IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE SUPPLY AND DISTRI BUTION OF STEAM TO STEAM ENGINES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declaro the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE SUPPLY AND DISTRI
BUTION OF STEAM TO STEAM ENGINES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as
follows:-
'
This invention relates to apparatus for enabling steam to be admitted to a
double cylinder steam engine in such a manner that both cylinders may work
under high pressure, or one under high pressure and the other with expansion as
desired.
The said invention has for one of its objects to provide simple and cheap
apparatus which is easily applied to steam engines generally, and by means of
which, the steam is more advantageously utilized than ordinarily whereby an
immense saving of fuel is effected.
It also has for an object to permit the augmentation at will of the power of a
compound engine, which could not be effected with the apparatus heretofore
employed.
The improved apparatus is applicable to stationary, locomotive, marine, com-
pound and other engines having two or more cylinders of equal or unequal
diameters, cranks standing at any suitable angle, and working with low, or high
pressure steam and with or without condensation.
With the new apparatus either of two distinct modes of admitting the steam
into the cylinders can be employed at will or according to requirements. The
first mode of admitting the steam is that ordinarily applied in steam-engines
having two equal cylinders each cylinder having its separate steam supply and
exhaust.-
The second mode, with the same apparatus, permits the introduction of steam
into only one of the cylinders and of causing it to pass, into and act expansively in

page_text: the other without occasioning any compression which is prejudicial to the motion
of the engine.
:
The improved apparatus is combined with the existing parts of a steam engine.
When the rectilineal motion of a steam-engine piston is transformed into rotary
motion by means of a crank and a connecting-rod, it is well-known that for equal
angles described by the crank at different parts of the stroke the corresponding
distances through which the piston travels differ considerably from each other.
The distribution of steam resulting from the second mode of admission, and
applied to a steam-engine with cylinders of equal or unequal diameters refers
precisely to this case, that is to say, although the cranks describe the same angles,
the distance travelled by one of. the pistons at the commencement of its stroke
under the pressure of live steam is insignificant as compared with the distance
travelled by the other piston under expansion; whence it follows that the elements
constituting the improved apparatus are not prejudicial to the motion of the
engine.
With the said apparatus the receiver usually employed with compound engines
is dispensed with.
The second mode of admitting the steam occasions the closing of the steam inlet
pipe of one of the cylinders, which is effected at the moment when the communi-
cation between the exhaust-pipe and the chimney is interrupted, in such a manner
that the steam proceeding from the boiler is only introduced into one of the
cylinders, expanding first in this and escaping afterwards into the second cylinder,
where it expands and finally passes in the ordinary manner either into the chimney
or into the condensor.
This second mode of admission enables a more advantageous utilization of the
steam than hitherto which was impossible heretofore in engines having cylinders
of equal diameters.
By reason of the employment of the improved apparatus great power, in order
to overcome great resistance, can always be obtained when necessary, while a
minimum of power is sufficient for the ordinary purposes.
"
-. Thus the application of this new invention to locomotive and other engines
permits a more rational utilization of the steam than hitherto, and consequently a
considerable saving of fuel, whilst applied to compound engines (marino or others,
having large or small cylinders) it permits when required, the action at full
pressure an undeniable advantage at certain moments, but which cannot be realized
with the existing arrangements.
'
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section on the line a, b, c, d, Figure 2 of apparatus
constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, on the line e, f Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of the said apparatus.
A, A¹ indicate the cylinders, of a double cylinder steam-engine; and B the
improved apparatus applied thereto. C indicates the steam regulator; and D the
chimney; g indicates the pipe which conducts the steam from the boiler to
the regulating valve. g'g" indicate the steam admission-pipe for the cylinder A'
and h¹ the exhaust-pipe for conveying the exhaust steam either into the chimney,
or into the cylinder A; ii indicate the slide connected to the rod k having screw
threads, and operated by the hand-wheel L. m m m indicate the ports.
The position of the slide i as shown in Figure 2, is the one which it occupies
when the pressure of the boiler acts directly upon both pistons.
