IM- PROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY STEAM OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUID
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Melling, of Birket Bank, Wigan,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY STEAM OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUID."
Scaled the 8th December 1871, and dated the 27th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL.SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Melling
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th June 1871.
I, JOHN WILLIAM MELLING, of Birket Bank, Wigan, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY STEAM OR OTHER
ELASTIC FLUID," to be as follows:-
56
The various parts of this Invention relate to improved modes of
working the expansion and other valves of steam engines, and it
consists, first, in the mode of varying the position of the eccentric,
crank, or other mover that actuates the supplementary or cut-off
valve or valves. This is accomplished by the action of the governor or
otherwise in such a way as to determine the amount of steam that
A

page_text: shall be admitted into the cylinder at each stroke. Where the cut-off
valve or valves is driven by an eccentric on the crank shaft I key or
otherwise fasten on the shaft a worm wheel or a collar on which teeth
are formed, on the said wheel or collar is carried the eccentric in such a
manner as to be free to turn round the wheel, but not to have any
sideway movement. Carried by the eccentric is a screw or worm which
gears into the wheel. On the same spindle that carries the worm is a star
or other wheel.
The eccentric, worm, and star wheel are carried round
with the shaft by the worm gearing into the teeth of the wheel or collar
attached to the shaft. Connected to and moved by the governor is a
stop or plate with a gap in sufficiently wide to allow the star wheel to
pass through it, the stop is so supported and guided that cach revolution
of the shaft causes the star wheel to pass through or between the pro-
jections at each side of the gap. When the engine is running at the
required speed the governor holds the stop or plate so that the star
wheel passes between without touching, but when running either too
fast or too slow the stop is set by the governor so that a tooth shall
come into contact with one of the sides of the gap, and the wheel will
be partially turned round by it, and acting through the worm will alter
the position of the eccentric, causing it to admit more or less steam as
the position of the governor requires. Instead of the eccentric being
carried on a collar or wheel it may fit loosely on the shaft beside a worm
wheel or collar which is fastened to the shaft, and into which the worm
or screw gears, or the worm may gear into a curved rack attached to
or forming part of the main eccentric, or instead of the screw and star
wheel being carried by the cut-off eccentric they may be mounted on
a boss or collar, or on the main eccentric or other piece that is carried
round by the shaft. Attached to or forming part of the cut-off eccentric
is a worm wheel or segmental rack into which the worm or screw on
the boss gears, and thus propels the eccentric, or the eccentric may be
driven by a pinion, wheel, or lever, on the same shaft as a worm
wheel that is actuated by a worm on the star wheel shaft. The star
or other wheel may either be fitted on the same spindle as the worm
or on another with which it is connected by suitable gearing. Or
instead of a star or other toothed wheel coming into contact with a stop
a friction wheel or wheels may be used against which one or other of
two plates or collars are brought, or a fine toothed wheel or wheels may
be employed, against which plates or frames faced with leather, india-
rubber, or other elastic material, are made to press by the governor

page_text: •
so as to bring more or less surface into contact as required. The throw
of the cut-off eccentric may be altered at the same time that its position
on the shaft is altered by mounting it on an eccentric wheel or collar.
In place of the star wheel passing between the projections on a plate or
stop, it may be made to pass between the ends or sides of two levers
that are controlled by the governor, or two short racks may be used.
Or the stop or other equivalent may be adjusted and moved by
hand. Or the star wheel may be carried on a boss fastened to the
shaft and form a nut into which a screw fits that is connected to the
eccentric by links or other attachment, or the wheel may be attached
to a screw upon which a nut fits that is connected to the eccentric as
before. The star or other wheel may either be rigidly fastened to the
shaft by which it is carried, or it may fit loosely and drive through a
spring or springs or other elastic medium so as to reduce the shock, or
the stop may be held by an elastic support. Or in place of a wheel
being acted on directly by a stop one or other of two catches carried on
a lever or frame when brought into contact with the stop may be made.
to act on and turn the wheel, and when released by the stop may bo
brought again into position by suitable springs. The position of the
eccentric may also be altered by attaching to its side a rack or wheel,
into which gears the teeth of a segmental lever or part of a wheel, that is
centred on the shaft and connected by a link to a sliding flanged boss
or collar which fits loosely on the shaft and is driven by a long key in
the shaft, the sliding collar may be moved by a forked lever in the
ordinary way, the said lever may be moved by the action of the
governor either by having attached to it a screw, the nut on which
is a wheel or a nut in which fits a screw turned by a wheel; the
wheel may either be a star wheel and movable by the governor and
acted on by a plate with a gap in it that is carried round by the shaft;
or it may be a friction wheel brought into contact with the double or
outside and inside friction wheel on the shaft; or it may be in connection
with another friction wheel, both being pivoted on a lever that is moved
by the governor so as to bring one or other of the wheels against a
friction wheel on the shaft; or instead of the two friction wheels on the
lever bearing against each other they may be connected by toothed
wheels; or the wheel instead of being movable may be carried by a
pedestal, and may either be in connection with a wheel acted on by a
bush on the governor or other revolving shaft, as hereafter described; or
the sliding collar may be moved with the lever by land, and when
0

