IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by La Societé "Farcot et scs Fils,"
of Paris, France.
Sealed the 7th October 1876, and dated the 9th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wiso at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1876.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middle-
sex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES." A communication from abroad by
La Societé "Farcot et ses Fils," of Paris, France.
It is well known that in the various types of Corliss engines in general use the
admission of steam cannot be continued much beyond 0-3 or 0.35 of the stroke
unless the expansion be suppressed, it not being possible for the throwing out of
gear of each of the admission valves to take place when the direction of the valvo
rod's motion has been changed.
The new arrangement about to be described is entirely satisfactory in this re-
spect, realizing without "cames à bosses," by a single ordinary eccentric, the best
conditions of variable expansion, with admission varying from zero to 0.75, 0.8, or
even 00 (if it be wished) of the stroke. This arrangement may be applied to
the Ingliss and other engines which work by a slide valve or expansion valve.
The new result is obtained by means of a cam arrangement, with nuxiliary
lateral motion, an example of which is shown in Fig. 1, applied to a Corliss engine. «
is the ordinary eccentric, giving motion to all the valves, to the wholo distribution
gear, and to all the gear of the expansion cam; a¹ is its strap; all is its rod; b is the
oscillating plate actuating all the valves and worked by the rod a" by means of the
pin b1; this plate oscillates round an axis c in the ordinary manner. d, d, are pins
actuating the admission valves by the rods g, g, and the cranks k, ; e, e¹, pins
actuating the exhaust valves by the rods h, h, and by the cranks 1, '; i, i, axes of
the admission valves; h, k, their cranks; j, j, axes of the exhaust valves; l, l, their
cranks. On the rod all of the eccentric a is jointed a rod m, which in rising and
descending in a path at right angles to that of the eccentric a, causes the
bell crank n to oscillate round the axis o, and through it actuates the horizontal

page_text: rod p. This rod p also actuates by means of the pin q', a beam g working on its
sleeve round a sleeve of the plate b. The beam q carries an upper pin ³, to which
are jointed the two expansion rods 7, . Each of these rods 7, 7, propels respec-
tively a slider 8 or 8, which slides on one of the rods y or g', and carries a hook
escapement or catch t or t, which, coming in contact sooner or later with an expan-
sion cam or u causes one of the small striking beams or v¹ jointed at 5, , on
the rods g, gl, to oscillate, and releases the slider or ', by which the rod or g
draws with it the crank : or ' of each admission slide valve. The catches t, t, are
kept in contact with the small beams v, v', and these beams, with the sliders x, xl, by
means of small springs, for the sake of avoiding the noise caused by the vibration."
The motion given to the beam would be almost exactly proportional to and
simultaneous with that of the driving piston if the eccentric a were keyed on the
shaft at 90° with the crank. This eccentric having a certain lead with respect to
the crank, the motion of the parts m, n, p, q, r, 8, and t will not be in this relation
absolutely the same as that of the piston, but the sliders will commence their re-
spective return strokes but very little before the end of the stroke of the piston.
It will easily be seen, therefore, that the catches t, t', will be able to come in contact
with the cains u, u, sufficiently soon and sufficiently late for the cut off or the coni-
mencement of the expansion to be effected at need under the conditions mentioned
above, that is to say, at 0-75, 0.8, and 0.9 of the stroke, while without the lateral
motion given by the rod m, and by the other parts which it actuates, the moving of
the valve must take place at the latest before the return of the eccentric rod a" and
of the rods g, gl. The expansion cams u, u, oscillating round axes y, y, are
actuated together by the governor by means of the articulated system ƒƒ³, ƒ",
f³, f, as shewn.
The governor B may be of any class; it is shewn with crossed arms, provided
with a regulator. This governor B is fitted directly over the main crank shaft,
being driven direct by a pair of bevil wheels, and therefore easily works the ex-
pansion valve by means of the parts ƒ³,ƒƒ³, and . The whole arrangement is
thus constituted in the most simple and inexpensive manner both as regards con-
struction and maintenance.
