Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Steam or other Actuating-Fluid in Fluid-pressure Engines or Motors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Steam or other
Actuating-Fluid in Fluid-pressure Engines or Motors.
Wе, JOHN BкоKENSHIRE FURNEAUX, of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, and ALEXANDER HORNE, of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in
the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements in apparatus for distributing actuating-
fluid in engines or motors (e.g., those of direct-acting steam-pumps) in which the
main slide-valve of such an engine or motor, when attaining a position wherein
either of the main steam-ports of the motor-cylinder is in communication with the
exhaust, is automatically caused to be rapidly moved to the end of its stroke so as
quickly to place the said port in full communication with the exhaust, and the
main steam-port to the opposite side of the piston, in full communication with the
steam-chest and consequently in a position for making the return-stroke of
the piston.
In apparatus of this kind according to this invention the main slide-valve is of
the piston-type and is fitted with four solid or elastic piston-rings between which
the valve is of less diameter so as to form between the several rings three chambers,
into the highest and lowest of which, when the valve is in its mid position, open
respectively upper and lower fluid-admission ports, whilst into the middle chamber
opens an exhaust port; when in this position the two middle piston-rings of the
valve close the ports of the passages leading to the engine or motor cylinder.
Above and below the highest and lowest rings of the valve, when in this position,
are located in each case two ports, the outer for admission and the inner for exhaust
communicating with two corresponding pairs of ports in the chest of an auxiliary
valve, which may also be of the piston-type and have two piston-rings to control the
four ports.
An exhaust-passage, which may contain a controlling valve, leads
from between the two pairs of ports in the auxiliary valve-chest to the central
portion of the main valve-chest so as to be always in communication with the main
exhaust port of the latter. This auxiliary valve is secured to a rod connected to
one end of a lever the other end of which is attached to a rod having a projection
arranged in the path of a crosshead or other projection on the piston-rod.
When the piston of the engine or motor is at the top of its stroke the main and
auxilliary valves are both at the bottoms of their strokes, the upper of the two
passages leading to the cylinder being in full communication with the upper main
admission-port and the lower of these passages in full communication with the
exhaust-port; and the main valve is pressed down by fluid in the space above it,
which is in free communication, through the upper communicating passage, with

page_text: the auxiliary valve-chest, a cushion of fluid being kept below the main valve by the
lowest ring, which closes the lower exhaust-passage leading to the auxiliary valve-
chest, the auxiliary valve closing the lower admission-port leading in the reverse
direction. When the piston approaches the lower end of its stroke, the projection
or crosshead above mentioned strikes against the projection on the aforesaid rod
and moves the auxiliary valve to the upper end of its stroke, whereby fluid is
admitted to the lower end of the main valve so as to force it to the upper end of its
stroke and thereby quickly place the lower of the two passages leading to the
cylinder in full communication with the main admission-port and the upper of these
passages in full communication with the main exhaust-port; during this movement
fluid above the main valve escapes to the main exhaust-port by way of the auxiliary
valve-chest and the aforesaid exhaust-passage until the lower or exhaust port leading
to the auxiliary valve-chest is covered by the highest ring of the main valve. The
speed of travel of the main valve may be regulated by the aforesaid controlling
valve in the exhaust-passage when such is employed. The operation during the
upstroke of the piston is similar to that just described for the downstroke.
It will be obvious that although the nature of the invention has been described
with reference to an engine or motor whose piston has an up and down movement,
the directions of movement of the piston and the main valve are immaterial.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Steam or other
Actuating-Fluid in Fluid-pressure Engines or Motors.
We, JOHN BROKENSHIRE FURNEAUX, of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, and, ALEXANDER HORNE, of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in
the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what mauner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :——
This invention consists of improvements in apparatus for distributing actuating-
fluid in engines or motors (e.g. those of direct-acting steam pumps) in which the
main slide valve of such an engine or motor, when attaining a position wherein
either of the main steam-ports of the motor-cylinder is in communication with 'the
exhaust, is automatically caused to be rapidly moved to the end of its stroke so as
quickly to place the said port in full communication with the exhaust, and the main
steam-port to the opposite side of the piston, in full communication with 'the
steam-chest and consequently in a position for making the return stroke of the
piston.
One arrangement of apparatus of this kind according to this invention is shown
in the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a vertical central section 'through
a motor cylinder and valves and Fig. 2 a vertical section through the main valve
taken on the line of Fig. 1. The main slide-valve 1 is of the piston-type and
is fitted with four solid or elastic piston-rings 2, 2*, 2b, 2c between which the valve
is of less diameter so as to form between the several rings three chambers, 3, 3ª, 3b
into the highest and lowest of which, when the valve is in its mid position, open

