IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oswald Rose, of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES."
Sealed the 22nd October 1869, and dated the 29th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Oswald Rose at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th April 1869.
I, OSWALD ROSE, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My improvements apply to that class of steam engine where four
separate and distinct valves are used, two for the immission and two
for the emission of the steam to and from the cylindor.
Firstly. My improvements consist in using a small stcam piston and
cylinder, which may be combined with what is termed a "dash pot," for
suddenly closing each immission valve or for suddenly opening each
emission valve when so arranged that the steam can be admitted and
exhausted from the said small cvlinder through ports in its piston and

page_text: cylinder at each movement thereof.
Also the use of such small
cylinders and pistons for the above-named purpose when each small
cylinder is connected by a pipe with its own end of the cylinder of the
engine, by which arrangement the pressure for suddenly closing the
immission valve will only come upon each small piston when admitted
into the large cylinder a little before the valve is opened to its largest
extent, and the pressure for suddenly opening the emission valves will
come upon the small pistons a little after it is closed. For condensing
engines that side of the small piston not acted upon by the pressure of
the steam in the large cylinder may be connected with the condenser,
or an opening for the escape of air from the "dash pot" may have a
small valve applied to it to allow air to escape but prevent its return,
the air being admitted by an opening uncovered by the movement of the
small piston. By this means the pressure of the atmosphere will not act
to move the small piston while the cylinder is in communication with
the condenser.
Secondly. My improvements consist in applying one or more spiral
springs for giving the sudden closing or the sudden opening movement
to each valve of steam engines, especially where such valves are of the
oscillatory or partial rotary class, the uncoiling movement of this spiral
spring being made to act directly upon the valve shaft or spindle to
produce the requisite back oscillation. The spring may be arranged so
that its tension can be readily adjusted by attaching one end to a disc
or ring made to turn round the valve spindle.
Thirdly. My improvements consist in actuating the immission valves
of steam engines by a rotatory sliding or cone cam adjustable by hand
or connected with a governor and combined with weights, springs, or
other suitable means for suddenly closing the valve. The said cam is
so shaped that when it is slided or when the part upon which it acts
is moved one way in the direction of the axis of the cam the valve will
be released and closed at an earlier part of the stroke, and when moved
in the other direction at a later part of the stroke.
Fourthly. My improvements consist in working the emission valves
of steam engines by cams or other means to close slowly in the ordinary
manner, but to open suddenly by a weight or spring, or by steam, air, or
other elastic medium.
Fifthly. My improvements consist in the arrangement and combina-
tion of mechanism for actuating the valves of steam engines. A shaft

page_text: is arranged at one side of the cylinder and midway of its length, and the
axis of the shaft is placed at a right angle to the axis of the cylinder,
and upon this shaft a sliding cam of varying form is placed for working
both immission valves, one on on each side of it. This cam is connected
with the governor so as to be slided upon the shaft as the governor
expands and contracts. I prefer to use this shaft for the governor in
engines with horizontal cylinders, the movements of the governor being
transmitted by an adjustable rod passing down the hollow of the shaft.
On the said shaft a cam or excentric is fixed for actuating the emission
valves. The said shaft is geared with the crank shaft of the engine.
I prefer to work the valves in my improved combination and arrange-
ment by spiral springs, as described under the second part of my
improvements, using air "dash pots" to prevent the shock of sudden
closing. With this arrangement the cams act first upon the valves at
one end and then upon those at the other end of the cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Oswald Rose in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OSWALD
ROSE, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Oswald Rose, Her special license
that I, the said Oswald Rose, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Oswald Rose, 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, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Oswald Rose, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In.

page_text: vention, 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 Oswald Rose, 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 in and by
the following statement and the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say) :-
Firstly. My improvements consist in using a small steam piston and
cylinder, which may be combined with what is termed a "dash pot," for
suddenly closing each immission valve or for suddenly opening each
emission valve when so arranged that the steam can be admitted and
exhausted from the said small cylinder through ports in its piston and
cylinder at each movement thereof.
Secondly. My improvements consist in applying one or more spiral
springs (all the coils of each spring being in the same plane) for giving
the sudden closing movement to each immission valve, or the sudden
opening movement to each emission valve of steam engines, especially
where such valves are of the oscillatory or partial rotary class, the
uncoiling movement of this spiral spring being made to act directly
upon the valve shaft or spindle to produce the requisite back oscillation.
The spring may be arranged so that its tension can be readily adjusted
by attaching one end to a disc or ring made to turn round the valve
spindle.
Thirdly. My improvements consist in actuating the immission valves
of steam engines by a rotatory sliding cam adjustable by hand or con-
nected with a governor, and combined with weights, springs, or other
suitable means for suddenly closing the valve. The said cam is so
shaped that when it is slided or when the part upon which it acts is
moved one way in the direction of the axis of the cam the valve will be
released and closed at an earlier part of the stroke, and when moved in
the other direction to a later part of the stroke.
Fourthly. My improvement consist in working the emission valves of
steam engines by cams or other means to close slowly in the ordinary
manner, but to open suddenly by a weight or spring, or by steam, air, or
other clastic medium.

