Improvements in Steam Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 11th June, 1898
Improvements in Steam Engines.
I, JOSIAH PORRITT, Machinist, of No. 816, Dolores Street, San Francisco, in the
County of San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of
America, 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 steam engines, and its object is to provide a steam engine
in which the steam will be more fully expanded while in the cylinder, and an
increase in power obtained.
My invention consists of a frame work supporting a flywheel and one or more
steam cylinders adapted to operate said fly wheel by suitable mechanism, the novel
features of construction and combination of parts of which are hereinafter fully
described and pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved steam engine.
Figure 2 is an elevation from the back end of the cylinders.
Figure 3 is a similar view from the front ends thereof,
Figure 4 is a detail of the eccentric rods.
Figure 5 is a detail of the operating lever.
The numeral 1 indicates a base of the usual form, which may be either con-
structed integrally with or attached to the frame of the engine. The frame 2 is
designed to support the various parts of the engine, and, as indicated above, this
may be integral with or attached to the base.
Bearings 3 are supported where needed upon the frame. It will be obvious,
from what will hereinafter appear, that this frame may be made in a variety of
forms, according to the different sizes and proportions of the parts of my device.
Cylinders 4 provided with steam chests 5 are firmly attached by any suitable means
to the base 1. These cylinders, in my preferred form, are two in number but it
will be obvious that one may be dispensed with, or that one or more may be added,
as this will simply entail the dispensing with or duplicating of certain operating
parts to be hereinafter described. It is also obvious that these cylinders may be
arranged for use as a simple engine as shown or they may be for double, triple
or higher expansions. In the frame herein illustrated I have shown two cylinders
used as for a simple engine, and when so used I provide a steam pipe 6, divided
into two portions 7, each of which connects with one of the steam chests 5.
usual throttle valve 8 controls the admission of steam in the main pipe, and I
further provide valves 9 located in the branches thereof, thus rendering it possible
to dispense with the use of one of the cylinders. An exhaust pipe 10 receives the
exhaust from the cylinders 4 and is divided into two branches 11, each of which
is controlled by a valve 12 for the same purpose as the valves 9 in the steam pipe.
It is not deemed necessary to show the valves in the steam chests nor the piston in
the cylinder as they may be of any type, and in my present invention I do not
claim any novelty in the construction of either. A fly wheel 13 is carried upon
a shaft 14 held to revolve in suitable bearings, as shown. This fly wheel may be of
The

page_text: any preferred form of construction and power may be taken from a belt running
thereon or the shaft 14 may be extended and provided with a belt pulley not
deemed necessary to be here shown. Upon the shaft 14 are located crank disks 15,
provided with the crank pins 16. This fly wheel is operated by means of a system
of levers which will now be described. The pistons above referred to have
attached thereto piston rods 17, which are provided with cross heads 18 adapted
to slide in the guides 19. Vertical walking beams 20 are provided with stub
shafts, which rotate within proper bearings upon the frame. The lower ends of
these walking beams are here shown as being about twice the length of the upper
end thereof, but it is obvious that this proportion may be varied at pleasure.
Connecting the lower ends of these walking beams to the cross heads 18 are side
rods 22. These rods are shown as provided with ordinary brass bushings, 23,
and pin connections 24, but it will be plain to any one skilled in the art that any
form of rod may be here substituted. The upper ends of the walking beams are
connected to the crank pin 16 by means of the connecting rods 25. These con-
necting rods are provided with the usual straps 26, embracing brasses 27, and
these straps are adapted to be tightened by any suitable means as, for instance,
a gib and a cotter, as shown at 28. These walking beams are so mounted that at
the extremity of the stroke in either direction the side rods and the piston rods
will be in alignment. This construction will prevent upward pressure of the
piston rods. By this means also the lower or under surfaces of the cross heads
are adapted to form a broad wearing surface, which may be easily lubricated,
and readily kept in alignment. It is now evident that the reciprocatory movement
of the pistons within the cylinders will cause the fly wheel to revolve. It is further
evident that the crank pin throw is of small length compared with the piston
stroke. From this it is plain that the steam in the cylinders will have a greater
chance of expansion than were the pistons directly connected to the fly wheel.
I will now explain the manner in which I operate my valve gear.
Upon the shaft 14 are firmly keyed eccentrics 29, and I preferably employ two
of these upon each side of the fly wheel, thus forming a separate valve gear for
each of the valves. To the eccentrics are firmly connected eccentric rods 30, one
of which has an off set portion as shown at 31. Links 32 of the usual form are
attached in the ordinary manner to these eccentric rods. Within each link moves
a link block 33 having rotatably attached thereto. an angled rocker arm 34
mounted on a rock shaft 35. To the lower end of the rocker arm is attached a
radius rod 36, connecting with the valve stem 38. In order to shift the link I
provide a saddle 38" upon the back thereof, to which is attached a rod 39. The
numeral 40 designates a tumbling shaft which is provided with radial arms 41,
to which the rods 39 are connected. This tumbling shaft extends from one side
of the frame to the other and is adapted to operate both links simultaneously.
