IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR STEAM
AND OTHER ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by Thomas
Shrimton Davis, of Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd July 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
5 in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR
STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The valves which constitute the subject of the present Invention are
constructed in the form of a cylinder, having suitable induction and eduction
O passages, which are opened and closed by means of circular or cylindrical

page_text: pistons constructed in a peculiar manner, so that they may always fit the
cylinder or case of the valve. To this end the piston or cylindrical valve is
formed of two or more concentric split rings arranged one within another, so
as to break joints. The inner ring is made of a bevilled shape upon and
around its interior periphery, and in combination with these parts a solid
conical plug or follower is employed. This follower is formed with a hole in
its centre, and is fitted upon and to the spindle or rod of the valve with a
screw nut, so that when it is forced inwards or outwards by set screws, or
other equivalent or suitable devices, it shall cause the said rings to expand or
contract, so that the distances from the centre of the spindle or rod to any
one and every point of the periphery of the valve shall be equal, or, in other
words, the exterior periphery of the valve or piston shall be a true circle, and
shall form, to all intents and purposes, an incompressible or solid valve, which
will accurately tit the cylinder or case. In order to produce an equal
expansion of the cylindrical bearing or seat of the piston or cylindrical valves
throughout their whole length, the valve case may either be placed within the
be
interior of the steam chest, or it may be surrounded as far as may prac-
ticable with a steam jacket or casing, so that the whole of the valve and
casing may be kept as nearly as possible at the same temperature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
mc, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of

page_text: Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR
STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES," being a communication from abroad, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The first part of this Invention relates to certain new and useful improve-
ments in piston valves for steam engines.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Fig. 1 is a partial section and edge
view of the valve; Fig. 2 is an end view; and Fig. 3 is a section taken in
the plane of the line a, a, Fig. 1.
In the use of piston valves in steam engines it is necessary for them to
accurately fit the cylinder in which they work, so that there cannot possibly
be any leakage for the steam between its exterior periphery and the interior
surface of the cylinder. This result, when the piston is first fitted, is easily
accomplished, but as the piston becomes loose from wear it either must be
replaced with a new one, or the piston must be so constructed that it can be
made to sufficiently expand, as it were, to compensate for the loss by wear.
The disadvantages which would attend the use of piston valves, if new ones
were obliged to be inserted after they had become a little worn by use, are
many and evident to all conversant with steam engines, and therefore the
present Invention has for its object the so constructing the piston that it can
be readily expanded or sufficiently enlarged at any desired time or times to
compensate for and balance any loss which it may have had from wear by its
working within the cylinder. This result is secured by forming the piston of
a series of expansible concentric rings arranged with regard to each other (as
will be presently described) in connection with a proper shaped follower placed
within the inner ring, the follower and inner ring being so arranged with
regard to each other that by bringing set screws or other proper devices to
bear upon the follower, it will be made to radially expand the ring, and
through it the others surrounding it and forming the piston to any degree

page_text: necessary. In addition to having constructed a piston which can be readily
expanded to any desired degree, its construction is such that it has the
character and advantages of a solid piston, which is an important desideratum.
The piston valve a is made of a cylindrical shape of a little greater width
than the port over which it travels, so as to prevent it from being sprung and
caught, which would occur if it was made narrower than the port. The
valves are constructed of a series of concentric rings arranged together as
follows:-
In Fig. 1, b, b, is a ring forming the exterior surface of the piston, and
split or cut at c through its entire width and thickness. The ring 6 fits tightly
over two inner split rings d and f, both made of the same shape and placed
side by side, and each having upon and around its outer periphery a projecting
shoulder 9, between which the outer ring b is held. A shoulder h is also
formed upon the interior surface of each ring d and f, which are in contact
with each other when the rings are placed side by side, and form an inner
and smaller circular opening k, in which a split ring 1, of the same width as
the two shoulders h, h, is inserted and fitted. The inner periphery of the
ring is made of a uniform bevelled shape from its side m to its siden, and
has placed therein à corresponding shaped or solid truncated conical plug o,
with its smaller base towards and in its smaller opening. Through the centre
of the plug o is a circular opening of the samo size as shaft 2 of valve, which
passes through it. There are proper shaped openings in the two side plates s, s,
fitting within the rings d and f, and coming to a bearing against the
shoulders h, h, of the same, the two plates s, s, being firmly held together by
and between a shoulder t, t, of the shaft 9 and a screw nut u of the same.
The rings b, d, f, and I are fastened (so as to prevent one from moving around
within the other) by means of dowel pins, or in any other proper manner, and
they are also intended to be put together, or one within the other, so that they
shall break joints, and thus prevent leakage of the valve. In one of the side
plates s, s, of the piston, and passing through suitable apertures of the same,
are inserted a series of screw bolts w, w, w, &c. of any desired number, by the
screwing of which to the right or left they can be brought to bear upon or
relieved from the larger base y of the conical plug o. By so turning the
screw bolts as to cause them to bear upon the conical plug the latter neces-
sarily is forced into its surrounding bevel ring 1 in proportion to the pressure
on the same, and as the ring is split it is thereby radially expanded, and by
acting upon and through its surrounding split rings they are also similarly
expanded, and the piston is thus made to be increased in size, as may be
desired to compensate for its wear from use.

