other Motive Power Engines.
Year: 1885

page_text: other Motive Power Engines.
I, THOMAS RITCHIE SPENCE, of Lorne House, Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, to be as follows:―
This invention has reference to improvements in the construction of round faced
oscillating valves and arrangements of their casings, and ports and passages in both
valves, cylinders, and casings, to be used instead of the ordinary slide valves and
casings in steam and other motive-power engines; which will be more compact and
give a quicker cut-off and better action of the steam or motive fluid employed.
The nature and novelty of the invention consist all as follows, when applied to
an ordinary horizontal or vertical steam engine.
The face of the cylinder where the valve is to work would be made flat, and
round and formed with a shallow cylindrical steam casing, near the centre face of
the cylinder and the long-ports leading to each end, the casing being somewhat
larger and deeper than the valve all round, to allow the steam to circulate and get
into the ports of the valve round its perimeter with a face flange at the top, to
which would be fitted a correspondingly shaped cover outside. The steam would
be admitted to the valve casing through a lateral branch formed on it, and the
exhaust would take place by ports, passing right up through the valve, into a
close exhaust chamber formed in the centre of the outside cover, fitted with a
lateral exhaust branch. The face of the cylinder would be formed with radial
ports, four six or more in number equally divided round the circle, and having a
bearing face inside at the centre and outside at the rim beyond the radial length
of the ports, one half the number of ports, leading down into the port to the one
end of the cylinder, and the other half leading down into the other port to the
other end of the cylinder, that is when there are six ports, three into each.
The valve would be formed with a disc face plate with bearing rim round the
greater part of its outer face, and a bearing face at the centre or eye beyond the
ports formed in itself and those in the face of the cylinder, and it would also be
formed with bearing radial faces between these, that is, three on the one side of
the valve, and three on the other covering the ports leading to the opposite ends of
the cylinder and coinciding on the exhaust edge with these but giving them the
desired amount of cover on the steam edge as is usual. These bearing faces have
exhaust ports on the one side of them equal in size to the steam ports in the face

page_text: of the cylinder and coincide with these when turned to do so. These exhaust
ports would pass up right through the valve, and other radial passages would be
cut in the face of the valve right in from the periphery between these exhaust
ports in the valve and the bearing covering faces, for admitting the steam past the
latter into the ports in the face of the cylinder when the valve was oscillated in
one direction, and cut the steam off when oscillated in the other direction; and at
the same time exhausting the steam from the ports on the other side of the valve
and cylinder during the first oscillation, and admitting the steam during the other
oscillation, all simultaneously and respectively as stated.
It will be observed that as this valve acts in the reverse manner on the opposite
sides over the two sets of ports in the cylinder face during its oscillations, the
central exhaust port in the valve has to extend the whole width between the
exhausting edges of the bearing radial faces on the one side; and the steam port
on the other side has to extend the full width between the steam admitting edges
of the bearing radial faces on the other side.
The valve would preferably be formed on the back with a case and cylindrical
turned rim for entering a grooved recess turned in the exhaust cover, fitted with
metallic or other packing and rings. The exhaust ports pass up inside this circular
rim, and the steam ports being all closed in by the back case, the steam would only
be admitted from the casing to these through the edge steam ports as before
mentioned.
The packing rings might consist of two split spring rings having bevelled ground
faces in the reverse direction acting on each other, and on the bearing turned faces
of the back rim of the valve and packing recess in the casing cover.
The valve would have a boss in the centre and be mounted with an actuating.
spindle down through this, having the inner end of the spindle steadied, in a
bearing in the centre of the face of the cylinder, and working steam tight out
through a stuffing box in the exhaust chamber of the casing cover; the valve
spindle would preferably be formed with a square collar fitting easily into a square
recess in the eye of the valve, for oscillating it. The valve spindle outside would
be fitted with a lever so as to be oscillated by a rod or rods from an ordinary
eccentric or other valve gear either with or without the link motion as desired for
reversing engines.
This construction and arrangement of steam casing and round disc faced valves,
would also be very convenient for reversing engines, (such as winding, hauling and
crane or winch engines), when the bearing faces of the valve were made with the
same small cover on both the inlet and exhaust side (that is without lap or lead on
the steam side), and by the fitting of an ordinary reversing slide valve and casing
worked by hand or other equivalent in connection with the steam and exhaust
branches and passages of the casing of my improved arrangement, which would
reverse the currents of steam through these, and the ports in the valve from the
cylinder.
