IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTORS ACTUATED BY FLUID PRESSURE
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I, LEANDRE MÉGY of N° 97 Rue du Theatre, Grenelle, in the City of Paris,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOTORS ACTUATED BY FLUID PRESSURE" and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention relates to improvements in motors actuated by fluid pressure and
has reference inore particularly to steam engines, its object being to increase and
regulate the speed of rotation of the driving shaft, and at the same time to economise
the consumption of steam or other actuating fluid. It refers principally to the
construction and arrangement of special means for distributing the actuating fluid,
in combination with a method of regulation by which the degree of expansion can
be varied, and also to a special arrangement of parts constituting a motor.
The engines or motors to which this Invention is applicable are those having
single acting pistons, either of the ordinary kind, or modified in such a way as to
produce, in one and the same cylinder, the effect or system known as the Woolf
system.
The cylinders may be horizontal, inclined or vertical, and of any number, and
may work either with or without condensers.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1, shews an engine
according to this Invention having two horizontal single acting cylinders. The
Figure is a vertical section on the axial line of the cylinders.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the centre line of the crank shaft.
Fig. 3 is a section parallel to Fig. 2, and passing through one of the steam inlet
passages.
Fig. 4 shews the arrangement of the governor which controls the apparatus for
distributing the steam or other fluid pressure.
Fig. 5 illustrates the distributing apparatus modified to suit an engine with four
cylinders, and shews that with a single valve, properly so called; it is possible to
effect the distribution of steam or other fluid to any number of cylinders grouped.
around this distributing apparatus.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew the application of the distributing apparatus to an engine of
the inverted type, of which each cylinder, which can be single acting, is modified
according to the Woolf method, with a chamber in the interior of the cylinder
closed to the air to defend it against cooling.
The base A: of horizontal engines, is formed in a single piece with the cylinders
and the casings of the distributing apparatus. ·

page_text: It has a central cavity B, traversed by the crank shaft and enclosing the toothed
wheels a, b, c, d, which transmit movement from the shaft to the distributing
apparatus. The bottom of this casing serves as a réservoir for oil in which the
cranks and the heads of the connecting rods dip, as they rotate, the effect being
that the splashing effectually lubricates the parts subject to friction and which
are beyond the reach of both dust and interference, the case being hermetically
closed. A tube T, situated upon the cover of the casing, serves for the escape of
steam and oily vapours which form in the interior, and of which the condensed
portions fall back into the casing..
.
The cylinders are preserved from cooling by jackets and by the double bottoms C.
Removable casings or linings D. D are inserted for the reception of the distri-
buting apparatus or valves (hereinafter called "distributors "). A distributor E,
perfectly cylindrical is carefully adjusted within the casing, and its surface of
contact is suitably lubricated by grease or oil cups. This distributor, in corre-
spondence with the steam passages, is provided with equi-distant cavities E', E',
by cach of which steam is admitted and exhausted; the crank shaft makes as
many revolutions for a single revolution of the distributor as there are cavities E³,
each one of which effects in succession the admission of steam, its cut-off, and its
escape into the atmosphere or condenser.
In the centre of and concentric with the distributor E, there is arranged a single
cylindrical cut-off valve F. This valve is hollow, and receives the steam at one
end; consequently the steam, following the line of its axis, enters and leaves the
cylinder in the directest possible course; it is packed at its ends by the bronze
washers or packing pieces f, fand suitably enclosed by the covers which close the
casings of the distributor.
This cut-off valve, exactly adjusted, can, in its turn, rotate to right and left in
the centre of the distributor F, with an angular movement impressed upon it by
the exterior lever H, operated by hand or more usually by the governor.
This system of distributor does not give rise to any abnormal escape of steam,
nor to any heating, although both of these two difficulties have always been
encountered hitherto with rotating conical distributing valves, either multiple or
independent.
Further such means of distribution have not permitted of high speeds being
given to the engines. These high speeds have now become more necessary. than
ever, by reason of the many direct applications of engines to screws to dynamo-
electric machines etc.
By a lever H, connected to the arm G by a link J, and by a forked lever K,
fixed to one of the extremities of the shaft, I, the cut-off valve F. is rendered
subject to the inovement of lateral displacement of the collar L. The movement
of this collar L depends upon that of the radial equi-distant weights S, S, S placed
in cavities R. R. R. formed in the thickness of the fly-wheel N, in which are also
arranged the cells O. O. O. In these there are placed springs whose resistance can
be varied by means of the adjusting screws Q. Q. Q. and the nuts P. P. P. The
weights S. S. S are connected to the collar L, by chains passing over guide pulleys.
A casing M protects the parts of the governor from dust and interference, just as
the box G protects the shaft I, the lever H, and the arm G.
The centrifugal force carries out the masses or weights S. S. and thereby draws
the collar L against the springs Q. Q. which give way, permitting the collar to
move, and to act upon the cut off valve F, through the levers K, H, G, the shaft I
and the link J. According as the speed is for the moment greater or less than the
normal speed, the cut-off valve F will turn in the contrary or the same direction as
the distributor E, diminishing or increasing the supply of steam.
The number of revolutions can be regulated at will by varying proportionately
the tension of the springs Q. Q. Q.
When the distributor has to serve for four cylinders it is essentially the same,
being arranged in the axis of the group as shewn at Fig. 5. Each lining or
casing D has then four ports for the passage of steam in place of two

page_text: Similarly when the ordinary single acting cylinder is altered to the Woolf
arrangement by means of the disposition of the piston and of the stuffing box, as
Eeen in Fig. 6, there is no change in the distributor itself, except that this is
surrounded by a casing D pierced with three orifices in place of two. One serves
for the introduction of steam into the annular space ✗, the second permits the
passage of the steam from this space to above the piston, and the third serves for
the exhaustion of the expanded steam into the atmosphere, or into a condenser by
the pipe V.
In all these examples the distributor consists of the two principal moving parts
E and F, together with the casings D. D. and packings ff.
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:-
In high speed engines with ordinary single acting cylinders, and with single
acting cylinders transformed into the Woolf type:
1. Effecting the introduction, expansion and exhaustion of steam by a single
special distributing apparatus consisting of the cylindrical cut off valve F, capable
of turning with an angular movement and situated in the centre of the cylindrical
distributor E, the latter enclosed in the fixed casing D. D and furnished with as
many orifices as there are working cylinders to feed and receiving a continuous
movement of rotation from the main shaft, which makes as many revolutions for
each revolution of the distributor as the latter has distributing cavities El, the
whole substantially as described.
2. The use for regulating a supply of actuating fluid of the governor with
weights S. S. S, arranged, together with adjustable springs, in cavities formed in
the fly-wheel N and connected to the collar L, whose movement of displacement,
corresponding to any variation of speed is transmitted by levers K. H. G, the
shaft I, link J and arm G to the cut off valve F, the whole substantially as
described and illustrated.
3. Forming the framing A in such wise that it contains a central closed box B,
traversed by the crank shaft, and enclosing the wheels which actuate the
distributor E, the bottom serving as a reservoir of oil into which the cranks and
connecting rod ends plunge to effect the lubrication, and the top carrying a pipe
serving for the escape of the steam and oily vapours substantially as described and
illustrated.
4. The use in combination of the distributing apparatus E. F. D. C. the governor
arranged in the fly-wheel N, and the frame A with the central box, D, the whole
substantially as described and illustrated.
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