IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE GEAR FOR ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VALVE GEAR FOR ENGINES" Communicated to him from George William
Storer, a person resident at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States
of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE GEAR FOR ENGINES " a communication
to me from abroad by George William Storer a person resident at Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, in the United States of America
The main object of the Invention is to dispense with the ordinary cumbrous
costly and power-absorbing appliances for operating the valves of Steam Engines
and this object is attained through the Agency of Electricity. The said Invention
consists mainly in the combination of the inlet and exhaust valves of a steam or
other Engine with electro-magnets, a battery or batteries, or other generators of
electricity, and a commutator controlled by the Engine
The Invention is applicable to horizontal or other types of steam air and gas
Engines. I will explain the Invention with reference to a horizontal Engine.
On the top of the Cylinder are two small inlet valve chests communicating with
the steam pipe the first inlet chest and its valve being for alternately admitting
steam to and excluding it from the interior of the Cylinder at the rear end of the
same and the second inlet chest and its valve being for alternately admitting steam
to and excluding it from the Cylinder at the front end of the same.
On the under side of the steam Cylinder are two outlet valve chests com-
municating with the exhaust pipe the first outlet chest and its valve for alternately
opening and closing the exhaust port at the rear end of the Cylinder and the front
or second outlet chest and its valve for alternately opening and closing the exhaust
port at the front end of the Cylinder.
Each valve is opened through the medium of an electro magnet controlled by a
battery or batteries or other generators of electricity in obedience to the action of
D
..

page_text: a commutator which is under the control of the Engine two batteries being used in
the present instance.
The Commutator for changing the circuits and putting the coils of one or
other of the electro-magnets in circuit to operate the corresponding valve, is
operated from some moving part of the Engine-It is preferred to construct the
commutator of a sleeve fitted on the continuation of the shaft, but insulated
therefrom and provided with insulated segments.
The commutator brushes are carried by but insulated from a bracket on the
frame of the Engine.
The contact plates of the Commutator are two in number and are annular or
extend entirely round but are provided with offsets, the first plate being provided
with a semi-annular offset while the second plate has a tapering offset one edge of
this offset being parallel with the axis of the shaft, while the other edge is at an
angle thereto, for a purpose explained hereafter-Let it be presumed that 6
brushes are used the brush N° 2 is always in contact with the annular portion of
the first plate, while the brushes Numbers 1 and 3 are directly opposite each other
are alternately brought into contact with the semi-annular offset of the first plate
as the Commutator revolves. The brush N° 6 is always in contact with the
second annular plate while the brushes 4 and 5 opposite to each other, alternately
come into contact with the tapering offset of the said plate as the Commutator
rotates. The brush N° 1 is connected through a conductor with the coils of the
electro-magnet for operating the valve of the first exhaust chest the return
conductor being connected to the brush No 2 and having a battery in circuit.
The brush N° 3 is connected through a conductor with the coils of the electro
magnet of the front exhaust valve chest the other terminal of the coil being
connected to the return conductor. The brush N° 4 is connected through a
Conductor with the coils of the electro magnet of the front steam valve chest the
return Conductor being connected to the brush N° 6 and having a battery in
circuit The brush N° 5 is connected through a Conductor with the coils of the
electro-magnet of the rear steam inlet valve chest the other terminal of the coils
being connected to a return wire.
