IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR AND OTHER GASEOUS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Darling and Robert Sellers both of Keighley
in the County of York Engineers and Toolmakers, for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR AND OTHER GASEOUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Darling & Robert
Sellers at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May
1882.
WILLIAM DARLING and ROBERT SELLERS, both of Keighley in the County of
York Engineers & Toolmakers "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING
AIR AND OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, OR FOR EXHAUSTING OR EXPANDING THE
SAME,"
Our invention relates to machinery for compressing air and other gaseous fluids
or for exhausting or expanding the same and consists in certain improvements
whereby a more efficient action as well as greater accessibility of the valves is
secured, and also simplification of construction.
To effect this object, according to one modification of our invention we employ a
pair of single acting air compressing cylinders, placed side by side or one over the
other, the machine being so arranged that the air or other fluid is being compressed
in one while the other is drawing in a charge. The inlet and delivery valves are
carried in enlarged chambers at one end of the cylinders, the latter being open at
the other end in which the pistons (which are on the Trunk principle) work, and
we so connect the inlet valves to one another by outside rods or levers, that the
opening or shutting of the one shall assist the shutting or opening of the other.
We make the delivery valves so as to cover the entire end of the cylinder, and
provide casings within these valves in which to carry the inlet valves, the seats
upon which the inlet valves work being formed on the inner surfaces of the
delivery valves. The central portion of each delivery valve is provided with an
elongated tubular stem passing through a stuffing box in the cover of the delivery
valve chamber and the ingoing air is admitted to the inlet valve through this tube.
I Price G1

page_text: Thus the inlet valve works within and is seated upon the delivery valve, the two
covering the entire end of the cylinder.
We couple the inlet valves together by means of links passing through the
elongated tubular stems of the delivery valves these links being connected to a
double lever or beam working on a fulcrum midway between the two valves.
The effect is therefore as follows. One inlet valve being caused to open by
suction or partial vacuum produced in the one cylinder and the other being caused
to shut by the compression of air in the other cylinder these forces are combined
by the valves being coupled together and thus the inlet valves are caused to assist
and regulate one another's action. It will also be seen that when the delivery
valve opens under the pressure of air generated in the cylinder the whole valve
moves bodily forward carrying with it the inlet valve and thus opening the other
inlet valve still wider.
We make the delivery valves shut direct on to the ends of the cylinders as
described, and we make the enlarged chambers at the ends of the cylinders of a
cylindrical form and concentric with the compression cylinders each of the delivery
valves being provided with a wide ring or drum, which, fitting in this cylindrical
chamber, forms an accurate and substantial guide for the valve.
In order to ensure the proper closing of the delivery valves before the pressure of
the air is sufficient to effect it we apply springs attached outside to the tubular
stems which project through the stuffing boxes in the covers. By this arrange-
ment the tension of the springs can be adjusted from the outside, even when the
engine is working, to the greatest nicety; and the working of all the valves can
be seen, so that if any of them should appear to be working imperfectly it can be
readily set right from the outside.
According to another modification of our invention the air compressing cylinders
may be placed fronting each other, with the valve boxes and valves arranged as
above described, and with the valve boxes either at the further ends of the cylinders
or at their inner ends. In the former case the piston or pistons may be driven by
a forked connecting rod attached thereto at or about the middle between the two
cylinders. Or it might be formed as one cylinder with a slot to allow the travel
of the cross head, the inlet valves being connected by levers and a rod passing
outside from the end of one cylinder to the other. In the latter case the pistons
may be connected together by outside rods attached to cross heads on the ends of
the pistons and the inlet valves connected by rod or link direct to one another
without the intervention of a lever or beam.
According to another part of our invention in arranging a direct-acting Air
Compressor, without fly wheel, we place the Motive Engine in the centre, with
a single acting air compressing cylinder at each end thereof, having their pistons
coupled direct at either end to a through piston rod from the engine. The valve
boxes may be arranged as already described with the inlet valves coupled by levers
and rods passing outside from the end of one compressing cylinder to the other..
When required for exhausting or expanding, the air, gas or other fluid is
conveyed through the tubular stems of the delivery valves which pass through the
stuffing boxes, the pipes or chambers containing the gas or fluid being also
provided at their junction to the delivery valves with stuffing boxes or otherwise
arranged as for instance by an elastic tube to allow of the motion of the delivery
valves, small rods passing through stuffing boxes being used to effect the connection
between the inlet valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Darling & Robert Sellers in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th November 1882.
