IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES PARTLY APPLICABLE ALSO TO METERS FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, CHARLES LEE, of Saint Leonard's Vicarage, Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Master of Arts, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES
PARTLY APPLICABLE ALSO TO METERS FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS, to
be as follows:-
:
The object of this invention is the construction of valve mechanism which shall
be operated, in ordinary working, entirely by the direct motion of the engine
piston, without eccentrics or any of the usual slide valve or other external gearing.
According to this invention the engine piston is made hollow with a division
across it forming it into two separated chambers-A tubular piston rod passes,
either (1) right through the piston, in which it is fixed, and is divided across itself.
at a point about the centre of the piston and an opening on one side of this division;
is made through the side of the tube so as to communicate with one of the chambers
in the piston, and a corresponding opening is made on the other side of this
division to communicate with the other chamber; or else (2) such tubular piston
rod is fixed in and terminates at each side of the piston, and in this case the
division of the piston itself is fixed or arranged diagonally so that one end of the
piston rod opens into the one chamber and its other end into the other chamber;
of the piston-In both cases therefore the piston is divided into two separated
chambers one of which is hereinafter referred to as the steam chamber and the
other as the exhaust chamber. In order to supply the steam chamber with steam,
one end of the tubular rod (or one extreme end, in the case of a rod divided in the
middle) is left open, and passes through a packing-box on the cylinder end and.
into a cylindrical chamber forming part of the supply piping. This cylindrical
chamber forms, at one end, the gland for the packing-box and is thus held in place
on the cylinder lid. Steam can thus flow through this end of the tubular rod into
the steam chamber in the piston. The other end of this tubular rod (or the other
extreme end, in case of a rod divided in the middle) passes also through a packing-
box and into a cylindrical chamber on its corresponding end of the cylinder, in the
manner described for the opposite end of such rod, and the exhaust piping is con-
nected to such cylindrical chamber. This end of the tubular rod is connected to a

page_text: solid-piston-rod which passes out through a packing at the front end of the last-
mentioned cylindrical chamber and gives notion to a connecting rod, or other
mechanism, as may be desired. An opening is formed through the side of the part
of the tubular rod within the last-mentioned cylindrical chamber and thus any steam
collecting within the exhaust chamber in the piston is discharged through the
tubular rod into the exhaust piping.
Now, in order to give reciprocal action to the piston, two tubes are passed
through the piston in a direction parallel with the piston-rod, and are fixed
therein. One of such tubes passes through the steam chamber and the other
through the exhaust chamber, and the tube through the exhaust chamber projects
at each end beyond the face of the piston. Each tube has a central opening com-
. municating with the chamber through which it passes, and openings are formed
also through the sides of the projecting ends of the tube passing through the
exhaust chamber. A piston valve carried upon a spindle works within the tube
passing through the steam chamber, and two piston valves carried upon one spindle,
so as to leave a space between them, work within the tube passing through the
exhaust chamber. Each of these spindles projects beyond the ends of the tubes
for the necessary distance when the valves are in their mid position.
Assuming that the main piston is being driven forwards by the steam towards
the front end of its stroke, then, as such piston reaches the forward end of its
stroke the front ends of the two spindles, aforesaid, come against the end of the
cylinder or against cushions which are carried therein for this purpose, and such
spindles are thus moved backwards in relation to the main piston so as to bring
the single piston valve backwards of the central opening through its tube, and the
double piston valve backwards with the hinder piston in position between the
-opening-through-the-side-of-the-hinder-projecting-part-of-its-tube and the back-end-
of such tube, and the forward piston in position between the central opening
through its tube and the opening through the side of the forward projecting part of
such tube. The steam can then flow from the steam chamber in the main piston
through the front end of the tube passing therethrough into the front end of the
cylinder to drive the main piston through its backward stroke, and the exhaust
steam from the back of the main piston can flow in through the opening in the
side of the hinder projecting end of the tube containing the double piston valve,
and thence along such tube between the two piston valves therein and through the
central opening in such tube into the exhaust chamber in the main piston and so
away to the exhaust piping. As the main piston reaches the back end of its
stroke the reverse action of the valves takes place by corresponding means to those
already described, and the main piston is again driven forwards.
The arrangement of the piston valves and openings through the tubes in which
they work effectually prevents the flow of steam to the exhaust side of the main
piston or the flow of steam from the pressure side thereof.
