IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE AND CUT- OFF VALVES APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND IN APPARATUS CON- NECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Binks, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE AND CUT-
OFF VALVES APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH.
"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Binks at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1879.
JAMES BINKS, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE AND CUT-OFF VALVES APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES,
AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to the valve gear of the steam engine with ordinary.slide
and cut-off-valves, and consists in an improved arrangements of parts for opening
and closing the cut-off-valves. By my arrangement most of the present main slide
and cut-off-valves in existing steam cylinders can be utilized, which will be a great
consideration in point of cost.
The main double ported slide valve is worked in the ordinary way by means of
a valve spindle or rod passing through the stuffing box or gland to the eccentric
rod, which is worked by a eccentric fixed on the crank shaft.
The cut-off-valves are placed behind the double ported valve, and are fastened
also on a valve spindle which passes through a sliding dash pot or spring box which
is attached to main slide-valve spindle, and from which it gets its motion, which is
supplied with a spiral coil and spring plates, or other equivalents. To the end of
the slide valves or cut-off-valves spindle is attached a catch bar which slides in a
slide box, which is supplied and fitted with a reciprocating cam worked by a cam or
eccentric or other equivalents direct from the crank shaft of the engine or other
equivalents.
The reciprocating cam is regulated in its lift by a lever which is connected to
the ordinary governors, and arranged so that when the governors are at the bottom,
which indicates that the engine requires mere steam, the aforesaid regulating cam
lever is in such a position as to place the cam so as not to allow the catch bar to
work out of the slide box, but keep the cut-off-valves stationary, allowing the
J

page_text: ports of the main slide valve to give steam to the cylinder nearly the whole of the
stroke or untill the main slide valve cuts steam off itself.
As soon as speed is obtained the governors place the regulating cam lever in
such a position so as to place the reciprocating cam in position to lift the catch bar
out of the slide box and allow it to be worked so as to give motion to the cut-off-
valves.
In case the engine attains too-high a speed the governors place the regulating
cam lever in such a position so as to lift the catch bar out of gear, by which it
closes the ports in the main valve with the cut-off-valves which slide with the
main valve, thereby stopping all communication for the passage of the steam untill
such times as the proper speed is obtained.
When the catch bar is out of gear the spring or springs or other equivalents in
the dash box are at rest, and are only compressed when the catch bar is in gear.
A great feature in this Invention is the sliding dash pot or spring box, which is
worked backwards and forwards by the main valve spindle to which it is attached.
The springs or other equivalents are at rest, and become compressed only when
the catch bar works in the slide box, and which remains stationary and compresses
the springs by the sliding action of the aforesaid dash pot or spring box untill such
times as the reciprocating cam lifts it above the top of the slide box, when the
compression of the springs are released and shuts the cut-off-valves suddenly,
thereby making a most effective cut-off, which is essential to the steady working
of steam engines and economy in fuel. The cut off is regulated and effected by the
action of the governors, and is so quick in its action as to cut-off the steam at the
earliest possible point in one stroke, and carry the steam on nearly the whole of
the next stroke, the point of cut-off depending on the position of the governors,
which is effected by the power to be exerted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Binks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th February
1880.
"
JAMES BINKS, of Bolton le Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE AND CUT OFF VALVES APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES,
AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to the valve gear of the steam engine with ordinary slide
and cut off valves, and consists in an improved arrangement of parts for opening
and closing the cut off valves.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation I will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings, reference being
made to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1'is an elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan of part of an ordinary steam engine with
slide and cut off slide valves to which my improved valve motion is applied.
+1

