IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Willoughby Anderson, of the City of Washington,
in the District of Columbia, and United States of North America, Attorney at
Law and Patent Solicitor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES" A communication by William Henry Garlock and Richard Cooke,
both of Denison, in the County of Grayson, State of Texas, United States of
North America
Sealed the 27th December 1879, and dated the 3rd July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Willoughby Anderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1879.
EDWARD WILLOUGHBY ANDERSON, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, and United States of North America, Attorney at Law and Patent
Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES. A communication by William
Henry Garlock and Richard Cooke, both of Denison, in the County of Grayson,
State of Texas, United States of North America.
The object of the Invention is to devise means whereby the valves may be
actuated automatically without the employment of exterior mechanisms by the
use of exhaust steam, and the nature of the Invention consists of the combination
with a cylinder having steam passages and partial exhaust passages of small
size in its walls, and a steam chest having diverging exhaust passages, of a valve in
said chest having two spaced heads provided with extensions or rings, each of the
said rings being provided with a main and a partial exhaust port working in
connection with the exhaust passages of the chest, and with two ports working in
connection with the steam passages and partial exhaust passages of the cylinder.
By the above construction when steam is admitted into the chest through an
opening (between the heads of the valve) in the wall of the chest said steam passes
into the cylinder, forcing the piston in the direction of the arrow, it being premised
that the piston has already made a stroke and that there is steam on both sides
thereof. Steam is exhausted from the other end of the cylinder and passes into
the contiguous end of the chest through a port in the chest ring of the head,
whence it escapes into the main exhaust port of the said head.
A portion of the exhaust steam passes through the partial exhaust passage and port
of the other head into the opposite end of the chest, and forces the valve towards the

page_text: other end thereof, the steam in this end being exhausted, only sufficient remaining to
cushion the valve and prevent noise. This movement of the valve being due to the fact
that the partial exhaust ports are much smaller than the main exhaust ports, conse-
quently steam has free access at one end of the valve box but is obstructed at the
other end thereof. By this means an equilibrium of pressure in the valve case is
prevented and a regular reciprocating movement of the valve obtained that
automatically admits and cuts off steam from the cylinder without using eccentrics
or other like devices.
In the Drawing A represents the cylinder in section; B, piston; C, piston rod;
H, valve chest; D, valve; E, steam supply; F, exhaust passages; G, partial 1
haust nagkama

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Willoughby Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th December 1879.
EDWARD WILLOUGHBY ANDERSON, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, and United States of North America, Attorney at Law and Patent
Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES" A communication by William
Henry Garlock and Richard Cooke, both of Denison, in the County of Grayson,
State of Texas, United States of North America.
•
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved steam engine; Figure
2 is a side view of the valve rod; and Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail views.
The object of the Invention is to devise means whereby the valves may be
actuated automatically without the employment of exterior mechanism, by the use
of exhaust steam; and the nature of the Invention consists in the combination with
a cylinder having steam passages and partial exhaust passages in its walls, and a
5 steam chest having diverging exhaust passages, of a valve in said chest having two
spaced heads provided with extensions or rings, each of said rings being provided
with a main and a partial exhaust port working in connection with the exhaust
passages of the chest, and with two ports working in connection with the steam
passages and partial exhaust passages of the cylinder, as hereinafter fully set
forth.
In the Drawings A. represents an ordinary steam cylinder; B, the piston; and B',
the piston rod passing through the stuffing box a in one of the cylinder heads. C is
the valve box usually at the top of the cylinder and generally made in two sections,
d, d³, joined together by flanges and bolts. The section b is cast with the cylinder,
and the box is closed at each end by means of heads c. In the top wall of the
cylinder are formed the steam passages d, d², in line with each other and opening
into the cylinder close to its heads at one end and into the valve box O at each
side of the middle of the length of said cylinder; e, e¹, are smaller passages arranged
in the said wall one at each side of the passages d, d, and opening into the
> cylinder independently thereof. The passages e, e, extend from opposite directions
past the middle of the length of the cylinder and open into the valve box near to
but outside of the passages d, d². The top wall of the box is provided with two
diverging ducts ff, having a common educt c', and leading into the box in line or
nearly so with the steam passages d, d'; D indicates the valve mechanism
5 consisting essentially of a shaft g extending equally through the box with one end
passing through a stuffing box h and supported by a guide h', outside thereof,
provided with two spaced heads 1, ', provided each with a cylindrical hollow
extension or flangen in which are formed on one side the ports i, ³, and on the
other side the portsj and j'. The ports ; supply the main passages d, d², and the
) portsj³ the partial exhaust passages e, e², the relative position of the said ports being
the same as that of the openings of the passages aforesaid. The extent of movement
of the valve is controlled by a shoulder on the valve rod g, and if desired a stop or
collar on the said rod outside of the chest, or I may depend upon the abutting of
the inner end of the said rod against the contiguous end of the chest.
The operation of the engine is as follows, reference being had to Figure 1 of the
Drawings: Steam is admitted to the chest through a port o in its wall between
the heads of the valve and passes through passage d', the valve head being
clear of the opening thereof, into the steam cylinder, forcing the piston in tho
direction indicated by the arrow. It being premised that the piston has already
made a stroke and that there is steam on both sides thereof, steam is exhausted
from the other end of the cylinder, through passage d, and passes therefrom into
the contiguous end of the chest through the port of the ring, n of head 2, whencu
it escapes into the main exhaust passage f through the port 3 of said head.
"

page_text: A portion of the exhaust steam passes through the partial exhaust passage e and
port, of head, into the opposite end of the chest, and by its pressure forces the
valve away from this side of the chest toward the other end thereof, the steam in
this latter end being exhausted through the port i of the head 2, into the main
exhaust passage f, only sufficient remaining to cushion the valve and prevent
noise. This movement of the valve is due to the fact that the partial exhaust
ports are much smaller than the main exhaust ports and that in consequence steam
has free egress through the ports i at one end of the valve box, but is obstructed
in passing through port at the other end thereof. By this means an equi-
librium of pressure in the valve box is prevented. This movement throws the
valve head 2 clear of the opening of passage d into the chest, as shown in Figure 1
for the passage d' and the valve head l, and steam rushes into the opposite end of
the cylinder reversing the movement of the piston. The steam in the exhausting
end of the cylinder passos out therefrom through passage d', ports j, i, of the ring
n of head and the main exhaust passage f, a portion however passing through
passage e¹ and port of head l, and reversing the valve as before, the exhaust steam
in front of head escaping through the port and main exhaust passage f;
a regular reciprocating movement of the valve D is thus had that automatically
lets on and cuts off steam from the cylinder without using eccentrics or other liko
devices.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which the same may
be carried into practical effect I would have it understood that I do not desire to
limit myself to the exact details as described, as these may be varied without
departing from the peculiar nature of my Invention, but what I do claim is :-
The method and means employed for carrying the same into practical effect for
operating the valves of steam engines by means of exhaust steam, and dispensing
with the usual mechanical devices employed for this purpose, as hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Willoughby Anderson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
EDWARD WITTONICHIDY ANDEDSAY