Year: 1888

page_text: 1, EDWARD KENWORTHY DUTTON of 1 St. James Square, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(communicated to me from abroad by The American Engine Company of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, in the United States of America) 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:
:-
This invention relates to steam engines in which the working parts are enclosed in
a rectangular shell, the cylinder having open ends sliding on the smooth inner surface
of said shell, and the piston being mounted centrally on the crank, whereby the piston
and cylinder have reciprocating movements perpendicular to each other.
The object of the invention is to improve this class of engines by such a construc-
tion as will decrease friction, facilitate the adjustment and lubrication of parts, and
provide for the better and more economical use of steam than hitherto.
The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts,
as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification-
Fig. 1, sheet 1, is an end elevation of an engine embodying the invention; Fig. 2,
a central, longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, an end view of a cylinder, showing
the application of a packing ring; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of one half of a
cylinder; Fig. 5, a transverse section of the engine, central as to the cylinder and its
immediate connections, and on the line ab of Fig. 6 as to the shell; Fig. 6, a central,
vertical section of the shell; Fig. 7, a horizontal section of the shell in the line c d
of Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a similar section of a fragmentary cylinder and piston; Fig. 9, a
transverse section of the piston in the line e f of Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a fragmentary,
sectional view, showing a modification in the device for adjusting the halves of the
cylinder endwise; Fig. 11, a fragmentary view in the same line as Fig. 8, showing a
modification in the device for adjusting the box on the crank-pin, and Fig. 12,
fragmentary view of the upper part of the shell in the line gh of Fig. 6, showing
a device for catching oil from the exhaust steam.
a
In sheet 2, Fig. 13 is a central, transverse section of a modified form of engine
embodying the same principles; Fig. 14, a central, horizontal section of the same;
Fig. 15, a vertical section of the shell in the line ij of Fig. 13; Fig. 16, a fragmentary
side elevation of the shell, showing in full the cylinder and valve-gear, and
Fig. 17, a side elevation of the governor, some of the parts being broken away to
show more clearly its construction.
Similar latters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: The operative parts of the engine embodying the invention are enclosed in a
rectangular shell A, which, with its heads B B, forms a nearly cubical enclosure.
Suitable boxes B₁ B₁ are formed on these heads, and serve as bearings for the crank-
shaft C. The two opposite ends of the shell inside are made perfectly plane and
smooth, and on the surfaces slide the flanged ends of the cylinder D, which is open at
both ends. To the inside of the cylinder is fitted a piston E, journaled on the crank-
pin in the middle. The top and ends of the shell are chambered to form steam-
ports F F and exhaust-ports G G, which communicate with the interior of the
cylinder through openings in the inner portion of the shell, on the face of which the
cylinder reciprocates. From this arrangement of the parts, it will be seen that
the piston has a gyratory motion on the crank, and the cylinder a vertical, reciprocating
motion.
The weight and friction of the cylinder and piston necessarily produce an unequal
strain on the crank at different points in its revolution, to compensate for which a
counterbalance wheel H is mounted on the crank-shaft inside the shell, and preferably
each side of the cylinder. To one of these the governor may be attached, as will be
hereinafter more fully explained. The wheels need not form a complete circle on the
periphery for the purposes of counterweight, but it is desirable that one of them at
least should be complete on the periphery to aid in the lubrication of the engine, as
hereafter set forth. It will be observed that the end flanges of the cylinder project
laterally as well as vertically, and the counterbalances occupy the space between these
flanges. When two are used they help to balance the shaft laterally, and by simply
turning them on the shaft the relative counterweight may be accurately determined.
