IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO PUMPS OR BLOWING "
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Walker, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO PUMPS OR BLOWING
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Walker at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th December 1876.
WILLIAM WALKER, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO PUMPS
OR BLOWING CYLINDERS."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in motive-power engines, has
reference to that class of such engines as are operated by steam.
The improvements consist in constructing the cylinders of such engines with
their ports in a line parallel with the cylinder's piston rod. The cylinder when in
operation is caused to oscillate on its longitudinal axis to an extent sufficient for
opening and closing the steam and exhaust ports. The oscillation of the cylinder
is effected by means of an eccentric on the crank shaft of the engine. The eccentric
rod is connected to one end of a bell-crank lever, and the other ond of the said lover
is provided with a toothed segment which gears into a corresponding bevilled
toothed segment attached to the outside of the cylinder. Thus, as the eccentric
causes a receprocating action of the bell-crank lever, so it in turn causes the
oscillation of the cylinder. The cylinder is fitted at its outer end with a strong
thrust bearing bolted to the engine bed, and the parts of each end of the cylinder
in which the steam and exhaust ports are situated are carried in hollow trunks
which are connected together by passages and constitute the steam chest of the
engine.
Another improvement constituting part of this Invention consists in using pen-
dulums for governor and expansion valves, which oscillate inside the cylinder and
over the ports at each end by virtue of the cylinder's own motion, so that when the
motion of the cylinder is faster than the adjusted motion of the pendulums, the
pendulums by their inherent retardation are left behind and so cover up the
passages and cut off the steam previous to the end of the stroke. The recess in

page_text: which the pendulums move is so proportioned as to drive them back into their
seats previous to the end of the stroke, and leave the ports uncovered, to be opened
by the motion of the cylinder.
The arrangement of cylinders operated in the manner herein-before described is
applicable both for pumps or for blowing cylinders.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Walker in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 26th June
1877.
William Walker, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain. “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, THE SAME BEING IN PART APPLICABLE TO PUMPS
OR BLOWING CYLINDERS."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in motive-power engines, has
reference to that class of such engines as are operated by steam or its equivalent.
The improvements consist in constructing the cylinders of such engines with their
ports in a line parallel with the cylinder's piston rod. The cylinder when in
operation is caused to oscillate on its longitudinal axis to an extent sufficient for
opening and closing the steam and exhaust ports. The oscillation of the cylinder
is effected by means of an eccentric on the crank shaft of the engine or by the
mechanical equivalent thereof. The eccentric rod is connected to one end of a
bell-crank lever, and the other end of the said lever is provided with a toothed
segment which gears into a corresponding bevilled toothed segment attached to the
outside of the cylinder. Thus, as the eccentric causes a reciprocating action of the
bell-crank lever, so it in turn causes the oscillation of the cylinder. The cylinder
is fitted at its outer end with a strong thrust bearing bolted to the engine bed,
and the parts of each end of the cylinder in which the steam and exhaust ports are
situated are carried in hollow trunks which are connected together by passages, and
constitutes the steam chest of the engine, or the cylinder may be completely
contained within a casing.
Another improvement constituting part of this Invention consists in using
pendulums for governor and expansion valves, which oscillate inside the cylindor
and over the ports at each end by virtue of the cylinder's own motion. The
recesses in which the pendulums move are so proportioned as to drive the valves
back into their seats previous to the end of the stroke, and leave the ports
uncovered, to be opened (for the steam to pass in) by the motion of the cylinder at
the commencement of the stroke; or instead of pendulums valves actuated by the
cylinder's motion and that of coiled springs may be adopted.
The arrangement of cylinder, operated in the manner herein-before described, is
applicable both for pumps or for blowing cylinders.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed Figure 1 is a longitudinal section
of one arrangement of engine constructed in accordance with my said Invention;
Figure 2 is a plan thereof; and Figure 3, a transverse section of the same on the
line a, b, Figure 1.
Under this arrangement the engine consists of a cylinder A, having ports b
parallel with the piston rod C. The parts of each end of the cylinder A, in which
the steam and exhaust ports baro situated, are carried in hollow trunks D, which
.constitute the steam chest of the engine. Each of the trunks is also provided with
two ports c, similar to those in the cylinder A. The back cover of the cylinder is

page_text: provided with a strong trunnion F, which works in and against a strong bearing G,
thus constituting a thrust bearing. The cylinder is caused to oscillate on its longi-
tudinal axis sufficiently to open and close the ports b by means of an eccentric I
on the crank shaft B. The eccentric rod J reciprocates one end of a bell-crank
lever K, the other end of which is provided with a toothed segment which gears
into a corresponding toothed segment L fixed to the side of the cylinder A.