The steam then passes, through the pipe g to the regulator C which is opened
and thence through the pipe g' in order to enter, according to the usual mode, into
the steam chest of the cylinder A¹. The steam also passes through the port m¹,
into the tube gl and from thence into the second cylinder A
"
The exhaust steam from the cylinder A¹ passes through the pipe.h¹, and the
port m m beneath the slide i, into the pipe ¹ whence it
chimney D,
escapes into the

page_text: The exhaust steam from the cylinder A, passes through the pipe A directly into
the chimney D in the usual mode.
When the steam is to act under bigh pressure in one cylinder and expansively
in the other, the slide i is moved, by means of the hand-wheel l, from the position
to the end of its course shown in dotted lines at y; the ports m and m" are then
placed in communication and the passage of steam through the port m" is
interrupted, as well as the communication through the port m¹³ and the tube h¹
leading to the chimney D. As the steam is admitted it passes through the tube g¹
to the cylinder A' and, after having acted upon the piston, it exhausts through the
tube h', the port m m and the tubo g", to the second cylinder A whence it
escapes in the usual manner, through the pipe h into the chimney D.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
OF STEAM TO STEAM ENGINES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR " 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 apparatus for enabling an engine having more than
one cylinder to be worked either as a high pressure engine or as a compound
engine.
The improved apparatus which is especially applicable to locomotives is simple
and cheap, and enables a steam engine to operated in either two or three distinct
manners. Either of these modes of operation produces a continuous motion of the
engine and can be put into operation at will according to requirements whether
the engine is at rest or at work.
The present invention differs somewhat from the invention of "Woolf" wherein
small and large cylinders were employed.
•
The said apparatus can be easily adapted at a small cost to existing engines, as
well as to engines in course of construction, that is to say it may be applied to any
fixed, locomotive, marine, compound, or other engine, having two or more cylinders
of equal or unequal diameters, and cranks set at suitable angles to each other and
working either at low, menn, or high pressure, with or without condensation.
The three modes of operation which can be obtained by means of the present
invention are the following: 1st The steam from the boiler is admitted into the
cylinders according to the ordinary method of admitting steam to engines having
two equal cylinders, that is to say, each of the cylinders has its admission as well
as its exhaust port. This method enables the maximum power of the engine
to be developed. 2nd The steam from the boiler can be admitted into only one of
the cylinders and allowed to expand in the other, that is to say, the operation of
the engine is caused by admitting steam at high pressure into the cylinder on the
right hand side of the engine, and allowing it to expand and act at low pressure 3
in the cylinder on the left hand side (supposing the engine has only two cylinders).
3rd The steam is admitted at high pressure into the left hand cylinder, and acts
expansively in that on the right hand side.
These three modes of distribution enable engines to be operated without causing
compression prejudicial to their motion.
It is a well known fact that, when the transformation of the rectilineal motion
of a steam engine piston into a rotary motion takes place through the medium of
a crank and connecting rod, for equal angles described by the crank at different
parts of the stroke the corresponding distances traversed by the piston differ
considerably and can never be equal.
The distribution of steam according to the two last mentioned modes when.
applied to a steam engine having cylinders of equal or unequal diameters presents
3

page_text: the following features, that is to say, although the cranks describe angles of the
same degree, the distance traversed by one of the pistons taken from the commence-
ment of its stroke under the pressure of steam is insignificant as compared with
the distance traversed by the other piston which at this moment is being acted
upon expansively by the steam, whence it follows that this state of things, inherent
to the elements constituting the improved apparatus is not prejudicial to the
motion of the engine.
With the second and third' modes of distribution however the steam admission
pipo of one of the cylinders is closed at the moment when the communication of
the exhaust pipe of the other with the chimney is interrupted, so that the steam
coming from the boiler is only admitted into a single cylinder, expands therein,
passes then into the second where it expands again, and finally escapes either to
the chimney or to the condenser.
