Improvements in Steam Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
VUML LEID
Improvements in Steam Engines.
I, MATTHIAS NACE FORNEY, Mechanical Engineer, residing at No. 501 Fifthr
Avenue, in the City of New York, County and State of New York, and United
States of America, 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 :-
My present invention, which is, in part, an improvement on that for which
Letters Patent of the United States No. 489,648 were granted and issued to me
under date of January 10, 1893, while more particularly designed for application
in simple or single expansion engines, is also applicable in compound engines, and
its objects are to provide means for counterbalancing the momentum of recipro-
cating elements, one by another, without inducing disturbing action at right angles
to the movement of such elements; also, to provide a simple and effective valve
mechanism actuated by and combined with the counterbalancing system referred to.
The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.
In my Letters Patent No. 489,648 aforesaid, the weight of the piston, piston-rod,
and part of the weight of the connecting-rod, is balanced by a swinging counter-
weight, suspended from a system of oscillating levers connected to the piston-rod..
Under my present invention, the piston-rod is coupled to primary levers, as set
forth in Patent No. 489,648, and the connecting-rod is coupled to secondary levers,
as in the compound engine exemplified in said Patent. In the compound engine
construction of said Patent, however, the weight of the low pressure piston and
rod, which is the larger and heavier, is balanced by that of the smaller high-pressure
piston, piston-rod, cross-head, connecting links, and a part of the weight of the
connecting-rod. Under my present invention, the connecting-rod may be made
sufficiently heavy to enable the weight of its end which is coupled to the secondary
levers, to balance the weight of the piston and piston-rod coupled to the primary
levers. If, for any reason, it should not be desirable to make the connecting-rod
so heavy that its weight alone, or the weight of that portion of it which is supported
by the secondary levers, would be sufficient to balance the weight of the piston and
piston-rod, in such case a counterweight may be added and connected to the
secondary levers, so that its weight, added to that of one end of the connecting-rod,
will be equal to the weight of the piston and piston-rod.
My invention further consists in a valve-gear, combined with and actuated by
the counterbalancing system above referred to. The valve-gear is composed of a
lever or levers coupled to the main connecting-rod, at some point between its ends,
and coupled, at the opposite end or ends, to a block or blocks sliding in a groove
or grooves, the position or inclination of which may be changed as desired. By
this means, the direction or extent of the travel of the steam distribution-valve, the
stem of which is coupled to the lever, may be changed, and the engine may thus be
reversed, or the point at which the valve cuts off steam may be altered. The
combination of such valve-gear with the counterbalancing system, enables the valve
moving mechanism to be materially simplified, relatively to those heretofore
employed.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating an
Lammtine ancing.

page_text: Fig. 2, a transverse section, partly at the line w, wo, w, and partly at the
line w, w, w¹ of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow, w²; Fig. 3, a
similar section, at the line x, x, and looking in the direction of the arrow, 203;
Fig. 4, a sectional plan view, at the line y, y, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5, a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating an
application in a locomotive engine, in which the engine is "back" connected, that
is, having the connecting rod extending, from the oscillating lever system, towards
and below the cylinder to the crank-pin;
Fig. 6, an end view, looking towards the right in Fig. 5;
Fig. 7, a transverse section, at the line 2, 2, of Fig. 5, and looking towards the
right, and;
Fig. 8, a side view, in elevation, illustrating for purposes of comparison, a prior
construction.
While my invention is herein shown and will be described, as applied to a
locomotive steam-engine, it is equally applicable in stationary and marine engines,
and in engines using motive fluid other than steam.
Referring to the drawings, the cylinder 1, which is of the ordinary construction,
is fitted with a piston 2 attached to a piston-rod 3, the outer end of which is coupled
to a lever 7, such as is termed, in Patent 489,648, a "primary lever" which is
pivotally connected at its upper end, as by a pin 9, to a sliding block 10, which is
fitted to work on or between a fixed guide or guides 11. The primary lever 7
is intermediately coupled, by a pin 12, to the upper ends of a pair of "secondary"
levers 8, 8, which are located on the outside of the primary lever 7, in order to
insure greater stability and to permit the primary lever to work freely between
them. The secondary levers are provided with journals 13, which are mounted in
fixed bearings 14, forming fulcra about which the secondary levers 8 are adapted
to oscillate, as in Patent 489,648.