The action of the engine is as follows:-The inlet and outlet ports b and c of the
cylinder A. and trunks Ď are so arranged that when the inlet ports at either end
are open to one another the exhaust ports at the other end are simultaneously
opened. The steam being admitted by one of the ports c in the trunk D passes
through one of the cylinder inlet ports b at one end of the cylinder (the exhaust
ports on the other end thereof being meanwhile open), and forces the piston N,
which gives motion to the crank shaft B of the engine in the ordinary manner.
The cylinder A is again oscillated, and the ports thereby reversed by the eccentric I
reciprocating the bell-crank lever K, the toothed segment end of which gears, as
herein before described, into the toothed segment L fixed on the side of the cylinder.
Steam is thereby admitted to the other side of the piston until the cylinder is
again oscillated as before and the action of the stean again reversed. The cut off
and expansion of the steam within the cylinder is in this arrangement effected by
the action of the pendulous valves & fixed by a pin d to each end of the cylinder A.
The lower part of each valve a oscillates in a recess c formed in the cylinder A,
immediately above each of the inlet ports b, so that the valve a is free to oscillate
over the port b, and consequently shut off the steam. The valve a in its normal
position lies against one end of the recess c, and oscillates together with the
cylinder A. The valve is operated by virtue of its momentum carrying it over
the port b when the cylinder A is about to stop oscillating in one direction, the
valves at each end of the cylinder operating in opposite directions.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, of the Drawings is a longitudinal section of another modifica-
tion of engine constructed in accordance with my said Invention; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same on the line a, b, Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan
thereof, while Figure 4 is an end elevation of part of the same.
Under this modification the Invention consists of an outside jacket or case A,
having near each end two ports b, b', parallel with the axis of an inside cylinder B,
which is also provided near each of its ends with two ports c, c¹. The cylinder B
is fitted with a piston C and piston rod D, which give motion to the crank shaft
of the engine in the ordinary manner. The ends of the cylinder B are closed by
covers E, E¹, which are fixed to the cylinder B by stud bolts, not shown in the
Drawings. The fore cover E of the cylinder B is provided with a stuffing box,
through which the piston rod works steam-tight. The after cover E' is provided
with a strong trunnion F, attached to which, by a feather and groove and the nut d,
is an arm G (shown more fully at Figures 3 and 4), the end of which is formed into
a bevilled toothed segment H, which gears into a corresponding bevilled toothed
segment H¹ formed on one end of a bell-crank lever I, which is reciprocated by the
eccentric rod J attached to the eccentric K fixed on the crank shaft L of the
engine. The inner bearing surfaces of the jacket A and outer bearing surfaces of
the cylinder B are respectively bored and turned so that they shall fit each other
easily. The fore cover M of the jacket A is retained by the frame N, which is
bolted to the jacket A. The after cover M, which is also bolted to the jacket A,
is formed with two projecting lugs O, shewn more clearly in Figure 4 (Sheet 2),
which represents the thrust piece P, which is bolted to the ends of the lugs O,
removed. The inner end of the cover M is formed into a stuffing box to keep the
trunnion steam-tight. The cylinder B is retained in position by the thrust piece P
bearing against the end of the trunnion F.
Assuming the piston C to be moving in the direction of the arrow at Figure 1,
Sheet 2, and that the stroke is about commencing, the engine is operated by the
steam in the following manner -The steam passes by the pipe and through the
ports b and c at the after end of the cylinder to the back of the piston C (the

page_text: exhaust port C¹ on the front end of the cylinder being meanwhile open to the front
exhaust pipe T). The piston C is driven forwards by the steam admitted through
the port c, and gives motion to the crank shaft L in the ordinary manner. The
eccentric K actuating the bell-crank lever I and arm G is so set as to oscillate the
cylinder B in such a manner as to shut the cylinder inlet port c and to open the
exhaust port c¹ at the same end of the cylinder simultaneously, or nearly so, with
the opening of the admission ports, and the closing of the exhaust ports at the other
end of the cylinder.
