off or Expansion Valves of Steam Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Out off or Expansion Valves of Steam Engines.
I, RICHARD WILBY, of Britannia Terrace Mirfield, Yorkshire, Mill Manager do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a prior patent granted to me, bearing date the 9th
day of November A.D. 1886, No. 14431, which invention consisted in the employment
of new means and methods of controlling the speed of steam engines, which is
effected by such said mechanism operating a nut on the ordinary valve rod, the
screwing of which either up or down lengthened or shortened such rod, and opened
and closed the valves.
The object of my present invention is to effect a greater economy in the steam used
by engines, and this I effect by automatically operating the cut off or expansion
valves for the purpose of maintaining and keeping the cut-off proportionate to the
load or weight being turned by the steam engine, and this automatic action I obtain
by and through the irregular or up and down motion of the governors of steam
engines, which governors I cause to operate pawls or catch clicks working in connec-
tion with ratchet wheels employed to work or operate ordinary mechanism, which
alters the said cut off or expansion valve.
In carrying out my invention I make use of the up and down motion of the
governors caused by their irregular speed. These governors I connect by any suitable
arrangement of mechanism to a rod or needle carrying a spiral spring, working in
connection with a lever arm made with a curve on the underside of what I choose
to call its free end. The curved end of this lever arm rests on the end of another
lever working on a stud near its centre, the opposite end of such lever being connected
with a crank fixed on or forming part of a shaft. This shaft has also fastened upon
it an arm which lies between two pawls or catch clicks riding loosely upon their shaft,
the whole of such parts except the needle and curved lever, being contained in a
frame made to receive a continuous oscillatory motion from any rotary part of the
engine. The frame oscillates on a shaft carrying two ratchet wheels and a toothed

page_text: wheel, which, by the intervention of the above named mechanism enables the governors,
when the load on the engine varies, to place either one or other of the clicks into
gear with their respective ratchet wheels. Thus the oscillatory motion of the frame
causes the engaged click to operate its ratchet wheel for altering the cut off or
expansion valves so as to adapt them to the varied load or weight put upon the engine.
Onto the shaft which carries the ratchet wheels I place a worm, gearing with a toothed
wheel fixed on a shaft, on which shaft I also place a finger, employed for the purpose
of lifting the upper pawl or click out of gear with its ratchet wheel when the cut off
valve has been altered sufficiently to allow the steam to be on for the full length of
the stroke, consequently preventing any damage to the machine when the steam
pressure happens to be below what is necessary to turn the engine at the requisite
speed.
By the application of the mechanism herein described, the cut off or expansion
valves are worked automatically by the up and down motion of the governors, which
mechanism can be easily applied at a small cost either to new or existing steam
engines.
Dated this 12th day of October 1887
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: Cut off or Expansion Valves of Steam Engines.
I, RICHARD WILBY, of Britannia Terrace, Mirfield, Yorkshire, Mill Manager, 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 has reference to a prior patent granted to me, bearing date the 9th
day of November A.D. 1886, No. 14431, in which the mechanism automatically
operates the right and left hand adjusting coupling of the governor connections so as
to keep one uniform speed. My present invention consists in the application of a
similar but modified form of mechanism specially designed to work automatically, such
variable cut-off or expansion valves as are not capable of being operated by means of
"trip gear."
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is elevation of my improved apparatus, Fig. 2
plan thereof, and Fig. 3. sectional elevation taken through line A B in Fig. 2. The
apparatus is represented as being in connection with the cut off valve spindle 2 which
is made with a long feather or sunken key whereby the bevel wheel 3 is enabled to
impart a rotary motiou to the said spindle so as to alter the point of cut-off without
interfering with its reciprocatory motion. 4 is a bevel wheel gearing with 3 which is
fastened onto the end of a horizontal axis or shaft 6, supported at each end by
brackets 7. In some kinds of cut off valves, the wheels 3 and 4 may be bevel, spur,
or a crown wheel and pinion as will best suit the conditions of the case. On the
shaft 6 are fixed two ratchet wheels 8 and 9, whose teeth are set in opposite directions.
