rod.
Steam is admitted and exhausted from the back or top of the piston by means of
a piston valve H having an annular recess H' for the steam inlet. This valve is by
proference worked by eccentric I fixed on the crank shaft within the air chamber X
the cylinder being formed with a lateral chamber S¹ for the eccentric rod I' to
work in and with a stuffing box K for the piston slide rod H to work through.
Qis the steam inlet port and R the exhaust or outlet port. In order to produce
the aforesaid air pressure for helping the bringing back of the piston wo provide a
piston valve L also by preference worked from an eccentric M on the crank shaft
within the air chamber X. This valve L emits the hot air contained in the
chamber when the force of the steam admitted behind the cylinder piston C is
nearly spent and admits cold air into the air chamber X wherein it becomes heated
by contact with and radiation from the hot cylinder and its interior parts in
consequence of which the air expands and thus facilitates the back stroke of the
piston,
Another modification is shown, in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings in
which case the eccentric M and the piston valve L see Figure 1 are dispensed with
and the eccentric disc valvo M is substituted. This valve has a slot against which
we set a brass air inlet N having a white metal ring O set in the face to prevent

page_text: any escape of air, the slot is made long enough to allow the hot air to pass away
and cold to take its place at less than half the throw. We also utilize the exhaust
steam by passing it into the chamber P which is formed in the cover Y of the air
chamber X. The heat of the exhaust steam in the cover Y assists in the heating
of the air. The exhaust steam is conducted from the exhaust port R by a
passage R¹ formed along the outside of the cylinder S and air chamber X and
terminating in a port R on the hollow cover Y which is also formed with an
exhaust outlet R³. We prefer to provide the lid Y of air chamber X with an
asbestos joint ring and fasten the lid by means of two thumb clamps so that the
cover Y can be taken off without trouble when required. We can combine two of
these engines to great advantage. The brass of the connecting rod eye D is set up
by two screws D'. K is a guide gland for the rod H2 of the piston slide valve E.
The consequence of the aforesaid construction and arrangement of parts is that the
engine is simple and cheap of construction and can work with great regularity at a
very high speed of revolution such as will make it suitable for driving dynamo
machines, screw propeller shafts and other machinery requiring high speed of
revolution.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First-In single acting steam engines the employment of a closed air chamber
on the end of the cylinder such chamber containing the crank shaft bearings, air
being alternately let into and out of the chamber by a valve, for the purpose of
being heated therein with or without the help of the exhaust steam and expanding
and assisting the piston in its return or instroke, thus equalizing the motion of the
engine substantially as set forth.
Second-In single acting steam engines the cylinder S in combination with the
air chamber X and its cover Y substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third-In single acting steam engines constructed with closed air chamber the
cylinder S, in combination with the air chamber X, with cover Y, crank bearings T,
crank discs E, connecting rod G, F, D, and piston CA substantially as set forth.
Fourth-In single acting steam engines constructed with closed air chamber
the cylinder S with slido valve H and the air chamber X with air valve M
substantially as set forth.
Damber
1005