Improvements in the Valve Apparatus of Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
L
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Valve Apparatus of Engines.
I, FREDERIC HENRI MOREL, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
When employing excentrics and ordinary flat slide valves under favourable con-
ditions there should always be means of giving a certain maximum and minimum
optional lead to the admission ports; the passages should be open as soon as
possible for any cut off and expansion and the pressure in the cylinders should vary
as little as possible from that of the boiler.
But, every system of admitting steam by excentrics and flat slide valves, and in
particular Stephenson's link motion in spite of the services it has rendered
introduces serious inconveniences when it is employed to produce expansion
within more or less extended limits and will early cut off these inconveniences
as follows:-
1. The leads to the admission port are very variable they increase with the
expansion in the case of a link with uncrossed rods whilst in the case of a link
with crossed rods, the leads diminish and become even negative with the increase
of expansion.
2. The openings of the admission ports diminish in proportion as the cut off
is earlier and as the degree of expansion increases; so that when there is a
decrease of pressure compared with that of the boiler, a decrease very pre-
judicial to the efficiency of the engine for it neutralises the usual advantages of
expansion.
The present invention has for its object certain improvements I have applied to
the working by excentrics and ordinary flat slide valves which does away with the
inconveniences just mentioned, by simply employing another form of slide and by
the addition of two stationary plates which may be placed in the required position
even whilst the engine is in motion.
The annexed drawings show examples:
Figures 2, 3, 4 5 Sheet I show mechanism for altering the positions of the plates
by levers, independently of the valve and worked by hand.
Figure 1 Sheet II shows a section of the slide valve provided with plates.
Figure 6 Sheet II shows mechanism for altering the positions of the plates by
independent levers.
Figure 11 shows mechanism for altering the positions of the plates by an outer
screw.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, Sheet III show mechanism for altering the positions of the
plates by an inner screw.
Figures 12, 13, 14 Sheet IV show mechanism for altering the positions of the
plates worked by parts operating the link for producing changes of expansion or
reversing.
The principle of the invention is shown at Figure 1 Sheet II. With my new
arrangement the ordinary flat slide valve is replaced by a slide A of the same
size and provided with passages a bed. Upon the back of this slide are two
stationary plates p and q opening or closing of the passages a b c d.
9.
The outer ends e and e' of the valve behave exactly as in the case of the ordinary
slide valve, that is to say these ends determine the varying lead and openings to
the admission according to the different degrees of expansion.
The piston being at the upper or lower dead point of its travel, the slide A has
opened the port R by the amount h which is the lead to the admission.

page_text: Suppose the case of a link with crossed rods and admitting that h the maximum
lead the link is then in one of its extreme positions. In this position the plate p
is so placed that the edges e and exactly coincide with the sides of the passages a
and 6. The piston moving from top to bottom or from back to front, the slide A
will travel in the direction of the arrow and when this slide has travelled a
distance, the total opening of the admission ports will be + 3x, assuming that
the widths of the passages a and b are at least equal to a, the width of m to 2.
and that the edge does not partially close the port m.
If the position of the link be changed, the lead to the admission will be
diminished; I will suppose that it becomes equal to th. To have a constant
lead h, an advance of th must be given by the plate P that is th on each
passage a and b.
==
I may obtain this result by raising the plate P th+th=h. When the
slide has travelled a distance ¹, the total opening of the admission passages
will be still h+3x, that is to say the lead to the admission will remain
constant.
The other side of the slide will behave in the same manner as that just
explained.
With the arrangement above described, not only the lead to the admission will
remain constant, but the section of the steam passages is about three times
greater than that given by an ordinary slide valve, and this with excentrics of the
same travel and the same link, these two parts not being changed if it be wished to
apply my invention to existing engines.
My arrangement may indeed be applied to existing engines without changing
the length of the valve box, for all slides either in marine engines with two or
three unequal cylinders or in locomotives with two or four cylinders or others when
actuated by excentrics and links which may or do effect expansion always having an
excess of overlapping face.