If the geared wheels of the governor should happen to break or fail through any
accident whatever the engine might be still prevented from "running away," and be
stopped immediately by means of the arrangement shewn in Fig. 2. This arrange-
inent consists in forming accessory branches u¹¹, w³, on the cams u and u¹, near the
place where the cam having its smallest throw gives the maximum of admission,
these accessory branches being inade sufficiently long to effect by contact with the
catches t, t, the suppression of all admission. On the sliding ring of the governor
reaching the bottom of its course, owing to a break down of the gearing, it will
bring round the cams u, u', thus considerably increasing the admission of steam in
the first instance; it will then instantaneously bring into contact with the catches
t, t, no longer the cams u, u, but their accessory branches u, u³, (as is shewn by
dotted lines in Fig. 2,) and thus suppressing all admission of steam will stop the
engine instead of allowing it to " run away."
11
If it should be required to instantaneously stop the engine it will only be neces
sary to disconnect from f¹ the rod f" by seizing it by its end, and then to work the
cams u, u by incans of the handle S. A spring E, having a notch at its end, would
admit of this handle 8 being kept in its place, and the cams u, u¹, to be thus held
in the position so given to them.
To start the engine again special starting cocks would be brought into requisition
as well as the handle 8 if it were necessary to replace the cams u, u¹, in their
normal position.
The system above described may be applied to all classes of the Corliss engine, or
of engines with variable expansion with slide or other valves. It is evident that the
motion given by the rod m, thus branching off from the single eccentric rod a
might also be produced direct by an eccentric or a special crank pin moving in the
same direction as the crank or the piston, and simultaneously with them.

page_text: The method of actuating the rods g, g', may be modified by making them work
in compression instead of in tension, etc. The beams v, v, may then bo altered so
as to work in the same direction. Moreover, the general arrangement, as well as
that of the details, may be varied to suit circumstances.
The motion proportional to that of the driving piston may, in the system of dis-
tribution herein described, be obtained by any agency having its origin of trans-
mission at any point in motion in the engine. Hence modifications may be adopted
which will afford greater facility for the efficient arrangement of the expansion
detent. In one of these modifications two levers are so applied that the detent is
obliged practically to move in a line constantly horizontal along cach of the bars or
rods g, g; the strikers, arms, or fingers t, t, of each of the detents are thus con-
stantly maintained in an almost vertical position, their inclination or their angular
movement with respect to the bars g, g', thus becoming independent of the motion
of the plate b. This arrangement will render easier the working or the drawing of
the cams through which the governor operates.
The principal difficulty in the working and use of the system of distribution
with prolonged expansion, above described, is the practical drawing and making of
the expansion cams so as to render their action independent of the oscillatory
motion of each of the rods,
This Invention includes modifications of apparatus, arranged so that the change of
motion, and the principal joints shall be upon the same geometrical centres of
oscillation.
In one arrangement the action of the governor is transmitted to the centre of the
plate, and from there to each of the detents, by two levers jointed on the axes or
pins of tho motion rods.
In order to prolong the relative time or the useful stroke during which the ex-
pansion can begin or the admission cease, it is sufficient to arrange so that the rela-
tivo transmission of motion from the striker be continued with respect to the arm,
which actuates the expansion gear, even when it changes direction in exact
value. on the return stroke of the valve. To this end I form on each of the
escapements or strikers of the expansion gear a branch with two inclined portions
so arranged in connection with other parts as to bo suitably operated by the variablo
action of the governor. This may be done in several ways.
The Invention, as communicated to me, may, as already stated, be applied to
various constructions of engines besides the Corliss, and may be carried into prac-
tical effect in various forms without departing from its distinctive character.
The Invention may be said to consist essentially in the method of allowing the
expansion to be commenced at any point in the stroke up to the th by making
use, for producing the expansion motion, either of a supplementary eccentric with a
motion similar to that of the main crank or of a combination of parts, taking from
the single eccentric strap or eccentric rod a motion practically proportional to that
of the crank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1876.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES." A communication from abroad by La Societé
"Farcot et ses Fils," of Paris, France.
