Improvements in Controlling the Length of Stroke in Direct-acting Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1890.
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Controlling the Length of Stroke in Direct-acting
Engines.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES CAMPBELL WORTHINGTON, of Irvington,
in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Win. Brookes & Son of 55 & 56 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to certain combinations and arrangements of byepass pipes
and valves in connection with the steam cylinders of direct acting engines used for
pumping or exhausting fluids such engines not having cranks to control the length of
stroke and relates to both single and duplex engines, and has for its object the
controlling and regulating the length of stroke of the steam pistons.
this purpose separate steam and exhaust ports are employed in the steam
cylinder; and
For
Firstly, a connection made between two points in the length of the cylinder, one
being close up to the cylinder head, and the other a certain distance from the head.
In this connection a stopback or non-return valve is fixed whereby steam may flow
outwards in the direction of the head but may not flow back in the opposite direction,
any excess of pressure on the exhaust side of the piston over that of the steam side
causing the valve to close and the communication to cease. By this means steam is
admitted from the steam side to the exhaust side of the piston for the purpose of
cushioning. The steam thus admitted is enclosed in the exhaust space and cannot
escape as the exhaust port is closed by the steam piston and the steam port is closed
by the slide valve. The pressure of the steam enclosed therefore rises by reason of
the advancing piston the stroke of which may consequently be regulated by the
amount of cushioning employed.
Secondly, a connection may be made between the cylinder close up to the head, and
the steam pipe or any other source of steam supply, the opening to the cylinder being
commanded by a slide or other valve worked by the engine, or by a cataract or
governor, whereby steam may be admitted to the exhaust space for the purpose of
cushioning and controlling the length of stroke.
In one arrangement according to this invention there is provided a steam cylinder,
a steam piston, two steam ports, and two exhaust ports. Two byepass connections
communicate with the cylinder close up to the head, and also at a certain distance
from the head along the cylinder. There are two stopback or non-return valves.
As the piston is moving towards the end of its stroke the exhaust steam is being driven
out through the exhaust port, the steam port being closed by the slide valve. The
piston as soon as it has closed the exhaust port, uncovers the connection, and steam
is admitted into the exhaust space until its pressure rises above that on the steam
side when the stopback valve closes and cushioning is effected.
In another arrangement, the steam cylinder and poris remain the same, but the
byepass connection ports connect with the steam pipe or other source of steam supply,
the port being controlled by slide or other valves is hereinbefore described. In any
case the control valve may be a simple non-return valve, or a non-return valve in
which the lift can be controlled by hand as in the first arrangement, or a slide valve
worked by the engine, or by a cataract, or a valve of any known construction
whatever whereby fresh or other steam may be admitted to the exhaust space of a

page_text: steam cylinder after the exhaust valve has closed so as to cushion the piston and so
control the length of stroke.
Dated the 16th day of June 1890.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, Londen, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Controlling the Length of Stroke in Direct-acting
Engines.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES CAMPBELL WORTHINGTON, of Irvington,
in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm. Brookes & Son 55 & 56 Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent 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 certain combinations and arrangements of byepass pipes
and valves in connection with the steam cylinders of direct acting engines used for
pumping or exhausting fluids such engines not having cranks to control the length of
stroke and relates to both single and duplex engines, and has for its object the
controlling and regulating the length of stroke of the steam pistons. For this purpose
separate steam and exhaust ports are employed in the steam cylinder and
Firstly, a connection made between two points in the length of the cylinder, one
being close up to the cylinder head, and the other a certain distance from the
head.
In this connection a stopback or non-return valve is fixed whereby steam may flow
outwards in the direction of the head but may not flow back in the opposite direction,
any excess of pressure on the exhaust side of the piston over that of the steam side
causing the valve to close and the communication to cease. By this means steam is
admitted from the steam side to the exhaust side of the piston for the purpose of
cushioning. The steam thus admitted is enclosed in the exhaust space and cannot
escape as the exhaust port is closed by the steam piston and the steam port is closed
by the slide valve.
The pressure of the steam enclosed therefore rises by reason of the advancing piston
the stroke of which may consequently be regulated by the amount of cushioning
employed.
Secondly. A connection may be made between the cylinder close up to the head,
and the steam pipe or any other source of steam supply, the opening to the cylinder
being commanded by a slide or other valve worked by the engine, or by a cataract or
governor, whereby steam may be admitted to the exhaust space for the purpose of
cushioning and controlling the length of stroke.
In order that my invention may be fully understood the accompanying drawings
have been prepared, the letters on which will be referred to in the following
description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews by a sectional view taken through the middle of the piston chamber,
one arrangement of parts according to the invention.
A is the steam cylinder, B the steam piston, C. C. are the steam ports, and D. D
the exhaust ports. E. E. are the byepass connections which communicate with the
cylinder close up to the heads G. G and also at a certain distance from the head along
the cylinder. F. F are the two stopback or non-return valves. As the piston is
moving towards the end of its stroke the exhaust steam is being driven out through
the exhaust port D, the steam port C being closed by the slide valve. The piston as
soon as it has closed the exhaust port, uncovers the connection E, and steam is admitted

page_text: into the exhaust space until its pressure rises above that on the steam side, when
the stopback valve closes and cushioning is effected.
Figure 2 shews by a similar sectional view another arrangement of parts
according to the invention in which the steam cylinder and ports remain the same,
but the byepass connection ports E. E connect with the steam pipe or other source of
steam supply, the port being controlled by slide or other valves F as herein before
described. In any case the control valve F may be a simple non-return valve, or a
non-return valve in which the lift can be controlled by hand as in the first arrange-
ment shewn in Fig. 1, or a slide valve worked by the engine, or by a cataract, or a
valve of any known construction whatever whereby fresh or other steam may be
admitted to the exhaust space of a steam cylinder after the exhaust valve las closed so
as to cushion the piston and so control the length of stroke.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 For the purpose of controlling the length of stroke of the steam piston in
direct acting pumping engines, or other engines not having cranks or fly wheels
whether single or duplex, the admittance of fresh or other steam in front of the
piston of a steam engine in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
2 The combinations or arrangements and use of parts of direct acting steam
pumping engines or other engines not having cranks or fly wheels arranged so that the
length of stroke of the piston is controlled by the admittance of fresh or other steam
substantially as set forth.
Dated the 25th day of August 1890.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.