page_text: .
adjusted may be held in position by a catch or catches that are carried
by the collar, and fit into teeth or against projections formed on
the key or other convenient part. On the sliding collar is carried
a ring or hoop connected to the catch which withdraws it from the
teeth on the key, the catch may be moved either by the usual lever
first acting on the ring to which it is attached before moving the sliding
collar or by a separate lever; or the catch or catches may be carried
on the shaft in any convenient way, and take into the teeth of a rack
that is attached to or forms part of the sliding collar, the catches to be
withdrawn by a sliding hoop on the shaft acted on by a lever or
otherwise.
In cases where the cut-off valve is actuated by a crank pin instead
of an eccentric I propose to carry the crank on a bar or .frame that is
centred on the end of the crank or other shaft and carries at one end
a worm or screw that is in connection with a star or other wheel
and which gears into and is driven by a worm wheel or collar with teeth
that is fastened on the shaft; or the crank pin may be attached to or form
part of a worm wheel or segment, the position of which is adjustable as
before described. In cases where the cut-off valve is worked by an
eccentric or crank placed on other than the crank shaft the driving
or one of the driven wheels may be connected to its shaft and have its
position altered so as to give the required movement to the valve
in the same way as with the eccentric before-described, the eccentric
may be moved by hand by connecting the wheel on the worm spindle
to one that is loose on the shaft and in connection with a hand wheel
or otherwise, or if near the end of a shaft it may be carried on a rod
in such a way that when the rod is drawn sideway it shall grip and hold
the wheel against a shaft end or collar on which is carried a hand wheel
by which it can be turned round.
Secondly. In placing under the control of the governor the regulation
of the throw of eccentrics or cranks, or the travel of the cut-off valves
where a slotted link is used. To effect this I mount a star or other
wheel upon the regulating screw that fits into or is attached to the
eccentric or crank pin, and also fits into or on the eccentric shaft and
crank pin frame; or instead of the star wheel being carried by the screw
it. may form a nut, into which fits a screw that is fastened to the
eccentric or crank pin, and may be carried on the side of the eccentric
shaft or the end of the crank pin frame; or the nut may be a wheel in

page_text: connection with one driven by a star wheel. The star or other wheel
being carried round with the eccentric or crank is caused to come into
contact with an adjustable stop, as before described, and acting through
the screw moves the eccentric or pin so as to give the required travel to
the valve; or instead of the adjustable stop coming into contact with
the wheel on the screw it may act on one that is connected with it as
before; or in engines in which the valves' movements are varied by
means of a slot link with block the block may be held in position by
having a screw fitting into or attached to it, the screw is acted on by a
wheel, as before described. The wheel having to partake of the motion
of the link is caused to pass between or partially between two levers
centred and carried on a movable plate that is adjusted by the governor,
or compound levers may be used centred at one end on a fixed pivot, the
other held by the governor; the levers are arranged to hold and turn the
wheel if the governor brings one in its path when it is moving in one
direction, but to allow it to pass unaltered in the other, or two catches
acting on a wheel may be used, as before described. Or the block may
have its position altered or regulated by having a link attached either to
it or to the rod which it actuates or by which it is actuated, the said
link is attached to a screw the nut of which is a wheel, or to a nut the
screw of which is turned by means to be hereafter described; the same
means may be used to regulate the position of the movable link in cases
where the block is fixed, or to a rocking link with two eccentrics. If
required the eccentric may be fitted with catches to hold it in its
position either alone or in combination with the screw, the screw may
first act on the catches through suitable connections to withdraw them
before moving the eccentric.
⋅
Thirdly. In the mode of regulating the position and distance apart of
cut-off valves attached to the spindle by right and left handed screw
threads by means of the governor. One arrangement is to fit on the
governor spindle or other revolving shaft a sliding bush, on which are
two or more projections or teeth. Carried by a bracket or other suitable
fixing is a star, or by preference a bevel toothed wheel in such a position
that one or other of the projections on the bush which is held in position
by the governor may come into contact with the wheel when the engine
is not running at the desired speed, and turn it partially round, causing
the valve spindle which is connected with it by suitable gearing to turn
also. Or in place of using fixed projections on the bush levers may be

