Improvements in Steam Motor Apparatus for Working Steering, Starting, or other Mechanism.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Motor Apparatus for Working Steering,
Starting, or other Mechanism.
We, JOHN HASTIE, and WILLIAM HASTIE, both of Kilblain Engine Works, Greenock,
in the County of Renfrew; North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention comprises an improved and advantageous construction of steam
motor apparatus suitable for working various kinds of mechanism and especially
steering and starting gear.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification a casing is formed in
any convenient number of castings but by preference in a single casting with the
exception of a large door giving access to the interior. At the lower part of the casing
there is fitted a horizontal shaft made with four cranks which are connected to trunk
pistons in four compound single-acting cylinders. The cylinders with their passages
are by preference formed in the same casting as the casing, two of them being
together at one side and the other two at the other side, with more or less space at the
middle according to the particular requirements of each case. Each cylinder is made
with a comparatively long upper part of smaller bore than the lower part; and the
trunk and larger part of the piston are suitably packed to work in the smaller and
larger bores respectively. The pistons of two adjacent cylinders are connected to
cranks at right angles to each other; and the cranks for one pair of cylinders are
diametrically opposite to those for the other pair. A part of the trunk of each piston.
is made with ports aud internal spaces so as to act as a distribution valve for the
cylinder the crank for which is at right angles to that to which it is itself connected.
The ported part of each trunk works over ports in the smaller parts of the cylinder
these ports communicating with inlet and exhaust passages. In ordinary working each
portion of steam acts first upon the top of a trunk or upper piston and afterwards
down upon the larger annular area of a lower piston. The passages for one pair of
cylinders are in communication with those of the other pair so that the steam which
is exhausting from the upper end of a cylinder in which the piston is moving
upwards passes thence into the larger part of a cylinder the piston of which is moving
downwards.
at its
For the purpose of controlling the extent and reversing the direction of the motion
the several cylinder passages communicate with a cylindrical valve chamber having in
it a rotatory valve and a rotatory port piece. The port face of the port piece
upper end and there are in it four passage ports and a central final exhaust port, the
passage of which last extends down to the lower end of the port piece and there
communicates by holes with a space in the valve chamber to which the exhaust pipe is
connected. The four passage ports extend to different distances in the port piece and
each communicates with a different annular channel formed round the outside of tho
port piece. In whatever position the port piece may be each channel being formed
completely round it is always in communication with the passages extending to the
cylinders the passages having ports in suitable positions in the sides of the valvo
chamber. The steam is admitted to the upper side of the rotatory valve which works
on the port face on the end of the port piece. This valve is made with hollowed paris
which cover the central exhaust port and put one or other of the passage ports into
communication with it according to its position. The valve is also made with cut-
away parts so as to uncover one or other of the passage ports. Ordinarily the valvo
will uncover to the steam a port communicating (through the distribution trunk ports)
with the smaller ends of the cylinders only; the ports and valve are however arranged

page_text: so that on giving an extra movement to the valve it may give the steam direct access
to the larger parts of the cylinders for the purpose of developing more power at
starting or when a quick action is required. In one position of the controlling valve
steam is completely shut off, and on turning the valve a little the engine will be made
to turn in one direction or the other according to the direction in which the valve has
been turned.
When the engine details are applied for working steering or starting gear the port
piece on which the controlling valve works will be turned from the crank shaft through
worm and wormwheel gearing or other speed reducing gear, so as to bring or con-
tinually tend to bring the port piece into a neutral position relatively to the controlling
valve. In the gearing which thus moves the port piece a spring is introduced which
on the crank shaft ceasing to turn in consequence of the valve nearly closing will turn
the valve a little further so as to insure its complete closing which is desirable in such
apparatus.
The forms of the rotatory controlling valve and port piece may be varied; or instead
of there being a moving port piece the controlling valve, which may be a rotating or
rectilineally-moving slide valve, may be moved by combined hand-moved and engine-
moved mechanism of any suitable known kind in use in steering engines.
The
arrangement for admitting high-pressure steam directly to the larger cylinder spaces
is applicable with either rotating or rectilineally-moving valves.
The crank shaft may be arranged in any suitable known way to act on the gearing
or mechanism to be worked by it; but the present Invention does not comprise any
improvements in tlie arrangements for such purposes.
Datod this Tenth day of December 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Motor Apparatus for Working Steering,
Starting, or other Mechanism.
