Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec, 1886
Complete Left, 30th Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec, 1887
I CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY of No. 5 Regent Street Smethwick in the County
of Stafford Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:-
My invention has reference to the valve gear of such kinds of pumps worked by
steam or compressed air as are commonly called positive action steam pumps and
consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said gear in the following
manner.
I will describe my invention in connection with a steam pump.
On the piston rod of the steam cylinder I fix a cross head pin which takes into a
slot in an arm or lever which actuates the slide valve. On the ascent and descent of
the piston rod the said arm is raised and lowered and in its motion effects the working
of the slide valve in the following manner. The said arın or lever turns on a shaft.
The said shaft carries a circular plate which also turns on the shaft. On the face of
the said plate is a cam. The said plate and cam are capable of turning through about
a quadrant their motion in both directions being limited by the arm described. The
said cam is concentric with the said plate through about two thirds of its length the
remaining one third progressively diminishing in radius. The slide valve spindle
carries at its top a roller which roller is situated immediately under the cam described.
The said roller is contained in a recess in the top of a piston which piston works in a
small short cylinder. Underneath the said piston is a coiled spring which presses up
the roller and keeps it to its bearing against the cam. In place of the said spring
steam may be employed to raise the said piston.
The action of the parts described is as follows:-On the descent of the steam piston
rod that part of the cam concentric with the shaft first passes over the roller and the
said roller has no motion. As the steam piston rod approaches the end of its stroke
the inclined part of the cam that is to say the part of diminishing radius is brought
over the roller the said roller acting on the said inclined part forces the cam aside and.

page_text: the rising motion of the roller being no longer obstructed the roller and the spindle of
the slide valve rise.
The return motion of the slide valve on the return or ascending motion of the steam
piston is effected by an arrangement of parts similar to that described excepting that
they are inverted.
In order to prevent the possibility of failure in the spring or steam to actuate the
piston carrying the roller I adopt the following arrangement. A pin on the lever
takes into a slot in the top of a connecting rod the lower end of which is jointed to a
short forked lever the forked end of which engages between two collars on the valve
spindle. When the first described lever and cam have reached the position at which
the cam permits the said roller and valve spindle to rise the said forked lever starts
the valve spindle and roller on their motion which motion is continued by the spring
or steam on the piston in the small short cylinder.
Dated this Thirteenth day of December 1886.

page_text: Improvements in [the Valve Gear of Pumps Worked by Steam or
Compressed Air.
I CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY of No. 5 Regent Street Smethwick in the County
of Stafford Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to the valve gear of such kinds of pumps worked by
steam or compressed air as are commonly called positive action steam pumps and
consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said gear in the following
manner.
I will describe my invention in connection with a steam pump.
On the piston rod of the steam cylinder I fix a cross head pin which takes
into a slot in an arm or lever which actuates the slide valve. On the ascent
and descent of the piston rod the said arm is raised and lowered and in its
motion effects the working of the slide valve in the following manner. The said
arm or lever turns on a shaft. The said shaft carries a circular plate which
turns loosely on the shaft. Connected to the said plate is a cam. The said plate
and cam are capable of turning through about a quadrant their motion in both
directions being limited by the arm described. The said cam is concentric with the
said plate through about two thirds of its length the remaining one third progressively
diminishing in radius. The slide valve spindle carries at its top a roller which roller
is situated immediately under the cam described. The said roller is contained in a
recess in the top of a piston which piston works in a small short cylinder. Under-
neath the said piston is a coiled spring which presses up the roller and keeps it to its
bearing against the cam. In place of the said spring, steam may be employed to
raise the said piston.
The action of the parts described is as follows; On the descent of the steam piston
rod that part of the cam concentric with the shaft first passes over the roller and the
said roller has no motion. As the steam piston rod approaches the end of its stroke
the inclined part of the cam, that is to say, the part of diminishing radius is brought
over the roller the said roller acting on the said inclined part forces the cam aside
and the rising motion of the roller being no longer obstructed the roller and the
spindle of the slide valve rise. The return motion of the slide valve on the return or
ascending motion of the steam piston is effected by an arrangement of parts similar
to that described excepting that they are inverted. In order to prevent the possibility
of failure in the spring or steam to actuate the piston carrying the roller I adopt the
following arrangement. A pin on the lever takes into a slot in the top of a connecting
rod the lower end of which is jointed to a short forked lever the forked end of which
engages between two collars on the valve spindle. When the first described lever
and cam have reached the position at which the cam permits the said roller and valve
spindle to rise the said forked lever starts the valve spindle on its inotion which
motion is continued by the spring or steam on the piston in the small short cylinder.
