Improvements in Distribution Valves for Steam Engines and other Fluid-pressure Motors.
Year: 1886

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distribution Valves for Steam Engines and other
Fluid-pressure Motors.
I, KENNETH DAVID NOBLE, of 143 East Princes Street, Helensburgh, in the County
of Dumbarton, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and arrangement.
of distribution valves for steam or other engines or motors, and to render such valves
capable of being driven with little power and not liable to rapid wear or derangement.
My improved valves are of the rotating class and have their acting faces in contact.
with port faces which are at right angles to the axes of the valves. The valves may
be constructed or arranged so that the steam or motive fluid is first admitted to the
casings containing the valves and after operating in the cylinders is exhausted through
the interiors of the valves; 1 however prefer to construct or arrange the parts
so that the steam or motive fluid is first admitted into the interiors of the valves and
exhausts into the casings, and I will proceed to describe a steam-engine valve and
parts connected therewith as constructed or arranged in this latter way.
In one modification the steam enters the valve from a passage forined in the outer
part of the cylinder and partly under the port face, such passage communicating with
a central opening in the face of the valve by a short pipe projecting a little into the
opening. The interior of the valve communicates with ports formed in the annular
part of the face of the valve round the central opening, these ports being radial and
placed equidistantly round the valve. The cylinder port face is made with corre-
sponding ports one half of them communicating with the passage to one end of the
cylinder, and the other half with the passage to the other end, the two sets of ports
being arranged alternately with each other round the circle. Between its steam ports
the valve is made with open spaces which allow the exhaust to take place into the
casing from those cylinder ports which at any time are uncovered by the ported parts
of the valves. For each double stroke of the cylinder piston the valve has to rotate
to the extent of the angular distance between the centres of two of its adjacent ports,

page_text: so that the greater the number is of the ports, the less will be the angle of rotation for
each stroke. The valve may be made to rotate in any convenient way, as for example
by means of teeth formed circumferentially on it and acted on by a worm or pinion
driven from the engine shaft in any convenient way.
When the steam is admitted into the interior of the valve from the centre of the
cylinder port face it tends to press the valve from that face;
and to oppose this pressure
and also keep the valve against the port face a disk or diaphragm is applied in the
cover of the valve casing (or in a part of the casing opposite the valve) and steam is
admitted behind this disk or diaphragm by means of a small passage or pipe. The
counter-pressure disk is made with an annular flange to bear on the back of the valve;
or is fitted with a central piece of steel or other suitable hard metal or alloy to hear
on the centre of the back of the valve; or both the annular and central bearing parts
may be used. The disk is made of a suitable area for the purpose in view, and one
or more sheets of thin metal are applied on its inner side to cover the joint between it
and the rigid part of the cover or casing the disk is however encircled by a ring
which ordinarily rests upon a fixed or rigid flange, but which will move with the
disk in the event of the valve moving from the cylinder port, face from any cause.
When the valve is moved from the port face the pressure behind the disk will act on
the area of the disk increased by that of the ring and there will consequently be a
greater pressure tending to move the valve to the port face than that which acts upon
it when in contact with that face.
The improved valves may be placed in various positions relatively to the cylinders,
and in whatever position may be most convenient in any particular arrangement of
engine; either at the side of the cylinder or at one end, or otherwise. Also expan
sion or cut-off plates may be applied in connection with the valves when required.
A reciprocating angular motion may be imparted to the valves instead of continuous
rotation.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Distribution Valves for Steam Engines and other
Fluid-pressure Motors.
I, KENNETH DAVID NOBLE of 143 East Princes Street Helensburgh in the County
of Dumbarton North Britain 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and arrangement
of distribution valves for steam or other engines or motors and to render such valves
capable of being driven with little power and not liable to rapid wear or derangement.