This shaft 6 also carries loosely an oscillating frame 10, the free end thereof 10ª being
connected by a rod 10%, or other means, to some reciprocating part of the engine, so
that the said frame 10 inay receive a continuous rocking motion when the engine is
running, for purposes hereinafter explained. I have not thought it necessary to
illustrate the steam engine, as the connection of rod 10" with a reciprocatory part of
an engine is within the ordinary skill of an engineer or skilled mechanic. The oscil-
lating frame 10 also carries a rod or shaft 11, upon which are placed two pawls 12
and 13, both of which pawls ride loosely on said rod 11, and when required are capable
of engaging with the two ratchet wheels 8 and 9, the upper pawl 13 being a gravity
pawl, but the bottom pawl 12 is lifted into gear with its ratchet wheel 8 by a counter-
balance weight 14 or by means of a spring. Onto the horizontal rod 11 I fix by
sorew or other means what I choose to term the pawl reliever 15 placed in such posi-
tion as to lie between the upper and lower pawls 12 and 13, such pawl reliever being
used for the purpose of removing both the pawls 12 and 13 clear or out of gear with

page_text: their respective ratchet wheels until one of the pawls is required to be in action.
Onto the horizontal rod 11 I also fix a crank 16, the free end of which loosely carries
one end of a lever 17 working on a fulcrum or stud 18 projecting from the oscillating
frame 10, whilst the opposite end of said lever 17 carries a short horizontal pin 19
so placed and arranged that when the oscillating frame 10 gets into a horizontal posi-
tion the centre of the short pin 19 is vertically over the centre of ratchet wheel shaft 6,
and this is essential to the proper working of the apparatus. The arm 20 projecting
from the bracket 7 carries a lever arm 21, the free end of which is curved to a suitable
radius and rests upon the short pin 19 projecting from lever 17, which curvature in
lever 21 is employed for the purpose of preventing any aberration or irregularity in
the motion of the pawls, which must necessarily be produced when the short horizontal
pin 19 is not practically in the line of centre of ratchet wheel shaft. The radius of
the curve made on the underside of lever arm 21 must be made from the centre of
ratchet wheel shaft 6 to the top of short pin 19 when said pin is pressed down half
Near to the free end of lever arm 21 is a hole through which the vertical
needle 22 passes, and immediately underneath such hole is a short bracket 23 also made
with a hole, through which the said needle also passes, which said bracket 23 is
employed for the purpose of guiding or steadying the needle. This needle 22 carries
a fixed collar 24 placed at a suitable position thereon, whilst the upper portion of said
needle is screwed to receive locknuts 25, which are used to raise or lower the needle,
for adjusting the speed of the engine to any given number of revolutions per minute.
The rod 1 is arranged, (by a lever or other means best suited to the particular case
in hand) to be in working connection with the sleeve of the governor, and on this
rod 1 I fix an adjustable bracket 26, through the projecting arm of which bracket the
upper end of the needle 22 passes. Onto this needle 22 I place a spiral spring 27
between the collar 24 and bracket 26, which spring is employed to give a certain
amount of pressure between the collar and bracket for purposes hereinafter
explained.
way.
The modus operandi is as follows:-When the machine is first fixed to the engine
the bracket 26 is fixed at a suitable height on the rod 1 which is in working connec
tion with the governor sleeve of the engine, so that the collar 24 on the lower part of
the needle 22 presses the lever arm 21 downwards, acting upon levers 17 and crank 16
and slightly oscillating rod 11 so as to keep both pawls 12 and 13 clear of their
respective ratchet wheels, and the parts thus arranged will remain in this position so
long as the engine runs at its normal speed, but if the speed of the engine slackens
through extra weight of machinery or diminished pressure of steam, the governors of
the engine would lower, thereby causing the rod 1 to rise, carrying with it the
bracket 26 and needle 22, the effect of which would be to relieve the pressure of the
collar 24 from the free end of lever arm 21, also releasing crank 16 and lever 17, allowing
the two pawls to lower, whereby the upper pawl 13 is allowed to engage with its
ratchet wheel 9. The oscillating frame 10, which is attached by a rod 10b to some
reciprocatory part of the engine, will now cause the engaged pawl 13 to turn the
ratchet wheel 9 a few teeth at each upward movement of the oscillating frame 10,
which motion of the ratchet wheel is communicated by the toothed wheel 4 to the
wheel 3 on cut off spindle 2 or its equivalent, thereby retarding the cut off, in
which case the engine would gain in speed, and the governors resume their normal
position, the effect of which would be that the rod I with its bracket 26 and needle 22
will also be brought back to their normal positions, removing the pawls clear of their
respective ratchet wheels, and so long as the engine continues to run at the proper
speed the pawl clicks will remain inoperative.
