Improvements for Working Steam Engines Expansively.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for Working Steam Engines Expansively.
1 LEWIS RICHARDS of Derwent View Workington in the County of
Cumberland Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I employ three or more cylinders using steam independently of each other and
placed with their axes vertically, horizontally, or at any intermediate angle; cach
cylinder is to be connected to seperate cranks on the crank shaft; the cranks to be
divided between equal angles of the circle according to the number of cylinders
employed; each cylinder is to have seperate valve or valves for the admission and
release of the steam into and out of it; and each set of valve or valves is to be
moved by seperate eccentric, or eccentrics, cams, or cranks; thereby making the
motions of the respective valve or valves for the admission and release of the steam
in connection with each cylinder independent of each other.
Dated this Sixth day of October 1892.
LEWIS RICHARDS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for Working Steam Engines Expansively.
I LEWIS RICHARDS of Derwent View Workington in the County of
Cumberland 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 :-
I employ three or more cylinders using steam independently of one another fixed
with their axes horizontal, vertical, or at any intermediate augle; having their
pistons connected to separate cranks on the crank shaft; the cranks to be arranged
so as to divide the circle into equal angles or in other words to include equal angles.
Each cylinder is to have a valve or valves for the admission of the steam with
laps so as to cut off the steam according to the degree of expansion decided upon,
also a valve or valves for the release of the same with laps so as to give the
desired period of release and amount of compression independently of the degree
of expansion. The valve or valves for the admission, and the valve or valves for
the release to be in separate valve chests, and actuated by separate eccentrics, cams,
or cranks, fixed on the crank shaft or on a separate shaft or shafts driven from the
crank shaft.
By the use of three or more cylinders as already described it is intended to
cut off the steam at an early part of the stroke according to the number of
cylinders employed and at the same time to obtain an approximate uniformity of
turning moments throughout the revolution of the crank shaft.
Also with separate valves for the admission and release of the steam as described
it is intended to cut off the steam by means of the lap on the admission valve the
lap to be extended according to the point of cut off decided upon, which can be
done with the use of separate admission and release valves without at the same
time affecting the point of release and the degree of compression. It is intended
to regulate the point of release and the degree of compression by means of the
separate release valve.
Having thus stated and described the nature of my said invention I will further
describe the admission valve by the aid of the accompanying drawing in which
A is the valve; B the cylinder in which the valve slides; a, a, a, the ports in

page_text: the valve; b, b,, b₁, the ports in the cylinder B; c₁ c₂ c c c c c, expansion 'rings in
the valve; C the valve chest ; D steam induction branch; E, E, passage from the
valve chest to both ends of the cylinder; F the valve spindle.
1
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. Three or more cylinders using steam independently of one another fixed with
their axes horizontal vertical or at any intermediate angle having their pistons
connected to separate cranks on the crank shaft the cranks being arranged so as to
divide the circle into equal angles or in other words to include equal angles between
their several radii substantially as described.
2. Separate valve or valves for the admission and release of the steam for
each cylinder placed in separate valve chests and actuated by separate eccentrics
cams or cranks fixed on the crank shaft or on a shaft or shafts driven from the
crank shaft substantially as described.
3. A hollow cylindrical admission valve having the steam inside to fit and slide
inside another cylinder each having a number of corresponding ports running
around the circumference, the valve having an expansion ring inserted on each side
of every port substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of October 1893.
LEWIS RICHARDS.