IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, SURFACE CONDENSERS, AND VALVES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Turnbull, of 22, Barclay Road, Fulham, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM ENGINES, SURFACE CONDENSERS, AND VALVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Turnbull at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th September 1879.
WILLIAM TURNBULL, of 22, Barclay Road, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. “IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, SURFACE CONDENSERS, AND
VALVES."
To improve the construction and increase the economy of steam engines, in doing
so I dispense with the crosshead, connecting rod, motion bars, and guide blocks,
and connect the piston and crank together by each end of the piston rod through
a moveable stuffing box, which is fitted to or cast on a plate that moves steam
tight on the surface of the cylinder cover, which is made convex and has an oblong
opening to suit the oscillation of the piston rod caused by the motion of the crank.
The pressure and friction produced by the angular thrust of the piston rod I
counteract by admitting steam between the piston and cylander on the side where
the pressure is by small self acting valves fitted inside of the piston. By this
improvement the number of parts and friction in steam engines is greatly
reduced.
.
The second part of my Invention is to increase the economy of steam in
compound engines. With two or more cylinders the exhaust steam of each cylinder
passes to the condenser or atmosphere, according to the type of the engine. When
two cylinders are used the cranks are fixed from 90 to 120 degrees apart, and when
three cylinders are used the cranks of the first and third cylinder are fixed from
100 to 120 degrees apart. The steam from the boiler is supplied to the small
cylinder through suitable steam passages and valves which are worked from a
separate link motion, which regulates the steam required for the engine. When
the piston of the small cylinder has performed part of the stroke the steam is
transmitted from the pressure side of the piston by an intermeadiate valve or valves
into the steam chest of the large cylinder or cylinders, or is transmitted through
Price 6d 1

page_text: equilibrium valves to the large cylinder or cylinders without entering the steam
chest. The intermediate and steam valves work in unison togeather at full. Through
from seperate link motions and are connected to the same reversing shaft. In
moving the engines all the valves can be worked from the same reversing lever;
when sufficient steam has been transmitted to the large cylinder or cylinders the
steam valve recloses the steam port, and the intermediate valve or valves opens the
communication between the small cylinder and condenser. In three cylinder engines
I make them of differant diameters, which equalises the power of each cylinder and
increases the economy of the steam.
The third part of my Invention is a method of regulating, the expansion valves
in unison with the steam valve from an arm on the reversing shaft or from an
intermeadiate shaft, which answers for back or fore gear; the expansion valves are
worked from a fixed pin in the centre of the steam valve link or from an eccentric;
a rod connects the arm on the shaft to a bell crank fixed above the valve spindle;
a vertical rod connects the other side of the crank to an arm fixed on the end of
the valve spindle outside of the gland; the spindle passes through guides on the
expansion valves and through guides on a plate resting on the valves, on which
are fitted two bell cranks; one side of the cranks is connected to the valves, the
other sides is connected by a rod or rods to an arm fitted on the valve spindle
inside of the steam chest, which regulates the steam required in the engine, or the
valves, may be connected to the arm on the shaft by wheels or other suitable
method.
The fourth part of my. Invention, for the continuous cooling of water for con-
densing the exhaust steam in locomotive and other steam engines, by forcing it
into spray by a pump or ejectors in a tank or vessel, through which a current of
air passes, instead of distributing the condensing water over a series of metalic
tubes to cool in a tank or vessel through which air passes, as in my Patent of
August the 15th, 1877, No. 3112,I distribute it in a tank or vessel without tubes,
having a current of air passing through it. The vapour that arises from the water
I condense in another vessel, fitted with a series of metallic tubes through which
the air passes. The exhaust steam is drawn by an ejector or ejectors into contact
with the condensing water, which is regulated by an improved distributing pipe.
To prevent the evaporation of the condensing water I place an absorbant material
over the opening through which the air from the tank passes to the atmosphere.
Part of the condensing water is returned to the boiler. In stationary and other
steam engines, the air is forced through the tank and tubes by a centrifugal fan;
or I convey the exhaust steam in locomotives by one or more ejectors into contact
with the condensing water, which I force into spray over a series of metalic tubes
fitted into a water tight vessel, the air forced through the tubes by the motion of
the engine cools the condensing water. In other engines the air and feed water is
treated as before described. I likewise condense the exhaust steam in locomotive
engines by exhausting it among a series of metallic tubes, made steam tight in a
tank or vessel through which the air passes at a great velocity; by the motion of
the engine the vapour and water from the condensed steam is removed by a double
acting air pump, and the water returned by the feed pump to the boiler. In other
engines the air is forced by a centrifugal fan through the tubes. By these improve-
ments for condensing the exhaust steam a vacuum or partial vacuum is formed
in the cylinders, which increases the affective pressure and economy of the steam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Turnbull in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
March 1880.
