Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 29th Jan., 1889
A communication from abroad by ERNEST LEMONON, of Niort, in the Republic of
France, Engine Builder.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The water pressure motor consists essentially of a cylinder in which a piston moves,
the rod of which is jointed to the end of a connecting rod actuating the crank of a
main shaft, on which a fly wheel is keyed.
On one side of the cylinder is the valve chest or admission chamber, in which moves
a grid iron slide valve actuated by an eccentric keyed on the main shaft. On the
other side of the cylinder is an eduction chamber with slide valve, actuated likewise
by an eccentric.
The admission chamber being in communication with a pipe supplying water under
pressure, the motor starts working in a similar way to a steam engine without a
condenser. But, as in this case, the actuating fluid is not elastic, the following
arrangements have been adopted for the purpose of avoiding the disadvantages arising
therefrom, and especially. the shock or jar which takes place when the crank passes
the dead centres.
The two following methods have been resorted to, to secure this end.
1st. The outer end of the piston rod is jointed with the corresponding end of the
connecting rod, by means of a sleeve cross head provided with trunnions guided by
two slide bars and jointed to the connecting rod. The piston rod, which simply passes
through this sleeve, is provided-at-its-outer-end-with a screw thread and nut, which
resists the pressure of a helical spring; the other end of which rests on or within the
aforesaid sleeve. Another nut, fixed on the piston rod and below the sleeve, forms a
support for another helical spring, the other end of which bears on the sleeve or on
a projection within the latter. The throw of the crank is a little longer than half the

page_text: stroke of the piston, so that when the latter has reached the extreme ends of the up
and down strokes, the crank completes its revolutions in virtue of the energy stored
in the fly wheel, without any damage to the piston rod, owing to the proper amount
of play existing in the sleeve forming the cross head.
The springs, which are of convenient strength, lessen the shocks or jars, which
have a tendency to take place, and at the same time render the passing of the crank
over the dead centres, casier.
2nd. A much better result is, however, obtained by the second method, which
dispenses with the aforesaid sleeve, and leaves the throw of the crank sensibly equal
to half of the piston stroke. The admission of the water under pressure is cut off
before the piston has reached the end of its stroke. The result of this is, that the
piston continuing its stroke in virtue of the energy stored in the fly wheel, tends to
create a vacuum in the cylinder. To remedy this, I apply at the top and bottom of
the cylinder, two valves opening inwards, and permitting the entrance of the external
air when a vacuum. is produced, that is to say, when the supply of water under
pressure is cut off.
In order to avoid having air and water in the cylinder, an arrangement is. used in
which the air suction is replaced by a water suction. In this, a reservoir is provided,
containing water which is not under pressure, it may be for example, the exhaust
water from the cylinder. To this reservoir is adapted a pipe which branches off into
two others, one of which communicates with the top, the other with the bottom of the
cylinder. Two valves opening inwards, permit the entrance of the water into the
cylinder, the cylinder being thereby filled, when the supply of water under pressure
is cut off, and the piston, instead of being under pressure, produces a sucking
action.
This arrangement gives a regular 'imotion without shock or jar, and an appreciable
economy in the consumption of water.
In practice, (supposing the path of the crank pin to be represented by a circle) the
supply valves are preferably so arranged that the admission of water to the cylinder
takes place whilst the crank pin moves about one fourth part of the circumference,
the admission or drawing in of the water, not under pressure, whilst it moves the
succeeding fourth part; the admission of water under pressure for the return stroke
whilst it moves the next fourth part, and that of the water not under pressure during
the time it moves the final fourth part of the circumference. The communicator,
however, reserves to himself the right of altering the periods of admissions and cut
off described in the foregoing.
The admission of water under pressure for a certain portion of the stroke, only
necessitates a double motion being imparted to the admission slide.
The two eccentric cam plates consist, each of a bronze disc provided with curved
grooves of suitable shape. A roller mounted on a suitable support fixed at the end
of the slide valve rods, enters into the aforesaid groove. For the purpose of
obtaining greater strength, the part which carries the rollers, slides within guides
attached to the engine framing.
The pistons used, are of any suitable kind adapted to the circumstances.

page_text: France, Engine Dunner.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street Manchester both in the
County of Lancaster and 323 High! Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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
This invention relates to motors worked by the pressure of a fluid or fluids, and is'
more especially designed for use with water under pressure, as hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawings :-
-
Figure is an end elevation of a motor constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Figure 2 is a detail view of one method of connection between the piston rod and
connecting rod as hereinafter explained.
The remaining Figures will be explained in the body of this specification.
The water pressure motor consists essentially of a cylinder C, in which a piston. I'
moves, the rod of which is jointed at-H to the end of a connecting rod B actuating
the crank V of a main shaft T, on which a fly wheel F is keyed or otherwise
fastened.
On one side of the cylinder is the valve chest or admission chamber, in which
moves a grid iron slide valve, the rod D of which, is actuated by an eccentric E or
its equivalent keyed on the main shaft T. On the other side of the cylinder C is an
eduction chamber also provided with a slide valve, the rod D¹ of which is likewise
actuated by an eccentric E¹ or equivalent.
The admission chamber being in communication with a pipe supplying water under
pressure, the motor starts working in a similar way to a steam engine without
a condensor. But, as in this case, the actuating fluid is not elastic, the following
arrangements have been adopted for the purpose of avoiding the disadvantages
arising therefrom, and especially the shocks or jars which take place when the crank
passes the dead centres.
The following methods have been resorted to, to secure this end.
In one case the outer end of the piston rod is jointed with the corresponding end
of the connecting rod by means of a sleeve cross head, Figures 1 and 2, provided with
trunnions H H', guided by two slide bars N N, and jointed to the connecting rod. B
by means of the said trunnions.