Whenever a current of electricity is passed through the coils of one of the electro
magnets, the valve controlled thereby is opened and when the coils of that electro
magnet are thrown out of circuit the valve immediately closes
Thus when during the revolution of the Commutator, the brush No 5 comes into
contact with the offset of the second commutator plate the circuit through the coils
of the electro magnet of the rear steam inlet valve chest will be closed so that the
said inlet valve will be thereby opened and the steam admitted to the Cylinder at
the rear of the piston. About the same time the brush N° 3 has come into
contact with the offset of the first commutator plate and the circuit closed through
the coils of the clectro-magnet of the front exhaust valve chest so that the valve
in the said chest is opened and steam allowed to escape from the Cylinder at the
front of the piston
As the crank shaft continues to revolve the offset of the second commutator
plate will leave contact with the brush N° 5 the electro magnet of the rear steam
inlet valve chest being thereby thrown out of circuit and the valve in the said
rear steam chest immediately closed and the admission of steam thus cut off-
Then when the piston reaches the end of its stroke the offset of the first
commutator plate will have left contact with the brush N° 3 the electro magnet of
the front exhaust valve chest being thrown out of circuit and the valve thereof
closed At the same moment the offset of the second commutator plate will have
come into contact with the brush N° 4 to close the circuit through the electro
magnet of the front steam valve chest and open the valve thereof for the return
stroke and the exhaust valve in the rear exhaust valve chest is simultaneously
opened by the closing of the circuit through the coils of the Electro magnet for
operating the valve of the rear Exhaust chest by the offset of the first commutator
plate coming into contact with the brush N° 1.

page_text: Thus as the Crank shaft revolves the proper inlet and exhaust valves are
alternately opened and closed at the proper moments by the closing and breaking of
the electrical circuits by the commutator
As it is desirable that the time during a revolution of the crank shaft when the
steam is cut off during both the forward and rearward movement of the piston
should be easily regulated, the brushes Nos 4 and 5, which control the circuits of
the electro magnets operating the two steam-inlet valves are secured to a plate
made adjustable on a bracket. The further in the direction of the second com-
mutator plate these two brushes are adjusted the longer will the circuit remain
closed and the steam valve therefore be open; and the further the brushes are
adjusted in a contrary direction, the quicker will the circuit be broken, and the
steam cut off. This is due to the inclined edge of the offset of the second
commutator plate
It is preferred to place the adjustable front and rear steam valve brushes under
the control of a small governor driven by the Engine. This may be done in several
ways; in the present instance a rack gears into a pinion on a shaft and another
pinion on the same shaft gears into a rack on the under side of the sliding plate
which carries the brushes N°* 4 and 5.
The location of governors varies so much in different engines that connections
other than that described for causing the governor to adjust the said brushes may
be adopted.
In applying the Invention to steam Engines which have to be repeatedly reversed
the Commutator brushes Nos 2 and 6 and the Commutator plates are duplicated
one set of the latter being arranged in positions the reverse of the other set of
plates. The semi annular offset of the first duplicate commutator plate is arranged
on the periphery of the commutator in a position exactly the reverse of that of the
offset of the original first plate; and in like manner the second duplicate com-
mutator plate with its offset is arranged in a reverse position from the original
second plate.
The brushes Nos 1 and 3 as well as the brushes N° 4 and 5 are mounted on
moveable plates or they may be mounted on the same plate which is under the
control of a suitable hand lever so that by moving the latter to a limited extent
within the range of the offsets the cut off of the steam may be regulated as before
described and the duplicate sets of commutator plates are set sufficiently apart so
that the brushes N° 1, 3 and 4, 5 may be moved to positions between the plates
without being in contact with either and to stop the Engine. By moving the said
brushes over from one set of commutator plates to the other, the latter will so
change the circuits and operate the valves as to reverse the engine in a manner
which will be readily understood by reference to the preceding description of the
operation of the valves.
The electrically operated valve which it is preferred to adopt in carrying out the
Invention when batteries are used as generators of electricity is described as
follows: With reference to one of the steam chests-The steam admission valve
is united by a stem to a piston adapted to a small cylinder which is in direct
communication with a still smaller Cylinder and with the interior of a cylindrical
valve having a transverse partition to which an armature is connected by a stud
this armature being contained within a chamber through the top of which are
screwed the poles of two of the magnets. Live steam is admitted at all times
through a small pipe to the said chamber and an annular passage formed within
the small Cylinder always communicates with the exhaust passage or pipe connected
with the main exhaust pipe of the Engine
There is within the said smaller Cylinder a second annular recess which is
always in communication with the interior of the aforesaid Cylindrical valve
through the steam inlet ports a lower set of ports forming the outer ports and
communicating under the circumstances explained hereafter with the first named
annular recess and the exhaust pipe. In the said Cylindrical valve above the

page_text: partition is an inlet port which admits live steam from the chamber to the interior
of the Cylindrical valve through the aforesaid second recess and inlet port.
