IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE SLIDE OR STEAM AND OTHED MOTIVE DOWED ENCING" VALUE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wright Jones, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an invention of " IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE SLIDE
OR STEAM AND OTHED MOTIVE DOWED ENCING"
VALUE
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wright Jones at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1882.
WRIGHT JONES of Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM AND OTHER
MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
›
My invention relates to what are commonly known as the slide valves of steam
or other motive power-engines and consists in arrangements by which I am enabled
to counterbalance the force exercised upon them by the stean or other fluid which
presses them against the surface upon which they are caused to slide when in
motion.
Within the face of the slide valve I form a groove or grooves communicating
with an opening or openings formed in the face upon which the valve is caused to
alide when in motion. The above named opening or openings I connect by means
of a pipe to a chamber supplied with water or other fluid at such a pressure that
the force exerted thereby within the groove or grooves formed within the slide
valve and tending to force the valve from its face shall counterbalance, or nearly '
so, the steam or other fluid pressure forcing the valve in an opposite direction
The above named chamber containing water or other fluid I furnish with a
suitable valve or apparatus which I control by means of a cylinder furnished with
a piston such cylinder being in communication with the steam or other fluid pressing
upon the slide valve before referred to. As the pressure of the steam or other
fluid increases or decreases the valve previously named will allow the pressure of
the water or other fluid contained in the above named chamber to increase or
decrease with the varying steam or other fluid pressure upon the slide valve.

page_text: The chamber above referred to I supply with water or other fluid by a pump
or other suitable means, or I supply the aforesaid chamber with water or other
fluid by means of a revolving plug provided with cavities by which the water or
other fluid is admitted to the aforesaid chamber, and I apply heat to expand the
water or other fluid so as to gain the pressure requisite to counterbalance the steam
pressure upon the slide valve.
In applying my invention to locomotive engines I propose to place the chamber
above referred to within the smoke box of the locomotive engine aforesaid
whereby the said chamber will become heated so as to expand the fluid contained
therein.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Wright Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th September 1882.
WRIGHT JONES of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE
POWER ENGINES
My invention relates to what are commonly known as the slide valves of steam
or other motive power engines and consists in arrangements by which I am
enabled to counterbalance the force exercised upon them by the Steam or other
fluid which presses them against the surface upon which they are caused to slide
when in motion
Within the face of the slide valve I form a groove or grooves communicating
with an opening or openings formed in the face upon which the valve is caused to
slide when in motion-The above named opening or openings I connect by means
of a pipe to a chamber supplied with water or other fluid at such a pressure that
the force exerted thereby within the groove or grooves formed within the slide
valve and tending to force the valve from its face shall counterbalance or
nearly so the steam or other fluid pressure forcing the valve in an opposite
direction.
The above named Chamber containing water or other fluid I furnish with a
suitable valve or apparatus which I control by means of a cylinder furnished with
a piston such cylinder being in communication with the steam or other fluid pressing
upon the slide valve before referred to. As the pressure of the steam or other
fluid increases or decreases the valve previously named will allow the pressure of
the water or other fluid contained in the above named chamber to increase or
decrease with the varying steam or other fluid pressure upon the slide valve.
The Chamber above referred to I supply with water or other fluid by a Pump
or other suitable means or I supply the aforesaid chamber with water or other
fluid by means of a revolving plug provided with cavities by which the water or
other fluid is admitted to the aforesaid chamber and I apply heat to expand the
water or other fluid so as to gain the pressure requisite to counter-balance the steam
pressure upon the slide valve.
In applying my invention to Locomotive Engines I propose to place the chamber
above referred to within the smoke box of the locomotive engine aforesaid whereby
the said chamber will become heated so as to expand the fluid contained therein.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will now proceed to describe the same reference being made to the
drawings hereunto annexed. Figs 1 and 2 illustrate my invention as applied to
the slide valve of a horizontal stationary engine but such parts only are shewn as
are necessary to illustrate the application of my invention. Fig. 1 is a side
elevation and Fig. 2 a vertical cross section taken at right angles to Fig. 1, similar
letters of reference being placed upon corresponding parts in each of the figures.
At a is the cylinder provided with a valve chest b within which is the slide valve c
capable of being slidden upon the valve face b* and admitting steam to or allowing
the steam to escape from the cylinder a by means of the ports d, d*, d**, in the
ordinary manner. At e is a hollow globe or chamber capable of containing fluid.)
communicating with the interior of the globe or chamber e. is a pipe f, formed into
a spiral or coil at f*. Communicating with the interior of the globe or chamber e
is a pipe f** which passes to the valve chest b passing through the side thereof and
being made steam tight at the point g―The extremity h of the pipe being closed.

page_text: Within the face of the slide valve o and at each side thereof I form grooves or
slots i, i* such grooves or slots not extending throughout the entire width of the
valve c more clearly shewn in the detached view of the valve Fig. 3-The grooves
or slots i. i* communicate with the pipe f** through the openings k. k* formed in
the valve face b*. To the interior of the globe or chamber e., through the pipe fƒ.
