Improvements in and relating to Steam Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
COMPLEIE DI MULTIVATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Engines.
I, MAX KOLLER, of Winterthur, Switzerland, Engineer, 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:-
The object of the present invention is a new system of valve distribution for
the admission of steam into cylinders of vertical steam-engines.
This system of distribution offers the following advantages over those actually
employed:
1. The possibility of considerably increasing the number of strokes of the piston
of vertical engines with valved distribution.
2. Reduction of the dead spaces of these machines.
3. A constant introduction however long the duration of the admission lasts.
Owing to the large diameter of the valves the stroke or throw of these latter may
be reduced, at the same time ensuring the necessary area for the passage of the
steam during the admission period; furthermore, these valves being operated with
the same velocity as those of ordinary steam engines, the number of admissions
may be increased, whereby a proportionate increase of the number of rotations of
the machine is obtained. Moreover, the arrangement of the valves within the
covers of the cylinder, reduces the dead spaces to a minimum, and the direct
regulating by the regulator of the distributing mechanism arranged for this pur-
pose allows the obtaining of a constant advance in the introduction for all degrees
of admission.
In the annexed drawing is shown by way of example, a construction of a valve
distribution, embodying my invention and applied to a vertical engine.
Fig. 1 is a central sectional view in elevation of the various parts of the valve
distribution applied to the cylinder of a vertical steam engine.
Fig. 2 is a section of the lower valve at right angles of that of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section showing the arrangement of the regulating levers on the
axle S.
My system of valve distribution with regulated closing does not change the
general arrangement of the engine. The bottom valve mechanism comprises a
crank-shaft R turning, with the same speed as the main shaft of the engine, in
the bearing C cast to a bracket A, secured, on one hand, to the frame of the
machine and, on the other hand, to the column B. The crank-shaft R engages
with a yoke L acting as an excentric collar and to which is rigidly secured a
connecting-rod K pivotally attached to one of the ends of a lever E F G having
its fulcrum in F and actuating the bottom valve by means of another lever N.
The yoke L is further pivotally connected with an arm D, actuating a rock
lever M. rocking on a socket Q supported by the bracket A and traversed by an
axle S (Fig. 3). The upper branch of the rock lever M is curved as shown and
ends with a flat surface a which, by engaging the corresponding surface of a
slotted arm T moving around the socket Q, transmits to this slotted arm, but in
one direction only, the rocking of the lever M.
A slide block H, the axle of which is movably held in the lower end of a bar U,

page_text: is adapted to move in the slot of said arm T, the upper end of said bar U being
pivotally attached to the pivot of the lever E F G.
The bar U is connected at J with arm J K', pivotally secured thereto and
actuated by one of the arms K¹ S, the other arm K' S being actuated by the
regulator of the engine (Fig. 3).
The top valve l' is operated by a similar mechanism arranged on the other side
of the bracket A and acting, through the agency of a rod O and a pivoted lever N¹,
upon the stem of said valve.
The valves are controlled by suitable spring devices and are of a larger diameter
than the valves of ordinary distributions.
They are both closed by falling back on their seat. The top valve P is lodged
in the cover V of the cylinder; it is guided like ordinary valves; but the bottom
valve I, lodged in the bottom of the cylinder has a different arrangement. The
seat of this valve is secured to the bottom of the cylinder. A collar is adapted
to guide the valve, said collar sliding on the outer surface of the stuffing-box and
being connected with the valve by two bolts y having their head fitted into the
body of the valve and traversing the seat of the valve through stuffing boxes.
The stroke of the valves is controlled by the regulator of the engine as follows:
if the axle of the slide block H. could be fixed at S, the point F would be stationary
and the valve I would remain open more or less during the complete stroke of the
piston there would therefore be full admission; but as the slide block H is moved
in the slot T by the action of the regulator through the agency of the levers J K¹,
the axle F has a movement similar to that of the axle E, but of a variable ampli-
tude and so much the greater as the slide block H is brought away from the
point S. It will be obvious that, according as the slide block H is brought away
from the point S and that therefore the throw of F increases, the throw of the
point G as well as that of the valve I decrease in proportion.
The aforegoing description as well as the annexed drawing show the application
of my improved valve distribution to a vertical engine with one cylinder. The
mechanism may be also applied to every horizontal or vertical engine with one
or more cylinders by modifying the form and the arrangements of the various
parts correspondingly but without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1) In a valve distribution the combination with a crank-shaft R journaling in a
bearing C, of a yoke L engaged by said crank-shaft and secured to a connecting-
rod K actuating a lever E F G which by means of another lever N and of a
collar actuates the valve I, a small arm D connected with the yoke L and a
lever M moving on a socket Q traversed by a axle S; the end of the lever M being
adapted to alternately engage a slotted arm T moving around the socket Q, a slide
block H, moving in said slotted arm and the axle of which is connected with a
bar U, pivoted at F to the lever E F G and at J to a small arm J K¹ pivotally
attached at K to the lever K³ S actuated by the regulator, substantially as described
and shown.
2) A distribution mechanism for steam engines, substantially as described and
shown.
Dated this 20th day of November 1897.