page_text: Figs. 3 to 7 are detached views of the valve motion drawn on an enlarged scale.
In Figs. 1 to 7 A is the steam cylinder; B, B, the spindles of the main slide valves;
C, C, the spindles of the cut off valves; D, the main slide valves; E, the cut off
valves; F, the sliding dash-pot; G, the spiral coil or spring; H, the spring plates;
I, the catch bar; J, the slide box; K, the reciprocating cam; L, the centre on
which the reciprocating cam sits or works; M, the lever, which is actuated by the
governor for regulating the lift of the reciprocating cam; N, the eccentric rod for
actuating the reciprocating cam lever O, driven from an eccentric fixed on the
crank shaft of the engine or any other convenient place, and which may be driven
in other ways that may be required, according to the peculiar construction of the
engines to which my Invention may be applied; P are the cushioning valves.
It is obvious that various modifications of the above may be made, and so long as
the sliding-dash pot and spring or other equivalents, and reciprocating cam regu-
lated by the governor for the purpose of actuating slide cut off valves is maintained,
which forms the essential feature in my Invention, the parts may be changed, and
equivalent parts be substituted in various vays. The main double ported valves D, D,
are worked in the ordinary way by means of the valve spindle B passing through
the stuffing box b to the eccentric rod, which is fixed too, and worked from the
eccentric fixed on the crank shaft or other equivalents. To the valve spindle B is
attached the sliding-dash pot or spring box F, which travels with it, and has the
same relative motion. The cut off valves E are placed behind the main slide
valves D, and are fixed on the spindles C, which passes through the sliding-
dash pot or spring box at the end of the cut off valve spindle is attached the
catch bar I, which works on the top of the slide box J, to which is attached
the catch plates S, S. To the underside of the catch bar, between the plates S, S,
is fixed a metal plate T to act as a shoulder or catch to prevent the cut off valve
spindle moving with the main slide valve spindle, thereby opening the cut off
valves for the admission of steam when the plate T, on the catch bar I, comes in
contact with the plates S, S, on the slide box J, the spiral coil or spring G is
compressed against the spring plates H in the dash pot; these plates are fixed to
the cut off valve spindle, thus keeping the cut off valves open for the admission of
steam to the cylinder, when sufficient steam is admitted the reciprocating cam,
which is regulated in its lift by the lever M, worked from the governor, and
placed into position according to the power to be exerted, the lever O is.worked
from the eccentric on the crank shaft or other equivalents, and raises the upper
side of the reciprocating cam K into contact with the underside of the catch
bar I, lifting the plate T and catch bar I above the catch plates S, S, when the
spring G is immediately released and flies in the direction the dash-pot is travelling;
operating on the cut off valves E, through the rod or spindle C, thereby cutting off
the admission of steam to the cylinder instantly.
The level of the reciprocating cam K is varied by the governor in the following.
manner: The centre L, on which the reciprocating cam works, is not in the centre,
but set a little out of the centre to give an eccentric motion; to the centre L is
attached the lever M, which is raised and lowered by the governor, and moves
the reciprocating cam up or down, as required, that when the reciprocating cam
is raised it operates sooner or earlier on the plate T, on the catch bar I, and effects
the cut off of the steam earlier, and vica-versa.
By this means the steam is cut off according to the action of the governor, which
varies according to the load on the engine.
If the engine attempts to what is termed run away the governor rises to the top
and lowers the lever M, which raises the top of the reciprocating cam K above the
level of the catch plates S, S, upon which slides the catch bar I, thereby the cut off
valves E slide behind and with the main valves, and does not open the ports on the
back side of the main slide valves D for the admission of steam as the cut off
valves E can only be opened by the action of the catch bar plate T being stopped
against the catch plates S. S. Immediately the governor falls into the working
position through the engine being arrested by the non-admission of steam,

page_text: the lever M lowers the reciprocating cam, and allows the catch bar I to drop in
gear with the catch plates S, S, when the cut-off-valves E are set to work at
once.
Fig. 3 is an elevation to a larger scale of the sliding-dash pot shewing the
cushioning valves at each end, which are made and operated upon as follows:-
The plate or valve W has attached a centre spindle Z, sliding through the bush Y,
screwed into the end of the dash pot F; when a greater cushioning power is required
the bush Y is screwed outwardly so as to allow the cushion plate or valve W to
come against the edge of the thoroughfare, and prevent the air escaping by the
holes X.
If less cushioning power is required the bush Y is screwed inwardly to prevent
the cushion plate from closing the holes X entirely, and allow more air to get out.
To prevent the cushion plates or valves W from getting out off their place the end
of the centre, spindle Z projects through the bush Y, and is provided at the end
with a nut and small spring U.
The air is admitted to the dash-pot through the holes V and X. The handles
and screws V³ are merely cheques to prevent the centre bush Y getting out of its
place by the cushioning power when once set right.
This Fig. also shews a side view of the slide box with the reciprocating cam
shaft, lever, &c.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the top part of the slide box J, shewing the end
view of the reciprocating cam K.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the dash-pot F, shewing how it is fastened to
the main slide valve spindle B, and at the bottom side how it is connected to the
main slide bar for carrying the same.
Fig. 7 is a section of the cushioning valve for the dash pot F.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the mode of
performing the same, I wish to remark that I do not intend to limit myself to the
exact details given, as in some cases the same may be varied according to the
peculiar purposes for which my improvements may be required, but that what I
claim, and desire to be secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The combination of parts forming my improved cut off motion applicable
to cut off slide valves constructed and operating substantially in the manner
described, and as shown in the Drawings.
Second. The construction and use of a sliding dash pot or spring box with
cushioning valves operating and applied substantially as shewn on the annexed
Drawings.
Third. The construction and use of areciprocating cam and lever actuated upon
an eccentric, worked from the governor for the purposes described, and substantially
as shewn on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Binks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
sight and night.
Witness,
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
30, Arrowsmith Terrace,
Bolton-le-Moors.
JAMES BINKS. (L.S.)