AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF AND ENGINE REGULATOR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mudge Marchant, of Saint John's Square Passage,
Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF AND ENGINE REGULATOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mudge Marchant
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July 1881.
ROBERT MUDGE MARCHANT, of Saint John's Square Passage, Clerkenwell, in
the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF AND ENGINE
REGULATOR."
My Invention consists in so applying the velocity or draft arising from the flow
of steam or other vapour or liquid to any cylinder of an engine or to any outlet,
for the purpose of using such, steam vapour or liquid to effective use, that by such
action of, the vapour or liquid on a drum, which is so constructed as to move
freely within defined limits on a bar or rod, such drum shall act on the valves to
which it is attached by means of a connecting link (the other end of which works
into a spindle between the valves), so as to work intermittently and to cut off the
forward supply (for one purpose of its regulation) and give by such action an
expansive force to any vapour or charge that has already passed the valves to the
purpose of forward action, and for another purpose of its regulation so as to vary
the area of the passage through the valves as to regulate the engine to one
uniform velocity for any variation of the work such engine is capable of effecting.
Such uniform action must evidently be within the limits of the engine, for it is
as impossible to obtain 20 horse power out of a 10 horse power engine, as it would
be for a man to carry a camel's load, and the limit of any application must be to
apply the steam from the boiler in such manner as to produce a uniform action in
the engine within such limits as the steam supplied and the area acted on will
effect. To carry out my Invention I construct a slot in a spindle, which is so
made as to connect two valves which work in equilibrium. This slot works to the
extent of the lift required for the valves, and does so on the bar or rod which
carries the drum on which the flow acts by its velocity or draft, and the slot is of
Pine C1

page_text: sufficient length to allow the valves to be either open to their fullest requirements
or to be close shut.
The bar or rod passing through the slot in such spindle is to be fixed at both
ends, and on it I carry the sliding drum on which such flow acts. On the forward
side of such sliding drum and on a constructed fork thereon I fix the eye-end of a
connecting link, the fork-end of which I attach to the spindle by means of a pin
which works through the spindle and fork, and immediately over such lower valve
on such spindle. Where the fixture is attached to any horizontal pipe conduit
(and as the construction is the same where it is intended for any vertical pipe
conduit, I describe it as fixed to a horizontal pipe) I put a stop-pin in the bar or
rod, so that the sliding drum cannot go farther back on the bar or rod than is
necessary to open the valves to their fullest requirement by its lifting the spindle
by means of the play on the slot therein to such fullest opening required for the
valves.
I provide an external and perfect regulation for the whole action to any
requirement of velocity or power within the limits of the engine by continuing
the spindle which connects the valves beyond the upper valve and through a
stuffing-box, over which and disconnected therewith I place a standard or bridge
through which such continuation of the spindle is further passed, I then screw the
end of the spindle so prolonged, and place or slip on a spiral spring, so that by
means of a thumb-screw which screws down on the spindle on to such spring (as
placed between the bridge and thumb-screw) any required pressure or resistance
can be given against the sliding drum, which drum will be driven by the action
on such spring and by the connecting link against the stop-pin which limits its
action to the purpose of lifting the valves, leaving it in such position with the
pressure required against the action of the flow, which conveys to and delivers on
it the velocity or draft of vapour or liquid required for automatic action. Where
the fullest power of the engine is required the spring would be compressed to its
maximum for the purpose of effecting such provision.
Where considerable cut-off with less power was required from the engine, the
spring would be lightly or proportionately compressed, and of course for such
action the expenditure of fuel would be proportionately less per one horse
power.
Such adjustment is of a character that would with every compression of the
spring increase the velocity of any engine on constant work, and by such
arrangement when the required velocity of the engine was attained a small set
screw fixing the thumb-screw and all that it regulated at the condition required
would secure automatic action under such set.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Mudge Marchant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th January 1882.
ROBERT MUDGE MARCHANT, of Saint John's Square Passage, Clerkenwell, in
the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF AND ENGINE
REGULATOR."
My Invention consists in so applying the velocity or draft arising from the flow
of steam or other vapor or liquid to any cylinder of an engine or to any outlet,
for the purpose of using such steam, vapor, or liquid to effective use that it shall
act on a drum, which is so constructed that the velocity or draft shall communicate
motion to the drum by driving it forwards on the bar or rod upon which it slides.