This valve is also capable of being made an equilibrum valve, by making the
area of its outer bearing rim part within the annular steam space of the casing,
equal to the sum of the areas of the back web of all the steam chambers or pockets;
so that the steam will act on the back of this rim to press the valve towards the
face with a pressure equal to the pressure acting upwards on the back of the
pockets to raise the valve off the face.

page_text: ..་་་་
other Motive Power Engines.
I, THOMAS RITCHIE SPENCE, of Lorne House, Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said invention has reference to improvements in the construction of round
faced oscillating valves, and arrangements of their casings, and ports and passages
in both valves, cylinders, and casings, to be used instead of the ordinary slide
valves and casings in steam and other motive power engines; which will be more
compact and give a quicker cut-off and better action of the steam or other motive
fluid employed.
And in order that the full nature and novelty of my said invention, and the
mode and means of performing or putting the same into effect or practice may be
properly understood, I have hereunto appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings,
in which the same reference letters indicate corresponding or equivalent parts in
all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1, represents a transverse section of the improved valve C, and steam
casing B, and the cylinder A, of a horizontal or other engine, illustrative of one
modification of my improvements as applied thereto, in which the exhaust of the
steam takes place right up through ports c¹, c', formed in the face and through the
back C¹, of the valve C, into and through a chamber D', and branch D³, in the top
or cover D, of the valve casing B. And Figures 2 and 3, are respectively a plan,
(with the valve C, and cover D, removed), and a longitudinal section of the same
cylinder A, with valve C, and casing B, both views corresponding to Figure 1.
Figure 4, is an elevation of the steam valve C, itself detached, and Figure 5,
8 back view of the same, corresponding to Figure 4, while Figure 6, is a face view
of the valve C, corresponding to Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 7, is a transverse section through the valve C and casing B, of a hori-
zontal or other cylinder engine A, illustrative of a slightly different modification
of my improved valve C, ports, and fittings, from that shown in Figures 1 to 6, in
which the steam exhausts down through the interior C' of the valve C, through a
central port or opening c into an exhaust chamber D¹, and belt port branchi D*
outside the middle of the cylinder. And Figures 8 and 9, are a plan and sectional
side elevation respectively, corresponding to Figure 7, the steam casing B, B1, and
valve C, being shown as removed in Figure 8. Figures 10, 11, and 12, show an
elevation, and back plan, and face view, respectively of the valve C, as detached
from the casing B, B¹.
Figure 13, shows a sectional elevation of an arrangement of my improved
valve, ports, and fittings, as applied to a double cylinder oscillating engine, as
suitable for steam-boats, or winding or hauling engines, the steam being shown as
exhausting through ports c in the valve C, and a space C, D¹, in the back of the
valve, analogous to the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 6, but fitted so that the

page_text: valves C, of both engines can exhaust into the same channel D', and receive their
steam also from another common channel B', convenient for being reversed by one
common steam and exhaust valve F, F, so that the steam ports and channels c B¹,
may be changed into the exhaust ports, and the exhaust into the steam ports when
the engine has to be reversed.
Figure 14, shows a side view of the face of the trunnion, and ports A¹, A³, in it,
leading to both ends of the cylinders A, corresponding to Figure 13, to which the
valve casing B, B¹, and its fittings are attached, but shown removed in this
Figure 14. Figure 15 shows a face and edge section of the face plate a, on which
the valve C, works, as detached from Figure 13. Figure 16, shows an elevation of
the valve C, and Figure 17, shows a back view and edge section of the same, all as
detached. Figure 18, shows an edge section, and Figure 19, an end and side
elevation of the joint stuffing box ring C³, on back of valve C.
Figure 20, is an end view, and Figure 21, a side elevation and section of one
end of the duplex channel pipe B³, D³, D, for conveying the steam to the valve
casings B, of both cylinders A, A, and the eduction of the exhaust steam from the
back of both valves C, C, or vice versa, according as controlled by a reversing
valve F, F, common to both channel passages B' and D2 of the pipe D.