In this style of an engine the relative friction to be borne by the crank is governed
largely by the distance to the ends of the cylinder from the centre of motion. It is
therefore desirable to make the cylinder as short as possible, while allowing for the
stroke of the piston. This is done by coupling the two halves of the cylinder directly
in the middle, there being only an opening in the sides sufficient to allow for move-
ment up and down across the shaft. Referring to the drawings it will be seen that
the box for the crank-pin is in the centre of the piston, which is in turn made as short
as may be without permitting the escape of steam through the sides of the cylinder
at the termini of said piston's stroke. The piston may be a single casting, as shown
in Fig. 13, with a central recess for the box h, or composed of two halves meeting on
the centre line of the crank-pin, as in Fig. 5. In this case the meeting ends of the
two parts of the piston form a bridge 6, one of which, b, serves as one half-box, and
the other has a recess formed therein to receive the other half-box h. The two halves
of the piston are connected by suitable bolts a a, passing from end to end. To allow
for the passing of the sides of the crank in its revolution, the corresponding sides of
the piston are cut away a suitable distance, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.
The greatest amount of wear on the piston is of course on the top and bottom, and
to equalize this wear as much as possible, as well as to prevent undue friction at a
distance from the center, a portion of the upper and lower sides of the piston is
carried to the meeting or center line, and flush with the outer face of the piston,
which thus has, as to the top and bottom, a continuous bearing face its entire
length. For the same reasons the corresponding portions of the cylinder are made
continuous to the meeting line.
In matching together the halves of the piston and cylinder respectively a shoulder
is formed on one part and the other is counterbored to fit it. This is more specially
essential in the case of the cylinder, as it has no other lateral connection, and provision
is made for adjustment end wise to compensate for wear on its ends. This adjustment
is made by means of a conical or wedge-shaped bolt c, set in a suitable socket formed
in projections d d of the cylinder, on the upper and lower sides thereof. The adjust-
ment may be made positive by means of nuts ee on the bolt, or, by interposing
spring between the nuts and the socket portion, the cylinder may be automatically
adjusted to the wear and expansion of the parts.
a
Various devices are shown for the adjustment of the box for the crank-pin, consisting
in the application of wedges in different ways. In the case of the two-part piston

page_text: shown in Fig. 5, this may be a simple wedge-bolt with nuts, ¹, set behind the half-
box h', as shown in Fig. 11, or a pair of wedges, similarly placed, and provided with
In the case of the
a distanding spring or springs k, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.
single piston shown in Fig. 13, a rectangular cavity is formed in the center of the
piston, large enough to receive the halves of the box hh and wedges, provided
with suitable threaded shank and nuts. The faces of the box contiguous to the wedges
may be beveled at h¹h, or suitable gibs may be inserted.
At each end of the cylinder is an internal, annular flange d', formed by counter-
boring the cylinder. The object of this flange is to aid in seating the cylinder against.
the contiguous face of the shell, through the back pressure of the steam in the cylinder,
and also to govern the lead and lap of the engine, as will be more fully explained
hereafter.
To compensate for any slight irregularity in the surface of the cylinder ends, and
to provide for a simple and perfect seating of them, regardless of the back-pressure
referred to, they may be provided with an adjustable ring m, which is let into the
back face of the cylinder in an annular groove formed therein.. The fitting is loose
enough to allow the ring to slip in and out in the groove and for automatic adjustment
springs o o may be placed under the ring, or holes of o¹ may be made in the cylinder
leading back to the groove n, and the back-pressure of the steam will then serve for
adjustment.
The shell A is mounted on a hollow base J, with a water-tight joint. Through the
bottom of the shell and top of the base we put a number of holes 77, preferably
toward the outside as indicated. In this base we place a quantity of oil, or oil and
water, the surface of which should be so high in the shell that some part of the internal
mechanism comes in contact therewith. This is preferably the periphery of the
counterbalances H H, which being uniform and continuous carry the oil up and throw
it in a steady stream over the working parts. It is important that the bottom of the
shell should be closed, with the exception of the perforations, since a medium is thus
interposed between the upper stratum of oil, and the lower strata of oil and water, and
this medium prevents that undue agitation of the oil and water which is common
where the chamber is quite open, and which tends to intimately mix the two liquids.
