Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLIAM GEORGE ADAMS, of the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, by trade and occupation Station Master, 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:-
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1, represents a top or plan view of my
improved engine, the two sides of the machine being approached (as indicated by
the broken line) in order to show it more clearly within a limited space;, Fig. 2, is
a view in elevation of the exterior of that side of the machine, which in Fig. 1;
is nearest the bottom of the sheet, and Fig. 3, is a view in elevation of the
interior of that side of the machine, which in Fig. 1, is furthest from the bottom
of the machine,
.9
The position of the moving parts as shown in all three Fig's., is the actual one
which they assume at the moment when the stroke of the piston in Fig. 3, is
commencing.
My invention belongs to that class of engines, wherein one complete reciproca-
tion backwards and forwards of the driving piston, causes two complete revolutions
of a rotating shaft, fly wheel, or other similar movable part, and in the instance
illustrated by the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to the driving
wheels of a locomotive engine.
The difficulties which have heretofore prevented this class of engines from
practical application to any extent, arise from the constant occurance of dead-
points in the positions of the driving parts. This fact renders the embodiment
of the principle in a single acting engine, impossible, and even when arranged
as a double engine with one piston in advance of the other, there is a practical
difficulty which cannot be overcome, although in theory the engine may be
correct.
So long as the positive driving action takes place from the piston, the coupling
together of those parts wherein the motion has been, so to speak, duplicated, may
suffice to carry the duplicating devices past dead-points; but as soon as the
positive driving of the piston has ceased (as for instance when in a locomotive
engine steam is shut off, and the momentum of the apparatus causes the drivers
to still rotate) dead-points. at once occur, which are of such a nature that one
portion of the machinery will be reversed and break. I believe that the reason of

page_text: this practical difficulty, lies in the fact that when steam has been shut off, the
engine, though double in structure, really becomes for practical purposes, a pair of
single acting engines, each driven from the fly wheel or rotating shaft, instead
of from the normal driving end of the apparatus; and when one of these engines
has reached a dead-point, in that portion of the apparatus where normal, or
duplication of the movement takes place, the mechanism is almost certain to be
reversed. Therefore, so far from being aided by its connection. with the other
half of the engine (which cannot reverse simultaneously therewith) the connections
must break at some point. To obviate these difficulties is the purpose of my
invention, and I accomplish it by not only providing a coupling which connects
those parts where the movement has been duplicated, but also by providing a
second coupling which unites those parts of the apparatus wherein no duplication
of the movement takes place.
This second coupling not only aids in the normal driving of the machine to
some extent, but when the positive driving of the piston has ceased, and the
apparatus is running from momentum alone, overcomes all the dead-points before
referred to, and obviates any tendency on the part of one side of the machine to
reverse relatively to the other.
As before stated, in the drawings I have shown an apparatus, as applied to the
driver of a locomotive engine, and I have also shown a form of a duplicating
device which I deem best adapted for the purpose, but I do not desire to limit
my claim, hereinafter made, to such application, nor to the particular form of
duplicating member shown, since such form may be varied by mechanical skill
without affecting the applicability of my improvements.
In said drawings A, A¹, represent the pair of driving cylinders, having pistons
and rods B, B'.
As the parts throughout are complete duplicates of one or the other, only one
half of the engine will be described, the corresponding parts of the other half being
indicated by similar letters. with a prime, mark (4).
To the piston rod B, is attached a cross head C, moving in guides D. To this
cross head is attached a bar E, which is pivoted to a swinging arm G, mounted
upon the frame. This swinging arm G, is what may be called the duplicating
member of the apparatus. To the end of the swinging arm G, is attached a
pivoted link H, which in turn is connected with the short arm L, of a bell crank
lever mounted upon the housing. The long arm K, of this lever, is attached to a
connecting rod J, which leads to a crank pin upon the driving wheel I, upon
whose axle Q-is mounted a second driving wheel I', driven by a similar system of
apparatus to that just described. This second system is shown in Fig. 3; as seen
from the interior. One engine should have a lead of the other equal to a quarter
centre upon the driving wheel.
The engines are thus coupled through the driving wheel shaft throughout those
portions where the movement is duplicated.
The second coupling which unites those portions where the movement is not
duplicated, consists of two cranks R, R¹, (see Fig. 1,) united by a common shaft S,
and connected preferably with the respective cross heads. In the construction
shown this connection is effected by mounting upon a wrist pin M, attached to the
cross head C, an elongated bearing T, from whence (a connecting rod N; leads to
the crank R. A similar device is applied to the other engine, as indicated by the
corresponding letters.
པ ་
Although for compactness of illustration, the shafts Q and.S, are shown in Fig. 1,
as broken, it must be understood that they are continuous.
1
: F
The shaft S, affords a convenient means for actuating the valve movement,
which may be of any form, and which being well known it is not thought necessary
to describe or show.
*
non fallama.

page_text: On its forward movement; the bar E¹, causes the swinging arm G¹, to oscillate
throughout the arc, indicated by the dotted lines at g¹.
This oscillation causes a downward and upward movement of the link H¹, and
hence a similar reciprocation of the bell crank lever L¹, through the arc indicated
by the dotted lines at . The backward and forward movement of the bell crank
lever, causes, by means of the connecting rod G, a complete revolution of the
driving wheel I.
A similar movement, has, of course, taken place in the other engine, which
completes its stroke very shortly after the commencement of the stroke of the
first engine, since, by reason of the duplicating devices, the lead of the piston, is
substantially one half of the lead of the drivers, there being a slight variation from
the exact proportion by reason of the want of complete uniformity throughout the
relative movements of a driving crank, as is well understood.
During this action of the machine, the cranks. R and R', have been making
their respective revolutions in the circle r, r², and as before stated have aided in
the coupling of the engines during the positive driving.
As soon as the steam is cut off from the cylinders, and the momentum of the
apparatus alone continues its motion, the coupling through the shaft S, becomes
the only efficient coupling between the two engines and transmits the motion
backwards from each driver to those parts of the machine, which may, for purpose
of convenience, be described as being upon the cylinder side of the duplicating
member.
The stoppage or reversal of any of these parts is thus prevented by the positivo
action of the second coupling, and the machine is inade practically operative under
all the necessary conditions of use.
As before stated, the duplicating member of the engine may be varied in
construction by the substitution of any known mechanical means which shall
effect the same purpose, and so also the form and position of the second coupling
may be varied without affecting its relation to the remaining parts of the
apparatus.
While therefore, I disclaim broadly the idea of duplicating the movement of a
piston upon a driving wheel as being old I do not limit myself to the identical
members herein before specified, provided combined action necessary exist, and in
using the words duplicating member in my claim, I desire to include any device
or group of devices which may effect a similar purpose.
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. In a duplicating engine, the combination with a pair of cylinders and pistons,
having suitable duplicating members and devices driven thereby, of a coupling
which connects those portions of the machine wherein the motion has been
duplicated, and a second coupling which connects those portions of the machine
which are between the cylinder and the duplicating member, the whole operating
substantially in the manner set forth.
Dated this 6th day of Mauch 1000