An Improved Triple Expansion Engine.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1888.
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1889-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Triple Expansion Engine.
We, GEORGE GRAY RHODES, and JAMES SIDNEY CRITCHLEY, both of 27 Kirkgate,
Bradford, in the County of York, Consulting Engineers, and CHARLES COLE of the
firm of Messrs. Cole Marchent & Co., Prospect Foundry, Wakefield Road, Bradford,
aforesaid, Ironfounder and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in triple expansion engines for Mill
or Factory purposes, and has for its object the arrangement of the various parts in
the most compact form.
This we accomplish by fixing the cylinders one above the other, and connecting the
piston rods to one cross-head to which is attached the connecting rod in the usual
way. The initial or high pressure cylinder we place uppermost, the intermediate
cylinder, in the centre, and the low pressure cylinder at the bottom, the air pump
and condenser being fixed where convenient. The bed frame we arrange with the
slide for the crosshead about the centre of the latter, and construct the crosshead with
projecting plates to work in the slide.
.
The valves of the initial cylinder we prefer to be of the Corliss or other automatic
type, the valves of the intermediate and low pressure cylinder may also be of the
same type adjustable by hand, or ordinary slides, all the valves being worked by
eccentrics. For the purpose of starting the engine we fix a blow through valve to the
valve chest of the intermediate cylinder.
Dated this 21st day of September 1888.
RHODES & CRITCHLEY;
A gents
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
An Improved Triple Expansion Engine.
We, GEORGE GRAY RHODES, and JAMES SIDNEY CRITCHLEY, both of 27 Kirkgate,
Bradford, in the County of York, Consulting Engineers, and CHARLES COLE, of the
firin of Messrs. Cole Marchent & Co., Prospect Foundry, Wakefield Road, Bradford,
aforesaid Ironfounder & 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in triple expansion engines for Mill
or Factory purposes, and has for its object the arrangement of the various parts in
the most compact form.
In order to show more clearly our invention we append hereto sheets of drawings in
which Fig. 1 represents the side elevation of a triple expansion engine constructed
according to our invention, Fig. 2 a plan of same, Fig. 3 a section on line a-b in
Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 a detail of the crosshead.
figures like letters denote like parts.
In all the
The bed frame A of the engine we construct in the trunk forin, and make prepara-
tions for bolting thereto the cylinders and the crank shaft pedestal. The cylinders we
place horizontally one above the other the high pressure cylinder B at the top, then
the intermediate cylinder C, and the low pressure cylinder D at the bottom, or the
position of the two latter may be reversed. The piston rods of all the three cylinders
we connect to one crosshead E constructed of cast steel, the formation being shown in
Figs. 3 and 4. The slippers E' of the crosshead project longitudinally and trans-
versely, the slide in the bed A being arranged as near the centre of the crosshead a

page_text: possible, the latter being thus in a manner supported by lateral arms. The slippers E¹
are considerably longer than made in ordinary practice, the length thereof being
equal to the distance from the centre of the high pressure piston rod to the centre
of the low pressure piston rod, so that should the strain on the crosshead E be
unequally divided any tendency to "kicking" may he obviated, and the cover strips F
to the slide are made considerably heavier than in ordinary practice.
The connecting rod G is made with a fork at crosshead end, the crosshead E being
fitted with gudgeon H having outer necks for air pump links, the air pump being
placed vertically and worked by links and legs in the usual way. The remaining
parts of the engine are of ordinary construction the valves of all the cylinders
being worked by eccentrics. The valves of the high pressure cylinder should prefer-
ably be of the Corliss type, those of the other cylinders may be ordinary slides
with means for adjusting the work done by the respective cylinders. In working the
steam which has done duty at the front end of the high pressure cylinder passes
directly to the back end of the intermediate cylinder, then to the front end of the
low pressure cylinder. A blow through valve should be fitted so that when starting
the engine the strain may be applied to the centre of the crosshead by the intermediate
cylinder.
In order that the stuffing box of the low pressure cylinder D may be accessible part
of the bed frame A is cut away to form an opening K.
We are well aware that triple expansion engines have previously been made in
various forms, but we wish to point out that by this method engines of great power
.can be placed in comparatively small space.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
In combination with the cylinders B, C and D the crosshead E, bed frame A, and
connecting rod G, all arranged substantially in the manner as shown and described
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 12th day of July 1889.
RHODES & CRITCHLEY,
Agents.