Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
ם
I; ALBERT FRANCIS HALL, of No. 3, Cordis Street, Charlestown, Boston, in
the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present improvements are available with a single engine or with a compound
or expansion engine. In all instances a motion is given to the valve by a rocking
valve piston, and this rocking valve piston is within a cylinder, in or connected
with the valve chest, and the rocking or partial turning motion is received from a
connection to the piston rod, or other moving part of the engine, there being
usually a lever with one end between collars upon the piston rod, and the other end.
acting upon a valve rod passing into or through the valve chest, and having within
such valve chest an arm or actuator passing into a mortise in a reduced portion
between the pistons of the rocking valve. In the pistons of this rocking valve
are ports which admit steam to act within the cylinder and against the end of the
piston to move the same end wise, the ports at the other end opening to the exhaust.
When the rocking valve piston is turned the other way, the port connections are
reversed so that the steam moves the parts endwise in the opposite direction, and
the valve of the engine receives its motion directly from the rocking valve piston,
first in one direction and then in the other.
The rocking valve piston, and the parts that give motion to the same, are very
easy to construct and are not liable to become worn or inoperative.
When the engine stands vertical, the main valve usually is actuated transversely
of the cylinder, and the lower edge of the valve is made as an acute angle resting
against a bearing upon the valve chest, so that the valve is not liable to fall away
from its seat.
When the engine is provided with a second cylinder into which the high
pressure steam from the first cylinder passes and acts expansively, it is advantageous
to provide a steam valve acting longitudinally of such cylinder, with a bell crank
connection and intermediate link and lever by which the motion from the rocking
valve piston is communicated to the valve of the second cylinder, the parts being
within the steam chest and not requiring external connection.
The rod which communicates motion to the actuator and rocking valve piston, is
advantageously extended through the steam chest and provided with a square, for
a wrench or lever by which such rod can be partially turned to loosen the rocking
valve piston in case the same becomes obstructed by rust or otherwise, when not
in use.
Deted this 22nd day of June 1806

page_text: COMT DELE DF ECIFICATION.
Improvements in Direct Acting Engines and their Valves.
I, ALBERT FRANCIS HALL, of No. 3 Cordis Street, Charlestown, Boston, in
the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Mechanical 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 :-
The present improvement is available with a single engine or with a compound
or expansion engine. In all instances a motion is given to the valve by a rocking
valve piston, and this rocking valve piston is within a cylinder in, or connected with
the valve chest, and the rocking or partially turning motion is received from a con-
nection to the piston rod or other moving part of the engine, there being usually a lever
with one end between collars upon the piston rod, and the other end acting upon a valve
rod passing into or through the valve chest, and having within such valve chest an
arm or actuator passing into a mortise in a reduced portion between the pistous of
the rocking valve, and in the pistons of this rocking valve there are ports that
admit steam to act within the cylinder and against the end of the piston to move
the same end wise, the ports at the other end opening to the exhaust, and when the
rocking valve piston is turned the other way, the port connections are reversed so
that the steam moves the parts end wise in the opposite direction, and the valve of
the engine receives its motion directly from the rocking valve piston in first one
direction and then the other.
The rocking valve piston and the parts that give motion to the same are very
easy to construct and are not liable to become worn or inoperative.
When the engine stands vertical, the main valve usually is actuated transversely
of the cylinder, and the lower edge of the valve is made as an acute angle resting
against a bearing upon the valve chest, so that the valve is not liable to fall away
from its seat.
When the engine is provided with a second cylinder into which the high
pressure steam from the first cylinder passes and acts expansively, it is advantageous
to provide a steam valve acting longitudinally of such cylinder with a bell crank
connection and intermediate link and lever by which the motion from the rocking
valve piston is communicated to the valve of the second cylinder, the parts being
within the steam chest and not requiring external connection.
The rod which communicates motion to the actuator and rocking valve piston,
is advantageously extended through the steam chest and provided with a square,
for a wrench or lever by which such rod can be partially turned to loosen up the
rocking valve piston in case the same becomes obstructed by rust or otherwise,
when not in use.