My improvements may be applied horizontal as well as to vertical pumps.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section Figure 2 in plan and Figure 3
partly in horizontal section and partly in plan a horizontal steam pump containing
valve gear constructed according to my invention. In the said Figures 1, 2 and 3
the parts are represented in the positions which they respectively occupy when the
steam piston has reached the end of its stroke in a direction contrary to that indicated
by the arrow y in Figure 1 the slide valve having been reversed and the steam piston
is about making its reverse stroke in the direction indicated by the arrow y.
Figure 4 represents the two cams and their stops and the arm or lever worked from
the piston rod in the same positions as corresponding parts in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 5 represents the positions of the two cams their stops and the arm or lever
before the steam piston has reached the end of the stroke Figure 1. Figure 6
represents the positions of the two cams their stops and the arm or lever when the
steam piston has reached the end of its stroke in the direction indicated by the
arrow y. Figure 1 and Figure 7 represents the positions of the two cams their stops
and the arm or lever before the steam piston has reached the end of its stroke in the
direction last mentioned.
Figure 12 represents in front elevation of one of the cams. Figures 8, 9, 10
and 11 represent plan views of one of the cams and its stops the said cam and stops
being in the same positions as the corresponding parts in the views above them of
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
g
a is the piston rod of the steam piston a working in the steam cylinder b and fis
the slide valve and the slide valve spindle the reciprocating motion of the said
slide valve being obtained from the piston rod a by the mechanism hereinafter
described constituting my invention. On the piston rod a a cross head pin c is fixed
the blocks on the said pin working in the slotted or double forked end of the arm or
levere the said lever turning by means of a collar on the fixed shaft g. The said
arm or lever e has motion on the shaft g through the arc indicated. On the shaft
and on one side of the lever e is a circular plate / from which stops i ³ are made and
connected to the said plate h and stops by means of the neck represented is a
cam & the said parts hi and k turning loosely on the fixed shaft g. On the said
shaft g and on the opposite side of the lever e is a second circular plate h² stops ³ *
and cam also turning loosely on the shaft g. One of the cams is represented in
front elevation in Figure 12. The said cams k k² are similar in figure but are so
turned on the shaft g that they have at different times the positions with respect to
each other best seen in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. The motions of the cams k k² in one
or other direction on the shaft g are effected by the upper arm of the lever e acting
against the stops on the circular plates h h with which the said cams are respectively
connected as herein after particularly explained. It will be seen by an examination
of the drawings that the upper arm of the lever e passes through and occupies the
cut away parts in the circular! plates h³ from which the stops are made so that when
the upper arm of the lever e is moved in one direction it bears against the stop i³
and gives motion to the cam k on the shaft g and when the upper arm of the lever e
is moved in the other direction it bears against the stop of the other cam k² and
gives motion in an opposite direction to the said cam k². The two cams k k² have
thus independent motion given to them in opposite directions on the shaft g as the
upper arm of the lever e moves in opposite directions. The upper arm of the lever e
also acts just before the piston a' has made its full stroke in either direction upon the
stops and on the cam discs h h for the purpose herein after described. While
the upper arm of the lever e moves through a portion of its arc it works in the cut
away parts of the plates h h and consequently has no action on the cams kk during
those times.
In the line of the cam k is a small short cylinder / containing a piston m and
piston rod p the said piston m having a roller m which is kept to its bearing against

page_text: the cam k by the coiled spring acting against the said piston. In the line of the
other cam k² is a similar short cylinder piston m³ piston rod p² and roller m*
pressed by the spring n³ against the said cam k³. On the spring piston rod p² is a
forked arm or bracket n the fork of which embraces and slides upon the slide valve
spindle The outer end of the slide valve spindle f³ carries a boss or head
against which the forked arm n bears when the piston rod p² moves in one direction
and gives motion to the said valve spindle f³ the said piston rod p² when moved in
the other direction having no action on the valve spindle f. To one end of the piston
rod p a rocking lever p₁ is jointed the said lever turning on the centre p³ the inner
arm of the rocking lever being situated opposite the boss or head on the slide valve
spindle. When the pistod rod p is moved in one direction the inner arm of the rocking
lever p strikes against and gives motion to the slide valve spindle f" and when the
piston rod p² is moved in the opposite direction the rocking lever p* has no action on
the slide valve spindle.
I will now describe the action of the valve gear of the pump.
The steam piston a² is represented at the end of its stroke at the cover end of the
cylinder and is about making its return stroke in the direction of the arrow y Figure 1
the long arm of the lever e having been moved in the same direction to the end of its
stroke by the action of the cross head pin c and its blocks upon the said long arm of
the lever e as seen in Figures 1 and 4.