Referring to Figures to 6, the nature and novelty of my invention or improve-
ments as applied to the cylinder A, of a single horizontal or vertical steam engine,
consist all as follows:-
The face a, of the cylinder A, where the valve C, is to work, is made flat, and
round, preferably near the centre face of the cylinder A, and formed or fitted with
a shallow cylindrical steam casing B, round and over it, and the long-ports A¹, A³,
leading to each end of the cylinder A.; the casing B, being somewhat larger and
deeper than the valve A, all round it, to allow the steam to circulate round it
at B¹, and get into the ports c, c, of the valve C, round its perimeter and separated
off from the exhaust back space 0, of the valve C, by a turned edge and a faced
flange C¹¹, at the top, to which is fitted a correspondingly shaped or turned cover D
outside, preferably fitted with steam joint rings C³, between the cover D, and the
valve C, to maintain tightness between the steam space B¹, and exhaust space C¹.
The steam is admitted to the valve casing B, B¹, through a lateral branch B³,
formed on it, and the exhaust takes place by the ports c¹ and space C¹, passing
right up through the valve C, into a close exhaust chamber D¹ formed in the centre
of the outer cover D, fitted with a lateral exhaust branch D². The face a, of the
cylinder A, is shown formed with six radial ports a¹, (but there might be fewer or
more in number) equally divided round the circle, and having a bearing face inside
at the centre and outside at the rim beyond the radial length of the ports, one half
the number of ports a¹ being led down into the port A¹, to the one end of the
cylinder A, and the other half led down into the other port A³, to the other end of
the cylinder, that is when there are six ports, three into each, all as particularly
seen in Figure 2.
The valve C, would be formed with a disc face plate with bearing rim round the
greater part of its outer face, and a bearing face at the centre or eye C³, beyond
the ports c¹ formed in itself and those a¹ in the face a of the cylinder A, and it
would also be formed with bearing radial faces c¹, between these, that is, three on
the one side of the valve C, and three on the other covering the ports leading to
the opposite ends of the cylinder, and coinciding on the exhaust edge with these
but giving them the desired amount of cover on the steam edge as is usual. These
bearing faces c¹¹, have exhaust ports c¹, on the one side of them, equal in size to
the steam ports a¹, in the face of the cylinder, and coincide with these when turned
to do so. These exhaust ports would pass up right through the valve C, and other
radial passages c, would be cut in the face of the valve C, right in from the
periphery between these exhaust ports c¹, in the valve C, and the bearing covering
faces c, for admitting the steam past the latter into the ports a¹, in the face of the
cylinder when the valve was oscillated in one direction, and cut the steam off when
oscillated in the other direction; and at the same time exhaust the steam from the

page_text: other, on the other side of the valve and cylinder during the first oscillation, and
admit the steam during the other oscillation, all simultaneously and respectively
as stated, as seen particularly in Figure 6.
It will be observed that as this valve C, acts in the reverse manner on the
opposite sides over the two sets of ports a¹, in the cylinder face a, leading into the
two ports A¹, A³, to the opposite ends of the cylinder A, during the oscillations of
the valve C, the central exhaust port c³, in the valve has to extend the whole width
between the exhausting edges of the bearing radial faces c¹¹, cl, on the one side;
and the steam port c³, on the other side has to extend the full width between the
steam admitting edges of the bearing radial faces cl, cl, on the other side.
The valve C, is preferably formed on the back with a case and cylindrical turned
rim C, for entering a grooved recess D", turned in the exhaust cover D, fitted
steam tight with metallic joint rings C or other packing and rings. The exhaust
ports c¹, pass up inside this circular rim, and the steam ports c being all closed in
by the back case C, of the valve, the steam would only be admitted from the
casing B', to these through their open edge or end steam ports c, into the ports a¹
of the cylinder face a, as before mentioned, and as particularly seen in Figures 1
and 3.
The packing rings C might consist of two split spring rings having bevelled
ground faces in the reverse direction acting on each other, and on the bearing
turned faces C, of the back rim of the valve and packing recess D₁, in the
casing cover D.
