Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891

page_text: The piston is made radial and suitably packed by a spring piston ring B², which
is held in position by the pin B33 supported by a junk ring or disc B*, and secured to
the lugs B, of the piston B by the bolt B.
The piston disc B' is provided with packing or wearing rings C, and C², seated
in suitable recesses in the cheeks A' and A2 and they can be adjusted by the screws e
from the outside, slots corresponding to those in the piston disc B' may be provided
upon the face of the rings C1 and C2 whereby a better joint would be insured.
Both cheeks of the cylinder are provided with suitable bearings C³ and stuffing
boxes C4, and glands C³ for the engine shaft C. The cheeks A¹ and A² are bolted
or otherwise secured to a bed-plate Q which may be extended so as to accommodate
additional bearings for the engine shaft C or for other requirements.
The abutment or resistance valve D is simply a plate of metal which bears on a
facing sufficiently tight to prevent any steam passing from one side to the other of
it in the cylinder and it is suitably attached and fitted to a spindle or rocking shaft G
and oscillates at right angles to the piston B, in a case or cover G, the latter may
be made in two or more parts for convenience of manufacture and removal, screwed
or otherwise suitably fitted together and secured to the cylinder cheeks A¹ and A².
The cam E (secured to the engine shaft C) at a given time lifts the roller F
attached to a short arm or fulcrum F' secured on a rocking shaft C, which works
in suitable bearings C7 provided on the check A² The levers F2 secured to the
said rocking shaft C communicate motion to the discs F5 by means of the links F³,
connected to the crank pins F4 provided on the said discs F, which are secured to
the abutment spindle or rocking shaft G, so as to withdraw the abutment or
resistance valve D, and allow the piston B, to pass and then immediately resume
the closed position as shewn at Fig. 3.
In passing I note that it is possible and convenient if desired to operate the said
abutment by a single lever and connections instead of two as above described. The
tension springs S and S¹ keep the roller F against the face of the cam E.
According to a modification of the cam arrangement as shewn at Fig. 10 the
tension springs S, and S₁ may be dispensed with and a suitable adjustment provided
for keeping the rollers f and f¹ against the faces of the cam E¹.
On the upper part of the abutment case or cover G a cylindrical chamber G¹ is
formed in which is arranged the cut off or expansion valve G³ and the reversing gear
consisting principally of the disc of metal G2 provided with a certain number of
teeth on its periphery in which gears an endless screw or worm wheel h secured to
or forming part of a spindle h' operated from the outside by a hand wheel h² attached
to the said spindle.
The said case or cover G provides suitable bearings stuffing boxes, and glands for
the spindles or rocking shafts G, G', and h¹ and further contains three ports or
passages p, p, and p² two of the said ports or passages namely p' and p² lead from
the face of the cylindrical chamber G to the cylinder, - or piston chamber A one
on each side of the abutment case or cover G and the third port or passage (herein-
after called the main exhaust port p) leads from the face of the said cylindrical
chamber G' to the exhaust pipe P.
The reversing disc valve G2 is provided with a semicircular slot or passage 12 on
the opposite side to valve face by which arrangement communication is established
between the main exhaust port p and the port and passage p².
Another port or passage -cut through the disc G,-corresponds with the
third port and passage p.
The cut off or expansion valve G³ oscillates against the face of the reversing disc
valve G2 the former having a port or opening provided in same through which
steam passes and finds ingress through the port (in the reversing disc valve G²)
and thence by the port and passage p' into the cylinder or piston chamber A. between
the abutment D and the piston B for a given time regulated by the extent of
expansion.
The "cut off" or expansion valve G³ is operated by an eccentric H which is
suitably secured on the main shaft C. The eccentric rod H' is connected to a

