Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 15th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
We, RESTAL RATSEY BEVIS the Younger, of Boundary Road, Bidstone, Birkenhead,
in the County of Chester, Engineer, and JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL, of No. 37,
Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Compound steam engines have been constructed for double, triple, and other
multiple expansion, and it has been usual to locate a throttle valve in the steam pipe
whereby live, or high pressure steam has been fed to the high pressure cylinder or
cylinders. With such an arrangement, assuming the steam supply to be cut off, the
high pressure piston will still be propelled by expansion of the high pressure steam
already in the high pressure cylinder, and likewise the steam in the succeeding
cylinder or cylinders may act upon their respective pistons notwithstanding the
shutting off of the steam ás mentioned.
Now our invention has for object to more effectually control the working of such
engines, for which purpose we provide a butterfly or double beat throttle valve or
valves capable of being caused to wholly or only partially close the steam way
between cylinders exhausting one into another in such a manner that, by closing or
partial closing of the said throttle valve, back pressure may be produced by arresting
or throttling the exhaust of steam contained in the cylinder or cylinders in advance
of the throttle valve, and causing such steam to act as a cushion or brake at one side of
the piston or pistons, at the same time cutting off or throttling the supply of steam to
the succeeding cylinder or cylinders. The throttle valve or valves so applied may be
controlled by a governor of any suitable kind, or by hand. In some cases the throttle
valve or valves is or are so connected to the gear, whereby it is or they are operated
as to allow of what we may term a spring action of the valve, so that in the event of
the pressure against the valve exceeding a certain limit, it will partially open to
relieve the excess of pressure, after which it will automatically close.
The throttle valve or valves applied according to this invention may be used in
conjunction with the ordinary high pressure throttle valve or valves, or not, as
desired.
1001.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
We, RESTAL RATSEY BEVIS, the younger, of Boundary Road, Bidstone, Birken-
head, in the County of Chester, Engineer, and JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL, of
No. 37, Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following!
statement :-
Compound steam engines have been constructed for double, triple, and other
multiple expansion, and it has been usual to locate a throttle valve in the steam pipo
whereby live, or high pressure, steam has been fed to the high pressure cylinder or
cylinders. With such an arrangement assuming the steam supply to be cut off, the
high pressure piston will still be propelled by expansion of the high pressure steam
already in the high pressure cylinder, and likewise the steam in the succeeding
cylinder or cylinders will act upon the respective pistons notwithstanding the shutting
off of the steam as mentioned.
Now our invention has for object to more effectually control the working of such
engines for which purpose we provide a butterfly or double beat throttle valve or
valves capable of being caused to wholly or only partially close the steam way
between cylinders exhausting one into another in such a manner that by closing or
partial closing of the said throttle valve back pressure may be produced by arresting
or throttling the exhaust of steam contained in the cylinder or cylinders in advance
of the throttle valve, and causing such steam to act as a cushion or brake at one side
of the piston or pistons at the same time cutting off or throttling the supply of
steam to the succeeding cylinder or cylinders. The throttle valve or valves so
applied may be controlled by a governor of any suitable kind, or by hand. In some
cases the throttle valve or valves is or are so connected to the gear, whereby it is or
they are operated as to allow of what we may term a spring action of the valve, so
that in the event of the pressure against the valve exceeding a certain limit, it will
partially open to relieve the excess of pressure, after which it will automatically
close.
The throttle valve or valves applied according to this invention may be used in
conjunction with the ordinary high pressure throttle valve or valves, or not, as
desired.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively diagrammatic elevation and plan of a triple
expansion engine according to this invention, and show the general disposition of the
three cylinders, the governor, the throttle valve in the main steam pipe and the
partly balanced valve between the high pressure and the intermediate pressure
cylinders.
Fig. 3 is a plan showing so much of a compound engine as is necessary to illustrate
our invention,

page_text: Figs. 4 to 8 are details of the spring and locking gear through which the partly
balanced throttle valve located between the high pressure and one of the succeeding
cylinders is operated.
A, A', A are the cylinders of a multiple expansion engine. B is the governor by
which the throttle valve is operated when the speed of the engine exceeds a
determined amount. C is a throttle valve located in the main steam pipe and
controlling the flow of steam to the high pressure cylinder A, while D is a second
valve located in the pipe connecting the exhaust of the high pressure cylinder with
the steam chest of the next cylinder. This valve is partly balanced, but there is a
slight excess of area on one side, so that the flow of exhaust steam will tend to keep
the valve open. The valve C is worked by rods and levers from the rod E which is
connected to the piston rod of the governor B, and must follow the motions of the
governor piston. The valve D is operated through a spring locking gear (Figs. 4 to 8)
which permits the valve to automatically open a little when exposed to excessive
pressure. This locking gear is enclosed in a pipe F carried in brackets. Through
one end of this pipe works the rod G which is connected to the valve, and through the
other end works a rod E which is connected to the governor. The rod G ends in a
stirrup H through which there passes a rod I surrounded by a coiled spring Ķ and
carrying at its end a guide plate and adjusting nuts L by which the compression of
the spring K can be varied. The other end of the rod I is pinned into a block M which
also receives the end of the rod E. This rod is secured by a cotter N which works in
slots O in the block M and projects at one end. On the block M there are jaws which
carry the spindle P on which is fixed the ratchet arm Q and the finger R. The ratchet
arm is depressed, when the governor piston is pulling inward to close the throttle
valve, by a flat spring S, which rests on a block T secured to the rod E. U is a stop
fixed through the pipe F; it serves to retain the ratchet Q in a fixed position as herein-
after explained.
When the governor comes into operation to close the valve or valves it draws the
rod E in the direction of the arrow. The motion is communicated through the cotter N
and the block M to the rod I and through the spring K and stirrup H to the rod G
and shuts the valve D. The backward movement of the block M carries with it the
ratchet 2, one or other of whose teeth (depending upon the extent to which the governor
piston has been operated) engages with the stop U, and holds the block M stationary.
Should, however, the pressure on the exhaust side of the high pressure piston rise too
high the spring K will be compressed a little and the valve will open, thus preventing
the high pressure relief valve from blowing, but without affecting the position of the
high pressure throttle valve C. The valve D) will then return to its position as determined
by the governor.
When the speed of the engine falls to the normal and the piston of the governor
makes its return stroke to open the valves, the rod E moves forward releasing the
spring S until the cotter N meets the finger R and lifts the ratchet arm
the stop U, thereby leaving the connections free to move under the action of the
governor.
off
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner it is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
--
1. In a compound steam engine providing a throttle valve between successive
cylinders so arranged as to throttle the exhaust of one cylinder until it attains a
determined pressure, and then to automatically open substantially as described.
2. In a compound steam engine providing two throttle valves, one located in the
main steam pipe and operated positively by the governor, and the other located in
the exhaust pipe of one of the cylinders and operated through gear that permits it to
open when the exhaust steam attains a determined pressure substantially as described.
3. In a compound steam engine the combination with a governor and a throttle
valve located in the exhaust pipe of one of the cylinders, of a ratchet arm such as Q
adapted to lock the gear in a position determined by movement of the governor

page_text: and to unlock the gear when the governor commences to reverse its movement,
substantially as described.
4. In a compound steam engine having a throttle valve in the exhaust pipe of one
of the cylinders, the combination of the rod E, rod G, and spring K, substantially as
described.
5. In a compound steam engine the locking gear, constructed, arranged, and
operating substantially as described with reference to and shown in Figs. 4 to 8
inclusive of the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of November 1887.
J. D. CHURCHILL.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.