IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM
ENGINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
This invention relates to certain improvements in steam engines of that class
which are designed to automatically cut off the steam, and to be run at a high
rate of speed. One of the especial features of the engine constructed in accordance
with my invention, is that it is wholly self contained, all strains due to the move-
ment of the various parts being taken up with in the frame. To accomplish this
result, the frame is so designed, that all strains shall be directed in straight lines
from power to resistance.
I therefore construct the supporting frame of two arms exactly alike, running
straight from the cylinder to the main bearing, and supported by three self
adjusting points or supports.
In the arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, the line of
strain is directly in the centre of the frame, and the working portions of the engine
are thereby retained in absolute alignment. As a result of such construction,
I have found that there is a great decrease in friction, and in the wear and tear of
the different parts. The whole engine being self contained, as stated, it will not
move or creep, and no expensive foundation is required to sustain the parts, or to
keep the whole in position. The main bearing of the engine being equally loaded,
does not wear down unequally, and there is no tendency to spring, or for any of
the parts to change their position or relation to the other parts in the slightest
degree.
The other main features of my improved construction may be briefly described
as follows and will serve to distinguish the steam engines made in accordance with
my invention from those now in use.
1 Extreme simplicity for while it is a perfect automatic cut-off engine from
three quarters stroke to zero, there are no more working parts than in the most
simple slide valve engine,

page_text: 2nd The fly wheels are placed between the main bearings and connect direct
with them, for the purpose of relieving the main bearing from all irregular strains,
and to bring the counter weight exactly opposite to the attachment of the crank,
and thus reduce any tendency to spring in the shaft; and also to render the
bosses of the fly wheels available for the throw of the crank, and to use one fly
wheel for the support of the governor,
3rd The using of a single ball suitably attached to the fly wheel for the governing
device. The bail and its lever to be of such a weight, that it shall, at all times,
counter-balance the weight of the eccentric and its attachments. A governor so
constructed, has a less number of working joints, and allows the use of a heavy
spring, and the engine can be governed more closely than has heretofore been the
case.
4th The valve gear of the engine is operated by means of a shifting eccentric on
the main shaft controlled by the governor, and so arranged as to maintain a
constant lead and cut off at each end of the stroke, when the eccentric is changed
from one position to another to vary the cut off.
Fifth. The slide valve is constructed so as to be balanced and is provided with
ledges or projections in the exhaust channel or passages, and in such relation to the
exhaust openings that a double passage way on each side of the valve is formed, to
properly control the exit of the exhaust steam, and thereby prevent the cutting or
wearing away of the cover plate by the action of the steam upon it.
Sixth: The cross head is attached by fastening the cross head pin firmly in the
connecting rod and so requiring it to work in bearings in the cross head, and
further in so shaping the bearings of the pin where it works in the crosshead and
the surfaces in which it works, that two cylindrical bearing surfaces may at all
times be provided.
Seventh. The journal box is solid and the bearings therein can be easily adjusted
to compensate for wear and will prevent pounding, without the danger of producing
undue bending and friction.
Eighth. The valve and piston rods are packed by means of a metallic packing so
arranged as to follow the motion of the rod in any direction and to have but little
friction thereon.
That my invention may be fully understood I will now proceed to describe the
same more in detail, by the aid of the accompanying drawings which form part of
this specification.
Fig. 1. shows an elevation of a straight line engine formed according to my
invention.
Fig 2 is a vertical section thereof.
Fig 3 is a horizontal section through the centre of the cylinder and shaft.
Fig 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the piston rod and metallic packing
used to make it steam tight.
Fig 5 shows an elevation of one form of slide valve which can be used with my
engine,
Fig 6 is a section of the valve chest and valve.
Fig 7. is an elevation of the fly wheel, showing the shifting eccentric and its
relation to the governor, eccentric rod, and rocker arm, which operate the valve of
the engine.
Fig 8. is a diagram explanatory of the action of the valve actuating mechanism,
Fig 9. is an elevation of my governor as attached to the fly wheel and shifting
cccentric.
Fig 10 is a sectional view of the same.
Fig 11 is a sectional view of the pivotal joint.
