IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood,
of the Firm of "John Wood and Company," of Sowerby Bridge,
in the County of York, Engineers and Millwrights, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES.'
Sealed the 13th August 1869, and dated the 17th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wood, Benjamin
Wood, and Richard Wood at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 17th February 1869.
We, JOHN WOOD, BENJAMIN WOOD, and RICHARD WOOD, of the Firm
of "John Wood and Company," of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of
York, Engineers and Millwrights, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to means or apparatus for working or operating
the cut-off valves used in connection with steam engines.

page_text: These improvements consist in the application of a separate small
steam cylinder and piston with ordinary slide valve; the piston rod
thereof is connected with another rod in communication with and
giving motion to the spindle of the cut-off valve. The valve rod is pro-
vided with two collars or shoulders between which are two cams mounted
upon a hollow spindle within which works a slidable rod connected
to the governor by a bell-crank lever and connecting rod. In the
aforesaid slidable rod are fixed two projecting studs or pins passing
through slots cut or formed in the hollow spindle parallel to its axis
and made to enter into oblique slots formed in the cams respectively,
so that when the slidable rod is moved in either direction in the said
hollow spindle the projecting studs or pins will move the cams thereon,
altering their position in such manner as will cause the steam to be
admitted into either one or the other end of the said small steam
cylinder as may be required, thus giving motion to the piston therein,
and thereby move the spindle of 'the cut-off valve, and by the varying
action of the governor causing the steam to be cut off sooner or later, and
the action of the governor being quick the cut-off is quickly effected.
On the said hollow spindle a leg is fixed and connected by a rod to the
log fixed on the rocking shaft, which is thereby, worked with the motion
of the engine. To avoid concussion of the piston against the ends
of the steam cylinder we employ an air cylinder with one or two
pistons and rod in connection with the said steam piston rod, which
cylinder is suitably constructed to form an air cushion. "This apparatus
can be worked by either steam, air, water, gas, or vacuum as may be
most conveniently applied. The Invention is applicable to slide valves,
piston valves, and all other kinds of valves, but more particularly
to piston valvės, also to horizontal, vertical, direct-acting, and beam
engines.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 30
filed by the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME," we, JOHN
WOOD, BENJAMIN WOOD, and RICHARD WOOD, of the Firm of "John

page_text: Wood and Company," of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York,
Engineers and Millwrights,. send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine,, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto us, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood,
and Richard Wood, Her special licence that we, the said John Wood,
Benjamin Wood, and Richard Wood, our exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood,
and Richard Wood, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Wood, Benjamin
Wood, and Richard Wood, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing, under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Wood, Benjamin Wood, and
Richard Wood, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement and accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings (that is to say): -
This Invention relates to means or apparatus for working or operating
the cut-off valves used in connection with steam engines.
These improvements consist in the application of a separate small
steam cylinder and piston with ordinary slide valve; the piston rod
thereof is connected with another rod in communication with and
giving motion to the spindle of the cut-off valve. The valve rod is

page_text: provided with two collars or shoulders between which are two cams
mounted upon a hollow spindle, within which works a slideable rod
connected to the governor by a bell-crank lever and connecting rod.
In the aforesaid slideable rod are fixed two projecting studs or pins
passing through slots cut or formed in the hollow spindle parallel to
its axis and made to enter into oblique slots formed in the cams
respectively, so that when the slideable rod is moved in either direction
in the said hollow spindle the projecting studs or pins will move the
cams thereon, altering their position in such manner as will cause the
steam to be admitted into either one or the other end of the said smal!
steam cylinder as may be required, thus giving motion to the piston
therein, and thereby move the spindle of the cut-off valve, and by
the varying action of the governor causing the steam to be cut off
sooner or later, and the action of the governor being quick the cut off is
quickly effected. On the said hollow spindle a leg is fixed and connected
by a rod to the leg fixed on the rocking shaft, which is thereby worked
with the motion of the engine. To avoid concussion of the piston
against the ends of the steam cylinder we employ an air cylinder with
one or two pistons and rod in connection with the said steam piston
rod, which cylinder is suitably constructed to form an air cushion.
This apparatus can be worked by either steam, air, water, gas, or
vacuum as may be most conveniently applied, and the Invention is
applicable to slide valves, piston valves, and all other kinds of valves,
but more particularly to piston valves, also to both horizontal and vertical
direct-acting and to beam engines.
A is the small steam cylinder with its piston B and rod C, and D is
an ordinary slide valve. The piston rod C is connected with a rod E
attached to a lever arm F fixed on the spindle G of an ordinary piston
valve E, and to this arm F is another rod I connected to a piston

page_text: rod J on which are two pistons J and J' in a double cylinder open
at the ends, forming air cushions. The spindle D' of the slide valve D
is connected to a rectangular frame, on the two opposite sides of which
are formed shoulders K and K; within this frame are two cams I and I
mounted upon a hollow spindle M supported in bearings of a box, or
frame N. On one end of the hollow spindle M is fixed a leg or lever
arm P which may be connected by a rod to a lever on the ordinary
rocking shaft (by which the slide motion of piston valve is obtained), or
this rod may be connected to an eccentric on the fly wheel shaft or other
convenient part of the engine. R is the slideable rod fitting within
the hollow spindle so as to be capable of sliding or being moved endwise
by the action of the governors upon the bell-crank lever S. On this
rod are two pins which pass through slot holes m in the hollow
spindle, which slot holes are parallel with the axis thereof, and these
pins also enter slot holes and in the bosses of the cams L and I,
which slot holes are oblique to the axis thereof. It will now be readily
seen that any variation of the speed of the engine will be communicated
to the slide rod K which will act upon the cams L, turning them
right or left upon the hollow spindle, so that the rocking motion given
thereto by the lever arm P may cause them to actuate the slide valve D
accordingly, thus admitting steam to either one or the other side of
the piston B, which being moved thereby will operate the lever F and
consequently the piston valve H, causing the steam to be cut off sooner
or later as required. To prevent concussion of the piston B against
the ends of the steam cylinder we apply the cylinder and pistons J
and J, which form air cushions, the air being admitted through taps T,
which may be regulated to admit more or less as required. It will
also be observed that this apparatus may be worked by either steam,
air, water, gas, or vacuum, but we prefer steam, and that it is equally
applicable to slide valves and to all classes of engines wherein cut-off
valves are used.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and shewn
by the accompanying Drawings how the same may be performed or
carried into practical effect, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to, any particular construction or mode of appli-
cation, as various modifications will be required to be made therein
according to circumstances; but what we claim is, the application and

page_text: use of a separate cylinder and piston to be actuated by steam or any
convenient motive power for working the cut-off valves. of steam engines..
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Wood, for and on behalf
of myself and the said John Wood and Richard Wood, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine
BENJAMIN WOOD. (L.S.);
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the said Benjamin
Wood, in the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Bradford.