IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES FOR STEAM LAUNCHES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PÁTENT to Eustace Ernest Wigzell and Claude Halsey, both of 82
Mark Lane, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGINES FOR STEAM LAUNCHES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 17th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eustace Ernest Wigzell and
Claude Halsey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th
January 1876.
EUSTACE ERNEST WIGZELL and CLAUDE HALSEY, both of 82, Mark Lane, in
the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES FOR STEAM LAUNCHES AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in engines for steam launches and
for other purposes.
We employ two cylinders, one above the other, with steam in the top of the
bottom cylinder and steam in the bottom of the top cylinder. Between the
cylinders there is a gland screwed in three parts, preventing the piston rod being
exposed at any time, and necessitating but one stuffing box for the two cylinders.
The two pistons are connected by a piston rod, and; the connecting rod works from
The connecting rod and
the piston of the bottom cylinder direct on to the crank.
crank are enclosed within a chamber, and the crank shaft passes through a long
bearing on one side made adjustable and with a stuffing box. There is also a small
bearing on the other side of the crank, and beyond this bearing the crank shaft is
square, and has a plug valve fitting on it. The valve rotates with the crank shaft,
and it works within a shell having ports alternately in its side in connection with
the steam supply, with the exhaust, and with the passages leading to and from the
steam cylinders. The valve covers and closes these passages, except when openings
formed in the side of the valve place the ports in the valve shell in communication
with each other. In this way the steam is allowed to pass to and from the cylinders.
The valve shell has ports on one side and top and bottom, the same distance apart
as the inner valve, and the same size as the outside liner and casing. When the
ports on the side are on the left, the bottoin ports communicate with the steam and
exhaust; when on the right, the top ports are in communication with steam and
exhaust. The outside casing and inner liner have ports on each side and bottom,

page_text: which are for the steam and exhaust. The ports on the bottom are connected to
the exhaust and steam pipes; the other ports communicate with cylinders direct.
In some cases we construct engines with more than two cylinders.
The engine can be reversed by turning round the valve shell within a brass lined
seating in which it works; this is effected by means of a lever handle. This
apparatus also acts as a stop valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Eustace Ernest Wigzell and Claude Halsey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th July 1876.
EUSTACE ERNEST WIGZELL and CLAUDE HALSEY, both of 82, Mark Lane, in the
City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES FOR STEAM LAUNCHES AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in engines for steam launches and
for other purposes.
We employ two cylinders, one above the other, with steam in the top of the
bottom cylinder and steam in the bottom of the top cylinder. Between the
cylinders there is a gland screwed in three parts, preventing the piston rod being
exposed at any time, and necessitating but one stuffing box for the two cylinders.
The two pistons are connected by a piston rod, and the connecting rod works from
the piston of the bottom cylinder direct on to the crank.. The connecting rod and
crank are enclosed within a chamber, and the crank shaft passes through a long
bearing on one side, made adjustable and with.a.stuffing box. There is also a small
bearing on the other side of the crank, and beyond this bearing the crank shaft is
square, and has a plug valve fitting on it. The valve rotates with the crank shaft,
and it works within a shell having ports alternately in its side in connection with
the steam supply, with the exhaust, and with the passages leading to and from
the steam cylinders. The valve covers and closes these passages, except when
openings formed in the side of the valve place the ports in the valve shell in com-
munication with each other.. In this way. the steam is allowed to pass to and from
the cylinders.
The engine can be reversed by turning round the valve shell within a brass lined
scating in which it works; this is effected by means of a lever handle. This
apparatus also acts as a stop valve.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section; Figure 2 is an horizontal section: and Figure 3 is
an elevation, partly in section, of an engine constructed according to our Invention.
,, are the two cylinders, in which work pistons b, b, connected together by a
piston rod c.
The lower piston by a connecting rod d actuates a crank e, ou which,
in the case of a launch engine, the screw propeller is fixed. f, f, are the passages by
which steam passes to and from the cylinders. The steam pipe is connected at g, and
the exhaust at h. The distribution of the steam is effected by the cone plug i, which
revolves with the crank shaft e. It has two pair of ports or passages in it, one
pair for cach cylinder, and as the plug revolves it puts the passages ff, leading to
the cylinders into communication with the steam supply and the exhaust alternately.
These passages terminate in corresponding ports on opposite sides of the plug, but
between these parts there is the moveable shell k, which by means of a lever handle
upon it can be turned round at pleasure. In one position the shell closes all com-
munication between the passages f, f, and the plug i, and then the engine. is
stopped; in other positions it closes the passages f on one side, leaving t them
",

page_text: open on the other, and so controls the direction in which the engine runs. Between
the two cylinders there is a gland of peculiar construction made in three parts, with
but one packing, viz., in the under side of the upper cylinder. The main bearing
of the crank shaft is set in the midst of a hempen packing, and so without fitting
it adjusts itself to its proper working position.
Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section, and Figure 5 is a plan of another similar
engine, but simplified, as it is intended to run in one direction only.
Figure 6 is a plan partly in section, Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, and
Figure 8 is a transverse section of an engine, in which the construction is somewhat
modified, the two cylinders being placed opposite to each other and horizontally.
The piston of cach cylinder is provided with a connecting rod working on to the
crank shaft. The valve is also somewhat varied in form, the steam being supplied
at the end to the interior of the rotating plug i, whilst the exhaust is from the under
side of the valve casing. This engine is intended to work in one direction only.
Figure 9 is an elevation partly in section, and Figure 10 is a plan, also partly
in section, of a very similar engine to that last described, but arranged to be
capable of reversal at pleasure. There is a moveable shell capable of being turned
by a lever handle, as already explained. The steam passes to the cylinders through
ports in this shell, and when the shell is turned round the ports alter their positions
in respect to the crank, thus according to the position of the shell the crank is
propelled in one or other direction.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves
to the exact details, but we claim the construction of engines for steam launches
and for other purposes, substantially as described and as shown in the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Eustace Ernest Wigzell and Claude Halsey,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
E. E. WIGZELL.
(L.S.)
CLAUDE HALSEY. (L.S.)