Improvements in Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines.
I, JAMES MCCULLOCH, of Bella Vista, Wolverhampton, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention has for its objects to construct improved valves for controlling the
admission and exhaust of the working fluid in direct acting steam pumps, steam
hammers, and other reciprocating engines, and to provide improved means for
operating or controlling said valves by the working fluid in the cylinder.
In one method of carrying my invention into practice I construct the valve of
cylindrical form, and arrange it to work in a cylindrical chamber cast with or
firmly secured to the cylinder of the engine. The axis of said chamber is
preferably perpendicular to the direction of motion of the cylinder piston.
The valve chamber or seat is provided with preferably three openings or ports
in the side thereof. One of the said ports communicates with the fluid chest, and
the other two communicate by passages one to one end and the other to the other
end of the working cylinder. The valve is provided with passages or chanuels so
arranged that in one position of the valve a communication is opened between the
port leading to one end of the cylinder and the fluid-chest supply, while the port
leading to the other end of the cylinder is open to the exhaust through the valve.
In another position of the valve, the steam or fluid-chest is in communication with
that end of the cylinder which was before open to exhaust and the opposite end of
the cylinder is open to exhaust.
The valve chamber or seat can also be made with six openings or ports in the
side thereof two of which communicate directly with the steam or air chest, and
two with the exhaust, the remaining ports being in communication with opposite
ends of the working cylinder. The valve is provided with passages or channels so
arranged that in one position of the valve a communication is opened between the
port leading to one end of the cylinder and one of the steam or air supply ports
while the port leading to the other end of the cylinder is open to one of the exhaust
ports. In another position of the valve the port which was formerly open to the
supply port is then open to the second exhaust port, and the port which was in
communication with the first exhaust port is open to the second supply port.
Hence when the motive fluid is being admitted to one end of the cylinder the other
end of the cylinder is in communication with the exhaust; on the valve being
rotated to its second position steam or air is admitted to the opposite end of the
cylinder the first end being opened to exhaust.
The movement of the valve is regulated by the main piston working in the
engine cylinder which piston on nearing the end of its stroke uncovers, in the body
of the cylinder, passages which form communication between the cylinder and two
supplementary cylinders.
When one of the said passages is uncovered, part of the working fluid, driving
the piston, enters said passage and presses on the end of a small auxiliary piston in
one of the supplementary cylinders. The other end of this auxiliary piston presses
on an arm or ercentric or wing out of centre with the axis of the valve fixed upon
one end of the valve or made in one piece therewith and rotates the same.
When
the main piston in its back stroke uncovers the second passage, the first passage
being then closed, the second auxiliary piston is caused to act in a similar manner

page_text: to the first on a second arm or eccentric or the like fixed to the valve or in an
opposite direction on the same arm as the first auxiliary piston acted upon, and
rotate the valve in the opposite direction.
I sometimes arrange that the fluid pressure shall act directly on the aforesaid
arms or eccentrics or wings in order to rotate the valve without the intervention of
auxiliary pistons and cylinders as above described.
The arm or arms or eccentrics or projections are secured on or made solid with
the valve in such a manner that the valve will be balanced and will only alter its
position when positively operated.
According to another form of my invention which is more especially applicable
for use in direct acting pumps and the like having a long stroke, I provide a
bye-pass or passage in the wall of the cylinder near each end of the same, each of
which passages communicates with the cylinder at two points. I also provide each
end of the cylinder with a recess into which a trunk-shaped projection on each end
of the piston is received at the end of the stroke. A passage from each of the said
recesses communicates with the auxiliary cylinders the pistons of which operate
the valve.
At the time when the piston has nearly reached the end of its stroke and when
one of its projecting ends is just entering one of the recesses in the cylinder end,
one of the bye-pass passages aforesaid is uncovered by the piston and is opened to
the working fluid in the cylinder. A part of the fluid then passes through the said
bye-pass into the recess in front of the piston. The continued forward movement
of the piston compresses the fluid and gives it sufficient pressure to enable it to
operate the supplementary pistons, through the side passages beforementioned
which put the aforesaid recesses into communication with the supplementary
cylinders.
