Improvements in Reciprocating Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reciprocating Engines.
We, ISAAC MILTON HOUSE, Machinist, of East Phillip Street, and CHARLES
TINGEY, Merchant, of East Phillip Street, both of the Town of Gravenhurst, n
the District of Muskoka, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, 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 specification:
Our invention relates to improvements in reciprocating engines and the object
of the invention is to devise an economical and powerful form of engine of this
class in which all jar due to the reciprocating motion of the piston and crank
shaft will be removed and the consequent vibration of the engine obviated, and a
subsidiary object is to overcome the friction of the main shaft caused in ordinary
engines by the thrust of the crank connecting rod and it consists essentially of
providing in the cylinder three pistons, the rod of the upper-most one of which
extends through the intermediate piston, lower piston and lower head of the
cylinder where it is suitably attached to the connecting rod, fixed at its lower end
to the crank wheel on the main shaft, and the intermediate piston of which is
connected by two piston rods, one on each side of the central piston rod and
extending through the lower piston and head of the cylinder into a cross-head
held in suitable guide-ways and connected by rods, one on each side of the central
connecting rod, to crank wheels on the main shaft, the parts being otherwise
constructed and arranged in detail as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a marine type of reciprocating engine, portions
of the cylinder and valve chest being in section to clearly exhibit the construction.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged perspective detail of the cross-head.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A is the bed-plate of the engine, which is provided with the intermediate cross
beams A¹ A. B is the main shaft, which is supported in suitable bearings B¹
on the ends and central cross beams of the bed-plate. C is the central pair of
crank wheels on the shaft, and C₁ are two pairs of crank wheels, situated one pair
on each side of the central pair C. D are the corner standards of the main frame,
and 1) is an open rectangular frame secured within the standards and provided
with central cross bars D2. E is the cylinder bed-plate, which is secured on the
top of the standards D. The lower flange F of the cylinder F is securely bolted
in the centre of the bed plate E, which forms the lower head of the cylinder Fis
the upper head of the cylinder, which is securely bolted to the flange f formed at
the top of the cylinder.
G is the valve chest, and H is the inlet pipe provided with the usual steam cock
h. I is the slide valve and J and J are the valve ports leading from the vaive
chest into the cylinder. i is the central aperture of the valve chest, which is
designed to communicate between either of the ports J J to the exhaust pipe I'.
K is the upper piston, which is provided with the usual piston rod k. K is the
intermediate piston and K2 is the lower piston. The piston rod k of the upper-
most piston K extends through a suitably packed aperture in the intermediate

page_text: piston K and through the lower piston K2, which is suitably secured to the rod k.
The pistons are, of course, provided, with the usual peripheral packing. The
lower end of the piston rod k extends through the bed-plate E into a block L,
which is held and designed to reciprocate within suitable guide-bars 7. M is a
connecting rod secured by suitable wrist pins to the block L and between the
crank wheels C at the opposite end.
The piston K is provided with a pair of piston rods k¹, diametrically opposite
each other on each side of the central piston rod k. The piston rods extend
through suitably packed apertures in the piston K2 in which they have free
longitudinal movement and through apertures in the bed E into the central ring
portion N¹ of the cross head N.
The cross head N is provided with end tongues N2 which extend between the
end guide bars O connected to the central frame D₁ at the bottom and the bed
plate E at the top. P are connecting rods located one on each side of the central
connecting rod M and connected by suitable wrist pins to the bottom of the cross
head N and to suitable wrist pins between the crank wheels C¹. Q is the slide
valve rod, which extends to the bottom of the chest and is connected by the pin q
to the link R, which in turn is connected by the rods R1 R2 R2 to the eccentrics S
and S respectively on the main shaft. This latter construction is merely the
ordinary link eccentric construction for communicating the required motion to
the slide valve and of course we make no claim to 'it.
Having now described the principal parts involved in our invention we shall
briefly describe its operation and utility.