I supply water or other fluid by means of a pump or other suitable apparatus
actuated in any convenient manner or by an apparatus to which I shall
subsequently refer. The water or other fluid I supply to the interior of the globe
or chamber e at such pressure that the force it exerts within the grooves i i*, shall
nearly but not quite counter balance the pressure exerted upon the valve c in the
direction of the arrow n by the steam. In cases where the pump for forcing the
fluid into the groove or cavities i. i. is not actuated by the engine to which the
slide valve c belongs such pump must be so arranged as to stop at the same time
or nearly so as the engine to which the said valve c appertains-One method of
accomplishing the same is by taking the steam for actuating the pump from
the interior of the valve chest b, so that shutting off the steam from the valve
chest b, will shut off the steam actuating the before named pump, or I connect
the lever or other similar part of the starting valve used for admitting steam to
the valve chest b, with an air tap attached to the pump supplying water or other
fluid to the globe or chamber, e, so as to allow the said pump to "draw air," and
thereby prevent its forcing water or other fluid to the globe or chamber e In cases
where the pressure of the steam or other fluid within the valve chest is not uniform
I prevent the valve c from being forced from the face 6* upon which it is slidden
when a reduction of pressure occurs, and also counter balance an increased steam
pressure which would tend to force the valve in the direction of the arrow n,
against the surface upon which it is slidden I make use of the following apparatus-
To the pipe f I connect a cylinder o, provided with a piston p, capable of being
slidden therein. Within the lower portion of the barrel or cylinder o, I form a
seating for a ball valve q. upon which a portion p*, of the piston p, having a
reduced diameter rests.-Secured to the upper part of the barrel or cylinder o by
means of an union or other joint is a pipe r, in communication with the interior
of the valve chest b, or boiler supplying steam to the aforesaid valve chest-
The steam from the valve chest passing along the pipe r, acts upon the piston ? so
as to force it in the direction of the arrow 8, and thereby presses the ball or valve q,
against its seating. When the pressure of the water or other fluid contained in the
globe or chamber e. caused by the pump or the heat applied to such globe or chamber
is sufficient to counterbalance or nearly so the steam pressure upon the slide valve c,
the valve q will allow the water or other fluid to escape from the pipe finto the
waste pipe t. The areas of the Piston p and valve q being so proportioned that
the valve q shall be forced by the steam pressing the piston p, in the direction of
the arrow S so that the pressure within the slots or grooves i * shall be main-
tained at a pressure which shall nearly counterbalance the force of the steam
pressing the slide valve c in the direction of the arrow n. Instead of supplying
the hollow globe or chamber with water or other fluid by means of a pump or
equivalent apparatus as previously described I make use of the following apparatus.
Upon the upper part of the hollow globe or chamber e I attach a pipe or tube *
(shewn upon an enlarged scale in Figure 4) within which is a cylindrical cavity
provided with a plug u capable of being rotated therein within this plug I form
two cavities or recesses u* u** as the plug u is rotated the cavities or recesses
u*u** will be consecutively presented to the parts v, w of the tube *-The plug u
I cause to rotate by any convenient means-In the position shewn the cavity or
recess u** is in communication with the portion of the pipe * from which it will
become filled with water or other liquid supplied by the pipe ** as the plug u is
rotated in the direction of the arrow the cavity u* will be brought into commu-
nication with the portion of the pipe
water or other liquid supplied by the pipe
direction of the arrow x the cavity u* will
from which it will become filled with
** as the plug u is rotated in the
be brought into communication with

page_text: the opening w. leading into the globe or chamber e so long as the upper
part of the globe or chamber e contains vapour to be hereafter referred to, the
water or other liquid will fall from the cavity u** into the interior of the
globe or chamber e- -The cavity u* in the plug ux having arrived in communica-
5 tion with the pipe v will receive a quantity of water or other liquid to be afterwards
passed into the globe or chamber e Beneath the globe or chamber e and within
the coil of pipe f* I place a gas or other flame y such flame heating the coiled
pipe and globe or chamber e generates steam or vapour within the said globe or
chamber thereby producing an elastic pressure in the water or other fluid for
› counter-balancing the steam pressure upon the slide valve c in the direction of the
arrow n as previously described. I enclose the globe or vessel e and coiled pipe f*
within a casing z formed of metal or other suitable material which supports the
globe or vessel e by means of projecting lugs formed on the casing z such casing
also preventing currents of air acting upon the flame y, and to prevent loss of heat
by radiation I surround the casing z by an outer casing * and the space or cavity
between the two casings I fill with some non-conductor of heat such as asbestos.
Through the upper part of the casings 2. 2* I form openings for the escape of the
products of combustion of the flame y.-The manner in which I apply my invention
to the slide valves of locomotive engines as illustrated by Figures 5. 6. 7 and 8 of
sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings. Fig: 5 being a vertical cross section
taken at right angles to Fig: 6 some of the parts being omitted to avoid
confusion.
