Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July, 1888
Specification Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1888
1 HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
This invention relates to that general class of engines which are known as direct-
acting duplex engines. The engines of this class, as is well known, consist of two
substantially independent engines, which are duplicates, and are provided with con-
nections by which the valve or valves of each engine is or are operated from the piston
of the other engine.
These engines are especially adapted for pumping purposes, and are very exten-
sively used in mines, and for supplying water to cities, and for other similar purposes
where it is necessary that the pumping should go on without any considerable
interruption. This condition makes it necessary in nearly all cases, to provide two
engines, each of which is of a capacity equal to the work to be performed, so that
whenever it becomes necessary to stop one engine for repairs, or in case one engine
becomes disabled, the other will be in readiness to be used to continue the work.
The necessity of providing duplicate engines, one of which is always idle, makes it
necessary to provide additional engine room, and doubles the cost of the plant;
and as these engines are often very expensive, this added cost is an important
consideration.
It is the object of this invention to partially overcome this difficulty, and to render
it unnecessary to provide so large an amount of expensive and idle machinery, and to
this end the invention, broadly stated, consists in the combination with the two sides

page_text: of an ordinary duplex engine, of a third engine similar to each half of the duplex
system, which third engine is provided with connections by which its valve or valves
can be operated from the piston rod of either of the other engines, and by which it
can operate the valve or valves of either of said other engines. By this means, either
two of the three engines can be connected so as to form a completo duplex engino, the
third engine or half alone remaining idlo.
This system permits either half of the engine to remain idle for the purpose of
repairs, the other two engines, forming a complete duplex engine, in the meantime carry-
ing on the work, and thus the three engines can be repaired successively. And as it
would never happen, or at least the contingency would be very romoto, that more
than one engine of the three would become disabled at any one time, the plant will
always have two engines in condition to be coupled us a duplex, to operate and carry
on the work.
By the employment of this system, it is not necessary in order to avoid a possibility
of the work becoming interrupted, to provide complete dupliente engines, each having
a capacity equal to the full amount of work to be performed, but it is only necessary
to provide one engine and a half. Thus the amount of idle machinery is reduced
about one half, and the entire expense of the plant about one fourth.
A full understanding of the construction and organization of the system embodying
this invention, can be best given by an illustration, and a detailed description of the
system such description will therefore be given, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings, in which—
Fig. 1 is a plan view of so much of the three engines constituting the systom, as is
necessary to illustrate the invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken upon the line 2-2, of Fig. 1 looking toward
the left.
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a different form of valve connections.—
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the same taken on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 3.
Figs. 5 and 6 show details of the same.
Referring to said drawings, it is to be understood that A B C reprosont three
ordinary direct acting pumping engines.-Those engines, which are arranged side by
side, consist each of a steam cylinder a and a water cylinder b, the steam piston and
water piston or plunger of each engine being connected to the same piston rod c.
The three engines, as before stated, are provided with connections by which the
valve or valves of each can be operated from the piston rod of either of the others,
but in such manner that only two of the three can bo operated at the same time.
One form of these connections suitable for the purpose is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the
said connections being arranged as follows:-Mounted upon the tio rods d which
connect the steam and water cylinders of each engine, are upright pieces, in which
are supported rock shafts gh, which extend past the middle engine, and to the onos
at the sides. The shaft g is provided with a rock arm i, which is arranged to he
connected by a link with a cross-head m upon the piston rod c of the engine A.-
The shaft is also provided with a second rock arm & similar to the armi, which may
bo connected by a similar link with a cross-head n upon the piston rod of the engine B.
-The shaft g is also provided with two short rock arms op, which are arranged to
be connected by the links q r with the valve rods a of the onginos B, C.-Tho rock
shaft is provided with a rock arm t, similar to the rock arm, which rock arm tis
arranged to be connected by a link to the opposite end of the cross-head n of the
ongine B. This shaft h is also provided with a second rock arm u (similar to the
arm), which is arranged to be connected by a link to to a cross head y upon
the piston rod of the engine (The shaft is also provided with a rock arm,
which is adapted to be connected to an extension of the link 7 of the engino B, and
also with a second similar rock arm z, which is arranged to be connected by a link æ
with the valve rods of the engine A.