When the electrical circuit has been broken the steam admission valve is on
its seat, thereby preventing the entrance of steam to the Cylinder through the
port.
When the said steam admission valve is thus on its seat there is the pressure of
live steam admitted through the port of the Cylindrical valve and second annular
recess to the interior of the said valve upon the piston of the said valve. there is
also the pressure of live steam on the under side of the piston and on the top of
the valve but the area of the upper surface of the piston is such in relation to that
of the valve and of the under side of the piston that there is an excess of pressure
on the valve to keep the valve down.
The moment the circuit is closed again the Cylindrical valve will rise owing to
the influence of the magnets on the armature and communication will be cut off
between the aforesaid chamber and the interior of the Cylindrical valve and the
latter will be opened to the exhaust. Under these circumstances as the area of
the under side of the piston is greater than that of the valve steam inlet valve and
as pressure on the top of the piston has ceased the valve will instantly rise and
admit steam to the main Cylinder and will continue to do so until the circuit is
broken when the several parts will assume their original positions.
It will be understood that the movements described are instantaneous and it
may be remarked here that the prompt action of the valves is one of the main
advantages of the invention
The construction and operation of the exhaust valves will be understood from
the foregoing description without explanation the only difference between the
steam and exhaust valves being in the diameters the latter valves being preferably
larger than the former.
It will be understood that although I have described the foregoing construction
of valve in its details it does not form an essential part of the present application
and I do not limit myself to the described construction-The armature of the
electro-magnet may for instance, be connected directly to the valve to be operated
providing the latter be delicately balanced and a sufficiently powerful current of
electricity be employed. If for instance the engine be used for driving a dynamo-
electric machine a powerful current of electricity will be available for operating the
valves. In ordinary cases however where the most available source of electricity
is a battery I prefer to employ a supplementary valve secured to the armature to
control the main valve such as that herein before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th July 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE GEAR FOR ENGINES" a communication
to me from George William Storer a person resident at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in the United States of America
The main object of the invention is to dispense with the ordinary cumbrous
costly and power-absorbing appliances for operating the valves of Steam-engines
and this object is attained through the agency of electricity. The said invention
consists mainly in the combination of the inlet and exhaust valves of a steam or
other engine with electro-magnets a battery or batteries or other generators of
electricity and a commutator controlled by the engine.
Other features of the Invention are too fully explained hereafter to need
preliminary description.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I will now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a steam engine illustrating the main feature of
the invention.
Figure 2 a vertical section drawn to an enlarged scale and showing the steam
cylinder valves magnets and other parts.
Figure 3 a vertical section drawn to a still larger scale of the valve, valve chest
and appliances connected therewith.
Figure 4 a sectional plan on the line 1-2, Figure 3.
Figure 5 a sectional plan on the line 3-4, Figure 3.
Figures 6 and 7 perspective views showing opposite sides of the commutator, and
Figure 8 a view of a modified form of commutator.
The main feature of the Invention may be best explained in connection with
Figure 1 in which a steam engine of the horizontal type has been shown to illustrate
the said main feature but the invention is applicable to other types of steam engines
as well as to air and gas engines.
A is the foundation of the engine; B the bed plate and frame; E the steam
cylinder having the usual piston, the rod of which is secured to a cross head F;
the latter being connected to the crank pin by the usual rod G.
On the top of the cylinder are two sinall valve chests H, H' communicating with
the steam pipe a the chest H and its valve for alternately admitting steam to and
excluding it from the interior of the cylinder at the rear end of the same, and the
chest Hand its valve for alternately admitting steam to and excluding it from the
cylinder at the front end of the same.