In order to regulate the cut off I provide the slotted segment 42, lever 43 con-
nected to the tumbling shaft 40, and latch 44 carried by said lever and adapted
to engage the slots in the segment 42. I commonly employ but one of these
levers, but when my engine is of large size two may be employed at the opposite
ends of the tumbling shaft.
It will be perfectly evident that many modifications may be made of my engine,
without departing from the spirit of the invention, since it may be used as hereto-
fore stated as either a simple or compound engine. It may be used also for
marine purposes, in which case the fly wheel is dispensed with and the shaft 14
forms a part of the propeller shaft, the remainder of the engine being inverted or
turned vertically instead of horizontally; and by other modifications can be used
as well for locomotive purposes. My special purpose, however, is for use in small
engines, where the great power gained with the small use of steam makes it
extremely desirable. From experiment, I have determined that in this device
great power can be developed with small steam expenditure and I herein provide
a construction that is easily repaired, of cheap first cost and extremely efficient
and thoroughly adapted for the purposes described.

page_text: 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. In an engine, the combination with a base and frame consisting of side
plates or standards, of horizontally disposed cylinders mounted on said base and
arranged on opposite sides of the standards, pistons moving within said cylinders,
valves directly over and controlling the supply of steam to said cylinders, piston
rods connected to the pistons, a vertical walking beam mounted on a stub shaft
on the exterior side of each standard, side rods connecting the lower ends of the
said beams with the piston rods, a horizontal shaft mounted in bearings in the
upper ends of the standards and located between the said cylinders and beams,
a fly wheel mounted on said shaft between the standards, connecting rods attached
to the upper ends of the walking beams and to the said horizontal shaft and
adapted to rotate said fly wheel, and valve operating mechanism connected to the
opposite ends of the said horizontal shaft for operating both of said steam con-
trolling valves simultaneously, substantially as described.
2. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base and frame
consisting of two side plates or standards rising therefrom, horizontally disposed
cylinders mounted on said base at opposite sides of the standards, pistons recipro-
cating within said cylinders, rods attached to said pistons, a vertical walking beam
mounted on a stub shaft on the exterior side of each standard and having arms
of unequal length, side rods connected to the lower ends of the longer arms of the
said walking beams and to the piston rods, a horizontal shaft located between the
cylinders and beams and mounted in bearings in the upper ends of the standards
and carrying intermediate of its length between said standards a fly wheel, a crank
disc secured upon each end of the shaft and provided with crank pins, and con-
necting rods between the crank discs and the upper ends of the short arms of the
walking beam, said crank discs and connecting rods being arranged exteriorly
of each standard, substantially as described.
3. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base and a frame
comprising two side standards rising therefrom, a pair of horizontally disposed
cylinders mounted on said base at opposite sides of the standards, cross heads
carried by the piston rods, horizontally disposed cross head guides in which the
said cross heads operate, a pair of vertical walking beams arranged at opposite
sides of the base and mounted on stub shafts projecting from exterior sides of the
frame standards, valves controlling the steam supply to said cylinders, side rods
connecting said cross heads and the lower ends of said walking beams, a horizontal
shaft mounted in the upper ends of said standards between the cylinders and
beams, a fly wheel on the said shaft between the standards, crank discs on the
opposite end of the said shaft, rods connecting the upper ends of the walking
beams with said crank discs, eccentrics mounted on the horizontal shaft inside of
the standards, a fly wheel on the said shaft between the eccentrics, and means
operatively connecting the said eccentrics and controlling valves, substantially
as described.
4. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base and frame
consisting of two side standards rising therefrom, a pair of horizontally disposed
cylinders mounted on said base at opposite sides of the standards, each cylinder
being provided with a steam chest, steam supply pipes connecting the steam
supply chest with a common steam supply, a piston in said cylinders provided
with piston rods, a valve operating within each steam supply chest and adapted
to control the supply of steam to the cylinders, said valves being provided with
exteriorly projecting stems or rods, cross heads attached to the rods and moving
in cross head guides, a pair of vertically disposed walking beams having arms of
unequal length and mounted on stub shafts projecting from the opposite exterior
sides of said standards, side rods connecting the longer lower arms of said beams
and the cross heads, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in bearings in the upper

page_text: ends of said standards and located between the beams and cylinders, crank discs
attached to the ends of the shaft and arranged on the exterior sides of the
standards, rods connecting said discs to the shorter upper arms of the walking
beams, a fly wheel mounted on the horizontal shaft between said standards, a pair
of eccentrics also mounted on said shaft between the frame and standards on
opposite sides of the fly wheel, a pair of depending eccentric rods attached to each
pair of eccentrics, links carried at the lower ends of said eccentric rods, and con-
nections between said links and valve stems or rods, substantially as specified.
5. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base, a frame con-
sisting of two standards rising therefrom, a pair of horizontal cylinders mounted
on said base at opposite sides of the frame, each cylinder being provided with a
steam chest, valves in said steam chests provided with exteriorly projecting valve
rods, a piston in each cylinder provided with a piston rod carrying a cross head
movable in cross head guides on the frame, a pair of vertical walking beams
having arms of unequal length and mounted on stub shafts projecting from the
exterior sides of the frame standards, side rods connecting the lower or longer
arms of said walking beams with the cross heads, a horizontal shaft mounted in
bearings in the upper ends of the frame standards and located between said
cylinders and beams, crank discs secured to the outer ends of said shaft, rods
connecting said discs with the upper shorter arms of said walking beams, a pair
of eccentrics attached to said shaft between the frame standards and provided with
depending arms or rods arranged in pairs, a single link located on the exterior
side of the frame standards and connected to the lower ends of the arms or rods
depending from the eccentrics, a link block held to slide within each of said links,
a rock shaft mounted in the frame standards and provided with bell crank rocker
arms secured to the valve stems, and means located between the said standards
for shifting said links, substantially as described.
6. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base, a frame con-
sisting of two side standards rising therefrom, a pair of horizontally disposed
cylinders mounted on said base at opposite sides of said standards, said cylinders
each being provided with a steam chest and valves therein for controlling the
supply of steam, a piston in each cylinder provided with a piston rod, a cross head
secured to each piston rod and operating in cross head guides on the frame, a pair
of vertical walking beams at opposite sides of the engine and mounted on stub
shafts projecting from the exterior sides of each frame standard, side rods con-
necting the lower arm of each walking beam with the adjoining cross head, a
horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in bearings in the upper ends of said
standards and located between the cylinders in said beams, cranks secured to
the outer projecting ends of said shaft, rods connecting said crank discs with the
upper ends of said walking beams, eccentrics mounted on the shaft between the
said frame standards and provided with depending eccentric arms
or rods
arranged in pairs on opposite sides, a single link located on the exterior side of
each frame and connected to the lower ends of each pair of eccentric arms or rods,
link blocks sliding in said links, a rock shaft arranged between the frame
standards and provided with rocker arms rotatable thereon, radius rods connecting
the rocker arms to said valves, a tumbling shaft provided with a plurality of
rocker arms, saddles carried by said links, rods connecting said saddles to the
rocker arms upon the tumbling shaft, a lever connected with said shaft between
the frame standards, and means for locking the lever for regulating the cut off
of the valves, substantially as described.
0
7. In an engine of the type described, the combination of a base, a frame con-
sisting of side standards rising therefrom, a pair of horizontally disposed cylinders
mounted on said base at opposite sides of the standards, each cylinder being pro-
vided with a stem chest and controlling valve operating therein and also with a
valve stem, pistons operating in said cylinders and provided with rods connected
to cross heads movable in cross head guides on the frame, a pair of vertical walking
beams having arms of unequal length, said beams being mounted on stub shafts

page_text: projecting from the exterior side of each frame standard, side rods connecting the
lower longer arms of the beams to said cross heads, a horizontal shaft rotatably
mounted in bearings in the upper ends of said frame standards between the
cylinders and said beams, crank discs attached to the projecting ends of said shaft,
rods connecting said crank discs with the upper shorter arms of the walking
beams, a fly wheel mounted on said horizontal shaft between the frame standards,
a pair of eccentrics also mounted on said shaft and on each side of the fly wheel
and between the same and the standards, crank discs secured to the outer project-
ing ends of said walking beams, eccentrics mounted on the shaft between the said
frame standards and provided with depending pairs of eccentric arms or rods
having a single link connected to the lower ends of each pair, link blocks sliding
in said links, a rock shaft mounted between said standards and provided with
rocker arms, radius rods connecting said rocker arms and valve stems, a tumbling
shaft also provided with rocker arms, saddles carried by the links, rods connecting
said saddles with the rocker arms of the tumbling shaft, a lever adapted to rotate
said rocker shaft and arranged between said frame standards, a segmental rack
carried by one of said standards, and a pawl or latch carried by the lever adapted
to engage with the teeth of said rack and thus regulate the cut-off valves, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated thin 18th dore of Anril 1898