page_text: employed, as before described.
Another mode is to mount on the valve
spindle cross head or on a boss attached to the valve spindle a wheel so
fixed that in traversing to and fro with the spindle it is acted on in the
manner described in connection with the slot link, the whical being
bevelled or attached to a bevel wheel which gears into one on the spindle
alters the valves in the required direction.
Fourthly. In the mode of adjusting the admission cams or valve
lifters by means of the governor.
One arrangement is to fasten on the
cam shaft a collar. or boss, on which is mounted a star or other wheel
which acts on a nut wheel working on a screw that passes up a hole in
the shaft, and is attached to the cams by a cottar or bolt that fits loosely
through a slot in the shaft, the slot is long enough to allow the required
end movement of the cams, which are of such a shape as to suit the
greatest variation in the load. Or the screwed rod may be carried and
attached to the cams on the outside of the shaft, with the star wheel
mounted on it; or instead of a screwed rod a rack, into which gears a
wheel that is acted on either directly by the obstruction which the
governor places in the way, as before described, or is connected to a
wheel which is so acted on; or the screw or rod which passes up the hole
in the shaft may be connected to a screw that fits into a nut wheel,
or to a crank connected to a worm wheel, actuated in any of the
before mentioned ways. The same means may also be employed to
control the position of the valve lifter ends, so that they shall fall off the
cams sooner or later by attaching to the lifter a link to which the screw
or crank lever before mentioned is coupled. In cases where the valves
are lifted by a cam plate on a vertical shaft the admission of the steam
may be regulated by making the lifting piece movable and centred at or
near one end on a stud or pin. The piece is cf such a shape at the
raising side as shall keep the lead of the valve constant, but at the
lowering side it is so shaped as to allow the valve to close at any desired
part of the stroke; this depends upon what part of the lifting piece is in
the path of the roller, or it may be turned out of the roller path
altogether. The position of the lifter is altered by the action of the
governor through connections on a star or other wheel, as before
described. The star wheel is. centred on and carried round by the cam
plate, and moves the lifter piece either by turning a screw which works
in a nut connected by a link to a pin on the lifting piece, the stud passes
through a slot in the cam plate, or the star wheel may be. a nut, or it

page_text: may actuate a pinion wheel that gears into a rack connected to the
lifter; or in place of the lifting piece being movable it may be fixed to
or form part of the plate, and the lifter roller may be. movable sideways;
the adjusting of the roller may be done by having a nut in the roller
frame, into which fits a screw, on which is mounted a star or other
wheel that is acted on either by a sliding bush with projections carried
on the lifter shaft, or by a plate. with a gap in it that is carried round by
the lifter plate, or by any of the before-mentioned means.
.
.
And, fifthly. In the application of locking apparatus to eccentrics.
One arrangement is to form on the shaft or boss on which the eccentric
is carried teeth or notches, into which a catch or catches carried by the
eccentric fit, and are held by means of a spring or springs; the catches
may be withdrawn from the teeth by the levers, racks, or wheels which
move the eccentric; when the catches are withdrawn the eccentric is
moved to the desired position. Or instead of the reversing lever acting
on the catches a separate one may be used and moved by means of a
link attached to a sliding hoop mounted on the sliding collar used for
reversing, and actuated by levers carried on the forked reversing. lever.
Or an independent forked lever may act on a sliding hoop carried on the
shaft, and thus move levers that are centred on the eccentric. and
withdraw the catches. Or teeth or recesses may be formed on the
eccentric, into which catches or bolts that are carried on the shaft or
boss fit; the catches are withdrawn by a sliding hoop or collar, as
before. In cases where the eccentric is only required to be in full gear
either way the catch or catches may either take into notches or abut
against or overlap the edge of the shaft or boss. Or in place of the
catches being carried on the eccentric or shaft they may be mounted on
the sliding collar used for reversing or moving the eccentric, and fit into
notches or teeth in the key or guide on the shaft, and be actuated by a
sliding hoop or hoops carried on the collar, as before described. Or in
cases where the eccentric is at or near the end of the shaft in place of
using a sliding collar, the levers in contact with the eccentric may
be centred on a spindle carried on the end of the shaft, and actuated
through a lever that is coupled to or fitted on a screw in line with tho
centre of the shaft, or to a link that is moved by a lever. Or the lever
end instead of being coupled to a screw may form a rack; and be
in gear with a worm on a spindle that is turned by a hand wheel or'
otherwise; the catches may be withdrawn either by pressing in or

page_text: .
drawing out a rod that passes through the centre of the screw, and acts
through levers or otherwise, or they may be acted on by the main levers,
as before described.
All or any of the arrangements apply to cut off as well as main
eccentrics either in engines that run in one direction only or otherwise.
{
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John William Melling in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM MELLING, of Birket Bank, Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John William Melling, Her
special licence that I, the said John William Melling, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John William
Melling, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully, might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES ACTUATED BY STEAM OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUID,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John William
Melling, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John William Melling, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained

page_text: in and by the following Specification, reference being had to the
accompanying five Sheets of Drawings forming part thereof (that is to
say) :-
This Invention relates to improved modes of working the expansion
and other valves of steam engines, and it consists, first, in the mode of
varying the position of the eccentric, crank, or other mover that actuates
the supplementary or cut-off valve or valves. This is accomplished by
the action of the governor or otherwise in such a way as to determine
the amount of steam that shall be admitted into the cylinder at each
stroke.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shewn an improved mode of working the
cut-off valve or valves when it or they is or are driven by an eccentric
on the crank shaft. In this arrangement I key or otherwise fasten on
the crank shaft a a worm wheel or collar with teeth b. The said wheel
carries the eccentric c in such a manner that it is free to turn round
the wheel but not to have any lateral movement. The screw or worm d,
which gears into the wheel b, is supported in bearings cast to the
eccentric, and to the axle of the worm d is fixed the bevel pinion d',
gearing into the pinion e¹, fixed on the same axle as the star wheel c.
The eccentric c, worm d, and star wheel e are carried round with the
crank shaft a by the worm d gearing into the teeth of the wheel b,
which is attached to the crank shaft. The bracket f is fixed near to
the eccentric c, and to this bracket is connected the stop or plate g;
which has a gap in it sufficiently wide to allow the star wheel to pass
through it. The stop plate is jointed to the lever h, which is con-
nected to the governor by the rod i. The stop plate g is so supported
and guided that each revolution of the crank shaft causes the 'star
wheel e to pass through or between the projections at each side of the
gap. When the engine is running at the required speed the governor
holds the stop or plate g so that the star wheel e passes between without
touching, but when running either too fast or too slow the stop plate
is set by the governor so that a tooth of the star wheel shall come into
contact with one of the sides of the gap, and the star wheel will be
partially turned round by it either in one direction or the other, and
acting through the worm d will alter the position of the eccentric c,
thus causing the valve connected to it to admit more or less steam as
the position of the governor requires. I prefer to make the stop plate g
with two or more teeth, as shewn at Fig. 28, and in the levers o and p

page_text: in Fig. 40. Instead of the eccentric c being carried on the collar or
wheel it may fit loosely on the crank shaft beside a worm wheel
or collar which is fastened to the crank shaft and into which the
worm or screw d gears, or the worm a may gear into a curved rack
attached to or forming part of the main eccentric, or instead of the
worm d and star wheel e being carried by the cut-off eccentric c, as
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, they may be mounted on a boss or collar, as
shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, in which views j is the boss or collar keyed on
the crank shaft, and to which bearings are cast for the axles of the
worm d and star wheel e; or these bearings may be cast or fixed on the
main eccentric or other piece that is carried round by the crank shaft.
The worm wheel or segmental rack b is attached to or forms part of the
cut-off eccentric c. The worm or screw d on the boss j gears into
and thus propels the eccentric, or the eccentric may be driven by a
pinion wheel or lever on the same shaft as a worm wheel that is actuated
by a worm on the star wheel shaft; or instead of the star or other
toothed wheel e coming into contact with a stop plate a friction
wheel or wheels may be used, against which one or other of two plates
or collars are brought. The throw of the cut-off eccentric c may be
altered at the same time that its position on the shaft is altered by
.mounting it on an eccentric wheel or collar. In place of the star
wheel e passing between the projections on the plate 'or stop g it may
be made to pass between the ends or sides of two levers that are con-
trolled by the governor, or two short racks may be used as will be
described hereafter in reference to Figs. 15 and 16, or the stop plate
or other equivalent may be adjusted and moved by hand.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent two views of another modification of this:
part of my Invention. In this case the star wheel e is carried on the
boss j fastened to the crank shaft. The boss of the star wheel is a nut
into which the screw k fits, and the end of this screw is connected to
the eccentric by the link or other attachment, or the star wheel e
may be attached to a screw upon which a nut fits that is connected to
the eccentric as before described. The star or other wheel e may either
be rigidly fastened to the shaft by which it is carried, or it may fit
loosely and drive through a spring or springs or other elastic medium
so as to reduce the shock. The position of the eccentric may also be
altered by attaching to its side a rack or wheel into which gears the
teeth of a segmental lever or part of a wheel that is centred on the

