Improvements in Engine Stops.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
Improvements in Engine Stops.
1, JOSEPH LIVINGSTON, Merchant, of 50 Broadway, in the City, County and
State of New York, United States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to a means for stopping steam or gas engines or other
moving machinery from a distant point, by means of a spring or weight operated
mechanism which is released by an electric current sent through an electro magnet
forming part of said mechanism.
The object of my invention is to provide safety appliances whereby engines and
other machinery may be stopped from a distance and to combine with the mechanism
for such purpose a governing device, whereby a stoppage is effected in any case
where the speed of the moving parts becomes too great for the safety thereof.
My invention relates to certain improvements on the device of C. A. Hatch, for
which British Letters Patent were issued dated October 10th, 1893, No. 19021.
My improvements are of a nature to simplify and render certain the action of
the above mentioned device.
My invention is set forth in the following Specification and the drawings thereto
appended in which,
Figure 1 shows a plan view of my invention.
Figure 2 shows an elevation of one side thereof, and
Figure 3 shows a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows my invention in its case, connected to the valve of an engine and
having an auxiliary driving weight attached.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the valve sprocket.
Referring to the drawings, 1 is a spring-barrel of usual construction and
containing a spring. 2 is a shaft extending therefrom and passing through bearings
in supports 3, 4. This shaft projects beyond bearing 4 and carries on its end a
transmitting gear preferably a sprocket wheel 2ª having a drum 2.
Upon said shaft is cut a thread 5 on which runs freely a nut 6 having peripheral
notches cut in its periphery as shown. Parallel to shaft 2 is a fixed rod 7 which
passes through one of the notches in nut 6 and is adapted to slide through holes in
the supports 3 and 4, in which it is secured by the set screw 8. By loosening set
screw 8, rod 7 may be withdrawn endways, and the nut 6 turned one way or the
other to adjust its normal position on shaft 2, when the rod 7 is replaced, passing
through the notch in nut 6 which comes in line with the said rod 7. Through
other holes in supports 3 and 4 passes a sliding locking bar 9 loosely fitting
therein, and capable of longitudinal motion limited in one direction by a pin 10
through said bar, and in the other direction by the rim of the ratchet wheel 11
whose function will be described later.
Upon bar 9 is an enlarged portion 13 beyond which is a coiled retracting
spring 12, lying partly within a recess in support 3 which tends to drive said bar
away from the ratchet wheel 11, with the teeth of which its end is formed to engage,
after the manner of a detent. Upon bar 9, and on the opposite side of part 13 is
a second coiled advancing spring 14, stronger than spring 12, which holds a movable
grooved cullar 15 against a pin 16 passing through the bar 9 near the middle of its
length.
The upper end of a releasing lever 17 enters the groove in the movable collar 15

page_text: on the bar while its lower end carries a pin 18 which may be brought into engage-
ment with a lug 19 upon the armature 20 of an electro-magnet 21, fastened to the
base of the apparatus.
The spring-barrel 1 has on its circumference a gear 19* which meshes into a
smaller gear 20* of the speed regulator. Said speed regulator is for controlling
the speed of revolution of the shaft 2 and consists of a cylinder 21* in which
travels a piston 22 on the threaded shaft 23 of gear 20*. This cylinder 21* is
filled on each side of the piston 22 with glycerine or oil, and the opposite ends
have a communicating by-pass 24 in which there is an adjusting valve 25 for
increasing or diminishing the area of the opening therethrough. The piston 22 has
in it a check valve 26 which allows of its free motion in one direction, but closes
against motion in the opposite direction, compelling the transference of liquid from
one end of the cylinder to the other to take place through the by-pass 24 and
valve 25. The shaft 22 carries a ratchet wheel 11, held from rotating by the
detent on the end of bar 9.
Pivoted upon an extension 3ª of support 3 at 27 is a setting lever 28 having
its inner end 28 pivotally connected to the enlarged portion 13 of bar 9 and its
outer end, which projects through the box or case in which the entire apparatus is
enclosed, provided with a handle 28b and a spring latch 29 in such position that
when fastened by the latch being sprung behind a keeper 29ª, the lever 28 holds
the end of bar 9 out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 11. Binding
screws 30, 31 receive the wires from the battery and push buttons or other circuit
closing devices are distributed at desirable points.
In applying my device to the valve of a steam engine, a sprocket wheel 2° would
be placed on the valve stem 2d thereof, and a gear-chain 2 would connect this with
the sprocket 2" on shaft 2.
The operation of the device is as follows:
The parts being in the position shown, upon opening the steam valve of the
engine by means of the usual wheel handle 21 the shaft 2 would be revolved in a
direction to wind up the spring in the barrel 1. The nut 6 would be moved along
shaft 2 by the screw thereon in the direction of support 4. The turning of the
spring barrel 1 would revolve the gear 20* with its shaft 23 thereby moving the
piston 22 towards gear 20* in its cylinder 21*, the valve 26 opening to give free
passage of the contained fluid therethrough.
Having opened the steam valve to a sufficient extent, the latch 29 of lever 28 is
released by a pressure of the finger, allowing the bar 9 to have its end driven into
engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 11 by the spring 14, which being
stronger than spring 12 overcomes the force of the latter. Upon desiring to close
the steam valve of the engine, one of the push buttons closing the electric circuit
to the binding posts 30, 31 is pressed. This sends a current through the electro-
maguet 21.
The armature 20 is attracted, lug 19 escapes from engagement with
the pin 18 on the lower end of lever 17. The upper end of said lever being
engaged in the groove of collar 15 is now free to move, the tension of the spring 14
is released and the bar 9 with its attachments is thrown out of line of the teeth of
ratchet wheel 11 by the spring 12.
The spring in barrel 1, revolves the barrel with its shaft, and the shaft of the
regulator. The piston therein moves as described along the screw which pierces
its centre, and its check valve now being closed, the circulation of fluid between
the ends of cylinder 21 must take place through the by-pass 24 and valve 25
whereby the speed of all the moving parts is controlled.
As the steam engine valve is gradually closed by the sprocket gearing the nut 6
moves along the shaft 2, and at length comes in contact with collar 15, and the
motion continuing, said collar is driven along its shaft, the spring 14 is compressed,
and the pin 18 ou the lower end of lever 17 is replaced behind the lug of the
magnet armature.
When the steam. engine valve is again opened, said lug retains the end of lever 17
in position to be released by another impulse sent through the magnet. A rock