The valve C would have a boss C³, in the centre and be mounted with an
actuating spindle E, down through this, having the inner end of the spindle
steadied, in a bearing E¹, in the centre of the face of the cylinder A, and working
steam tight out through a stuffing box D³, in the exhaust chamber D¹, of the
casing cover D; the valve spindle E, might be fitted with a key e, taking into a key
seat e¹ in the eye C³, of the valve C, so as to turn it; or otherwise be formed with
a square collar el, fitting easily into a square recess in the top of the eye C' of the
valve, for oscillating it as shown dotted in, in Figure 1. The valve spindle E,
outside would be fitted with a lever so as to be oscillated by a rod or rods from an
ordinary eccentric or other valve gear, either with or without the link motion as
desired for reversing engines. The engine can also be reversed by giving the valve
one half turn by means of a hand lever which would be fitted with a catch to keep
the valve in its right position when turned from one side to the other.
This improved construction and arrangement of steam casing B, B¹, and round
disc faced valves C, would also be very convenient for reversing engines, (such as
winding, hauling and crane or winch engines,), when the bearing facings of the
valve were made with the same small cover on both the inlet and exhaust side
(that is without lap or lead on the steam side), and by the fitting of an ordinary
reversing slide valve and casing worked by hand or other equivalent in connection
with the steam and exhaust branches B and D³, and passages B¹ and D¹, of the
casing of my improved arrangement of valve and its ports, which would reverse
the currents of steam and exhaust through these, from the ports a¹ of the
cylinder A.
This improved valve C, is also capable of being made an equilibrium valve, by
making the area of its outer bearing rim part c¹, within the annular steam
space B¹ of the casing, equal to the sum of the areas of the back web of all the
steam chambers or pockets c; so that the steam will act on the back of this
rim c¹¹, to press the valve C, towards the face with a pressure equal to the pressure
acting upwards on the back of the pockets c, to raise the valve C, off the face a
Referring to the modification of my improved construction and arrangement of
round steam valves and casings, and their ports for the inlet and exhaust steam, as
illustrated in Figures 7 to 12, it is only necessary to describe the difference
from that described in reference to Figures 1 to 6, as the same reference letters
are used to indicate like parts, and will therefore very much explain themselves.
In this arrangement three radial ports a', are also formed in the face a, of the

page_text: :
cylinder A, leading to and from each of the cylinder ports A¹ and A³, of the
opposite ends of the cylinder. The steam casing B, B¹, is here shown as bolted on
to the face plate a, and fitted with the steam valve C, as formed with a closed in
back and space C, out through which the exhaust steam passed down through a
central opening in the face c¹, a, into the exhaust chamber D¹ in this case,
formed in the outer case of the cylinder under central face plate a leading into a
belt port and exhaust outlet branch D, instead of in the cover D of the casing B, B¹,
as shown in the former Figures 1 to 6. The back C, C, of the valve C, is here
shown and turned and fitted with a stuffing-box D³, in the cover D, of the steam
valve chest B, B¹, so as to be oscillated steam tight through this by its actuating
spindle E, secured in the eye C³, formed on its back case C, and actuated outside
its steam chest B, B¹, all otherwise substantially as described in reference to
Figures 1 to 6. The arrows in the several Figures indicate the direction of the
admission and passage of the pressure acting steam to and through the valve C, to
the cylinder A, and also of the exhaust steam after having done its work in the
cylinder when the engine is working in one direction (or as a non-reversing
engine). But by the simple reversing of the direction and action of the steain, to
that as indicated by the arrows when desired, the action of the engine may be
reversed, as before described by the application of any ordinary reversing slide
or piston steam valve and chest used in other engines, and well known to
Engineers.