The manner of operating the system thus organized, is as follows:-
Assuming that it is desired that the engine should remain idle, the connections
will be arranged as indicated in the Drawings,—that is to say, the cross-head m of

page_text: the engine A will be connected to the rock arm i of the shaft g, and tho valve rod of
the engine B will be connected by the link q to the rock armo of the same shaft,
while the cross head n of the engine B will be connected to the rock arm of the
shaft h, and the valve rod of the engine A will be connected by the link e to the
arm z of the same shaft.-The links wr of the engine C will be disconnected from
the arms u p.-The engines A, B, will then operate as a duplex engine in the ordinary
manner.
ย
Assuming now that it is desired that the engines A, C, should oporate as a duplex
engine, the engine B remaining idle; the link will be disconnected from the arm t,
and the arm u will be connected to the cross-head y by the link to, as indicated by
dotted lines. The link g will also be disconnected from the arm o, which may be done
by removing the pin 5, and the valve rod of the engine will be connected to the
arm p by the link r, as also indicated by dotted lines.-The ongines A C will
then operate as a duplex engine in the ordinary manner, the engine B remaining
idle.
Assuming that it is desired to operate the engines BC as a duplex engine, the
engine A remaining idle, the engine ( will remain connected to the shafts g h as just
described, the cross-head m will be disconnected from the arm i, and the arm k will
be connected by a link similar to the link to the cross-head n, the link v being
removed as in the last case, and the valve rod of the engine A will be disconnected
from the arm, and the link g will be connected to the arm x, which may be done by
inserting the pin 5 through the openings in the arm and in the end of the link.-The
engines BC will then operate as a duplex engine in the ordinary manner, the engine A
remaining idlo.
To facilitate the changes just described, the wrist pins 6 in the ends of the cross-
heads mny, may be made removable by heing screwed onto the ends of the cross-
heads. The cross-heads m ny are also preferably made to extend equally on both
sides of the piston rods, so that either engine can be used as the middle one of the
system. The shafts g h may be made in parts as shown, joined by couplings 8, which
will facilitate the setting up of the system.
The valve operating connections which have been described are one of the ordinary
forms, modified and extended to apply to the three engines, but it is to be under-
stood that these connections inay be modified, or other forms substituted, such,
for example, as the form shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
The valve rods s of the engines A, B, C, are provided with pistons which work in
small cylinders 10, 11, 12, and the piston rods care provided with cross beads 9,
which are connected to plungers 13, 14, 15, the opposite ends of which enter
cylinders 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
In the present case, there being three halves of a duplex engine employed, there
are, as a consequence, three plungers 13, 14, 15, and six cylinders, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, and each of the cylinders 16 &c. is connected by pipes to two of the
cylinders 10, 11, 12.-Thus, the cylinder 16 is provided with two pipes 22, 23,
which communicate with the corresponding ends of the cylinders 11, 12; the
cylinder 17 with two pipes 24, 25, which communicate with the corresponding ends of
the same cylinders; the cylinder 18, with two pipes 26, 27, the first of which
communicates with the corresponding end of the cylinder 12, while the second
communicates with the opposite end of the cylinder 10; the cylinder 19 with two
pipes 28, 29, the first of which communicates with the corresponding end of the
cylinder 12, while the latter communicates with the opposite end of the cylinder 10;
the cylinder 20 with two pipes 30, 31, which communicate respectively with the
opposite ends of the cylinders 10, 11; and the cylinder 21 with two pipes 32, 33,
which communicate respectively with the opposite ends of the cylinders 10, 11.-
Each of the pipes 22 &c. is provided with a cock or valve 34 by which it can be
controlled.
The operation of the valve connections thus organized, is as follows :-
When the engines A, B, are operated as a duplex engine (the engine ( remaining

page_text: idle), the cocks 34 of the pipes 22, 27, 24, 29, will be opened, and the cocks of the
remaining pipes ba closed.—The operation will then be as follows:-
The piston of cylimler A, in moving to the right, will, through piston rode and
cross-head 19, forco plunger 13 into cylinder 16, thereby forcing somo or all of the
fluid in said cylinder, through pipe 22, into cylinder 11, thoroby moving the piston of
that cylinder, and the valva of steam chest 2, to the left, by which port 6 is opened.-
The piston of cylinder will then commence moving to the left, and as it does so, will,
through its piston rod and cross-hoad 9, force plunger 14 into cylinder 19, thereby
forcing some or all of the fluid in said cylinder, through pipe 29, into cylinder 10,
and consequently, moving the piston of that cylinder, and the valve of the steam
chest 1, to the left, and opening port 6, will reverse the piston of cylinder A.-The
piston of cylinder A, in moving to the loft, will in like manner reverse the piston of
cylinder B, and so the operation will continue to be repeated.