Under my present invention, in lieu of coupling the connecting-rod directly to
the end of the piston-rod, as shown in the Figures of Patent 489,648 which
represent the parts of a single cylinder simple engine, it is coupled to what, in this
case, are the lower ends of the secondary levers, and its opposite end is coupled to
an ordinary crank-pin, which is not shown in Fig. 1. As the connecting-rod thus
inoves in an opposite direction to the piston and piston-rod, if the weight of that
end of the connecting-rod which is coupled to the secondary levers is made
equivalent to that of the piston and its rod, these latter members will be balanced
by the connecting-rod. If the levers are so proportioned that the piston and the
lower end of the secondary levers move unequal distances, then the product of
the weight of the end of the connecting-rod coupled to the levers, multiplied by the
distance through which it moves, should be equal to that of the piston and its rod,
multiplied by the distance through which they move. The end of the connecting-
rod which is coupled to the crank-pin, is balanced by a revolving weight attached
to the wheel or crank opposite to the crank-pin in the usual way.
In order to maintain the two secondary levers securely in their proper relative
position, a distance piece or casting 15 is placed between them, and the levers are
fixed securely to said distance piece by bolts 16, (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5), which pass
through the levers in the casting. The distance piece 15 also serves to some extent
as a counterweight for the piston and its rod, and if the weight of the end of the
connecting-rod is not sufficient to balance the piston and its rod, the weight of the
distance piece may be increased so as to supplement that of the rod.
It will be seen, from Figs. 1 and 5, that the centre of the pin 17, by which
the connecting-rod 4 is coupled to the lower ends of the secondary levers, moves in
a path b, h, c, which is an arc of a circle. If any point, as d, between the
two ends of the connecting-rod, and its path, during one revolution of the
crank-pin, be taken, it will be found that such point moves in curves represented
by the dotted line d, e, f, g, in Figs. 1 and 5. It will also be found that an arc
of a circle d, a, f, may be drawn, which will intersect the two points and f
which are occupied by the centre of the pin d, when the crank is at its two

page_text: dead-points, and also the vertical centre a, which is midway between the top e,
and the bottom g, of the curves d, e, f, g. The centres i, of the arcs d, a, f
can be readily found in the two figures, and a lever or levers 30 can be pro-
portioned so that, if pivoted at i, their lower ends d would oscillate in the
paths d, a, f, of Figs. 1 and 5.
Under my invention this peculiarity of the curves d, e, f, g, which are described
by points in connecting-rods connected at one end to an oscillating lever system
and at the other to a crank, is utilized by coupling two levers 30 to some
The upper
suitable point, as d, on the connecting-rod by a pin or pivot 31.
ends of the levers 30 are coupled, by a pin 32, to blocks 19, which slide in
segmental grooves 20, formed in a block 21, which will be called a "link,"
owing to the fact that it performs the same function as that of the member
called by that name in an ordinary, link-motion valve-gear. The link 21 is
fitted to turn on pivots or journals 22, 22, (Figs. 3 and 7), whose axial positions
As
coincide with those in which the pins 32 are shown in Figs. 1 and 5.
shown in Fig. 1, the stem 25, of the steam distribution-valve v, is coupled by
a pin 24, to a rod 24, the opposite end of which is coupled by a pin 23, to
the levers 30. It will be obvious that if the levers 30 are coupled to the
connecting-rod at the point d, a vertical motion will be imparted to the
If these grooves are
blocks 19, causing them to slide in the grooves 20, 20.
inclined from a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1, the blocks 19 will receive
a certain degree of horizontal movement, which is due to the inclination of the
grooves or slots, and this movement will be imparted to the valve stem 25, and
by it to the valve ". The degree and direction of this movement or travel
will be determined by the degree and direction of the inclination of the link,
which is regulated by a rod 26, coupled by a pin 27 to an arm attached to
the link. The rod 24 being coupled to the levers 30, by the pin 23, a short
distance below the pin 32, the horizontal movement of the pin 31 imparts a
similar motion to the pin 23, which is communicated to the valve, and gives it
the required "lead," as it is called.
The modified form of application shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, accords, in all
substantial particulars, with the instance above described, differing therefrom in
such relative location of the members as is due to the fact that, in this case,
the engine is "back "-connected, the piston rod 3 passing through the front
head of the cylinder 1, and the connecting-rod 4 being coupled to the front,
instead of the back, end of the piston-rod, and passing backward, below the
cylinder, to the crank-pin 18. In all other particulars, the construction and
relation of the members of the counterbalancing system are as first described. The
valve-gear, while embodying the same essential elements as in the first instance,
differs therefrom in the particular that the valve-stem 25 is indirectly connected to
the blocks 19, the rod 24 which is coupled to the levers 30, being, in this case,
coupled, at its opposite end, by a pin 28, to the middle of a pair of intermediate
rocking levers 29, which are journalled, at their lower ends, on fixed pivots 29ª, and
The operation
are coupled, by a pin 24", at their upper ends, to the valve stem 25.
of the counterbalancing system and valve-gear is similar to that of the corresponding
members in the instance first described.