page_text: respectively upper and lower fluid admission ports 4 and 4", whilst into the middle
chamber 3" opens an exhaust port 5; when in this position the two middle piston-
rings 2, 2 of the valve close the ports 6 and 7 of the passages 6 and 7* leading to
the engine or motor cylinder 2. Above and below the highest and lowest rings of the
valve, when in this position, are located in each case two ports 9, 9*, and 10, 10*
the outer 9 and 10 for admission and the inner 9 and 10 for exhaust communi-
cating with two corresponding pairs of. ports 11, 11ª and 12, 12" in the chest 13 of
an auxiliary valve 14, which may also be of the piston-type and have two piston
rings 14", 14b, to control the four ports 11, 11, 12, 12. An exhaust-passage 15,
which may contain a controlling valve 16, leads from between the two pairs of
ports in the anxiliary valve-chest to the central portion of the main valve-chest so
as to be always in communication with the main exhaust port of the latter. The
auxiliary valve 14 is secured to a rod 17 connected to one end of a lever 18 the
other end of which is attached to a rod 19 having a projection herein shown as a
collar 20 arranged in the path of a crosshead 21 or other projection on the piston-
rod 22. Auxiliary steam to supply the valve chests is admitted through an
opening 23 and passage 24.
When the piston of the engine or motor is at the top of its stroke the main and
auxiliary valves are both at the bottoms of their strokes, the upper passage 6
leading to the cylinder being in full communication with the upper main admission-
port 4 and the lower passage 7 in full communication with the exhaust-port 5; and
the main valve is pressed down by fluid in the space above it, which is in free com-
munication, through the upper passage 9, with the auxiliary valve-chest, a cushion
of fluid being kept below the main valve by the lowest ring 2°, which closes the
lower exhaust-passage 10 leading to the auxiliary valve-chest, the auxiliary valve
closing the lower admission-port 10 leading in the reverse direction. When the
piston approaches the lower end of its stroke, the projection or crosshead 21 strikes
against the projection 20 on the rod 19 and moves the auxiliary valve to the upper
end of its stroke, whereby fluid is admitted to the lower end of the main valve so
as to force it to the upper end of its stroke and thereby quickly place the lower
passage 7 leading to the cylinder in full communication with the main admission-
port 4 and the upper passage 6 in full communication with the main exhaust-
port 5; during this movement fluid above the main valve escapes to the main
exhaust-port by way of the auxiliary valve-chest and the aforesaid exhaust passage 15
until the lower or exhaust port 9ª leading to the auxiliary valve-chest is covered by
the highest ring 2 of the main valve. The speed of travel of the main valve may
be regulated by the aforesaid controlling valve 16 in the exhaust-passage 15 when
such is employed. The operation during the upstroke of the piston is similar to that
just described for the downstroke.
It will be obvious that although the nature of the invention has been described
with reference to an engine or motor whose piston has an up and down movement,
the directions of movement of the piston and the main valve are immaterial.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. For distributing steam or other actuating fluid in a fluid-pressure engine or
motor, apparatus comprising a main slide valve adapted to alternately connect each
of the two main steam ports and passages of the motor cylinder to a steam admission
port and to an exhaust port, and an auxiliary valve arranged to be actuated by a
moving part of the engine and adapted to control admission and exhaust passages
connecting each end of the main valve chest with the auxiliary valve chest substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
2. For distributing steam or other actuating fluid in fluid pressure engines or
motors, apparatus constructed, arranged and operating as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings for the purpose specified,

page_text: whether or not the exhaust passage be provided with a controlling valve for
governing the speed of the main valve as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1899.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.