IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES FOR LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jörgen Daniel Larsen, of the Poultry, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES FOR LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jörgen Daniel Larsen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th January 1880.
JÖRGEN DANIEL LARSEN, of the Poultry, in the City of London, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES FOR LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER PURPOSES."
According to this Invention, I make the cylinder oscillating from the opposite
end to the crank shaft, and by preference I arrange it vertically or vertically
inverted, but it may also be constructed horizontally or at any angle to the horizon.
Between the point of vibration of the cylinder and the crank shaft, I use a slotted
segment link oscillating on a point at its circumference or a little outside it. In
this segmental link travels a block to which is connected one end of a lever which
actuates the slide valve, the latter may be of ordinary construction; by transferring
this block from one extremity to the other of the segmental link, a reversion of the
direction of travel of the crank shaft is effected. The distance of either extremity
of the segmental link at right angles from the axial line of the cylinder I make
conformable to the travel required of the slide valve, and the lap of the valve,
whatever may be the amount given, governs the amount of oscillation of the
segmental link.
The oscillation of the segmental link I obtain by attaching a shape or cam to
the cylinder, and operating upon a shape on the segmental link. The amount of
travel of the valve necessary for the dimensions of the inlet ports of the cylinder
depends upon the distance at right angles from the axis of the cylinder of the
extreme ends of the segmental slot; and the necessary distance of travel due to the
lap and lead of the slide valve is obtained by the oscillation of the link on its fixed
axis.
By thus causing the link to oscillate, the steam can be cut off as required while
still retaining a comparative proportion of lap, by simply securing the block in any
position between the centre of the link or slot and either end by the reversing
fever.
By this Invention I dispense with eccentrics on the crank shaft to actuate the

page_text: slide valve, and by causing the segmental link to oscillate I am enabled to give
the slide valve the required lap as when working with eccentrics.
When applied as a tramway or light railway locomotive, I arrange a cylinder on
the single or compound principle at each end of the driving axle actuating crank
pins on the wheels, or I arrange them to work on a double cranked axle. The
boiler I by preference place between the outside cylinders. The cylinders and
valve gear being above the driving axle are out of reach of mud and dust.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jörgen Daniel Larsen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
July 1880.
JÖRGEN DANIEL LARSEN, of the Poultry, in the City of London, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES FOR LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER PURPOSES."
According to this Invention I make the cylinders oscillating from the opposite
end to the crank shaft, and by preference I arrange it vertically or vertically
inverted, but it may also be constructed horizontally or at any angle to the horizon.
Between the point of vibration of the cylinder and the crank shaft I'use a slotted
segment link oscillating on a point at its circumference or a little outside it. In
this segmental link travels a block to which is connected one end of a lever which
actuates the slide valve, the latter may be of ordinary construction; by transferring
this block from one extremity to the other of the segmental link, a reversion of the
direction of travel of the crank shaft is effected. The distance of either extremity
of the segmental link at right angles from the axial line of the cylinder I make
conformable to the travel required of the slide valve, and the lap of the valve,
whatever may be the amount given, governs the amount of oscillation of the
segmental link.
The oscillation of the segmental link I obtain by attaching a shape or cam to the
cylinder and operating upon a shape on the segmental link. The amount of travel
of the valve necessary for the dimensions of the outlet ports of the cylinder depends
upon the distance at right angles from the axis of the cylinder of the.extreme ends
of the segmental slot, and the necessary distance of travel due to the lap and lead
of the slide valve is obtained by the oscillation of the link on its fixed axis. By
thus causing the link to oscillate, the steam can be cut off as required while still
retaining a comparative proportion of lap, by simply securing the block in any
position between the centre of the link or slot and either end by the reversing
lever.
By this Invention I dispense with eccentrics on the crank shaft to actuate the
slide valve, and by causing the segmental link to oscillate I am enabled to give the
slide valve the required lap as when working with eccentrics.
When applied as a tramway or light railway locomotive, I arrange a cylinder on
the single or compound principle at each end of the driving axle actuating crank