I connect such drum with the valves to be acted upon by means of a link or
rocking-bar, which works between the drum and the spindle on which these valves
are placed, and communicates a proportionate motion to the valves to that given
by the velocity or draft to the drum, so that these valves shall shut and cut off
the forward supply, and give by such action an expansive force to any vapor or
charge that has already passed the valves to the purpose of forward action.
When the valves are so shut by the action on the drum the velocity or draft is
stopped and there is no longer any pressure on the drum, and the valves are
reopened and the drum returned to its normal position by means of a spring, which
spring is regulated to the requirements of the engine, so that the velocity or
draft again acts on the drum and recloses the valves against the spring, which
(when the pressure was off the drum) had been given the required set to open
them.
Any required intermittent flow of steam or vapor can be obtained, and an
"automatic cut off" so effected. It is again evident that the pressure on the drum
varies with the velocity or draft or flow of the steam or vapor, and that as this
varies the intermittent action will vary, that is, as the flow lessens the pressure
on the drum lessens, the spring obtains a greater proportionate power to the flow,
and the valves open more freely under its action, that on the contrary as the flow
increases the pressure on the drum increases, and the spring action is of inferior
proportion to the flow action, and the valves work under greater constraint from
the pressure of the increased flow on the drum. Any required "engine regulator"
can be so effected.
I construct my "automatic cut-off and engine regulator" as follows:-I construct
a slot in the spindle which connects two valves so proportioned as to work in
perfect equilibrium, and this slot works on the bar or rod which carries the drum
on which the flow acts, and so works to the full extent of the lift required for the
valve action. The bar or rod passing through the slot in the spindle is fixed at
both ends, and on it I carry the sliding drum on which the flow acts. On the
forward side of such sliding drum and on the constructed fork thereon I preferably
fix the eye end of a connecting link, the fork-end of which I preferably attach to
the spindle, and I make the ends of this link to work with great freedom on the
drum and on the spindle, and at a favorable angle for effecting the valve action.
Or I may prefer to use a rocking-bar instead of such link, one end of such rocking-
bar being acted on by the sliding drum to the purpose of the other end closing the
valves. My adjustments are all external, and they consist of a spiral spring which
opens the valves and increases the supply of vapor and power to the engine by a
greater opening with every increased set; also of a stop which enables the lift or
opening of the valves to be regulated at will, so that the revolutions of the engine can
be confined at will by the lift or opening given to the valves. To the purpose of such

page_text: adjustments I continue the spindle on which the valves are fixed through a
stuffing-box, over which stuffing-box and disconnected therewith I place a
standard or bridge, through which such continuation of the spindle is further
passed; I construct a screw on the prolonged end of the spindle below the bridge,
and on the screwed end of the spindle I fix two nuts, which can be given a locked
set which regulates the opening of the valves to any requirement by stopping
them against the inner side of the bridge which forms the stop to the lift of the
nuts when so set above the bridge, and over the screwed end of the spindle I slip
on a spiral spring, and over this a washer and thumb-screw, so that the pressure to
open the valves can be regulated at will, and the action of the velocity or draft of
the flow can be controlled to any extent by the compression of the spring which
opens the valves, and which can be made to work to any required extent for
opening them against the pressure of the velocity or draft on the drum which
closes them.
For the better explanation of my said Invention I refer to the accompanying
Drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the regulator.
Figure 2 is an elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section thereof.
Figure 4 is a plan thereof.
The interior and working arrangement consists of a sliding drum lettered a, a
bar or rod on which the drum works a', the fixtures carrying such bar or rod a²,
the slotted spindle connecting the valves b, the slot b¹, the equilibrium valves b²,
the link connecting the sliding drum and the spindle c, the stuffing-box d.
The exterior and adjusting arrangement consists of the bridge d¹, the stop nuts
below the bridge e, the spiral spring f, the washer and thumb-screw g.
And what I claim is the interior and working arrangement consisting of the
parts shewn and for the purposes herein described.
And the exterior and adjustable arrangement consisting of the parts shewn, and
for the purposes herein described.
And generally each and every of the interior working parts and connected
construction shewn or described, and each and every of the external adjustable
parts and connected construction, for the purposes above described. .
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mudge Marchant, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Signed and sealed in
presence of
P. O. HALLORAN,
28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
R. M. MARCHANT.
(L.S.)