IMPROVE- MENTS IN ARRESTING GEAR FOR PUMPING ENGINES to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: I, MICHAEL WATSON of N° 82 Rye Hill in the City and County of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ARRESTING GEAR FOR PUMPING ENGINES to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to means of arresting the motion of compound engines
whether condensing or non-condensing upon the sudden removal or reversal of
their load.
For this purpose, in the case of non-condensing engines,, valves are provided
both in the inlet and outlet passages of both cylinders held open by suitable
catches. These catches are so arranged as to be capable of being released by
tappets attached to a spindle or rod which derives its motion (when required to
operate) from governors or other automatic apparatus attached to and worked by
the engine.
In condensing engines, in addition to these valves closing automatically to shut
off and confine the steam, a valve is provided in the exhaust passage from the low
pressure cylinder held close when in norinal working and opened automatically to
the atmosphere by the same action which closes the steam valves.
When from any cause, the load on the engine is removed or reversed the action
of the governors or other automatic apparatus imparts a motion to the tappets by
means of which the catches which hold open the valves both in the inlet and outlet
passages of the engine are released-the valves thereupon close and the motion of
the engine is arrested.
In condensing engines the automatic action is the same except that the valve in
exhaust passage to the condenser is opened simultaneously with the closing of the
other valves thus destroying the vacuum.

page_text: .
I MICHAEL WATSON, of N° 82 Rye Hill in the City and County of Newcastle
upon Tyne, 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 relates to means for arresting the motion of compound engines
whether condensing or non-condensing upon the sudden removal or reversal of
their load.
For this purpose, in the case of non-condensing engines, valves are provided
both in the inlet and outlet passages of both cylinders and are held open by suitable
catches.
These catches are so arranged as to be capable of being released by tappets
attached to a spindle or rod which derives its motion (when required to operate)
from governors or other automatic apparatus attached to and worked by the
engine.
In condensing engines, in addition to these valves closing automatically to shut
off and confine the steam, a valve is provided in the exhaust passage from the low
pressure cylinder which valve is held close when in normal working and opened
automatically to the atmosphere by the same action which closes the steam valves.
When from any cause, the load on the engine is removed or reversed the action
of the governors or other automatic apparatus imparts a motion to the tappets by
means of which the catches which hold open the valves both in the inlet and outlet
passages of both cylinders are released the valves thereupon close and the motion
of the engine is arrested.
In condensing engines the automatic action is the same except that the valve in
the exhaust passage to the condenser is opened to the atmosphere simultaneously
with the closing of the other valves thus destroying the vacuum.
The mechanism by which the automatic action of the governor-or similar
appliance is caused to operate the tappets which release the springs or (as shown
on drawings) weights falling by gravity and close the steam valves and in the
case of a condensing engine-simultaneously open the valve in the exhaust pipe to
condenser, will be variously arranged in different types of engines.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation of the steam chests of a horizontal compound
condensing engine and Figure 2 a plan of same with the steam and exhaust pipes
- arresting valves and gear shewn as it is proposed to arrange them.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the valve which admits steam from the exhaust
of high pressure cylinder to the low pressure or condensing cylinder, when open,
or confines it in pipe, when closed, by the action of the tappet gear and simul-
taneously opens the valve in exhaust pipe to atmosphere to destroy the vacuum.
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the valve which admits steam from the boiler to
high pressure steam chest when open or shuts it off when closed by the action
of the tappet gear which is shown in detail on both valves with an end view in
Ticure E

page_text: When the engine is working under normal conditions the steam enters from
boiler through the valve V₁ (then open) into the steam chest of the high pressure
cylinder and by the slide valve into the cylinder whence having performed its
work it passes by the exhaust steam pipe to the valve V' (also now open) into the
steam chest and by the slide valve into the low pressure or condensing cylinder
whence, having performed its work it passes by the exhaust pipe into condenser,
the valve Vs being now closed against the atmosphere.
If now the load of the engine be suddenly removed or reversed the tappet
rod R. connected to the governor or other automatic apparatus worked by the
engine, and which has upon it at each of the valves V¹ and V2 two tappets T¹ T¹
and T T causes one or other of these tappets to upset the short lever arms A. A¹
the upper end of each of which supports a heavy ball weight W W1 (here used
instead of springs to close the valves) and both the valves V₁ and V' are instantly.
closed, the former shutting off steam from the boiler and the latter confining the
steam, then in the high pressure cylinder and pipe between cylinders, forming an
elastic cushion on one side of piston. Simultaneously with this the rod R¹ from
ball weight W¹ to end of lever L by the descent of the ball opens the valve V³ in
exhaust pipe to the atmosphere and destroying the Vacuum arrests the motion of
the low pressure piston.
The gear is restored to its normal position by raising the ball weights by means
of the hand levers H. L. thus opening the valves V₁ and V2 and closing the
valve V³.
In non condensing engines instead of the valve V³ a valve similar to V' is fitted
in the exhaust pipe from the low pressure cylinder which being closed by the
tappet gear confines the steam in that cylinder on exhaust side of piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it
understood that I make no special claim to confining the steam in and between
the cylinders of compound engines but what I do claim is :-
1. The use in compound pumping engines of valves situate within the steam
pipes or passages of the cylinder combined with a valve in the exhaust pipe or
passage from the low pressure cylinder, which valves upon the load on the engine
being removed or reversed close by the automatic action of a governor or similar
apparatus so as to shut off and confine the steam in the cylinders and passages
substantially as described.
2. In compound condensing engines the use in combination with closing valves.
such as referred to in claim 1 of an additional valve situate within the exhaust
pipe or passage to the condenser which valve upon the load on the engine being
removed or reversed is opened to the atmosphere by the same action, as that which
closes the steam valves, whereby the vacuum is destroyed, substantially as described
and shewn.