IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING DISTRIBUTING-VALVES FOR STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I AARON METCALF of Old Quay Preston in the County of Lancaster Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING
DISTRIBUTING-VALVES FOR STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES to be as
follows:-
In place of the present valve chost in engines I make a small parallel cylinder
having suitable ports or ways which I fix or cast with the main cylinder, the ports
of both cylinders being in connection.
Into the small cylinder I place a shell cylinder with a slot along one side, this
shell cylinder I cramp together a little before turning it so that when it is placed
into the small cylinder it expands and fits tight.
Instead of the backward and forward movement as in ordinary valves the shell
cylinder is made to revolve by being connected by means of a shaft to some movable
part of the engine.
By such revolving, the slot in the shell in passing the ports or ways connecting
small to main cylinder admits steam or any other pressure from small to main
cylinder.

page_text: I AARON METCALF of Old Quay Preston in the County of Lancaster Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING
DISTRIBUTING-VALVES FOR STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to bo particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In place of the present valvo chest in Engines I make a small parallel cylinder
having suitable ports or ways which I fix or cast with the main cylinder the ports
of both cylinders being in connection, Into this small cylinder 1 place a shell
cylinder or valve this shell valve is slotted through the whole length thereby
forming a spring and being turned a little larger than the cylinder it requires to be 1
cramped a little before putting in, by this means it fits close to the sides also, tho
steam or other fluid which is admitted to the interior of the shell valve in any
convenient manner has the tendency thereby to help to keep the valves expanded
to the sides of the small cylinder.
Instead of the backward and forward movement as in the ordinary valves the 1
shell cylinder or valvo is made to revolve by means of a shaft connected to some
suitablo part of the engine and makes ono revolution for each stroke of the
engine.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of the ordinary main cylinder of a steam engine 2
with my small cylinder attached to it, and shewing the ports or ways connecting
the two cylinders, Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the cylinder cover off
and shewing the shell valve in its place in the small cylinder and in position to
admit steam to the cylinder top.
'
Fig. 3 is a plan shewing the shell-valves in their place in the small cylinder 2
which is shewn in section.
Fig. 4 shews the shaft and the fixed bosses on it for driving the shell valves
those bosses have projections on them which go into the slots of the shell valve
and carry them round with the shaft.
Figs. 5 and G'aro an end view and plan of the shell cylinder or valvo.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are ends views of the bosses for carrying round the shell valves.
The same letters refer to the same parts as shewn in the different figures.
a. is the main cylinder of a steam engine b the small cylinder for the rotating
valves or shell cylinders, c the ports or ways in connection with both cylinders,
d the shell valves or cylinders, c, the slot in the shell valves, f. g. h the bosses and 3
the projections on the bosses for carrying round the shell valves, which bosses are
fastened in any convenient way to the shaft i, this shaft i fits at one end and
revolves in a step k at the bottom of tho small cylinder, the other end revolves in a
stuffing box in the cylinder cover, made in the usual manner, this shaft is driven
from any convenient part of the engine and makes one revolution for cach stroko
of the engine, The steam is admitted at the opening into the small cylinder and
gets into the interior of the shell valves at each end of the boss g. which is smaller
in diameter than the interior diameter of the shell valves, the steam gets out of the
shell valve and into the main cylinder by the slot in the shell, when in the
course of its revolution it gets opposite to the port or way c.
I prefer to apply two shell valves to each engine as shown in the drawings one
for each end of the main cylinder and the ports for connecting the two cylinders to
be on the same side, but if the ports aro on opposite sides one long shell cylinder
or valve will be sufficient.

page_text: When arranged for two shell cylinders the slot of the one is placed opposite to
the other as in the drawing Fig. 3, The slot of the shell cylinder to the left in
the drawing being bolow is not seen, and is in the position for admitting steam
through the ports to the bottom of the main cylinder, the slot of the other being at
the top is shewn in the drawing.
The oxhaust is worked with similar valves to the abovementioned or ordinary
valves if desirable.
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:
The application of rotating distributing-valves to steam and other fluid pressure
engines substantially as herein described and set forth in the drawings.
Dated this Uth day of December 1884.
PETER MCGREGOR,
Agent for the Applicant,
Queen's Chambers,
5, John Dalton St., Manchester.