page_text: shaft or rod 35 passes through the case and has at its inner end a cranked portion 36
terminating in a heavy knob and insulated from the rod 35. The cranked end
being turned into a vertical position is held there by a light spring 37 on lever 17,
but when said lever is released, it flies back with sufficient force to throw down
the cranked arm 36 into contact with a spring 38 on the insulated supporting
arm 38.
A battery and bell are in circuit with wires leading from the cranked arm 36
and spring on the arm 38, so that upon releasing lever 17 an alarm is rung if
desired.
By turning another setting handle 39 the cranked arm is lifted out of contact
with spring 38 and the alarm made inactive. This is accomplished by the lug 40
of the handle 39 driving aside the trip arm 41 which projects from the rod 35,
thereby turning rod 35 through a small angle.
It might happen in the case of a very large valve, that the spring of my engine
stop would not have sufficient power to close said valve tightly. In this event,
I employ an auxiliary weight 28 supported by a cord 2 which leads over suitable
pulleys 2 to a drum upon the shaft of the engine stop.
By this arrangement, the cord is wound around the drum, and the weight elevated
as the spring of the engine stop is wound up. Upon releasing the detent, by
pressing one of the electric push buttons, in the manner described above, the fall
of the weight adds its force to that of the aforesaid spring, and the valve is
effectually closed by the combined power of both.
In leading the gear chain from the sprocket on the engine stop to the sprocket
on the valve, provision must be made for the axial advance of the valve stem as the
valve is closed.
.
The sprocket on the valve stem is so adjusted to the other, sprocket, that the
chain will pull at right angles to the axes of both sprockets when the valve is in
its mid-position. When the valve is entirely open or closed, the links of the chain
will of necessity approach the sprockets at an angle which will tend to cause them
to mount the teeth of the sprockets and be thrown off the wheels. In order to
prevent this accident, the sprockets may be provided with flanges on each side and
in the case of the sprocket on the engine stop, one of these flanges may be formed
by the end of the drum which carries the cord for the auxiliary weight. In case
no weight is used, the sprockets may have instead of flanges, a circle of projecting
guide lugs, cast in one piece therewith, and so shaped as to direct the links
upon the sprocket teeth, independently of the angle at which the links approach
them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
CLAIMS.
1. In an engine stop, the combination with the threaded power-shaft having a
nut provided with peripheral notches; of the shaft supports, the fixed rod seated
in one of the peripheral notches and extending through holes in the shaft supports
so as to enable the rod to be removed end ways therefrom when the nut is to be
adjusted and the set screw for fastening the rod; substantially as described.
2. In an engine stop, the combination, with the sliding locking bar; of the
pivoted setting lever, having its inner arm pivoted to the locking bar, and its outer
arm provided with a handle, the spring latch pivoted to the outer arm, and the
keeper with which the latch is automatically engaged and from which it is released
manually for setting the locking bar; substantially as described.
3. In an engine stop, the combination with the sliding locking bar; of the collar
shiftable on the locking bar, the pin on the locking bar, for limiting the outward
movement of the locking bar, the pin on the locking bar for limiting the outward
movement of the collar, the pivoted setting lever having its short arm pivoted to

page_text: the locking bar, the spring latch on the setting lever, the keeper with which the
latch is engaged, the retracting spring on one side of the pivot of the locking bar,
the advancing tension spring on the other side of the locking bar, the releasing
lever having its upper end engaging the collar, and a pin on its lower end, the
electro magnet and an armature provided with a lug engaging the pin of the
releasing lever, substantially as described.
4. In an engine stop, the combination, of the releasing lever having a spring
the rock-shaft having a crank arm provided with a knob, and a supporting
arm having a spring arm; substantially as described.
arm,
5. In an engine stop, the combination, of the releasing lever having a spring
arm, the rock-shaft having a crank arm provided with a knob, and a trip arm, a
supporting arm baving a spring arm, and the setting handle having a lug adapted
to engage the trip arm; substantially as described."
6. In an engine stop, the combination with the power shaft and threaded speed
shaft, connected with the power-shaft; of the cylinder having a by-pass connecting
its ends, the adjusting valve for the by-pass and the piston travelling on the
threaded speed shaft and operating in one direction, and a check valve located in
the piston for permitting the piston to travel freely in the opposite direction,
substantially as described.
Dated this 31st day of December 1895.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.