IMPROVEMENTS IN DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER PURPOSES, AS CUT OFF VALVES FOR DRIVING ENGINES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Heywood, of Radcliffe Bridge, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer and Boiler Maker, and Samuel Spencer, of the same Place,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIRECT ACTING STEAM
PUMPS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER PURPOSES, AS CUT OFF VALVES
FOR DRIVING ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Heywood and
Samuel Spencer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
September 1881.
GEORGE HEYWOOD, of Radcliffe Bridge, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
and Boiler Maker, and SAMUEL SPENCER, of the same Place, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER
PURPOSES, AS CUT OFF VALVES FOR DRIVING ENGINES."
Our Invention relates more particularly to steam pumps or pumping engines, and
consists of improvements in the manner of and means for controlling and regu-
lating the admission and emission of steam to and from the steam cylinder of such
engines or pumps. In lieu of the piston, valves, or plungers ordinarily employed
for this purpose we employ a small hollow cylinder formed with two compartments
and with inlet and outlet ports or passages, and cause the same to slide upon two
fixed and stationary pistons. The said cylinder is cast or formed with the valve
which slides upon the valve facing and is moved to and fro thereon by means of a
frame, to which is connected a rod which passes through one end of the valve
casing; this rod is moved by a curved link or pallet with which a stud or block
on the piston rod of the engine engages. The said small cylinder has imparted to it
by the said frame an intermittent movement, the effect of which is to establish a
communication for the flow of steam alternately through the said passages. The
said fixed and stationary pistons, each of which fit within a compartment of the
said small cylinder, is formed with short rods cast or formed with blocks or end
pieces which fit loosely into slides cast or formed within the valve casing. When
the valve faces have become worn the slide valve and connected small cylinder
....

page_text: bring down the said rods which lower themselves in the said slides and adjust the
valve faces, which is an important advantage. We cause the movements of each
valve by admitting a portion of steam from the steam chest or steam pipe alter-
nately into each of the said spaces. We form in the said valve two passages
which lead from the circumference of the said small cylinder to one of the end
spaces, and serves to convey steam into the said end space to effect the movement
of the valve. When the piston is nearing the end of a stroke the said small
cylinder opens a port and steam flows into one of the spaces between the fixed
piston and partition and effects the backward or forward stroke of the engine
piston as the case may be. To prevent the partition of the small cylinder striking
the fixed piston, I prefer to make the exhaust passage comparatively smaller than
the inlet port so as to prevent the whole of the steam escaping, and thereby form a
cushion for the same. By these means we are enabled to simplify the slide valve
mechanism and obtain a more durable arrangement. The Invention is also
applicable, with slight modifications, to be worked by other fluids than steam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Heywood and Samuel Spencer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th March 1882.
"1
. GEORGE HEYWOOD, of Radcliffe Bridge, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
and Boiler-maker, and SAMUEL SPENCER, of the same Place, Engineer. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DIRECT-ACTING STEAM PUMPS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER
PURPOSES, AS CUT-OFF VALVES FOR DRIVING ENGINES."
Our Invention relates more particularly to steam pumps or pumping engines,
and consists of improvements in the manner of and means for controlling and
regulating the admission, and emission of steam to and from the steam cylinder.
In lieu of the piston valves or plungers ordinarily employed for this purpose, we
employ a small hollow cylinder formed with two compartments, being divided
centrally by a partition, and with inlet and outlet ports or passages for steam, and
we cause the said small cylinder to slide laterally upon the peripheries of two fixed
and stationery pistons. The said hollow cylinder is cast or formed with a flat
valve, which slides upon the valve facing to open and close the ports by means of a
suitable frame or strap, to which is connected a rod wbich passes through the end
of the valve box or casing. This rod is moved by a curved link or pallet, with
which a stud or block on the piston rod of the engine engages at each stroke of the
piston. The said small cylinder has imparted to it by the said frame or strap
through the said block or pallet an intermittent movement, the effect of which is
to establish a communication for the flow of steam alternately through the said
passages. The said fixed and stationery pistons, each of which fit within a
compartment of the said small cylinder, is formed with short rods, having square or
rectangular end pieces which fit loosely into slides mounted within the valve
casing. When the valve faces may have become worn, the slide valve and small
cylinder bring down the said pistons and rods, and the end pieces lower themselves
in the said slides, and thereby adjust the valve faces which is an important.