Fig 12 is a horizontal section of the cross head with the pin in plan.
Fig 13 is an elevation of the cross head with an end view of the pin.
Fig 14. shows a portion of the connecting rod with the pin in section.

page_text: Fig 15 is a vertical section of the valve chest and longitudinal section through
the valve, its seat and cover.
Fig 16. is a plan of the valve with a portion of the cover broken away to show
the openings.
Fig 17 is an end view of the journal box.
Fig 18 is a longitudinal section thereof.
Figs 19 and 20 are respectively, a longitudinal and transverse section of the
solid box.
Figs 21 and 23 represent respectively a side view and transverse section of one
of the cheek pieces.
Figs 23. 24 and 25 are plan, edge and end views of the key or wedge which is
employed between the thick edges of the the cheek pieces. In the drawings, similar
letters of reference are used to indicate the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated. One general arrangement or form of my Improved Straight Line Steam
Engine is shown in Figs 1. 2 and 3, in which A designates the straight line
supporting frame and B, the self adjusting points of support.
The object of forming the frame with straight lines and supporting it as shown,
is as before stated, to make it self contained or in other words, to so transmit the
strains occurring when the engine is in operation that they shall be directed in
straight lines from power to resistance-and in order to accomplish such a result,
I have designed the frame with two arms fastened to a single bearing or support,
at the cylinder end, and diverging in straight lines to the double support of the
main bearings. By this arrangement I am enabled to place the fly wheel C
between the main bearings, and thus equally distribute its weight.
The fly wheel is split through from side to side and the crank D placed between
the two halves the bosses of the two half wheel making the throws of the crank-
thus making a built up crank which can be exactly counter weighted. The
advantage of this construction is, that the power is applied to the wheel without
going through the main bearings, and the counter weight acting directly, will not
tend to bend the main shaft.
E is the connecting rod attached at one end to the crank D, and at the other
end at the cross head F shown in detail in Figs 12, 13 and 14. G represents the
steam cylinder placed between the ends of the main frame, and supported upon a
single point of support, and so arranged that the power applied to the piston and
the main shaft acts in a straight line, and in the centre of the frame.
Hrepresents the piston, which, it will be seen is very long and light, and has a
large wearing surface in proportion to the weight, thus preventing it from
ricocheting through the cylinder. This form also requires less packing to prevent
leakage of steam. As there is but a narrow wall of metal in the piston, in which
to secure the piston rod, it is made fast by forming a hole in the centre, made
conical at each end, and having a parallel thread in the centre. Into this hole the
rod is screwed, when the piston is red hot.
The conical shoulders prevent the rods being forced in, and the thread from
being drawn out, and the shrink fit from unscrewing. The rod instead of being
parallel, as is usual, is reduced at each end, for the same purpose that cylinders
are counter bored. This reducing the ends of the rod, serves another purpose.
Watever spring may occur, will be sure to take place within the reduced ends,
leaving the body of the rod straight. The piston rod I is packed by the metallic
packing J, shown in detail in Fig 4, which consists of a sleeve J. made of Bablit
inetal, the hole therein, being from five to six one thousandths of an inch larger
than the rod and from six to seven diameters in length.
A spherical hub J' on the sleeve, fits into a plane concave brass ring, the plain
side of which, rests upon a flat seat, so that the sleeve is free to move in any
direction. It is held in place by the steam pressure and a split washer J at its
outer end, and held up from the rod by a slight spring just rigid enough to sustain

page_text: the weight, so that the device is simply a round rod passing back and forth
through a similarly shaped hole, without contact.
K. Fig 1 represents the governor which is more fully shown and described in
Figs 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. It serves to shift the eccentric L and regulate the throw
of the valve M, by means of the eccentric rod N, rocker arm O which is pivoted to
the main frame at 01 (Fig 1) and valve rod P. Figs 7 and 8, Sheet 2 explain the
action of the valve gear and shifting eccentric.
I have shown two forms of slide valve-the simple form as in Figs. 5 and 6. and
a balance valve at Figs 15 and 16.
Referring now to Figs 5 and 6 which represent a simple form of slide valve.