It is well known that in the various types of Corliss engines in general use the
admission of steam cannot be continued inuch beyond 03 or 0-35 of the stroke
unless the expansion be suppressed, it not being possible for the throwing out of
gear of each of the admission valves to take place when the direction of the valve
rod's motion has been changed.

page_text: The new arrangement about to be described is entirely satisfactory in this
respect, realizing without cams on the governor spindles ("cames à bosses ") by a
single ordinary eccentric, the best conditions of variable expansion, with admission
varying from zero to 0.75, 0.8, or even 09 (if it be wished) of the stroke. This
arrangement may evidently be applied to the Ingliss and other engines wherein
the distribution is effected by slide or ordinary valves with disengaging or releasing
gear (tiroires ou soupapes à déclic).
The new result is obtained by means of a cam arrangement with auxiliary
lateral motion, an example of which is shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, applied
to a Corliss engine. In these Figures will be recognised an ordinary Corliss engine
embodying various improvements in detail which will be herein-after more parti-
cularly referred to.
I will now describe the new plan for distributing the steam.
a is an ordinary eccentric giving motion to all the valves, to the whole distri-
bution gear, and to all the gear of the expansion cam; a' is its strap, all is its rod. 1
b is an oscillating plate actuating all the valves, and worked by the rod all by
means of the pin ¹. This plate oscillates round an axis c in the ordinary manner.
, d, are pins actuating the admission valves by the rods g, g', and the cranks
ke, e, pins actuating the exhaust valves by the rods h, k, and by the cranks
,,, axes of the admission valves; k, l, their cranks; j, j, axes of the
exhaust valves; 1, 1, their cranks. On the rod a" of the eccentric a is jointed
a rod m, which in rising and descending in a path at right angles to that
of the eccentric a causes the bell-crank n to oscillate round the axis o, and
through it actuates the horizontal rod p. This rod also actuntes, by means
of the pin q, a beam 7 working by its sleeve or boss q" on the sleeve or boss
6 of the plate b. The beam q carries an upper pin , to which are jointed
the two expansion rods, Each of these rods 7, 1, propels respectively a
sliders or s, which slides on one of the rods g or g', and carries a hook escape-
ment or catch t or t, which, coming in contact sooner or later with an expansion
cam or ², causes one of the small striking levers vor v jointed at 2, 21, on the
rods g, g', to oscillate, and releases the slider or by which the rod g or g' draws
with it the crank or of each admission slide valve. The catches t, t, are kept
in contact with the small levers v, vl, and these levers with the sliders x, ¹,
by means of small springs, for the sake of avoiding the noise caused by the
vibration.
The motion given to the beam 7 would be almost exactly proportional to and
simultaneous with that of the driving piston if the eccentric a were keyed on the
shaft at 90° with the crank w. This eccentric, having a certain lead with respect
to the crank w, the motion of the parts m, n, p, q, r, 8, and t will not be in this
relation absolutely the same as that of the piston, but the sliders will commence
their respective return strokes but very little before the end of the stroke of the
above-named piston. It will easily be seen, therefore, that the catches t, t, will be
able to come in contact with the cams u, u', sufficiently soon and sufficiently late
for the cut-off or the commencement of the expansion to be effected at need under
the conditions mentioned above, that is to say, at 0.75, 0.8, and 0.9 of the stroke,
while without the lateral notion given by the rod m and by the other parts which
it actuates, the moving of the valve must take place at the latest before the return
of the eccentric rod a¹ and of the rods g, g¹. The desired end pointed out at the
commencement of this description is therefore completely attained without cams
affixed on the governor spindle (cames à bosses) and in the simplest way possible.
The expansion cams u, u³, oscillating round axes y, y', are actuated together by
the governor by means of the articulated system ƒ ƒ³, ƒ¹¹, ƒ³, ƒ*, as will readily
be seen by the Figures.
