IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PÅTENT to Edmund Edwards, of the firm of Edwards and Co:-
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES" A communication to him from abroad by
Abraham Zalm, of Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of Holland
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1882.
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co:-Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES" [A com-
munication to me from abroad by Abradam Zalm, of Amsterdam, in the Kingdom
of Holland]
This Invention has for its object in improved method of constructing a regulating
valve or device by which the working of steam Engines of any kind is completely
governed.
The improved apparatus consists of a cylinder arranged in connection with the
steam pipe by which steam is supplied from the boiler to the Engine, and provided
with a piston fixed upon a rod which passes through a stuffing box of the ordinary
well known kind. The cylinder and piston are arranged so that when the slide of
the Engine opens the smallest passage for the steam the pressure becomes instantly
greater above than below the piston described and in the steam supply pipe, and
consequently the piston will descend nearly to the bottom of the cylinder in which
it works, and with a speed dependent upon the quickness with which the steam is
admitted, for the greater such quickness the less will be the resistance below the
piston. Shocks or concussions of the piston in its descent are prevented by a
helical spring arranged round the piston rod outside the stuffing box and supported
at its lower end by stops upon guide rods fixed to the cylinder cover, and above by
a moveable plate which can be adjusted by nuts upon the guide rods so as to

page_text: regulate the tension.
.
When the slide of the engine is shut the pressure will
become the same above and below the piston, and the spring will therefore
instantly raise the latter to its original position. Every time, therefore, that the
steam is admitted and cut off, a movement of the piston is caused from above
downward, and from below upward respectively. The movement of the piston
may be either vertical, horizontal, or circular, according to the construction of the
spring. The cylinder may be introduced into and arranged inside the steam pipe,
the piston rod passing out through a stuffing box, and the diameter of the steam
pipe being increased sufficiently to allow the steam, to pass outside the cylinder.
An index hand upon the piston rod points to a properly graduated scale, and
observation of its movement shews that the speed of the moving steam is in inverse
proportion to the resistance which it meets in its passage, and it is upon this law
that the operation of the regulator is founded, the quantity of steam passing
from the boiler to the engine being regulated by it so that the latter will never
exceed during the same time and under every condition the speed determined
beforehand. In action, when the slide of the Engine is opened the steam rushes
suddenly into the Engine cylinder, and the piston of the apparatus descends to the
bottom of its stroke; and when the space behind the Engine piston has become
filled, the current of the steam diminishes and the piston of the apparatus will rise
according to the pressure and speed of the steam.
In a modified arrangement which shews in the same way that the steam is
always regulated according to the resistance of the piston, the piston rod may be
connected to the stem of a disc stop valve fitting upon a seat in the steam pipe
suitable tappets being arranged to operate such valve.
.
Where the invention is to be applied to steam Engines working at a low speed
the small piston rod may be connected to a crosspiece actuating by means of a lever
à wheel which oscillates like the regulator of a watch.
And to the wheel may be attached a drum containing a spiral spring which
serves to regulate the tension and movement of the helical spring first described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edmund Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th June 1883.
33
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co: Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES (A com-
munication to me from abroad by Abraham Zalm, of Amsterdam in the Kingdom
of Holland)
This invention has for its object an improved method of constructing a regulating
valve or device by which the working of Steam Engines of any kind is completely
governed.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of the invention, figure 1
illustrates the principle upon which it works. Supposing C and D to be in com-
munication with a steam Engine so that the steam from the boiler passes from C
to D which is adjusted upon the steam supply pipe of the Engine whilst C is
continued in the opposite direction, the cylinder A arranged between C and D is
provided with a piston B having a rod B¹ passing through the stuffing box O.
As soon as the valve of the Engine opens a passage however small for the
passage of steam, the pressure will become greater above the piston B than below
it and in the steam pipe, and B will accordingly descend nearly to the bottom of
the cylinder A and with a speed dependant upon the velocity with which the
steam passes, for the greater such velocity the smaller will become the resistance
below the piston B.
Shocks from the sudden descent of the piston B are prevented by means of the
helical spring G fixed to the piston rod B' and resting below upon the stops H
whilst above it is retained in position by the plate E which also serves to regulate
its tension by means of nuts E.
Directly the valve of the Engine is closed the pressure becomes the same above
and below the piston B which is instantly raised to its original position by the
helical spring G. Everytime therefore that steam is admitted to or cut off from
the Engine a movement of the piston B is caused, from above downward or from
below upward. This movement may be horizontal, vertical, or circular, according
to the method of arrangement of the spring.
The cylinder A may be arranged in the steam pipe itself, the piston rod passing
through the stuffing box O, and the diameter of the steam pipe being increased
sufficiently to allow the steam to pass round between it and the cylinder A. An
index fixed upon the piston rod B' will shew by its indications upon a graduated
scale M that the velocity of the passing steam is in inverse proportion to the
resistance which it meets, and upon this law the action of the apparatus which
constitutes the invention is founded. Figure A illustrates a method of applying it
in the manner above described so that it regulates the quantity of steam passing
from the boiler in such manner that the Engine will under no circumstances exceed
in a given time the number of revolutions previously determined; for when the
valve is opened the steam rushes suddenly into the Engine cylinder and the
piston B descends completely, whilst when the cylinder fills and the current of
steam diminishes the piston B rises according to the pressure and velocity of the
steam.
Figure A¹ represents another method of application shewing in the same way
that the steam is always regulated according to the resistance which the piston
offers.

page_text: The piston rod B in the figures may be connected to the handle or lever of a
stop valve N, by means of tappets acting upon the lever as shewn in figure A².
Where the invention is to be applied to steam Engines working at a slow speed,
the piston rod of the small piston shewn may be connected to a crosshead actuating
by means of a connecting rod a fly wheel which oscillates like the balance wheel of
a watch, as illustrated in figures A³ and A¹.
This fly wheel may have a cylinder attached to it containing a spiral spring, and
in this way the tension and movement of the helical spring G are regulated.
Figures 2 and A³ represent sections through the steam pipes.
Figure 6 represents in section a regulating apparatus in which the admission or
communication of the steam is regulated by means of the flanged ring a.
Figure 7 shews a plan of regulator fitted to the steam chest of an Engine, and
figure 8 shews in section a regulating apparatus which may be similarly fitted and
in which the admission and cut-off are effected by means of an ordinary valve c
which never completely closes.
I do not confine myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts
of the apparatus as shewn, which may be varied to suit varying circumstances, but
having described the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I
claim
The method of regulating the admission of steam to steam Engines substantially
as and for the purpose described and shewn in the drawing.
In witness whereof I, the said Edmund Edwards, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 20th day of June 1883.