Improvements for the Automatic Regulation of Steam Distribution in Prime Movers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for the Automatic Regulation of Steam Distribution
in Prime Movers.
ARTHUR WILLIAM COOPER 1 Brown Street Broughty Ferry County of Forfar,
North Britain Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
An improved method of regulating the supply of steam to meet the variation in
power required in ordinary work and obtaining at same time the greatest economy by
using trip valves which do not throttle pressure, and also differential governor con-
nections which obviate irregularities in speed.
An apparatus constructed according to my invention would be easily got at in all
its parts, very light to work and quick in action. The valves preferably used are of
the ballanced double beat order, and arranged one at each end of cylinder. A spindle
connected to valve passes up through cover, the sectional area of which is (preferably)
sufficient with regular working pressure of steam to ballance weight of parts. Over
centre of valve cover but clear from same there would be placed an air cylinder, or
dash pot with piston and air regulating valves complete, whose action prevents the
too sudden seating of valves when released by trip gear. The lifting and trip gear
would be constructed as follows, from top of air piston, or from intermediate portion
of spindle would rise a link or pair of links to a pin joint about the centre of an
overhung lever which lever would be pivoted at one extremity to fixed bracket, the
opposite end underside is formed with steeled working face, hardened so to with-
stand action of lifters. The attachments of lever being such that any movement
against steeled face would lift valves from seating.
The lifting action however being resisted by steel springs or other equivalent which
bear down lever, whose sudden release by trip gear admits of sharp cut off, without
wire drawing. The initial pressure being maintained up to point of cut-off, thereby
offering the full economy due to expansion. The lifting movement is obtained for
steel faced overhung lever, from a rocking lever placed underneath and having a
quadrant pivoted at or near to opposite end of lever from centre of motion, movement
obtained either by eccentric genring direct from main shaft, or preferably from an
intermediate shaft by mitre gearing. The quadrant top edge takes on to steel face
of overhung lever, moving it upwards untill governor finger spanner meets inner
lip of quadrant, when the quadrant is triped clear of steel face, and valves drop shut.
a small spiral spring under constant compression thrusts quadrant back into engaging
position directly it returns clear of constraint of finger spanner and portion of lever
that has droped beyond it in closing valves.
The Finger spanners would be moved into position and maintained by action of
governors, which act through differential movement, conected against hunting or
sluggishness in the following manner.
The ordinary sleve which takes on to usual cross-lever would have a body extending
upwards and downwards from centre of lever collars, and at those extremeties is
formed a cone pulley of a diameter sufficient to overhang and conveniently clear
sides of levers, between the edges of those cone pulleys but clear of both would be
placed two vertical cone pulleys, fitted with band pulleys on back those compound
pulleys aro floated in stirrup spanners or otherwise maintained at a point clear of
both top and bottom cone pulleys on governor sleve, when the normal speed of engine
is being kept to a spiral spring is held by bracket taking both stirrup spanners
whose movements when carried either upward or downward by governor sleve, is
resisted by action of spring or other equivalent the spring determining the pressure

page_text: .
that cone wheels take against each other. At end of ordinary lever from that carry-
ing ballance weight is a deep collar pivoted to sides of lever, and within which is a
bush, kept from rising by shoulder space under bottom end of collar. Above collar
but fast on bush would be a band pulley, the centre part of bush being bored and
threaded to take end of connecting rod from Finger spanner shaft or from bell crank,
whose centres would be preferably in a vertical line underneath centre of governor
lever. The action of this apparatus is obtained as follows, an endless band of suitable
griping and wearing material would be laid round outside diameter of wheel on top
of threaded bush the two parts then leading over and under vertical pulleys, then
back clear of gearing, droping square down over two guide pulleys carried on fixed
arm, the band including pulley in shackle on top of free tension weight. Then should
the engine speed vary a little, the clearing will be lost between cone pulleys on
sleve either top or bottom, when they will engage with vertical cone wheels thereby
giving motion to band and thus adjusting position of valve connection untill normal
speed is again attained by governors, when the cone pulleys are once more running
clear, the sudden action of lever over extreme range is not in any way checked by
adjusting movement but rather quickened.
The apparatus may be fitted to existing engines with great advantage and at very
little cost the valve portion would then be collected to opperate perhaps one valve
only the lifting and trip gear being in duplicate to reduce motion saving tear &
.. wear.
1 this zoru day от баnuary 100.
A. W. COOPER.
. 1, Brown Street, Broughty Ferry, County of Forfar, North Britain.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for the Automatic Regulation of Steam Distribution
in Prime Movers.
ARTHUR WILLIAM COOPER 14 James Place Broughty Ferry County of Forfar
North Britain Mechanical 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 is intended to give by the method afterwards particularly described
in detail a means of regulating the supply of steam to steam engine motive cylinders
economical and also proportionate to the work required by using differential gearing
on Governor and trip valve motion. I herewith proceed to describe in particular and
by drawing the method of construction, action and application of said invention which
consists of different parts arranged to work in conjunction with each other, that is to
say there would be valves placed upon the inlet passages of steam engine cylinders,
one at each end, preferably of the ballanced double beat type, which would be lifted
by suitable mechanism. Triped and returned to seating by the recoil of suitable
springs of steel, the arrangement of mechanism would be as follows, over centro of
valve chamber but sufficiently clear from same there would be placed an air cylinder
; or dash pot fitted with suitable piston, into the centre of which would be connected,
a spindle rising up from double-beat valve through suitable stuffing box, spiral
steel springs being arranged on frame over air piston to continually bear down same
against valve, the action of this dash pot preventing the too sudden seating of
valve when released from lift mechanism by trip gear. The lift and trip motions
would be constructed as follows, over centre of, but sufficiently clear from top of
dash pot is pivoted a lever, the pivot being at one extremity the other end of lever
being formed with steel face projecting downwards, the pivoted end being sufficiently
back on bracket, that piston of air dash pot may be readily withdrawn by removing
lever only, suspension link or links come down from this lover to top of air piston in
dash pot, and from it is connected by spindle to valve so that any upward movement

