An Improved High-speed Engine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved High-speed Engine.
We, JOHN FRANCIS SLEAT, of 26 Penton Place, Kennington Park Road, Newington,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, and HARRY SKELTON, of 2 Hurley Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to an engine in which the motor shaft is driven at a high
speed with a comparatively slow piston speed, the principal object being to diminish
the wear and tear which must occur with high speed engines as hitherto constructed,
in which the piston speed is very high.
It consists broadly in the employment of two, three or more cylinders, one only of
which is stationary, and the piston, or preferably pistons, in which causes or cause the
second cylinder to rotate; the piston, or preferably pistons, in the latter, in its or their
turn causes or cause the third cylinder to rotate, so that such third cylinder revolves
with the increased speed due to the speed with which the second cylinder is rotated by
the first, added to the speed with which it is itself driven by the second cylinder. The
last cylinder actuates the motor shaft from which power is to be transmitted.
The motive fluid can either act expansively in all or any number of the cylinders
in succession, or the whole of the cylinders may be high-pressure cylinders.
The following is a description of a suitable method of carrying out the invention, as
applied to a two-cylinder compound engine :-
The low-pressure cylinder is fixed to a suitable base or bed, and through it trans-
versely to its longitudinal axis passes a crank shaft to which the piston, or preferably
pistons working on opposite sides thereof, is or are connected by a rod or rods. The
crank shaft is thus actuated by the piston or pistons and rotates in suitable bearings,
and one end of such shaft is keyed or otherwise connected to the casing of the high-
pressure cylinder, a projection on which works in a packed gland or stuffing box
formed on the casing of the low-pressure cylinder. This projection preferably contains
the passage for enabling the motive fluid to pass from the high-pressure to the low-
pressure cylinder. The high-pressure cylinder will thus be caused to rotate with the
crank shaft of the low-pressure cylinder, when same is actuated by its piston or
pistons.
A second crank shaft passes transversely through the longitudinal axis of the high-
pressure cylinder and can rotate in bearings therein, a piston, or preferably pistons
working on opposite sides thereof, being connected thereto by a rod or rods.
This second crank shaft will be driven at a speed equal to that at which the high-
pressure cylinder is caused to rotate, plus the speed at which it is itself driven by the
high-pressure piston or pistons.
In the case of a two-cylinder engine the second crank shaft will form the motor
shaft from which power is to be transmitted, while if the engine is provided with three
or more cylinders, such crank shaft will in its turn be connected to the casing of the
next. cylinder in succession so as to cause same to rotate, and so on, the whole of
the cylinders being provided with crank shafts driven by a piston or pistons in their
respective cylinders, and the power will be taken from the crank shaft of the last
cylinder. By this means the speed of the crank shaft of the fixed cylinder can be
increased indefinitely by increasing the number of cylinders employed, while the
piston speed of the different cylinders can be kept as low as desired.
The revolving cylinders will be suitably supported in bearings, and the casing of the
ast or high-pressure cylinder will preferably be provided with a projecting sleeve

page_text: containing the passage for the motive fluid, while the Learing in which such sleeve
works will be made hollow and its space communicate with such passage, so as to
convey the motive fluid inside the high-pressure cylinder.
Each cylinder will be provided with suitable ports and passages and with suitable
valves (either of slide or piston form) to control same, for ensuring the proper
distribution of the motive fluid, and its exhaust from one cylinder to the other in
succession, and finally to the atmosphere or condenser.
The valves may be actuated in any suitable manner, a convenient method being to
connect same by rods to eccentrics mounted upon the respective crank shafts of the
different cylinders.
If the cylinders are all high-pressure cylinders, each of them will of course have to
be provided with suitable means for admitting the motive fluid directly thereto, when
the valves will ensure its proper distribution and exhaust.
Dated this 24th day of January 1890.
ALLISON BRUS.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved High-speed Engine.
We, JOHN FRANCIS SLEAT, of 26 Penton Place, Kennington Park Road, Newington,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, and HARRY SKELTON, of 2 Hurley Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, 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 an engine in which the motor shaft is driven at a high
speed with a comparatively slow piston speed, the principal object being to diminish
the wear and tear which must occur with high speed engines as hitherto constructed,
in which the piston speed is very high.
It consists broadly in the employment of two, three or more cylinders or sets of
cylinders, one only of which is stationary, and the piston, or preferably pistons, in
which causes or cause the second cylinder or set of cylinders to rotate; the piston, or
preferably pistons, in the latter in its or their turn causes or cause the third cylinder
or set of cylinders to rotate, so that such third cylinder or set of cylinders revolves
with the increased speed due to the speed with which the second cylinder or set of
cylinders is rotated by the first, added to the speed with which it is itself driven by
the second cylinder or set of cylinders. The last cylinder or set of cylinders actuates
the motor shaft from which power is to be transmitted.
The motive fluid can either act expansively in all or any number of the cylinders or
sets of cylinders in succession, or the whole of the cylinders or sets of cylinders may
be high-pressure cylinders.
The following is a description of a suitable method of carrying out the invention, as
applied to a compound engine having two sets of cylinders
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved engine,
Fig. 2 a transverse section through the set of low-pressure cylinders, and
Fig. 3 a transverse section through the valve chest of the set of low-pressure
cylinders.
Each set of cylinders is shown as composed of three cylinders, all three being
formed in the same casting or suitably connected together.
The set of low-pressure cylinders A is fixed to a suitable base or bed B, and through
the centre of the casting passes a crank shaft C. In each cylinder A is a
piston D,
which is connected to the crank of shaft by rods E, so as to cause such crank shaft to
rotate in the bearings F, G, in the casting. The inner end of crank shaft C is keyed to
the casing of the set of high-pressure cylinders H, a projection or sleeve I on which