The governor B may be of any class. It is shewn with crossed arms, provided
with a regulator a* in accordance with the plan adopted for a long time past by
my foreign correspondents. This governor B is fitted directly over the main crank
shaft, being driven direct by a pair of bevel wheels &, &, and therefore easily works

page_text: une expansion valve by means of the parts ³, ƒ", ƒ³, and f. The whole arrange-
ment is thus constituted in the most simple and inexpensive manner, both as
regards construction and maintenance.
If, as is sometimes objected, the geared wheels, l', of the governor should
happen to break or fail through any accident whatever, the engine night still be
prevented from "running away," and be stopped immediately by means of the
arrangement represented at Fig. 4. This arrangement consists in forming accessory
branches 1, 3, on the cams it and u¹ near the place where the cam, having its
smallest throw, gives the maximum of admission, these accessory branches being
made sufficiently long to effect, by contact with the catches t, t', the suppression of
all admission of steam. On the sliding ring or sleeve of the governor reaching the
bottom of its course, owing to a break down of the gearing, it will bring round
the cams u, u', thus considerably increasing the admission of steam in the first
instance; it will then instantaneously bring into contact with the catches t, t¹, no
longer the cams u, u', but their accessory branches u¹¹, u³, (as is shown in Fig. 4,)
and thus suppressing all admission of steam, will stop the engine instead of
allowing it to "run away.”
If it should on any account be required to instantaneously stop the engine it
will only be necessary, 1st, to disconnect from the rod f" by scizing it by its
end, and 2ndly, to work the cams u, u¹, by means of the handle 6, by which they
may be brought to the position corresponding to a complete stoppage of the
admission of steam. A spring sector Ɛ, having a notch at its end, would admit of
this handle being kept in its place, and the cams u, u¹ to be thus held in the
position so given to thein.
To start the engine again special starting cocks (shown at P, P.) would be brought
into requisition, as well as the handle, if it were necessary, to replace the
cams u, u, in their normal position.
A similarity of principle will be noticed between the method of varying the
expansion which I have just described, and other systems which my foreign corres-
pondents have before constructed, but the arrangements now described are different
and novel, principally in their application to engines of the Corliss type.
The system herein-above described may be applied to all classes of Corliss engine
or of engines with variable expansion, with slide or other valves. It is evident
that the motion given by the rod m, thus branching off from the single eccentric
rod a, might also be produced direct by an eccentric or a special crank pin
moving in the same direction as the crank or the piston, and simultaneously with
them.
The new type of Corliss engine which my foreign correspondents are now making
is shewn in Sheet 1, with different characteristic details which they have previously
adopted in the construction of engines of the Farcot-Bede type; for instance,
notice will at once be attracted by the valves placed in the bottoms and covers of
the cylinders, thus almost entirely suppressing the dead spaces and the steam
springs or cushions V, VI, with which they have so advantageously replaced metallic
springs. It is evident that, in the case of these new engines, they turn to account
the principles and the arrangements which they have before adopted, and which
have given good results in their Farcot-Bede engines.
The method of actuating the rods g, gl, may be modified by making them work
in compression instead of in tension, et cætera. The levers, v₁, may then be
altered, so as to work in the same direction. Moreover, the general arrangement,
as well as that of the details, may be varied, as may be thought advisable, to suit
the requirements of different applications.
All that my foreign correspondents have obtained in the Farcot-Bede type
previously made by them may be realized in this new type of engines, and that
without the use of cams on the governor spindle (cames à bosses), shafts, and bevel
gearing, for the distribution of steam; the steam is by the present plan distributed
in a far more simple manner, and by means of a much more durable and economical
arrangement.

page_text: The conditions of the motion of the exhaust valves will be similar to those usual
in Corliss engines, but in addition it will be possible, without danger of incon-
veniently diminishing the length of the admission for expansion, to give by means
of the eccentric as much lead as may be advisable for realizing the best conditions
of prompt exhaust, and also those of slight compression, which are necessary for
obvinting concussions and obtaining the most sweet working possible in engines,
with hardly any dead space, like those previously made by my said correspondents.
