Improvements in Compound Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Engines.
I, ALFRED BLECHYNDEN of Cavendish Park, Barrow in Furness, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in compound engines, with three
or more cylinders working onto one crank, the principal object being to save space
in the direction of the length of the shaft by placing the cylinders side by side
across, or in a direction at right angles to the length of the shaft though other
advantages are obtained.
The piston rod of each cylinder is guided as usual and is attached direct, or by
means of intermediate links, to a triangular or other suitably shaped connecting
frame which takes the place of the ordinary connecting rod. On the end of this
connecting frame, adjacent to the crank shaft, is a bearing or eye which embraces the
crank pin. At the end of the connecting frame, adjacent to the cylinders, is a
gudgeon with bearings, working in guides, which forms the fulcrum upon which the
frame oscillates by the movements of the piston rods of the cylinders farthest from
the centre line of the shaft, they having a longer piston stroke than the cylinder or
cylinders immediately over or in close proximity to the centre line of the shaft.
Dated this 27th day of June 1891.
T. J. DANSON,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Engines.
I, ALFRED BLECHYNDEN of Cavendish Park, Barrow in Furness, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in compound engines with three or
more cylinders working onto one crank, the principal object being to save space in
the direction of the length of the shaft, by placing the cylinders side by side across, or
in direction at right angles to, the length of the shaft, though other advantages are
obtained.
The piston rod of each cylinder is guided as usual, and is attached direct, or by
means of intermediate links, to a triangular, or other suitably shaped connecting
frame, which takes the place of the ordinary connecting rod. On the end of this
connecting fraine, adjacent to the crank shaft, is a bearing or eye which embraces the
crank pin. At the end of the connecting frame, adjacent to the cylinders, is a
gudgeon with bearings, working in guides, which forms the fulcrum upon which the
frame oscillates by the movements of the piston rods of the cylinders farthest from
the centre line of the shaft, they having a longer piston stroke than the cylinder or
cylinders immediately over, or in close proximity, to the centre line of the shaft.

page_text: Figs. 1. 3. 4. 5 and 6 Sheets 1 and 2 shew "thwartship" elevations and
diagrams of a three cylinder compound triple expansion engine all the piston rods
working onto one crank which is shewn in 5 positions of its half orbit.
Fig. 2 Sheet 1 shews a plan of the three cylinders with the disposition of the
valves.
"
Fig. 7 Sheet 3 shews an arrangement of valve gearing on the "Hackworth
and slot link principles by which the three valves may be operated by two
eccentrics.
Fig. 8 Sheet 3 shews the general arrangement of the framing adapted for. such
an engine.
The same letters refer to corresponding parts on all the figures where they
occur.
On Fig. 1C is the high pressure cylinder C the intermediate cylinder and
C³ the low pressure cylinder the pistons of which have their proportionate strokes
and are marked respectively P, P and P2, and the piston rods R, R' and R.
The piston rod R of the high pressure cylinder is attached by means of the
gudgeon pin G to the connecting frame F and the piston rod R and R2 are
attached to the ends of the frame by links L, the piston rods being guided in
brackets B, attached to the standard columns S. The high pressure piston rod
gudgeon pin G works in guide bars the lower ends of which are stayed to the
columns at each side of the connecting frame F, see Fig. 8. Sheet 3.
The connecting frame F, which forms the connecting rod for the three cylinders
is attached to the crank pin K by a suitable adjustable bush and the crank shaft M
is carried in ordinary bearings in the bedplate BP.
Cn Fig. I the crank is on the top centre and the high pressure piston at the
extreme end of its upward stroke the pistons of the intermediate and low pressure
cylinders being a little short of the extremities of their strokes the rotation of the
crank being in the direction of the arrow.
On Fig. 3 the crank has moved through a portion of its orbit to the right, the
low pressure piston P having reached the top of its stroke and the other two
pistons and " are descending.
On Figs. 4 5 and 6 the crank has reached respectively half stroke, three quarters
and full stroke, or its bottom centre, and the pistons of the 3 cylinders with the
connecting frame Fare shewn in the positions they respectively occupy at these
points of the crank. The other half of the orbit of the crank gives the same.
motions of the 3 pistons but reversed.
On Fig. 7 the arrangement of the valves is shewn, in sectional plan, which. is
conveniently adapted for the application of the valve gear which it is proposed to
use, which is shewn on Fig. 7 in which V. V and V2 are the valves, X and X'
the two eccentrics keyed on the crank shaft for ahead and astern motions of the
cylinder Cattached by rods Y and Y¹ to an ordinary slot link S L. These
eccentrics are embraced by the straps of the eccentric levers XL and X L' of a
pair of "Hackworth valve gears VG and V G-the eccentric rods Y and Y' of
the link motion being attached by pins at Z and Z¹ to the straps of the eccentric
levers XL and X L.
The head eccentric X being placed in position for a cut off, say of from 65 to 75
per cent. of the stroke of the high pressure cylinder C which is in position suitable
for the Hackworth gear VG which operates the valve for the low pressure
cylinder C and the eccentric X is similarly in a suitable position for the
Hackworth gear V G which operates the valve of the intermediate cylinder C¹.
The engine is reversed by means of the reversing shaft R S whose lever arm.A
is attached by draw bars to the slot link S L and by the link attached from the
lever arm A to the lever arm A2 of the right hand Hackworth
The two
gear.
Hackworth gears being connected by links W to the lever arms A³ and A' moving
simultaneously.
Fig. 8 shews the general arrangement of the framing and requires no. special
description beyond reference to the letters.

page_text: The engine is here described as consisting of one set of triple expansion
cylinders but it is evident that the three cylinders might be of equal capacity and
worked as a two stage expansion compound engine or as a simple engine; in the
latter case the three cylinders will form one set of a duplicated arrangement of
which the other set or sets of cylinders complete the series, forming either the
ordinary compound, triple or quadruple types the valve gear being arranged
to give the required distribution of the steam in each modification.
Although the valve motion which is described is such as I consider very suitable
in combination with engines constructed according to my invention in the form in
which I have shewn it, I do not bind myself to its adoption as I may use any other
suitable valve gear.
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
1st. The improvements in compound engines consisting of the connection of
three or more pistons with one crank in the manner substantially as described.
and shewn.
2nd. In combination with such compound engines having three or more pistons
connected with one crank the application of valve gear for the distribution of
steam constructed and operating substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 26th day of March 1892.
T. J. DANSON, F.I.P.A.,
Chartered Patent Agent, Agent for Applicant.