Improvements in Valve-gear_for Steam and other Fluid-pressure Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valve-gear_for Steam and other Fluid-pressure
Engines.
I, MATTHEW WILSON of 70 Wellington Street Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer,
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is especially adapted for engines having three cylinders and it has
for its object to simplify the construction of the valve gear.
In engines as presently constructed the valve gear is generally driven by an
eccentric action but under this invention I dispense with the use of eccentrics in
actuating the slide valves.
In applying my arrangement to a three cylinder engine where the cylinders are
arranged horizontally side by side, the cranks are made so that No. 1 cylinder has its
crank a in advance of No. 2 cylinder and No. 2 cylinder has its crank in advance
of No. 3.
.
Carried in bearings above the level of the cylinders is a rock shaft which is
connected by an arm, at one end, preferably, to the cross head of the piston of say
cylinder No. 1, and, at the other end, by another arm to the slide valve rod of cylinder
No. 3. The piston cross head or other suitable moving part of the cylinder No. 2 is
connected by an arm to one end of a sleeve freely fitted on the herein before mentioned
rock shaft. This sleeve has a second arm at its other end connected to the slide valve
rod of cylinder No. 1. Likewise the cross head or other suitable moving part of
cylinder No. 3 is connected by a sleeve and arms to the slide valve of cylinder No. 2.
With this arrangement, when the engine is working, the travel of the cross-head
of the piston of No. 1, rocks the overhead shaft and so operates the slide valve of
cylinder No. 3, through the arm connected to the valve rod. The travel of the
crosshead of the piston of No. 2 causes the sleeve, (connected by the arms at each
end to, respectively, the crosshead of cylinder No. 2 and the valve rod of cylinder No. 1)
to rock back and forward and thus actuate the valve of No. 1; and, likewise, the
valve of No. 2 is reciprocated by the rocking of the sleeve connected by the arms
with its valve rod and with the crosshead of cylinder No. 3.
Instead of arranging the cylinders side by side they may be arranged in any other
suitable manner and the valve gear be modified to suit such different arrangement.
For reversing the engines another rock shaft arrangement which is or may be con-
nected to the slide valves by a link motion is so fitted on the engines that the order
of lead is reversed.
The valve gear may be fitted to steam, gas or other motor engines.
If desired engines having 2, 4 or other number of cylinders may have the improved
valve gear arrangement fitted on them.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valve-gear for Steam and other Fluid-pressure
Engines.
I, MATTHEW WILSON, of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, 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 is especially adapted for engines having three cylinders, and it has
for its object to simplify the construction of the valve gear.

page_text: In engines as presently constructed the valve-gear is generally driven by an
eccentric action, but under this Invention I dispense with the use of eccentrics in
actuating the slide valves.
In applying my arrangement to a three cylinder engine where the cylinders are
arranged horizontally side by side, the cranks are made so that No. 1 cylinder has its
crank a in advance of No. 2 cylinder, and No. 2 cylinder has its crank in advance
of No. 3.
Carried in bearings above the level of the cylinder is a rocking bar which is
connected by an arm, at one end, preferably to the cross-head of the piston of
say cylinder No. 1, and, at the other end, by another arm to the slide valve rod
of cylinder No. 3. The piston cross-head or other suitable moving part of the
cylinder No. 2 is connected by an arm to one end of a sleeve freely fitted on the
herein before mentioned rocking bar. This sleeve has a second arm at its other end
connected to the slide valve rod of cylinder No. 1. Likewise the cross-head or other
suitable moving part of cylinder No. 3 is connected by a sleeve and arms to the slide
valve of cylinder No. 2.
With this arrangement, when the engine is working, the travel of the cross-head of
the piston of No. 1, rocks the overhead shaft, and so operates the slide valve of
cylinder No. 3, through the arm connected to the valve rod. The travel of the cross-
head of the piston of No. 2 causes the sleeve, (connected by the arms at each end
respectively, the cross-head of cylinder No. 2, and the valve rod of cylinder No. 1)
to rock back and forward, and thus actuate the valve of No. 1; and likewise the
valve of No. 2 is reciprocated by the rocking of the sleeve connected by the arms
with its valve rod and with the cross-head of cylinder No. 3.
Instead of arranging the cylinders side by side, they may be arranged in any other
suitable manner, and the valve gear be modified to suit such different arrangement.
For reversing the engines another rocking bar arrangement which is or may be
connected to the slide valves by a link motion is so fitted on the engines that the
order of lead is reversed.
The valve gear may be fitted to steam, gas, or other motor engines.
If desired, engines having 2, 4, or other number of cylinders may have the
improved valve-gear arrangement fitted on them.
In order that my Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect, I have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawings, in the several
Figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of reference.
Figure 1. illustrates in front elevation a vertical engine of the triple compound type
to which my Invention is applied.
Figure 2. is an end view of the same; and Figure 3 is a section of a detached
portion of a rocking bar and sleeve, constituting a part of my Invention and herein-
after fully described.
A is the rocking bar carried in bearings a, supported on the three pillars B, B, B,
bolted to the bed plate of the engine. The said rocking bar A consists of a shaft,
having two collars C C formed upon it, one at either end, the said collars C C con-
stituting the eye of a short lever D at one end, and a long lever E at the other end
keyed on to the said rocking-bar A. To the forked end of the short lever D is the
arm F connecting the valve rod of the slide valve of the cylinder marked 1, which is
actuated by the cross-head of the piston marked 3.
I shall now describe, as illustrated by the drawings, how the slide valves of pistons
marked 2 and 3 are worked. Loosely inclosing the shaft or rocking bar A (not other-
wise occupied by the collars C and a), are two sleeves G and H. The sleeve marked G
is illustrated in Figure 3, while that marked H, being similar in construction and
operation, is not shown in a separate representation. Keyed, or otherwise formed
upon, the said sleeve G, are the two levers D' and E¹. The long lever E' at the one
end of the sleeve G, being connected by an arm F1 to the cross-head of piston No. 1;
and the shorter lever D being connected to the slide valve of piston No. 2, actuate
the valve gear independently of any motion of the rocking bar A by virtue of its
being freely mounted thereon. The sleeve H being connected to the cross-head of

page_text: piston No. 2, by the levers E' and D2 in a precisely similar way to that already
described, imparts motion to the slide valve of piston No. 3. It will be seen by the
foregoing description that the valve gear of cylinder No. 1 is controlled by the move-
ment of piston No. 3, valve-gear of cylinder No. 2 by the cross-head of piston No. 1,
and valve-gear of cylinder No. 3 by piston No. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In operating the valve-gear for steain engines for dispensing with the eccentrics,
and substituting a rocking bar and its connections, substantially as described and
shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The rocking bar A, consisting of a shaft with two collars C C formed upon it;
and the levers D and E, all operating in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
3. Loosely fitted in the rocking bar A, the two sleeves G and H, and the levers E¹
and D', and E and D³, all operating in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
4. In combination with the rocking bar A, the pillars B, B, B, and bearing a, as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Dated this 21st day of May 1800
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.