My improved valves are of the rotating class, and have their acting faces in contact
with port faces which are at right angles to the axes of the valves. The valves may
be constructed or arranged so that the steam or motive fluid is first admitted to the
casings containing the valves and after operating in the cylinders is exhausted through
the interiors of the valves. I however prefer to construct or arrange the parts so that
the steam or motive fluid is first admitted into the interiors of the valves and exhausts
into the casings. The interior of each valve communicates with ports in an annular
face formed on the valve, these ports being radial and placed equidistantly round the
valve. The cylinder port face is made with corresponding ports, one half of them
communicating with the passage to one end of the cylinder and the other half with
the passage to the other end, the two sets of ports being arranged alternately with
each other round the circle. Between its steam ports the valve is made with open
spaces which allow the exhaust to take place into the casing from those cylinder ports
which at any time are uncovered by the ported parts of the valve. For each double
stroke of the cylinder piston the valve has to rotate to the extent of the angular
distance between the centres of two of its adjacent ports, so that the greater
the number is of the ports the less will be the angle of rotation for each stroke. The
valve may be made to rotate in any convenient way as for example by means of teeth
formed circumferentially on it and acted on by a worm or pinion driven from the engine
shaft in any convenient way.
The improved valves may be placed in various positions relatively to the cylinders,
and in whatever position may be most convenient in any particular arrangement of
engine; either at the side of the cylinder or at one end or otherwise. Also, expansion
or cut-off plates may be applied in connection with the valves when required; and in
any cases in which it may be more convenient reciprocating angular motion may be
imparted to the valves instead of continuous rotation.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing various modifications of my improved valves
and parts connected therewith.
The figures on sheets, 1, and 2, of the accompanying drawings show one modifica-
tion, figures 1 and 2 being transverse and longitudinal sections with the valve shown

page_text: in elevation in figure, 1, and in section in figure 2; whilst figure, 3, is a face view of the
valve and figure, 4, a section parallel thereto, figures 5 and 6 being sections as at A-A
and B-B in figures 1 and 2, the valve being supposed removed in figure 6.
Figures, 7, 8, and 9-on sheet 3, are sections explanatory of different modifications.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same
or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In the modification shown in figures 1 to 6 the valve casing D is placed at the side
of the cylinder, C, and the steam inlet, S, is at one side between the cylinder and the
port face, P, the steam reaching the valve, V, through a passage, 10, in the centre of
the port face, P. The central passage 10, is formed partly in a short pipe which
projects out from the port face, P, and serves as a centre for the valve V to turn upon,
a ring being interposed between it and the central opening of the valve. Under the
port face, P, two cresent shaped passages are formed, one 11, most fully shown in
figure 5 communicating with one cylinder passage, 12, and the other, 13, communi-
cating with the other cylinder passage, 14. The port face P, is formed with ten ports,
five, 15, of these communicating with one passage, 11, 12, and the other five, 16, with
the other passage, 13, 14, the ports, 15, of one set alternating with those 16, of the
other set. The valve V is made with a shallow circular chamber, 17, which receives
the steam from the central passage, 10, and has in communication with it five ports, 18,
formed in the valve face which works on the cylinder port face, P. Open spaces, 19,
are formed between the ports 18, of the valve and through these spaces the steam
exhausts from one or other of the sets of cylinder ports 15, 16, into the space round
the valve, V, and in the casing, D, leaving the casing by the outlet, E. The valve, V
is made with flanges at the sides of its ports, 18, corresponding to the lap parts of an
ordinary slide valve.
Teeth 20, are formed circumferentially on the valve, V and in
gear with them there is a pinion, 21, which gears as a wormwheel with a worm, 22,
on a shaft, 23, passing out through stuffing boxes. To one end of this shaft, 23,
rotation is imparted from the main shaft in any convenient way, whilst the other end
is connected by a swivel coupling 24, to a screw spindle, 25, fitted with a handwheel
by means of which the valve can be adjusted for lead.
The operations of reversing the engines and of varying the lead and cut-off may all
be effected by moving the shaft, 23, endways by means of any convenient gearing.
The shaft, 23, may be driven by means of one or more sprocket wheels on it and
acted on by one or more endless pitch chains from one or more sprocket wheels from
the main shaft or any other convenient gearing may be used for the purpose. A
single worm shaft, 23, may be arranged to work the valves of two or more cylinders.
