IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND PUMPS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Mantell Parker and John Rennie Robson,
both of Alton, in the County of Hants, Engineers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND
PUMPS."
Sealed the 5th November 1872, and dated the 27th June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Mantell Parker
and John Rennie Robson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents,.with their Petition, on the 27th June 1872.
We, WALTER MANTELL PARKER, and John RENNIE ROBSON, both of
Alton, in the County of Hants, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES AND PUMPS," to be as follows:
כן
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This Invention relates first to improvements in the construction of the
pistons of steam and other engines and pumps, the pistons being so
arranged that the packing rings may expand both in the circumferential
direction of the interior of the cylinder, and also in the direction of the
length of the same.

page_text: The piston may be arranged in carrying out our improvements with
any suitable number of rings, suited to the particular purpose for which
it is required, the usual number being three.
Each inner side of the outer rings, and the two sides of the inner ring
or rings, are made with a bevilled instead of a square face, so that when
the rings are moved sideways on one another they open out and become
wider in the direction of the length of the cylinder.
Either the middle or outside rings are fitted tight to the inner surface of
the cylinder, the others being slightly within (on the interior of rings)
so that another ring, or a circular or other spring, placed within the
packing rings acts to force up those so slightly standing back and thus
make a steam-tight fit both to the interior of the cylinder and to the
sides of the piston block and back cover or junk ring.
Each ring is cut through in one or more places and on the inside, and
on each side of such joint or joints a strip of brass or other metal is or
may be soldered or otherwise affixed, in order to make an independent
bearing for the spring or springs on the ring or rings so fitted.
We do not confine the application of our improvements to any par-
ticular form of piston or pistons, but employ such forms as are most
suitable for any particular purpose.
We would also remark that a junk ring may, if requisite, be dis-
pensed with, and valves may be applied to the piston, if desired, in order
to obtain the pressure of the contained fluid on the interior of the rings.
The second part of our Invention relates to the application of a roller
or rollers, of any suitable metal or material, in place of the guide or slide
blocks usually employed, running between or upon straight bars to guide
the cross heads of steam or other engines in their rectilineal motion.
These rollers may be formed either with or without flanges at the ends,
or with flat, grooved, curved, or angular faces. These rollers run freely
on the gudgeon or cross head pin, being recessed or chambered out round
the same. Holes for the passage of oil are formed leading from this
chamber to the working face or faces of the rollers, and the gudgeon
being hollow holes are arranged so that oil or other lubricant may pass
into the chamber of the roller, and thence through the holes in the same
directly on to the working faces, the centrifugal force resulting from the a
rotation of the rollers facilitating its delivery..

page_text: Balls and sockets may be substituted for the rollers.
The connecting rod and other bearings of steam and other engines
may be lubricated in like manner.
The third part of our Invention relates to improvements in the con-
struction of the "links" of link motions for actuating the valves of
steam and other engines so that they may be capable of adjustment for
the purpose of taking up the play or looseness caused by wear or friction.
This part of our improvements is particularly applicable to the usual
form of link, and consists in making it in two halves through its thick-
ness, the various pin holes and other openings in each half being made
larger on one (by preference the inner side), and the block or die is of
tapered form from the middle to each end.
A kind of tapered bush is arranged (similar to two truncated cones
placed base to base) and cut in three parts on the line of the axis (each
of such bushes, if desired, having a key or steady pin or projection fixed
in it to enter a recess in the tapered hole of the link in order to prevent
rotation). We place this double tapered bush on each excentric and
lifting rod pin so that when the two halves of the link are placed
together over such bushes and tapered die, being so held by suitable
bolts, the tightening of these bolts shall compress the tapered surfaces
together and thereby take up all the play or looseness of the parts. A
liner may, if desired, be placed between the two halves of link, or leather
packing may be employed, or it may be left open if preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Mantell Parker and John Rennie Robson
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WALTER
MANTELL PARKER and JOHN RENNIE ROBSON, both of Alton, in the
County of Hants, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto us, the said Walter Mantell Parker and John Rennie
Robson, Her special license that we, the said Walter Mantell Parker
and John Rennie Robson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Walter Mantell Parker and John Rennie
Robson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time i
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND PUMPS," 1
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Walter Mantell
Parker and John Rennie Robson, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same 1
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
=
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Mantell Parker, on behalf of
myself and the said John Rennie Robson, do hereby declare the nature 2
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in the construction of
the pistons of steam and other motive power engines and pumps, the 2
pistons being so arranged that the packing rings may expand both in the
circumferential direction of the interior of the cylinder and also in
the direction of the length of the same.
The piston may be arranged in carrying out our improvements with
any suitable number of rings, suited to the particular purpose for which g
it is required, the usual number being three.
Each inner side of the outer rings and the two sides of the inner ring
or rings are made with a bevelled instead of a square face, so that when
the rings are moved sideways on one another they open out and become
wider in the direction of the length of the cylinder.
Either the middle or outside rings are fitted tight to the inner surface
of the cylinder, the others being slightly within (on the interior of rings)
8