page_text: crank pin H' provided on a disc H³ which is secured on the spindle or rocking
shaft G the latter (furnished with a suitable bearing and packing gland on the
upper part of the case or cover G) passes through the centre of the reversing
disc valve G2 and is suitably attached to the "cut off" or expansion valve G³.
It is obvious that on movement of the eccentric H an oscillating motion is
imparted to the "cut off" or expansion valve G³.
A variable expansion may be arranged as shewn at Fig. 15. Here is an arm
(which takes the place of the disc H³,) provided with a slot in which fit a block
the crank pin is attached to or forms part of the said block and the latter is
moved in the slot as desired upon turning the hand wheel 4, by reason of a screw
thread formed on the spindle engaging with a corresponding female thread
provided in the block
The degree of expansion is increased or decreased in proportion to the distance
that the block and consequently the crank pin 73, is moved from the spindle or
rocking shaft G'.
A pointer may be provided on the block to indicate upon a scale, marked on
the face of the arm, the degree of expansion.
The action of the engine is as follows.
Steam is introduced through the supply pipe P' into the chamber G' and the
"cut off" or expansion valve G³ being in the proper position allows steam to pass
through the port or opening into the port provided in the reversing disc
valve G² and thence through the port and passage p into the cylinder A, the force
of the steam is then exerted between the abutment or resistance valve D and the
piston B the latter is thereby caused to rotate taking with it its supporting disc B¹
and consequently turning the shaft C which operates the expansion valve G³ by
means of the eccentric H-also the cam E secured on the said shaft C which at a
given time transmits motion to the abutment D (as hereinbefore described) so as to
withdraw and allow the piston B to pass and immediately return to its previous
position across the cylinder A. The exhaust steam finds egress on the other side of
the abutment D, through the port and passage p² and thence through the semi-
circular slot or passage 2 provided on the back of the reversing disc valve G² into
the main exhaust port p and pipe P.
12
The engine is reversed in the following manner.
On movement of the hand wheel -attached to the spindle h-motion is trans-
mitted to the reversing disc valve G2 by the worm wheel H-secured to or formed
on the said spindle ¹-engaging with the teeth provided on the periphery of the
said disc valve G2, whereby the position of the port in the reversing disc valve G²
is moved so that it corresponds with that of the port p² the course of the steam is
thus changed consequently the engine is caused to work in the opposite direction ;
simultaneously the position of the semicircular port or passage 12-on the back of the
reversing disc valve G2-is changed so as to put the port pl in communication with
the main exhaust port p, or vice versa, upon moving the hand wheel h² in the opposite
direction.
Upon reversing the engine equal expansion is secured by the following arrange-
ment on the boss of the eccentric H I provide a slot L so as to allow the shaft C
to turn and carry the piston B from the position g to g¹ (see Fig. 1,) or vice versa
without changing the position of the "cut off" or expansion valve G³ when the
feather or stop s secured to the shaft C comes either in contact with the shoulders n
or n' on the boss of the eccentric H the latter is carried round in the direction in
which the engine is started and gives the required motion to the "cut off" or
expansion valve G³.
To stop the engine by the hand wheel the port l' on the reversing disc valve G'
is placed between the ports and passages pl and p² so as not to communicate with
cither port or passage. An indicator may be provided to show position of the
port
Two or more engines may be coupled together the steam being expanded in the

page_text: cylinders as hereinbefore described, or steam may be used at high pressure in oué
cylinder and then expanded in one or more cylinders of suitable size.
Suitable fittings and arrangements for the steam jacketing, lubrication, and
governing, of my engine, will be provided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The construction of rotary engines with an annular piston chamber or
cylinder of circular, or approximately circular, section, such as shewn at A (Fig. 3)
in combination with a piston such as B, a disc such as B', a shaft such as C, an
abutment or resistance valve such as D, a cut off or expansion valve such as G³, all
suitably actuated substantially as hereinbefore described, explained, and as illustrated
in my drawing.
2nd. The particular form and construction of the piston B, and its packing
ring B2, substantially as hereinbefore described, explained, and as illustrated in my
drawing.
3rd. The particular form or similar thereto of the abutment or resistance valve D,
and the manner in which it is operated from the main shaft C, by the cam E, or E',
substantially as hereinbefore described, explained, and as illustrated in my
drawing.
4th. The form and general arrangement of the cut off or expansion valve G³,
more particularly illustrated in my drawing at Fig. 13, actuated in manner substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and explained.
5th. The contrivance forming the reversing gear as illustrated, more particularly
at Fig. 12, and substantially hereinbefore described, and explained.
6th. The arrangement or similar thereto as referred to by the letters L, n, n',
and S, (see Fig. 2) whereby equal expansion is obtained on reversing the engine,
substantially as hereinbefore described, explained, and as illustrated in my
drawing.
7th. The variable expansion gear as hereinbefore substantially described,
explained, and as illustrated at Fig. 15, in my drawing.
Dated this 18th day of June 1891.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.