On the under side of the steam cylinder are two similar valve chests I. I'
communicating with the exhaust pipe b the chest I and its valve for alternately
opening and closing the exhaust port at the rear end of the cylinder and the
chest I and its valve for alternately opening and closing the exhaust port at the
ront end of the cylinder.
Each valve is operated through the medium of an electro-magnet controlled by
battery or batteries or other generators of electricity in obedience to the action of a
ommutator which is under the control of the engine, two batteries being used in
he present instance.

page_text: The commutator for changing the circuits, and putting the coils of one or other
of the electro magnets in circuit to operate the corresponding valve, is operated
from some moving part of the engine, and in the drawing I have shown it applied
directly to an extension of the crank shaft D. It is preferred to construct the
commutator of a sleeve fitted on the continuation of the shaft but insulated there-
from, and provided with insulated segments as hereinafter described and illustrated
more fully in Figures 1, 6 and 7.
The commutator brushes are carried by, but insulated from, a bracket D¹ on the
frame of the engine, there being shown in the present instance six of these
insulated brushes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to which the terminal wires of the circuit are
connected.
The contact plates of the commutator are two in number and are annular or
extend entirely round, but are provided with offsets, the plate being provided
with a semi-annular offset z¹ while the plate w has a tapering offset w¹ one edge y
of this offset being parallel with the axis of the shaft while the other edge y¹
(Figure 6) is at an angle thereto for a purpose explained hereafter. The brush 2 is
always in contact with the annular portion of the plate z while the brushes 1 and
3 which are directly opposite each other, are alternately brought into contact with
the semi-annular offset ' as the commutator revolves. The brush 6 is always in
contact with the annular plate w while the brushes 4 and 5 opposite to each other
alternately come into contact with the tapering offset w₁ of the plate was the
commutator rotates.
The circuits are illustrated in Figure 1 and for the sake of simplicity the
different wires connected to the different brushes bear the same numbers. Thus
the brush 1 is connected through the conductor 1* with the coils of the electro-
magnet K, for operating the valve of the exhaust chest I the return conductor 2*
being connected to the brush 2 and having a battery x in circuit. The brush 3
is connected through the conductor 3* with the coils of the electro-magnet K³ of
the front exhaust valve chest I' the other terminal of the coil being connected to
the return conductor 2*. The brush 4 is connected through the conductor 4* with
the coils of the electro-magnet K¹ of the front steam valve chest H' the return
conductor 6* being connected to the brush 6 and having a battery in circuit.
The brush 5 is connected through the conductor 5* with the coils of the electro-
magnet K of the rear steam inlet valve chest H the other terminal of the coils
being connected to the return wire 6*.
The particular construction of the valves it is preferred to employ will be
described more fully hereafter. It will be sufficient for the present to explain
that whenever a current of electricity is passed through the coils of one of the
electro-magnets the valve controlled thereby is opened, and when the coils of that
electro-magnet are thrown out of circuit the valve immediately closes.
Thus, when, during the revolution of the commutator the brush 5 comes into
contact with the offset w₁ of the plate was indicated in Figures 1 and 6 the
circuit through the coils of the electro-magnet K will be closed (thus, battery 1
conductor 6* brush 6 plate w offset w¹ brush 5 conductor 5* coils K and con-
ductor 6*, back to battery) the inlet valve in the chest H will be thereby opened
and the steam admitted to the cylinder at the rear of the piston. About the
same time the brush 3 has come into contact with the offset z of the commutator
plate 2, and the circuit closed through the coils of the electro magnet K³ (battery x,
conductor 2*, brush 2, plate 2, brush 3, conductor 3*, coils K³, and conductor 2*
back to battery x), the valve in the valve chest I¹ opened, and steam allowed to
escape from the cylinder at the front of the piston, the positions of the several
parts of the engine at this point, that is immediately after the commencement of
the forward stroke of the engine, being illustrated in Figure 1.
