Improvements in High Speed Compound Steam Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in High Speed Compound Steam Engines.
We, CHARLES SIMMONS, of the Woodlands, Osgathorpe, and ROBERT ARTHUR
BRUCE, of 86, Brunswick Street, both of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention to be as
follows:
The object of our Invention is to simplify the construction and lessen the number
of working parts in High Speed Compound Steam Engines and although our
Invention is applicable to various forms and arrangements of such engines whether
for double, triple or more grades of expansion, a description of it as applied to a
pair of Coupled Compound Single-Acting Engines will suffice.
In such a pair of engines we employ four cylinders, two high pressure and two
low pressure, one high pressure cylinder being placed tandem fashion above one
low pressure cylinder, on each side of a central valve chamber, each pair of
cylinders being connected to a separate crank, such crank being arranged at an
angle of 180° or thereabouts to each other on the same shaft, thus forming a pair
of coupled, vertical, tandem, compound engines, all the four cylinders being
regulated by one centrally placed piston valve actuated by one eccentric set between
the cranks on the said shaft.
The high and low pressure cylinders of each pair we form in one chamber or
case of two different diameters, and the -pistons we likewise form in one piece or
casting of two corresponding diameters, the top or high pressure piston being made
long enough or deep enough and of uniform diameter throughout its length to act
as a rod or trunk to the low pressure piston. We provide suitable packing rings on
both the high and low pressure parts of this double piston to ensure their being
steam tight in their respective cylinders. We also fit a gudgeon on which the
connecting rod swings as high up in the inside of the piston trunk as is necessary,
to secure convenient length of connecting rod.
Thus it will be seen that the low pressure cylinders and pistons are open at their
bottom ends into the crank chamber. The high pressure cylinder is closed at the
top with a suitable cover. The connecting wall between the high and low pressure
cylinder forms a top or cover to the effective portion of the low pressure cylinder,
both the cylinders on each engine as herein described are provided with steam inlet
and exhaust ports. Between the two double cylinders as already explained we
form a cylindrical valve chamber, this valve chamber is provided with one steam
inlet and one exhaust outlet, it is also provided with six annular recesses to form
passages for the steam and exhaust around the outer circumference of the liner or
valve casing.
The liner or casing which is pierced with suitable openings or ports communi-
cating with the annular steam and exhaust passages last described, is accurately
bored for the reception of the piston valve previously referred to.
This piston valve is provided with two D shaped annular recesses formed on its
outer circumference, the upper recess with the ports or openings above and below it,

page_text: constitutes the operative part of the slide valve to the steam ports of both high
pressure cylinders and the lower recess with the ports or openings above and below
it, constitutes the operative part of the slide valve to the steam ports of both low
pressure cylinders.
This piston valve which is closed. both at the top and at the bottom, besides
regulating the induction and eduction of steam to and from the four cylinders,
also acts as a movable receiver between the high and low pressure cylinders of
the epposite engines, the lower part of the valve, which is truncated, is fitted with
a gudgeon to which the eccentric rod end is attached. The double cylinders and
valve chamber herein described, we sometimes form in one casting.
Having thus described the general arrangement of the engines, we will
endeavour to explain the working of the same.
The admission of steam, only takes place on the top of either of the high pressure
cylinders during the time it performs the first part of its down or out stroke.
During the up or in stroke the steam that has been expanded in the high pressure
cylinder is exhausted into e interior of the valve, and from thence through the
ports (previously described) into the low pressure cylinder of the opposite engine
and whilst the latter is descending. During the in or up stroke of the first named
high pressure piston the valve opens communication with the exhaust passage
leading to the atmosphere or condenser, and the steam thereby escapes.
It will therefore be seen that the function of the combined piston valve and
receiver is to admit steam alternately to the right hand and left hand high pressure
cylinders during the down or out stroke of each. To allow of the steam partially
expanded in each of the above mentioned cylinders to be exhausted whilst the up
or in stroke is being performed into the interior or receiver portion of the valve,
Thence the steam is admitted alternately to the low pressure cylinders during their
down or out strokes, communication heing made between the steam inlet and the
right hand High pressure cylinder, and between the interior or receiver part of
the valve and the right hand low pressure cylinder, at the same time as the left
hand High pressure cylinder is being exhausted into the receiver part of the
valve and the steam in the left hand low pressure evlinder is being exhausted
through the ports in the valve into the passages leading to the atmosphere or
condenser. Similarly, when the crank shaft has made half a revolution further,
steam is admitted into the left hand high pressure cylinder from the steam inlet,
at the same time, steam is exhausted from the right hand high pressure cylinder
during its in or up stroke into the receiver portion of the valve, the steam going
from thence into the left hand low pressure cylinder and at the same time the
bottom passage of the valve opens communication between the right hand low
pressure cylinder and the passage leading to the atmosphere and condenser.
