Improvements in Six-cylinder Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Six-cylinder Engines.
I, JOSEPH LEVEQUE, of Herstal, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Six-cylinder Engines.
The six-cylinder engine which was tried some years ago did not give results of
practical value for two reasons. The first was the excessive consumption of steam,
the engine being able to work only with small expansion. The second cause of
failure was the irregular action of the pistons, which, not being connected rigidly
to the oscillating plate or disc which acted as a crank, sometimes becaine detached
from it by the action of the vas vica, and gave rise to a succession of blows similar
to those produced by the beating of a drum.
The object of the present invention is to obviate both these inconveniences at
one and the same time, and consists mainly in an application of the compound
principle to an engine with six cylinders, disposed concentrically round the axle,
with the object of effecting an economy of fuel, in an engine of this type, at the
same time obtaining the regularity of action and the speed of rotation attained by
such engines.
According to this invention each cylinder is double, that is to say, is composed
of a small cylinder for distribution, and a large cylinder for expansion, each being
situated in the line of prolongation of the other. The distribution is effected in
the double series of six cylinders by a disc for the small cylinders, and another
disc for the large cylinders, opening alternately the inlet and outlet of each
cylinder.
An eccentric, formed by an enlargement of the main shaft, drives the two discs
which are jointed into each other by tight joints formed by piston-springs lodged
in grooves; one of the discs serves for the admission and exit of steam for the six
small cylinders through ports, it rests on a crown which also forms a double wall
for a chamber containing the steam supply and for another chamber into which
passes the exhaust steam. The interior of this crown is in communication with the
steam supply chamber so that the upward pressure (in some cases assisted by
spings) exercised on the crown may be balanced by the downward pressure exerted
on the disc of the small cylinders by the steam contained in the annular space
between the lateral walls of the six small cylinders and the discs. This chamber,
which receives the exhaust steam from the small cylinders, acts as a receiver.
steam which it contains enters the large cylinders through six ports which are
successively uncovered by one of the discs, which disc also allows of the escape,
through its interior into the exhaust chamber, of the steam from the cylinders the
pistons of which have reached the end of their stroke.
The
The disc for the small cylinders has a double cylindrical wall as has also the
other disc, and the annular space between these walls acts as an insulating envelope
between the receiving chamber and the exhaust chamber in such a way as to diminish
the cooling of the steam in the receiver. The cylinders are enclosed in a cylin-
drical jacket and the space which remains between their walls and those of this
envelope form at once a reservoir and a jacket of steam.
The steam inlet pipe is provided with a butterfly or other suitable valve controlled
by a governor.
By this construction an economy of steam is obtained which was wanting in the
earlier six-cylinder engines.

page_text: The use of the small distributing cylinders, that is to say, the compound
arrangement has the additional effect of exerting on the pistons during their return
stroke (since they are single acting) a pressure sufficient to keep the pistons in
contact with the plate or disc which transforms their movement into one of
rotation.
The improved engine will act as well horizontally as vertically, but the latter
arrangement is preferred on account of the greater ease of lubrication of the
several parts.
It may in this case be used to drive a dynamo with vertical axle,
and there results an installation of great simplicity and economy.
Dated the 24th day of June 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Six-cylinder Engines.
I, JOSEPH LEVEQUE, of Herstal, in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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 relates to Improvements in Six-cylinder Engines.
An engine having six cylinders arranged in a circle which was tried some years
ago did not give results of practical value for two reasons. The first was the
excessive consumption of steam, the engine being able to work only with small
expansion. The second cause of failure was the irregular action of the pistons,
which, not being connected to the oscillating plate or disc which acted as a crank,
sometimes became detached from it by the action of the vis tiva, and gave rise to a
succession of blows similar to those produced by the beating of a drum.
The object of the present invention is to obviate both these inconveniences at
one and the same time, and consists mainly in an application of the compound
principle to an engine with six cylinders, disposed concentrically round the axle,
with the object of effecting an economy of fuel, in an engine of this type, at the
same time obtaining the regularity of action and the speed of rotation attained by
such engines.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a six-cylinder engine constructed according to
my invention :
Figures 2 and 3 are horizontal sections on the lines A B and C D respectively
of Figure 1, the pistons of the engine being removed; and,
Figure 4 is an elevation shewing the application of the engine for driving a
dynamo having a vertical shaft.
