Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
We HENRY WOOD and NORMAN MACBETH both of the Victoria Foundry,
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to steam engines of the Corliss type-that is to say to
engines provided with Corliss valves or with trip valves or with valves of a like
nature and has for its object to obtain a compact disposition of the parts in the
cases of multiple expansion engines.
We cast cylinders in pairs the two cylinders in a pair having their axes or centre
lines converging upon the axial line of the crank shaft or we cast the cylinders
separately and bolt or secure them together so that their centre lines so converge.
The two cylinders in each casting or pair are arranged as closely together as is
compatible with the obtaining of suitable joints for the cylinder covers at the ends
nearest to the crank shaft.
The two connecting rods take hold of a common crauk or crank pin. The axial
lines of the two cylinders would not necessarily be on one plane making a right
angle with the axis of the crank shaft. By arranging the two cylinders out of line
we avoid the necessity for the use of a forked connecting rod and we obtain a
"square" face to carry parts of the valve gear. The valves both for induction
and eduction are situated on the outer sides of the centre lines of the cylinders so
as to have ample space and to be conveniently accessible.
6
An engine might have such a pair of cylinders combined with a single cylinder
or might have two pairs of cylinders, the combinations of three cylinders being
adapted to be worked on the triple expansion system and the combination of four
cylinders either on the triple expansion or the quadruple expansion system.
By means of our invention we obtain direct action of the pistons upon the crank
shaft with the employment of only two cranks. The engines would be of the
vertical type each pair of cylinders being carried by a pair of standards the inner
opposed faces of the standards being prepared to receive the cross head slide
blocks. The valves of the two cylinders in a pair may be actuated by one
excentric.
We might combine three cylinders together and arrange for the centre lines of
the three cylinders to converge upon the axis of the crank shaft.
Dated this 16th day of May 1893.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Steam Engines.
We HENRY WOOD and NORMAN MACBETH both of the Victoria Foundry,
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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 and accompanying
drawings :-
Our invention relates to steam engines of the Corliss type-that is to say to
engines provided with Corliss valves or with trip valves or with valves of a like

page_text: nature and bas for its object to obtain a compact disposition of the parts in
the cases of multiple expansion engines.
We cast cylinders in pairs the two cylinders in a pair having their axes or
centre lines converging upon the axial line of the crank shaft or we cast the
cylinders separately and bolt or secure them together so that their centre lines
so converge. The two cylinders in each casting or pair are arranged as closely
together as is compatible with the obtaining of suitable joints for the cylinder
covers at the ends nearest to the crank shaft. The two connecting rods take
hold of a common crank or crank pin. The axial lines of the two cylinders would
not necessarily be on one plane making a right angle with the axis of the crank
shaft.
The valves both for induction and eduction are situated on the outer sides of the
centre lines of the cylinders so as to have ample space and to be conveniently
accessible.
An engine might have such a pair of cylinders combined with a single cylinder
or might have two pairs of cylinders, the combination of three cylinders being
adapted to be worked on the triple expansion system and the combination of four
cylinders either on the triple expansion or the quadruple expansion system.
In order that the nature and extent of our invention may be clearly understood
we have attached hereunto two sheets of drawings which illustrate the construction
of a compound or double cylinder engine made in accordance with our invention.
In the said drawings Fig. 1 represents a front elevation and Fig. 2 a side
elevation of the engine.
The engine has two cylinders A and B carried by standards C of an ordinary or
suitable construction.
The cylinders differ in size the cylinder A being intended for the high pressure
steam which would be expanded into the cylinder B. The two cylinders are
formed in one casting and have their axes-represented by the dotted lines ab-
.converging upon the axis of the crank shaft D or otherwise stated the axial
lines of the cylinders radiate from the axis of the crank shaft.
As a consequence the planed ways at c'c' for the sliding cross-head blocks or
carriages are made to be parallel with the lines a b, so that the connections of
the connecting rods a' b¹ with the piston rods a' shall travel on the respective
lines a b.
The two axial lines a and b are not in one plane making a right angle with
the crank shaft axis but are in two planes as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Both
connecting rod ends take hold of one crank pin E which is made long enough
to receive the two connecting rod ends and in the example is turned to two
diameters the inner part upon which works the bearing in the connecting rod a'
from the cylinder A being increased in diameter so as to make the pin suitably
strong.
By thus mounting the two connecting rod ends upon one crank pin one end
behind the other and by arranging the two cylinders out of cross line we avoid
the necessity for the use of a forked connecting rod and we obtain a square face
to carry parts of the valve gear.
This face is at F on the inner side of the cylinder casting and is provided
with the facingsff to receive the valve spindle mountings. The setting forward
of the cylinder B enables the four facings to be brought into one plane square
with the crank shaft axis so that such facings can be planed to be all in line square
across the engine as will be well understood.
The facings are on the outer sides of the centre lines ab so that the valves
both for induction and eduction have ample space and are brought into position to
be conveniently accessible as liereinbefore mentioned.
The engine in the example is intended to be combined with another engine but
we have not considered it necessary to include the second engine in the drawings.
Such second engine might have only one cylinder which would be supplied with
steam from the cylinder 13 through the pipe G the single cylinder in the second
i

page_text: engine being directly over the crank shaft as is usual or the second engine might
have two cylinders in which case their axes would be inclined as in the example
illustrated.
In case the second engine would have two cylinders they might be equal in area
the steam being divided between the two cylinders the two engines being worked
on the triple expansion principle or the two cylinders might be of different areas
and the steam be expanded from one to the other on the quadruple expansion
principle. It will be seen that by means of our invention we obtain direct action
of the pistons upon the crauk shaft with the employment of only two cranks for two
engines.
Although we prefer to cast together two cylinders in a pair we may cast them
separately and prepare them to be bolted together as hereinbefore mentioned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1. The parts constituting the important parts of a compound steam engine
constructed and arranged substantially as set forth and indicated.
2. The two cylinders A B cast together with their axes inclined so as to con-
verge upon the axis of the crank shaft but at different points in the length of such
crank shaft so that the connecting rods from the two cylinders shall take hold of
one crank pin substantially as set forth and indicated.
3. In a compound engine a pair of cylinders arranged with their axes inclined
and converging upon the axis of the crank shaft and with one axis more forward
than the other so that the two connecting rod ends engage with one crank pin
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of February 1894.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.