From this results that an engine works with considerable economy by means
of the improved distributing apparatus; for the maximum power can be obtained
for performing the greatest amount of work; or only the minimum power which
is sufficient for the normal motion of the engine.is developed.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 shew the apparatus designed to provide only two distinct
modes of operation, that is to say: the admission of steam at high pressure into
each of the cylinders which is provided with an exhaust port connected with the
chimney or a condenser; and the admission of steam at high pressure into one of
the cylinders only, the other or others receiving the expanded steam which passes
from the foriner.
Figures 4 to 10 show the application of the apparatus to a locomotive.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3 A indicates the left hand cylinder of a coupled steam
engine. A the right hand cylinder, B the improved distributing apparatus, C the
regulator, and D the chimney.
9 indicates the pipe for conveying steam from the boiler to the distributor, and
gg" the pipes for conducting the steam from the distributor to the cylinders A¹ A
respectively. h is the exhaust pipe for conveying the steam from the cylinder A
directly into the chimney D, and h¹ is the exhaust pipe of the cylinder A' for
conducting the steam from the said cylinder A¹ through the pipe " into the
chimney D or through the pipe g" into the cylinder A.
i is the slide of the distributing apparatus and k the slide rod to which is attached.
the hand wheel for moving the said slide rod.
m, m³, m¹¹ indicate the ports of the distributing apparatus.
The exhaust steain coming from the cylinder A after passing through the pipe h¹
passes either through the port m¹ into the pipe h¹ and thence into the chimney D;
or through the port m" through the pipe gll into the cylinder A, according to the
position of the slide i.
The operation of these parts is the same as that hereinafter described when the
apparatus is applied to a locomotive.
The application to a locomotive, of the three modes of distribution above described
is illustrated in Figures 4 to 10 of the accompanying drawings. Figure 4 being
an elevation of a locomotive to which the improved distributing apparatus is
applied.
Figure 5 a transverse section.
Figure 6 a plan of the locomotive partly in section on the line 1-2 Figure 4.
Figure 7 a rear view.
Figure 8 a plan showing the pipes.
Figure 9 an interior view of the steam chest on the right hand side and
Figure 10 an interior view of the steam chest on the left hand side.
In these figures similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In order to introduce (according to the first mode of operation hereinbefore
refered to) steam at high pressure separately into each of the cylinders at the same
time, in the usual manner, it is necessary, after having put the reversing lever

page_text: forward or backward to its extreme position and having opened the regulator C
that the slides i and i' in the two steam-chests B and B are maintained in the
positions indicated in Figure 5.
The steam from the boiler thon passes through the regulator C and then through
the pipe c on the left hand side of the engine into the chest B. The steam thence
passes through the port m and the tube d to the chest B' and thence through
-tube g¹ to the cylinder A¹.
This steam by reason of the arrangement of parts existing in the ordinary steam
distributor, operates at high pressure in the cylinder A, escaping through the
tube e and passing through the port n¹ of the chest B¹; it thence passes below the 1
slide, and through the port o' in order to enter into the tube f', whence it
escapes into the chimney D.
At the same time the admission of the steam at high pressure into the opposite.
cylinder A takes place in a similar manner that is to say the steam passing from
the boiler through the tube c' on the right hand side of the engine passes through 1
the port m into the pipe and proceeds thence through the chest B into the
admission pipe g of the cylinder A.
The steam, after having effected, by means of the existing parts of ordinary
steam distributors its work at high pressure in this cylinder A escapes through the
pipe e and passing through the port n of the chest B circulates below the slide i 2
and passes through the port o in order to proceed into the pipe fand to escape into
the chimney D.
In order to cause the engine to operate according to the second method above
referred to, that is to say under high pressure in the cylinder on the right hand side
and low pressure in the cylinder on the left hand side, it is necessary that the 2
slide in the chest B₁ on the right hand side of the engino should be moved by
means of the small hand wheel and the lever b¹ from x¹ to y¹ (Figure 4).
The opposite slide i ip the chest B remains in its original position at .
In consequence of the new position of the slide the port m³ of the chest B¹ is
closed so that the passage of high pressure steam from the boiler through the 3
pipe c¹ on the right hand side in order to pass into the cylinder A on the left hand
side is completely stopped, at the same time the port m³ not being as before, in
communication with the port of but with the port n', the communication with the
chimney D is intercepted, so that the exhaust steam can be conveyed into tho
opposite cylinder.