page_text: of steel faced end of lever gives a proportionate lift to valve.
.
The movement for
this lever is obtained from another lever which is placed underneath and pivoted to
same bracket at one extremity the other or opposite end of second lever is coupled
by connecting rod to cranks or eccentrics on service shaft running in line with centre
of engine cylinder and driven by spur and mitre gearing from which all the steam
valves of cylinder or cylinders may be operated, upon this second lever and in position
to come in line with steel face of upper lever is pivoted a quadrant, which, on lever
reaching lowest position is projected by steel spring partly underneath edge of steel
face of upper spanner or lever, and as the upward movement progresses the levers
move together carrying steam valve from face until horizontal face of quadrant meets
finger spanner which forms part of governor gearing and by a touch displaces
quadrant from under steel face of aforementioned upper spanner when valve imme-
The
diately returns to its seat, by the recoil of steel springs as before mentioned.
position of upward travel at instant of tripping determines the distance which main
piston of engine has travelled with initial pressure of steam, a correct movement of
tripping finger spanner in relation to variation of speed being all important in giving
true and constant mean speed, irrespective of the class of expansion gearing
employed, keeping in view ease of tripping lift, tight valves & quick closing, the mass
of metal into finger spanner ought to absorb shock from meeting trip, without
jerking back to governor gearing as is often the case. To particularly describe one
form of Governor gearing is drawing herewith of elevation and plan for lever arrange-
ment, which can be readily fitted to existing machines. Vertical spindle A is rotated
in the usual manner agreeing with centrifugal mechanism which may be employed
to give vertical movement to sleve C upon which is formed the two discs D. D. also
collars E. E. this sleve (slips upon two feathers let into vertical shaft those feathers
being preferably of anti-friction metal, sleve C having thereby a rotary movement
position, as well as a vertical one from suspension links, from this sleve is operated
the differential movement guiding finger spanner at trip motion, the collars E. E.
gear as usual with pad or levers F. F. which are pivoted at H H and balanced J
in the usual way. At opposite end of lever there is pivoted sleve bush, G, within
which bush may be placed a screwed bush with band pulley G 3, on top, connecting
link from bell crank or spanner K being screwed into upper bush. But in preference
to this combination the screw bush G2 forins the coupling joint to finger spanner
connecting shaft or crank, the top end of coupling rod being formed with collar to
bear under bush G. and band pulley is fast upon top end, forming upper collar
spanner or bell crank K is keyed fast upon shaft L which is preferably carried direct
to position of trip motion the finger spanner for either end of cylinder being keyed
to same connection. K 2 may be used as coupling rod to any other arrangement
or position of governor pillar in relation to position of trip gear, the differential
movement is obtained by floating two vertical discs P. clear between horizontal
discs D. D. which are inactive so long as engine maintains constant speed but any
variation brings contact between discs, which then are carried but rotate while being
Discs P. P. are
carried either upwards or downwards by movement of sleve C.
carried in this arrangement shown by stirrup spanners N. N. on pin arbors, one end
of spanner is pivoted at H opposite end is carried by rods which pass freely through
bracket N and spring O, but are fitted with nuts and collars N 2 so that rods may
be adjusted to keep discs P. P. clear of discs D D. when governor is running at
required speed, but a flexible endless band is placed over pulleys P2 P 2, the upper
portion cliping over pulley G3 the other portion passes over guide pulleys Q and round
tension pulley R which is loaded by direct weights, the movement of this band by
pulleys P2 gives motion to pulley G3 which in turn adjusts clip gear and brings
engine speed back so that governor runs clear of discs P. P. In the second method
of connection to suit direct action in case of operating valve immediately below
Governor pillar, the lever arrangement would be laid aside and Collars E removed
from sleve C. The discs P. P. would then be bound together by encircling backle V
which would be supported by two guide rods passing through lugs arranged on
centre line T. T. and fitted with spring and nuts as at O and N but of stiff form,

page_text: from Buckle but in centre line T. T. and at centre of pulleys P. P. would depend
two rods W bearing by collars in buckle V and each having movement of rotation
by pinions ✗ from sides of disc P. P. the bottom ends of those two rods reaching
well down length of column, and whereat the pillar would be turned straight, a
collar Y being fitted at this part into which those depending rods are screwed having
suitable bushes fitted for renewal. This collar may have connection reaching straight
down or pivots may be formed clear of carrying rods so that a movenient may be
obtained for other purposes. The method of action is as follows. Discs P. act as
collars to carry buckle, which by means of depending rods move collar on pillar, the
pinion at top of rods give movement to rods, at same time by rotation of discs P. P.
and differential adjustment is thereby obtained from lower collar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner
the same
is to be performed I declare that I
claim is
First. The herein before described improvements for the automatic regulation of
steam distribution within steam engines as prime movers.
Second. The employment of floating stirrup spanners with discs for transmitting
motion as described and shown on drawings.
Third. The employment of floating collar, with discs gearing with vertical
rods.
Fourth. Method of adjustment for floating of disc by springs between brackets and
adjusting nut, as shown on Drawing.
Fifth. Tension arrangement for lever arrangement as described and shown on
Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur William Cooper have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 21st day of October One thousand eight hundred and
eighty nine
ARTHUR WILLIAM COOPER,
14, James Place, Broughty Ferry, County of Forfar, North Britain.
Dated this 21st day of October 1889.