The expansion valve to be used in combination with the above arrangement of
engine is formed of an oscillating cylindrical drum 1, having arms 2 and nave 3
forming part of each end of the cylinder B, and supported and retained therein by
the covers E, E¹. The drum 1 is provided with ports 4, which correspond with
the cylinder ports c, c¹, when the valve is in its normal position. The valve or
drum 1 is actuated in one direction by a coiled spring 5, and in the other direction
by the cylinder B, as herein-after described. (The ends of the coiled spring are
only shewn in Figure 2.) One end of the spring 5 is fixed to the cover E¹ by
means of a bolt 6 passing through a slot in the nave 3, the slot being for the
purpose of allowing the bolt 6 to oscillate freely along with the drum; the other
end of the spring is fixed by a bolt 7 to the inside of the drum 1. The drum is
prevented from turning back after it has been moved through a certain distance,
and the steam inlet port thereby shut off by the pin 8 inserted into the cylinder B,
working into a groove in the drum 1, as more particularly shewn at Figure 2
(Sheet 2). On the lower part of the cylinder B, as shown in Figure 5 (which is an
end view of part of the front of the cylinder with tho cover E removed), a pawl or
tumbler 9 is placed so as always to press on the outside edge of the spring drum 1.
A pin 10 fixed in the jacket A and passing through a slot in the cylinder B projects
into a groove on the outside of the drum 1 (as more particularly shown at Figure 2
(Sheet 2).
The drum having been turned round, as herein-after described, until the ports 4
are opposite the cylinder ports c, c', and no obstruction thereby caused to the flow
of steam, the drum 1 is retained in that position by the pawl 9 falling into a groove
in the drum 1, as more particularly shown at Figure 5 (Sheet 2), and it oscillates
together with the cylinder B until the pawl 9 is relieved by striking against a
detent or escapement 11, which consists of small stepped levers fixed to the
spindles 12, which pass steam-tight through each end of the jacket A, and these
spindles are, or may be, connected in any convenient manner to a governor; or
they may be fixed from time to time in any desired position to regulate the cut off.
The stepped detent 11 when controlled by a governor relieves the pawl 9 at various
parts of the stroke, according to the speed of the engine, owing to one or the other
of the steps coming into contact with it. When the pawl is thus relieved the drum
is left free, and immediately is turned by the reaction of the spring to shut off the
steam. The drum is again turned back against the resistance of the spring by
means of the stationary pin 10 working in the groove of the drum coming against
one end of the said groove, and thereby arresting its further backward motion.
The pawl 9 at the same time falling into the groove in the drum 1 holds it in the
required position for the admission of the stcam.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the application to pumps of the
arrangement of cylinder herein-before described.
Figure 6 (Sheet 2 of the Drawings) is a longitudinal section of one modification
of pump constructed in accordance with my said Invention; while Figure 7 is a
plan; Figure 8, a transverse section on the line c, d, in Figure 6; and Figure 9, a
transverse section on the line e, f, Figure 6.
According to this arrangement the steam and water cylinders A and B are cast
and connected together by the connecting pieces C, which, together with the
cylinders A and B, oscillate together as one piece. The cylinders are enclosed in
the jackets D, which are cast together with the scat or bed E. Two pistons F are
connected to the ends of the same piston rod G. Midway between the pistons F

page_text: and the piston rod G a guide piece H is keyed, which projects into and slides along
the channel I of the seat E, and between the connecting pieces C, which are fixed to
the cylinders A and B. The slot between the connecting pieces C runs parallel
with the piston rod until near the ends, one side of each of which is sloped, as
shewn at b, sufficiently to cause the cylinders A and B to oscillate over the ports.
The cylinders are oscillated by means of the guide piece H, which, sliding in a
straight line, comes against the sloped slides b when near each end of the
stroke.
In the case of engines or pumps operated by water or other liquids, instead of
producing the axial oscillation of the cylinders in either manner herein-before
described this oscillation may be effected by forming in the cylinders one or more
spiral grooves, into which one or more projections on the piston or plunger pass,
so that as the piston or plunger is reciprocated in its backward or forward strokes
the necessary axial oscillation of the cylinder is produced.
The arrangement of cylinders herein-before described may obviously be applied
to blowing cylinders.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
bercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement and construction of engines and pumps with
oscillating cylinders, as herein-before described and shewn on the two appended
Sheets of Drawings.
Second. The pendulous valves a for producing the cut off of the steam, as herein-
before described and shewn at Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Third. The cut-off valves 1 operated by the action of the cylinder and the reaction
of the coiled spring, substantially as herein-before described and shewn at Sheet 2
of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Walker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM WALKER. (L.S.)