Year: 1886

page_text: We JULES BUREAU and HENRI HENDLÉ both of Paris in the Republic of France,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct an engine the piston rod of which is
jointed movably to the piston so that it can be attached direct to the crank
without the intermediate employment of a connecting rod. This arrangement has
the advantage to save space, to increase the solidity and to reduce the weight of
the engine and in consequence the weight of bed plates and foundation, it also
reduces the shaking produced by a great number of pieces in motion; the latter
point is important for the application of this system to marine engines.
There are already engines the piston rods of which are directly attached to the
crank but then either the cylinders are oscillating or else the piston works in
guides.
In the first case the engine is not very solid, it is rather sensitive and easily out
of order.
In the second case the pressure of the steam on the two sides of the piston is
very unequal, because on one side the whole of the piston surface is acted upon by
the steam but on the other side, the guides taking up so much room only a small
annular space is presented to the steam. The result is a very unequal motion
which can only be rectified by very heavy fly wheels.
In the system of the present invention the cylinder is rigid and the oscillating
piston-rod is attached directly to the crank, and does not work in guides.
In this engine the piston-rod passes through a slide working in guides on the
cover of the cylinder and provided with a hermetical ball and socket packing
following the motion of the piston rod.
The engine which may be driven either by steam, gas, compressed air, water or
any other fluids, has its cylinders fixed either horizontal vertical or oblique and the
driving fluid enters the cylinder after any convenient system.
The cylinder cover has on its lateral sides screw-holes arranged parallell for the
screws adjusting the guides of the slide. These guides are provided with oval slots

page_text: and fixed to the cover by means of screws and nuts.
sufficient play for adjustment.
This arrangement gives
The cylinder cover is provided with a rectangular opening to allow for the
passage of the piston rod and to permit it to freely oscillate. The cylinder cover
is fixed to the flanges of the cylinder by bolts or otherwise.
The slide moves in guides which are dovetailed and so hold the slide firmly
against the cylinder cover.
Besides to increase the hermetic adjustment grooves
are arranged in the cylinder cover filled with packing which also retains the lubri-
cating material for the slide. The slide is provided with a stuffing box the interior
of which is socket-like for the reception of a ball having also a stuffing box
through which the piston rod passes. The slide receives its movement from the
oscillating piston-rod and the ball and socket stuffing box can follow the inclination
and movement of the piston rod passing through it.
The piston rod is fastened to the piston in any convenient manner but preferably
by a ball and socket joint permitting free oscillating motion to the piston rod.
As the piston rod is attached movably to the piston the latter works in con-
venient guides fixed to the cylinder at top and bottom and passing through stuffing
boxes arranged in the piston. These guides support the piston and also force it to
work with a perfectly equal circumferential pressure and to prevent the cylinder
from wearing irregularly and the consequences thereof. This is a new and most
important point.

page_text: Fluid Pressure.
We JULES BUREAU and HENRI HENDLÉ both of Paris, in the Republic of France
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct an engine with the piston rod jointed
movably to the piston so that it can be attached direct to the crank without the
intermediate employment of a connecting rod. This arrangement has the advantage
of saving space increasing the solidity and reducing the weight of the engine and
in consequence the weight of bed plates and foundation, it also reduces the vibration
produced by a great number of pieces in motion; the latter point is important as
regards the application of this system to marine engines.
There are already engines the piston rods of which are directly attached to the
crank but then either the cylinders are oscillating or else the piston works in
guides.
In the first case the engine is not very durable it is rather sensitive and liable to
derangement,
In the second case the pressure of the steam on the two sides of the piston is
very unequal because on one side the whole of the piston surface is acted upon by
the steam but on the other side the guides taking up so much room only a small
annular space is presented to the steam. The result is a very unequal motion
which can only be rectified by very heavy fly-wheels.
According to the present invention the cylinder is rigid and the oscillating
piston rod is attached directly to the crank and does not work in longitudinal
guides.
In this engine the piston rod passes through a slide working in guides on the
cover of the cylinder, and provided with a hermetical ball and socket packing
following the motion of the piston rod.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the centre of the cylinder.
Figure 2 is a plan representing the slide on the cover of the cylinder.
Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles to the section shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the cylinder showing the underside of the
piston.
The engine which may be driven either by steam gas compressed air, water or
any other fluid has its cylinders fixed either horizontally, vertically, or obliquely
and the driving fluid enters the cylinder after any convenient system. :
The cylinder cover has on its lateral sides screw holes ; arranged parallel for the
screws & adjusting the guides e of the slide d These guides e are provided with

