Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
We, JOHN HADField Street, Engineer, MARK HEATON ROBINSON, Engineer,
and MATTHEW HENRY PHINEAS RIALL SANKEY, Captain R.E. (retired), all of
Victoria Works, Rugby, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in an improved method of admitting and cutting off
steam or other elastic fluids, in steam or other elastic fluid engines.
We use a constantly rotating valve, preferably cylindrical, which lies in a
corresponding segmental recess in the steam chest, the admission port or ports
to the cylinder being within the recess. From about one-fourth to one-half
of the circumference of the valve lies in the recess, the remainder of the cir-
cumference being constantly exposed to the steam in the steam chest. Recesses
corresponding with the admission port or ports are formed in the valve in such
manner that while the valve rotates, the ports are alternately placed in com-
munication with, and are separated from, the steam chest. There may be one
or more recesses or ports, or sets thereof, in the cylindrical valve, so that the
complete cycle of admission and cut-off may be effected either by a complete
revolution of the valve, or by a part only of a revolution. We prefer to have
two sets of recesses or ports in the valve, so that one revolution of the valve
corresponds with two complete cycles of admission and cut-off.
The cylinder port or ports are formed obliquely across the axial line of the
rotating valve, and the recesses or ports in the latter are also oblique. It follows
that by moving the valve endways, the point of cut-off, as the valve port rotates
across the cylinder port, can be made later or earlier, the point of admission,
however, remaining constant, since admission corresponds with the commence-
ment of the crossing of the ports, which does not vary with the endwise position
of the valve.
Endway motion is given to the valve by the governor. The movement of the
governor may be imparted to the valve directly by action upon a spindle which
passes through a gland in the end of the steam chest, or by a lever upon a rock-
ing-shaft, which, inside the steam chest, engages a collar upon the cylindrical
valve. The rocking-shaft passes out of the steam chest through a gland, and is
connected externally with the governor by any suitable mechanism. There may
be two or more such rocking-shafts in the steam-chest, engaging collars at
different points upon the valve.
In engines with two or more cranks, and a tandem arrangement of cylinders,
so that there are two or more (say) high-pressure cylinders standing side-by-
side, the steam chest may be extended so as to communicate with all, and a
valve as above described may be placed over or beside each, the several valves
being in line with each other, and connected together, so that they rotate to-
gether. In this case the circumferential positions of the recesses in the valves
bear an angular relation to each other corresponding to the angular relations of

page_text: the several cranks, so that admission may take place at the proper times in the
several cylinders. It is obvious that the series of cylinders served by one series
of valves, as here described, may be high-pressure and low-pressure, or high-
pressure, intermediate and low-pressure, instead of all taking steam of like pres-
sure and from the same source. In this case the several cylinders will require
separate steam chests, and the valves will be connected by spindles which leave
and enter the several steam-chests through glands.
In a tandem engine, the admission valves of the lower cylinder or cylinders
may be of the same description, or they may be simply rotating valves without
any mechanism for giving end motion, or they may be valves of any other de-
scription whatever."
The rotating-valve may be balanced endwise, by being fully exposed to the
steam pressure at each end, within the steam chest, the connection between the
valve and the spindle which causes it to rotate being by the pressure of stops
against each other acting tangentially. If the valve is in several parts, serving
more than one steam cylinder, the connections, between the parts may be all of
this character, so that the parts are not directly held together endwise, but are
allowed a certain elasticity of movement. In this case they may be held together
by arms on two of the rocking levers before described, one arm engaging a collar
at each end of the system of valves. The rocking levers are coupled together
externally by a rod, which causes them to move together; thus one rocking
lever applies the pressure required to move the system of valves in one direc-
tion, while the other lever causes movement in the other direction, in either case
tending to hold the separate part together.
The valve chest may be either at the end of the cylinder, preferably forming
the cylinder cover, or at one side. In the former case the ports may be very
short, and the clearance small.
JOHN H. STREET.
MARK H. ROBINSON.
M. H. P. R. SANKEY.
We, JOHN HADFIELD STREET, Engineer, MARK HEATON ROBINSON, Engineer,
and MATTHEW HENRY PHINEAS RIALL SANKEY, Captain R.E., (retired), all of
Victoria Works, Rugby, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention consists in an improved method of admitting and cutting off
steam or other elastic fluids, in steam or other clastic fluid engines.
