IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood,
of the Firm of "John Wood and Company," of Sowerby Bridge, in the
County of York, Engineers and Millwrights, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 24th March 1868, and dated the 26th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wood, Benjamin
Wood, and Richard Wood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 26th September 1867.
We, JOHN WOOD, BENJAMIN WOOD, and RICHARD WOOD, of the Firm of
"John Wood and Company," of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York,
Engineers and Millwrights, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The said Invention consists of an arrangement of apparatus whereby the
admission, cutting off, and release of steam is attained by distinct and separate
means, and the arresting of the travel of the cut-off valve is effected before the

page_text: admission valve arrives at the termination of its stroke, and in such manner
as will not effect the set "lead" of admission. It will also admit of the full
indicated steam pressure in the boiler being thrown on the piston at all times,
and the varying loads or "weights to be driven will cause the cut-off (which is
connected to and actuated by the governor) to act instantly as may be required
according to the varying loads or weights thrown on and off, thereby effecting
the utmost economy possible in the using of steam in proportion to the power
exerted.
The apparatus consists of a curved valve of similar construction to the valve
commonly known as the "Corliss valve "having openings through it, and on
the inside of which is another valve, also of similar configuration to the
"Corliss valve" which is moved along with the main or admission valve until
arrested, when it closes the ports or openings in the admission valve, thereby
cutting off the steam before the termination of the stroke without the aid or
intervention of the ordinary equilibrium throttle valve. With this method it
is necessary to have two induction and two eduction valves, all four receiving
a reciprocatory motion from a disc or cross lever connected to an eccentric or
its equivalent.
The cut-off apparatus consists of a cylindrical box, through which and in
the direction of its diameter protrude two bushes one on each side capable of
sliding therein. Motion is imparted to these bushes in the direction of their
length by two plates having angular guides formed on them, which are con-
nected to the governor in such manner that any variation in speed of the
engine will move the plates at right angles to the length of and will thereby
give motion to the said bushes. Through these bushes is a sliding rod having
adjustable stops or nuts thereon, which sliding rod being connected to a lever
on the spindle of the inside valve will derive motion from the said valve
through the bushes until arrested by the adjustable stops or nuts, while the
outer valve continues its motion and the ports or openings in it will be closed
by the arresting of the inside valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March 1868.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
WOOD, BENJAMIN WOOD, and RICHARD WOOD, of the Firm of John Wood'

page_text: and Company, of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York, Engineers and
Millwrights, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood, Her special
licence, that we, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard
Wood, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their, or one of our or their bands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and
Richard Wood, 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 thereof, and accompanying Sheets.
of Drawings (that is to say) :-
The said Invention consists of an arrangement of apparatus whereby the
admission, cutting-off, and release of steam is attained by distinct and seperate
means, and the arresting of the travel of the cut-off valve is effected before
the admission valve arrives at the termination of its stroke, and in such
manner as will not affect the set "lead" of admission'; it will also admit of
the full indicated steam pressure in the boiler being thrown on the piston at
all times, and the varying loads or weights to be driven will cause the cut-off,
which is connected to and actuated by the governor, to act instantly, as may
be required, according to the varying loads or weights thrown on and off;
thereby effecting the utmost economy possible in the using of steam in
proportion to the power, exerted.

page_text: The apparatus consists of a curved valve of similar construction to the valve
commonly known as the "Corliss valve," having openings through it, and
on the inside of which is another valve, also of similar configuration to the
"Corliss valve," which is moved along with the main or admission valve until
arrested, when it closes the ports or openings in the admission valve, thereby
cutting off the steam before the termination of the stroke without the aid or
intervention of the ordinary equilibrium throttle valve. With this method it
is necessary to have two induction and two eduction valves, all four receiving
a reciprocating motion from a disc or cross lever connected to an eccentric or
its equivalent.
The cut-off apparatus consists of a cylindrical box through which and in
the direction of its diameter protrude two bushes, one on each side, capable
of sliding therein. Motion is imparted to these bushes in the direction of
their length by two plates having angular guides formed on them, and
which are connected to the governor in such manner that any variation in
speed of the engine will move the plates at right angles to the length of
and will thereby give motion to the said bushes. Through these busbes is a
sliding rod having adjustable stops or nuts thereon, which sliding rod being
connected to a lever on the spindle of the inside valve, will derive motion from
the said valve through the bushes until arrested by the adjustable stops or
nuts, while the outer valve continues its motion, and the ports or openings in
it will be closed by the arresting of the inside valve.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood we herein give
reference to two accompanying Sheets of Drawings illustrating the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a steam engine cylinder with our improvements
applied thereto having a portion broken away for better elucidation thereof;
Fig. 2 is another elevation taken at right angles to the former Fig. ; and
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same.
A is the valve, which consists of a segment of a hollow cylinder of similar
configuration to the "Corliss valve," having a reciprocating or oscillatory
motion about its axis and made long enough to fill the steam chamber B. In
the face of the said valve and through it are two lines of passages or openings
(a, a,) cut in the direction of the axis of the valve, having the same breadth
of opening in the outer circumference of the valve as in the steam port (9) of
the cylinder, and on the inner circumference the division is widened to the
extent of the cover or lap, so that the cut-off valve (6) when so placed that

