IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE APPARATUS FOR PROMOTING INDICATORS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER ECONOMY IN THE CONSUMPTION OF FUEL
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Kenyon, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE
APPARATUS FOR PROMOTING
INDICATORS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
ECONOMY IN THE CONSUMPTION OF FUEL."
Sealed the 13th September 1878, and dated the 1st April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Kenyon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st April 1878.
JOHN WILLIAM KENYON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE INDICATORS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
APPARATUS FOR PROMOTING ECONOMY IN THE CONSUMPTION OF FUEL."
"
In such
My Invention relates in the first place to steam-engine indicators.
indicators as ordinarily constructed the steam pressure acts upon a piston, which is
thereby caused to slide within a cylinder against the pressure of a spiral spring.
The said piston is liable to stick within its cylinder, and the friction between the
piston and cylinder affects the sensitiveness of the action of the instrument.
"
In lieu of the said piston and cylinder I employ a hollow "Bourdon" spring, and
I connect one end of the spring with the indicating pencil, the steam being admitted
within the spring. I prefer to employ an arrangement for multiplying the range of
"Richards'
motion, as for example, the system of levers employed in the
indicator is very suitable. The inlet end of the spring is or may be connected with
the instrument by means of a coupling, so that it may be readily exchanged for a
stronger or weaker spring, as may be required.
In lieu of the "Bourdon" spring I may employ a diaphragm spring, or a combi-
nation of diaphragm springs, as for example, the double "Dewit" diaphragm may
be used.
In the second place I employ springs constructed on the "Bourdon" principal to
regulate the dampers of steam generators. The steam pressure is admitted within
the spring in each case. I connect the free end of the spring to the damper by
means of a suitable arrangement of levers or parts, so that when the pressure of

page_text: steam rises above the required amount the spring acts on the damper to restrict the
passage through the flue, a lowering of the pressure having a contrary effect.
A third part of my Invention relates to moving or movable bars, or to apparatus
for supplying the furnaces of steain generators with fuel.
I employ a spring, of the kind herein-before indicated, to regulate the action of
the said bars or apparatus, as, for example, I so apply the said spring as that on the
steam pressure rising to a certain extent the said spring shall raise an actuating
pawl out of gear with a ratchet wheel, which gives motion to the bars or to the
feeding apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John William Kenyon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
September 1878.
JOHN WILLIAM KENYON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE INDICATORS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
APPARATUS FOR PROMOTING ECONOMY IN THE CONSUMPTION OF FUEL."
My Invention relates in the first place to steam-engine indicators. In such
indicators as ordinarily constructed the steam pressure acts upon a piston, which is
thereby caused to slide within a cylinder against the pressure of a spiral spring.
The said piston is liable to stick within its cylinder, and the friction between the
piston and cylinder affects the sensitiveness of the action of the instrument.
In lieu of the said piston and cylinder I employ a curved tubular
Bourdon"
spring, and I connect one end of the spring with the indicating pencil, the steam
being admitted within the spring.
"
In lieu of the "Bourdon "spring I may employ a diaphragm spring or a com-
bination of diaphragm springs, as, for example, the double "Dewit" diaphragm,
may be used.
In the second place I employ springs constructed on the "Bourdon" principle
to regulate the dampers of steam generators. The steam pressure is admitted
within the spring in each case. I connect the free ends of the springs to the
dampers by means of a suitable arrangement of levers or parts, so that when the
pressure of steam rises above the required amount the springs act on the dampers
to restrict the passages through the flues, a lowering of the pressure having a con-
trary effect.
A third part of my Invention relates to moving or removable bars, or to appa-
ratus for supplying the furnaces of steam generators with fuel.
I employ a spring or combination of springs of the kind herein-before indicated
to regulate the action of the said bars or apparatus.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I have appended here-
unto two Sheets of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which I will
now refer.