Sheet 2 of the Drawings shews, by way of example, the details of mechanical
arrangements which my foreign correspondents also adopt for carrying out their
improvements. In this Sheet Figs. 1 to 3 represent variations in the arrangements
shewn on Sheet 1.
As above stated the motion proportional to that of the driving piston may, in
the system of distribution herein described, be obtained either by the transverse
notion of the eccentric rod or by a special eccentric; this motion may also be
obtained by any agency whatever taking its origin of transmission from any point
in motion in the engine; this being so, I proceed to describe some modifications,
which afford greater facility for the efficient arrangement of the expansion detent
than the arrangement shewn in Sheet 1.
In Fig. 1 of Sheet 2 will be recognized a system of variable expansion gear
similar to that above described. a is the oscillating plate, which actuates the four
slide valves; is the beam operating the expansion gear, its rods c, c, again actuate
the detent of each of the admission slide valves, but this detent, by the use of two
arms d, d, is compelled practically to move in a line constantly horizontal along
each of the bars or rods c, c, the strikers, arms, or fingers ff, of each of the detents
are thus constantly maintained in an almost vertical position, their inclination or
their angular movement, with respect to the bars c, c, thus becoming independent of
the motion of the plate a.
It will readily be understood that this arrangement will facilitate the working or
the drawing of the cams g, g, through which the governor operates.
In will be seen that the remaining details of this arrangement are similar to
those of the arrangement described in relation to Sheet 1.
The principal difficulty in the combination and use of the system of distribution
with prolonged expansion above described is the practical delineation and making
of the form of the expansion cams so as to render their action independent of the
oscillatory motion of each of the rods; it will easily be understood that one would
be led with this intention to transform the system previously mentioned in every
desirable way in this direction. One might, for instance, make an application with
this intention of special combinations similar to those which constitute the "
motor" of my foreign correspondents; that is to say, that one might arrange every-
thing so that the change of motion and the principal joints should be upon the
same geometrical centres of oscillation.
servo
Figs. 2 and 3 shew geometrical solutions which are satisfactory in this respect.
There will be at once recognized in a the oscillating plate for the distribution of
steam and in the beam of the expansion motion; h, h, are two auxiliary levers
by which the action of the sliding ring of the governor is transmitted to each
detent by means of the rods, y, and It will readily be understood that the
rod carrying, for instance, a head on one of its ends, will retain, sooner or later,
(according to its angular position) the arm of its detent, and will thus vary the
expansion.
It will also be seen that the centres of articulation are maintained as much as
possible opposite those of cscillation, that is to say, on the centre line of each
admission valve and of that of the pin on which works the traction rod actuated
by the plate a.
8,
Fig. 3 shews an arrangement similar as regards principle to that shewn in Fig. 2,
and in which the action of the governor is transmitted to the centre of the plate a,
and from there to each of the detents by two levers or cams jointed on the axes or
pins of the traction rods 8, 8.

page_text: Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 91, 92, 03, 0, 10, 101, 10%, in Sheet 2, represont a new
arrangement of detent which permits of obtaining in a much simpler manner the
advantages set forth in that part of this Specification which relates to Sheet 1.
In order to prolong the relative time or the useful stroke during which the
expansion can begin or the admission cease, it is sufficient to arrange so that the
relative transmission of motion from the striker be continued with respect to the
arm which actuates the expansion gear even when it changes direction in exact
value on the return stroke of the valve. To this end I form on each of the escape-
ments or strikers m of the expansion gear a branch with two inclined portions m
and m, which allow (Figs. 4 to 9) the arm t (which is actuated by the governor)
to continue its power of action even when (by the motion transmitted through tho
said strikers) the direction has been changed. To attain this end it is sufficient,--
1st. That the branching off of the strikers m into two inclined portions m¹
and min inverse direction, placed one before the other in different planes,
constitute for the expansion gear a continuous ascending slopo coming into action
at the same time as the change of direction of the valve motion.