In a similar manner I may operate a piston slide-valve, in which case the com-
pressed fluid from the end recesses is caused to act on the ends of the piston valve
and thus actuate the same.
My improved valve may be used either with steam engines or engines operated
by compressed air or any other working fluid.
Dated this 17th day of September 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines.
I, JAMES MCCULLOCH, of Bella Vista, Wolverhampton, 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:-
My invention has for its objects improved valves for controlling the admission
and exhaust of the working fluid to and from the cylinders in direct acting steam
pumps, steam hammers, and other reciprocating engines, worked by steam,
compressed air or other fluid, and means for operating such valves.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a portion of an engine cylinder, and
a transverse section through the valve, and valve chest, constructed according to
my invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line rx of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line y y of Figure 2, but showing the valve in an
intermediate position.

page_text: Figure 4 is transverse section of a modified form of valve and ports.
Figure 5 is a section of a valve chest and cylinders for controlling the valve,
constructed according to a modification hereinafter described.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of an engine cylinder illustrating a further
modification hereinafter described.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the engine cylinder, B is the piston, and is the valve.
I construct the valve of cylindrical form, and I arrange it to work in a
cylindrical chamber D constituting the valve seat. The axis of the said chamber
is preferably perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder A. In the construction
shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wall of the chamber D is provided with three
openings or ports D', D2 and D³. The port D₁ communicates with the fluid-
chest D° and the other two ports D2 and D³ communicate by passages. one to one
end and the other to the other end of the working cylinder A. The valve is
provided with exhaust-ports C and C that communicate with a common outlet C¹
Figure 2 and it is also provided with an admission port or passage C³. The ports
are so arranged that in one position of the valve, as shown in the drawing, a
communication is opened between the port D³ leading to one end of the cylinder A
and the fluid-chest D° through the passage C³ in the valve, while the port D'
leading to the other end of the cylinder is open to the exhaust through the
passage C¹ in the valve.
In another position of the valve the fluid-chest D° is in
communication with that end of the cylinder which was before open to exhaust,
and the opposite end of the cylinder is open to exhaust.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 4 the valve chamber or seat has six
openings or ports in the wall thereof. Two of the said ports viz. D and D*
communicate directly with the fluid-chest Dº, the two ports D2 and D³ communicate
with opposite ends of the working cylinder as betore, and the two remaining
ports D and D³ are exhaust ports. The valve is provided with ports or
passages C1, C2 and C³ of which C₁ C² are in communication with each other.
The ports or passages are so arranged that in one position of the valve, as shown,
a communication is opened between the port D³ and the fluid supply port C3 while
the port D² is open to the exhaust passage D³ through the ports C1 and C2 in the
valve. In another position of the valve, the port D³ which was formerly open to
the supply port C3 is then opened to the second exhaust port D', and the port D2
which was in communication with the exhaust port D is opened to the supply
port C³. Hence when the motive fluid is being admitted to one end of the cylinder
the other end of the cylinder is in communication with the exhaust and on the
valve being turned to its second position the working fluid is admitted to the
opposite end of the cylinder, and the first named end is opened to the exhaust.
For working the valve I provide small cylinders F, F' (Figure 3) having
pistons G, G working therein and also having ports or passages H, H' which
communicate with the working cylinder A. The piston B is made of such length,
and the ports H and H' are so arranged that both ports cannot be open to the
cylinder A at the same time, but they are opened alternately as the piston arrives
at the termination of its forward and backward stroke respectively. The valve is
provided with wings or arms I I¹ that project above the pistons G G and that are
operated by said pistons when the latter move up and down. When the piston in
the working cylinder A approaches the end of its forward stroke it uncovers the
passage H and allows the working fluid to enter the supplementary cylinder F and
act on the amall piston G therein. The said piston G is thereby raised and caused
to act on the wing or arm 1 of the valve C and thus to turn the valve. When
the main piston B in its backward stroke uncovers the other passage H' (the
passage H being then closed) the piston G' of the cylinder F' is raised and caused
in the same manner, to turn the valve C in the opposite direction.