page_text: In Sheet 1, Fig. 1, drawn partly in section, represents a steam engine indicator
constructed in accordance with my Invention. In the said Fig. A is the ordinary
cylinder, which is constructed to hold the paper upon which the diagram is to be
formed, and to rotate to and fro upon its axis, as is usual. The said cylinder is
mounted upon an arm a, which projects from a pillar b. Upon the upper end of
this pillar is mounted a two-armed framing c, to which are jointed the two levers d,
which give motion to the pencil or scribing point, and cause it to move in a straight
line, as in the ordinary "Richards" indicator, the parts so far described being
similar to the corresponding parts in that form of indicator, but in lieu of the
steam cylinder and piston I employ the curved Bourdon spring B. One end of this
spring is connected with the pillar b by means of a conical coupling or joint. A
front view of the said joint is represented by Fig. 2, wherein the spring is seen in
cross section. The end of the spring is brazed or secured to a conical plug c, which
is turned and finished to fit in a suitably steam-tight manner in a conical recess
formed in a projecting boss cast on the pillar. A collar is formed on the plug e,
and an annular nut is fitted to screw into the mouth of the said recess, and to
bear against the said collar. By turning the said nut the conical plug is forced
home into its seating, whereby a suitably tight joint is made. A passage
formed in the pillar, and serves to convey the steam to the interior of the spring.
The lower end of the pillar is formed as a coupling, as is usual. The free end of
the spring is connected by means of a link h with one of the levers d, the said link
being in the example formed in two parts connected together by a ball-and-socket
joint, as indicated in Fig. 3, in order that the framing c may be free to swivel upon
the pillar, as is usual. The upper part of the link is formed with two projecting
studs, which enter recesses in a forked finger i, which is secured to the end of the
spring a spring retains the studs in the said recesses. The arrangement
permits the link to be quickly engaged with and disengaged from the spring. It
will be seen that the spring can be readily removed from the instrument by
unscrewing the nut and disengaging the link h from the finger. If necessary the
instrument may be provided with two or more springs differing in strength, as in
the case of ordinary indicators. The method of connecting the spring with the
other parts of the apparatus may be varied. When in use the spring moves the
pencil or scribing point in proportion to the degree of pressure or vacuum, whereby
a diagram is obtained in the same manner as when using the ordinary piston
indicators.
is
Although I prefer to employ the indicated form of spring I do not confine myself
thereto. When using diaphragm springs, such as are used in the Schaeffer or
Dewit pressure guages, or in other forms of pressure guage, I apply the spring in
place of the ordinary piston and cylinder, and connect it with the multiplying
levers or parts in any suitable manner.
The second part of my Invention is indicated by Fig. 4, and by the Figures on
Sheet 2, which latter Figs. are drawn to a scale of about one and a half inches to
the foot.
Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of a damper and frame provided with my con-
trolling apparatus, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the same.
In the example the dumper C is arranged to turn upon a vertical axis within a
suitable frame D, but instead of resting in a footstep it is hung from its upper
bearing at m. A cranked shaft n, represented detached by Fig. 7, is fixed in the
upper part of the damper, and is provided with a conically pointed stud n², which
rests in a step m³, which is carried by a bracket o, which is fixed to or formed on
the dumper frame. The lower end of the damper is steadied by a stud p, which is
fixed to the cill of the frame, and enters a hole in the bottom of the damper. This
method of mounting the damper enables it to be turned with very little force as
compared with ordinary swivel dampers, and I therefore prefer to employ the
arrangement in connection with my controlling apparatus, but I do not confine
myself to the said method. In the example the controlling apparatus consists of

page_text: four springs E and F formed on the Bourdon principle. The springs are all secured
to a hollow pillar », which is fixed in any suitable position.
The spring E is arranged to control the supply of steam to the other springs,
and is separately represented in plan by Fig. 8.