page_text: shaft and connected by a link to a sliding flanged boss or collar which
fits loosely on the shaft and is driven by a long key in the shaft. The
sliding collar may be moved by a forked lever in the ordinary way. The
said lever may be moved by the action of the governor either by having
attached to it a screw, the nut on which is a wheel or a nut in which
fits a screw turned by a wheel. The wheel may either be a star wheel,
and movable by the governor, and acted on by a plate with a gap in it
that is carried round by the shaft, or it may be a friction wheel brought.
into contact with a double or outside and inside friction wheel on the,
shaft, or it may be in connection with another friction wheel, both being.
pivoted on a lever that is moved by the governor so as to bring one or
other of the wheels against the friction wheel on the shaft, or instead of
the two friction wheels on the lever bearing against each other they may.
be connected by toothed wheels, or the wheel instead of being movable
may be carried by a pedestal, and may either be in connection with a.
wlicel acted on by a bush on the governor or other revolving shaft, as
hereafter described in reference to Fig. 21.
In Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 I have shown a modification of my.
improved cut-off gear. In these views the worm d gears into the worm
wheel b, which is fixed on the crank shaft a, as in Fig. 1. The worm d
and the star or toothed wheel e are fixed on the same axle which revolves
in bearings cast to the frame of the eccentric c. The apparatus shewn
in these views is more particularly adapted for engines working at a
high speed, as the action of the stops on the star wheel e is more
gradual than that described in reference to Figs. 1 and 4, and the stops
are always brought in full. gear when acting on the star wheel. To the
crank shaft is fixed the cam m, which acts on the double lever m¹, fixed
on the same axle m³ as the upright lever m³. The axle m² is supported.
in the standard n, in which are the fulcrum studs of the double set of
elbow levers o, o¹, and p, p³, for ordinary variations in the speed of the
engine. The upper levers o and p are brought into action, but for '
greater variations in the speed the lower levers o' and p² are also brought
into operation. The longer arms of the levers o and p are provided:
with curved teeth, as shewn on an enlarged scale in Fig. 12, and the
angle and number of teeth can be varied and the shorter arms of the
said levers are connected to the hooks 7, shewn in Fig.. 11. The.
hooks are provided with pins which take into slots in the rod i con-
nected to the governor, and the shorter arms of the levers o¹ and p¹are;

page_text: connected to the hooks 7, which are acted upon when required by the
projections q' on the hooks q.
The mode of operation is as follows:-In Fig. 10 the levers o, o', and
pare all shewn beyond reach of the wheel e, but the lever > is slicwn
in the position for acting on the teeth of the wheel e, so long as the
engine is working at its proper speed the end of the lever m³ passes
between the hooks q, and no action is imparted to the eccentric, but
when a change is required the rod i is moved by the governor either in
one direction or the other, and brings one of the hooks q in line with the
path of the lever m³, which is constantly vibrating on its axis so long as
the engine is at work. At every return stroke of the lever m³ the lever
When
or levers o and p are moved beyond the reach of the wheel e.
the variations in the governor move the rod i to and fro beyond the
ordinary limits the projections q' on the hooks q are brought forward-so
as to catch the shoulder of the hooks ; when such is the case the
lever m³ acts on both the upper and lower levers o, o¹, and p, p', so as to
increase the variation in the position of the cut-off eccentric.
In cases where the cut-off valve is actuated by a crank pin instead of
an eccentric I propose to carry the crank on a bar or frame, as shewn in
Figs. 13 and 14. In these views s is the bar or frame, which is centred
on the end of the crank or other shaft a, and carries at one end a worm
or screw d, that is in connection with a star or other wheel c, and
which gears into and is driven by a worm wheel or collar with teeth b
fixed on the shaft a; or the crank pin may be attached to or form part
of a worm wheel or segment, the position of which is adjustable, as
before described.
In cases where the cut-off valve is worked by an eccentric or crank.
placed on other than the crank shaft the driving or one of the driven
wheels may be connected to its shaft and have its position altered so as
to give the required movement to the valve in the same way as with the
eccentrics before described.
The second part of my Invention consists in certain improved arrange-
ments of mechanism for placing under the control of the governor the
regulation of the throw of the eccentrics or cranks or the travel of the
cut-off valves where a slotted link is used.
In Figs. 15 and 16 I have shewn my improved mechanism for
regulating the throw of the cut-off or main eccentric. In these views
the star or other wheel c is mounted upon the regulating screw k, one

page_text: end of which fits into and is attached to the eccentric c, while the other
end is screwed into the boss of the star wheel c.. The eccentric c fits on
the block c¹, which is fixed to or forms part of the crank shaft. The
star or other wheel e being carried round with the eccentric is caused to
come into contact with the projections or teeth of the levers o and p, or
on the adjustable stop 9, as before described, and acting through the
screw moves the eccentric so as to give the required travel to the valve.
The ends of the levers o and pare mounted on fulcrum studs in the
standard n, and the other ends are supported in the forked lever n³, to
which the governor rod i is connected..
Figs. 17, 18, and 19 represent a modification of this part of my Inven-
tion. In these views the star or toothed wheel e is mounted on a stud
fixed to the block c¹, and the bevel pinion e' fixed to the wheel e gears
into the pinion ¹, the boss of which forms a nut for the screw k. The
parts marked m, m³, m², m³, o, o¹, p, and p¹ are somewhat similar to those
before described in reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10, but in this instance
the governor rod i is jointed to the upright bar m, which is pivoted on
a stud in the lever m³, and is guided between the cross head on the top
of the said lever and a plate attached to it. The shorter ends of the
clbow levers o, o¹, p, and p', are fork-shaped, with prongs of different
lengths. When the engine is working at its proper speed the bar m*
passes to and fro between the shorter prongs of the forks and the
eccentric remains in its position, but when the engine is running either
too fast or too slow the bar m* comes into contact with one of the forks
of the levers o or p, and brings the one operated upon into position for
acting on the teeth of the wheel e, as before described.
In Fig. 20 the star or toothed wheel e is fixed on the screw k, which
is supported in bearings fixed to the block c', and this wheel e is acted
upon by the mechanism shewn in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, or Figs. 17, 18,
and 19 for varying the position of the eccentric. When applied to
engines in which the movements of the valves are varied by means of a
slot link with block, the block may be held in position by having a screw.
fitting into or attached to it. The screw is acted on by a wheel similar
to c, as before described, the wheel having to partake of the motion of
the link is caused to pass between or partially between two levers
centred and carried on a movable plate that is adjusted by the governor,.
as will be described hereafter in reference to Figs 25 and 26; or levers
may be arranged to hold and turn the wheel e if the governor brings one

