IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomson King, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by George
Westinghouse, junior, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United
States of America.
Sealed the 6th August 1875, and dated the 17th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomson King
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th February 1875.
I, JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to automatic engines of the reciprocating class,
that is to say, engines in which the steam or operating fluid is caused to
actuate the reversing or equivalent valve employed for controlling the

page_text: admission and emission of such steam or elastic fluid to and from the
cylinder, the object being to obtain the full motion of the reversing
valve at each end of the stroke of the piston, and thereby ensure that
the motion of the engine shall be continuous, and that such engine can
be started when the piston is in any position, and consists,-

page_text: returns to its normal position. The slide valve is actuated through its
rod, which works in the interior of the main piston rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Thomson King in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Thomson King, Her
special licence that I, the said John Thomson King, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Thomson
King, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES,” a communication to mo
from abroad by George Westinghouse, junior, of Pittsburgh, Penn-
sylvania, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Thomson King, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 per-
formed, 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 John Thomson King, do hereby

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to automatic engines of the reciprocating class,
that is to say, engines in which the steam or operating fluid is caused to
actuate the reversing or equivalent valve employed for controlling the
admission and emission of such steam or elastic fluid to and from the
cylinder, the object being to obtain the full motion of the reversing
valve at each end of the stroke of the piston, and thereby ensure that
the motion of the engine shall be continuous, and that such engine can
be started when the piston is in any position, and consists,—
First. In causing the reversing valve to be operated by the inter-
mittent action of steam or elastic fluid on one part of the said valve,
the pressure on the other parts being constant.
Second. As means for obtaining the intermittent action of the steam
or other elastic fluid to the reversing valve, a valve, by preference a
slide valve, actuated by the to-and-fro motion of the piston, is employed.
Third. To cause the said intermittent action of the steam to effectually
operate the reversing valve, such valve is formed with three pistons
arranged on one stem. Pressure is kept constant between two of the
pistons, one of which is smaller than the other. The intermittent
pressure acts on one side of the third piston, which must be of greater
area than the difference between the areas of the two pistons before-
mentioned. The two pistons between which steam is kept constant
alternately open the admission and exhaust ports to each end of the
cylinder.
In the most approved method of carrying my Invention into practise,
I proceed as follows:-The steam cylinder is provided at each end with
two sets of ports leading into a barrel or way in which the revolving
valve is situated. Two of the pistons of the said reversing valve allow
alternately one of the sets of ports at the lower and upper end of the
cylinder to open to that part of the way or passage between the said
pistons, the other sets of ports being alternately opened to the exhaust.
The space between the said pistons is open to the steam pipe, and the
said reversing valve is kept in position so as to admit steam to one end
of the cylinder by the pressure of the steam on the differential area of

page_text: the said pistons. As the main piston reaches the end of its stroke it
actuates a small slide valve, which admits steam to the third piston of
the reversing valve, so as to cause the reversing valve to move to the
opposite end of its stroke. On the descent of the piston the slide valve
is again actuated to cut off communication with the third piston; the
reversing valve then returns to its normal position. The slide valve is
actuated through its rod, which works in the interior of the main piston
rod.
opposite end of its stroke. On the descent of the piston the slide valve
is again actuated to cut off communication with the third piston; the
reversing valve then returns to its normal position. The slide valve is
actuated through its rod, which works in the interior of the main piston
rod.
Many varieties of construction may be made under my Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view; Fig. 2, an elevation; and Fig. 3, a sectional
plan view of a pumping engine constructed under my Invention.
The action of the parts is as follows:-Steam enters through a into 6,
thence through the passage c into d, and thence by the uncovered port e
into the space f. It will be seen that there is a downward pressure on
the pistons g and h and an upward pressure on the piston i. The com-
bined area of 9 and h being greater than the area of i, the piston valves
g, h, assume the position shown on the Drawings, so that steam can
enter through j beneath the piston k, whilst the steam above the said
piston k is free to exhaust through the openings and way m. When
the piston reaches the top of its stroke it gives motion to the slide
valve by means of the plate o striking against the collar p. The
motion given to the said valve n closes the port e and opens communica-
tion from to the exhaust way m by the passages q and r, so removing
the pressure from above the piston g, thereby leaving pressure only on
the pistons h and i. The area of i being greater than the area of.h, the
combined piston valves h, i, are caused to move in the direction of the
arrow. Steam can then pass by the ports ¹ to the top of the piston k,
and escape
from below the said piston by the ports & into the exhaust way
m; the ports j, l, are closed. On the descent of the piston k the plate o
strikes the button t, thereby placing the slide valve in the position
shown in the Drawings, thus causing the reversal of the combined
piston h, i; u, exhaust from below g. The exhaust ports q and u are
placed at a distance from the top and bottom of the chamber so as to
provide a steam cushion.
The pumping portion B of the engine is of ordinary construction and
is not claimed as part of this Invention.

page_text: Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the said engine applied to turning a
shaft. The internal construction of the pump is the same as that
described under Figs. 1, 2, and 3, except that the guide rod w of the
slide valve n does not pass through the cap x.
The slide valve n may be of any desired construction, and in some
engines may be worked by an eccentric.
Instead of the valves g, h, and i, being attached to one rod, the piston
valve g may be attached to an independent rod.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention so that others
will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,-
Under the first part. Giving motion to a reversing valve g, h, i, by the
intermittent action of steam on one part 9 thereof, whilst the pressure
on the other parts h, i, is constant, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Under the second part. The use of the slide valve n in combination
with the valve g, h, i, substantially as described and illustrated.
Under the third part. The combination of the three differential valves.
g, h, i, acting together so as to form one reversing valve, substantially in
the manner described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomson King, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
J. JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
Witness.
Clayton Square,
Liverpool,
J. T. KING. (L.S.)