Improvements in Steam or other Fluid Pressure Starting and Reversing Gears for Handling Marine or other Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov.. 1897-- Accepted. 10th Feb. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Fluid Pressure Starting and
Reversing Gears for Handling Marine or other Engines.
PETER MACLEOD BAXTER, Copland Works, Govan, Glasgow, DAVID BOSWELL
DONALD, Kerwick, Penryn, County of Cornwall, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
The improvement consists in a cylinder, either fixed or mounted on trunnions,
fitted with a piston, the rod of which passes through a stuffing box, the outer end
of which is connected by a link or links to the main reversing lever mounted on
the weigh shaft of the marine or other engine, or when the cylinder is mounted on
trunnions allowing it to oscillate, the cuter end of the piston rod is directly con-
nected to the main reversing lever.
•
The cylinder is arranged with separate steam & exhaust ports. The former are
led into the cylinder at its extreme ends. The latter are led into the cylinder at
points some distance from the ends. The piston is made of such a depth that when
at either end of the cylinder it will be covering the exhaust port in connection with
that end.
The admission & exhausting of the steam to either end of the cylinder is con-
trolled by a valve actuated by a hand lever & a floating lever or other arrangement
is fitted so that when the hand lever is placed in mid position the valve will be
moved to a corresponding position & the piston will be brought to rest at a
corresponding position and the main engine links be placed in mid gear. The
valve & the levers in connection with it are so arranged that when it is desired to
put the piston to the extreme end of its stroke in either direction, thus placing the
main engine links full astern or ahead; live steam will remain at the back of the
piston & keep it hard pressed against the end of the cylinder.
The exhaust port will also be left in connection with the condenser or atmosphere.
On the exhaust pipe leading from the cylinder a valve is fixed so made that it can
readily be adjusted to lift at any desired pressure, thus controlling the pressure of
the steam on the exhaust side of the piston.
A hand gear of any of the usual forms can be fitted in conjunction with the
above steam gear.
Dated this 9th of February 1897.
P. MACLEOD BAXTER.
DAVID B. DONALD.

page_text: Improvements in Steam or other Fluid Pressure Starting and
Reversing Gears for Handling Marine or other Engines.
PETER MACLEOD BAXTER, Engineer, Copland Works, Govan, Glasgow, DAVID
BOSWELL DONALD, Engineer, Kerwick, Penryn, Cornwall, 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:-
The improvement consists in a evlinder either fixed or mounted on trunnions,
fitted with a piston, the rod of which passes through a stuffing box, the outer end
of which is connected by a link or links to the main reversing lever mounted on
the weigh shaft of the marine or other engine. The link or links may be dispensed
with and a slot may be formed in the end of the piston rod in which may work a
block working on a pin fixed in the main reversing lever. When the cylinder is
mounted on trunnions, allowing it to oscillate, the outer end of the piston rod. is
directly connected to the main reversing lever.
The cylinder is arranged with seperate steam and exhaust ports to each end.
The former ports are led into the cylinder at its extreme ends. The latter are led
into the cylinder at some distance from its ends. The piston is made of such a
depth that when at either end of the cylinder it will be covering the exhaust port
in connection with that end.
The admission and exhausting of the steam to either end of the cylinder is con-
trolled by a valve actuated by a hand lever. A floating lever or other similar
arrangement may be fitted so that when the hand lever is placed in mid position,
the valve will be moved to a corresponding position and the piston will be brought
to rest at a corresponding position and the main engine links be placed in mid gear..
The valve and the levers in connection with it, are so arranged that when it is
desired to put the piston to the extreme end of its stroke in either direction, thus
placing the main engine links full ahead or astern; live steam can, if desired,
remain at the back of the piston and keep it hard pressed against the end of the
cylinder. The exhaust port at the opposite side of the piston can also; if desired,
be left in connection with the condenser or atmosphere.
On the exhaust pipe leading from the cylinder to the condenser or atmosphere, a
valve is fitted, so constructed that it can be readily adjusted to lift at. any desired
pressure, thus controlling the pressure of the steam or vapour on the exhaust side
of the piston.
Drain valves are fitted at each end of the reversing engine cylinder and are led
either to the atmosphere or to the condenser. These valves are so arranged that
when the hand lever for moving the controlling valve of the reversing engine
cylinder is nearly hard over in either direction a projection on the lever or a pro-
jection on the shaft to which the lever is keyed, will press on the spindle of the
drain valve in connection with the exhaust end of the cylinder for the time being,
and will open that valve thus placing that end of the cylinder in connection with
the atmosphere or condenser by means of the said drain valve. A seperate hand
lever is also fitted for opening either drain valve independently of the above
described arrangement. The drain valves are provided with springs to automatic-
ally close them as soon as one or the other is released from pressure by either of
the above mentioned means.
When it is desired to put the main links to ahead or astern, the hand lever is
moved over so that the projection on it or on the shaft to which it is keyed will
just bear against the spindle of the drain valve at the end of the cylinder which is
the exhaust for the time being. The controlling valve will admit live steam to
}