According to this invention each cylinder is double, that is to say, it is composed
of a small cylinder A for distribution, and a large cylinder B for expansion, the
axis of the cylinder B being a continuation of the axis of the cylinder C. The
distribution is effected in the double series of six cylinders by a ring or disc D for
the small cylinders, and another ring or disc D' for the large cylinders, opening
alternately the inlet and outlet of each cylinder.
The two rings D, D' are made with cylindrical bosses or extensions which fit
into each other with tight joints formed by piston-springs lodged in grooves and an
eccentric V, formed by an enlargement of the main shaft S, drives the said rings;
the ring D serves for the admission and exit of steam for the six small cylinders
through the ports 1; it rests on a crown or ring K movable vertically in a groove
and provided with a boss which forms a double wall for a chamber E containing

page_text: the steam supply and for another chamber H into which passes the exhaust steam.
The interior of this ring is in communication with the steam supply chamber E so
that the upward pressure (in some cases assisted by springs as shewn in Figure 1)
exerted on the ring may be balanced by the downward pressure exerted on the
ring D by the steam contained in the annular space between the six small
cylinders and the bosses of the rings D, D¹. This chamber, into which exhaust
the small cylinders, acts as a receiver. The steam which it contains enters the
large cylinders through six ports L which are successively uncovered by the
ring D, which ring also allows of the escape through its interior into the exhaust
chamber H of the steam from the cylinders the pistons of which have reached the
end of their stroke.
The cylindrical extension of the ring D is double as is also that of the ring D',
and the annular space G formed thereby acts as an insulating jacket between the
receiving chainber C and the exhaust chamber H in such a way as to diminish the
cooling of the steam in the receiver C. The cylinders are enclosed in a cylindrical
casing and the space which exists between the cylinders and the said casing serves
both as a reservoir and a jacket for steam.
The steam inlet pipe is provided with a butterfly or other suitable valve controlled
by a governor.
By this construction an economy of steam is obtained which was wanting in the
earlier six-cylinder engines.
The use of the small distributing cylinders, that is to say, the compound arrange-
ment has the additional effect of exerting on the pistons during their return stroke
(since they are single acting) a pressure sufficient to keep the pistons in contact
with the plate or disc which transforms their movement into one of rotation.
The improved engine will act as well horizontally as vertically, but the latter
arrangement is preferred on account of the greater ease of lubrication of the several
parts. It may in this case be used to drive a dynamo with vertical axle, as shewn
in Figure 4, and there results an installation of great simplicity and economy.
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 what I
claim is:-
1. The application of the compound principle to an engine with six cylinders,
arranged in a circle round the axis of the engine for the purpose of effecting an
economy of fuel in an engine of this type at the same time obtaining the regularity
of action and the speed of rotation attained by such engines, substantially as
herein before described.
2. Controlling the steam distribution by means of an eccentric V formed by an
enlargement of the main shaft S on which slides vertically a ring or disc which
serves as a cut-off for the ports of six large cylinders, whilst another ring or disc
which can slide vertically on the former serves as a cut-off for the ports of the six
small cylinders, substantially as set forth.
3. The application of a ring or annular crown K movable vertically in a groove
and having its interior in communication with the steam chamber E so as to
counterbalance the downward pressure of the steam in this chamber on the ring D
by an equal pressure exerted upwards in the interior of the said crown, and as a
consequence on the disc D, this pressure being reinforced by that of the springs J
located in the said crown, and strong enough to counterbalance its weight, as well
as that of the ring or disc, and the slight variations in the pressure of the steam
on these parts, substantially as set forth.
4. The formation between the walls of these two discs of an annular chamber G
serving to prevent the steam which escapes from the large cylinders into the
chest H from cooling the walls I of the annular chamber C (which acts as a
receiver) into which the steam from the small cylinders escapes, and subsequently
enters the large ones, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 5. The improved six-cylinder engine hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 22nd day of March 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.