As the crank shaft continues to revolve the offset w of the commutator plate w
will leave contact with the brush 5 the electro magnet K being thereby thrown
out of circuit and the valve in the steam chest H immediately closed and the
admission of steam thus cut off. Then when the piston reaches the end of its

page_text: stroke the offset z¹ of the commutator plate z will have left contact with the
brush 3 the electro magnet K³ being thrown out of circuit and the valve in the
exhaust chest I' closed. At the same moment the offset of the commutator plate w
will have come into contact with the brush 4 to close the circuit through the
electro magnet K' and open the steam valve in the chest H¹ for the return stroke
and the exhaust valve in the chest I is simultaneously opened by the closing of the
circuit through the coils of the electro magnet K by the offset of the commutator
plate z coming into contact with the brush 1.
Thus, as the crank shaft revolves the proper inlet and exhaust valves are alter-
nately opened and closed at the proper moments by the closing and breaking of the
electrical circuits by the commutator.
As it is desirable that the time during a revolution of the crank shaft, when the
steam is cut off during both the forward and rearward movement of the piston,
should be easily regulated, the brushes 4 and 5, which control the circuits of the
electro magnets operating the two steam inlet valves, are secured to a plate D
made adjustable on the bracket D'. The further in the direction of the arrow 10,
Figure 6, these two brushes are adjusted, the longer will the circuit remain closeḍ
and the steam-valve therefore be open; and the farther the brushes are adjusted in
a contrary direction, the quicker will the circuit be broken, and the steam cut off.
This, it will be understood, is due to the inclined edge y' of the offset w¹ of the
commutator plate w.
It is preferred to place the adjustable front and rear steam valve brushes under
the control of a small governor X driven by the engine. This may be done in
several ways; in the present instance a rack c gears into a pinion on a shaft c¹ and
another pinion on the same shaft gears into a rack on the under side of the sliding
plate D which carries the brushes 4 and 5.
The location of governors varies so much in different engines that connections
other than that described for causing the governor to adjust the said brushes may
be adopted.
In applying my Invention to steam engines which have to be repeatedly reversed,
I duplicate the commutator brushes 2 and 6, and the commutator plates, one set of
the latter being arranged in positions the reverse of the other set of plates, as
indicated in the perspective diagram, Figure 8, where 21 and 6' are the duplicate
brushes connected to the conductors 2* and 6* respectively, and always in contact
respectively with the duplicate commutator plates and w² respectively. The
semi-annular offset z³ of the plate 2 is arranged on the periphery of the com-
mutator in a position exactly the reverse of that of the offset 21 of the plate z; and
in like manner the duplicate plate w with its offset w³ is arranged in a reverse
position from the plate w.
The brushes 1 and 3 as well as the brushes 4 and 5 are mounted on movable
plates D³, or they may be mounted on the same plate, which is under the control of
a suitable hand lever W, so that by moving the latter to a limited extent within
the range of the offsets the cutoff of the steam may be regulated as before described
and the duplicate sets of commutator plates are set sufficiently apart so that the
brushes 1, 3, and 4, 5, may be moved to positions between the plates without being
in contact with either and so stop the engine. By moving the said brushes over
from one set of commutator plates to the other the latter will so change the circuits
and operate the valves as to reverse the engine in a manner which will be readily
understood by reference to the preceding description of the operation of the valves.
The electrically operated valve which it is preferred to adopt in carrying out the
invention, when batteries are used as generators of electricity, is illustrated in
Figure 2 and on a larger scale in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Referring to the latter
figures, H is one of the steam chests and d the valve adapted to a seat on the edge
of the port el forming a communication between the chest and the interior of the
cylinder the valve being united by a stem d¹ to a piston e adapted to a small
cylinder f which is in direct communication with a still smaller cylinder hand with
the interior of a cylindrical valve M having a transverse partition m to which the

page_text: armature N is connected by a stud n this armature being contained within a
chamber P through the top of which are screwed the poles of the two magnets K, K.