We, JOHN HASTIE, and WILLIAM HASTIE, both of Kilblain Engine Works, Greenock,
in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner, the samo is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say. :-
This Invention comprises an improved and advantageous construction of steam
motor apparatus suitable for working various kinds of mechanism and especially
steering and starting gear.
Apparatus as made according to our Invention is shown on three accompanying
sheets of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, sheet, 1, being a vertical fore-and-aft section,
and figure, 2, sheet, 2, a transverse vertical section. Figuro, 3, sheet, 3, is a vertical
section of one of the cylinders as at right angles to figure, 2, and figure, 4, is an
enlarged vertical section of controlling-valve details. Figure, 5, is a sectional plan of
the controlling valve, and figure, 6, is the plan of the port face it works on. Figures, 7,
and 8, are horizontal sections of the controlling valve. Figures, 9, and 10, are hori-
zontal sections of passages communicating between the controlling valve and the
cylinders, the passages being supposed to be horizontal although parts of them are
curved in the vertical plane as indicated in figure, 2. In these drawings the same
reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated.
In carrying out the Invention according to the modification shown in the drawings
and suitable for a-steering engine, a casing, A, is formed in any convenient number of
castings, but by preference in a single casting, with the exception of the bottom, A 1, and
of a large door, A 2, giving access to the interior. In the lower part, A 1, of the casing
there is fitted a horizontal shaft, B, made with four cranks, B 1, B2, B3, B4, which are
connected to trunk pistons, C1, C2, C3, C4, in four compound single-acting cylinders,

page_text: D1, D2, D3, D4. The cylinders with their passages are by preference formed in the
same casting as the casing, A, two of them being together at one side, and the other
two at the other side, with more or less space at the middle according to the particular
requirements of each case. Each cylinder is made with a comparatively long upper part,
E1, E2, E3, E 4, of smaller bore than the lower part; and the trunks, F 1, F 2, F3, F4,
and larger parts, C1, C2, C3, C4, of the pistons are suitably packed to work in the
smaller and larger bores respectively. The pistons, C1, C2, of two adjacent cylinders,
D1, D2, are connected to cranks, B1, B2, at right angles to each other; and those
cranks are diametrically opposite to the other two cranks, B3, B4, which are connected
to the pistons, C3, C4, of the other cylinders, D3, D4. A part of each of the trunks,
F1, F2, F3, F4, is made with ports, G, or cavities in the sides so as to act as a dis-
tribution valve for the cylinder the crank for which is at right angles to that to which it is
itself connected. The ported part of each trunk works over ports in the smaller parts of
the cylinders, these ports communicating with cylinder passages, H, of which those
having ports in the sides of the small part of cylinder, D 1, lead one to the top of the
small part of cylinder, D 2, and the other to the top of the large part of that cylinder.
Similarly passages, H, from cylinder, D 2, lead to the tops of the small and large parts
of cylinder, D 1; and a similar arrangement is adopted with the passages, H, of the
cylinders, D3, and D4. The ports of the cylinder passages, H, are at the several proper
times put by the valve cavities of the trunks, F1, F2, F3, F4, in communication with
the ports of inlet and exhaust passages, J, K, shown as horizontal in figures, 9, and 10,
but which are in part inclined as indicated by dotted lines in figure, 2, the ordinarily
dotted lines indicating the back passages or those, J, at the further sides of the
cylinders in that figure, whilst the peculiarly dotted lines indicate the front passages, K,
or those which are in the parts supposed to be removed in making the section shown
in that figure.
In ordinary working each portion of steam acts first upon the top of a trunk or
upper piston and afterwards down upon the larger annular area of a lower piston, the
steam when exhausting from the upper end of a cylinder in which the piston is moving
upwards passing thence into the larger part of a cylinder the piston of which is
moving downwards.
For the purpose of controlling the extent and reversing the direction of the motion
the passages, J, K, are made to communicate with a cylindrical valve chamber, L,
having in it a rotatory valve, M, and a rotatory port piece, N. The port face of the
port piece, N, is at its upper end as shown in figure, 6, and there are in it four passage
ports, N 1, N 2, N 3, N 4, and a central final exhaust port, P, the passage of which last
extends down to the lower end of the port piece and there communicates by holes with
a space, P1, in the valve chamber, to which the exhaust pipe is connected. The four
port passages, N 1, N 2, N 3, N 4, extend to different distances in the port piece, and
each communicates with a different annular channel, L1, L2, L3, L4, formed round
the outside of the port piece. In whatever position the port piece may be, each channel
being formed completely round it is always in communication with the passages, J, K,
extending to the cylinders, these passages having ports in suitable positions in the
sides of the valve chamber, L.