2nd. That the arm t which on each side replaces the regulating can be divided
(Figs. 5, 6, and 7,) into two distinct teeth or branches t¹, t, presenting themselves
together and in front more or less high in consequence of the action of the governor,
but acting in different planes and having the ability to yield or become inclined
round the same axis i, each in a different direction to the other. In this manner
each of the teeth or branches t¹ or t¹¹ of this arm t becomes in turn active or of no
effect as regards one of the branches m' or ml of the striker, while the other
key tor t is of no effect in its turn, or operates usefully in the striking arrange-
ment on the other branch m¹¹ or m².
I shew at Fig. 4 in Sheet 2 a distribution arrangement actuated in accordanco
with this principle; a is again the oscillating plate actuating the valve, each of the
admission rods 8, 8, acts on its valve by the intervention of the supplementary
arms d, d, as in Fig. 1, the bars or rods c, c, are also maintained in an almost
horizontal position. As will be seen each of the strikers has its tail divided into
two branches, and the double arm t divided into two elements t¹, t, acts on each
of these branches in the manner I have already described, that is to say, that the
plate a by drawing the rod 8 causes the branch m¹of the striker to novo in such
a manner as to come into contact usefully with the arm t¹, and by leaving on ono
side the arm t¹ (Figs. 5, 6, and 7,) which becomes inclined under the action or
under the movement of the branch m". When on the other hand, the plate a, after
having arrived at the end of its angular movement, again commences to depress
the pin n and the rod 8, it is the portion t" of the regulating arin which under the
action of a spring (which may be of any suitable kind) assumes its former upright
position, and then acts upon the branch m" of the striker m while the portion t is
in its turn depressed and rendered inoperative on the branch m', along the side of
which it keeps in a direction inverse to its former motion. The spring 7 (the
office of which is to draw upright alternately the arms t¹, tu, against the places
on which they strike respectively, which places are provided in the link ) may be
of any kind, exercising a reciprocal action of traction or of closing on each of the
arms and t. This it is I have endeavoured to shew in Fig. 5 and to a larger
scale in Figs. 9, 91, 92, 95, 9', which represent more clearly under the same letters
the details of the double arm t or t, t, of the striking arrangement.
It may be remarked that in reality the finger t¹, corresponding to the upper
portion or second branch of the striker, is the only one which need be depressed
(while the other t¹ is in action) and afterwards be again raised by the spring. The
branch t¹ might be fixed rigidly to the lever which actuates the governor, and
would thus act on the lower branch of the pedal expressly for this portion in the
same way as in ordinary Corliss engines (this is shewn in the general view).
Fig. 8 shews one of the arrangements which may be adopted for guiding each
of the bars or rods e, e, guide rods c¹, e', passing through guides made in the axis q,
which also carries the pieces on which the catch m strikes, ensure the constant

page_text: parallelism of all the parts of the bar e. These arrangements may be modified
at will.
It will be seen that by the new means which I have just described I dispense
with the use of special expansion gear, similar to that of the bean b, preceding
Figures, as the actuation of the expansion valve may take place almost during the
whole oscillatory movement in one direction or the other of the plate a. This is
deemed to be a new and practical solution of the problem.
It will be possible in drawing the diagram of the strikers of the expansion gear
to suppress the transmission levers d, and in that case the rods 8 and e may be
replaced by a single rod carrying the strikers. This plan may be easily applied
to various kinds of expansion engines and especially to Corliss engines of the
ordinary character, as is shewn at Fig. 10, where it will be easy to recognise my
foreign correspondents improvement in conjunction with the arrangements generally
admitted in ordinary Corliss engines, it will also be seen that the strikers m are
constructed by my foreign correspondents with two branches m', in", each of them
being subject to the alternate action of a double arm t, t, in accordance with the
principles just laid down.
It will be possible by the plan just described to still preserve the element of
safety by the suppression of the admission in case of a sudden fall of the governor.
As is pointed out in the former portion of this Specification it will be sufficient for
this purpose to branch out from the lever 7, 1, worked by the sliding ring of the
governor a special arm, which will act upon each of the strikers only when the
sliding ring shall be quite at the bottom of its course.
