Improvements in Steam Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
Improvements in Steam Engines.
I, ERNEST SYDNEY Ross, of 17 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Hobart, in the
Colony of Tasmania, but at present residing at Amfield's South Place Hotel,
South Place, Finsby, in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
In my
This invention relate to single acting multiple expansion engines
improved engines the cylinders nie aanged one above the other vertically over
the crank shaft The pistons all form puit of a single block and this block fits
and fills the cylinders, at its lower end a connecting rod is jointed to the block
and so it transmits its movement to the crank
The upper end of the block piston is smaller in diameter than the parts below,
it works in a cylinder which serves as a guide for it in its movements.
Immediately below this guide cylinder the block piston is increased in diameter
and it works with a cylinder of conesponding dimensions, this is the high
pressure cylinder and the shoulder upon the piston block is the effective high
pressure piston.
Beneath the high pressie cylinder the pistou blocks again increased in
diameter and this part fits and works within a cylinder which may be called the
intermediate cylinder and this second shoulder upon the piston block is in effect
the intermediate piston In like mannet below the intermediate cylinder there is a
low pressure cylinder and a shoulder on the piston block which is the effective
low piston. The number of expansions for which provision is made may be
varied
Immediately below the low pressure piston, the piston block is reduced in
diameter to work in a corresponding guide cylinder formed in the upper part of
the crank chamber There is a cylindrical passage up through the piston block
and in this passage a series of piston valves work; they are all on the same stem
and they receive movement from an eccentric on the crank pin or shaft
The
piston block has a series of chambers formed in it to receive the steam as it is
discharged from one cylinder and before it is admitted to the next The following
description will explain how the engine operates -Steam from the boiler is
admitted to the valve passage at the upper end and when the high pressure piston
18 at the top of the cylinder the valve uncovers ports which allow the steam to
pass out into the annulus which is the effective high pressure cylinder, the steam
then exerts its pressure on the shoulder of the piston block which serves as the
high pressure piston.
this cceiver.
The steam is cut off at say five eights of the stroke and towards the end the
valve places the high pressure cylinder in communication with the first receiving
chamber with the piston block. In the up stroke the steam is transferied into
For the next down stroke another valve on the same stem and in
the same valve passage permits the steam to pass from the hist receiver into tho
intermediate cylinder just in the same way as at the same time boiler steam is
admitted to the high pressure cylinder as alcady explained. The steam works in
the utermediate cylinder as in the high pressure cylinder and in due course 18
passed into the second receiver within the piston block. In the next down stroke
the second receiver supplies steam to the low pressure cylindol and in the upstroke

page_text: the steam passes into the space beneath the lower pressure piston and thence to the
outlet
It may he here remarked that the low pressure piston differs from those above it,
in that when at the top of its cylinder it leaves a space below it into which the
steam is discharged as above stated.
In some cases dispense with the part of the piston block above the uppermost
shoulder and also with the corresponding guide cylinder. I then admit the steam
from the boiler to the upper end of the valve passage through a steam way formed
in the piston block which steam way connects the valve passage with an annulai
channel formed around the block. There are steam ports in the sides of the ligh
pressure cylinder comciding with the annular channel in the block and by these
the boiler steam first enters The upper end of the valve passage is closed The
piston valve belonging to the high pressure cylinder by moving over ports in the
valve passage regulates the flow of steam from the valve passage to the space in
the high piesame evlinder above the piston block, it regulates also the return of
the steam from this space and its entrance into the first receiver.
Oi I may provide a separate piston valve and valve gear to admit the boiler
steam to the top of the high pressure cylinder, its passage from this cylinder into
the first receiver still being controlled by the valve within the piston block.
In a double engine, where the two piston blocks are connected with diametrically
opposite cranks on the same cauk shaft I may place an eccentue on the shaft
between the two cranks and by it operate both the steam admission valves, giving
to them precisely similar movements but boiler steam being admitted above one
valve and below the other it will result that each valve passes steam to the cylinder
only for the down stroke of its own piston block
The engine may be provided with three sets of cylinders and pistons operating
on ciauks set at suitable angles upon the crank shaft.
I prefer that the valve passage through the piston block should occupy an
eccentric position, this admits of a single connecting rod being used and of its
being placed in a central position The valve passage may however pass con-
centrically tough the block, two connecting rods then being provided one on
either side. Or I may provide two valve passages through the block one on either
side of a centrally placed connecting rod the valves in these passages may have
the same or different functions
1
1001
:
1, ERNEST SYDNEY Ross, of 17 Hampden Road, Battery Point, Hobart in the
Colony of Tasmania, but at present residing at Aimfield's South Place Hotel.
South Place, Finsbury, in the City of London, 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 single acting multiple expansion engines such as
represented in the drawings annexed.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections of an engine in accordance with my
invention.
In my improved engines the cylinders a' a² a³ are aanged one above the other
vertically over the crank shaft b. The pistons c¹ ce³ull form part of a single
block and this block fits and fills the cylinders; at its lower end a connecting rod d
is jointed to the block and so it transmits its movement to the crank b'.
The upper end of the block piston is smaller in diameter than the parts below, it
works in a cylinder a' which seives as a guide for it in its movements.