By this arrangement there is little or no agitation of the liquid below the top of the
base, and the water is therefore free to settle to the bottom and entirely separate from
the oil. The oil may be kept at a uniform level in the shell by means of an overflow-
pipe K, communicating with the lower part of the base, and with the water alone, and
having its upper opening at the proper level. The base is first filled with oil to the
proper level, and this supply serves continuously for several weeks, as there is little
waste, and this is compensated for by the condensation of leakage steam inside the
shell. Any excess of condensation is carried off by the overflow pipe.
up
By means of pipes L L, communicating with the boxes B B and with the interior
of the shell respectively, any excess of oil in the boxes is returned to the shell.
Provision is made for catching much of the oil that might otherwise be carried out
with the exhaust. The device for this purpose is shown in Fig. 12. In the upper
part of the shell is formed a recess A¹, which receives the oily deposit from the
exhaust steam flowing over it from both sides. The better to facilitate the deposition
of oil an angular lip is formed on each side of this receptacle. In the bottom
is a hole for allowing the oil to run back into the shell, which hole is normally
closed by a valve s.
The engine is shown provided with single and double steam valves. In the case
of a single valve it is preferably placed on top, while in the case of two, they are
more conveniently located at each end of the engine. The single valve N is mounted
in a steam-chest M, having separate steam-ports F F¹, communicating with a corre-
sponding chamber formed in the shell, the lower termini of which form upper and
lower steam-ports opposite the ends of the cylinder respectively. Alongside this
stean chamber is a chamber G for exhaust steam, and this also communicates by
upper and lower ports, with the ends of the cylinder, the relative position of the
To do this the steam and exhaust
steam and exhaust ports being reversed of course.

page_text: ports must partially cross each other, and this may be effected by interposing a
diagonal diaphragm at the place of crossing, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. The
valve is actuated by a common eccentric P³, connecting by a bell-crank lever O
with its stem p.
In the case of double valves, N¹ N', they are preferably mounted at each end of the
engine and within the shell, which is curved outwardly for that purpose and also for
increased strength. Herein are provided cylindrical chambers M M, communicating
at one end with the steam-port F, which in this case may be continuous from one end
of the shell to the other. In these chambers are fitted bushings tt, having slots t¹ t
therein for the exit of steam. These bushings fit tightly at each end, but between
those points the chamber M¹ is cored out to allow a steam-space outside the bushing.
Inside the bushings are mounted suitable oscillating valves, N1 N1, the stems of which
are provided with cranks uu, actuated by the eccentric P¹. A rod v connects the
two cranks, so that the same motion is imparted to each, the relative position of the
valves being of course reversed, as shown in Fig. 13.
From one of these chambers M¹ M', a steam passage extends upwardly to the
upper steam-ports, and from the other one a similar passage extends downwardly to
the lower steam-port. The admission of steam from the steam chamber or chest M,
to this receptacle is controlled entirely by the action of the eccentric, and may be
done at any desired time in the revolution of the shaft. as may also the admission of
steam to the ports in the case of the single valve. The admission of steam to the
cylinder in the case of the double valve is, however, governed by the passing of the
end of the cylinder over the port, and this being at the speed of the crank-pin is
necessarily almost instantaneous, as also in the case of the exhaust, which is dependent
entirely upon the movement of the cylinder.
By this arrangement, the action of the engine may be modified through the
admission of steam in any manner that may be desired. Thus the ports may be filled
with steam at boiler pressure, and cut off on the opening of the port into the cylinder
by the passing of said cylinder, or the opening of the valve and the port below
may be simultaneous, or otherwise as desired. In this way the quick opening of the
ports may be taken advantage of without waste of steam, or steam may be admitted
to the cylinder during the whole time that the port is open, by a simple adjustment of
the eccentric on the crank-shaft.