I sometimes provide only one arm or wing on the valve and I then place the
two cylinders on opposite sides of the said arm and so arrange them that the
pistons act alternately thereou in opposite directions. This construction is shown

page_text: in Figure 5 I is the arm of the valve, G, G' are the two pistons acting on opposite
sides thereof. The mode of operation will be readily understood without further
description.
I may employ more than two cylinders such as F, F'.
I sometimes arrange that the fluid pressure shall act directly on the aforesaid
arins or wings I l' in order to turn the valve without the intervention of pistons as
above described.
The arms are secured to or made solid with the valve in such a manner that the
valve will be balanced and will only alter its position when positively operated.
Such a balanced valve will work equally well in any position and angle at which
the cylinder may be placed.
Figure 6 shows a further modification of my invention which is more especially
applicable for use in direct acting pumps, engines and the like having a long
stroke.
I provide in the wall of the engine cylinder A and near each end of the same, a
bye-pass or passage A' that communicates with the cylinder A at two points as
shown. The piston is furnished with a cylindrical extension or projection B¹ on
each end thereof and the ends of the cylinder are provided with corresponding
cylindrical recesses A2, A2 into which one of the said projections B' B' enters as
the piston is completing each stroke. One extremity of each bye-pass A' is in the
corresponding recess A². A passage A³ leads from one of the recesses A² to
the small cylinder F herein before described, and a similar passage from the other
recess A² leads to the other cylinder F. These passages are always open.
At the time when the piston B has nearly reached the end of its stroke and when
one of its projecting ends B' is just entering one of the recesses A2 in the cylinder
end, the corresponding bye-pass A' aforesaid is uncovered by the piston whereupon
the working fluid in the cylinder A enters the said bye-pass and passes into the said
recess A2. Just before the completion of the stroke the part B of the piston
closes the bye-pass A¹ and entraps a quantity of working fluid in the recess A².
This fluid then acts as a cushion and is compressed during the last part of the
movement of the piston sufficiently to enable it by acting on the piston in the
cylinder For F as the case may be to overcome the pressure on the piston of
the other cylinder and so turn the valve. The action at the other end of the stroke
is similar and a reversal of the valve is thus produced at the completion of each
stroke.
The aforesaid valve is not subject to much or uneven wear since it has a rotatory
reciprocating motion and not a rectilinear reciprocating motion.
I may operate a piston slide-valve in a similar manner but in this case the
compressed fluid from the end recesses A2A2 is caused to act on the ends of
the valve.
My improved valve may be used either with steam engines or engines operated
by compressed air or other working fluid.
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. A fluid pressure engine having a valve or valves constructed substantially as
herein described with reference to either of the forms or modifications thereof
illustrated in the drawings and operating as specified.
2. The means for actuating or controlling an oscillatory valve, said means
consisting of the small cylinders having ports communicating with the main or
working cylinder and so arranged as to be alternately uncovered by the main
piston, and pistous in said small cylinders engaging with an arm or arms of the
valve, substantially as described.
3. The modification of my invention wherein I provide recesses in the cylinder
ends, and corresponding projections on the opposite faces of the piston, the said
recesses communicating with by e-passes leading to the working cylinder and with

page_text: passages leading to the small cylinders for actuating the valve substantially as,
for the purpose, specified.
and
4. The improvements in fluid pressure engines constructed substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or to Figure 4, or to Figure 5 or to
Figure 6 of the drawings.
Dated this 17th day of June 1805
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.