page_text: the opposite end of the cylinder and the piston will be moved. As soon as the
piston has passed over the exhaust port it will be cushioned by the exhaust steam
which is imprisoned between the piston and the end of the cylinder.
To put the main links hard over or to put the reversing engine piston hard over
against the cylinder end and lock it there, it is only necessary to push the hand
lever further over so the projection on it will open the drain valve.
The imprisoned cushioning steam will escape to the condenser or atmosphere
and the live steam on the opposite side of the piston will move it hard over against
the cylinder end and hold it there.
It is not always necessary to leave live steam on the piston to lock the engine.
If the drain valves are connected to the main condenser the vacuum may hold the
piston against the cylinder end.
For the purpose of warming up the main engines we propose applying a small
engine, either reciprocating or direct acting; to automatically move the hand
"
vice versa." The
lever of the reversing engine slowly from ahead to astern and
main links will thus be moved back and forward and the main engines will move
accordingly.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shews in longitudinal section the reversing engine. Fig. 2 is an end
view of same and Fig. 3 shews the drain valves in section.
A is the cylinder of the reversing engine fitted with a piston B mounted on a
rod C. The connecting rod I connects the piston rod to the weigh shaft lever L
of the main engines. S is the live steam connection. The steam ports F and the
exhaust ports G are led from the cylinder barrel to the valve face H on which
works a slide valve I actuated by a hand lever J through the floating lever arrange-
ment K. The short lever or projection M keyed on the hand lever shaft is arranged
to open either of the drain valves N when the hand lever is near the limits of its
travel. X is a hand lever by which the drain valves N may be opened indepen-
dently of the lever M. Y Y are springs fitted to the drain valve spindles to
ensure the valves closing when neither of the levers M or K are pressed against the
collars on the valve spindles. The exhaust controlling valve O on the exhaust
pipe is shewn on Fig. 2. P is the valve chest containing a valve Q. On the top of
its spindle R is fitted a washer against which presses the end of a spring T. The
upper end of this spring butts against a washer held down by a screwed spindle U
fitted with a hand wheel V for facility in adjustment. By compressing the spring T
more fluid pressure will be required to lift the valve Q and the pressure of the
exhaust steam from the reversing engine will be raised accordingly.
Z is the point on the hand lever J to which the small reciprocating or direct
acting engine for automatically moving the hand lever J to and fro, may be
connected by a pin readily put in or out of gear.
We do not confine ourselves to the arrangement as shewn on the different
drawings. The arrangement can be variously modified without departing from
the essential features of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
I. In a reversing engine a cylinder arranged to work with fluid pressure having
seperate steam and exhaust ports substantially as described and shewn on the
accompanying drawings.
II. An adjustable loaded valve on the exhaust pipe of a reversing engine
substantially as described and shewn on the accompanying drawings.
III. Drain valves with springs arranged to be opened by the hand lever of a
reversing engine substantially as described and shewn on the accompanying
drawings.
IV. A reversing engine constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
described and shewn on the accompanying drawings.

page_text: V. The application of a small engine to move the hand lever of a reversing
engine substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of October 1897
P. MACLEOD BAXTER.
DAVID
DONALD.