Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Compound Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 23rd Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th June, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Compound Engines.
I FREDERICK JOHN BURRELL of St. Nicholas Works Thetford in the County of
Norfolk Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In compound engines it is common for the exhaust steam from the high pressure
cylinder to pass into a receiver from which the low pressure cylinder is supplied.
There is difficulty in starting such engines when the high pressure piston crank is on
a dead centre and it is usual to provide means to admit steam direct from the boiler
into the receiver so that the engine may be started by the low pressure piston. There
is also occasionally difficulty in starting the engine when the low pressure piston crank
is on a dead centre. To provide for sucb cases it is usual to arrange means for opening
the receiver to the air or the condenser and so obtain an increase of power by relieving
the high pressure piston from back pressure.
According to my invention I arrange the valves for effecting these two objects in
such a manner that they are operated by a single handle. The valve for admitting
steam direct from the boiler into the receiver is formed like an ordinary safety valve
being held down to its seat by a spring. The spindle of this valve is pressed upon by
a lever which opens the valve against the pressure of the steam and of the spring so
that it closes immediately the lever handle is released.
The valve for opening the receiver to the atmosphere or the condenser is a flap valve
and its tail is provided with a projection against which the lever comes when it is
turned in the reverse direction. This valve also closes immediately the handle is
released by reason of the pressure upon it of the steam in the receiver.
It will thus be seen that the driver, if he fails to start the engine by turning the
lever handle in one direction can without loss of time turn it in the opposite direction
and thus start it.
To obtain greater power to start engines of this class (especially when locomotive) or
to ascend hills it is sometimes desirable to provide means for working both cylinders

page_text: with high pressure steam direct from the boiler. Various ways have been suggested for
doing this, amongst others a cock for admitting steam direct from the boiler into the
receiver has been provided together with a valve to close the connection between the
exhaust from the high pressure cylinder and the receiver and open it to the air or
the condenser.
When working in this way it is often desirable to prevent the low pressure cylinder
from receiving the full boiler pressure of steam and relief and let down valves of various
descriptions have been used. According to my invention I employ a slide valve for
closing the connection between the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder and the
receiver and opening it to the air or the condenser and I hold down this valve by
means of a spiral spring upon its back, so that it can act as a safely valve and allow
the steam in the receiver, when it exceeds a certain pressure, to blow off through the
high pressure exhaust to the air or the condenser.
CARPMAEL & Co,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Compound Engines.
I, FREDERICK JOHN BURRELL, of St. Nicholas Works, Thetford in the County of
Norfolk, 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 :-
There
In compound engines it is common for the exhaust steam from the high pressure
cylinder to pass into a receiver from which the low pressure cylinder is supplied.
There is difficulty in starting such engines when the high pressure piston crank is on
a dead centre and it is usual to provide means to admit steam direct from the boiler
into the receiver so that the engine may be started by the low pressure piston.
is also occasionally difficulty in starting the engine when the low pressure piston crank
is on a dead centre. To provide for such cases it is usual to arrange means for
opening the receiver to the air or the condenser and so obtain an increase of power
by relieving the high pressure piston from back pressure,
According to my invention I arrange the valves for effecting these two objects in
such a manner that they are operated by a jsingle handle. The valve for admitting
steam direct from the boiler into the receiver is formed like an ordinary safety valve,
being held down to its seat by a spring. The spindle of this valve is pressed upon by
a lever which opens the valve against the pressure of the steam and of the spring so
that it closes immediately the lever handle is released.