The apparatus is supplied with steam from the generator by means of a suitable
pipe, indicated by t. The said pipe admits steam to the interior of the spring E,
and also through a connecting pipe u to a cock v. The plug of the cock v is
provided with a lever, which is connected by a link w with the free end of the
spring E.
In Fig. 8 the said link is extended, and is slotted in order that a fixed stud
within the slot may limit the movements of the plug of the cock. When the
cock is open steam is admitted to the interior of the pillar, and thence through
hollow arms, to which the springs are secured to the interiors of the three springs F,
which are coupled together by means of a rod x, and connected by means of a
link to a lever y, as indicated also in Fig. 9. The lever y is employed to increase
the extent of movement, and is connected by a link or rod to a lever, which is
fixed on the shaft n of the damper.
In some cases it may be necessary or advisable to employ a combination of rods
and levers or parts for connecting the controlling apparatus with the damper.
I prefer to form the cock with two ways or ports, so arranged as that when
the steam is shut off from the springs F a passage is opened for the escape of
the water arising from the condensation of steam. A slide valve similar to the
slide valves of steam engines might be substituted for the said cock.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:- When
a fixed point the spring E opens the cock v, and
springs F, which by expanding act through the
dampers, the passage through the damper frame
according to the pressure of steam.
the steam pressure rises above
thereby admits steam to the
levers and rods to close the
being more or less restricted,
I may arrange that the cock v shall not quite close in order that there may be
low-pressure steam at all times within the springs F. This may be regulated by
means of the slotted link.
The arrangement may be greatly varied, as for example, in some cases only one
spring, or less, or more than four springs may be required; or I may dispense with
the spring E and admit the steam pressure directly into the springs F or into a
single spring, in which case I may employ a weight or spring, which tends to open
the damper, the Bourdon spring tending to close the damper.
The third part of my Invention is partly illustrated by Fig. 10, Sheet 1, which
represents a part of the apparatus for controlling the movements of moving or
movable furnace bars, or of apparatus for supplying fuel to the furnaces of steam
generators. In this example the shaft a' is connected with the said apparatus in
manner which will vary according to the description of apparatus to which my
Invention is applied. The said shaft is supposed to be driven by means of a
conical friction clutch, which can engage with one or the other of two strap
pullies b, c, which are driven at different speeds. The clutch is moved to and fro
by means of a lever d', which may be coupled to the lever y of the apparatus on
Sheet 2, or be otherwise connected to the free end or ends of a Bourdon spring or
cluster of such springs, into which the steam pressure is admitted. When the
pressure rises above a fixed point the lever d' is acted upon to slide the clutch out
of gear with the fast revolving pulley, or into gear with the slower pulley.
The arrangement may be varied by using only one pulley or driving wheel, and
by simply sliding the clutch out of gear, so as to arrest the movement of the
apparatus when the steam pressure rises to the fixed point; or the Bourdon spring
or springs may be arranged to raise an actuating pawl out of gear with a ratchet
wheel, which gives motion to the bars or feeding apparatus at the times when the
steam pressure rises to the arranged limit.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: means whereby the same may be carried into effect, I would have it to be under-
stood in conclusion that I claim,―
First. The steam engine indicator, substantially as set forth and indicated herein-
before, and by Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The employment in such indicators of steam springs, such as the
Bourdon spring and the Schaeffer and Dewit diaphragms in lieu of pistons, sub-
stantially as set forth and indicated.
Thirdly. The apparatus substantially as and for the purpose set forth, and
indicated with reference to Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. The employment of hollow springs formed on the Bourdon principle to
adjust the positions of dampers for the purposes indicated.
And, lastly. The employment of the said springs to control the action of moving
or movable furnace bars or of fuel-feeding mechanism, substantially as set forth
and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Kenyon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Signed and sealed by the said John
William Kenyon in the prosenco
of
HUGH GRANT,
Clerk to Edward K. Dutton,
Agent to the Patentee,
St. Ann's Churchyard,
Manchester.
JOHN WILLIAM KENYON. (L.S.)