As thus arranged the course taken by the steam is as follows :—
The regulator C allows steam at high pressure to pass through the pipe c (on the
left hand side of the engine) into the chest B. The steam thence passes through
the port m into the tube d and through the chest B¹ into the steam admission
pipe g of the cylinder A¹ on the right hand side.
3
The steam then operates through the medium of the existing parts of the
ordinary steam distributing apparatus at high pressure in the cylinder A' and then
escapes through the pipe e¹ and passing through the port n¹ of the chest B¹
circulates below the slide and the port m¹, in order to proceed to the tube d¹. It
thence passes to the place occupied formerly by the steam at high pressure, through 4
the chest B into the steam admission pipe g of the cylinder A on the left
hand side.
After having operated in this cylinder A, by means of the existing parts of the
ordinary distributor, at low pressure it escapes through the pipe e, proceeding
through the port n of the chest B below the slide i and then to the port o in order 5
to pass into the pipe f and to escape into the chimney D.
.
In order to cause the engine to operate according to the third mode above
referred to that is to say with high pressure in the cylinder on the left hand side
and low pressure in the cylinder on the right hand side, it is necessary that the
slide in the chest B on the left hand side of the engine should be moved by 5
means of the small hand wheel 2 and lever b from a to y.
.. The opposite. slide of the box B¹ must remain in its original position at x',
"

page_text: In consequence of the new position of the slide i the port m of the chest B is
closed, so that the passage of steam at high pressure from the boiler, through the
pipe c on the left hand side, in order to proceed into the cylinder A' on the right
hand side is completely intercepted; at the same time the port m not being as
before in communication with the port o but with the port n, the communication
with the chimney D is intercepted and owing to this arrangement the exhaust
steam can be conveyed into the opposite cylinder.
With this position of the parts the course taken by the steam is the following:-
The regulator C allows steam at high pressure to pass through the pipe c¹ on the
right hand side of the engine into the chest B'; this steam thence passes through
the port m into the pipe and proceeds through the chest B into the admission
pipe g of the cylinder A on the left hand side.
The steam here operates by means of the ordinary parts of a steam distributor
at high pressure, escaping through the tube c and passing through the port n of
the chest B below the slide i and through the port m in order to pass into the
pipe & and thence to the place of the steam at high pressure, proceeding according
to the second mode above described through the chest B' into the admission pipe g¹
of the cylinder A¹ on the right hand side.
After having, by means of the ordinary parts of the distributor performed its
work at low pressure in the cylinder A¹ it escapes through the pipe e¹, passing
through the port n¹ of the chest B¹, below the slide and then through the port i
in order to proceed into the pipe f¹ whence it escapes into the chimney D.
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
First: The arrangement of the various parts of the distributing apparatus
employed for obtaining two distinct modes of operation, that is to say, the
arrangement of the slide i which is placed in different positions by means of the
hand wheel and the screw threaded rod k, and the arrangement of the pipes g, g', gl
for the admission of steam to the cylinders and the pipes hhh" for the eduction
of steam froin the cylinders.
Second: The application of the improved distributing apparatus to an engine
having two cylinders A A³ of equal or unequal size, substantially as represented in
Figures 1, 2, 3 of the drawing.
Third: The arrangement of the various parts employed for obtaining three
distinct modes of operation, that is to say; the arrangement of the slides i and i¹
corresponding respectively to the cylinders A and A', which slides can be placed in
different positions relatively to one another by means of levers b and b'; and the
arrangement of the pipes cc, gg' d d' for the admission of steam to the cylinders
and the pipes e e' d dff' for the eduction of steam from the cylinders, substantially
as described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Fourth-The application of the distributing apparatus forming the subject of
the preceding claiming clause to a locomotive or other engine having two cylinders
of equal or unequal size, substantially as represented in Figures 4 to 10 of the
accompanying drawings and for the specified purpose.
Dated th00-1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.