The valve M. consists simply of a rectangular iron plate. M¹ is the face of the
valve and M is the cover plate. M³ represents two metal strips, which form a
rectangular opening within which the valve moves frictionless-the operation
being the same as with the piston valve, with the advantages that wear may be
compensated for, water may escape from the cylinder without causing damage and
the wearing down of the valve does not cause a leak at the top.
Referring to Figs 7 and 8 which illustrate the valve gear and valve operating
mechanism according to my invention: The object of this device is the use of a
shifting eccentric on the main shaft of an engine, by the governor without. the
disturbing the lead of the slide valve, and it consists in arranging the parts in such
a manner that the eccentric may be shifted by the governor, when the crank is at
either dead centre, without giving perceptible motion to the rocker-arm which
operates the valve.
In the old devices far operating the slide valves of engines, it has not been
possible, so far as I know to maintain a constant lead, and cut off at each end of
the stroke, when the eccentric is changed from one position to another to vary the
cut off. By my arrangement of the relative positions of the operating devices, this
object is accomplished.
Referring to Fig 7, the shifting eccentric is shown at L surrounding the shaft I
and it is pivoted to the fly wheel at 2 in such a position as to be free to
move across the shaft, and be operated by the governor K which is connected
to the opposite side of the eccentric at 3 by the link 4 or by any other operating
device.
At N is the eccentric rod leading to the rocker arm O, the other end of which
arm is attached to the valve rod of the engine, at P. The essential feature of my
arrangement of the devices, consists in so placing the rocker arm or extending the
length of the eccentric that a line drawn through the centre of the eccentric and
another line drawn through the centre of the pivot to which the eccentric rod is
attached, and the centre of the rock shaft will always maintain an acute angle as
plainly shown by the diagram at Fig 8 of the drawings, in which the shaft of the
engine is shown at a dead centres 6 and 6¹ or with the piston at the end of its
stroke.
the
At c is shown the position of the eccentric rod when the crank is at b and c¹
shows its position when the crank is at the opposite end at 61. The circle at d
shows the path of the eccentric when at its greatest throw and the circle at e,
path of the eccentric at its least throw. The centre of the eccentric in changing
from its greatest to its least throw, will move from f to f', when the crank is at b
Consequently from this it will be seen that the eccentric may be shifted when the
crank is at either dead centre, without giving perceptible motion to the rocker arm
and consequently to the valve, and therefore a shifting eccentric can be used without
disturbing the lead of the valve.
It will be seen that the line c drawn from the rocker arm to the eccentric, when
in mid position, is parallel to the dotted line c¹ drawn from the end of the rocker
arm to the centre of the eccentric, when it is diametrically opposite to its first
position. This arrangement permits the eccentric to be shifted from its greatest
throw which gives steam three fourths of the stroke, to its least throw, which only

page_text: equals the lap of the valve, enables the governor to perfectly control the engine,
cutting off practically alike at both ends of the stroke, and as the governor so
arranged is very powerful and the work it has to perform very light it is possible
to so adjust it that an uniformity of speed will be reached which very nearly
approaches a perfect isochronism.
Before
Figs 9. 10, and 11, show the governing device which is similar to that shown in
Fig 7, the positions being somewhat altered for the purpose of illustration.
proceeding to a description in detail I would remark that in most fly wheel
governors, a certain defect exists and when that defect :as been remedied it has
been done at the expense of additional pieces.
The defect mentioned is that of some unbalanced portion of the mechanism,
usually the eccentric tending to fall toward the shaft when above it, and away
from the shaft when below it thus constantly disturbing the position of the
eccentric, and unnecessarily wearing the pivots and causing the cut-off to vary
at the two ends of the cylinder. So well known and objectionable is this feature,
that inventors have added weights and levers to neutralize it My construction is
intended to obviate all these objections; and consists chiefly in combining the
eccentric with a single governing weight or ball mounted on one end of a lever
which is pivoted to the fly wheel at a point in a line at, or nearly at a right angle
to another line passing through the pivot of the eccentric and the centre of the
shaft, and thus connecting the other end of said lever by a link to a projection on
the eccentric opposite to its pivoted connection with the fly wheel in such a
manner that the weight of the ball and its lever, at all times counter-balances
the weight of the eccentric and its attachments as will hereinafter appear.
