Applicable to Direct Acting Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 5th Jan., 1887.
Applicable to Direct Acting Engines.
We EDWARD SAMUEL BRETT, of 63 Spooner Street, Birmingham, Engineers
foreman and FREDERICK GEORGE HANDS, and ALFRED CHARLES HANDS, and
WALTER THOMAS, each of the Cardigan Works, Belmont Row, Birmingham, in the
county of Warwick, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of valve gear, which is
automatic in action, or part, or parts of which may be used in some instances in
connection with eccentrics or cams, similar to an ordinary slide valve. This valve
gear arrangement, may be applied to Engines actuated by steam, compressed air,
Huids, or other motive forces.
:
In describing this our invention as adopted for steam, we may say -Longitudinally
and in one with the cylinder, we form a valve chest. This chest is circular in section,
and extends from end to end of the cylinder. Near each end of the valve chest we
provide a steam port or passage which communicates direct with the interior of the
cylinder, which passages serve for the admission of live steam to the cylinder, and also
for the emission of spent steam to the exhaust. Also near each end of the valve chest,
and in close proximity to the said steam passage we provide an exhaust steam
passage which both have common access to the air. The adjacent parts or surfaces
to these steam and exhaust passages, form the working surfaces of face of the valve
hereinafter described, the interior part of the chest being enlarged, so as to form the
chest or space for the supply of steam.
These working surfaces or faces, may be either simply bored out of the casting, or
they may be formed by suitable bushes, or otherwise, as desired.
We further provide a valve which is circular in section, similar to, and to suit the
aforenamed valve chest.
Upon this valve (which we will call the main valve) we form collars or
grooves to suitably coincide when in operation, with the steam and exhaust
passages. Thus far with the valve in its proper position to admit steam to
the cylinder, the piston would be moved forward the length of its stroke, but

page_text: before a return stroke could be effected, a change of position of the valve must be
made.
In order to do this, we employ at each end of the cylinder, and adjoining
the valve chest, an auxiliary valve. The end of this valve when in its normal position
protrudes into the interior of the cylinder, such end being shaped in an inclined or
curved form, so that the piston when near the end of its stroke, lifts the said valve by
coming in contact therewith for the following purposes: From the face of the
auxiliary valve chamber, and near to the inclined or curved end of the valve, a passage
is formed which communicates with the steam chest, so that when the auxiliary valve
is lifted by the piston, a quantity of steam is admitted to the front of the piston, which
serves as a cushion to the piston, and further, acting upon the main valve thus:-From
the auxiliary valve chamber a second passage is formed communicating with the main
valve chest, and in front of the main valve. When the auxiliary valve is lifted, and
the passage opened as before described, this second passage is also opened, so that the
steam serves not only as a cushion to the piston, but a portion of it also passes on
through the second passage to the front of the main valve, and moves the said valve
forward to such a position, as to open the steam port to steain, and the exhaust (at the
other end) to the air. This being done the piston moves again forward (return stroke)
and, passing the auxiliary valve, the latter assumes its normal position again, closing
the passages already named, (for the steam to the front of the piston, and the front of
the main valve.)
In order to exhaust the steam from the front of the main valve, we form a passage
or groove around, or, through the body of the auxiliary valve (above the steam
passages last mentioned), and in communication therewith provide a third passage,
passing from the valve chest in front of the main valve to the said passage or groove
and further forming a fourth passage, from this said passage or groove in the valve, to
the exhaust, and thence to the air; these passages being so arranged that when the
two former are open to steam, the two latter are closed to exhaust, and vice versa, and
thus by these means freeing the front of the main valve from steam. This process or
action is repeated at each end and so the piston is moved to and fro.
Instead of using the inclined or curved surface upon the end of the auxiliary valve
whereby to lift it, we may, if desirable in some instances arrange a lever at each
end of the cylinder, which is acted upon by the piston in its motion, the lever in its
turn, then acting upon and lifting the valve. Again, at the ends of the main valve,
we may if desired form cushions to check the bumping or knocking of the valve
against the cover, by means of india-rubber cushions, or, in their stead provide steel
springs. Also, in order to facilitate the starting of the action of the main valve, we
may insert through the side of the steam chest, a spindle with a lever or crank, acting
upon the said valve in order to move it into the right position for starting.
CHAS. T. POWELL,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Engine Cylinders and Valve Gear, Principally
Applicable to Direct Acting Engines.
We EDWARD SAMUEL BRETT of 63 Spooner Street, Birmingham, Engineers fore-
man, and FREDERICK GEORGE HANDS, and ALFRED CHARLES HANDS, and WALTER
THOMAS, each of the Cardigan Works, Belmont Row, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Engineers 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 the construction and arrangement of valve gear, which is
more or less automatic in action, and which may be applied to Engines, actuated by
steam, compressed air, or other similar motive forces, and which we consider to be
much simpler and more economical than other arrangements now in use.
We will now proceed to particularly describe and ascertain the nature of this our
invention and in what manner the same may be performed with the assistance of the
accompanying sheets of drawings having thereon figures and letters of reference, and
upon which like letters refer throughout to the same thing or part.
The drawings illustrate how this our invention may be applied as a steam pump,
the pump valves &c. not being shewn, as they form no part of our invention.
Fig. I is a front elevation of the arrangement.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through line A-B Fig. 2.