If it is desired to work the engine expansively, a deep steam piston valve is
employed, or two steam piston valves are carried upon one spindle so as to be
adjustable thereon (either by means of a screw-thread and lock nuts upon the
spindle, or by any convenient means) in respect to their distance apart, and thus
one end of the deep piston, or one of the pistons, closes the central opening in its
tube at any desired point in the main piston's stroke, and the other end of the
deep piston, or the other piston, having further to travel, uncovers such opening to
the other side of the main piston at or near the end of the stroke. In this case it
may be found convenient to allow the tube in which the steam valve or valves
work to project beyond the faces of the main piston to allow for the increased
length required, and in any case, whether an expansion valve or valves are used or
not, such projection of the tube may be employed if convenient.
The engine will work in either direction of rotation (in the case of an engine
with a rotary motion) if tirst moved by band a sufficient part of a revolution ;
but, if desired, the valves may be reversed by means of rods carrying the cushions
against which the valve spindles strike, such rods at either end being pushed in by

page_text: a suitable lever or gearing to move the valve spindles at any part of the main
piston's stroke.
The cylinder ends are recessed as may be necessary or convenient to receive the
projecting ends of the valve tube or tubes and the cushions against which the
spindles strike, and these recessed parts may be made movable from the lids, if
desired, to give access to the valves without removing the cylinder ends.
A cheap and simple modification of the above construction and arrangement of
valves may be adopted as follows:-Tho valve tubes in the main piston are
dispensed with and a pair of steam and also of exhaust valves are employed, each
pair being mounted upon a separate spindle. The spindle of the steam valves is
carried through the steam chamber with the valves thereon in position to beat
against the inner faces of the steam cbamber, and the spindle of the exhaust valves
is carried through the exhaust chamber with the valves thereon in position to beat
against the outer faces of the piston. Both spindles are carried through suitable
guides. As the piston approaches one end of the cylinder the spindles are moved,
relatively to the piston, so that the steam valve which is the nearer to that end is
pressed back from its seat so as to admit steam to drive back the piston, and the
other steam valve is pressed against its seat and retained there by the steam
pressure so as to close the passage of steam to the opposite side of the piston; the
exhaust valve on the side to which the steam is thus admitted is pressed against
its seat and retained there by the steam pressure to close the passage of exhaust
from this side of the piston, and the exhaust valve at the other side of the piston
is pressed back from its seat to give a passage for the exhaust from that side of the
piston. The spindles are moved to actuate the valves at each end of the stroke in
the manner above described.
An elastic or flexible diaphragm may be employed to work within a double
coned or cambered vessel in combination with the valves and passages constructed
and arranged as above described, according to either modification, in lieu of the
ordinary engine piston and cylinder, in which case the steam and exhaust chambers
of the piston are formed within a central boss to which the elastic or flexible
material is connected. The outer circumference of the elastic or flexible material
is connected around the circumference of the vessel in which it works, and this
diaphragm and vessel are in essential features similar to the like parts of a
construction of pump used in gas works.
I have used the word "steam" in the above description, as indicating the motive
agent employed; but any convenient motive agent may be used-If hydraulic
power is employed, however, the engine cannot of course be worked expansively.
The simpler modification of my invention as above described (that is the
modification in which the valve tubes are dispensed with) may be applied also to
meters for measuring the flow of liquids-In this case the measuring cylinder is
arranged vertically, so that the gravity of the piston therein causes the completion
of the downward stroke after the initial movement of the valves. When, by this
means, the valves are in position for the upward stroke they are retained in sucli
position by a spring catch or trigger gear until the piston reaches the top of its
stroke, when the catch or trigger is thrown out of gear and the valves immediately
fall into position for the downward stroke. The valves may be weighted to
facilitate their falling when the catch or trigger is thrown out of gear.

page_text: 1, CHARLES LEE, of Saint Leonard's Vicarage, Bilston in the County of Stafford,
Master of Arts, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND OTHER FLUID PRESSURE ENGINES, PARTLY
APPLICABLE ALSO TO METERS FOR MEASURING THE FLOW. OF LIQUIDS, 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
accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon:-
The object of this invention is the construction of valve mechanism which shall
be operated in ordinary working entirely by the direct motion of the engine's
piston, without eccentrics or any of the usual slide valve or other external gearing.