page_text: Fifthly. My improvements consist in the arrangement and combination
of mechanism for actuating the valves of steam engines. A shaft is
arranged at one side of the cylinder and midway of its length, and the
axis of the shaft is placed at a right angle to the axis of the cylinder,
and upon this shaft a sliding cam of varying form is placed for working
both immission valves, one on each side of it. This cam is connected
with the governor so as to be slided upon the shaft as the governor
expands and contracts. I prefer to use this shaft for the governor in
engines with horizontal cylinders, the movements of the governor being
transmitted by an adjustable rod passing down the hollow of the shaft;
but for vertical cylinders the cam and governor may be connected by a
different arrangement of transmitting mechanism. On the said shaft a
cam or excentric is also fixed for actuating the emission valves. The
said shaft is geared with the crank shaft of the engine. I prefer to work
the valves in my improved combination and arrangement by spiral
springs, as described under the second part of my improvements, using
air "dash pots to prevent the shock of sudden closing. With this
arrangement the cams act first upon the valves at one end and then
upon those at the other end of the cylinder.
Fig. 1 is a side view of an horizontal steam engine cylinder repre-
senting in section the arrangement and application of the mechanism for
suddenly opening and closing the valves according to the first part of my
Invention. Only one-half of the steam cylinder is shewn with the
mechanism of the immission and emission valves for one end of the
cylinder, that for the other end of the cylinder being a duplicate
of it.
a is the oscillating spindle of the immission valves; a¹ an arm secured
on the end of the spindle to which one end of a piston rod (a²) is jointed,
as shown, this piston rod being in two parts connected by a right and
left handed screw coupling (a*), so that the length of the rod may be
adjusted to the required position of the immission valve. The piston
rod (a) passes through a stuffing box at one end of a small cylinder (a³)
secured to the cylinder (a) and then out of the other end of the cylinder
through a bush gland. The piston rod (a²) has a broad piston (a*)
secured upon it, and in the piston a small port (a) is formed, which
comes opposite a port (a) in the small cylinder at the end of each sudden
movement of the piston, allowing the steam in the small cylinder to
exhaust and pass away through a suitable pipe (@). When the piston

page_text: makes its slow forward movement the exhaust port (a) is covered and
another port (a) is uncovered, through which steam enters that may be
brought by a small pipe (a) from any convenient source.
The pressure
of the steam gives the sudden return movement to the piston when the
spindle is released, by which movement the steam port (as) is covered
and the exhaust port (a) is uncovered at the end of the movement.
That end of the small cylinder (a³) without stuffing box is termed the
dash pot, and air is allowed to enter through one or more small holes
during the slow movement of the piston to act as a cushion or buffer to
prevent percussion or shock at the end of the return sudden movement
of the piston, the air which can escape through the small hole or holes
checking the blow. The mechanism connected with the arm (6') secured
upon the oscillating spindle (b) of the emission valve is similar to that
above described, and will be readily understood as the same letters of
reference are repeated upon the same parts. Only the immission and
emission valve mechanism for one end of the main cylinder has been
referred to, as that at the other end is the same, and therefore requires
no further description. The piston rod (a) and thus the valves are
actuated by cams (fand g) on a shaft (e), as will be more fully under-
stood from the explanation of the improvements to be herein-after
described. The arrangement of small cylinder piston and dash pot'
above described are applicable and may be used when the immission and
emission valves are actuated by excentric and escapement mechanism
instead of rotating cams. The manner of carrying into effect the
second, third, and fourth parts of my improvements will be explained in
describing the improved arrangement and combination of mechanism
forming the fifth part of my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a side clevation of a horizontal steam engine cylinder. a are
the oscillating valve spindles of the two immission valves, one at cach
end, and (b) those of the emission valves. These valve spindles in
coming from the valve box pass through a stuffing box, as shewn by
the detached and enlarged side view, Fig. 4. The end of each valve
spindle (a) extends outwards, and works in a bearing formed or carried
by a bracket (c) from the cover of the valve box. Upon the bearing
carried by the bracket a disc is formed, to which a circular box or
cover (c) is fitted, as shown by the detached view, Fig. 5, which is a
front view of Fig. 4. To the end of each oscillatory valve spindle an
arm (a) is secured, and to the boss of this arm one end of a spiral