page_text: Figure 7 shows a piston arranged with three packing rings a, b, c, of
round section, pressed outwards by means of two similar rings d, d,
acting as springs to force the packing rings outwards. In this arrange-
ment a piston block e is employed, formed with a groove e¹ to receive
the springs and packing rings, which are arranged in position by being
expanded over the piston block e and sprung into their places, as shown.
Or this form of the piston may be constructed with a junk ring for
retaining the packing rings a, b, c, and inner springs d, d, in position.
Figure 8 shows another modification in which the packing rings a, b, c,
are pressed outwards by means of circular springs d, d, of round section,
as clearly shown in the Drawings.
Figure 9 shows a plan and Figure 10 a part section of a piston,
arranged with packing rings a, b, c, in accordance with our improve-
ments, the junk ring f in this arrangement being dispensed with, the
packing rings a, b, c, being retained in position by the plates or surfaces f¹
resting on collars f' bolted to the piston block e by bolts e', as shown.
d, d, are circular springs to press out the packing rings. By this means
the steam or other fluid is admitted to the interior of the piston and
rings on one side, and thus acts to press out the packing rings against
the inner circumference of the cylinder. This arrangement is particularly
applicable to single acting steam hammers; viz., those in which the
hammer head is only raised by steam and falls by its own gravity.
Figure 11 shows a transverse section of another modification of piston
arranged with two sets of packing rings a, b, c, in accordance with our
improvements; the packing rings in this arrangement being pressed
outwards so as to fit the inner circumference of the cylinder by the
pressure of the contained steam or other fluid which is admitted to the
interior of the piston by valves 9 sliding to and fro in the tubes g¹
screwed or fitted to the piston. The valves g open inwards on that side
of the piston to which the steam or other fluid is admitted, whilst the
valves on the opposite side close on their conical seats by the same
pressure. An opening g² admits the steam or other fluid to the interior
of the piston so as to force the sliding pieces or plungers h outwards
against the rings a, b, c, as shown.
Figure 12 shows a modified arrangement of the valve, which consists
of a sliding block 9 which alternately opens and closes the steam
Gin the tube all loading to the intation of £1.