WILLIAM TURNBULL, of 22, Barclay Road, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, SURFACE CONDENSERS, AND
VALVES."
To improve the construction and increase the economy of steam engines, in
doing so I dispense with the cross-heads, connecting rod, motion bar, and guide
blocks, and connect the piston and crank together by each end of the piston rod
through a moveable stuffing box, which is fitted to or cast on a plate which moves
steam tight on the surface of the cylinder cover, which is made convex, and has an
oblong opening to suit the oscillation of the piston rod caused by the motion of
the crank. The pressure and friction produced by the angular thrust of the piston
rod I counteract by admitting steam between the piston and cylinder, on the side
where the pressure is by small self-acting valves fitted inside the piston. By
this improvement the number of parts an friction in steam engines is greatly
reduced.
The second part of my improvement is to increase the economy of steam in
compound engines. With two or more cylinders the exhaust steam of each cylinder
passes to the condenser or atmosphere, according to the type of engine. When
two cylinders are used the cranks are fixed from 90° to 100° degrees apart, and
where three cylinders are used the cranks of the first and third cylinders are fixed
from 100° to 120° degrees apart. The steam from the boiler is supplied to the
small cylinder through suitable steam passages and valves, which are worked from
a seperate link motion which regulates the steam required for the engine. When
the piston of the small cylinder has performed part of the stroke the steam is
transmitted from the pressure side of the piston by an intermediate valve or valves
into the steam chest of the large cylinder or cylinders, or is transmitted through
equilibrium valves to the large cylinder or cylinders without entering the steam
chest. The intermediate and steam valves work in unison at full throw from
seperate link-motions, and are connected to the same reversing shaft. In moving the
engine all the valves can be worked from the same reversing lever. When sufficient
steam has been transmitted to the large cylinder or cylinders the steam valve
recloses the steam port, and the intermediate valve or valves open the communi-
cation between the small cylinder and condenser. In three-cylinder engines I
make them of different diameters, which regulates the power of each cylinder and
increases the economy of the steam. The third part of my improvement in
steam engines, as illustrated by the Drawings, is to increase the expansion
of the steam in engines fitted with link motions. By regulating the opening
of the expansion valves from the lever on the reversing shaft that suspends and
varies the position of the link, or from a lever seperately fixed on the reversing
or intermediate shaft, as may be most convenient for the purpose; or I increase
the expansion of the steam in engines fitted with link-motions, by working
an exhaust-valve within the steam valve from the valve spindle of the same,
which has a screw or screws cut on it of suitable pitch to cause it to rotate, and
vary the position of the exhaust valve which maintains the steam on the piston
during a greater portion of the stroke than takes place in engines worked by
the ordinary valve and link motion. It likewise greatly reduces the excessive
compression of the steam in engines when working at a high grade of expansion.
The fourth part of my improvement in steam engines is for the continual cooling
of the water for condensing the exhaust steam in locomotive and other engines by
forcing it into spray by a pump or ejector in a tank or vessel through which a
current of air passes. Instead of distributing the condensing water over a series
of tubes in a tank through which air passes, as in my Patent of August 15, 1877,

page_text: No. 3112, I distribute it in a tank without tubes, having a current of air passing
through it. The vapour that arises from the water I condense in another part of
the tank fitted with tubes or in another vessel seperate from it through which the
air passes. The exhaust steam is drawn by an ejector into contact with the con-
densing water. To prevent the partial evaporation of the condensing water I place
an absorbent material over the opening to the atmosphere. Part of the condensing
water is returned to the boiler in stationery and other engines; it is forced or
drawn through by a blower or exhausting fan, or I convey the exhaust steam by
an ejector into contact with the condensing water, which I force into spray over
tubes fitted water-tight in the tank. The air passes through the tubes by the
motion of the engine. In other engines the air and feed-water is treated as before
described. I likewise condense the exhaust steam in locomotive engines by
exhausting it among a series of tubes made steam-tight in a tank, through which
the air passes by the motion of the engine. The vapour and water from the con-
densed steam is removed by an air pump, and the water returned to the boiler.
In other engines the air is forced or drawn by a blower or exhausting fan through
the tubes. By these improvements a vacuum is formed which greatly increase the
effective power and economy of the steam.