page_text: oval slots and fixed to the cover by means of screws and nuts r. This arrangement
gives sufficient play for adjustment.
The cylinder cover c is provided with a rectangular opening C to allow for the
passage of the piston rod and to permit it to oscillate freely. The cylinder cover
is fixed to the flanges of the cylinder by bolts H or otherwise.
The slide & moves in guides ee which are dovetailed and so hold the slide firmly
against the cylinder cover.
Besides to increase the hermetical adjustment grooves
are arranged in the cylinder cover filled with packing which. also retains the lubri-
cating material for the slide. The slide is provided with a stuffing box m the
interior of which is socket like for the reception of a ball ⁄ having also a stuffing
box through which the piston rod passes. The slide d receives its movement
from the oscillating piston rod and the ball and socket stuffing box can follow the
inclination and movement of the piston rod passing through it.
The upper part of the ball kis packed with tow and maintained in position by a
gland o furnished with a special bronze ring-n formed in two or more pieces
serving to compress the packing. It will be understood that the ball k may be
other than spherical in form but this form presents the best guarantee for obtaining
good working.
The slide d as a rectilinear reciprocatory movement between its guides, this
movement being imparted to it by the oscillating piston rod g.
The movement of the stuffing box is the resultant of an alternative oscillating
movement round a diameter of the ball / which allows it to follow the inclination
of the piston rod g and of the rectilinear reciprocatory motion of the slide.
This slide is provided with a conical opening g to allow for the different incli-
nations of the rod gand the gland o has two channels (Figure 1) in order to
allow the stuffing box / freedom for its oscillatory movement about the centre of
the ball.
The piston may be provided at its circumference with any sort of packing also
the rod g can be articulated in the centre of the piston in any convenient manner;
as an illustration I have shown the method of articulation which I believe to be
the best both as regards working and durability. The piston is provided in its
centre with a cavity to receive the spherical ball t in which the rod g is screwed
and pinned. This ball is maintained in the piston f by a ring u with a conical
opening in order to allow the piston rod to oscillate freely the outer portion of
the ring enclosing the ball.
The piston f not being fixed to the rod as in ordinary machines is guided in its
movements by guide rods h fixed to the cylinder at top and bottom. These guide
rods pass through stuffing boxes y arranged in the piston which prevent any escape
of steam. The stuffing boxes may be of any form but are round by preference.
These guides have the advantage of supporting the piston and also force it to work
with a perfectly equal circumferential pressure and thus prevent the cylinder from
wearing irregularly even if it be placed horizontally This is a new and important
feature.
Openings in any number may be formed in the piston to conduct the lubricating
matter to the ball k the oil being naturally forced therethrough by the pressure of
the steam.
Although our drawing only illustrates the essential features of our invention, it
is evident that this machine may be provided with accessaries indispensible to
every motor such as some form of valve governor reversing gear lubricator and
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
→
1. In an engine operated by fluid pressure the combination with the piston of a
niston rod passing through a slide movable in the cylinder cover one end of which
3

page_text: rod is jointed to the piston and the other to the crank a movable stuffing box
capable of following the inclinations of the piston rod and guide rods passing
through the piston and fixed in the cylinder covers the whole constructed and
operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In an engine operated by fluid pressure the combination with a slide such
as d adapted to reciprocate in or upon the cylinder cover of a movable stuffing box
connected with the said slide by a ball and socket joint and capable of following
the inclinations of the piston rod the whole constructed and operating substantially
as and for the purpose specified.