pressure
If the engine runs faster than the normal speed, either through increased
of steam or through diminished load the governors would immediately rise to
higher altitude, causing the rod 1 with its bracket 26 needle 22 and collar 24 thereor
to lower, thereby pressing down the forward end of lever 21 so as to oscillate the
lever 17 and crank 16, also causing a slight rocking motion of the shaft 11, in such
manner as to lift the pawl reliever 15, allowing the lower pawl 12, through the
medium of the counterbalance weight 14 to rise and engage with the teeth of the

page_text: ratchet wheel 8 (see Fig. 4) and as the rocking frame continues to be oscillated by
the moving part of the engine such pawl 12 will turn or push forward the ratchet
wheel 8 a few teeth at each downward movement of the frame 10 in the opposite
direction to that mentioned in the previous illustration, in which case the toothed
wheel would operate the expansion or cut-off valves so as to accelerate the cut-off
and bring the speed of the engine back again to its normal rate, and also the
governors to their proper altitude or plane insuring the release of the pawls from
their ratchet wheels; all of which parts will remain inoperative until the speed of
the engine is again varied.
If the steam pressure necessary to run the engine at the normal speed had got too
low, it is obvious that it would be necessary for my improved apparatus to suspend
its action, and to accomplish this I place a worm 28 on shaft 6 gearing with a wheel 29
on a short shaft 29ª, which shaft carries a finger 30, the front end thereof being
between the pawls 12 and 13; if, therefore. the pressure of steam has fallen below
what is necessary to turn the engine at the normal speed, after my improved apparatus
has operated the cut off spindle or its equivalent sufficiently, the finger 30 lifts the
top pawl out of gear with its ratchet wheel, thereby preventing the machine from
being damaged, as would be the case if the machine was allowed to go on when there
was not sufficient steam to work the engine at the normal speed. The finger 30 is
fastened on the short shaft 29" by a set screw or other means, and can be adjusted so
as to lift the top pawl out of gear by the time the cut off valves have been altered a
predetermined amount.
The function of the spiral spring 27 on needle 22 is to prevent obstruction to the
free action of the governors when the acceleration in speed of the engine causes said
governor to move rod 1 downward further than needle 22 can move. Under these
conditions the spring 27 yields by compression and permits the bracket 26 to
descend after the needle 22 can descend no further, thereby allowing the governors
free action.
By working the expansion or cut off valves by the mechanism herein described and
illustrated, the engine is automatically kept at one uniform speed without withdrawing
or diminishing the pressure of steam when the engine is lightly loaded, thus effecting
a great economy in the steam used, and as the lever 17 multiplies or increases the
motion of the rod 1, the apparatus is very sensitive to the least variations in the load
on the engine.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my invention, together with
the manner and means of putting the same into practical operation, I would have it
understood that I do not restrict myself to all the exact forms of mechanism herein
illustrated, but what I believe to be new and therefore claim as my invention is :-
Firstly. In ratchet mechanism used for automatically working variable cut off or
expansion valves, (such as are not capable of being operated by means of trip gear)
the combination therewith of lever 17 for the purpose of magnifying or multiplying
the motion communicated by the governors to the pawls, thereby making the
mechanism sensitive to small changes in the speed of the engine, substantially as
set forth.
Secondly. In ratchet mechanism used for automatically working variable cut off
or expansion valves (such as are not capable of being operated by means of trip gear)
the use of the curved lever arm 21, or any similar curved device, for the purpose of
preventing the irregular motion of the pawls which would be produced if the said
pawls were operated elsewhere than in the line of action of ratchet wheels, substantially
as set forth.
Thirdly. In ratchet mechanism used for automatically working variable cut-off or
expansion valves (such as are not capable of being operated by means of trip gear)
the combination therewith of the needle 22 with its spiral spring 27 designed to
prevent any interference with the free action of the governors.
Fourthly. In ratchet mechanism used for automatically working variable cut off or
expansion valves, such as are not capable of being operated by means of trip gear)

page_text: the combination therewith of the worm 28, wheel 29, and finger 30, employed for the
purpose of lifting the upper pawl out of gear with its ratchet wheel when the
mechanism has operated the cut-off sufficiently to give full steam substantially as
set forth.
Fifthly. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, suh-
stantially as herein set forth and illustrated by the drawings, of mechanism for
automatically operating the cut off or expansion valves of steam engines by the varied
altitude of the
governors.