Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping Engines.
We JOHN FOTHERGILL of Dale Terrace, Denby Dale Road, Foreman and
WILLIAM BRIGGS of South Parade Manufacturer, both of Wakefield in the
County of York do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is improvements in apparatus for Stopping Engines
which enables Factory and other such like engines to be immediately stopped from
any part of the factory without going to Engine Room which occupies considerable
time.
Such apparatus is most useful in cases of-breakage in the machinery at distant
parts of the works or accidents of any kind besides being available for, ordinary
purposes.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which is shown
one modification of our invention applied to a factory engine and which will
enable competent persons to apply the invention to other positions and conditions
which naturally vary considerably in various Factories and Works.
The drawing shows simply a plan of the apparatus no further details be required
to illustrate the principle and besides the details may be carried out in such a vast
number of ways and yet made to serve the same end.
The principal moving parts of the apparatus are secured to the foundation, wall
or other plate or support M and may be made of any form to suit the cir-
cumstances and position and may be set vertically, horizontally, diagonally or
otherwise. A is the vacuum cylinder or other chamber in which is fitted a
suitable piston, connected through the rod B to the rack C. This rack gears into
the pinion N, and secured to the same 'spindle with N is the larger or other
wheel P which again gears into the pinion R upon the spindle S upon which the
flanged or other pulley T is fast. The periphery of this pulley T carries the belt D
attached by the rivets or other means and the other end of the belt or other
connection D is fastened to the chain or other rope W which is wound upon the
wheel X attached to the spindle E of the stop or steam valve Y of the Engine.
The a² end of the cylinder A is connected to the condenser or air pump by the
pipe B and may be cut off by the valve b'. The other end a¹ of the cylinder or
other chamber is also connected with the condenser or air pump by the smaller
Paine Cr

page_text: pipe H with a very small passage cock K which only allows the vacuum to be
maintained in any number of such small pipes as G and Z which run into any or
all the rooms of the mill or works in which small valves J are placed in any
suitable position or positions in any or each room thereof. But in starting the
Engine the cock K having two passages a larger and smaller the large one is used
until the air is drawn out of the pipes and then the cock is turned to the smaller
-passage. The action is as follows:-The cock b' being open the connection is
made and maintained with the cylinder A and the piston is maintained in
equilibrium, the K cock being also open and when the stop valve Y is open as it
would be in starting the engine, and when the mill is working the piston will of
course be at the a" end of the cylinder and a vacuum will be established in every
pipe throughout the whole building and easily maintained without attention or
trouble. Now immediately any cock J is opened air is admitted into the pipe
which at once drives the piston to the a³ end of the cylinder A carrying with it
the rack C and winding the belt D upon the pulley T which unwinds the chain W
and turns the spindle E which shuts the valve Y and stops the engine and
machinery. The smallness of the valve K does not permit the air admitted into
the pipe to reach the a' end of the cylinder and thus the equilibrum is broken.
It is evident that the motion may be used to liberate a weight which would fall
and operate any valve or valves for stopping the Engine or to admit steam thereto
to accomplish the work required. It will also be clear, that in the case of non-
condensing gas or other similar motors that a separate small air pump and vacuum
chamber may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
The improvements in apparatus for stopping engines of a vacuum cylinder or
chamber connected with the various departments or rooms of a mill or works
by tubes operated by cocks substantially as herein set forth.