As a modification of the valve and ports herein described, instead of two
.D shaped annular recesses formed on the valve and six annular recesses formed
round the valve chamber, we sometimes form three D-shaped recesses on the valve
and seven annular passages in the valve chamber. Taken in order from top to
bettom of the valve chamber,
The 1st communicates to one of the top or high pressure cylinders.
The 2nd communicates to the steam inlet common to both High pressure
cylinders.
The 3rd communicates with the 2nd Top or High pressure cylinder.
The 4th communicates with the exhaust to the condenser or atmosphere.
The 5th communicates to the low pressure cylinder on the same side of the
engine as that which No. I communicates with.
The 6th communicates with the 2nd low pressure cylinder on the opposite side
to No. 1.
The 7th communicates with a separate exhaust passage to the atmosphere or
condenser from the last named cylinder.
With the exception of the low pressure cylinders having separate exhausts, the
functions of the valve are similar to the one described in the first instance.

page_text: From the foregoing.description it will be seen that our invention-, would be
equally applicable to triple expansion engines. This would only, involve two
additional cylinders in line with those already described and another tier of ports
on the valve chamber and valve..
ד!
Dated this 22nd day of September 1896
at up
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in High Speed Compound Steam Engines.
We, CHARLES SIMMONS, of the Woodlands, Osgathorpe, and ROBERT ARTHUR
BRUCE, of 86, Brunswick Street, both of Sheffield; in the County of York,
Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of our invention is to simplify the construction and lessen the number
of working parts in High Speed Compound Steam Engines and although our
invention is applicable to various forms and arrangements of such engines whether
for double, triple or more grades of expansion, a description of it as applied to a
pair of Coupled Compound Single-Acting Engines will suffice.
The nature of our invention will be better understood on reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation taken through both pairs of cylinders, valve and
valve casing, and
Fig. 2 is a cross section taken through the centre of the valve casing and liner.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.*.
In such a pair of engines we employ four cylinders, two high pressure, A, A,
and two low pressure, B, B, one high pressure cylinder being placed tandem
fashion above one low pressure cylinder on each side of a central valve chamber, C,
each pair of cylinders being connected to a separate crank, such crank being
arranged at an angle of 180 degrees or thereabouts to each other on the same shaft,
tbus forming a pair of coupled vertical tandem compound engines, all the four
cylinders being regulated by one centrally placed piston valve, D), actuated by one
eccentric set between the cranks on the said shaft.
The high and low pressure cylinders of each pair we form in one chamber or
case of two different diameters, and the pistons, E, E', we likewise form in one piece
or casting of two corresponding diameters, the top or high pressure piston being
made long enough or deep enough and of uniform diameter throughout its length
to act as a rod or trunk to the low pressure iston. We provide suitable packing
rings, F, F, F, on both the high and low pressure parts of this double piston to
ensure their being steam tight in their respective cylinders. We also fit a
gudgeon, G, on which the connecting rod swings as high up in, the inside of the
piston trunk as is necessary to secure convenient length of connecting rod.
Thus it will be seen that the low pressure cylinders and pistons are open at their
bottom ends into the crank chamber. The high pressure cylinder is closed at the
top with a suitable cover, H. The connecting wall, I, between the high and low
pressure cylinder forms a top or cover to the effective portion of the low pressure
cylinder, both the cylinders on each engine as herein described are provided with
steam inlet and exhaust ports, J, J2, J3, and J. Between the two double cylinders
as already explained we form a cylindrical valve chamber, C, this valve chamber
is provided with one steam inlet, K, and one exhaust outlet, L, it is also provided

page_text: with six annular recesses, M¹, M³, M3, M4, M5, M6, to form passages for the steam
and exhaust around the outer circumference of the liner, N, or valve casing.
The liners, N, N', or casing which is pierced with suitable openings or ports, O,
communicating with the annular steam and exhaust passages last described, is
accurately bored for the reception of the piston valve, D, previously referred to
This piston valve is provided with two D shaped annular recesses, P, Pl', formed
en its outer circumference, the upper recess with the ports or openings, R, R¹,
above and below it, constitutes the operative part of the slide valve to the steam
ports, J, J2, of both high pressure cylinders, and the lower recess with the ports or
openings, S, S, R¹, above and below it, constitutes the operative part-of the slide
valve to the steam ports, J3, J, of both low pressure cylinders.