advantage. To prevent the partition of the small cylinder striking the fixed and
stationery pistons, we prefer to make the exhaust port or passage comparatively
smaller than the inlet port or passage, so as to prevent the whole of the steam
escaping, and thereby form a cushion for the same. The Invention is also applicable
to be worked by other fluids than steam.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood, we have caused
to be appended hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to
which reference will now be made. Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 a cross section of a steain chest or valve casing, and connected cylinder of a
steam pump, showing the application of our Invention thereto. The small
cylinder a is formed with a partition f, and consists of two compartments b, c,
having inlet and outlet ports d, e, d¹, e', for live and exhaust steam. Within the
said cylinder a, are mounted two pistons g, g¹, the rods of which are carried by
the frame p. With the cylinder a is cast with the flat slide valvej, which slides upon
the valve face k, of the steam cylinder Z, in which the piston m works. The said
cylinder a, and connected slide j, is actuated to open and close the ports n, o, by
the frame p, which is fitted loosely around the slide j. To the said frame p, a
rod q is connected, which passes through a stuffing box in the casing A. This rod
is connected by a link to a pallet, mounted on a stud, and carried by a bracket
bolted to the engine bed. A stud or block on the piston rod r, engages at each
stroke of the piston with one or the other of the arms of the pallet, and
reciprocates to and fro the frame p, and thereby the small cylinder a, and
valve face j, the effect of which establishes a communication for the flow of steam

page_text: to the cylinder & through the said ports. Each piston g, g', is fitted with short
rods, on the ends of which blocks 8 are formed, which fit loosely in similarly shaped
slides, the object being to permit of the cylinder a bringing down with it the
two pistons g, g' when the valve face j may have become worn, which we
consider an important advantage, as it allows of the valve face j, adjusting itself
on the valve at all times. When the piston m has completed a stroke, the valve
face j, of the said small cylinder a, which has imparted to it an intermittent
movement by the frame p, opens a port and steam flows into one of the spaces
between the piston g, and partition for g', and f, and effects the backward or
forward stroke of the engine, piston m, as the case may be. In order to prevent
the partition f of the cylinder a striking the small piston g, or g', we make the
exhaust ports d¹, e¹, comparatively smaller than the inlet ports d, e, whereby the
whole of the steam is prevented from escaping, the remaining steam forming a
cushion between the piston g, and partition f or g¹, and f. In some cases,
and particularly when constructing pumping engines of comparatively greater
dimensions, we may employ an auxillary valve u, actuated by the rod v, through
an extension of the link which governs the rod q, by which means the steam will
be admitted alternately into the compartments of the hollow cylinder a little'
earlier, in order. to overcome the increased friction of the slide j, on the slide face k.
By these means we are enabled to dispense with the use of springs, piston valves,
or plungers heretofore employed, and obtain a more durable arrangement at a
comparatively less cost. We have described the apparatus as being actuated by
steam, but it must be understood that other fluids than steam may be employed.
Having now described and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
means for carrying the same into effect, we would have it to be understood that
we claim,-
First. The formation and employment of the hollow cylinder a, mounted to
slide on fixed pistons g, gl, and actuated intermittently by the frame p, to open and
close the steam ports n, o, of the engine cylinder 7, substantially as described and
illustrated in the Drawings.
'
Secondly. Providing the valve casing A, with slides i, in which slides the
block's 8, on the piston rods g, g), which descend with the pistons g, g', and
cylinder a, and allows the valve j to adjust itself on the valve face k, as it
becomes worn.
·
Thirdly. The general arrangement and combination of parts substantially as
described and illustrated in the Drawings.
In witness, whereof, we, the said George Heywood and Samuel -Spencer,-have-
hereunto set our hands and seals. this Second day of March in the wOOK of
Signed and sealed by the
said George Heywood
and Samuel Spencer in
the presence of
J. F. COLLINGE,
Clerk to Messrs. Bosshardt and Grant,
Patent Solicitors,
Hopwood Avenue,
Manchester.
GEORGE HEYWOOD. (L.S.)
SAMUEL SPENCER.
(L.S.)