page_text: Immediately below this guide cylinder the block piston is increased in diamnator
and it works within a cylinder a of corresponding dimensions, this is the high
pressure cylinder and the shoulder upon the piston block is the effective high
pressure piston.
Beneath the high pressure cylinder the piston block is again increased in diameter
and this part fits and works within a cylinder a² which may be called the inter-
mediate cylinder and this second shoulder upon the piston block is in effect the
intermediate piston. In like manner below the intermediate cylinder there is a
low pressime cylinder a and a shoulder on the piston block which is the effective
low piston
The number of expansions for which provision is made may be varied.
Immediately below the low pressure piston, the piston block is reduced in
diameter at c to work in a corresponding guide cylinder a formed in the upper
part of the crank chamber &³ There is a cylindrical passage up through the piston
block and in this passage a series of piston valves e¹³ work; they are all on the
same stem and they receive movement from an eccentric on the crauk pin or
shaft. The piston block has a series of chambers formed in it to receive
the steam as it is discharged from one cylinder and before it is admitted to the next.
The following description will explain how the engine operates -Steam from the
boiler is admitted at g to the valve passage at the upper end and when the high
pressure piston is at the top of the cylinder the valve e' uncovers ports which allow
the steam to pass out into the annulus which is the effective high pressure cylinder,
the steam then exerts its pressime on the shoulder of the piston block which serves
as the high pressure piston
The steam is cut off at say five eights of the stroke and towards the end the
valve e' places the high pressie cylinder e in communication with the first receiving
chamber within the piston block. In the up stroke the steam is transferred into
this receiver.
For the next down stroke another valve on the same stem and in
the same valve passage permits the steam to pass from the list receiver / into the
intermediate cylinder e² just in the same way as at the same time boiler steam is
admitted to the high pressure cylinder elas already explained. The steam works in
the intermediate cylinder as m the high pressure cylinder and in due course is passed
into the second receiver f' within the piston block. In the next down stroke the
second receiver supplies steam to the low pressure cylinder 3 and in the upstroke
the steam passes into the space beneath the lower pressme piston and thence to
the outlet.
It may be here remarked that the low pressure piston c³ differs from those above
it in that when at the top of its cylinder it leaves a space below it into which the
steam is discharged as above stated
In some cases I dispense with the part of the piston block above the uppermost
shoulder and also with the corresponding guide cylinder at I then admit the steam
from the boiler to the upper end of the valve passage in the manner shown by
Figme 3 through a steam way k formed in the piston block which steam way
connects the valve passage with an annular channel formed around the block.
There are steam ports in the sides of the high pressure cylinder coinciding with the
annular channel in the block and by these the boiler steain first enters.
The upper
end of the valve passage is closed. The piston valve e' belonging to the high
pressure cylinder by moving over ports in the valve passage regulates the flow of
steam from the valve passage to the space in the high pressure cylinder above the
piston block, it regulates also the return of the steam from this space and its
entrance into the first receiver / 1.
Or as is indicated in Figures 4 and 5 I may provide a separate piston valve and
valve geat to admit the boiler steam to the top of the high pressure cylinder a', its
passage from this cylinder into the first receiver still being controlled by the valve
within the piston block.
In a double engine such as these hgures shew, where the two piston blocks are
connected with diametrically opposite cranks on the same crank shaft I may place
an eccentric m on the shalt between the two cranks and by it operate both the steam

page_text: admission valves, giving to them precisely similar movements but boiler stenm
being admitted above oue valve and below the other valve it will result that
cach valve passes steam to the cylinder only for the dowu stroke of its own piston
block.
The engine may he provided with three sets of cylinders and pistons operate ou
cranks set at suitable angles upon the crank shaft.
The
I prefer that the valve passage through the piston block should occupy an
eccentric position as is shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3, this admits of a single
connecting rod being used and of its being placed in a cential position
valve passage may however pass concentrically though the block, two connecting
rods then being provided one on either side On I may provide two valve passages
through the block one on either side of a cenually placed connecting rod, the
valves in the passages may have the same or different functions.
ing now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performel declare that what I
claim is
-
1 A steam engine substantially as descubed having evlilers altanged in series,
and a hollow piston block also serving is a receiver between cylinder and cylinder
and a valve oi valves regulating the passage of the steam into and from the receiver.
2. A. steam engine substantially as described with cylinders arranged m series, a
piston block, a valve o valves working in a passage in the piston block and a steam
way through the side of the block serving to admit the boiler steam to the valve
passage
3 A steam engine substantially as described with cylinders aanged in series, &
piston block, a
receive or receivers in the piston block a valve or valves working
in a passage in the piston block and an external valve regulating the admission of
steam to the first or high pressure cylinder.
4. A double steam engine substantially as described with cylinders arranged in
two series, a piston block in each, a valve or valves working in a passage in each
piston block and a pan of external valves actuated by the same eccentric and
admitting steam alternately to the two high pressure cylinders
5. A steam engine substantially as described with cyhuders aanged in series, a
piston block, a valve passage eccentric to the block a valve therein regulating the
passage of the steam through the cylinders and a single connecting rod centrally
placed connecting the piston block with a crank ou the main shaft
6. Steain engines substantially as herein described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings
Dated this 11th day of June 1805
CARPMAEL & Co,
Agents for the Applicant