This piston valve, D, which is closed both at the top and at the bottom, besides
regulating the induction and eduction of steam to and from the four cylinders, also
acts as a movable receiver between the high and low pressure cylinders of the
opposite engines, the lower part of the valve, which is truncated, is fitted with a
gudgeon, Q, to which the eccentric rod end is attached. The double cylinders and
valve chamber herein described, we sometimes form in one casting.
Having thus described the general arrangement of the engines, we will endeavour
to explain the working of the same.
The admission of steam only takes place on the top of either of the high pressure
cylinders during the time it performs the first part of its down or out stroke as is
shewn in the left hand cylinder, Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawing, the direction
of the steam through the port, J', being indicated by the arrows.
During the up or in stroke the steam that has been expanded in the high pressure
cylinder is exhausted into the interior of the valve, as is shewn in the right hand
cylinder, Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawings, the direction of the steam being
indicated by the arrows through the port, J, and from thence through the interior
of the valve and through the port, Ja, into the low pressure cylinder of the opposite
engine and whilst the latter is descending.
Likewise during the in or up stroke the steam that has been expanded in the low
pressure cylinder, is released by the action of the valve as is shewn in the right
hand cylinder, Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawing through the port, J, and the
D shaped annular recess P, in the valve, into the exhaust passage, M³, and thence
through the exhaust outlet, L, into the atmosphere or condenser as the case
may be.
It will therefore be seen that the function of the combined piston valve and
receiver is to admit steam alternately to the right hand and left hand high pressure
cylinders during the down or out stroke of each. To allow of the steam partially
expanded in each of the above mentioned cylinders to be exhausted whilst the up
or in stroke is being performed into the interior or receiver portion of the valve.
Thence the steam is admitted alternately to the low pressure cylinders during their
down or out strokes, communication being made between the steam inlet and the
right hand high pressure cylinder, and between the interior or receiver part of the
valve and the right hand low pressure cylinder, at the same time as the left hand
high pressure cylinder is being exhausted into the receiver part of the valve and
the steam in the left hand low pressure cylinder is being exhausted through the
ports in the valve into the passages leading to the atmosphere or condenser.
Similarly, when the crank shaft has made half a revolution further, steam is
admitted into the left hand high pressure cylinder from the steam inlet, at the
same time, steam is exhausted from the right hand high pressure cylinder during
its in or up stroke into the receiver portion of the valve, the steam going from
thence into the left hand low pressure cylinder and at the same time the bottom
passage of the valve opens communication between the right hand low pressure
cylinder and the passage leading to the atmosphere and condenser as is shewn on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1.
As a modification of the valves and ports herein described, instead of two
D shaped annular recesses formed on the valve and six annular recesses formed

page_text: round the valve chamber, we sometimes form three D shaped recesses on the valve
and seven annular passages in the valve chamber. Taken in order from top to
bottom of the valve chamber,
The 1st communicates to one of the top or high pressure cylinders.
The 2nd communicates to the steam inlet common to both high pressure
cylinders.
The 3rd communicates with the 2nd top or high pressure cylinder.
The 4th communicates with the exhaust to the condenser or atmosphere.
The 5th communicates to the low pressure cylinder on the same side of the
engine as that which No. 1 communicates with.
The 6th communicates with the 2nd low pressure cylinder on the opposite side
to No. 1.
The 7th communicates with a separate exhaust passage to the atmosphere or
condenser from the last named cylinder.
With the exception of the low pressure cylinders having separate exhausts, the
functions of the valve are similar to the one described in the first instance.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that our invention would be
equally applicable to triple expansion engines. This would only involve two
additional cylinders in line with those already described and another tier of ports
ou the valve chamber and valve.
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:
1. In high speed single acting compound steam engines, the arrangement and
combination of parts and appliances comprising a pair of high pressure cylinders
ard pistons placed tandem fashion above or behind a pair of low pressure cylinders
and pistons, the cylinders of each engine being formed in one chamber of two
different diameters and each fitted with a truncated piston of corresponding
diameters made in one casting and open at their lower or front ends, the steam to
loth pair of cylinders being regulated and distributed by a single piston valve
which also acts as a movable receiver between both sets of cylinders which are
provided with one steam inlet and one steam exhaust common to both sets, in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of June. 1897.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.