When the steam is admitted into the interior of the valve, V, from the centre of the
cylinder port face, P, as in the modification now being described, it tends to press the
valve from that face; and to oppose this pressure, and also to keep the valve against
the port face a disk or diaphragm, 26, is applied in the cover, 27, of the valve casing, D,
(or in a part of the casing opposite the valve) and steam is admitted behind this disk
or diaphragm 26, by means of a small passage or by a pipe, 28. The counter-pressure
disk, 26, is made with an annular rib or flange to bear on a similar rib or flange, 29,
on the back of the valve, V; or it is provided with a central piece or pair of pieces, 30,
of steel or other suitable hard metal or alloy to bear on the centre of the
back of the valve; or both the annular and central bearing parts, 29, 30,
may be used, as shown. When the valve V is made with an annular rib, 29, in
contact with a similar rib on the disk, 26, steam may be admitted between the valve
and disk to relieve the pressure and friction on the ribs. The steam may be so admitted
through a small hole in the back of the valve as shown in figure, 7. The disk, 26, is
made of a suitable area for the purpose in view and one or more sheets of thin metal
are applied on its inner side to cover the joint between it and the rigid part of the
cover, 27, or casing; the disk, 26, is however encircled by a ring, 31, which rests
upon a fixed or rigid flange, 32, but which will move with the disk in the event of the
valve, V, moving from the cylinder port face, P, from any cause. When the valve, V,
is moved from the port face, P, the pressure behind the disk, 26, will act on the area of
the disk increased by that of the ring, 31, and there will consequently be a greater

page_text: pressure tending to move the valve to the port face than which acts upon it when in
contact with that face. The outer flange or ring, 32, which may be held between the
cover, 27, and the casing flange as shown, or which may be fixed to the cover or casing
n any other convenient way, holds between itself and the cover the edges of the thin
metal sheet or sheets which cover the joint of the disk, 26.
In the modification shown in figure, 7, the valve, V, and its casing, D, are arranged
at one end of the cylinder, C, and the valve is shown as made with bevil teeth, 20, to
gear with a bevil pinion, 33, on a shaft, 34, which passes out through a stuffing box.
In the modification shown in figure, 8, the steam enters by a passage, 35, which
communicates with the interior of the valve, V, by a short pipe, 36, formed on the
back of the valve and passing through the counter-pressure disk, 26.
In the modification shown in figure, 9, the valve, V, and the various ports and
passages are arranged so that the steam is first admitted into the casing, D, outside of
the valve and is exhausted from the interior of the valve through a passage, 37 pro-
ceeding from the centre of the cylinder port face P. The space between the casing
cover, 27, and the ring, 31, which rests against the counter-pressure disk, 26, may
be put in communication with the atmosphere or the condenser and the valve, V, may
be connected as shown in figure, 9, by a bolt 38, to the counter-pressure disk, 26,
which is made with a part 39, working through an opening in the cover, 27, against
the atmospheric pressure so as along with the ring 31, to counterbalance a part of the
steam pressure on the back of the valve. A diaphragm consisting of one or more
annular sheets, 40, of thin metal is fixed by its outer edge to the cover, 27, and by its
inner edge to the disk, 26, to make a steam-tight connection with sufficient flexibility
for its purpose. In this modification a cut-off plate 41, may be conveniently applied
on the back of the valve V and this plate, 41, which may be centered on the valve
may be worked or adjusted by a crank or lever on a spindle 42 passing out through a
stuffing box.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim, is-
1-Constructing and arranging the distribution valves of steam engines and other
fluid pressure motors, so as to rotate or reciprocate angularly, and to work upon flat
port faces at right angles to the axes of the valves the said port faces being made with
radial ports alternately communicating with the opposite cylinder passages and each
valve being combined with a counter-pressure disk, arranged and connected to the
cover or casing substantially in the manner herein before described with reference to
figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
2-Combining a flat-faced rotating or angularly-reciprocating distribution valve
with a counter-pressure disk and ring arranged in connection with the cover or casing
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to figure, 9, of the
accompanying drawings.
TUT
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.