The steam is admitted to the upper side of the rotatory valve, M, which works on
the port face on the upper end of the port piece, N. This valve, M, is made with a
hollowed part, M 1, which covers the central exhaust port, P, and puts one or other of
the passage ports into communication with it according to its position. The valve is also
made with cut-away parts so as to uncover one or other of the passage ports; and
there is also within the valve a space, M 2, for putting in communication with each
other two of the passage ports. Ordinarily, the valve, M, will uncover to the steam a
port communicating (through the distribution trunk ports, G) with the smaller ends
of the cylinders only; the ports and valve, M,, are however arranged so that on giving
an extra movement to the valve it may give the steam direct access to the larger parts
of the cylinders, for the purpose of developing more power at starting or when a

page_text: quick action is required. In one position of the controlling valve, M, steam is com-
pletely shut off, and on turning the valve a little the engine will be made to turn in
one direction or the other according to the direction in which the valve has been
turned. The valve, M, is prevented from being turned too far by stops, M 3, on it
which encounter stops, N 5, on the port piece, N.
When the engine details are applied for working steering or starting gear, the port
piece, N, on which the controlling valve, M, works, is turned from the crank shaft, B,
by means of a spurwheel, Q, fixed on a spindle formed on the lower end of the port
piece, N, this spurwheel having in gear with it a pinion on the upper end of a nearly
vertical shaft, Q1, which has at its lower end a worm wheel, Q2, driven by a worm, R,
on the crank shaft, B, this being the worm which gears with a wormwheel, R 1, on
the shaft of the chain barrel, R 2, of the steering gear. For starting gear the corre-
sponding parts will be different as is well understood. In the gearing which thus
moves the port piece, N, a spring is introduced which on the crank shaft, B, ceasing
to turn in consequence of the valve nearly closing, will turn the port piece a little
further so as to insure the completo closing of the valve which is desirable in such
apparatus. In figure, 1, the spring, Q3, is shown as applied between the worm-
wheel, Q2, and the shaft, Q1, and it is shown in sectional plan in a sinall figure at
the side. The spring, Q3, is a steel blade held in a slot in the shaft, Q1, and engaging
in notches on the inside of a ring, Q4, formed on the wormwheel, Q2.
The forms of the rotatory controlling valve and port piece may be varied; or
instead of there being a moving port piece the controlling valve, which may be a
rotating or rectilineally-moving slide valve, may be moved by combined hand-
moved and engine-moved mechanism of any suitable known kind in use in steering
engines. The arrangement for admitting high-pressure steam directly to the larger
cylinder spaces is applicable with either rotating or rectilineally-moving valves.
In the example shown in the drawings the controlling valve, M, is moved by
means of a spindle, M 4, formed on it and passing out through a stuffing box, the
spindle being geared by bevil wheels, M 5, to a shaft having on it a handing
wheel, S, and being also (when desired) coupled to a vertical shaft, S 1, extending
upwards to a bridge or steering station above."
The crank shaft, B, may be arranged in any suitable known way to act on the
gearing or mechanism to be worked by it; but the present Invention does not
comprise any improvements in the arrangements for such purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the samo is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1 In steam motor apparatus the combination of four compound single-acting
cylinders each having a piston working in a larger part and a trunk working in
a smaller part, the trunks being made with cavities working over ports and acting
as distribution valves, the passages and other parts being arranged substantially as
hercinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings..
2-In steam motor apparatus for working steering, starting, and analogous
mechanism, the combination of a controlling valve with a movable port piece on
which the valve works, and which is moved by the motor, the parts being arranged
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
1
3-In steam motor apparatus for working steering, starting, and analogous
mechanism, the application of a rotatory controlling valve arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described.
4 In compound steam motor apparatus for working steering, starting, and
analogous mechanism, arranging-the-controlling valve in combination with the ports
on which it works so as with an extra movement of the said valve to admit the
high-pressure steam directly to all the cylinders or cylinder spaces substantially in the
manner herein before described.

page_text: 5-In steam motor apparatus for working steering, starting, and analogous
mechanism in which the actions of a controlling valve or valves are stopped by
the motor apparatus in accomplishing the intended movements, the introduction of
a spring in the gearing through which the motor apparatus acts on the valve details
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Dated this Ninth day of September 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.