The quantity which the plates p and ५
lead to the admission given by the ordinary slide at the different positions of
should be displaced depends upon the
the link.
In examining what happens in working with for example Stephenson's link gear,
it is to be remarked.
1. That for a like position of the link, the lead given to the ports N and R are
very sensibly equal.
2. That the variations of the lead are the same for the successive positions of
the link in the forward travel and for the successive positions corresponding to the
backward travel.
3. That for equal and successive displacements of the link the variations of the
lead are less and less in proportion as the link approaches its middle position either
in its forward or backward travel. These remarks apply to distribution by link
gearing with uncrossed rods as well as to link gear with crossed rods. They
serve to justify in some degree the arrangement given to the parts employed to
change the position of the plates in the various forms of mechanism about to be
described.
ARRANGEMENTS OF MECHANISM.
The displacement to be given to the plates when the degree of expansion is
changed or the engine reversed may be obtained in two different manners.
1. By mechanism independent of the valve and worked by hand.
2. By mechanism worked by the parts serving to move the link to produce the
alteration in expansion and to reverse the engine.
Each of these methods may be carried out by different combinations of move-
ments. I will describe several.
I. Mechanism independent of the valve and worked by hand. Sheet I
4

page_text: these shafts two levers 3 and 4 are keyed actuating the plates, and two levers 5
and 6 connecting the two shafts together these levers are of equal length in order
that the displacement of the plates may be equal.
The arrangement of levers shows that the displacement will be in opposite
directions. By aid of the lever 7 a screw 8 and a hand wheel 9 the plates may be
displaced and an index placed near the wheel will show the necessary displacement
to correspond to the different positions given to the link.
1ST VARIATION. FIGURES 7, 8, 9, 10, SHEET 3.
A screw 12 traverses the valve box and has two threads of equal and opposite
pitch, this screw moves the plates by means of nuts 13 and 14 on the plates at the
back of the slide.
As shown in the drawing this screw is actuated by a worm and worm wheel
worked through bevel wheels by a hand wheel 15. An index placed near this
hand wheel shows the displacement necessary to correspond with the different
positions given to the link.
The screw may also be placed on the outside of the valve box as shown
Figure 11 Sheet 2.
The screw being in sight repairs are easy because it is not necessary to take the
slide valve to pieces.
The screw which has two indicators 17 and 18 is actuated by a small hand
wheel 16.
II. Mechanism actuated by apparatus moving the link for producing change in
expansion or for reversing.
Figures 12, 13, 14 Sheet IV. The moving of the plates takes place by means
of shafts 19, 20 and levers 21, 22, 23, 24 exactly as in the first arrangement. But
the lever 24 instead of being actuated by hand, is connected by a rod 25 to a
lever 26 keyed to the reversing shaft in such a manner that this lever and the con-
necting rod are in a straight line in the middle position of the link. The link
Figure 12 shows that the travel of the extremity of this connecting rod 26 and
consequently the travel of the plates becomes less and less in proportion as the
link approaches its middle position both when the engine is running forwards or is
reversed.
On referring to the remarks 2 and 3 made in this Specification, it will be seen
that this condition is the one that it should fulfil.
Dated this 14th day of April 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Valve Apparatus of Engines.
I, FREDERIC HENRI MOREL, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
When employing eccentrics and ordinary flat slide valves under favourable
conditions there should always be means of giving a certain maximum and minimum
optional lead to the admission ports, the passages should be open as soon
possible for any cut off and expansion and the pressure in the cylinders should
vary as little as possible from that of the boiler.
as
But every system of admitting steam by eccentrics and flat slide valves, and in
particular Stephenson's link motion in spite of the services it has rendered
introduces serious inconveniences when it is employed to produce expansion within
more or less extended limits and with early cut off; these inconveniences are as
follows:-
1. The leads to the admission port are very variable they increase with the
expansion in the case of a link with uncrossed rods whilst in the case of a link
with crossed rods, the leads diminish and become even negative with the increase
of expansion.