In the drawing:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a compound vertical pump embodying
my invention, the pump cylinder of usual construction being shown in elevation.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the centre of the steam chest, on the
line, x, Fig. 1, looking towards the left.
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line a³, x1, Fig. 2, through the valve
of the low pressure cylinder.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in section on the line 3, 23, Fig. 1 of the connection
between the rocker arm and slide rod for moving the actuator of the auxiliary
valve piston.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the valve seats and ports for the steam
cylinders, with the steam chest and the valves omitted.

page_text: an ouderside view also cutargent of
pressure valve omitted.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the main valve, rocking
valve piston, and showing a slightly different form of mechanism for moving the
actuator of the rocking valve piston.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the main high pressure valve.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rocking valve piston.
Fig. 10 is a sectional view of my invention as embodied in a single steam
cylinder.
Fig. 11 is a transverse section on the line 23, ³, Fig. 5, through the exhaust
chamber and valve ports of the high pressure cylinder, and
Fig. 12 shows a modified form of connection between the high and low pressure
valves, and also the guides for the slide rod yoke, the cap of the chest being
removed.
Referring to Fig. 1, the pump cylinder A, high and low pressure cylinders H
and L, their pistons H*, L, respectively, and the common piston rod A' for the
steam and pump cylinders may be of any usual construction.
Referring to Fig. 5, the valve seat *, of the high pressure cylinder, is provided
with steam ports h and an exhaust port h², so arranged that the travel of the slide
valve v will be transverse to the length of the cylinder, the valve being shown
separately in Fig. 8.
The valve is substantially L-shape, as therein illustrated, its face having the
usual recess va therein to connect one of the steam ports with the exhaust at the
proper time, and the lower edge of the valve proper is beveled as at v', to form an
acute angle with the face, said beveled edge resting upon a support c¹ on the inner
side of the steam chest C, and correspondingly beveled.
As clearly shown in Fig. 7, the weight of the valve itself, and the pressure of
steam thereupon, tend to maintain it firmly upon its seat *, such construction of
course being applicable in the vertical style of pump.
Adjacent the main valve, the steam chest has cast therewith lateral cylindrical
extensions C¹ having their axis parallel to the line of travel of the slide valve v,
said extensions receiving the heads of a rocking valve piston reciprocable and
partially rotatable therein, the said valve piston, shown separately in Fig. 9,
consisting of two like cylindrical heads p, p, and a smaller connection p20.
Each head has in its cylindrical face a recess p', communicating by a passage på
with the outer end of the head, whereby communication is established between the
recess and the space Cx in the piston cylinder C.
Steam inlets or ports p³ in the steam chest C lead the steam to the seat of the
rocking valve piston, and, when this is partially rotated, the steam passes through
ports p, p, into one or the other of the cylinder ends C¹ to act upon the head of
the valve piston and slide said piston longitudinally.
Exhaust ports p' are provided so that when the port p' coincides with the port p',
the steam passes to the exhaust chamber E, Fig. 11. In Fig. 6, the rocking valve
piston is shown with the recesses p' midway between the inlet and exhaust ports.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that partial rotation of the valve piston
at the proper times will admit steam to act on one end and open the exhaust from
behind the other end, and vice versa, and cause reciprocation of said piston.
The slide valve v has an arm v³ extended therefrom to enter the space between
the piston heads p, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, whereby the valve will be
actuated by and moved in unison with the reciprocation of the rocking valve
piston to regulate the admission of steam to the high pressure cylinder H.
As herein shown, the arm extends beneath the reduced portion p20 of the
valve piston, thereby aiding in preserving the valve in proper position.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, a bracket A3 is bifurcated to receive the rocker
arm A, pivotally connected by a pin a to the bracket, one end of said rocker arm
being forked at a¹ to embrace an annularly grooved collar a fast on the piston
rod A' and the reciprocation of the latter swings the rocker arm on its fulcrum a. "

page_text: The other end of the rocker arm is also forked to form a yoke a³, in which is
received a pin a extended through a sleeve as to which it is secured by a suitable
set screw a, Fig. 4.
