Improvements in Steam and other Expansive Fluid Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and other Expansive Fluid Engines.
We, WILLIAM HORNSBY, DAVID ROBERTS and CHARLES JAMES, Junior, all of
Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, Engineers, do here-
by 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 steam and other expansive fluid engines, in which the
high and low pressure cylinders are arranged one behind the other tandemwise,
and wherein the flow of the steam or other expansive fluid, which is first admitted
to the high pressure cylinder from which it passes to the low pressure cylinder
and from thence either to the condenser or atmosphere is controlled by one dis-
tributing valve worked by suitable gear, the object of the said invention being
to improve the arrangement of the distributing valye and the steam ports or
passages, whereby the course which the steam has to travel is shorter and more
direct than is usual in this class of engine.
In the accompanying drawing we show in section so much of an engine as is
necessary to illustrate the application of our improvements thereto the pistons
being represented at the commencement of the down or forward stroke and the
piston valve in the position corresponding to that of the pistons.
In carrying out our invention we provide in combination with high and low
pressure cylinders a, b a hollow cylindrical distributing valve e with open ends
and having five annular spaces d, e, f, g, h, formed round its outside and working
in the steam chest i. Two of the annular spaces viz., e and g have ports e¹, g₁
leading to the interior c¹ of the valve c which, interior forms the intermediate
receiver between the high and low pressure cylinders.
The portion of the steam chest for the high pressure cylinder has two ports j, k
one of which leads to one end of the high pressure cylinder a and the other k
to the opposite end.
Above the port j in the valve chest is an annular space and below the port k
is another annular space m, the said two spaces being connected together by a
passage n.
is the inlet through which the steam or other expansive fluid is
admitted from the boiler or reservoir. The low pressure cylinder has steam
ports p, at the top and bottom respectively and an exhaust passage ♬ arranged
between the steam ports p and q and leading to the atmosphere or the condenser.
s is the rod to which the distributing valve is attached and through the medium
of which it receives its motion.
In the operation of our apparatus, the parts being in the position shown in
the drawing and before referred to, the steam or other expansive fluid which first
enters at o passes through the passage to the annular space in the steam chest
thence into the annular space d formed round the piston valve c and thence
through the port into the top of the high pressure cylinder. At the same time
the steam or other expansive fluid which forced the high pressure piston up on
the previous up or back stroke is exhausted through the port into the annular

page_text: space e and through the port el into the centre or interior of the valve which
forms the intermediate receiver c¹; thence it passes through the passage g¹ in the
valve into the annular space y and thence to the top of the low pressure cylinder
through the port p. The steam or other expansive fluid which forced-the low
pressure piston up on the previous up or back stroke is exhausted through the
A similar
port into the passager leading to the atmosphere or condenser.
series of operations is performed on the reverse or up or back stroke of the pistons.
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:
1. In an engine of the kind referred to, the combination with the working
cylinders of a distributing valve and chest having ports or passages arranged,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
2. In an engine of the kind referred to, the arrangement and combination of
the high pressure ports or passages j and k and the annular steam spaces I, m.
in the steam chest, and the annular spaces d, c and f round the distributing valve
substantially as shewn and described.
Dated the 31st day of July 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.