IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO COUPLINGS OF SHAPTING AND TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Barnett Joyce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
October 1868.
I, JOHN BARNETT JOYCE, of Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR APPLICABLE TO THE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
IS APPLICABLE TO COUPLINGS OF SHAPTING AND TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to means of setting or adjusting, and
working or operating those valves of steam engines technically known
as "expansion" or "cut-off" valves direct from or by the governor.
The valve I employ is in two parts, one to each port at the back of the
ordinary slide valve, which parts are attached to the valve rod by right and
left-handed screw threads thereon, so that by turning the said rod in one
direction the two parts will be moved further apart, and by turning in the
opposite direction they will be moved nearer to each other. The said rod
or shaft is in two parts, jointed between the two parts of the valve by a
new construction of coupling. This coupling is in two parts, longi-
tudinally divided, the interior formed to fit on the rod, and the exterior
slightly conical or tapering towards each end from the middle thereof,

page_text: and having a screw thread cut thereon. A screwed nut or nuts is or are
fitted upon each end of this coupling, so that when the said coupling is
applied across the jointing ends of the two parts of the rod or shaft these
nuts can be screwed up, and thereby hold the parts firmly together, and
if desirable or requisite the interior of this coupling may be screwed and
placed upon the ends of the rods or shafts. This construction of coupling
and method of attaching the valve rod to the two parts of the valve
affords a ready means of setting or adjusting them to the steam ports of
the ordinary valve. In order to the working or operating of these valves
to expand or contract them by the governor I employ a pair of ratchet
wheels either in the valve or in connection therewith by gearing. A
lever is also hinged centrally to these wheels, carrying two catches, one
to take into each wheel, the teeth of which are formed in opposite direc-
tions to each other. This lever is caused to oscillate by an ordinary
eccentric and rod. A rod in connection with the governor is so formed
that when the engine is in equilibrio or running steady it will hold both
catches out of contact with the ratchet wheels, but any variation therein
will cause either one or other of the catches to take into the wheel it is
applied to, and thus turn the rod so as to either expand or contract the
two parts of the cut-off valve according to arrangement thereof.
Secondly. This Invention relates to means of joining together lengths
of mill shafting bars, or piping of metal or other material, and consists
in the application of the herein-before described construction of couplings
for such purposes, by the use of which the erection thereof is very
much facilitated, and is also convenient for taking out and replacing
of intermediate lengths.