In Fig 9 at C is represented the fly wheel upon which the eccentric L is mounted
and connected by a pivot, as at 2.
The actuating or governing weight is shown at 5, mounted on a lever, 6 which is
pivoted to a fly wheel at 9 in a line which forms a right angle or nearly so with a
line passing through the pivot of the eccentric and the shaft of the fly wheel, and
the other end of said lever is connected by a link as at 8 to a projection 3 of the
eccentric; so that the vibrations of the weight or ball are simultaneous with the
vibrations of the eccentric, and exactly opposite each other. Consequently if they
are properly weighted, they will counter balance each other in whatever position
the fly wheel may be placed.
To produce the governing action, or to give the required resistance at the
eccentric, a spring 2 is mounted upon the fly wheel, and its free end is attache 1
by a link 4 to the projection on the eccentric-and thus acts to force the eccentric
over to its extreine point of eccentricity.
It is evident that this spring may be attached to the opposite side of the fly
wheel, and may be connected to the lever or actuating weight in any other
convenient manner to serve as a counter agent, and it may also be of different
form as a spiral or volute as the joints at R. K in the links which couple the ends
of the lever to the eccentric, and the eccentric to the spring, are subject to great
pressure with slight movement. The form of joint shown at Fig 11 has been
adopted. The holes in the end of the link: 8, 4, are made larger than the pins
which they embrace, and within these holes are secured flat pieces of tempered
steel, 9, with their working faces at, right angles with the line of pressure When
the pressure is brought to bear on the links, the pins are held firmly against the
flat steel faces and as the movement takes place in the levers, the pins roll thus
substituting rolling for sliding friction. Figs 12, 13, 14 show the details of the
cross head.
The portion of the connecting rod T for holding the pin is formed in the usual
manner with a round hole for the pins and with a slot on the under side and a
binding screw at u to compress it firmly; but to efficiently prevent the pin from
turning in the rod a flat key at g is introduced through the slot and its inner e:.d
extends into a groove in the pin as at L. Said key is held in nosition by the

page_text: binding screw passing through it. The result of this construction is that instead
of the pin being permitted to move in the connecting rod at each reciprocation and
where it has comparatively a small bearing surface it is made to work in long
bearing surfaces in the cross head as shown at i.j Fig 12. These I usually make
of cast iron by boring a hole for the pin in the casting of the crosshead to
compensate for the wearing of the bearing, following blocks K may be inserted
in the cross head and adjusted by the set screws but as the cross head pins are
subject to wear on two sides only the consequence is that free play is given in
one direction, while a close fit is had at a right angle to it and when the lost motion
is taken up by closing the box; the result is an oval pin working in an oval hole
thereby causing a binding action. This defect may be overcome by removing a
portion of the bearing surfaces of the pin, and those in the cross head as shown
at mn Fig 13. Or in other words forming a recess in the pin and cross-head,
nearly or quite equal to the extent that they do not have any working action
But, as it is evident the under side of the pin has more to do than the upper owing
to the weight of the connecting rod, it should be cut away the least, as also that
part of the bearing in the cross heads, and the extent of these reductions may be
easily determined by observing the reciprocation of the pin in its bearing and then
removing the metal to such an extent that the working surfaces will overlap or
pass each other at every reciprocation as the slides are required to do, on all
properly constructed machines.
The result of which is that the entire working surfaces are subjected to the same
wear throughout, and in the case of the pins, will continue to preserve their true
cylindrical form. At the upper extremities of these recesses vertical oil holes are
formed in the head as at o and p to conduct oil to the bearings from a hole in the
upper slide, as at 7, by which the working bearings may be oiled without stopping
the engine.
Another feature of value in the construction of such pins, consists in making
them a little shorter than the width of the cross head, as shown at s. t. Fig 12.
and then forming a slight groove around the pin at each side of the connecting rod,
as shown at u. The width of the groove being less than the space for it to work
in the cross head so that the pin can work slightly edge wise, and in conformity
with the same rule as for all sliding surfaces already explained. The result of such
a feature, is that two combined motions prevent the formation of grooves in the
bearing surfaces, and greatly add to their durability, especially in the case of high
speed engines.