page_text: The valve for opening the receiver to the atmosphere or the condenser is a flap valve,
and its tail is provided with a projection against which the lever comes when it is
turned, in the reverse direction.
This valve also closes immediately the handle is released by reason of the pressure
upon it of the steam in the receiver.
It will thus be seen that the driver, if he fails to start the engine by turning the
lever handle in one direction can without loss of time turn it in the opposite direction
and thus start it.
To obtain greater power to start engines of this class (especially when locomotive)
or to ascend hills, it is sometimes desirable to provide means for working both cylinders
with high pressure steam direct from the boiler. Various ways have been suggested
for doing this, amongst others a cock for admitting steam direct from the boiler into
the receiver has been provided together with a valve to close the connection between
the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder and the receiver, and open it to the air
or the condenser.
When working in this way it is often desirable to prevent the low pressure cylinder
from receiving the full boiler pressure of steam and relief and let down valves of
various descriptions have been used. According to my invention I employ a slide
valve for closing the connection between the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder
and the receiver and opening it to the air or the condenser and I hold down this valve
by means of a spiral spring upon its back, so that it can act as a safety valve and allow
the steam in the receiver, when it exceeds a certain pressure, to blow off through the
bigh pressure exhaust to the air or the condenser.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, Figure 2 a plan and Figure 3 a horizontal section of
apparatus arranged as above described for admitting steam direct from the boiler to
the receiver or for opening the receiver to the air or to the condenser. Figure 4 is a
side elevation of the apparatus applied to an engine mounted on the top of the boiler
as is common in agricultural engines.
In figure 1 A is an ordinary lifting valve which when opened allows live steam to
pass from the passage B to the chamber C and to the passage D which leads therefrom.
to the receiver. E is a valve closing a passage F from the chamber C to the condenser
or exhaust.
In figure 4 the passage B is shewn to be connected by a pipe B₁ with the steam
dome of the boiler and the passage F to be connected to the exhaust pipe H which
passes to the chimney. I is an axis passing through the Chamber C, it has fixed upon
it outside the chamber an arm I' by which it can be rocked in either direction. Inside
the chamber the axis has upon it two projections J, K. When the.axis is turned in
one direction the projection J lifts the valve A and allows live steam from the boiler
to pass to the receiver and act upon the low pressure piston. When the axis is turned
in the opposite direction the projection K on the axis acts upon a tail piece on the flap
valve E and lifts this valve thereby opening the receiver to the exhaust or condenser
and relieving the high pressure piston from back pressure. Figure 5 shews a vertical
section and Figure 6 an end view partly in section of the arrangement in which not
only is the self-closing valve for admitting steam to the receiver and the valve for
opening a communication between the high pressure exhaust and the outer air or
condenser operated by one lever handle but in which in addition the parts are so
arranged that both cylinders can then be worked with high pressure steam direct from
the boiler, and in which also the second valve acts as a safety valve to prevent the
pressure in the receiver from getting too high.
In these figures H is the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder A. L is the
exhaust from the low pressure cylinder B. and R is the receiver. .C is a self closing valve
for admitting live steam from the boiler to the receiver and D the slide valve by which
the communication between the high pressure exhaust and the receiver can be closed
and the high pressure exhaust simultaneously opened to the air or condenser. As will
o be seen from figure 6 the rod of this latter valve is carried out through a stuffing box
and has a collar D' upon it to come against a lever E to which the valve C is coupled
and open this valve to allow steam to pass to the receiver. F is a coiled spring by which

page_text: the slide valve D is held down, it bears against a piston F¹ which fits into a recess at
the back of the valve and the piston itself rests against and is held down by a fixed
projection H¹ in the high pressure exhaust passage.
Figures 7 and 8 shew a modified way in which the same results can be obtained as
in Figures 5 and 6-the parts are marked with the same letters of reference as in these
figures and they act in the same way.
In this modification the valve C which admits steam to the receiver R when the
slide valve D is made to close the communication between the high pressure exhaust H
and the receiver and open the high pressure exhaust to the outer air or condenser is
effected by the end of the slide valve rod being brought against the stem of the valve
-C and made to lift this valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1:-The combination of two self-closing valves worked by one lever for admitting live
steam to or releasing it from the receiver when starting the engine.
2. The arrangement of the two valves and lever substantially in the manner herein
before described and shewn at Figure 1.
3. The combination of a slide valve for closing the communication between the high
pressure exhaust and the receiver and opening the high pressure exhaust to the outer
air or condenser and a lifting self-closing valve for admitting live steam to the receiver
both operated by the movement of one handle.
4. Making the slide valve to serve also as a relief valve substantially as described.
5. The combination of parts substantially as described with reference to Figures 5
and 6.
6. The combination of parts substantially as described with reference to Figures 7
and 8.