When the parts of the gear occupy the respective positions represented in Figures
1, 2, 3 and 4 the spring piston m has been pressed out of its cylinder for reversing the
slide valve and the cam k is out of action and the spring of the piston mo is being
compressed by the action of the other cam k upon the roller of the said piston m' and
the steam piston a² is moving in the direction of the arrow y Figure 1 the two
cams kk having the respective positions on the shaft g represented in Figure 4. As
the steam piston a² moves in the direction of the arrow y the upper arm of the lever e
(which has moved in the space in the disc h) acts against the stop as represented in
Figure 7 and turns the cam k on its shaft g and causes the said cam to force the
piston m in its cylinder and compress the spring n². As the piston m is forced inwards
the inner arm of the rocking lever p✶ is by the action of the rod p removed from the
head f³
on the slide valve spindle When the steam piston a³ has nearly reached
the end of its stroke in the direction of the arrow y and the reversal of the slide valve f
is necessary the upper arm of the lever e is now brought by the further motion of the
piston a against the stop (see Figure 7) of the other cam k³ (which cam k has
previously compressed the spring n³ of the piston me when the steam piston was moving
in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow y) and the said cam is thereby
turned on its shaft. When the incline (see Figure 7) on the said cam k² has passed
the roller m' on the piston m the said piston is forced outwards by its spring and turns
the said cam through a quadrant and rapidly takes it out of action as represented in the
lower view of Figure 6 and the stop on the said cam is brought against the
upper arm of the lever e. The outward motion of the piston m³ is communicated
through the rod p² and arm n to the head f³ of the slide valve spindle f' and the said
spindle is thereby made to move in the direction of the arrow z Figures 2 and 3 and
the reversal of the slide valve is thus effected and the steam piston a³ starts on its
return stroke. As the piston a² makes its return stroke in a direction contrary to that
indicated by the arrow y the upper arm of the lever e which now lies against the
stop of the cam 4 acting against the said stop 3 turns the said cam * on its shaft
and presses back the piston m' and compresses the coiled spring n³.
the rod p² of the piston m³ now moves along the slide valve spindle in a direction
contrary to that indicated by the arrow but communicates no motion to the said
spindle. When the steam piston a³ is nearly at the end of its return stroke in a
direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow y the upper arm of the lever e comes
against the stop i of the cam & and turns the said cam on its shaft until the incline
(see Figure 5) on it has passed the roller m³ of the piston m when the said piston m is
forced outwards by the action of its compressed spring and turns the said cam through
a quadrant into the position represented in the top view of Figure 4 and brings the
The arm n on

page_text: stop of the cam against the said upper arm of the lever e.
The outward motion thus
given to the piston rod p causes the inner arm of the rocking lever pt to strike the
head of the slide valve spindle and force the said spindle inwards and thereby
reverse the position of the slide valve f the parts now occupying the respective positions
represented in Figure 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Instead of actuating the pistons in the small cylinders and at the proper times
for the reversal of the slide valve f by means of coiled springs steam may be made to
act upon the said pistons for that purpose.
In using steam the top of each of the cylinders and 12 is put into communication
with the source of steam by the inlet pipe at t and the bottom of the cylinder is put
into communication with the exhaust by the outlet pipe at u Figure 1. As the cams k k²
are about to be taken out of action the steam pressed pistons give the rapid rotary
motion to the said cams to effect the reversal of the slide valve in the manner herein-
before described with respect to the spring pressed pistons m and m³.
The mechanism for starting the slide valve and thereby preventing the possibility
of failure in the springs or steam to actuate the pistons m and m³ at the proper times
for the reversal of the slide valve consists of the following parts.
which
On the lever e is a pin c which works in the slot g' in one end of the rod
rod is jointed to the short forked lever r the upper arm of the said forked. lever"
engaging with the slotted parts of the head on the valve spindle. When the
lever e and the cam k or 2 have reached the positions at which the cam permits of
the return motion of the piston m or m³ for the reversal of the slide valve the pin c²
on the lever e bears against one or other end of the slot q* in the rod q and thereby
gives motion in one or other direction to the said rod 9 and the forked lever r and the
said forked lever starts the slide valve spindle f* in the proper direction the motion of
the piston m or m³ and the slide valve being continued by its spring or by the action
of the steam in the short cylinder 1 or 2 as will be understood by an examination of
Figure 1.
When the pump is to be used vertically it is fixed by the foot y³ to a wall plate or
is otherwise supported in a vertical position.
My improvements are applicable to pumps worked by compressed air in place of
ateam.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in the valve gear of pumps worked by steam or com-
pressed air."
First Reversing the slide valves of positive action pumps worked by steam or
compressed air from the main piston rods of the said pumps by means of valve gear
consisting essentially of the lever e (operated from the main piston rods) the double
arrangement of cams k k² and stops and spring or steam pressed reversing
pistons m m in the cylinders 11 together with the appliances described and repre-
sented the said parts being constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly-The construction and combination of the parts herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for starting the slide valve and the
spring or steam pressed reversing pistons of the valve gear on the main piston reaching
the end of its stroke and thereby ensuring the return motion of the said reversing
pistons at the proper times.
.
1
.
1000
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.