I will proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which figure 1 is a longitudinal section through an engine cylinder and
piston, illustrating my improvements- as applied to a non-expansive engine. Any
suitable description of motive power may be employed to work such engine, but in
this and each modification hereinafter described (except that referring to the meter
hereinafter described) I will refer to the motive power, for the sake of convenience,
as steam. A is the steam cylinder and B the piston therein.-C-is-a-hollow-piston--
rod passing out through a packing a at the front end. into an exhaust pipe or
chamber communicating direct with the exhaust pipe D such rod passing out also
through a packing c at the front end of the exhaust pipe or chamber beyond
which it is connected so as to give motion to a connecting-rod, or other mechanism
as may be desired. The, other end of the piston-rod passes out, through a
packing d, into a steam pipe or chamber E communicating with the steam pipe
from the boiler. The interior of the hollow piston-rod C is placed in connection at
one end with the steam pipe or chamber E, by leaving the end of the rod open, as
shewn, or by forming holes in the side thereof; and the interior of the piston-rod
communicates at the other end; through an opening or openings e, with the
chamber b, the forward end of such hollow piston-rod being closed at any point
between the opening or openings e and the extremo end. The piston B is formed
hollow but with a division F (shewn by dotted lines only) thereacross so as to
divide it into two chambers G and G'; and a diaphragm F is placed across the
hollow piston-rod C, at about the middle of the part which passes through the
piston. An opening or openings g communicates between the interior of the hollow
piston-rod, on one side of the diaphragm f, and the chamber G; and the opening gl
communicates between the interior of the hollow piston-rod C, on the other side of
the diaphragm f, and the chamber G. and h¹ are steam valves, inside the piston,
and upon a spindle j, and these valves are formed to beat alternately against
internal faces of seats screwed or otherwise fixed at each side of the piston. kk are
corresponding exhaust valves carried upon a spindle land arranged to beat against
exterior faces of seatings fixed at each side of the piston. One of theso latter
valves is fixed upon its spindle after the spindle has been placed in position through
the seats. The valves are shewn in their positions due to the piston travelling in
the direction of the arrow m. The steam constantly enters the tube C from the
chamber E and passes thence through the
constitutes the steam chest of the engine.
through the valve ¹ to between the piston
the piston in the direction of the arrow m.
side of the piston passes through the valve k
opening g into the chamber G which
From this steam chest the steam passes
and the front lid of the cylinder, driving
The exhaust steam from the opposite
into the chamber G¹ and from thence

page_text: through the opening g' into the forward end of the hollow piston-rod C, from
whence it escapes through the opening e into the chamber b, and thence into the
exhaust piping D. As the piston reaches the back end of the cylinder, the end of
the spindles, coming in contact with the cylinder end, are forced back, relatively
to the approaching piston, and close the valves hand and open the valves h and ³,
when the reverse action takes place, that is to say, the steam passes from the
chamber G through the valve h to the back side of the piston, and the exhaust
passes through the valve into the chamber G' and so on as before, the piston
being driven back through its reverse stroke until it reaches the other end of the
cylinder, when the valves are again moved, in the manner already described, into
the position shewn upon the drawing. Springs or pads of any suitable yielding
material, such for instance as felt faced with metal, are preferably employed
(especially in the case of an engine working with a rotary motion) for the spindles
to strike against at the cylinder ends. It will be seen that the steam pressuro
securely keeps the steam and exhaust valves which are closed for either stroke of
the piston firmly against their seats, until the ends of the spindles strike the ends
of the cylinder.
It is not essential that the piston's motion shall completely reverse the position
of the valves in relation thereto at each end of the stroke, as if such reversal takes
place sufficiently it is obvious that the steam pressure will cause its completion.
Instead of the exhaust piping being arranged at the front of the cylinder and the
steam piping at the back this arrangement may of course be reversed, if desired, as
will be readily understood.
A modification of the above invention, as applied to aërial machines, and other
machines where special lightness is required in the motor apparatus, is illustrated
by figure 2, in which H is a double-coned vessel through which a hollow piston-
rod C¹, corresponding to the rod C figure 1, passes. J is a hollow boss upon the
piston-rod C, and this boss is divided and provided with valves (not shown)
corresponding to the division and valves of the piston B figure 1. KK is an
elastic diaphragm connected between flanges around the circumference of the
vessel H, as shewn, and connected also around the circumference of the boss J, tho
diaphragm and boss J together acting in lieu of the piston B figure 1.