page_text: works in the packed gland or stuffing box K formed on the casing of the set of low-
pressure cylinders A. The sleeve I is preferably hollow and forms the passage for
the motive fluid from the set of high-pressure to the set of low-pressure cylinders, as
shown by the arrows. The set of high-pressure cylinders H will thus be caused to
rotate with the low-pressure crank shaft C, when same is actuated by the pistons D.
A second crank shaft. L passes through the centre of the casting of the high-pressure
cylinders H, and can rotate in the hearings M, N, formed in the casting. In each
cylinder H is a piston O connected by rods P to the crank shaft L, so as to cause same
to rotate in its bearings.
The crank shaft L will therefore be driven at a speed equal to that at which the set
of high-pressure cylinders H is caused to rotate by the crank shaft C of the set of low-
pressure cylinders A, plus the speed at which such crank shaft L is itself driven by
the high-pressure pistons O.
The power may be taken in any suitable manner from the crank shaft L, or if the
motor is provided with three or more separate cylinders or sets of cylinders, such crank
shaft L will in its turn be connected to the casing of the next cylinder or set of cylinders
in succession so as to cause same to rotate, and so on, the whole of the cylinders or
sets of cylinders being provided with crank shafts actuated by a piston or pistons in
their respective cylinders or sets of cylinders, and the power will be taken from the
crank shaft of the last cylinder or set of cylinders. By this means the speed of the
crank shaft C of the fixed cylinder or set of cylinders A can be increased indefinitely
by increasing the number of cylinders or sets of cylinders employed, while the piston
speed of the different cylinders or sets of cylinders can be kept as low as desired.
The revolving cylinders will be suitably supported in bearings, and the casing of
the last or high-pressure cylinder or set of cylinders H will preferably be provided
with a projecting sleeve R containing the passage for the motive fluid, while the
bearing in which such sleeve R works will be made hollow and its space communicate
with such passage, so as to convey the motive fluid inside the casing of the high-pressure
cylinders H, as shown by the arrows.
Each cylinder or set of cylinders is provided with a suitable supply port and
passage S, S', and exhaust port and passage T, T', and with suitable valves U, U'
(either of slide or piston form) to control same, for ensuring the proper distribution of
the motive fluid, and its exhaust from one cylinder to another in succession, and finally
at V to the atmosphere or condenser.
The valves U, U¹, may be actuated in any suitable manner, a convenient method
being to connect same by rods W, W, to eccentrics X, X³, mounted upon the
respective crank shafts C, L, of the different cylinders or sets of cylinders.
If the cylinders or sets of cylinders are all high-pressure cylinders, each of them
will of course have to be provided with suitable means for admitting the motive fluid
directly thereto, when the valves U, U', will ensure its proper distribution and
exhaust.
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:-
1. The improved high speed engine consisting of two or more cylinders or sets of
cylinders, one of which is fixed and actuates a crank shaft, to which the casing of the
next cylinder or set of cylinders is connected so that the latter is caused to rotate
therewith, and such second cylinder or set of cylinders, and all the following cylinders
or sets of cylinders (when more are employed) actuating separate crank shafts, con-
nected respectively to the casing of the next cylinder or set of cylinders in succession,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The improved high speed engine consisting of two or more cylinders or sets of
cylinders, one of which is fixed and causes the second set to rotate. while the other or
others actuate separate crank shafts which are respectively connected to the casing of
the following cylinder or set of cylinders in succession, in combination with passages

page_text: connecting any two or more of such cylinders or sets of cylinders, so as to allow the
motive fluid to pass from one to the other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.