Sheet 1, Fig. 1, is a plan of my improved engines with horizontal cylinders,
especially adapted to screw-propellors in war vessels and mercantile steamers, where
the space is limited for fixing engines by the breadth of the vessel. A much longer
rod for connecting the crank is gained than is obtained in the ordinary marine
engine where a connecting rod, motion bars, &c., are used.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of cylinder cover, with the
moving plate, and stuffing box, and guides shewn; Fig. 4 is a side view of piston B,
shewing the steam packing C and D and space E, where steam acts between cylinder
and piston; Fig. 5 is a plan of piston B, showing cross packing D and space E, where
the steam acts between cylinder and piston. In Figs. 1 and 2 A and A1 are the
cylinders; B and B1, the piston; C and C1, the piston rods; D and D', steam
chest; E and E 1, steam and intermediate valves; F, steam valve; G and G1,
exhaust ports and steam passages; H, cylinder cover; I, moveable plate and stuffing
box; J, guides to the same; K, steam pipe ; K 1, exhaust steam pipe; L and L 1,
eccentric straps; M, crank shaft; N, frame for supporting the same; O, small self
acting valve in piston; P, space for steam between piston and cylinder; Q,
foundation plate of engine.
In constructing engines on this principle I prefer to fix steam jackets round
the cylinders. Figs. 6 and 7, a plan of end elevation of cylinder valves, &c.,
for working steam expansively from an eccentric fixed at full throw when the
engine is on the centre. A, cylinder; B, steam chest; C, C, expansion valves;
D, steam valve; E, piston; F, small counter-shaft for connecting bell cranks G 1;
H, reversing lever; I, eccentric rod for working expansion valve; I 1, lever for
regulating the expansion valves; J, eccentric rods to links; K, link-motion;
L, bell cranks connected to slides rods. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 is a modification
of the previous arrangements for working the expansive valves by levers inside
the steam chest; Figs. 11, 12, and 13 is an arrangement for regulating the
expansion valves by a lever working into a section of a screw cut on the expansive
valve; Figs. 14 and 15 is a plan and side view of steam and exhaust valve. The
exhaust valve is worked by a rod fitted to the steam valve, for increasing the
expansion of steam by moving the exhaust valve to alternate ends of steam valve,
thereby continuing the steam on the piston longer than the ordinary valve worked
from a link motion. Figs. 16 and 17 is a side and end elevation of condensing
tank as applied to locomotives. A, condensing tank; B, tubes; C1, exhaust pipe
connected with ejector; C, exhaust pipes leading from the cylinder; D, ejector ;
E, pipe for supplying water to ejector; F, pipe for supplying water to distributing
pipes G; H, pipe leading to air vessel; I, J, doors on the ends of the condensing
tank for regulating the admission of air in the direction the engine moves, or the
condensing tank can be fitted with tubes, as shewn in Figs. 18 and 19, made steam

page_text: tight in the tube plates of the condenser. The water is distributed in spray over
the tubes, as shewn in Figs. 18 and 19. The cold air rushing through the tubes
cools the water sufficiently to render the action of the ejector efficient for con-
densing the exhaust steam. As the condensing water is not exposed to the current
of air loss by partial evaporation is prevented, or the exhaust steam is condensed
in a tank as shewn in Figs. 18 and 19, where it is distributed around the tubes.
The current of cold air passing through them condenses the steam, and the water
from the condensed steam is carriad by pipe D to an air pump which lifts the con-
densed water into a small tank from which the feed-pump draws it to supply the
boiler. This condenser, and the one previously described, is strengthened by stays
or other suitable means to enable it to withstand the atmospheric pressure from
without. When these condensers are used for stationery or other engines the air
is forced or drawn through them by a blower or exhausting fan, or the exhaust
steam can be discharged from the engine in the usual way from the blast pipe, or
a small steam jet can be used direct from the boiler. A valve is fitted on the
exhaust pipe for the discharge of the exhaust steam to the atmosphere or condenser
as may be required. Having now described and illustrated by suitable Drawings,
as shewn by the various Figs. on the Sheet, I wish it to be understood I claim
the various arrangements substantially as illustrated and described in the
Specification.
First. I claim the method of directly coupling the crank and piston together by
each end of the piston rod.
Secondly. I claim the intermediate valve in the steam chest for transmitting the
steam from the small cylinder to the large cylinder or cylinders, which likewise
answers for discharging the exhaust steam from the small cylinder to the
condenser.
Thirdly. I claim the self acting steam valves in the piston for admitting steam
between the piston and cylinder for neutralizing the angular thrust of the piston
rod against the side of the cylinder.
Fourthly. I claim the use of the packing pieces between the piston rings for
regulating the steam between the cylinder and piston as required.
Fifthly. I claim the method of varying the expansion valves for regulating the
amount of steam required in the engines.
Sixthly. I claim in engines fitted with link motions the use of an exhaust valve
within the steam valve worked by the valve spindle of the same, for the purpose of
increasing the expansion of the steam in the engine.
Seventhly. I claim the various methods described and illustrated for cooling the
water and condensing the exhaust steam in locomotive engines by a current of air
passing through the condenser or the tubes of the condenser, or in other engines it
is forced or drawn through the condenser or tubes of the condenser by a centrifugal
fan or other suitable means.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Turnbull, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1880.