As the admission of steam to the cylinder depends upon its passing the steam-port,
it is evident that the same would be delayed, or in other words, the "lap" of the
engine would be increased by increasing the width of the internal flange d¹. By a
corresponding reduction in its width, or enlargement in the bore of the cylinder at
the extreme end, the engine may be given more or less "lead."
The governor, shown in Fig. 17, consists of an eccentric ring P¹, provided with the
usual strap P; a pair of gravity arms QQ, and a wheel or spider H¹, to which, and
to lugs ww of the eccentric-strap the arms are hinged. Compression springs xx,
mounted on pins y y pivoted to the hub of the wheel, tend to force the arms inwardly,
as held and regulated by nuts = z.
It will be seen by reference to the drawings that the position of the steam-
chests M' M' is such that they are practically surrounded by the exhaust-steam, the
effect of which is to give a steam-jacket to said steam-chests, and maintain the
temperature of the steam therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a steam-engine, the cylinder and piston of which have a reciprocating motion
perpendicular to each other within a rectangular shell, the combination of an exhaust-
port wholly within said shell, and adapted to be opened and closed by the recipro-
cating movement of said cylinder, a steam-port communicating with one or more
steam-chambers or chests, and similarly adapted to be opened and closed by the
movement of the cylinder, a valve or valves adapted to control the exit of steam from

page_text: said steam-chest or chests, and mechanism substantially as specified for actuating said
valve or valves.
2. In an engine of the class specified, the combination of an exhaust-port isolated
from the steam-chests, a steam-port communicating with steam-chests at each end of
the shell, and through apertures in the shell, with the open ends of the cylinder, valves
in said steam-ports, and mechanism substantially as described for actuating them as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a steam engine of the class specified, the combination of an exhaust-port
isolated from the steam-chest, and adapted to be opened and closed by the recipro-
cating motion of the cylinder, a steam-port communicating with steam-chests at each
end of the shell, steam passages leading from said steam-chests to upper and lower
openings in the interior of said shell, at opposite ends, respectively, valves in said
steam-chests, and mechanism substantially as described for actuating said valves.
4. In an engine of the class specified, the combination of an exhaust-port isolated
from the steam-chests, and adapted to be opened and closed by the reciprocating
motion of the cylinder, a steam-port communicating with steam-chests at each end of
the shell, oscillating valves within said steam-chests, having cranks on their stems,
a connection with the eccentric and with one of said cranks, and a direct connection
of said cranks across the engine, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a steam-engine of the class specified, the combination with the outer
rectangular shell, within which the cylinder reciprocates perpendicular to the motion
of the piston, cylinders joined closely together at the top and bottom, with an opening
in the side for the crank-shaft, and provided with a socket at the top and bottom, a
wedge-shaped or conical plug in said socket, and a spring adapted to force said plug
toward the narrower part of the socket, whereby said cylinders are forced apart and
automatically adjusted endwise, substantially as set forth.
6. In an engine of the class specified, the combination of a cylinder and piston
having a gyratory motion on the crank within a rectangular shell, said piston being
mounted centrally on said crank, and provided with a box enclosing the crank-pin,
and with means substantially as described for taking up lost motion due to the
wearing of the parts.
7. In an engine of the class specified, the combination with a cylinder, within
which it reciprocates perpendicular to the motion of the cylinder, of a piston having
in the centre an aperture for the halves of a box for the crank-pin, a box set in said
aperture, and wedges provided with suitable tightening screws, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
8. In an engine of the class specified, the combination of a shell enclosing the
working parts of the engine, a hollow base therefor adapted to hold oil and water, and
a separating medium between the interior of the shell and of the base, but perforated
to allow the oil to flow up into the shell as raised by the water in the base, substantially
as specified.
9. In an engine of the class specified, the combination of the reciprocating
cylinder D, having an annular groove n in the end thereof, and an adjustable ring
seated in said groove, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
10. In an engine of the class specified, the shell A, having the receptacle A¹,
arranged substantially as described, and adapted to catch surplus oil from the exhaust
steam.