A modification of this invention, and which is capable of application in the case
of expansive engines, is illustrated by figure 3, which is a corresponding section to
figure 1, but the back end of the cylinder is not shewn, for convenience of
illustration. L is the piston moving within the cylinder M, and N a hollow
piston-rod corresponding to the hollow piston-rod ČĊ figure 1. The piston L is
also divided similarly to the piston B figure 1, and communicates with the hollow
rod N in the manner already described with reference to figure 1. O is a tube
passing through the steam chamber of the piston, and P a tube passing through
the exhaust chamber thereof. nn¹ are piston valves working within the tube O,
and are carried upon a spindle o o. p p¹ are piston-valves working within the
tube P, and are carried upon a spindle q. are holes communicating between
the interior of the tube O and the steam chamber, and r1 r¹ are corresponding holes
communicating between the exhaust chamber and the interior of the tube P. 88
and 88¹ are holes communicating between the cylinder M and the interior of the
tube O, and tt and t¹t are holes communicating between the interior of the tube P
and the cylinder M. QQ are buffers (formed of felt or other yielding material
between metal plates, or otherwise conveniently constructed) in small cylinders Q¹ Q¹
projecting from the cylinder end, these buffers being employed as stops against
which the ends of the valve spindles strike as the main piston approaches the end
of its stroke. In the position in which the valves are shewn the piston L is
travelling in the direction of the arrow u. The steam enters the tube O, from the
steam chamber of the piston, through the openings rr, and passes into the cylinder
through the openings 8 8, and the exhaust steam flows from the forward side of
the piston through the openings into the tube P, and thence through the
openings into the exhaust chamber of the piston, from whence it. issues as in

page_text: the modification illustrated by figure 1. As the piston approaches the end of its
stroke, a cap on the front end of the spindle o o' strikes against the stop Q, and
the valves n n' are moved into their reversed position so that the steam is
prevented from passing to the back of the piston, and issues through the
openings to the front end of the cylinder M to drive the piston back. The
exhaust valves p p are also moved in a corresponding manner into their reverse
position so that the steam from the front side of the piston is prevented from
passing along the tube P as far as the openings, and the steam from the back
of the piston exhausts into the tube P through the openings t t and thence through
the openings into the exhaust chamber of the piston. The caps on the ends
of the valve spindles act as stops. against the ends of the tubes, as shewn, and
prevent the valves from being moved out of position by the steam, which of course
exerts a pressure against the valves which are the hinder in relation to the
direction of the piston. This combined pressure of the steam and resistance of the
caps thus securely maintains the valves in position till moved in the manner
described; and in case the reversal of the valves at the end of the stroke is not
completed by the motion of the piston such reversal is completed by the steam
pressure. The part o of the spindle o.o¹ is screwed to the part o¹ so that by the
regulation of the screw the distance between the pistons n n¹ may be adjusted as
required. If this distance is increased, the forward end of the part o' will strike
the buffer or stop Q earlier in the stroke, with the effect of cutting off the steam,
by means of the valve n, at an earlier portion of the stroke, but the valve n'
having a greater distance to travel, corresponding exactly to the increased distance
between the valves, will still admit the steam to the other side of the piston at
or about the end of the stroke as before; and it will thus be seen that the_parts_
-may-readily-be-constructed and arranged so as to provide for any required degree
of expansion. The valves are of course actuated in a corresponding manner at
each end of the stroke. v is a lock-nut to lock the screw connecting the parts o o'
together. When this arrangement of valves is employed for a large engine the
valves may be reversed, in any position in which the engine may be standing, by
forcing the but.ers or stops QQ against the spindles at one end (by means of
spindles connected with such buffers or stops, as shewn, and of course with
suitable gearing for moving such last-mentioned spindles) in which case the parts
should of course be constructed so that the valve spindle ends are always within
the cylinders QQ, such spindles and the cylinders Q'Q' being elongated as may
be necessary for this purpose; or rods may be employed working through the
buffers against which the valvo spindle ends strike. The buffers QQ may be
dispensed with if desired and the valve-spindle ends simply strike against the ends
of the cylinders Q' Q1 but buffers are of course preferred. The cylinders Q Q¹
may be made removable from the main cylinder end, if desired, to afford ready
access to the valves without removing such cylinder end.
The last-described modification may be simplified for a non-expansive engine by
employing only one steam valve upon the centre of the spindle; and for an engine
having a fixed expansion one deep valve only may of course be employed.
The modification of this invention described with reference to figure 3, and the
simplifications thereof described in the last paragraph above, is applicable also in
the case of the diaphragm engine figure 2.