page_text: the aperture or opening (d), Fig. 1, is exactly over the division betwixt the
passages (a, a,) will have sufficient lap to be steam-tight; also this valve (A)
has pieces (t, t,) cast on each end forming the sector of a circle, which pieces
are cut out in the direction of its radius to the diameter of the spindle (e).
The ends of the pieces (t, t,) are accurately fitted on to projecting arms (v),
shewn in Fig. 2, formed on the hollow spindle (e) so that any motion com-
municated to the said hollow spindle (e) may be transmitted to the valve A.
The said hollow spindle (e) is so constructed that a part of it in the direction
of its length is cut out equal in length to the boss of the cut-off valve (6),
which boss occupies the space so cut out, and the two ends of the said hollow
spindle (e) are joined together by a bar or bridge e¹ at a sufficient distance
from the centre to clear the boss of the valve (b). The extreme ends of the
hollow spindle (e) are cylindrical, the one working in the chest cover (i), and
the other protruding through a stuffing box (j). This end of the spindle (6)
has a lever or arm L fastened on, and beyond that is a screwed cap or stuffing
box K to prevent leakage. The lever or arm L is connected by a rod R to a
disc D having a reciprocating motion imparted to it by an eccentric and rod
or their equivalent attached to and operating on the stud or pin E. The
valve (b) is of the same principle of construction as the valve A, and similar in
configuration to the "Corliss valve," but has only one opening or passage (d)
cut through it, and has a reciprocatory or oscillatory motion to a certain dis-
tance like the valve A, on the back of which it may be retained or kept in
position either by steam pressure or by springs. The boss of the valve (6) is
made with an oblong hole through it so as to allow for wear on the face
thereof, and fitted into this hole is a fast key or feather having a corresponding
groove cut in the spindle (f) into, which the fast key or feather is made to
fit easily, so that the motion of the valve (b) is communicated to the spindle
(f) which works inside the hollow spindle (e), and through which it protrudes
and terminates; in or affixed to it is an arm or lever (l) which is connected
to a sliding rod (n) by a connecting rod (r). The rod (n) works in two
bushes (o, o,) placed in a cylindrical box Q in such manner that they havo a
limited motion in the direction of the rod (n). These bushes (o, o,) are
cylindrical at their outer ends, and have a square section at their other parts.
In the ends are grooves cut at an angle to suit angular guides formed on
plates (p, p,) which are placed on either side of and have a motion at right
angles to that of the bushes (o, o,). The plates (p, p,) work in a chamber or
cell S in the cylindrical box Q, the said plates (p, p,) being fastened together
and connected by a rod to the governor, so that any variation thereof will give

page_text: motion to the plates (p,p,) up or down, and thereby cause the bushes (0, 0,)
to move either outwardly or inwardly, as the case may be, the said bushes (0, 0,)
coming in contact with the adjustable stops or nuts on the rod (n) either at
an earlier or later point of the stroke, thereby arresting the motion of the
valve (b) on the back of the valve A, and consequently cutting off the steam
at an earlier or later portion of the stroke, according as the varying weights
or loads to be overcome may determine.
This arrangement of apparatus or mode of arresting the travel of the cut-off
valve is applicable to other descriptions of valves besides those herein-before
described.
The eduction valves A¹ are worked in the same manner as the said induction
valves A, and are fitted to arms or levers on a spindle (e) by the same method
as the valve A, and derive their motion from the disc D in like manner as do
the said induction valves.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 (Sheet 2), shew a modified method of connecting the
several parts of the valve motions together on both the right and left side of
the steam chest. The valve A¹ is of the same construction and has similar
ends fitted to arms or legs of the spindle (e) in the same manner as shewn in
Sheet 1, with this exception, that the spindle (e) is not hollow all the way
through, and is open only at one end to allow of the insertion of a spindle (f),
which in this modified arrangement protrudes through the contrary end of the
valve chest to that at which the spindle (e) does. The spindle (f) by this
arrangement has a separate stuffing box, and is made flat at that part which
works in the boss of the valve; (b), also has a section at that part, as shewn in
Fig. 1, so that the valve (b) in wearing or rubbing on the face may continually
be kept up to the back of the, valve A, at the same time communicating its
motion to the spindle (f).
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and shewn
the manner in which the same may be performed or carried into practical
effect, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
precise details shewn and described; but what we claim is,-
The peculiar adaptation and application of a separate cut-off valve, as
applied to and worked with the "Corliss valve," substantially as herein-before
shewn and described in the Drawings accompanying this Specification.
Also the peculiar combinations and arrangements of the mechanical motions
by which the said valves or any other description or class of valves to which.
they are applicable may be worked.
Also the angular guides and their motions and connections to the governor

page_text: for connecting to and working on the cut-off or expansive principle slide valves
and piston valves or any other description of valves to which the same may
be applied.
In witness whereof I, the said Benjamin Wood, for and on behalf of
myself and the said John Wood and Richard Wood, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of March One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
BENJAMIN WOOD. (LS.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Benjamin Wood, in
the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Bradford.