page_text: spring (d) is secure, as shewn, or in any other convenient manner, the
other end of the spring being attached to the inside of the circular
cover (c'), the spring being applied so that its uncoiling action will give
the required sudden movement to the valve spindle.
Figure 3 shews an enlarged detached side view, partly in section, of
the arrangement of the spiral spring (d) according to the second part of
my Invention, and the piston rod (a), piston (a), and 'dash pot' (a),
which is connected with each valve. The circular cover (c') can be
turned round the oscillating spindle (a) of the valve to adjust the tension
of the spring, the concentric slots (c) in the disc for the bolts (c) being
provided for making this adjustment. To the arm (a) upon each oscil-
lating valve spindle one end of a piston rod (a²) is jointed, and the other
end passes through and slides freely in a guide part projecting from the
dash pot' (a), secured to the steam cylinder (x), the piston (a') on
the rod (a) fitting the small cylinder (a³), and acting as a buffer, as
hercin-before described in reference to Figure 1. The 'dash pot,' piston,
and rods for the immision valves may be made in two parts, connected
by a right and left handed screw coupling (a*) to allow of adjustment.
Midway of the length of the steam cylinder a vertical shaft (e) is
arranged in suitable bearings, and this shaft is rotated through bevel
wheels by a shaft (e) driven by the crank shaft of the engine, the
vertical shaft (e) rotating at the same speed as the crank shaft. An
enlarged detached and part sectional view of this shaft and connected
parts is shown by Figure 6, and a cross section of it at A, B, by Figure 7.
The shaft is hollow, and is formed in two parts connected together by a
coupling (e), as shown. The upper end of the shaft carries an ordinary
governor, to the sliding boss (e³) of which a rod (e) is secured by a
cotter passing through a slot in the sliding boss (e³), the hollow shaft (e),
and the rod (e). This rod is in two parts, connected by a long right
and left handed screw coupling (e), as shown, the exterior of this
coupling being formed hexagonal or like a screw nut, so as to fit and
slide freely through a corresponding hole in a wheel (e) arranged in the
coupling (e) between the two ends of the shaft (e), this wheel gearing
with a pinion (e) on a vertical shaft (es) having bearings in the coupling,
which shaft can be rotated by means of squares on its ends, and a suitable
key to adjust the length of the rod (e'). The lower end of the rod is
connected by means of a cotter passing through it and through a slot in
the hollow shaft, with a cam (f) of peculiar shape, which can while

page_text: rotating with the shaft be slided freely up and down. An end view of
this cam is shown by Figure 8, with a cross section of the hollow shaft (e)
and rod (e). This cam is shaped from end to end as shewn in Figure 8,
but one part of it is cut away diagonally, as shown in Figures 1, 2,
and 6, so that when the part acted upon has been forced outwards to its
full extent it will be released sooner or later according to the position
of the cam in relation to the part acted upon. The most elevated part
of the cam is undercut, as shown in Figure 8, so as to be clear of the
part acted upon when it is suddenly forced back by the spring; this
cam acts upon the "dash pot" piston rod (a) of the immission valves
at each revolution, first on one and then the other, so that by varying
the position of the sliding cam the time of cutting off the steam to the
cylinders is regulated, and this is done self-acting by the arrangement
described. When the speed of the engine increases above that fixed
upon the governor will slide the cam upwards, and this will release the
"dash pot" piston rod (a²) sooner, and allow the spring to shut the
valve, and vice versa, when the speed of the engine decreases. Other
arrangements of mechanism may be employed to connect the governor
with the sliding cam, and the governor may be placed in any convenient
position; for example, the cam (f) may be slided to and fro on the
shaft (e) by a clutch fork arrangement, or any other convenient means,
and for steam engines having vertical cylinders the regulation of the
cam (f) by the governor may be made by a bell-crank clutch lever, as
illustrated by Figure 10, in which e is the shaft, f the sliding
cam, the bell-crank clutch lever having its fulcrum at f,
and a rod with adjustable screw coupling f* connected with the
governor. The emission valves are arranged and actuated like the
immission valves, except that the cam (g) (a detached enlarged end
view of which is shewn by Figure 9) is fixed upon the shaft (e), and it
is formed to shut the valve slowly and to allow the spiral spring to open
it suddenly at the end of the stroke.
I may remark that spiral springs, according to the second part of my
improvements, may be used when other mechanism is employed than
that above described for actuating the valves; also that a different
arrangement of mechanism may be employed in combination with the
peculiar cam according to the third part of my Invention, and a different
arrangement and combination of mechanism to that described may be
used in carrying out the fourth part of my Invention; I therefore do not

page_text: confine myself to the particular arrangement described, so long as the
peculiar features of my Invention are retained; but claim as my
Invention,―
Firstly. The use of small cylinders for giving the sudden movement to
inmission or emission valves of steam engines when steam is admitted
and exhausted at each movement, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The use and application of one or more spiral springs, the
coils of the spring being all in the same plane, for giving the sudden
movement to valves of steam engines, and the mode of arranging and
combining such springs with the spindles of oscillating valves, and of
adjusting the tension thereof, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings.
Thirdly. The use of a rotating cam of the character herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings for actuating the immission
valves of steam engines when such valves are suddenly closed by springs
or other suitable means.
Fourthly. The system or mode of closing emission valves of steam
engines slowly, and the sudden opening of these valves by a spring,
steam, or other elastic medium, or by weight or vacuum, combined with
a rotating cam or other suitable mechanism, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Fifthly. The combination and arrangement of the mechanism for
actuating the valves of steam engines, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by Figures 2 to 11 inclusive; also the said
combination and arrangement, when in place of the cam (g) an
excentric is used to actuate the emission valves in the ordinary manner.
In witness whercof, I, the said Oswald Rose, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
OSWALD ROSE. (L.S.)