The openings formed through the hollow piston-rod, in either modification above-
described, and through the valve tubes when such are employed, may conveniently
be formed, in each case, as a number of small drilled holes.
The application of this invention to meters for measuring the flow of liquids is
illustrated by figures 4, 5, and 6, of which figure is a vertical section shewing
the upper part of the measuring cylinder with the piston therein, figure 5 a section
taken on line x x of figure 4, and figure 6 a vertical section of part of the apparatus
sufficient to shew a side elevation of the trigger action hereinafter referred to.
R is the measuring cylinder, which is fixed vertically. S is a piston corresponding
to the piston B, figure 1, and is formed into chambers and provided with valvęs

page_text: and seats in a corresponding manner. S¹ is a hollow piston-rod divided as and
corresponding to the hollow piston-rod C, figure 1. The piston-rod S' also passes
out through the ends of the cylinder and operates in conjunction with the supply
and discharge pipes exactly the same as in the modification illustrated by figure 1.
The weight of the piston readily moves the valves in relation to itself, as it
approaches the bottom of its stroke, that is to say, it continues to descend after the
bottoms of the spindles strike the bottom of the cylinder, and thus the valves come
into their proper position for the upward movement of the piston, but in order to
securely maintain the valves in their position during the upward stroke and cause
them to reverse properly at the top of the stroke, a special arrangement is adopted.
The top ends of the valve spindles are joined by means of a plate all having a
catch fixed thereto. T is a cross-bar fixed to the piston-rod S₁ and consequently
travelling therewith, and c¹¹ is a flat spring carried by the bar T. When the valves
are raised in relation to the piston, the catch b" is pushed up behind the spring c",
slightly forcing out such spring, and a niche in the face of the catch comes imme-
diately behind the spring, when the spring springs back into the niche and thus
retains the catch, and consequently retains the valves in their upward position in
relation to the piston. The narrow top of the catch 61 is behind the spring when
the valves are down, so as to give it a lead in forcing out the spring as it rises. As
the piston approaches the top end of its stroke, fingers "d", projecting downwards
from the lid, enter recesses c¹¹ el in the face of the bar T, behind the spring c¹¹, and
force forward such spring so as to allow the catch b₁ to descend behind the spring,
immediately upon which the valves drop into their downward position. f is a
stud to support the spring cl under the action of the fingers d"". U is a weight
attached to the lower ends of the valve spindles to facilitate the dropping of the
valves at the top of the stroke. V is a vertical rod fixed to the piston and passing
through one or preferably through both ends of the cylinder and connected at one
end with the index mechanism. This rod prevents the piston turning axially and
thus bringing the recesses ell el out of position under the fingers "d". The
piston-rod S' in this case is not carried out through a packing at the end of the
discharge pipe as in the modification shewn by figure 1, as it is not required to be
connected up with any further mechanism.
I have described an efficient catch or trigger gear for holding up and releasing
the valves of my improved meter, but any convenient mechanism may be adopted
for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
4
1. The combination, in steam and other fluid pressure engines, of a hollow
piston-rod with main piston on elastic diaphragm having supply and discharge
chambers therein or combined therewith and provided with supply and discharge
valves, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and shewn by the drawings.
2. The combination of the hollow piston rod C, supply and discharge chambers G
and G, supply valves h and h¹ and exhaust valves and, substantially as and for
the purpose herein described and illustrated by figure 1.
3. The application of the modification referred to in claim 2 to a motive-power
engine having a diaphragm in lieu of a piston, substantially as herein described and
illustrated by figure 2.
4. The combination of the hollow piston-rod N, supply and discharge chambers
in the main piston, tubes O and P, steam valves n and n¹ (or a single steam valve)
and exhaust valves p and 21, constructed and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and illustrated (as with two steam valves) by
figure 3.
5. The application of the modification referred to in claim 4 to a motive power
engine having a diaphragm in lieu of a piston, substantially as herein described,

page_text: 6. The combination, in a meter for measuring the flow of liquids, of a hollow
piston-rod with main piston having supply and discharge chambers therein and
provided with supply and discharge valves, all constructed and operating substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein described and shewn by the drawings.
7. The application of the modification referred to in claim 2, for the purpose of
a meter for measuring the flow of liquids, substantially as herein described and
illustrated by figures 4 and 5.
8. The catch or trigger gear substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and illustrated by figures 4, 5 and 6.