When the steam is admitted through the port J and the pistons are in the
position shown in the drawing, the piston K is forced upwardly and the piston K¹
downwardly, thus counterbalancing each other and communicating motion at the
same time to the crank wheels and C¹, throwing the wrist pin of the crank.
wheel Cup and the wrist pin of the crank wheel C¹ down in a rotary manner.
Thus by this means it will be seen that any strain on the bearing will be removed,
consequently the friction in such bearings reduced to a minimum. When the
steam is cut-off between the two pistons K and K¹ it necessarily follows as both
recede from each other the amount of space for the expansion of steam is greatly
increased, thus very effectually increasing the power of the engine for a given size
of cylinder.
When the pistons K and K' have reached the limit of their upward and down-
ward strokes the position of the slide valve I simultaneously is changed and
steam will be admitted between the pistons K¹ and K², which being then close to
the valve J¹ will be thereby impelled in opposite directions when the expansion
will again take place identically to the expansion between the pistons K and K¹.
This operation of the engine is of course continuously repeated as each acting
pair of pistons are thrown apart. It necessarily follows that the jar and
consequent vibration is absolutely prevented.
In this form of engine it will be seen that there is really no dead head to the,
cylinder against which the steam impinges, as in reality the heads of the cylinder
are both pistons and heads and are shown as the upper and lower pistons. The
dead centre on the crank shaft is also practically eliminated.
Although we have shown a marine form of engine it will be of course under-
stood that our invention may be applied to stationary, and in fact to all classes of,
reciprocating engines. Again although we have shown heads at both ends of
the cylinder it will be seen that these heads serve only as a means of preventing
foreign matter getting in against the upper and lower pistons and to protect such
pistons from the cold air which would of course have a tendency to cause the.
steam to condense.
In order to provide for the keeping of the cylinder hot I provide, as will be
understood on reference to the drawing, a jacket 3 which is provided with
openings 4 and 5 at the top and bottom near the top and bottom heads of the
cylinder. As there is always more or less escape of steam around the pistons it

page_text: will be understood that this escape of steam will escape from the cylinder proper
into the jacket during the operation of the engine and serve thereby to keep the
cylinder hot and thus effect an economy in construction and necessarily an
economy in steam and also avoid any vacuum between the pistons and the cylinder
heads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. A reciprocating engine, comprising a cylinder provided with inlet and
exhaust ports, suitable valves for same, and upper, intermediate and lower pistons,
the upper piston being provided with a central piston rod, which extends through
and has free movement in the intermediate piston, the intermediate piston pro-
vided with two piston rods, one on each side of the central piston rod and ex-
tending through and having free movement in the lower piston, and suitable
connections between the ends of the piston rods and the crank shaft as and for
the purpose specified.
2. In a reciprocating engine, in combination, a cylinder provided with inlet and
exhaust ports, a slide valve for same suitably operated, and upper, lower and
intermediate pistons, the upper piston being provided with a central piston rod,
which extends through and has free movement in the intermediate piston, the
intermediate piston provided with two piston rods, one on each side of the central
piston rod and extending through and having free movement in the lower piston,
a central crank wheel on the main shaft, and crank wheels, one on each side,
suitable guide-ways for the lower end of the upper piston rod, and rod connecting
the lower end of the upper piston rod with the crank wheel, a cross head having
longitudinal movements in suitable guide-ways and connected to the lower ends
of the piston rods of the intermediate piston, and rods connecting each side of the
outer jacket and cylinder as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a reciprocating engine, the combination with the cylinder provided with
suitable heads and inlet and exhaust ports and upper intermediate and lower
pistons, of an outer jacket and openings at the top and bottom of the cylinder
within the head communicating through the cylinder with the space between the
outer jacket and cylinder as and for the purpose specified.
4. A reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder provided with inlet and
exhaust ports, suitable valves, and upper, intermediate and lower pistons, the
upper and intermediate pistons co-acting in alternation with the co-action of the
intermediate and lower pistons as and for the purpose specified.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.