Improvements in Steam or other Expansive Fluid Motors for Auto-cars, and for other purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Expansive Fluid Motors for
Auto-cars, and for other purposes.
We, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Firm of J. Wilkinson & Sons, of Saltley, in
the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and GEORGE SELLERS, of 24 Bradfield
Road, Owlerton, near Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements in motors for auto-cars and for other
purposes, our object being to construct a conipact and simple engine or motor of
small weight and few moving parts, adapted for economical working by steam or
other expansive fluid.
In constructing a compound type motor in accordance with our invention we
employ a rotating piston in combination with a reciprocating solid piston or ram
working in a cylinder having an open front end. The steam or other expansive
fluid is first admitted to the high pressure cylinder, and acts upon the rotary piston
in the ordinary manner. The steam from the high pressure cylinder then passes
into the larger area of the low pressure cylinder having the reciprocating solid
piston or ram fitted within it, the rotary piston itself serving as the admission valve
of the low pressure cylinder. The rotary piston is coupled direct to the main or
crank shaft of the engine or motor, but the reciprocating ram of the low pressure
cylinder has a pair of connecting rods jointedly attached directly to its front end,
or at the open end of the cylinder, such rods being attached at their opposite ends
with cranks formed on the main shaft, (at such an angle as to avoid dead centres).
The steam in the low pressure cylinder thus acts upon one side only of the piston or ram.
The exhaust from the low pressure cylinder to the atmosphere or to the condensor
is controlled by an independent valve operated preferably by a lever and connecting
rod from a return crank formed with or attached to the crank pin.
Instead of employing a rotary piston in the high pressure cylinder as herein before
described, we sometimes employ a high pressure piston to work with a vibrating
motion in a suitably arranged cylinder, such vibratory motion being transmitted
and converted into the circular motion of the crank shaft by side connecting rods
and cranks formed with or attached to the main shaft.
In the construction of a triple expansion motor in accordance with our invention
we employ either a rotary piston or a vibratory piston in the high pressure cylinder
as hereinbefore described. The intermediate and low pressure piston areas are
formed either by a ram or a trunk piston working within one or more cylinders
closed at each end, the annular space between the trunk and the cylinder forming
the intermediate area into which the steam or working fluid passes from the high
pressure cylinder, whilst the complete area of the cylinder at the back of the.
piston forms the low pressure area into which the steam passes from the intermediate
area. The exhaust from the high pressure cylinder to the intermediate area and
from the latter to the low pressure area is controlled by a valve operated from the
crank shaft in any convenient manner. The exhaust from the low pressure area to
the atmosphere or to the condensor is controlled by an independent valve which is
also operated from the crank shaft.
In the construction of a quadruple expansion engine in accordance with our
invention, we arrange the high pressure cylinder, having either a rotary or a
vibratory motion piston, in combination with a cylinder having two independent
pistons working within it coupled by rods to the main or crank shaft of the engine.
The forward or outermost piston has a trunk extending through a stuffing box to

page_text: the exterior of the cylinder. The annular space between this trunk and the
cylinder walls forms the first intermediate area into which the steam is admitted
from the high pressure cylinder. The rod or trunk from the rear or inner piston
passes through a central aperture in the trunk of the forward piston, and through a
stuffing box at the outer end of such trunk, and is attached to an independent
cross-head connected with the crank shaft in any ordinary manner. The annular
space between the rod or trunk of the rear piston forms the second intermediate
area into which the steam is admitted from the first intermediate area hereinbefore
described, whilst the complete area of the cylinder, at the back of the rear piston,
forms the final or low pressure area..
'The outer end of the trunk of the forward piston has a crosshead formed with or
attached to it, which is connected with the crank shaft preferably by means of a
pair of connecting rods. The same crosshead is also connected with the rotary or
vibratory piston of the high pressure cylinder by side rods, so arrangel as to avoid
dead centres.
We arrange our improved compound, triple, or quadruple expansion engines
either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, as may be the most convenient and
effective for the particular service for which they are required.
In the construction of a multiple expansion motor having more than four separate
piston areas for the expanding steam or working fluid to act upon, we arrange a
pair of engines together in such a manner that the steam from the one engine
passes into the cylinders of the adjacent engine, and the steam is thus expanded
down from a high pressure to the lowest possible limit consistent with successful
practical working.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1806
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Steam or other Expansive Fluid Motors for
Auto-cars, and for other purposes.
We, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Firm of J. Wilkinson & Sons, of Saltley, in
the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and GEORGE SELLERS, of 24 Pradfield
Road, Owlerton, near Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer, 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:-
This invention consists of improvements in motors for auto-cars and for other
purposes, our object being to construct a compact and simple engine or motor of
small weight and few moving parts, adapted for economical working by steam or
other expansive fluid.
In the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to.-
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is a side elevation of a compound engine or motor, and
Figure 2 a similar view of a triple expansion engine constructed in accordance with
our invention.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the triple expansion engine.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail views to a larger scale representing the, admission
valve and, valve seating for a high pressure cylinder.
On Sheet 2 Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of another form of compound engine
or motor, and Figure 8 a similar view of another form of triple expansion motor,
constructed in accordance with our invention.