2. The openings of the admission ports diminish in proportion as the cut off is
earlier and as the degree of expansion increases; so that a decrease of pressure is
produced compared with that of the boiler, a decrease very prejudicial to the
efficiency of the engine for it neutralizes the usual advantages of expansion.
The present invention has for its object certain improvements I' have applied
to the working by eccentrics and ordinary flat slide valves which do away with the
inconveniences just mentioned, by simply employing another form of slide and by
the addition of two stationary plates which may be placed in the required position
even whilst the engine is in motion.
The drawings left with the Provisional Specification show examples
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 Sheet 1 shew mechanism for altering the positions of the plates
by levers independently of the valve and worked by hand.
Figure 1 Sheet Il shows a section of the slide valve provided with plates.
Figure 6 Sheet II shows mechanism for altering the positions of the plates by
independent levers. Figure 11 shows mechanism for altering the positions of the
plates by an outer screw.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, Sheet III shew mechanism for altering the positions of the
plates by an inner screw.
Figures 12, 13, 14 Sheet IV shew mechanism for altering the positions of the
plates worked by parts operating the link for producing changes of expansion or
reversing.
The principle of the invention is shown at Figure 1 Sheet II. With my new
arrangement the ordinary flat slide valve is replaced by a slide A of the same size and
provided with passages a bed. Upon the back of this slide are two stationary
plates p and q opening or closing the passages a b c d.
The outer ends c and c of the valve behave exactly as in the case of the ordinary
slide valve, that is to say these ends determine the varying lead and openings to the
admission according to the different degrees of expansion.
The piston being at the upper or lower dead point of its travel, the slide A. has
opened the port R by the amount h which is the lead to the admission.
Suppose the case of a link with crossed rods and admitting that h is the maximum
lead, the link is then in one of its extreme positions. In this position the plate p 5
is so placed that the edges e and fexactly coincide with the sides of the passages a
and b. The piston moving from top to bottom or from back to front, the slide A

page_text: will travel in the direction of the arrow and when this slide bas travelled a
distance & the total opening of the admission ports will be h + 3, assuming that
the widths of the passages a and b are at least equal to a, the width of m to 2x and
that the edge does not partially close the port m.
If the position of the link be changed, the lead to the admission will be diminished;
I will suppose that it becomes equal to h. To have a constant lead h, an advance
of must be given by the plate P that is th on each passage a and b.
may obtain this result by raising the plate Ph+h=h. When the slide
has travelled a distance, the total opening of the admission passages will be still
h+3 that is to say the lead to the admission will remain constant.
+
The other side of the slide will behave in the same manner as that just explained.
With the arrangement above described, not only the lead to the admission will
remain constant, but the section of the steam passages is about three times greater
than that given by an ordinary slide valve, and this with eccentrics of the same
travel and the same link, these two parts not being changed if it be wished to apply
my invention to existing engines.
.
My arrangement may indeed be applied to existing engines without changing the
length of the valve box, for all slides either in marine engines with two or three
unequal cylinders or in locomotives with two or four cylinders or others when
actuated by eccentrics and links which may or do effect expansion always 'having
an excess of overlapping face.
The quantity which the plates p and should be displaced depends upon the
lead to the admission given by the ordinary slide at the different positions of
the link.
In examining what happens in working with for example Stephenson's link gear,
it is to be remarked :-
1. That for a like position of the link, the leads given to the ports N and R are
very sensibly equal.
2. That the variations of the lead are the same for the successive positions of the
link in the forward travel and for the successive positions corresponding to the
backward travel.
3. That for equal and successive displacements of the link the variations of
the lead are less and less in proportion as the link approaches its middle position
either in its forward or backward travel. These remarks apply to distribution by
link gearing with uncrossed rods as well as to link gear with crossed rods. They
serve to justify in some degree the arrangement given to the parts employed to
change the position of the plates in the various forms of mechanism about to be
described.
ARRANGEMENTS OF MECHANISM.
The displacement to be given to the plates when the degree of expansion is
changed or the engine reversed may be obtained in two different manners.