Fig. is a sectional end elevation through C-D Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation through line E-F Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation through line I—J¨Fig. 8.
Fig. 7 is a plan view.
Fig. 8 is a sectional plan through line G-H Fig. 4.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation through line K-L Fig. 8.
Longitudinally and in one with the cylinder a we forin a valve chest b. This chest
is circular in section and in most cases extends from end to end of the cylinder.
Near each end of the valve chest we provide a steam port or passage e which com-
municates direct with the interior of the cylinder and serving for the admission of live
steam to the cylinder a, and also for the emission of spent steam to the exhaust d.
Also near each end of the valve chest, and in close proximity to the steam passage e,
we provide an exhaust steam passage d, which both have free access to the air. The
adjacent parts or surfaces to these steam and exhaust passages form the working
surfaces or face of the valve e, hereinafter described, the interior part of the chest
being enlarged at so as to form the space for the supply of steam. These working
surfaces or faces inay either be produced by simply boring out the casting, or they
may be formed by gun metal or other bushes, as desired.
We further provide a valve e which is circular in sectional elevation, similar to, and
to suit the aforenamed valve chest b.

page_text: "
Upon this valve which we will call the main valve, we form a groove g, g¹ so as
to suitably coincide and operate upon the steam and exhaust passages, c & d. Thus
far, with the valve e in its position to admit steam to the cylinder, a the piston h would
be moved forward the length of its stroke; but, before a return stroke of the piston,
could be effected a change of position of the valve e must be made. In order to do
this, we employ at each end of the cylinder a, and adjoining the valve chest an
auxiliary valve. The end of this valve at when in its normal position, protrudes
into the interior of the cylinder, such end being shaped in an inclined or curved form,
so that the piston, when near the end of its stroke lifts the said valve i by coming into
contact therewith for the following purposes :-From the face of the auxiliary valve
chamber, and near to the lower end a steam passage k is formed which communicates
with the steam chest b so that when the auxiliary valve i is lifted by the piston, just
before the termination of its stroke, a quantity of steam is admitted to the front of the
piston which serves as a cushion to the piston, and further acting upon the main
valve e thus From the auxiliary valve chamber a second passage is formed
communicating at m with the main valve chest, and in front of the main valve e.
:
l
When the auxiliary valve is lifted, and the passage is thereby opened, as before
described, this second passage 7 see Figs. 3, 8 & 9, so that the steam serves not only
as a cushion to the front of the piston, but a portion of it also passes on through the
second passage to the front of the main valve e, and moves the said valve forward to
such a position as shewn g¹ Fig. 8, as to open the steam port e at the one end to
steam, while at the other end at the steam port, e is open to the exhaust passage d
and thence to the air. This being done the piston again moves forward on its return
stroke and passing from under the auxiliary valve the latter assumes its normal
position, and in so doing closes the passages & 1.
k
In order to exhaust the steam from the front of the main valve e we form a passage
or grooven, around or through the body of the auxiliary valve i, above the steain
passages & and in communication therewith provide a third steam passage o see
Fig. 3, passing from the valve chest in front of the main valve e to the groove &c. n
in the auxiliary valve. This passage o may be made to join the passage as shewn in
Fig. 9, or it may be made a separate passage.
Thus far the steam to be exhausted from the front of the valve would be allowed
to pass into the groove around the auxiliary valve; we then may make a fourth
passage p, from the auxiliary valve chamber to the groove y which latter is in com
Tuunication with the exhaust passage d, so that thus the steam in front of the valve e
may escape to the air.
Instead
of this fourth passage passing into the groovey and thence to the exhaust d,
we prefer in most cases to change its position to the other side of the auxiliary
valve chamber, say at Figs. 1, 7 & 8 and connect thereto a pipe leading into the
exhaust passage
dat or near (Fig. 7). We find this latter arrangement to answer
best where the pump is working under high pressures of steam. It will be thus seen
that from the position of the groove n in the auxiliary valve that these passages are
so arranged as that when the two passages and I are open to steam, the two passages
porrando are closed to exhaust and vice versa, and thus hy these means the front of
the valve is freed from steam.
This process or action is repeated at each end of the stroke, and so the piston is
moved to and fro.
Instead of using the inclined or curved surface upon the end of the auxiliary valve
wherchy to lift it, we may if desirable in some instances, arrange a lever at each end
of the cylinder which would be acted upon by the piston in its motion, the lever then
acting upon and lifting the valve.
Again, at the ends of the main valve we may if desired form cushions to check the
bumping or knocking of the valve against the cover, by means of india-rubber, or steel
springs as at u Fig. 8.
Also in order to facilitate at times the starting of the action of the main valve we
may provide a lever, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 7 & 8, in order to move the valve e into the right
position for starting should it at any time be necessary.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
e,
is
1st. The improvements in the valve arrangement, whereby the circular valve
made to form a direct steam and exhaust communication to the cylinder by means of
the grooves & g', in conjunction with the passages c, substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
2nd. The Improvements in the valve arrangement in reference to the auxiliary
valves, that is to say, The general construction and arrangement of the auxiliary
valves in conjunction with the steam and exhaust passages k, l, o, por r, and the
grooves n &, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
3rd. The general combination and arrangement of the valves, and valve gear, for
actuating the piston of a motor cylinder, substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.