At 1. 2 are the cylinders between which is the valve chest 3 within which are
the slide valves 4. 5 by which the admission and exit of steam to and from the
cylinders 1. 2 is controlled.-Passing through the side of the valve chest 3 are two
pipes 6. 7 their extremities 6*. 7* being closed their other ends being screwed or
otherwise fastened into elbows 8. 9 screwed or otherwise attached to a T piece 10
from which extends a pipe 11 screwed or otherwise fastened into a projecting
part 12 formed upon the hollow globe or chamber 13 placed within the smoke
box 14 of the locomotive engine aforesaid-From the hollow globe or chamber 13
extends a pipe 15 communicating with an aperture 16 formed in the lower
part of a bracket 17 secured to the side 14* of the smoke box 14 in any
convenient manner Within the upper part of the bracket 17 is formed a
cylinder 18 within which and capable of being slidden therein is a piston 19 an
extension 19* of the piston 19 is formed of a reduced diameter and is in contact
with a ball 20 resting upon a seating so as to constitute a valve closing the
opening 16 communicating with the pipe 15 before referred to. From the upper
part of the cylinder 18 and communicating therewith is a pipe 22 in communi-
cation either with the steam contained within the boiler of the locomotive or with
the steam within the valve chest 3. At 23 is a pipe communicating with a pump
or other suitable apparatus by which water or other fluid may be forced into the
globe or chamber 13 from which it will pass through the pipe 11, T piece 10 and
elbows 8. 9 to the pipes 6. 7 from which it passes through openings 24, 25, 26, 27
communicating with the slots or grooves 28, 29, 30, 31 formed within the faces of
the slides valves 4, 5, such grooves or slots extending lengthwise of the said
valves parallel with the direction in which they are slidden when working-The
said grooves formed in the face of the aforesaid valves being more clearly shewn in the
detached view Fig: 8 which is a view of the face of the valve 4 the valve 5 being
similarly constructed-The water or other fluid forced through the pipe 11 in the
direction of the arrows 32 will pass into the pipes 6. 7 then through the openings
24, 25, 26, 27 into the grooves or slots 28, 29, 30, 31 so as to partially counter-
balance the steam pressure such steam pressure tending to force the slide valves 4. 5
in the direction of the arrows 33, 34 respectively. A portion of the water or
other fluid forced into the globe or chamber 13 by means of the pump or other
apparatus before referred to becomes expanded and partially vaporized by the heat
in the smoke box 14 thereby becoming elastic such elasticity tending to prevent
any shock upon the valves 4. 5 arising from the action of the pump or other

page_text: apparatus aforesaid-The steam pressure upon the slide valves 4, 5, acting in the
direction of the arrows 33. 34 respectively is partially counterbalanced as previously
described in reference to stationary engines and the piston 19 and valve 20 act as
before described when referring to similar parts in reference to stationary engines
the water or other fluid allowed to escape by the valve 20 passes along the pipe 35
into any suitable receptacle and may be again passed along the pipe 23 by the pump
or other apparatus previously named. Any water or other fluid that may escape
between the faces of the slide valves 4. 5 and the surfaces upon which they are
slidden will be carried away by the exhaust steam from the cylinders 1. 2. In
some cases I form the slots or grooves into which the water or other fluid is
forced for counterbalancing the steam pressure on the slide valve with cross bars
as shown by Figs: 9 and 10. Fig: 9 showing a portion of a slide valve with a
slot or groove F formed therein. Fig: 10 being a longitudinal section of Fig: 9
on the line A B. At intervals across the slot or groove F I form cross bars C. D
the surfaces of which being in contact with the valve face G prevent a ridge from
arising upon the face G from the sliding of the valve thereon. Through the backs
of the cross bars C. D I form openings so that the water or other fluid may pass
into the entire length of the slot or groove F and the opening h supplying water
or other fluid to the slot or groove F I form of such width that it is never entirely
covered or closed by the cross bars C. D when being slidden over the said
opening h. I have hitherto referred to the slide valves of stationary and loco-
motive steam engines only but it will be readily understood that my invention is
also applicable to the slide valves of marine engines and also to hydraulic or other
motive power Engines in which slide valves are employed. Having thus described
and ascertained the nature of my said invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me
under the above in part recited Letters Patent
Firstly In steam or other motive power engines having slide valves counter-
balancing the force pressing such slide valves upon the surfaces against which they
are slidden, by means of water or other fluid forced into grooves formed within the
said slide valves substantially in the manner herein before shown and described.
Secondly-The use of the combined action of vapour and liquid forced into
the grooves formed in the slide valves of steam and other motive power engines
for the purposes herein before described and shewn.
In witness whereof I the said Wright Jones have hereunto set my hand and
seal this ninth day of September in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
WRIGHT JONES. (L.S.)