page_text: From the above description it will be apparent that by forming the piston
valve of a series of expansible rings arranged together and expanded at
pleasure by means of a conical shaped plug or wedge, as described, not only
can the valve be adjusted to fit its cylinder whenever it has become worn, but
the piston, when all its parts are secured together, is and has all the advantages
of a solid one, which together with its expansibility renders it all that is desired.
The various rings or parts composing the piston may be made of brass, iron,
copper, or any other desired metal, and may have other shapes and sizes than
those herein described, and moreover, although the improvements are described
as applied to a piston valve for a steam engine, it will be manifest it can be
as well applied to a piston used for any other purpose.
The second part of the Invention relates to improvements in the con-
struction and arrangement of the piston valve, cage, or cylinder.
Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical section of a piston cylinder, showing
the valve and its cage attached to the top thereof, and within the steam chest
of the engine; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken in the line y, y, y,
Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged but partial horizontal section and top view of
the valve cage taken in the line z, z, of Fig. 7, which is a transverso vertical
section taken in the line a¹, a³, of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal
vertical section of a valve chest or cage made according to the improvements;
Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken in the line 2, ², of Fig. 8; and
Fig. 10 is a similar section in the line y¹, y', of Fig. 8.
The main obstacle which has heretofore presented itself to the successful
use of piston valves for the induction and eduction of steam to and from the
cylinders of steam engines has been the unequal expansion of the cylindrical
bearings or seats in which such valves work, which has caused the valvos
either to bind during a portion of their stroke, or else to fit too loosely during
another portion thereof.
The object of this Invention is to provide for the equal expansion of the
cylindrical bearing or seat throughout its whole length, and to this end it
consists in a steam jacket surrounding or partly surrounding the whole length
of the bearing or seat, and communicating with both ends thereof, so that the
steam will heat the bearing or seat equally throughout its whole length.
The valve chest is composed of an outer casing A and an inner cylinder B,
to which the two piston valves C, C', are fitted. The cylinder is open at its
ends, and so arranged within and is so much shorter than the casing that the
space a between them forms a steam jacket, which not only nearly surrounds
the sides of the cylinder, as shown, but is open to the ends thereof. The
casing may be so constructed that the steam jacket or space a may entirely

page_text: surround the inner cylinder, except at the ports b, b, through which the steam
enters and leaves the main cylinder of the engine. The casing and cylinder
may be composed of a single casting, or be made of two separate castings, and
the cylinder secured within the casing in any suitable manner. The steam
chest thus constructed is secured to the main cylinder by bolts passing through
flanges c, c, or in any other suitable manner. In the ends of the casing thero
are provided openings opposite to and somewhat larger than the bore of the
cylinder B for the introduction of the piston valves C, C', and these openings are
fitted with steam-tight bonnets D, D', in which there are stuffing boxes d, d,
through which works the rod E, to which both of the piston valves are secured.
The opening f, to which the steam pipe is connected, communicates with tho
space or jacket a at any part of its length, and the opening g, to which the
exhaust pipe is connected, communicates with the interior of the cylinder B,
Letween the piston valves. Opposite the ports b, b, there are formed around
the interior of the cylinder B grooves e, e', which correspond in width with
the ports, and are filled with steam from the ports, so that the piston valves
are balanced on all sides in passing the ports.
The operation is as follows:-The steam enters the jacket or space a, and
envelopes wholly, or as far as permitted by the construction of the casing A,
the whole length of the cylinder B from end to end, and as the valves respec-
tively move inward from their respective ends of the cylinder the steam enters
the cylinder from the ends, and thus enters the ports b, 61, as they are
uncovered by the valves, and as the valves move outward toward their respec-
tive ends of the cylinders, and again uncover the ports, the steam passes out
from the main cylinder B between the valves, and thence to the exhaust
opening. It will thus be seen that the entire length of the cylinder B, from
end to end, is heated by the steam, and its expansion from end to end is
uniform or sufficient for all practical purposes.
Having now described this Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Valves for Steam and other Engines," and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent
as aforesaid, -
First, forming a piston or cylindrical valve of two or more concentric split
rings arranged one within another so as to break joints in the manner herein
set forth.
Second, I claim producing an equal expansion of the cylindrical bearing or
seat of the piston, or cylindrical valves throughout their whole length, by
arranging the valve case within the interior of the steam chest, or by sur-

page_text: rounding the same as far as may be practicable with a suitable shaped steam
jacket or casing, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)