page_text: Figure 9 is a sectional plan of a quadruple expansion engine.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
In constructing a compound type motor in accordance with our invention, we
employ a rotating piston in combination with a reciprocating solid piston or ram
working in a cylinder A Figure 1 having an open front end. The steam or other
expansion fluid is first admitted to the high pressure cylinder, and acts upon the
rotary piston in the ordinary manner. The steam from the high pressure cylinder
then passes into the larger area of the low pressure cylinder having the reciprocating
solid piston or ram fitted within it, the rotary piston itself serving as the admission
valve of the low pressure cylinder. The rotary piston is coupled direct to the main
or crank shaft B of the engine or motor, but the reciprocating ram of the low
pressure cylinder has a pair of connecting rods such as C one on each side of the
cylinder, jointedly attached directly to its front end, or at the open end of the
cylinder, such rods being attached at their opposite ends with cranks formed on
the main shaft A, (at such an angle as to avoid dead centres). The steam in the
low pressure cylinder thus acts upon one side only of the piston or ram.
The
exhaust from the low pressure cylinder to the atmosphere or to the condenser is
controlled by an independent valve D operated preferably by a lever and connecting
rod from a return crank D' formed with or attached to the crank pin.
Instead of employing a rotary piston in the high pressure cylinder as hereinbefore
described, we sometimes employ a high pressure piston to work with a vibrating
motion in a suitably arranged cylinder, such vibratory motion being transmitted and
converted into the circular motion of the crank shaft by side connecting rods and
cranks formed with or attached to the main shaft.
In the construction of a triple expansion motor such as illustrated at Figures 2
and 3 we employ a rotary piston in combination with a reciprocating piston such as
hereinbefore described. The intermediate and low pressure piston areas are formed
by employing a piston of the trunk type such as E, the annular space E' between
the trunk and the cylinder forming the intermediate area into which the steam or
working fluid passes from the high pressure cylinder or area A' whilst the complete
area E of the cylinder at the back of the piston forms the low pressure area into
which steam passes from the intermediate area.
The admission of the steam from the boiler or generator to the high pressure
area A is controlled both in case of the compound engine hereinbefore described
and in the triple expansion engine at Figures 2 and 3, by means of a valve as F
operated by the motion of the rotary piston shown at A2 Figure 3. The
valve F and its seating F is shown in detail and to a larger scale at Figures 4, 5
and 6.
The exhaust from the high pressure cylinder or area A¹ to the intermediate
area E' and also the exhaust from the low pressure area E2 to the atmosphere or to
the condenser is controlled by an independent valve D2 which is operated from
the crank shaft, either by a return crank or by an eccentric as illustrated at
Figure 2.
In the compound engine as illustrated at Figure 7 we employ one high pressure
cylinder G having a rotary piston and two low pressure open-ended cylinders
having single acting reciprocating pistons FH¹. The two low pressure
pistous H H are connected directly to the crank shaft, but the motion of the
rotary piston shaft is transmitted to the crank shaft by means of the gear
wheels J J.
In the triple expansion engine illustrated at Figure 8 we also employ one rotary
piston and two reciprocating pistons, but the latter of unequal areas.
In the construction of a quadruple expansion engine in accordance with our
invention, we arrange the high pressure cylinder, having either a rotary or a
vibratory motion piston, in combination with a cylinder having two independent
pistous working within it coupled by rods to the main or crank shaft of the engine
as illustrated at Figure 9. The forward or outermost piston K has a trunk K¹
extending through a stuffing box to the exterior of the cylinder. The annular

page_text: space between this trunk and the cylinder walls forms the first intermediate area
into which the steam is admitted from the high pressure cylinder. The rod or
trunk L' from the rear or inner piston L passes through a central aperture in the
trunk K of the forward piston K, and through a stuffing box at the outer end of
such trunk, and is attached to an independent crosshead L2 connected with the
crank shaft in any ordinary manner. The steam from the first intermediate area
passes to the second intermediate area at the back of the piston L, and from thence
to the middle of the cylinder between the pistons K and L which is the final or low
pressure expansion space. The outer end of the trunk K' of the forward piston has
a crosshead K2 formed with or attached to it, which is connected with the crank
shaft preferably by means of a pair of connecting rods. The same crosshead is also
connected with the rotary or vibratory piston of the high pressure cylinder by side
rods K³ K, so arranged as to avoid dead centres.
We arrange our improved compound, triple, or quadruple expansion engines
either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, as may be the most convenient and
effective for the particular service for which they are required.
In the construction of a multiple expansion motor having more than four sets of
piston areas for the expanding steam or working fluid to act upon, we arrange a
pair of engines together in such a manner that the steam from the one engine passes
into the cylinders of the adjacent engine, and the steam is thus expanded down
from a high pressure to the lowest possible limit consistent with successful practical
working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. Compound, triple, or multiple expansion engines or motors for auto-cars and
for other purposes, substantially as described and as illustrated.
2. In a steam or other expansive fluid motor for auto-cars and for other services,
the combination of a rotating and a reciprocating piston or ram, substantially as
and for the purpose described and as illustrated at Figure 1.
3. In a steam or other expansive fluid motor for auto-cars and for other services,
the combination of a rotating piston with a reciprocating trunk type piston,
substantially as and for the purpose described and as illustrated at Figures 2
and 3.
4. In steam or other expansive fluid motors for auto-cars and for other services,
substantially as described, the controlling of the admission of steam to a rotary
piston area by a valve operated by the rotary piston as set forth, with reference to
Figures 3 to 6 inclusive.
5. A compound motor to be driven by steam or other expansive fluid, having a
rotary piston and two reciprocating pistons arranged substantially as described and
as illustrated at Figure 7.
6. A triple expansion motor to be driven by steam or other expansive fluid,
having a rotary piston and two reciprocating pistons of unequal areas arranged
substantially as described and as illustrated at Figure 8.
7. A quadruple expansion motor to be driven by steam or other expansive fluid
having cylinders, pistons, and connections with the crank shaft, arranged substan-
tially as described and as illustrated at Fig. 9.
8. The improved general combination and arrangement of parts forming motors
to be driven by steam or other expansive fluid, substantially as described.
D: 20th ten of March 1807
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.