Referring to the modification of my improved construction of steam valve C, and
its casing B, B¹, and their ports and passages shown in Figures 13 to 21, as
applied to the two cylinders A, A, of a pair of oscillating steam engines; only a
small part of the centre of the two oscillating cylinders A, A, are shown, with the
improved steam valve C, and its chest B, and accessory steam and exhaust passages
and ports sufficient to illustrate the mode and means of applying these improve-
ments to such engines. In this case as it is the cylinders A, A, which move, they
are carried so as to oscillate on turned journal trunnions A1, A³, on each side in
suitable strong bush bearing blocks in the main framing as is usual and not
therefore required to be shown in the Drawings. By these improvements however
the ports A¹, and A', leading from the opposite ends of each cylinder A, are brought
out with a division A", between them through the hollow trunnion A, to their
respective three radial inlet and outlet ports a¹, a¹, a¹, over them formed through
each side of the face plate a; which in this case is preferably turned and fitted in
a separate piece, as shown in Figure 15, for being bolted on between the turned
face A of the trunnion A*, and the valve casing B, B¹, all fitted to oscillate with
the cylinder A, steam tight through a stuffing-box D³, fitted on back of casing B,
and valve C, and separating the steam chambers B¹ from the exhaust chambers Ci
and D¹, in these by the deep joint ring C², (shown detached in Figures 18 and 19),
but fitted on the back C" of valve C, and bottom of stuffing-box D³; as shown in
section in Figure 13, all steam tight.
The inlet acting and exhaust steam are here shown as passed respectively to
the steam space B³, of the valve casing B, and from the exhaust chamber C, and D¹,
formed within and above the valve C, by the turned end of a double channeled
inlet and outlet pipe D³, fitted into the back of valve at D", and of the stuffing-
box D³, and having the longitudinal transverse division Bs in it to form the said
inlet and exhaust steam passages B, and D', through the pipe D, leading from a
reversing steam valve and chest F, F¹, (which may be of any suitable construction)
common to the valve chests B, B¹, of both cylinders A, A, for reversing the action
of the steam through these passages B', D2, and their chambers B¹, C¹ and D¹, and
the ports of the valve C, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 13; or vice, versa,
for the forward or backward rotation of the engines respectively as may be
desired. A lateral recess or port b, b¹, is shown in one side of the end of the
passage B', of the pipe D, and joint ring C, leading into the steam valve chest B',
as seen in the detached views of these ports in Figures 19 to 21, and in the
section of the steam chest and valve B, C, Figure 13; the end of the stationary

page_text: pipe D, is also fitted with a key on each side of its lower end at d, as shown in
these Figures for taking into corresponding key seats d, in the valve C and its
joint ring C³, to prevent these from turning in this arrangement, in which it is the
cylinders A, and their face plates a (with their double set of ports a¹, a¹, a',
leading to the ports A¹, and A', to their opposite ends) which oscillate on their
valves C, and their ports to admit the steam to one end of cylinders, while
exhausting from the other, all in an equivalent manner, (but converse action), to
that described in reference to the former arrangements Figures 1 to 6, and
Figures 7 to 12, in which the valve C, is oscillated through its spindle E, E¹, from
an eccentric, crank or other equivalent oscillating motion taken from the engine,
agreeing with the motions of the pistons from either end of cylinder, all as is well
understood by Engineers.
The reversing steam valve chest F, F, here shown mounted on the middle of
the duplex steam and exhaust pipe D, with the inlet and outlet steam passages B³,
and D', is an adaptation of the steam reversing valve and chest for which
provisional protection was granted to John Spence dated 12th May 1886, and
numbered 6,407, in which the steam enters by the branch pipe F³, to the upper
part of the steam chest F, above a valve and seat, and pass down one of two ports
and segmental vertical divisions to one or other of the passages B', or D³, in the
pipes Ď, leading from the valve chest F, according as a hollow face valve working
over these ports on the lower end of the spindle F1, is turned by this spindle off
one port and over the other port; and which thus allows the steam to pass down
the one set of ducts and exhaust up out through the others and the interior of the
said reversing valve and a central branch below the chest F, all as indicated by
the direction of the arrows in Figure 13, or vice, versa, in the opposite direction to
the arrows, by the turning of the valve by its spindle F, for the reversing of the
engines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The general arrangement and combination of the parts of round faced
oscillating steam valves and their casings, and the steam ports and passages
thereof, to be used as and for slide valves in steam and other motive power
engines, substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in Figures 1
to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 21, all respectively of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In steam and other motive power engines the forming of round faced
oscillating valves C, with two sets of radial inlet ports c and exhaust ports c¹ on
each side of wide central ports c³, o³, for conducting the steam to and from two
corresponding sets of ports a', in the face a of and leading from opposite ends of
the cylinders A, and over which the valves C work, all substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 21, all
respectively of the accompanying Drawings.