page_text: pins on the wheels, or I arrange them to work on a double cranked axle. The
boiler I by preference place between the outside cylinders. The cylinder and
valve gear being above the driving axle are out of reach of mud and dirt.
In order that my said Invention may be more easily understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 a side elevation of so much of a steam
engine, as will be necessary to illustrate the manner in which I prefer to carry this
part of my Invention into effect.
A is the suspended cylinder pivotted and working in bearings a, a¹, which for
compactness are connected to a convenient framing or saddle a² on a steam boiler;
B is the piston rod working through the other end of the cylinder furthest from its
fulcrum, and is connected to the crank or crank pin on the shaft, to which rotary
motion is to be imparted.
I make use of this swinging or pendulum action of the cylinder inasmuch that by
the said movement I work the valve or valves in such a manner as to open and
close the ports as well as to give the desired lap and lead of the slide. To effect
this I project an arm C from the saddle a* or other convenient part, and I
pivot to the end of the said arm C or link D with a radial slot therein, in which one
end of the valve connecting rod d works, the other end of the said rod d being
connected to the valve rod e by a pin el,- which is so formed as to be screwed on the
end of the valve e and locked in position by a nut e³, by which means the valve
rod and slide may be readily and accurately adjusted. The required travel due to
the lap and lead of the slide valve is obtained by the oscillation of the link D
pivotted on the arm C. The oscillation of the said link D is effected in the
following manner:-
To the top of the cylinder I attach a standard E provided with a tooth or
projection f, which works in a corresponding slot or recess in the slide F sliding in
the guide frame G. A cam track or path g is formed on one side of the said slide F,
and against this track small friction rollers or trucks h, h', work, having their bearings
in the link D'and on each side of its pivot, so that as the cylinder swings a
reciprocatory travel is given to the slide F and the cam track g thereon, the effect
thereof being to alternately raise and depress the respective ends of the link D &
distance equal to the lap and lead of the slide. The remaining travel necessary to
open and close the ports of the slide being secured by the valve connecting rod d,
and the distance of travel of the valve being regulated by the distance of the head
of the rod d from the centre of oscillation of the link D. A reversion of the
direction of rotation of the crank shaft is effected by moving the head of the rod d
to the other end of the link D.
"
Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of this arrangement.
Here I dispense with the reciprocating slide, and I accomplish the same results by
carrying what is termed a "shape" up from one side of the cylinder. The said
shape" is of such a width as to act on a cam in both its forward and backward
movement, by which means the desired lap and lead is obtained; E is the "shape'
on the one side of the cylinder, which comes in contact with the cam surface or
projection on the back of the link D at the points i, il, on each side of the axis of
Oscillation of the link, by which the said link is raised or depressed as the case may
be. It will be seen that during part of the swing of the cylinder that the link Ď
is free to rock, and to obviate this I support the link by a spring k during this
time, that is, the time when the shape is not in contact with cam or projection, or
rather the time that it takes for the "shape" E to move the necessary distance in
order to allow the point i or i¹ thereon to take its respective bearing on the cam or
projection l, shown in dotted lines. The said spring k serves to exert a slight
friction against the end of the link, so as to support or stay the link during the
aforesaid movement of the cylinder.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a cylinder applicable to engines constructed
according to my Invention; H, H', are trunnions on the top of cylinder enclosed

page_text: by bearings a, a¹, as before described. Steam is admitted to the cylinder through
the trunnion H, and after having exercised its power passes off to the exhaust pipe
through the other trunnion H¹.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, and Figure 6 a transverse section through same on
the line x, y, of a small locomotive with cylinders and valve gear constructed
according to my Invention and as before described, by which it will be seen that
all the working parts are comparatively high up, and eccentrics on the crank or
rotary shaft are dispensed with; dirt and dust will not reach the working parts,
and even if it did it would not produce any particularly undesirable results.
Engines constructed according to my Invention are therefore particularly and
predominantly applicable as tramway locomotive, or for use in dockyards and other
like purposes where they would be exposed to dust and dirt.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is or may be performed, I do not confine myself to the
precise combination and details described and shown, as this Invention may be
applied to any kind of steam engines and other fluid motors, such as locomotive,
marine and stationary, engine travelling cranes, and other forms well known,
consequently the disposition and arrangement of parts must necessarily be varied to
suit special cases, whilst adhering at the same time strictly to the essential features
of the Invention.
But what I claim, as my improvements in steam engines for locomotive and other.
purposes is,-
First. In engines having an oscillating or swinging cylinder or cylinders, and
where eccentrics for actuating the slide or other valve or valves are dispensed with,
the employment of a radial vibratory link or links actuated by a reciprocating slide or
slides receiving motion from a projection or projections on the cylinder or cylinders
or equivalent, substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In engines having oscillating or swinging cylinder or cylinders, and
where eccentrics for actuating the slide or other valve or valves are dispensed with,
the employment of a radial vibratory link or links provided with a cam or other
surface or surfaces, and actuated by a shape or shapes on the oscillating or swinging
cylinder or cylinders, substantially as described and illustrated with reference to
Fig. 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts for
actuating the slide or other valve or valves, whereby the desired lap and lead for
the cut off is effected as well as the reversion of rotation of the engine, substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to all the Figures of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jörgen Daniel Larsen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
sight hundred and eighty
J. D. LARSEN. (L.S.)