Improvements in Quadruple Expansion Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1890-Accepted. 29th Mar.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Quadruple Expansion Engines.
I, ANDREW BROWN of London Works Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer and Shipbuilder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Two double acting surface condensing engines, or non-condensing engines are
placed side by side, working one shaft, having two cranks placed at right angles (or
opposite to each other) ;-Each of the engines has two inverted cylinders, having
pistons and piston rods, one of the cylinders being placed behind the other at right
angles to the crank shaft, their pistons being connected by levers, whose ends are
coupled by links to the crossheads of the piston rods, the levers having their fulcrum
at or near the centre, so that when one piston is at the top of its stroke, the other
piston is at the bottom.
A connecting-rod, for transmitting motion to the shaft, is fitted to one of the piston-
rod crossheads of each engine, or to a stud or journal on one end of the levers. One
or more slide or piston valves are placed between the two cylinders of each engine,
for regulating the flow of steam to and from the two cylinders of each engine, the
movement of each slide valve being taken, partly from the levers which couple or
connect the pistons of the engines to which the valve is fitted, and partly from the
levers of the other engine.
A motion may be given to the valves by eccentrics on the crank shaft.
Steam is admitted from the boilers, through the slide valve, to any one of the
cylinders, thence through the same valve to the other cylinder of the same engine,
thus giving motion by the movement of the two pistons to the crank shaft, the steam
passes again through the first slide valve, and thence to the slide valve of the other
engine, through this valve to the third cylinder, and from this cylinder through the
same valve to the other, or fourth cylinder, and thence to the condenser.
The air, circulating, bilge, and feed pumps may be worked direct from the piston-
rod of one or both engines, or from either of the levers.
The engines may be arranged to work one crank shaft by the four pistons working
two cranks, or the engines may be fitted with the two separate shafts, having one
crank on each shaft.
The steam passages in the cylinders have stop valves so arranged that when they
are open the engines shall be four cylinder quadruple expansion, and when shut each
engine shall be a compound two cylinder, working independent of the other.
Dated this Seventeenth day of May 1889.
ANDREW BROWN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Quadruple Expansion Engines.
1, ANDREW BROWN, of London Works, Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer, and Shipbuilder 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 accordance with one method of carrying my invention into effect, two double-
acting, surface or jet condensing, or non-condensing engines, are placed side by side,
working one shaft, having two cranks placed at right, or other suitable angles.
.
Each of the said engines has two inverted cylinders provided with pistons or rods,
one of the said cylinders being placed behind the other at right angles to the crank

page_text: shaft. The two are connected by levers whose ends are coupled by links to the cross-
heads of the piston rods, the said levers having their fulcrums at or near the centre
so that when one piston is at. the top of its stroke, the other is at the bottom, and
vice versa.
Connecting rods for transmitting motion to the crank shaft are fitted to each or
either of the piston-rod cross-heads of each engine, or to pins or journals on one end
of the levers. One or more slide or piston valves, is, or are placed between the two
cylinders of each of the engines for regulating the flow of steam to and from the two
cylinders of the said engines; the motion of each valve being taken, partly from the
levers which couple the pistons of the engines to which the valve or valves are fitted,
and partly from the levers of the other engine; or motion may be given to the said
valve or valves by eccentrics driven from the crank shaft. Steam is admitted from the
boiler or boilers through the piston or slide valve to any one of the cylinders of each
engine, thence through either of said valves to the other or second cylinder of the
saine engine, thus giving motion by the movement of the two pistons to the crank
shaft, the steam passes again through either of the said valves, and thence to either of
the similar valves of the other engine, and in a similar manner to the third and fourth
cylinders to that described for the second cylinder. From the fourth cylinder it
passes through either of said valves to the condenser, wherever it may be located, or
into the atmosphere.
The air, circulating, feed and bilge pumps may be worked direct from the piston-
rod of one or both engines, or from either of the levers of each engine. The engines
are thus arranged to work one crank shaft by means of the four pistons working two
cranks.
As a modification of the above arrangement the engines may be fitted with two
separate shafts, having one crank on each shaft, but it does not necessarily follow that
the cranks on each shaft must be opposite each other. The steam passages in the
cylinders have shut-off valves, so arranged, that when they are open the engine shall
be a quadruple expansion engine, and when shut each engine shall be compound,
working independently of the other.
In order more clearly to explain the nature of my invention, and the mode of
carrying out the same in practice, I will now proceed to further and more particularly
describe the same by reference to the accompanying two sheets of drawings.
In sheet 1, Fig. 1 is an end elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of a quadruple expansion
steam engine constructed in accordance with my invention, to work a single crank
shaft.
A A¹ A³ A³ are the four cylinders, B B the piston rods, C the crank shaft, D D, are
the levers connecting, by means of links E E, the cross-heads F F of the cylinders A A¹,
and D'D' are levers similarly connecting the pistons of the cylinders A* A³. G G are
the fulcrums of the levers and H the connecting rod.
In sheet 2, Fig. 3 is an end elevation and Fig. 4 a plan of a modified arrangement,
shewing a quadruple expansion steam engine arranged to work two crank shafts.-
Similar parts to those shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 are indicated by similar letters with
the exception that there are two crank shafts C and C₁, each having only a single
crank. This modification necessarily calls for some slight difference in the details of
sheet 2, as compared with sheet 1.
By means of my invention as above described, I obtain the following advantages
viz.--the moving parts of the engines are better balanced, which is important for
high speed engines. The space occupied by the engines is less than in the ordinary
arrangement; there are fewer working parts and access for repairs is greatly
facilitated.
In conclusion, I wish it to be understood, that although the said two sheets of
drawings are given as illustrations of modes of putting my invention into practice,
I do not necessarily confine myself to the precise details of construction therein
shewn, and described in this specification, nor do I confine myself to the number of
engines that may be used in any vessel.

page_text: 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. Two double-acting surface or jet condensing or non-condensing expansion
steam engines, placed side by side and working one shaft, having two cranks
placed at right or other suitable angles, in the manner substantially as herein set
forth.
2. Two double-acting surface or jet condensing or non-condensing expansion
steam engines, placed side by side and working two shafts, having one crank on each
shaft, in the manner substantially as herein set forth.
3. A quadruple expansion steam engine working one shaft and constructed
substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. A quadruple expansion steam engine, working two shafts and constructed
substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
1
1000
AMBROSE MYALI,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.