A valve rod link b is connected by a joint at 6x to the valve rod 61, said sleeve a
sliding loosely upon the rod b, and there are adjustable collars 2, 3, on the rod, to
be engaged alternately by the ends of the sleeve, and thereby reciprocate the link
and slide rod 6' intermittently.
By the construction described, the valve rod and its link may be rotated in the
sleeve when desired for a purpose to be described.
In Fig. 1, the slide rod bis extended completely through a stuffing box cat
the bottom head C³ of the steam chest, said rod 6' having secured thereto within
the steam chest a yoke to which is also secured a rod b³ extending through a
stuffing box c on the top of the chest.
The yoke has a transverse pin on which is hung an actuator 6 extending to
the valve piston to rock or partially rotate it while permitting free reciprocation
of the said piston.
I allow such sliding connection between the valve piston and its actuator 6 by
making a longitudinal slot or mortise p10 in the reduced part p20 of the piston, into
which slot the actuator 65 enters freely, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 10, the slot
being long enough to permit the full stroke of the valve piston. The valve piston
is thus completely under control of its actuator at all times, without being
hampered in its reciprocation, the contacting parts being large enough to provide
good bearing surfaces.
I have shown the outer end of the extension rod 63 as squared at 6', to receive a
wrench, whereby said extension may be rotated from the outside of the steam
chest by hand if desired to thereby swing the actuator or finger in the direction
of the longitudinal axis of the auxiliary valve piston, for loosening the rocking
valve piston, should it become obstructed; the guides 70 at the sides of the
yoke b, shown in Fig. 12 will, however, be omitted.
Should the pump have been standing for some time and the valve piston become
dry, or even rusted, in its cylinder, it may be thus started, and by moving the
slide rod in the direction of its length, the piston can be rotated by hand, to ease it
up if it should stick, and the connection of the link rod b with the rocker arm
yoke a permits the aforesaid movement of the slide rod and its yoke without
disconnecting the parts. The steam chest is provided with a cover plate C4, by
which ready access may be had to the parts in the chest.
In Fig. 5, the valve seat 1x of the low pressure cylinder L is shown as provided
with the steam ports and the exhaust as in ordinary engines, and the travel of
the valve is in the direction of the length of the cylinder, and at right angles to
the movement of the high pressure valve v.
The low pressure valve m has the usual recess m¹ in its face, to co-operate with
the ports, and it is herein shown as provided with projecting lugs m² on its outer
side to receive between them a valve rod m³, having suitable check nuts m* thereon.
Said valve rod is extended through a bearing m' in the partition c² separating the
high and low pressure ends of the steam chest C, and is jointed at m³ to a lever n
fulcrumed at n' to one side wall of the chest.
A bell crank lever o, o' is fulcrumed on a stud o² in alignment with the line of
movement of the valve rod m³, its arm of being jointed to a link n pivotally
connected at n³ to the lever n between its fulcrum and the pivot mo.
The outer end of the arm o of the bell crank is enlarged and rounded at o³ to
enter freely the space between the heads p of the rocking valve piston, as clearly
shown in Fig. 6, the extremity of said rounded portion being slabbed off as at ot
to clear the arm 2 of the slide valve v, as shown in Fig. 7.
The reciprocation of the auxiliary valve piston swings the bell crank, and the
latter, through the link n' and lever n reciprocates the valve rod m³ and thereby
the low pressure valve m, all the connections between the two valves being
contained within the steam chest, and obviating the use of outside stuffing boxes.

page_text: The flattened side of the enlargement of of the lever arm o of the bell crank,
rests against a bearing on the outer side of the valve v, and assists in retaining
the valve on its seat without undue friction.