page_text: pressure of the steam or other fluid forcing the sliding valve g from one
end of the tube g¹ to the other, so as to open one passage g' and cover or
close the other.
The second part of our Invention relates to the application of a roller
or rollers, of any suitable metal or material, in place of the guide or slide
blocks usually employed running between or upon straight bars to
guide the cross heads of steam or other engines in their rectilineal motion.
These rollers may be formed either with or without flanges at the ends,
or with flat grooved, curved, or angular faces. These rollers run freely
on the gudgeon or cross head pin, being recessed or chambered out
round the same. Holes for the passage of oil are formed leading from
this chamber to the working face or faces of the rollers, and the
gudgeon being hollow holes are arranged so that oil or other lubricant
may pass into the chamber of the roller, and thence through the holes
in the same directly on to the working faces, the centrifugal force
resulting from the rotation of the rollers facilitating its delivery.
.
Spherical rollers and guides with corresponding surfaces may be sub-
stituted for the rollers previously described.
The connecting rod and other bearings of steam and other engines
may be lubricated in like manner.
Figures 13, 14, and 15, Sheet 3, of the Drawings hereunto annexed,
shews different views of the guide motion, and cross head of a piston.
and connecting rod having friction rollers applied thereto in accordance
with the second part of our improvements in place of the guide or slide
blocks usually employed. a, a, are the rollers formed with flanges,
which embrace the sides of the guide bars b, which guide the movement
of the rollers a. The gudgeon or cross head c, upon which the rollers a
run freely, is hollow or tubular, having a passage c¹ bored or formed
through it from end to end, to which oil cups or lubricators c², c³, are
fitted, as shown. The oil flows from the tubular passage o¹ in the
gudgeon c through holes into the hollow chamber a' formed in the
rollers a, from which it is conducted through the holes a³ on to the face
of the guides 6 by the rotatory motion of the rollers a, as will be readily.
understood on examining the Drawings.
Figures 16, 17, and 18, Sheet 4, show a guide motion arranged with
a single pair of guide bars 6 and a central friction roller a in accordance

page_text: with this part of our improvements, and as corresponding parts are
marked with similar letters of reference it will not be necessary to give
a minute description of this arrangement, as a competent mechanic will
readily understand the same by examining the Drawings.
Figure 19, Sheet 3, of the Drawings shews a guide roller a of spherical
form arranged in accordance with this part of our improvements, so as
to roll between the fixed guides 6 formed with concave surfaces corre-
sponding with the form of the guide roller a.
struction of the 66
The third part of our Invention relates to improvements in the con-
links" of link motions for actuating the valve of
steam and other engines, so that they may be capable of adjustment
for the purpose of taking up the play or looseness caused by wear or
friction.
Figures 20, 21, and 22, Sheet 5 of the Drawings hereunto annexed,
show separate views of a link and parts connected therewith of a link
motion for actuating the valves of a steam or other motive-power engine,
the links being arranged and constructed in accordance with this part of
our improvements. This part of our improvements is particularly
applicable to the usual form of link, and consists in making it in two
halves a, a, through its thickness, the various joint pin holes and other
openings in each half being made larger on one (by preference the
inner side), and the block or die 6 is of tapered form from the middle to
each end.
A kind of tapered bush c is arranged in each pin hole or opening
similar to two truncated cones placed base to base, and cut in three
parts on the line of the centre of the pin (each of such bushes if
desired having a key or steady pin or projection fixed in it to enter a
recess in the tapered hole of the link in order to prevent rotation). We
apply this double tapered bush c to each excentric and lifting rod pin,
so that when the two halves of the link are placed together over such
bushes and tapered die they are held together by the bolts a³, and the
tightening of these bolts will compress the tapered surfaces together,
and thereby take up all the play or looseness of the parts.
A liner (not represented in the Drawing) may if desired be placed
between the two halves of the link a, or leather packing may be a
employed, or it may be left open, as shown, if preferred.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our improvements, and the
manner of carrying the same into practice, we would remark that we
do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein described, as long as
the novel character of our improvements are retained; but what we
claim is,
First. The improved combinations and arrangements of parts in the
construction of the pistons of steam and other motive power engines,
substantially as herein-before described and shown, in reference to
Sheets 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly. We claim the improved arrangement and construction of
the guide rollers a in place of the guide or slide blocks for guiding
and lubricating the cross heads, guides, and other parts of steam or
other motive-power engines, substantially as herein-before described
and shown in reference to Sheets 3 and 4 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Thirdly. We claim the improved construction and combination of the
parts forming the links of link motions for actuating the valves of
steam or other motive-power engines, substantially as herein-before
described and shown in reference to Sheet 5 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Mantell Parker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December,
in, the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
W. M. PARKER. (L.S.)