A New or Improved Hydraulic Engine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 16.h Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Hydraulic Engine.
ARTHUR ANDERSON WATKINS Engineer of Bala Lodge Vanbrugh Park,
Blackheath in the County of Kent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to engines worked by water pressure & more particularly
to the valves & means of working same & consists of a cylinder fitted with a piston
& rod working through a gland at one end of the cylinder in the ordinary way.
To this main cylinder is attached a cylindrical valve chamber or chest with its
axis lying in a horizontal plane. In the centre of this cylindrical valve chamber is
a spindle running its whole length and projecting outwards at one end through¸a
gland. This spindle carries a slide valve the face of which works upon a seginent
of the inside surface of the valve chamber with a reciprocatory movement. Through
this surface are cut the ports connected to the engine cylinder in the usual manner.
The slide valve carries on its upper side a piston, or bucket leather, having an area
somewhat less than the area of the valve surface or valve face.
This piston or
bucket leather fits into a short cylinder on and a part of the valve spindle, the
enclosed space of which cylinder is connected to the exhaust port of the valve
chamber. The object of this combination of piston & cylinder is to reduce the
pressure of the valve on the surface upon which it works, for as the tendency of
the water pressure is to press the valve on its face, the tendency of the piston is to
lift it off its face. These two forces can be so balanced that the pressure and the
wear on the valve surface are reduced to a minimum.
On the end of the spindle which projects through the gland a wheel having a
grooved rim revolves with a reciprocatory movement equal to the stroke of the
engine and is thus actuated by a wire rope or cord attached to an arm projecting
from the piston rod, the cord being lapped round on the groove of the wheel & the
other end attached to the same.
By the side of the wheel, also loose on the spindle, works a collar having an arm
carrying a balance weight, this arm comes in contact, first with one and then with
the other of two joggles or tappets projecting from the side of the wheel & is carried
round alternately by one & then by the other in such a way that the balance weight
falls first on one side and then on the other of the spindle as it falls the arm to
which it is attached strikes a projection fixed on the spindle & carries it round and
the valve with it the distance required for the travel of the valve; upon the return
stroke of the engine the balance falls over on the reverse side, and in the same
Instead of a balance weight
manner causes the valve to give its reverse movement.
;
a coil spring may be attached to this arm, the other end of the spring being fixed
at a point vertically above or below the axis of the spindle and act in the same
manner as the balance weight.
A lever having projections reaching into the same plane in which the projections
from the spindle travel is placed on the spindle & is so arranged that when raised
or lowered it regulates the movement of the spindle & consequently the movement
of the valve in such a way that the opening of the ports is varied & thereby the
pace of the engine regulated.
1001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Hydraulic Engine.
ARTHUR ANDERSON WATKINS Engineer of Bala Lodge Vanbrugh Park
Blackheath in the County of Kent 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 that class of engines which are worked by water or
other fluid and particularly to those of a reciprocating type.
The cylinder & piston are similar to those in ordinary use in hydraulic engines
& the engine can be single or double acting.
My invention consists of a particular form of valve box & valve & means of
actuating the same.
The valve chamber is of a cylindrical form on one side of which internally are
cut the ports leading to the cylinder & to the exhaust and on this surface works
the slide valve laterally having a semi-rotating & reciprocating movement through
that are of the circle which covers the ports.
The slide valve is attached to and worked by a spindle the axis of which
corresponds with the axis of the valve chamber & which spindle projects through
a gland at one end of the chamber.
On this spindle & outside the valve box revolves a V wheel driven by a wire
cord from an arm projecting from the crosshead of the piston rod, or otherwise con-
nected with the piston, in such a manner that the in & out strokes of the piston cause
the wheel to give semi revolutions backwards & forwards.
This wheel has two projections, opposite each other, on one of its sides, which
projections, first one and then the other cause a weight-swung from the valve
spindle-to fall over first on one side & then on the other of the spindle, and this
weight in falling over strikes an arm projecting from the valve spindle and causes
it to move a sufficient distance to reverse the valve which it carries round
with it.
On the back of the valve is fixed a piston which works in a small cylinder, a
part of the valve spindle. This cylinder is connected with the exhaust so that the
pressure in the valve chamber has always a tendancy to lift the valve off its face.
The pressure of the water however has also a tendancy to press the valve against
the face of the ports. The area of this piston is however made smaller than the
face area of the valve, and so adjusted that there is a small excess of pressure
keeping the valve on its face. The particular advantage of this invention is that
by this means the friction on the valve & port faces is greatly reduced thereby
reducing the wear & power required to move the valve to a minimum.
I will now
drawings.
more particularly describe my invention by reference to the
Fig. 1. represents a transverse section & Fig. 2. a longitudinal section of the
valve box or chamber.
The water is admitted through the inlet L & exhausted, after passing into
the cylinder, through the passage . I & J are the two ports connected to the
two ends of the cylinder. An air vessel is attached to the opening M.
.A is the slide valve which is free to lift but is kept on its face by the pressure
of the water. This valve A is carried by the valve spindle C which is caused to
give it a semi-rotating & reciprocating motion in the valve box alternately opening
the ports 1 & J, one to the admission of water & connecting the other with the
exhaust.
To the exterior part of the spindle C is fixed the cross piece R (Fig. 3) having
two arms N. N. Also on the spindle fits loosely is the V wheel Q, lapped round
which is a wire rope fixed to the wheel at S; the two ends, or one of them, being
attached to an arm from the piston rod in such a manner that the reciprocating

page_text: movement of the piston is communicated to the wire rope & causes the wheel to
revolve a half revolution & back again at each double stroke of the piston.
Fig. 3. shews the wheel in a position it would have after the commencement of a
stroke of the piston, the wheel revolving in the direction of the arrow.
When the
projecting lug P from the wheel Q has carried the weight T to just over the vertical
position then the weight will fall over & the part O striking the arm N will carry
it round sufficiently to reverse the valve. The engine will then travel on the
reverse stroke & in the same manner reverse again as the weight falls over on
the other side.
On the back of the valve and a part of it is the small piston E which fits in a
cylinder D (a part of the valve spindle C). This cylinder D is connected to the
exhaust by the passage F leading into the groove K on its face which groove
is always open to & travels over a passage G communicating with the exhaust
port.
It will be now readily understood that the pressure of the water circulating in
the valve chamber has a tendancy to lift the valve from its face by pressing the
piston E into the cylinder D. The pressure of water bas also a counterbalancing
tendancy to press the valve against the face of the ports. By so adjusting the
area of the piston E to the area of the valve face & making that of the piston
slightly smaller the pressure of the valve face against the surface of the ports, &
thereby the friction in working, can be reduced to a minimum.
In the case of a single acting cylinder one-port (I or J) only is required, the
exhaust port G, the valve itself & other parts remaining the same as in the case of
a double acting engine.
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:
1. The slide valve having a piston on its back working in a cylinder substantially
in the manner & for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 4th day of March 1892.
ARTHUR A. WATKINS.