Improvements in Oscillating Steam Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 22nd July, 1887.
Improvements in Oscillating Steam Engines.
We LEVI JULIAN WING, of 50 Cliff Street, New York City, Manufacturer, and
THERON ASPACIA RICHARDS, of 75 Fulton Street, New York City, Manufacturer,
both in the County of New York, and State of New York, United States of America,
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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in Oscillating Steam Engines by which
they are adapted to move small machinery of all kinds, such as Ventilating Fans,
Propellers for Yachts, Lathes, Dynamos, Sewing Machines &c. but which may
also be used for heavy work. The engine may be constructed with two or more
cylinders; for ordinary light running machinery two cylinders will be sufficient,
while for heavy work three or more cylinders can be used. The engine works
without strain, noise or vibration and has the advantage of simplicity, compactness,
ease of application and comparatively small cost of construction and maintenence.
The invention consists in a supporting frame, the centre of which is provided with
a journal bearing for the shaft. to be driven, while the ends of the supporting frame
are made ring-shaped to receive the steam-chests and the bearings for the pivots
of the oscillating steam cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with a disc-shaped face
that fits tightly to the face of the steam-chest, so as to form close contact to prevent
any leakage of steam. The ports of the steam-chest supply and exhaust the steam
to and from the port of the cylinder. The pistons are pivoted to a crank-pin of the
shaft to be driven, so that by the alternating reciprocating action of the pistons
in connection with the oscillations of the cylinders continuous rotary motion is
imparted to the shaft.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, represents a top view, partly in horizontal
section, of our improved Oscillating steam engine, shewn as applied to a ventila-
ting fan.
Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same, with parts broken away to shew one of the
steam-chests, and
Fig. 3, is a side view of one half of the supporting frame, and
Fig. 4, is a rear view of one of the oscillating cylinders.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A, represents a fixed supporting frame, at the centre
of which is arranged a journal-bearing a, for the shaft to be driven, while the ends
of the frame A, are provided with ring-shaped bearings a¹ which serve to support
centrally-perforated steam-chests B, that form the bearings B' for the pivots C of two
or more oscillating cylinders D. The combined steam-chests B and pivot bearing B¹
are rigidly attached to the ring-shaped ends a¹ of the frame A by fastening screws b, b.
The pivots C pass through the bearings B₁, and are attached to the back of the
frame A by fastening screw-nuts d and washers d¹, said screw-nuts being applied
to the threaded rear-ends of the pivots, as shewn in Fig. 1. The steam-chests B are
provided with disc shaped faces B³, which are smoothly turned off so as to form
contact with the smooth disc-shaped faces D¹ of the cylinders D.
The steam-chests B are provided with steam admission ports e, and exhaust-ports e¹
which are connected respectively with the steam inlet and outlet pipes e², e³, as shewn
in Fig. 3. A suitable two way cock, (not shown in the drawings) may be arranged
in connection with the steam inlet and outlet pipes, so as to permit the reversing
of the engine and supply the steam to the former exhaust port e¹, while exhausting
through the former admission-port e.
Each cylinder D is provided with a port e, which registers with the ports, e, el,
of the steam-chest B. The oscillating cylinders are provided at their closed ends
with small openings closed by pet-cocks f, through which the water of condensation
is discharged from time to time. At their opposite ends the cylinders D are provided
with stuffing boxes 1, for the piston-rods E, which piston-rods also perform the
functions of pistons. The inner ends of the cylinders D are somewhat enlarged,
so that the steam will play entirely around the inner ends of the pistons, while the
remaining parts of the pistons are tightly fitted into the contracted portions of the
cylinders. The outer ends of the piston-rods E, are pivoted to a crank pin g of
a disc g', that is attached to the end of a shaft F, which is supported in the centre a,
of the frame A, and to which motion is to be imparted by the oscillating steam-
cylinders D and reciprocating pistons E. When steam is supplied to one cylinder,
the other cylinder exhausts, so that the piston of the same can recede, while when the
steam in the first cylinder exhausts, live steam is supplied to the second cylinder, and
so on alternately, whereby an alternating oscillatory motion is imparted to the steam
cylinders and a reciprocating motion to the pistons, which latter impart a continuous
rotary motion to the shaft F. The crank-pin is passed over its dead-points by the
momentum imparted to the fan, fly wheel or other article located on the shaft F, so that
the regular motion of the cylinders is kept up.
A small and compact motor for driving ventilating fans and for other purposes
is thus obtained, which motor can be arranged close to and as a part of the machine
to be driven.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare what we claim is :—
1st. The combination, of a supporting frame, having a central bearing and ring-
shaped end-bearings, steam-chests attached to said end-bearings and provided with
ports, steam-cylinders pivoted to said steam-chests and provided with ports
registering with the ports of the steam-chests, pistons in said cylinders, and a
transmitting shaft connected by a crank-pin to the outer ends of the pistons, substan-
tially as shown and described.

page_text: 2nd. The combination of a supporting frame, having a central bearing for the shaft
to be driven and ring-shaped end-bearings, steam-chests fastened to said end-bearings
and provided with ports, oscillating steam cylinders having pivots passing through
said steam-chests and provided with ports registering with the ports of the steam-
chests, pistons reciprocating in said cylinders and a transmitting shaft having
a crank-pin, connected to the outer ends of the pistons, substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination of a supporting frame having a centre-bearing and ring-
shaped end-bearings, steam-chests attached to said end-bearings and provided with
disc-shaped faces and ports, steam-cylinders having faces fitted to the faces of the
steam-chests and ports registering with the ports of the steam-chests, pistons
reciprocating in said cylinders, and a transmitting shaft supported in the centre-
bearings and connected by a crank-pin to the outer ends of the pistons, substantially
as shown and described.
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