page_text: 7
The piston rod, which simply passes through this sleeve, is provided at its outer end
with a screw thread and nut J, which. resists the pressure of a helical spring or its
equivalent; the other end of which rests on or within the aforesaid sleeve. Another
nut O, fixed on the piston rod and below the sleeve, forms an abutment for another
helical spring or its equivalent, the opposite end of which bears on the sleeve or on a
projection within the latter. The throw of the crank is a little longer than half the
stroke of the piston, so that when the latter has reached the extreme end of the up or
down stroke, the crank completes its revolutions by virtue of the energy stored in the
fly wheel, without any damage to the piston rod, owing to the proper amount of play
existing in the sleeve forming the cross head.
The springs, which are of convenient strength, lessen the shocks or jars, which have
a tendency to take place, and at the same time facilitate the passing of the crank over
the dead.centres.
In another case, instead of making use of the above mentioned sleeve, the throw of
the crank is made as usual approximately equal to half of the piston stroke.
The admission of the water under pressure is cut off before the piston has reached
the end of its stroke. The result of this is, that the piston. continuing its stroke by
virtue of the energy stored in the fly wheel, tends to create a vacuum in the cylinder.
To remedy this, at the top and bottom of the cylinder respectively, there are applied
two valves opening inwards, which permit the entrance of the external air when a
vacuum is produced, that is to say, when the supply of water under pressure
is cut off.
In order to avoid having airand water in the cylinder, an arrangement may be used
in which the air suction is replaced by a wafer suction. This arrangement is shown
in Figures 1 and 3, in which a reservoir R is provided, containing water which is
not under pressure: it may be for example, the exhaust water from the cylinder. To
this reservoir is connected a pipe S which branches off into two others, one of which
communicates with the top, the other with the bottom of the cylinder. Two valves A
and A opening inwards, permit the entrance of the water into the cylinder, the
latter being thereby filled, when a partial vacuum is produced therein by the supply.
of water under pressure being cut off. Thus, the piston, instead of being under
pressure, produces a sucking action.
This arrangement gives a regular motion without shock or jar, and effects an
appreciable economy in the consumption of water.
The cycle of action is shown in Figure 6.
Supposing the path of the crank pin to be represented by a circle, and its movement
to be in the direction of the arrows, the supply valves are preferably so arranged that
the admission of water to the cylinder takes place whilst the crank pin moves about
one fourth part of the circumference, that is from A to B, and the admission or
drawing in of the water, not under pressure, takes place whilst it moves the succeeding
fourth part, that is from B to A. The admission of water under pressure for
the return stroke, takes place whilst the crank pin moves the next fourth part,
from A to B, and that of the water not under pressure during the time it moves
the final fourth part of the circumference from B to A. The communicator,
however, reserves to himself the rights of altering the periods of admissions and
cut off described in the foregoing.
This cutting off of the water under pressure, before the end of the stroke is
reached, necessitates a double movement in the admission slide. This may be
understood by aid of the drawings of the eccentric, shown in Figures 4 and 5.
The two eccentric cam plates each consist of a disc, preferably of bronze, and
provided with a curved groove of suitable shape. A roller or rollers G (and G¹),
mounted on a suitable support fixed at the end of the slide valve rod, enters
into the aforesaid groove. For the purpose of obtaining greater strength, the part
which carries the rollers, slides within guides K. (and K¹), attached to the engine
framing.
The pistons used are of any suitable kind adapted to circumstances.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a fluid pressure motor having a crank shaft driven by a piston recipro-
cating in a suitable cylinder, the combination of an arrangement for cutting off
the supply of fluid under pressure at a predetermined point before the end of
each stroke, and of means for automatically admitting air, or fluid under atmo-
spheric pressure only, during the remainder of the stroke, whereby shocks on the
crank pin at the dead centres is prevented.
2. The method of avoiding shocks in a fluid pressure motor while its crank is
passing the dead centres, said method consisting in cutting off the admission
of the water under pressure before the piston reaches the end of its stroke, and
in admitting air, or water under atmospheric pressure only, during the remainder
of the stroke, substantially as described.
3. In a fluid pressure motor the arrangement of eccentric cain plates whereby the
valve rods are actuated, substantially as described and shown.
4. In a fluid pressure motor, the preferably adjustable buffered connection between
the piston rod and the connecting rod,, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Dated thic 24th day of December 1888