1. By mechanism independent of the valve and worked by hand.
2. By mechanism worked by the parts serving to move the link to produce the
alteration in expansion and to reverse the engine.
Each of these methods may be carried out by different combinations of movements.
I will describe several.
I. Mechanism independent of the valve and worked by hand. Sheet I Figures 2,
3, 4, 5.
There are two shafts 1 and 2 traversing the valve box parallel to the face; upon
these shafts two levers 3 and 4 are keyed actuating the plates and two levers 5
and 6 connecting the two shafts together; these levers are of equal length in order
that the displacement of the plates may be equal.
The arrangement of levers shows that the displacement will be in opposite
directions. By aid of the lever 7 a screw. 8 and a hand wheel 9 the plates may be
displaced and an index placed near the wheel will show the necessary displacement
to correspond to the different positions given to the link.

page_text: 2ND ARRANGEMENT. SHEET II FIG. 6.
Instead of working the two plates by the same lever each plate may be actuated
by a separate lever governed independently to that of the plate, which allows of
each of them being given exactly the displacement necessary to obtain constant
regularity of the leads.
This arrangement is shown at Figure 6 Sheet II. Two independent levers 10
and 11 directly actuate the plates. When there is an upper platform round the
cylinders, the levers may be much shorter and horizontally actuated by the driver
-standing on the upper platform.
As an example of mechanism independent of the valve I have shown on Sheets 2
and 3 two variations of the preceding arrangement.
18T VARIATION. FIGURES 7, 8, 9, 10 SHEet 3.
A screw 12 traverses the valve box and has two threads of equal and opposite
pitch, this screw moves the plates by means of nuts 13 and 14 on the plates at the
back of the slide.
As shown in the drawing this screw is actuated by a worm and worm wheel
worked through bevel wheels by a hand wheel 15. An index placed near this hand
wheel shows the displacement necessary to correspond with the different positions
given to the link.
The screw may also be placed on the outside of the valve box as shown at
Figure 11 Sheet 2.
The screw being in sight repairs are easy because it is not necessary to take the
slide valve to pieces.
The screw which has two indicators 17 and 18 is actuated by a small hand
wheel 16.
II. Mechanism actuated by apparatus moving the link for producing change in
expansion or for reversing.
Figures 12, 13, 14 Sheet IV. The moving of the plates takes place by means
of shafts 19, 20 and levers 21, 22, 23, 24 exactly as in the first arrangement. But
the lever 24 instead of being actuated by hand, is connected by a rod 25 to a
lever 26 keyed to the reversing shaft in such a manner that this lever and the
connecting rod are in a straight line in the middle position of the link. The link
Figure 12 shows that the travel of the extremity of this connecting rod 26 and
consequently the travel of the plates becomes less and less in proportion as the
link approaches its middle position both when the engine is running forwards or is
reversed.
On referring to the remarks 2 and 3 made in this Specification, it will be seen
that this condition is the one that it should fulfil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. My above described new system of supplying steam which renders it possible
to obtain an opening for admission at least three times greater than that given by
an ordinary valve and providing in addition a lead which can be varied at will
according to the work, the pressure, the speed and other circumstances and consisting
in employing simultaneously two stationary plates, on the back of an ordinary flat
valve pierced with four passages which.at the face of the valve unite into two so as
to form two openings, the position of the plates varying for different degrees of
expansion.

page_text: 2. The mechanical means by which the plates are moved to place them in the
sired position according to the degree of expansion, the motion of the plates being
fected by:-
(a) mechanism independent of the valve and worked by hand which in this
case may consist either of independent levers or of an external or internal
screw working in nuts fixed to the plates.
(b) mechanism worked by the parts serving to move the link to produce the
alteration in expansion or to reverse the engine, the levers actuating the
plates being in this case connected by a rod to a lever keyed to the reversing
shaft in such manner that the lever and connecting rod form a straight line
in the central position of the link.
Dand thin oond da
ho 1200
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.