It will be seen that under this construction, as the combined movement of the
levers 30 and blocks 19 is imparted to the middle of the levers 29, that movement
is doubled at the upper ends of the levers to which the valve stem 25 is coupled.
This multiplication of movement is made for the reason that in a back-connected
engine in which the levers 30 are coupled to the connecting-rod at a point between
the oscillating counterbalancing levers and the cylinder, the vertical movement of
the point at which the levers 30 are coupled to the connecting-rod is so slight,
that, unless the connecting and piston-rods are made unduly long, or the link is
given an excessive degree of inclination, the movement of the sliding blocks in the
If the link should be inclined
links will not impart sufficient travel to the valve.

page_text: sufficiently, then, in some positions of the connecting-rod, the levers 30 would
stand nearly at right angles to the centre line of the link, so that the levers would
be subjected to great strains at such points.
In lieu of the segmental slots or grooves, and sliding blocks, of the constructions
above described, links similar to those shown in Fig. 8, coupled at one end to
movable pivots and at the other to the levers 30, may be substituted as mechanical
equivalents, if desired.
The operation of the valve-gear above described is similar to that of the well
known "Joy" gear, and others of the same general type. In valve-gears of
such type, the difficulty has been developed that, owing to the fact that one end
of the ordinary connecting-rod moves in a straight line, instead of in an arc of a
circle, as in my improved construction, the centre line d, a, f, of the curve in
which any point of the connecting-rod moves, is a straight line, and, consequently,
no single lever could be connected so that its end would travel on this line. It
was therefore necessary to provide several levers, in order to properly effect the
travel of the valve.
Under my invention, only a single lever, or preferably a pair of levers, side by
side, is employed, one end of which is coupled directly to the connecting-rod, and
the other to the sliding link blocks, the valve-stem being connected to the pair of
levers between their two ends. The link is located and operated substantially as
in the Joy and analogous constructions.
on
As an exemplification of the prior art, and for the purpose of making clear the
difference between my improved valve-gear and prior constructions operating
the same general principle, and indicating such features of similarity existing
between the two as are not claimed as of my invention, I have illustrated, in
Fig. 8, the valve gear of Charles Brown, formerly of the "Societe Suisse pour la
Construction de Locomotives et de Machines, a Winterthur, Suisse," as shown in
a catalogue issued by said Company, and described in English engineering
iournals.
OI WHICH 12
ALLACE UV
** VIV
the ordinary piston, the rod 3
ing on a guide 31 in the usual
manner. The cross-head 10 is coupled, by a short connecting-rod 33, to the upper
end of an oscillating lever or beam 7, which works on a fixed journal or pivot 13",
midway between its ends; and is coupled, at its lower end, by a pin 17, to the
connecting-rod 4, which is, in turn, coupled to the main crank-pin 18. The lower
end of the beam 7 consequently moves in an arc b, c, or in a similar path to that
of the levers 8 in Figs. 1 and 5. The centre of the crank-pin 18, of course moves
in a circle, and any point, as the centre of the pin 31, between the two ends of the
connecting-rod, describes an oval path, d, e, f, g, the top of which is flatter than
the lower portion, or, if the point be taken near to the pin 17, the top of the curve
will be concave, while the bottom is convex, as shown in Fig. 5. A lever, 30, is
coupled at its lower end, by a pin 31, to the connecting-rod, and is coupled at
its upper end, to an articulated system of links, 34, 35, which is the equivalent of
the slotted link 21 before described, which link I deem preferable to a system of
jointed links.
In order that the distribution-valve may be thrown equally on each side of the
ports, the lever 30, Fig. 8, must be so proportioned that when its upper end is in
the central position of its vertical movement, the lower end will describe an
arc d, a, f, which will intersect the two points, d, and f, occupied by the centre of
the pin 31 in the connecting-rod, when the crank pin 18 is at its dead points, and
through a point midway between the points e and g at the top and bottom of the
curve. In order to do this, the lever 30 must be of a definite length, corresponding
with the radius of an arc drawn through d, a, and f, which would bring the centre
of the coupling-pin 32 at its upper end about in the position as shown. To
connect the pin 23 with the valve-stem 25, by a direct connection, the steam-
chest 36 and the steam distribution-valve must be located below the cylinder,

page_text: owing to the height of the latter above the pivot 13ª of the beam 7. This position
of the steam-chest is found to be inconvenient in making repairs, and in that
position it is difficult to keep the valve steam tight on its seat.