We use a constantly rotating valve, preferably cylindrical, which lies in a
corresponding segmental recess in the steam chest, the admission port or ports
to the cylinder being within the recess. From about one-fourth to one-half
of the circumference of the valve lies in the recess, the remainder of the cir-
cumference being constantly exposed to the steam in the steam chest. Recesses
corresponding with the admission port or ports are formed in the valve in such
manner that while the valve rotates the ports are alternately placed in com-
munication with, and are separated from the steam chest. There may be one
or more recesses or ports, or sets thereof, in the cylindrical, valve, so that the

page_text: complete cycle of admission and cut-off may be effected either by a complete
revolution of the valve, or by a part only of a revolution.
The cylinder port or ports are formed obliquely across the axial line of the
rotating valve, and the recesses or ports in the latter are also oblique. It follows
that by moving the valve endways, the point of cut-off, as the valve port rotates
across the cylinder port, can be made later or earlier, the point of admission,
however, remaining constant, since admission corresponds with the commence-
ment of the crossing of the ports, which does not vary with the endwise position
of the valve.
Endway motion is given to the valve by the governor.
The movement of the
governor may be imparted to the valve directly by action upon a spindle which
passes through a gland in the end of the steam chest, or by a lever upon a rock-
ing-shaft, which, inside the steam chest, engages a collar upon the cylindrical
valve. The rocking-shaft passes out of the steam chest through a gland, and is
connected externally with the governor by any suitable mechanism. There may
be two or more such rocking-shafts in the steam-chest, engaging collars at
different points upon the valve.
In engines with two or more cranks, and a tandem arrangement of cylinders,
so that there are two or more (say) high-pressure cylinders standing side-by-
side, the steam chest may be extended so as to communicate with all, and a
valve as above described may be placed over or beside each, the several valves
being in line with each other, and connected together so that they rotate to-
gether.. In this case the circumferential positions of the recesses in the valves
for supplying steam to the three sets of cylinders bear an angular relation to
each other corresponding to the angular relations of the several cranks which the
pistons of these sets of cylinders serve to drive so that admission may take place
at the proper times in the several cylinders. It is obvious that the series of
cylinders served by one series of valves, as here described, may be high-pressure
and low-pressure, or high-pressure intermediate and low-pressure, instead of
all taking steam of like pressure and from, the same source. In this case the
several cylinders will require separate steam chests, and the valves will. be con-
nected by spindles which leave and enter the several steam-chests through glands.
In a tandem engine, the admission valves of the lower cylinder or cylinders
may be of the same description, or they may be simply rotating valves without
any mechanism for giving end motion, or they may be valves of any other de-
scription whatever.
The rotating valve may be balanced endwise, by being fully exposed to the
steam pressure at each end, within the steam chest, the connection between the
valve and the spindle which causes it to rotate being by the pressure of stops
against each other acting tangentially. If the valve is in several parts, serving
more than one steam cylinder, the connections between the parts may be all of
this character, so that the parts are not directly held together endwise, but are
allowed a certain elasticity of movement. In this case they may be held together
by arms on two of the rocking levers before described, one arm engaging a collar
at each end of the system of valves. The rocking levers are coupled together
externally by a rod, which causes them to move together; thus one rocking
lever applies the pressure required to move the system of valves in one direc-
tion, while the other lever causes movement in the other direction; in either case
tending to hold the separate parts together.
The valve chest may be either at the end of the cylinder, preferably forming
the cylinder cover, or at one side. In the former case the ports may be very
short, and the clearance small.
Figure 1 of the drawings annexed is a side elevation partly in section of a
steam engine having 3 sets of tandem cylinders and valve mechanism constructed
as above described for controlling the admission and the cut off. of steam to. the
uppermost cylinder of each set of cylinders.

page_text: Figure 2 is a horizontal section and Figure 3 a cross section on a larger scale
of one of the valves and its valve seat.
Figure 4 is a plan in section of a modification in which the valves are placed
at right angles to the crank shaft in place of all being in a line and parallel with
the crank shaft as in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of this modification.
Figure 6 is a plan in section and Figure 7 an end elevation of a modification
in which the steam chest is at one side of the cylinders instead of above them.
In Figure 1, A A A are three sets of tandem cylinders, the piston rod of
each of which is coupled to a separate crank on the crank shaft which is below
them. B is the steam chest. Care three segmental recesses in the valve chest
one for each set of tandem cylinders-the form of each of these segmental re-
cesses is better seen in the cross section Figure 2. D are three cylindrical valves
lying in the recesses C they are all in a line and are connected as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 in such a way that when one is revolved the others revolve with
it. Care ports formed in each segmental recess--these are inclined to the
axis of the valves D. D₁ are corresponding recesses formed in the circumference
of each valve D-in the arrangement shewn there are three rows of such recesses
at equal distances apart, in this case the valve has to be driven at such a speed
as to make one revolution for every three revolutions of the crank shaft of the
engine.