page_text: in its path when it is moving in one direction, but to allow it to pass
unaltered in the other; or the block may have its position altered or
regulated by having a link attached either to it or to the rod which it
actuates or by which it is actuated. The said link is attached to a
screw the nut of which is a wheel, or to a nut the screw of which is
turned by means to be hereafter described in reference to Figs. 21 and
22. The same means may be used to regulate the position of the
movable link in cases where the block is fixed or to a rocking link with
two eccentrics.
The third part of my Invention consists in the mode of regulating the
position and distance apart of cut-off valves connected to the spindle by
right and left handed screw threads by means of the governor.
Figs. 21 and 22 represent my improved mode of regulating the
position of the cut-off valves. t is the governor spindle, on which is
the sliding bush t¹, which is moved up and down in the usual manner as
the governor balls expand or collapse; to the bush t¹are jointed the
catch levers ³, which are united by the spring . The shaft u is
supported in a bracket or other suitable fixing, and to it is keyed the
star; or, by preference, a bevel toothed wheel e, which is placed in such
a position that one or other of the ends of the levers t² may come into
contact with the wheel when the engine is not running at the.desired
speed, thereby turning it partially round and causing the valve spindles v,
which is connected to the shaft u by the pinions and v¹, to turn also.
The cut-off valves v² being connected to the spindle v by right and left
hand screws, as usual; it is evident that as the spindle v is turned in one
direction. or the other the valves will approach or recede from cach
other, and so cut off the steam later or sooner.
I wish to remark here that the shaft u may be actuated in the manner
hereafter described in reference to Figs. 33, 34, and 35.
In Figs. 23 and 24. I have shewn the valve spindle v² provided with a
cross head v³. The wheel e is fixed on an axle passing through the
cross head vs. The rod i connected to the governor is provided with
slots fitting on pins projecting from the levers o and p, and the lever p
is held up by the spring . When the wheel e is traversing to and fro
with the spindle it is acted on by cither of the levers o or p. When
the engine is running either too fast or too slow the wheel e' fixed on
the axle of the wheel e gears into the pinion on the valve spindle v,
thereby altering the position of the valves in the required direction.

page_text: Figs. 25 and 26 represent a modification of Figs. 23 and 24. In this
arrangement the catches o and p are jointed to the slide wo, which is
connected to the governor by the rod i. The spring w¹ acts upon the
tail ends of the catches o and p to allow them to yield when the wheel e
is going back.
.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in certain improved modes of
adjusting the admission cams or valve lifters by means of the governor.
Fig. 27 is an elevation, and Fig. 28 a plan of the cam shaft of an
engine provided with the ordinary Cornish valves. x is the cam shaft;
x¹, the double cam sliding upon it; and 2 the valve, lifters which
are made as usual, on the cam shaft is fixed the collar or boss ³,
on which is mounted the. star or other wheel c, which by means of the
bevel pinion e¹ acts on the nut wheel ¹, working on the screw %, that
passes up a hole in the shaft x, and is attached to the double cam x¹ by
a cottar that fits loosely through a slot in the shaft x. The slot is long
enough to allow the required end movement of the cam, which is of such
a shape as to suit the greatest variation in the load. The wheel e acts
on the teeth of the gap plate g, connected by the rod i to the governor ;
or the screwed rod k may be carried and attached to the cam on the
outside of the shaft with the star wheel mounted on it, or the screw k
which passes up the hole in the shaft may be moved endwise to vary the
position of the double cam x¹ by the screw 2, shown in Fig. 29; this
screw is connected to the shaft u, shewn in Fig. 21, and in turning
round moves the lever ³ to and fro, thereby varying the position of the
cams to suit the load on the engine.
In Figs. 30 and 31 instead of varying the position of the cams
as now customary I vary the position of the valve lifters; x is the
cam shaft; a¹, the cams; 2, the valve lifters; and x one of the cams
for the exhaust valves. To the lower end of each valve lifter is hinged
the footpiece 2, the position of which is regulated by the governor
in the following or in any other convenient manner. The shaft y is
connected by any suitable gearing to the shaft u, described in reference
in Fig. 21, and to this shaft is fixed the bevel pinion y¹ gearing into
a similar pinion ', the boss of which forms a nut for the screw k, to
5 the end of which is jointed one end of the link 2, the other end
of which is jointed to the foot piece x. The two foot pieces ×³
are coupled so as to act simultaneously by the spur pinion * fixed to
the bevel pinion k', the pinion ² gears into the carrier pinion ³ which