It will be seen that if a piston is connected to the beam or lever 7 shown in
Fig. 8, that the centre line of the cylinder must be placed at a distance above the
centre, 13, of the beam, nearly or quite equal to the length of the upper arm
thereof. The required length of the lever 30 is consequently not sufficient to
admit of locating the steam-chest and valve on top of the cylinder, which is the
location in which steam-chests are now almost universally placed, especially on
locomotives in the United States, by reason of the convenience of access to the
valve which is thus afforded, and the greater facility of repairing or refacing the
valve-seats.
By reference to Figs. 1 and 5, it will be seen that, with the system of oscillating
levers therein employed, the centre line of the cylinder, instead of being at some
distance above the fixed journals 13, of the oscillating levers 8, is coincident
therewith. In other words, this construction would permit the centre line of the
cylinder shown in Fig. 8, to be located so as to coincide with a horizontal line
drawn through the centre of the journal 13, as in Figs. 1 and 5. If the cylinder
shown in Fig. 8 was thus lowered, the steam-chest 34 could then be placed on its
top, and a direct connection could be made by a rod, similar to the rod 24, from
the valve-stem 25 to the pin 23 on the lever 30. The advantages and conveniences
thus attained by my improved construction are due to the combination of the
valve-gear and improved system of balanced oscillating levers previously described,
and were not available, so far as my knowledge and information extend, prior to
my invention.
My improved system of oscillating levers and the connection of the piston and
connecting-rod thereto, attains the advantage of rendering the engine more perfectly
balanced than is practicable under the ordinary constructions, and by the com-
bination of this counterbalancing mechanism with a valve-gear such as is described,
a location of valve and steam-chest is practicable which could not otherwise be
employed. The valve-gear, which is extremely simple, is not claimed, in and of
itself, as of my invention, but its combination with the counterbalancing system
above described, attains the advantages of simpler, more compact, and more
convenient construction, and is believed and claimed to be novel and of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination, with a reciprocating piston and piston-rod, of a primary
lever connected at one end to the piston-rod and at the other to a sliding member,
a fixed guide on which the sliding member moves rectilinearly, a secondary lever
journaled in fixed bearings and having one of its arms pivotally connected to the
primary lever at the middle thereof, and a connecting-rod connected to the
opposite arm of the secondary lever, and to a crank, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with a reciprocating piston and piston-rod, of an articulated
system of oscillating levers or links, coupled to the piston-rod and forming a
guide to ensure rectilinear motion thereof, a guiding member for said system of
levers, and a connecting-rod which is coupled to said system of levers and to a
crank, and moves in opposite direction to the piston and rod, said connecting-rod
being of a weight sufficient to counterbalance the piston and rod, substantially as
set forth.
3. The combination, with a reciprocating piston and piston-rod, of a primary
oscillating lever coupled at one end to the piston-rod and having a movable
fulcrum at its opposite end, a double armed secondary lever, oscillating in fixed
bearings and having one of its arms pivotally connected to the primary lever at
the middle thereof, and a connecting-rod coupled to the opposite arm of the

page_text: secondary lever, and to a crank-pin and moving in an opposite direction to the
piston and its rod whereby the momentum of the said connecting-rod counter-
balances that of the piston and its rod, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a reciprocating piston and piston-rod, a primary oscillating
lever coupled at one end to the piston-rod and having a movable fulcrum at its
opposite end, a double armed secondary lever, oscillating in fixed bearings and
having one of its arms pivotally connected to the primary lever, a connecting-rod
coupled to the opposite arm of the secondary lever and to a crank-pin, a link
oscillating on fixed bearings, a block fitted to slide therein, and a lever coupled
to said block, to the connecting-rod, and to a distribution-valve, substantially as
set forth.
5. The combination of a reciprocating piston and piston-rod, a primary oscillating
lever coupled at one end to the piston-rod and having a movable fulcrum at its
opposite end, a double armed secondary lever, oscillating in fixed bearings and
having one of its arms pivotally connected to the primary lever, a connecting-rod
coupled to the opposite arm of the secondary lever and to a crank-pin, a link
oscillating in fixed bearings, a block fitted to slide therein, a lever coupled to said
block and to the connecting-rod, and an intermediate lever coupled to said lever
and to a distribution-valve, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a cylinder, a piston secured to a piston-rod and recipro-
cating in said cylinder, a distribution valve working on a valve-face above the
lower line of said cylinder, a counterbalancing lever system, substantially as set
forth, coupled to the piston-rod, a connecting-rod coupled to said counterbalancing
lever system and to a crank-pin, a link oscillating in fixed bearings, a block fitted
to slide therein, a lever coupled to said block to the connecting-rod, and
connections coupling said link with a distri alve, substantially as set
forth.
D
1
NT
VLA
Contaban A D 1904
Witnesses:
FRANK J. FRENCH.
LENA F. VANNER.
MATTHIAS N. FORNEY.