The valves are rotated continuously by a spindle E having upon it a bevil
wheel which is itself driven by a bevil pinion G on a vertical shaft H which
is driven by bevil wheels from the crank shaft of the engine. I is a governor
carried by the vertical shaft H it serves to raise and lower a connecting rod K
which at its upper end is coupled to the central joint of toggle links L. The
outer end of one of these links turns on a fixed centre at L and the outer end
of the other is coupled to the lower end of an arm which projects downwards
from a rocking shaft M. This rocking shaft extends into and across the steam
chest and within the steam chest has an arm M¹ upon it which serves to shift
the valves D endwise in one direction. A corresponding arm N' on a rock
shaft N at the opposite end of the steam chest serves to shift the valves D end-
wise in the opposite direction. The rock shafts are coupled one with the other
by the connecting rod O and arms extending from their outer ends.
In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5 the valves D) are each in a
separate steam chest supplied with steam through the steam pipe P. The valves
are driven continuously by skew gear wheels Q₁ from a shaft Q which is itself
driven by skew gear wheels H¹ from a vertical shaft H driven at its lower end by
skew gear wheels H2 from the crank shaft of the engine.
The shaft Has in Figure 1 carries the governor I which acts to raise or lower
a rod K. The upper end of this rod is coupled to an arm on the rock shaft M
and other arms M¹ upon this shaft shift the valves 1) endwise.
In the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7 the construction is the same as
that shown in Figure 1 except that the steam chest B is at one side of the
cylinders instead of above them and that the axis L by which the valves are
rotated is driven by skew gear wheels H¹ from the shaft H instead of by bevel
wheels.
The circumferential positions of the recesses in the valves for supplying steam
to the three sets of cylinders bear an angular relation to each other corresponding
to the angular relations of the several cranks which the pistons of these sets of
cylinders serve to drive so that admission may take place at the proper times in
the several cylinders. It is obvious that the series of cylinders served by one
series of valves, as here described, may be high-pressure and low-pressure, or
high pressure, intermediate and low-pressure, instead of all taking steam of like
pressure and from the same source. In this case the several cylinders will require
separate steam chests, and the valves will be connected by spindles which feave
and enter the several steam chests through glands.

page_text: In a tandem engine, the admission valves of the lower cylinder or cylinders
may be of the same description, or they may be simply rotating valves without
any mechanism for giving end motion, or they may be valves of any other de-
scription whatever.
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. A valve for steam or like engines, composed of a continuously rotating
cylindrical valve, a corresponding segmental recess or valve seat in the valve
chest in which the valve lies, ports formed in the segmental recess or valve seat
and a recess or recesses in the circumference of the rotating valve which as the
valve rotates are brought over the ports and open them to the interior of the
valve chest.
2. In a steam or like engine the combination of a continuously rotating cylin-
drical admission valve, a corresponding segmental recess in the steam chest in
which the rotating valve lies, inclined port or ports formed in the segmental
recess, inclined recess or recesses in the circumference of the rotating valve
which as the valve rotates are brought over the ports and are at the same time
open to the steam in the steam chest and allow steam to pass to the ports and
means for shifting the rotating valve endwise by the action of the engine governor.
to vary the cut off according to the speed of the engine.
3. The combination of a steam chest, a cylindrical segmental recess in the
chest, a continuously rotating cylindrical valve lying in the segmental recess or
valve seat ports formed in the segmental recess and recesses in the circumference
of the cylindrical valve which as the valve rotates are brought over the ports
and then commence to move past an edge of the recess or valve seat and so
become open to the steam in the steam chest and allow steam to pass to the
ports.
4. Valve admission mechanism for steam or other elastic fluid engines arranged
substantially as herein before described and illustrated at Figures 1, 2 and 3.
5. Valve admission mechanism for steam or other elastic fluid engines arranged
substantially as herein before described and illustrated at Figures 4 and 5.
6. Valve admission mechanism for steam or other elastic fluid engines arranged
substantially as herein before described and illustrated at Figures 6 and 7.
Dated this 18th day of August 1800
JOHN HADFIELD STREET.
MARK ROBINSON.
MATTHEW HENRY PHINEAS RIALL SANKEY.