Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1888
.Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
I, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of Holme House Foundry, Wigan, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved form of air compressing engine, applicable for
providing the necessary pressure for lights of the class known as the "Lucigen'
lights and those of similar character, and it is designed to produce the compression in
a simple and efficacious manner by means of a cheap engine.
My invention consists in the combination of a cylinder with a pair of single action
air pumps delivering the air under pressure into a common delivery in communication
with the lamp. The steam cylinder, which is of the ordinary type, is fixed on a bed
plate and the piston rod extends through both ends of the cylinder, and is in each
case connected to a light hollow ram made an accurate sliding fit in a truly bored
cylinder or air pump without any inlet valves or packing. The said pair of air pumps
have a series of holes drilled at the end nearest to the cylinder, so that the end of the
ram just passes them on the outward stroke, thereby uncovering the said holes and
allowing the air to rush into the partial vacuum created by the said outward stroke,
when, immediately the inward stroke commences, the piston or ram closes the holes
and compresses the air which is now imprisoned and forces the same through a valve
fixed on the end of the air pump into a chamber provided therefor, which is in com-
munication with the common delivery pipe leading to the lamp.
The slide valve of the steam cylinder may be actuated by movable tappets fixed
upon a rod attached to one of the air pump rams or to the piston rod of the steam
cylinder, by means of which tappets the movement of the valve can be so adjusted as
to control the length of piston stroke to the greatest nicety, and prevent the rams from
striking the ends of the air pumps.
This engine may be made to work vertically, horizontally, or at any required angle.
Suitable packing may be provided wherever there is sliding contact.
Dated thie 90th day of Inne 1888
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of Holme House Foundry, Wigan, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 relates to an improved form of air compressing engine, applicable for
providing the necessary pressure for lights of the cluss known as the Lucigen lights
and those of similar character, and it is designed to produce the compression in a simple
and efficacious manner by means of a cheap engine.
My invention consists in the combination of a cylinder with a pair of single action
air pumps delivering the air under pressure into a common delivery in communication
with the lamp or receiver. The steam cylinder, which is of the ordinary direct acting
type, is fixed on a bed plate and the piston rod extends through both ends of the
cylinder, and is in each case connected to a light hollow ram made an accurate sliding
fit in a truly bored cylinder or air pump without any inlet valvos or packing. The
said pair of air pumps have a series of holes drilled at the end nearest to the cylinder,
so that the end of the ram just passes them on the outward stroke, thereby uncovering
the said holes and allowing the air to rush into tho partial vacuum created by the said
outward stroke, when, immediately the inward stroke commences, the piston or rain
closes the holes and compresses the air, which is now imprisoned, and forces the same
through a valve fixed on the end of the air pump, into a chamber provided therefor,
which is in communication with the common delivery pipe leading to the lamp or
receiver.
The slide valve of the steam cylinder may be actuated by movable tappets fixed upon
a rod attached to one of the air pump rams, or to the piston rod of the steam cylinder,
by means of which inppets the movement of the valve can be so adjusted as to control
the length of piston stroke to the greatest nicety, and prevent the rams from striking
the ends of the air pumps.
This engine may be made to work vertically, horizontally, or at any required angle.
Suitable packing may be provided wherever there is sliding contact.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same, reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
The illustration shows in olovation a complete double air-compressing apparatus
including a direct acting engine driving the said pumps.
The part A, shewn in longitudinal section, is the compressing pump, duplicatod at
the other end; B is the plunger secured to the piston rod C and turned to make an
accurate fit with open cylinder D in which the air is compressed and delivered through
any suitable delivery valves E to the compressed air main F.
The essence of my invention is that the air cylinder A is without inlet valves and is
provided only with the inlet orifices G, through which the air is admitted, and which
are closed automatically by the plunger B itself.

page_text: Owing also to the particular position of the inlet orifices relatively to the plunger,
the sudden action of the admission of air behind the plunger is of considerable value
in rendering the action of the direct acting engine more efficient.
The compressing plungers, both secured to the same rod, are operated by any well
known form of direct acting steam engine H, which requires for its reversal the
operation of a small regulating valve by the blow upon a rocking lever, operating
the said valve, of a tappet KK, one at either end of the stroke, and carried on
a part reciprocating with the plungers B. The sharper and quicker the blow of the
tappet may be upon the engine valve gear, the more perfect is the action of the
engine.
The action of my improved air compressor is as follows :-
Owing to the absence of inlet valves at the farther end of the air cylinder, the
plunger on the suction stroke tends to produce a vacuum behind it as the air is not
yet free to enter; at the same time the other plunger in the duplicated compressor is
compressing its charge of air against a rapidly increasing elastic pressure.
The inlet orifices of the cylinder, in which the suction stroke is taking place, are not
uncovered until within a short distance off the end of the suction stroke. The air
then rushing in, to fill the vacuum behind the suction plunger, relieves the suction
drag behind the plunger, and thus lessens the whole resistance on the plungers,
enabling the compressing plunger to move forward to complete the end of its stroke
with greater speed.
This sudden acceleration is caused to occur just as the engine valve lever is being
struck by the tappet K on the plunger attachment L, causing complete and accurate
reversal of the engine, and effecting prompt almost entire delivery of the compressed
volume of air behind the comprossing plunger.
My pumps may be erected to work in any position.
I do not claim any novelty in the construction of the engine to drive my air com-
pressor, as any of the now well known direct acting tappet steam engines will answer
the purpose, nor do I consider the operation of air compressors by a direct acting steam
pump novel, and in consequence have not thought it advisable to minutely describe
such parts; but what I do claim is :—
1st. The construction of an air compressing pump in which the plunger fits the
cylinder in an air-tight manner, inlet apertures instead of inlet valves being provided
at a point near the extreme end of the suction stroke, so as to be automatically uncovered
and covered by the plunger itself, substantially as described.
2nd. The combination of two or more such air compressing pumps with any
direct acting steam tappet-worked motor, to produce the delivery of compressed air,
substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of August 1888.