WILLIAM DARLING and ROBERT SELLERS, both of Keighley, in the County of
York, Engineers and Toolmakers, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
COMPRESSING AIR AND OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, OR FOR EXHAUSTING OR
EXPANDING THE SAME,"
"3
Our invention relates to machinery for compressing air and other gaseous fluids
or for exhausting or expanding the same and consists in certain improvements
whereby a more efficient action as well as greater accessibility of the valves is
secured, and also simplification of construction. To effect this object according to
one modification of our invention we employ a pair of single-acting air compressing
cylinders placed side by side or one over the other the machine being so arranged
that the air or other fluid is being compressed in one while the other is drawing in
a charge. The inlet and delivery valves are carried in enlarged chambers at one
end of the cylinders the latter being open at the other end in which the pistons
(which are on the trunk principle) work, and we so connect the inlet valves to one
another by outside rods or levers, that the opening or shutting of the one shall
assist the opening or shutting of the other. We make the delivery valves so as to
cover the entire end of the cylinder and provide casings within these valves in
which to carry the inlet valves, the seats upon which the inlet valves close being
formed on the inner surface of the delivery valves. The central portion of each
delivery valve is provided with an elongated tubular stem passing through a
stuffing-box in the cover of the delivery valve chamber and the ingoing air is
admitted to the inlet valve through the tube. Thus the inlet valve works within
and is seated upon the delivery valve, the two covering the entire end of the
cylinder.
We couple the inlet valves together by means of links passing through the
elongated tubular stems of the delivery valves these links being connected to a
double lever or beam working on a fulcrum midway between the two valves.
The effect therefore is as follows. One inlet valve being caused to open by
suction or partial vacuum produced in the one cylinder and the other being caused
to shut by the compression of air in the other cylinder these forces are combined
by the valves being coupled together and thus the inlet valves are caused to assist
and regulate one another's action. It will also be seen that when the delivery
valve opens under the pressure of air generated in the cylinder the whole valve
moves bodily forward carrying with it the inlet valve and thus opening the other
inlet valve still wider.
We make the delivery valves shut direct on to the ends of the cylinders as
described, and we make the enlarged chambers at the ends of the cylinders of a
cylindrical form and concentric with the compression cylinders each of the delivery
valves being provided with a wide ring or drum, which, fitting in this cylindrical
chamber, forms an accurate and substantial guide for the valve.
An air compressor of this construction is shewn in Figs 1, 2, 3 and 4, Sheet 1 of
the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 being an elevation partially in section taken
through one of the air-compressing cylinders. Fig. 2 is a plan, the air-compressing"
cylinders being shewn in section. Fig. 3 is an end view and Fig. 4 is a section on
an enlarged scale to shew more clearly the arrangement of the inlet and delivery
valves. The same letters refer to corresponding parts in all these views. In the
machine illustrated the two air-compressing cylinders A A' are placed side by side.

page_text: Between them there is the steam engine cylinder B for driving the air-compressors
by means of the crank shaft C and connecting rods D, D¹, which are coupled to the
air-compressing pistons E E' in the manner shewn in the sectional views. F. F¹ are
the enlarged chambers at the ends of the air-compressing cylinders in which work
the delivery valves G, G'. These chambers are bored out and the delivery valves
are turned to fit them. The chambers thus form a guide for the delivery valves
and, while allowing them to open and shut, keep their faces true with their seats.
The seats upon which the delivery valves close are formed by facing the ends of
the air-cylinders which project into the enlarged chambers F F¹ as shewn at H H
Fig. 4.
The holes through the delivery valves shewn at V V are for the purpose of
allowing the compressed air to pass to both sides of the delivery valve and thus put
it in equilibrium beyond the area of the cylinder. The area deducted from the
back of the delivery valve by reason of the tubular stem compensates wholly or in
part for the area of the seat, and so enables the valve to open with less surplus
pressure in the cylinder than would otherwise be the case. The inlet valves I I'
are carried in a cylindrical guide formed at the central part of the delivery valve
as shewn at K and close against the seats formed on the face of the delivery valve
shewn at L L. The elongated tubular stems of the delivery valves through which
the air passes to the inlet valves are shewn at M M'. The inlet valves are coupled
together by means of the links O O¹ and the lever P.
In order to insure the proper closing of the delivery valves before the pressure of
the air is sufficient to effect it we apply springs attached outside to the tubular
stems which project through the stuffing boxes in the covers.
By this arrange-
ment the tension of the springs can be adjusted from the outside, even when the
engine is working to the greatest nicety; and the working of all the valves can be
seen, so that if any of them should appear to be working imperfectly it can be
readily set right from the outside. These springs are shewn at Q, Q, Fig. 1. We
prefer to cut annular dovetailed grooves into the faces of the delivery and inlet
valves as shewn at R, R, Fig. 4 and fill these grooves with block tin, so as to form
a more ductile face and insure the tight closing of the valves on to their seats.
The steam engine for driving the air-compressors may of course be of any
ordinary construction and does not require any further description. The oil
cups S S carried on the connecting rods are for lubricating the pins coupling the
connecting rods to the pistons, the oil being carried along the small tubes T T.
The method of setting up the brasses is shewn in Fig. 2. U U are the water
jackets for keeping the compressing cylinders cool.