In Fig. 7 the extension rod is omitted, the actuator 6 for the auxiliary piston
being connected to a yoke 30 on the end of the slide rod 60, the latter passing
With this
through a stuffing box c30 on a hood or head C20 of the valve chest.
exception, the construction shown in Fig. 7 is precisely like that shown in Figs. 1
and 2.
In the single steam cylinder construction shown in Fig. 10, the valve V has on
its outer side a concaved projection V₁ into which the reduced portion p20 of the
rocking valve piston enters, and the piston heads p act against opposite ends of this
projection.
The slide rod b, yoke 2, extension rod 63, and the actuator or finger 6'
entering the slot p10 in the part p20 of the piston are substantially as herein-
before described, the actuator being jointed at 6 to the yoke, the yoke, however,
being somewhat nearer the piston owing to the decreased size of the part C of
the valve chest.
The valve V is shown as having a beveled portion V at its lower side, to slide
on a correspondingly beveled seat C in the steam chest C.
In Fig. 12, I have shown a modified form of connection between the high and
low pressure valves, the steam chest D having secured to its outer wall a bracket D¹
upon which is fulcrumed at D2 a lever D³, to the ends of which are pivotally
connected links f and g.
The links are respectively jointed to slide rods f, g', which enter the steam
chest through stuffing boxes fx, gx, and are attached to the valves FX, G*, the
high pressure valve at Fx being reciprocated by an auxiliary valve piston as
herein before described, and communicating motion to the other or low pressure
valve G* by the outside connections.
In this modification the two valves are moved in parallelism, transversely to the
length of the cylinders.
My invention is not restricted to simple or compound pumps, nor to pumps of
the vertical type as herein shown, for it will be obvious that my invention is
equally well adapted for horizontal acting pumps.
Various modifications may be made in the details of construction herein shown,
as for instance, I may slot the actuator for the auxiliary valve piston, to be
entered by a rib on the reduced portion of the latter, which would be a mere
reversal of the construction shown, without departing from the spirit and scope of
my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
First. The combination with a main valve and valve chest in an engine, of a
rocking valve piston having a mortise in the same, an actuator passing into the
mortise and mechanism for giving motion to the actuator, substantially as
described.
Second. The combination with a main valve and valve chest in an engine, of a
rocking valve piston having a mortise in the same, an actuator passing into the
mortise, and a sliding rod and connection for giving motion to the actuator, sub-
stantially as described.
Third. The combination with the valve chest and valve having a projection, of
a rocking valve piston reduced in the central portion for receiving the projection of
the valve and having a mortise, an actuator passing into the mortise and mechanism
for giving motion to the actuator and to the rocking valve piston, substantially as
specified.
Fourth. The combination with a main slide valve and valve chest in an engine,
of a rocking valve piston a connection from the same to the engine valve, an

page_text: actuator and mechanism for moving the same, there being an elongated mortise in
the rocking valve piston into which the actuator passes for allowing the rocking
valve piston to reciprocate, substantially as specified.
Fifth. The combination with the main valve and valve chest in an engine, of a
rocking valve piston, a rod and mechanism for reciprocating the same, an actuator
pivoted upon the rod and engaging the rocking valve piston for giving motion to
the same, substantially as specified.
Sixth. The combination in an engine, of the steam valve, a main vertical seat
therefor, and an auxiliary seat below and forming an acute angle with the main
seat, the valve having its lower edge beveled to rest upon the auxiliary seat, a
rocking valve piston to move the said valve, and an actuator having a sliding.
connection with and to rock the said valve piston to control its reciprocation,
substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination in an engine with high and low pressure steam
cylinders, of a slide valve for each, an auxiliary reciprocable valve piston to
operate one of said valves, an actuator to rock and thereby control the recipro-
cation of said valve piston, and connections between said valves, whereby one is
operated by the other, substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination in an engine with high and low pressure steam
cylinders, of a valve for each movable at right angles to each other, means to
reciprocate one of said valves, and connections, including a bell crank, link, and
lever, between said valves, whereby reciprocation; is imparted from one to the
other, substantially as described.
Dated this 01
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 54, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.