page_text: ;
gcars into a similar pinion k', forming the nut of the second screw k.
The admission of steam is varied according to the position of the
foot pieces a³.
In Fig. 32 the cam x' acts on the foot piece which forms the
valve lifter and the position of the valve lifter is regulated by the
governor actuating the screw k, the nut of which is connected to the
valve lifter by the link x*.
Figs. 33, 34, and 35 represent another mode of varying the admission
of steam to the engine; in this case the cams x' act on the movable
blocks which slide on the levers 7, the outer ends of which are
jointed to the valve lifters x. The blocks are moved to and fro
on the levers xa" in the following or in any other convenient manner :-
To cach cam al is fixed a toothed wiper 2 which in revolving act on
the wheel e fixed on the shaft u; one end of this shaft is supported
in a swivel bearing and the other in a sliding bearing connected to the
governor rod i. To the shaft u is fixed the spur wheel u* gearing into
the pinion ¹ on the screw, the nut of which is connected by the links a
to the movable blocks x. By this means when the engine is working
either too fast or too slow the wheel e is brought into position for
being acted upon by either of the toothed wipers ³ thereby varying 1
the position of the blocks x as may be required.
In Figs. 36 and 37 I have shewn my improvements applied to an
ordinary cam plate on a vertical shaft for lifting the valves, the
admission of the steam being regulated by making the lifting piece
movable on a fulcrum stud or pin. The lifting piece z lies on the 2
cam plate and is connected by bolts passing through a segmental
slot to the double lever z³ at the under side of the cam plate; this
lever is mounted on the fulcrum stud. The cam plate is for
working the upper valves and a similar plate is fixed to the lower end
of the shaft to work the lower valves. The screw k is supported in a
bearings fixed to the under side of the cam plate z¹, and to it is fixed
the star or toothed wheel e, the nut of the screw k is connected by the
link to the double lever ², and the wheel e is turned partly round
in one direction or the other by the toothed levers o and p, which are
actuated by the governor; these toothed levers may be constructed
as shewn in Fig. 38 or in Fig. 40. When the lifting piece z is moved
towards the centre of the plate the valve is held open for a greater
part of the stroke than it is when moved further away from the centre,

page_text: and the miting piece is of such a shape at the raising side as shall keep
the lead of the valve constant or nearly so, but at the lowering side it
is so shaped as to allow the valve to close at any desired part of the
stroke, this depends upon what part of the lifting piece is in the path
of the roller on the steam lifter, which path is indicated by a dotted
circle. In case of accident the lifting piece may be turned out of the
roller path altogether. The lifting piece on the lower plate is connected
to the upper plate by the link 5, elbow lever, link, vertical rodz³,
and elbow lever, see Fig. 41; or the star wheel e may be a nut, or
it may actuate a pinion wheel that gears into a rack connected to the
lifting piccc.
screwed studs and
Figs. 39, 40, and 41 represent a modification of this part of my
Invention. In these views the lifter piece z is moved in a straight slot
in the cam plate 2. To the plate z¹ is fixed a bracket supporting the
¹, the screws of which are in contrary directions,
the toothed wheels e and e¹, are fixed to the studs k, k, and to the
wheel e¹ is also fixed the wheel & gearing into e. The toothed levers o
and pare actuated by the governor rod i, and they are brought
alternately into gear with the wheels e and e', as the speed of the
engine is increased or reduced. When the wheels e and e¹ are turned
round they raise or lower the double nut ² thereby moving the link
clbow lever, and link which is connected to the lifting piece
thereby moving it nearer to or further from the centre of the plate =¹.
The lifter piece of the lower plate is connected to that of the top
plate by the rod zs and elbow lever 20. Or in place of the lifting piece
being movable it may be fixed to or form part of the cam plate, and
the lifter roller may be moved sideways by the governor, instead of
by hand as heretofore, the adjusting of the roller may be done by having
a nut in the roller frame into which fits a screw on which is mounted
a star or other wheel that is acted on either by a sliding bush with
projections carried on the lifter shaft or by a plate with a gap in it,
that is carried round by the lifter plate, or as shewn in Figs. 42, 43,
and 44. In these views is the cam plate for the lower valves, ≈ is the
fixed lifting piece, and u a shaft connected to the shaft u, described in
reference to Fig. 21. The mitre wheel u¹ gears into a similar wheel u²
on an upright shaft for adjusting the roller on the upper cam plate ¹;
the wheel gears into the wheel on the shaft of the screw .k
B

