A Non-eccentric Valve-gear.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Non-eccentric Valve-gear.
We, MICHAEL ISRAEL WELCH, of Valdosta, in the County of Lowndes, Engineer,
and JOHN JOSEPH MCDONOUGH, of Savannah, in the county of Chatham, Merchant,
both in the State of Georgia, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention for "A NON-ECCENTRIC VALVE-GEAR," and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to valve-gear and has for its object the provision of mechanism
for controlling the main valves of locomotives and other engines, of a simple effective
and novel character, and constitutes what may be termed a non-eccentric valve-
gear.
In carrying our invention into practice, we dispense entirely with the eccentrics
commonly used and also with the sliding of the link and pin, and provide what we
term rocking oscillator blocks with peculiar shaped grooves in which ride pins carried
directly or indirectly by the sliding cross heads of the engine.
The arbors rock or oscillate and also carry rigidly affixed to them the links which
swing or oscillate with the said lock shafts or arbors for centers.
The link pins are carried by connecting rods which are secured to one crank of
double cranked shafts, to other crank of which the valve rods are attached by suitable
connections to the lever in the cab or other portion of the engine, and the link pins
may be moved to and from the center of the links to give the valves more or less
throw as may be desired. By means of this regulating connection the engine may be
reversed.
This is done by pushing the regulating lever in the proper direction to throw the
link-pin below the center of the link and as soon as the motion is reversed and the
engines begin to move in the opposite direction the lever may be manipulated to
bring the pin back into the normal position above the centers of the links, and at
such relative height thereto as to give the desired throw to the main valves and
consequent speed to the engine.
The groove or channels in the rocking oscillator blocks are made in the form of
a figure 8 and pins either fastened directly in the cross heads or in cheeks attached
thereto work back and forth in the grooves and give to the blocks the peculiar rocking
motion which they receive. When the cheeks are employed the pins may be made
adjustable therein by means of a set screw or other suitable device, to accommodate
themselves to the height of the blocks which may vary in different builds and makes of
engines as the bearings for the arbors of said blocks rest upon the framing of the
engine. The traveling pins carried directly or indirectly by the cross heads may
have pointed anti-friction blocks upon them.
The following detailed description more fully explains the nature and function
of our said invention and the manner in which we construct and use the same.
The accompanying drawings illustrate what we consider the best means for carrying
our invention into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a locomotive engine with our invention
applied. Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same on line x x Fig. 3.
Figure is a plan view of figure 1. Figure 4 is a sectional view of the cross-
head rocking oscillator block. Figure 5 is a face view of the oscillator block.
Figure 6 is a face view of a pointed anti-friction block which works in the grooves
of oscillator block on the pin connected to the cross head.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where
they occur.
A A are the engine cylinders and A¹ A¹ the valve chests above them with the
usual steam ports making communication between the two. B B are the main valves

page_text: which are operated and controlled by the mechanism about to be particularly described,
the novel features of which constitute the invention of this application. CC are the
valve rods connected at their outer ends to cranks d d of rock shafts D D supported
in suitable bearings on the frame of the engine and which bear cranks d' d' on their
opposite ends to which the rods D' D' which bear the link pins and blocks d* d*
at their opposite ends, are attached.
EE are the driving wheels and E¹ E are main rods driving them and connected
to the cross-heads F F which are moved by the piston rods of the engines and are
held and work in guides G G in the usual manner. Pins secured directly or
indirectly to the cross heads project inward and lie in grooves h h of peculiar shape
in the sides of rocking oscillator blocks H H. The grooves are approximately
of the shape of a figure 8, and the pins as they are carried back and forth with the
cross heads describe the lines of that figure in the groove, thus serving to rock and
oscillate the blocks; if desired the pins ff may be secured upon cheeks F' F' which
are affixed to the inside of the cross heads and extend above the guide bars therefor,
and the pins carried thereby are made adjustable and set screws F* applied above
them to adjust them to the proper height to accommodate the position of the rocking
oscillator blocks the centers for which are carried in boxes supported on a portion of
the frame work of the engine which in different makes and builds of engine varies in
height. The pins ff may be provided with pointed anti-friction blocks or swivelling
heads which guide them in the tortuous grooves and also diminish the friction
of their travel.
The adjustment of the pins ff serves to take up the wear on the traveller
and controls the head of the valves, and may be manipulated without loss of time.
The blocks H are carried by short shafts which are supported in the boxes already
mentioned, and bear at their opposite ends the links which being held at their
middles by the shafts are given a swinging or oscillating motion from the center
at both ends. The link pins and blocks d* d* being held in the links communicate
this oscillation to the rods D¹ D' and through the connection already described to the
main valves of both cylinders.
.
Attached to rods D¹ D¹ just back of the pin ends are standards or arms J J to
which cranks J J¹ carried on a shaft L are pivoted. This shaft is supported in
suitable bearings on fixed portions of the engine frame and bears a third crank K
to which is attached the reach rod N which is connected to the reverse lever.
It is evident therefore that by throwing the reverse lever in one direction or the
other, the link pins and blocks are raised and lowered in the link slots and the throw
of the main valve is regulated, and also by throwing the pins and blocks below the
center of the link the engine is reversed as already described.
Although the drawings show the devices applied to a locomotive or other double
cylinder engine and the description has called for the parts generally in duplicate, it
will be understood that the parts may be used without duplication on a single cylinder
engine and we desire this application to cover both forms of engines.
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 a valve gear the combination with a projection upon the cross head, of a
rocking oscillator block having a groove in which the projection works and a reverse
link operated by the block, as set forth.
2. In a valve gear the combination with a pin or projection carried by a sliding
cross head, of a rocking oscillator block having a groove of approximately the shape
of a figure 8 in which the pin or projection moves and a reverse link and link pin
adjustable in said link, as set forth."
3. In a valve gear the combination with a pin or projection upon a sliding cross
head, said pin being vertically adjustable, of a rocking oscillator block having a
groove as described in which the pin or projection works and a link operated by the
block as set forth.

page_text: 4. In a valve gear the combination with a sliding cross head, a pin or projection
carried thereby, a grooved oscillator block a 'link carried and operated thereby, and a
rod having a link pin working in the link and connections from said rod to a main
valve and to a reverse lever, as set forth.
5. In a valve gear the combination of the cross head, a cheek F¹ carried thereby,
a vertical slot in said cheek, a pin f carried therein and a set screw F* for adjusting
the height of the pin and a rocking oscillator block having a groove in which the
pin works, and a link carried and operated by the block as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of June 1889.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.