Figs 15 and 16 show the balanced slide valve. The particular features in
connection with the same consist in the forming ledges or projections in the
exhaust channels or passages, and in such relation to the exhaust openings, that
a double passage way on each side of the valve is formed to properly control the
exit of the exhaust steam, and thereby prevent the cutting or wearing away of
the cover-plate by the action of the steam on it, as has heretofore been the case.
At 7. Fig 16. is shown the seat. V is the valve and W. the cover plate 10 are
the bearing ribs for supporting the cover and they also serve as guides for the
valves a¹. a are ledges in the exhaust passage way and assist in protecting the
cover plate d¹ and d are the ports and x and x are the steam channels from
the ends of the cylinder e¹ and e² are channels in the cover plate, through which a
portion of the exhaust passes and escapes between the ledges and the cover plate.
For example as the valve is represented in the drawings part of the exhaust passes.
out through the opening at a² and through the channel at e¹ in the cover plate and
around the ledge at a¹ and there meets the other portion of the exhaust on the
other side of the ledge, thus counter balancing the action of the steam on the under
side of the cover plate but it is evident that the steam begins to exhaust through
the opening at d³ and out through the channel e' in the cover plate, and then as
the valve moves the exhaust is divided as shown,

page_text: Figs 17 to 25 show the solid journal box A' represents said solid journal box in
the form of a cylindrical shell having an eccentric circular bore, B' B₁ denote cheek
pieces having segmental inner and outer faces, the latter of which correspond to
the concavity of the shell A' and the inner face is eccentric to the outer face. Said
cheek pieces are applied to the interior or bore of the solid shell A¹ with the thick
portion of the former on the thin portion of the said shell, so as to bring the inner
faces of the cheek pieces concentric with the exterior of the external shell A¹ and
thus maintain the shaft in line.
The interior of the thick or bottom portion of the shell A' is provided in its
centre with a longitudinal spline or feather against which the thin edges of the
cheek pieces B¹ Babut, the latter being thus maintained uniformly distributed on
opposite sides of the journal box, which feature is very essential inasmuch as it
serves to retain the interior of the cheek pieces in concentricity with the shaft, and
prevents either of the cheek pieces from crowding against the shaft. Between the
adjacent thick edges of the cheek pieces is inserted a key or wedge D¹ by means of
which the cheek pieces are held firinly seated on the spline C¹.
Between the spline and adjacent thin edges of the cheek pieces are interposed
liners F¹ of type metal or other suitable material, and when the cheek pieces
become worn by the friction of the shaft revolving thereon, a sufficient number of
the liners are removed from their aforesaid position and placed by the side of the
wedge D1 thus causing the cheek pieces to move towards the bottom of the box and
thereby take up the play and become properly seated to prevent pounding of the
bearings on the shaft.
By proper care of the aforesaid adjustment all dangers of the bearings of the
check pieces becoming unduly bound or tightened on the shaft so as to cause the
parts to become heated by friction, are obviated. After all the liners have been
shifted, as aforesaid, strips of considerable width can be cut from the lower edges
of the cheek pieces and other liners introduced at the sides of the spline so as to
get additional wear out of the cheek pieces.
E represents a lubricating ring employed to return the oil from the frip pocket
to the top of the shaft; the operation thereof being well understood and needs no
detail description. It will be observed that by the described construction and
combination of parts, I obtain a solid box which cannot give way, or get loose, and
is devoid of joints for the escape of the lubricant either at the bottom or sides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The arrangement or combination of parts forming an automatic cut off steam
engine, in which the several parts are so located relatively to each other that all
strains shall be directed in a straight line from power to resistance substantially as
described.
2nd In automatic cut off steam engines the general arrangement or combination
of parts hereinbefore described, with reference to Figs 1. 2. and 3 and the
accompanying drawings.
3rd A frame for supporting the working parts of steam engines in which all the
lines through which strains are transmitted shall bo straight lines, and said frame
supported on three self adjusting points of support.
4th A frame for supporting the working parts of a steam engine, narrow on the
end at which the cylinder is located, and supported by a single point of support,
and diverging from the cylinder as two arms to two points of support which form
the main bearing and between which the fly wheel is located.