It will be readily understood that as the plunger 18 passes into cylinder 16, and
forces the fluid in snid cylinder and pipe 22 into cylinder 11, it will be withdrawn a
liko distance from cylinder 1, so that the fluid upon the opposite side of the piston in
cylinder 11, will readily pass through pipe 24 into cylinder 17, and thus afford room
for the advancing piston. When the plunger 13 is reversed, the fluid will in like
manner pass from cylinder 11 into cylinder 16. The operation of plunger 14, in
connection with cylinders 10, 18 and 19, will of course be the same.
It will thus be seen that the notion of the piston rods of the engine is communi-
cated to the valve rods by the simple oscillations of the hydraulic links or water rods,
consisting of the confined column of fluid, and that all mechanical devices for
transmitting the motion and changing its direction and amount, are dispensed
with.
When the plungers 13, 14, 15, have a stroke equal to the stroke of the engine, as in
the case shown, the amount of movement of the valve rods is determined by the
relative size of the plungers 13, 14, 15 and pistons 18, for, as will readily be seen, the
smaller the plungers, the less the displacement of the fluid and consequent movement
of the pistons, and vice versa.
The stroke of the valve rods may also be controlled by withdrawing a portion of the
fluid from the pipes and cylinders, so that the fluid displaced by the plungers during
the first part of the stroke, will be required to fill the cylinder.
As the pistons will not move until the cylinders are filled, they will remain idle
during a greater or less portion of the stroke of the engine, according to the amount
of the fluid withdrawn.
The cross-heads 9 may also be arranged so as to slide upon the plungers for a
portion of the stroke, if it is desired.
It is often desirable, in order to know whether or not the valves are working
properly, to ascertain the exact amount of power used to move them.-In the present
invention, this can be readily accomplished by the use of an ordinary pressure gauge 10
attached to cylinders 10, 11, 12, so as to indicate the pressure of the fluid in" said
cylinders, which pressure will of course indicate the power require to move the
valves.
In order to compensate for any possible leakage from the cylinders, owing to
defective packing, and to prevent the bursting of the pipes in case either or both the
pistons in cylinders 10, 11, 12, should by any means get out of proper position, so as
to be brought against one end of the cylinder before the plunger has completed its
stroke, and at the same time to restore the pistons to their proper positions, each one
of the cylinders 16 to 21 is connected by a pipo 41 with a valve chamber 42. These
chambers 42 havo two outlets, which are connected by pipes 44, 45, with a small tank
or vessel of fluid 46.-One of the outlets of these valve chambers is controlled by valves
which open outward, and the other by valves which open inward.-The valves
which open outward are controlled by weights 13.-From this arrangement it
results, that the plungers 13, 14, 15, acting as pumps, will draw fluid through
pipes 45, past the inwardly opening valves, so as to keep the cylinders and pipes
constantly filled, and should the pistons in cylinders 10, 11, 12, get out of proper

page_text: position, so that too much fluid would be upon one side, the weighted outwardly-
opening-valve will be raised, and afford relief, so as to prevent the bursting of the
pipe, and the opposite cylinder will at the same time take additional fluid, so that at
the next stroke, the piston will be restored to its proper position. The weights 43
will of course be of sufficient size to hold the valves closed against the pressure
required to move the valve rods s.
The plungers need not be operated directly from the piston rods, but may be
connected with any moving part of the engine.
The location of the cylinders 16 to 21 may also be greatly varied, to adapt the
invention to engines of different designs.
When it is desired to operate the engines AC as a duplex engine (the engine B
remaining idle), the cocks of the pipes 30, 22, 23, 25 will be opened, and the cocks of
the remaining pipes be closed.
When it is desired to operate the engines B, C as a duplex engine (the engine A
remaining idle), the cocks of the pipes 26, 28, 31, 33 will be opened, and the cocks
of the remaining pipes closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with three engines arranged to be operated in pairs upon the
duplex principle, of valve-operating connections for operating the valve or valves of
each engine from either of the others, substantially as described.
g
2. The combination with the three engines A, B, C, of the rock shafts 9 h, each
having connections for attachment to the piston rods of two of said engines and to the
valve rods of two of said engines, substantially as described.
3. The combination with three engines A, B, C, of the rock shafts g h made in parts
and connected by couplings, as 8, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the shafts g h, having the rock arins oc, of the link q,
connected to the valve rod s, and arranged to be connected to cithor of said arms,
substantially as described.
A
4000