Live steam is admitted at all times through a small pipe p to the chamber P and
an annular passage q formed within the small cylinder h always communicates
with the exhaust passage or pipe ql connected with the main exhaust pipe b of the
engine (Figure 2).
There is within the smaller cylinder another annular recess 8, which is always
in communication with the interior of the cylindrical valve M through the steam
inlet ports t, a lower set of ports v forming the outlet ports and communicating,
under the circumstances explained hereafter, with the annular recess q and exhaust
pipe q. In the valve M above the partition m is an inlet port w³, which,
when the valve is in the position shown in Figure 3, admits live steam from
the chamber P to the interior of the valve M, through the recess 8 and inlet
port t.
When the several parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 the electrical
circuit has been broken and the valve d is on its seat thereby preventing the
entrance of steam to the cylinder through the port c¹.
⚫ When the valve d is thus on its seat, there is the pressure of live steam admitted
through the port w³ of the cylindrical valve and recess s to the interior of the said
valve upon the piston e; there is also the pressure of live steam on the under side
of the piston and on the top of the valve, but the area of the upper surface of the
piston is such in relation to that of the valve and of the under side of the piston,
that there is an excess of pressure on the valve to keep the valve down.
The moment the circuit is closed again the valve M will rise owing to the
influence of the magnets on the armature N and communication will be cut off
between the chamber P and the interior of the cylindrical valve M and the latter
will be opened to the exhaust. Under these circumstances as the area of the under
side of the piston is greater than that of the valve d and as pressure on the top of
the piston has ceased the valve will instantly rise and admit steam to the main
cylinder and will continue to do so until the circuit is broken when the several
parts will assume their original positions shown in Figure 3.
It will be understood that the movements described are instantaneous and it may
be remarked here that the prompt action of the valves is one of the main advantages
of the invention
The construction and operation of the exhaust valves will be understood from the
foregoing description without explanation, the only difference between the steam
and exhaust valves being in the diameters, the latter valves being preferably larger
than the former.
It will be understood that although I have described the foregoing construction of
valve in its details, it does not form an essential part of the present Invention, and
I do not limit myself to the described construction. The armature of the electro
magnet may, for instance, be connected directly to the valve to be operated, provided
the latter be delicately balanced, and a sufficiently powerful current of electricity
be, employed. If, for instance, the engine be used for driving a dynamo-electric
machine, a powerful current of electricity will be available for operating the
valves. In ordinary cases, however, where the most available source of electricity
is a battery, I prefer to employ a supplementary valve secured to the armature to
control the main valve, such as for example, that hereinbefore described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
:-
Firstly The combination, in an engine, of the following elements; namely
first, inlet and exhaust valves; second, electro-magnets, through the agency of
which the valves are operated; third, a source of electricity; and fourth, a

page_text: commutator operated by the engine for determining the movements of the valves,
substantially as herein before set forth.
Secondly-The combination in an engine, of inlet and exhaust valves, electro-
magnets, and a source of electricity, with a commutator on a shaft driven by the
engine, and commutator brushes, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly-The combination of the inlet and exhaust valves of an engine, electro-
magnets controlling the said valves, and electrical circuits, with commutator brushes,
and a commutator mounted on the crank shaft of the engine.
Fourthly The combination of the inlet and exhaust valves of an engine,
electro-magnets and circuits, with a commutator operated by the engine, commu-
tator brushes, and devices, substantially as described, for regulating the length of
closure of the circuits controlling the inlet valves, to vary the cut off.
Fifthly The combination of the inlet and exhaust valves of an engine, electro-
magnets, circuits, a commutator, and commutator brushes, with a governor operated
by the engine, and devices, substantially as described, controlled by the governor
for regulating the length of closure of the circuits.
Sixthly: The combination of the inlet valves of an engine, electro-magnets and
circuits, with a commutator having a tapering contact plate, commutator brushes,
one or more of which are moveable, and a governor controlling the movable brush
or brushes.
In witness whereof, I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this fourth day of July One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.