5th. In steam engines the general arrangement of parts wherein the main shaft
is connected to the bosses of the fly wheel and counter balanced.
Gth. The general combination with the piston and valve rods of a steam engine
of the metallic packing as described and as shown at Fig 4.

page_text: 7th In a reciprocating steam engine, the combination of a shifting eccentric with
an ordinary slide valve having an eccentric rod and rocker arm, arranged
relatively to each other in such a manner that the eccentric may be shifted when
the crank is at two diametrically opposite points without any perceptible change
of motion being imparted to the valve, as hereinbefore set forth.
8th The combination of the shifting eccentric, eccentric-rod, and rocker arm with
a governor for operating the slide valve of a steam engine, as hereinbefore set
forth.
9th In a fly wheel governor for steam engines the combination of the eccentric
with a single acting governing weight or ball by suitable intermediate devices,
whereby the gravitating action of the said governing weight is counter balanced by
the eccentric as and for the purposes set forth.
10 In steam engines the combination of the eccentric L. actuating and counter
balancing weight or ball 5, centrally-pivoted lever 6, and link 8 with the fly
wheel C all as set forth.
11th In steam engines the combination of the fly wheel C, eccentric L, counter
balancing weight or ball 5, centrally pivoted lever 6, link 8, and spring 2 as
described.
12th. In steam engines a governor of the form described and having pivotal joints
formed of a circular pin or bearing resting on a plain surface combined with the
arms of the governor and the arms of the eccentric, so related that a parallel motion
is produced and a rolling action is given to the pins on their bearing surfaces, as
herein before set forth.
13th In a reciprocating rod for connecting a crosshead to a crank of steam
engines the combination of the cylindrical pin, corresponding strap, binding screw
and key for holding the pin firmly in the connecting rod as described.
14th In steam engines the combination of the connecting rod, a recessed pin, and
recessed bearings in the crosshead as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
15th In steam engines the combination of the recessed pin, recessed bearings in
the cross head, and one or more oil holes through the upper portion of the cross
head as described.
16th In steam engines a cross head pin firmly fastened in the connecting rod
with a groove on each side of the rod and with spaces between the rod and the
cross head for the pin to work endwise, as herein before set forth.
17th. The general arrangement and combination in a balanced slide valve for
steam engines, of the steam passages and channels and the deflecting ledges as
described and fully shown in Fig 15.
18th In a slide valve for steam engines the combination of the passages d' d²
channel e¹ and e² in the cover plate and the ledges a¹ and a for deflecting the
exhaust steam substantially as shown and described.
19th In steam engines a journal box comprising a solid shell having a circular
bore and eccentric cheek pieces applied to the said box, substantially as described
and shown in the drawings.
20th In steam engines a journal box composed of an external solid cylindrical
shell having an eccentric circular bore and internal cheek pieces having segmental
inner and outer faces eccentric in relation to each other and placed with their thick
portions on the thin portions of the aforesaid shell substantially as shown and set
forth.
21st. In steam engines a journal box comprising a solid shell having a central
bore, a spline on the bottom portion of said bore, and eccentric check pieces applied
to the said bore and sustained by their abutting on the siline substantially as
specified.
a
22 In a journal box for steam engines the combination of a solid shell having
circular bore, eccentric cheek pieces applied to such bore, a wedge or key inserted
between the thick edges of the cheek pieces and liners removably interposed
between the adjacent thin edges of the cheek pieces substantially as described.

page_text: 23rd In a journal box for steam engines the combination of a solid shell having
a circular bore, eccentric cheek pieces applied to said bore, a spline or feather
secured to said shell between the thin edges of the cheek pieces, and liners
removably inserted between the aforesaid feathers and adjacent edges of the cheek
pieces and substantially as shown and set forth.
24th In a journal box for steam engines the combination of a solid shell having
a circular bore eccentric cheek pieces applied to said bore a spline in the bottom
portion of the bore liners interposed between said spline and the thin edges of the
cheek pieces and a wedge inserted between the thick edges of the cheek pieces all
constructed and combined in the manner specified and shown.
Dated this 20th day of August 1884.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.