According to another modification of our invention the air-compressing cylinders
may be placed fronting each other, with the valve boxes and valves arranged as
above described, and with the valve boxes either at the further ends of the cylinders
or at their inner ends. In the former case the piston or pistons may be driven by
a forked connecting rod attached thereto at or about the middle between the two
cylinders, the inlet valves being connected by levers and a rod passing outside
from the end of one cylinder to the other. A plan of this arrangement is shown in
Fig. 5 Sheet 2, A A¹ being the two air-compressing cylinders. B B₁ the pistons.
C C¹ the enlarged chambers or valve boxes. D D₁ the levers attached to the inlet
valves and E the rod or link connecting these levers together. F is the forked
connecting rod. It is clear that the two cylinders might be formed as one with a
slot in it to allow of the travel of the cross-head G.
In Fig. 6 is shewn the arrangement when the air-compressing cylinders are placed
with the valve boxes at their inner ends. A A' are the cylinders B B¹ the pistons
.connected together in the manner shewn by the cross-heads C C¹, and the side
rods D D, the connecting rod E being coupled to the piston B in the manner
already described.
The inlet valves are here coupled together direct by the links F F, which are
connected by the nut G screwing on to right and left hand threads and thus
enabling the amount of lift of these valves to be adjusted.

page_text: According to another part of our invention in arranging a direct acting air-
compressor, without fly-wheel we place the motive engine in the centre with a
single-acting air-compressing cylinder at each end thereof, having their pistons
coupled direct at either end to a through piston rod from the engine. The valve
boxes may be arranged as already described with the inlet valves coupled by levers
and rods passing outside from the end of one compressing cylinder to the other.
An air-compressing engine thus arranged is shewn in partial longitudinal section
in Fig. 7, Sheet 2. A is the double-acting steam cylinder. B B₁ are the two
single-acting air-compressing cylinders the pistons CC being attached direct to
the through piston rod D. The system of levers and links for coupling the two
inlet valves together is shewn at E E E E. The steam valve is reversed by tappets
actuated by bowls carried by the air-compressing pistons. One of these bowls is
shewn at F. On the pistons reaching the end of their stroke one or other of these
bowls works against one of the small tappet levers G G' which act on the valve
through the system of levers and rods H, H, H', H', and thus reverse it. The two
small cylinders shewn at I l' are in connection with the receiver and are so arranged
that should the engine be only working slowly and not have sufficient motion to
reverse the steam valve entirely the compressed air will be admitted on to the
little pistons contained in these cylinders and thus complete the reversing of the
steam valve. The handle K is for starting the engine.
In the case of the three classes of engine last described it will be convenient to
form the beds of the engines into receivers as shewn in Fig. 7 as this arrangement
will avoid lengthy coupling pipes.
When required for exhausting or expanding or compressing gaseous fluids the air
gas or other fluid is conveyed through the tubular stems of the delivery valves
which pass through the stuffing boxes the pipes or chambers containing the gas or
fluid being also provided at their junction to the delivery valves with stuffing
boxes or otherwise arranged as for instance by an elastic tube to allow of the motion
of the delivery valves small rods passing through stuffing boxes being used to effect
the connection between the inlet valves.
Fig. 8 is a partial sectional plan of the most convenient arrangement for this
purpose. The chamber containing the air gas or other fluid is provided with a
double branch pipe A which has the stuffing boxes B B¹ opposite the centres of the
air-compressing cylinders. The tubular stems of the delivery valves C, C¹³, are
made long enough to project into the stuffing boxes B B¹ and the links D, D', and
the lever E for coupling the inlet valves together are carried within these elongated
tubular stems and the branch pipe.
Having thus particularly described our invention and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect we wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent, we claim as our invention :―
1st. Arranging the inlet and delivery valves of air compressors so that the inlet
valve shall work in a chamber or recess formed within the delivery valve and
continued through a stuffing box to the outside of the cover, so as to form a
passage leading the outer air (or gas) to the inlet valve, substantially as shewn and
described.
2nd. Coupling together by means of rods levers or other suitable contrivance the
inlet valves of a pair of air-compressing cylinders arranged as above described.in
such a manner that the closing of the inlet valve of the one assists the opening of.
the inlet valve of the other cylinder, substantially as shewn and described.
3rd. The arrangement of the delivery valve by which its stem is carried through
a stuffing box to the outside of the cover to take off a portion of the back area and
thus allow of a broader seating and also to enable the spring or springs for insuring.
its closing to be applied outside where the tension can be readily adjusted and the
regular working of the valve observed, substantially as shewn and described.
4th. The arrangement of direct-acting air compressor without fly wheel formed
by the combination of single-acting compressing cylinders substantially as shewn
and described with reference to Fig. 7.

page_text: 5th. The mode of admitting gaseous fluids or air for exhaustion to the working
cylinder through the tubular stem of the delivery valve, substantially as shewn and
described with reference to Fig. 8.
In witness whereof we the said William Darling and Robert Sellers have
hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty seventh day of November in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty two..