The rod p, forming a connection between the cams or strikers by which the
action of the rod of the governor is transmitted, might with advantage be made
in two parts united lengthwise by means of a socket screwed with right and left
handed threads, and fitted in the middle of this rod p, in order to permit of
varying the angular position of the keys or strikers of the one with respect to tho
other.
In Sheet 3, Figs. 1 and 2 represent an improved Corliss engine. On the cylinder
a are the organs of distribution, as previously described, as well as the arrangement
with four valves placed in the Lottom and cover, which forms part of what is
known as the Farcot-Bede Patent (No. 1862, dated May 22, 1873). On the frame b
is the bracket c of a governor arranged in a specially simple and advantageous
inanner. The governor d has arms and rods crossed, and more than balanced by a
counterweight c. A governor of other type may be employed. The governor is
furnished with a hydraulic regulator j.
At g is a special arrangement for starting, which is represented to a larger scale
on Sheet 4 (Fig 3). is a sleeve furnished with a wheel i, and having on its
exterior a screw thread taking into a support j fixed over the frame of the speed
regulator. Through this sleeve h freely passes with lateral play the rod I, through
which the governor controls the admission of steam.
To stop the engine it suffices to turn the wheel i, so as to push back the flange of
the rod. Thus the regulator is immediately brought up to its highest point almost
without effort, because the engine being in motion the centrifugal force puts in
equilibrium the weights of the masses in movement. The governor being raised above
its usual course the introduction of steam and the running of the engine are stopped.
To again start the engine it suffices to turn the wheel the contrary way; the
flange advances in the same time as the sleeve he recoils or falls back, because the
weight of the parts of the governor pushes constantly against the rod 7, and thus
the starting or putting in motion may be easily effected as slowly as may be wished
and with expansion, whilst with anterior arrangements as soon as the throwing out
of gear to stop the engine is effected the latter turns with full steam admission, because
the governor remains at the bottom of its course at the time of stopping. Hence
this novel arrangement is of considerable practical importance.
The governor instead of being driven by a belt, as in the ordinary types of Corliss
engine, is actuated in a novel way.

page_text: The new arrangement, whilst taking up no more room than a belt, obviates all
its inconveniences. The transmitter of rotary motion employed is represented in
Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 4. It consists of a wheel m'in gear with a worm n driving a
small shaft k, which through bevil wheels p, p, drives the governor. The details
of this transmitter are not new, separately considered, the novelty of this portion
of the Invention, as of other portions thereof, residing in the combination and
arrangement of the parts as described, whence results a new type of engine, simple
in construction, presenting many advantages, including economy in first cost and in
fuel, efficiency, and regularity in working, &c.
The organs for distributing the steam with expansion varying from 0 to 0.8, 0.9
of the stroke are operated by a single large eccentric q, whose rod q¹ is constructed
in a different manner from those of other Corliss types, that is to say, by means of
triangles with cross stays q", 91, et cætera. Thus there is established between
the main shaft of the wheel and the disc r an oscillating transmitter combining
rigidity with lightness, and which increases the reliability of the engine.
Having described the nature of tho said Invention, and explained the manner
of carrying it into practical effect as communicated to me as aforesaid, I would
have it understood that I do not intend to claim as new or the exclusive use of any
of the mechanical parts herein-before described or referred to separately and apart
from the application and use thereof in and for the purposes of the said Invention;
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to mo by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The method, substantially as herein-before described, of providing for the com-
mencement of the expansion at any point in the stroke up to the nine-tenth by the
use for producing the expansion motion either of a supplementary eccentric with a
motion similar to that of the main crank or of a combination of parts taking from
the single eccentric strap or eccentric rod a motion practically proportional to that
of the crank.
Secondly. The several improvements shown in and described with reference to
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The various improvements described with respect to Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, which indeed are only modifications of the arrangements shewn on
Sheet 1.
Fourthly. The combination of parts constituting the improved engino constructed,
arranged, and operating as shown in and described with reference to Sheet 3 of tho
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, havo hereunto, set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.