page_text: which takes in a swivel nut jointed to the roller frame of the lifter :
As the roller of the lifter x is moved towards or from the centre of
the plate the valve is kept open more or less according to the load
on the engine.
The fifth part of my Invention consists in the application of locking
apparatus to eccentrics.
Figs. 45 and 46 represent one mode of performing this part of my
Invention. In this arrangement the boss or block c¹ fixed upon or
forming part of the shaft a is provided with teeth or notches into
which the catch or catches c* which are jointed to the eccentric c fit,
and are held in gear by means of springs; the catches c are withdrawn
from the teeth in the following manner :-The forked end of the ordinary
reversing lever A actuates the sliding collar c³, which is connected by
the links c to the elbow levers c7 mounted on studs in the boss or
block c¹; these parts are made as usual. The other ends of the levers c
fit into openings in the eccentric c, one lever c" is connected by a link
to the tumbler catch es acting on one of the catches c, and the other
lever c' is connected to the other catch by the tumbler lever c³. When
the eccentric has to be moved in the direction of the arrow the upper
catch is raised out of the teeth in the boss or block c¹, and the
pressure of the lever c³ on the side of the opening in the eccentric c
then moves the eccentric in the required direction. When the eccentric
has to be moved in the contrary direction the lower catch c* is liberated
by the tumbler lever cº, and the lever c' then acts on the side of the
opening in the eccentric to move it in the required direction; or instead
of the reversing lever acting on the catches a separate lever may be
used and moved by means of a link attached to a sliding hoop mounted
on the sliding collar used for reversing, and actuated by levers carried
on the forked reversing lever, or an independent forked lever as described
in reference to Figs. 47, 48, and 49 may be used.
In Fig. 47 the catches care shewn so as to hold the eccentric
in both directions, and the catches may have one or more teeth. B
is the independent forked lever which acts on the sliding collar c¹.
Before the position of the eccentric c can be changed the collar c" is
pressed against the tumbler catches c to liberate the catches c', and
then the reversing lever A is moved to vary the position of the eccentric;
or teeth or recesses may be formed in the eccentric into which catches
or bolts that are carried on the shaft or boss. fit, as shewn in Figs. 50,

page_text: 51, and 52. In these views the catches c fitting in grooves in the boss
or block c¹ are liberated from the teeth in the eccentric by the elbow
levers c³, which are connected by bars to the sliding collar c¹o, the
collar c¹ is moved in one direction by the lever B, but it is brought back
again by springs acting on the tops of the catches, as shewn in Fig. 50.
When the catches c¹ have been liberated the position of the eccentrio
can be varied by the reversing lever A, and the elbow levers c', as before
described. The teeth or catches may be on the sides of the eccentric.
In cases where the eccentric is only required to be in full gear
either way, the catch or catches may either take into notches or abut
against or overlap the edge of the shaft or boss. Or in place of the
catches being carried on the eccentric or shaft they may be mounted
on the sliding collar used for reversing or moving the eccentric and
fit into notches or teeth in the key or guide on the shaft.
In Figs. 53, 54, and 55 I have shewn a modification of this part of
my Invention, where the eccentric is at or near the end of the shaft,
in this case in place of using a sliding collar c the levers c' acting on
the eccentric c may be fixed on the spindle c", carried on the end of
the shaft, the ends of the levers c' are jointed to studs on the collar c¹,
which is loose on the end of the screw c¹³, the boss of the hand wheel c
serves as a nut for the screw c¹³ which is prevented from turning round
by the bridle c¹. The catches care held in gear with the teeth in
the eccentric c by a spring acting on the end of the rod c¹. When
the engine has to be reversed the attendant acting on the lever B,
draws this rod in the direction of the arrow to release the catches c*,
the position of the eccentric can then be varied by means of the hand
wheel c. Instead of the screw c¹³ a lever connected by a link to a
centre stud in the collar c¹ may be used, or the ends of the levers c
instead of being coupled to a screw may be connected to a rack and be
in gear with a worm on a spindle that is turned by a hand wheel or
otherwise. By means of the apparatus above described the eccentric
is securely held in the desired working position independent of the
reversing gear, and all or any of the arrangements may be applied to
the cut off as well as to the main eccentrics either in engines that run
in one direction only or otherwise.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the

page_text: the various improvements shewn and described when used separately
or combined; and I also claim the application thereof to valve motions
and cut-off gears of other descriptions.
In witness, whereof, I, the said John William Melling, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, 5
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JOHN WILLIAM MELLING. (L.S.)