Improvements relating to Direct Acting Engines
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements relating to Direct Acting Engines."
We, EDMUND HOWL, of The Quarries, near Dudley, Engineer, and WALTER
WATKINS ATTWOOD, of 17 Vicarage Road, Smethwick, Engineer, both in the
County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements relating to direct acting engines for
pumping liquids and for other purposes, our object being to construct and arrange
the valves or the mechanism for controlling the admission and release of the
steam or other working fluid, in a more convenient and effective manner, ensuring
the regular working of the engine and thorough draining of the steam chest
and cylinder.
In the application of our invention to a direct acting steam pump, we provide
a valve face or seating on one side of the cylinder and attach to such face or
seating the steam chest for the reception of a double or trunk like piston for
controlling the admission of steam to the cylinder and the release of the exhaust
from the same. Such steam chest is attached to the lower side of the face;
on the upper side of the face we attach the auxiliary valve chambers each of
which contains a solid disc valve having a seating provided with a central
aperture and also with perforations arranged annularly between the central
aperture and periphery of the seating. The lift of each of the disc valves is
controlled by a screw plug.
The disc valves are held on their seats by steam from the main cylinder on
which ever side of the piston the live steam may be operating, but on the piston
un-covering or passing the small aperture provided for the purpose at each end
of the cylinder, such pressure is released from the disc valve connected with
the uncovered aperture. The pressure behind the piston then raises the disc by
operating on the underside of the same through the annular perforations herein-
before described, and passes to the trunk piston to effect the reversal of the same
for the return stroke of the main piston.
By arranging the valve chest beneath the disc valve chambers, and on the side
of the cylinder as hereinbefore described, we provide for the effective draining
away of condensed steam from the cylinder, chest, and chambers, and are enabled
to dispose the ports and other apertures in a compact and convenient manner.
We do not limit the application of our invention to direct acting engines of
any one type or pattern, but adapt the same with such modifications as may be
necessary to such engines worked by steam, compressed air, or by other flúid,
and arranged to meet the requirements of varying services.
D109-1 des of December 1906
MARKS & CLERK
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. &
13 Temple Street, Birmingham.
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: "Improvements relating to Direct Acting Engines."
We, EDMUND HOWL, of the Quarries, near Dudley, Engineer, and WALTER
WATKINS ATTWOOD, of 17 Vicarage Road, Smethwick, Engineer, both in the
County of Stafford. 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 consists of improvements relating to direct acting engines for
pumping liquids and for other purposes, our object being to construct and arrange
the valves or the mechanism for controlling the admission and release of the
steam or other working fluid, in a more convenient and effective manner, ensuring
the regular working of the engine and thorough draining of the steam chest
and cylinder.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter refered
to.-.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with part in section, and Figure 2 is a sectional
end elevation (on the line a b Figure 1) of the steam end of a direct acting pump
arranged in accordance with our invention.
Figure 3 is a plan and Figure 4 a sectional elevation of one of the supple-
mentary valve seatings, whilst Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of one of such
valves and its seating complete. The Figures 3, 4, and 5 are drawn to a larger
scale than Figures 1 and 2.
"
Figure 6 is a plan of the pump steam end on the line c d (Figure 2) and Figure 7
à sectional elevation on the line e f (Figure 1) showing the main steam admission
and exhaust passages.
Figure 8 is a plan and Figure 9 an elevation showing, to a larger scale, the slide
valve and its controlling piston..
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
On one side of the steam cylinder we provide a valve face or seating. A. and
attach to such face or seating the steam chest B for the reception of a double
or trunk like piston C which is combined with the slide valve C¹ for controlling
the admission of steam to the cylinder and release of the exhaust from the same.
Such steam chest and its seating is arranged on the lower part of one side of the
cylinder; on the upper part we attach the auxiliary valve chambers D D¹ each
of which contains a solid disc valve as E having a seating F provided with a
central aperture and also with perforations arranged annularly between the central
aperture and periphery of the seating. The lift of each of the disc valves is con-
trolled by a screw plug as G G¹
.
The disc valves are held on their seats by steam from the main cylinder
passing through one of the passages e or el on which ever side of the piston. the
live steam may be operating. Thus if the piston is travelling in the direction
indicated by the arrow at Figure 1, the disc valve at the right hand end of the
cylinder will be held on. its seat, for although the steam pressure passing through
the passage f will act on the under side of the disc through the openings in the
valve seat, yet, as the combined area of the annularly arranged seat perforations
is of course less than the full area of the valve, the steam pressure on the upper
side of the disc valve, acting, upon its full area, will hold it upon its seat and
prevent the escape of steam through the central aperture. On the piston uncover-
ing the port f as it approaches the, opposite or left hand end of the cylinder the
underside of the auxiliary disc valve at that end is put into communication with
the live steam at the back of the piston, and as the upper side of the valve is then
subjected only to the pressure of the exhaust steam in front of the piston, such

page_text: pressure passing through the passage el, the valve will be lifted to permit of
the flow of live steam through the central aperture of the valve and the passage fa
to the chest or chamber B to act upon the trunk piston C, and by changing its
position in relation to the main steam ports to effect the return stroke of the main
piston.
The steam is admitted to the main valve chest at H and exhausts at H¹.
By arranging the main valve chest B beneath the auxiliary valve chambers D D.
and on the side of the cylinder as herein before described, we provide for the
effective draining of the condensed steam from the cylinder, chest, and chambers,
and are enabled to dispose the ports and other apertures in a compact and con-
venient manner.
We do not limit the application of our invention to direct acting engines of
any one type or pattern, but adapt the same with such modifications as may be
necessary to such engines worked by steam, compressed air, or by other fluid,
and arranged to meet the requirements of varying services.
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. In direct acting engines, the arrangement of the main valve chest at the
side of the cylinder and beneath the auxiliary valves, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
2. The combination with the auxiliary valves and valve passages of a direct
engine, of valve seats provided with a central aperture and with annularly
arranged perforations, substantially as and for the purposes described and as
illustrated.
1007
MARKS & CLERK
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. &
13 Temple Street, Birmingham.
Agents for the Applicants.