Improvements in Crank Shaft Engines Worked by Expansive Fluid.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
Improvements in Crank Shaft Engines Worked by Expansive
Fluid.
I, WILLIAM SISSON, of Quay Street Iron Works, Gloucester, in the County of
Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In an engine according to my invention a single weight is made to serve the
twofold purpose of a crank balance or counterweight and governor weight, to which
end in constructing an engine I dispense with the ordinary crank balance or
counterweight or with one of them in an engine requiring more than one counter-
weight and provide a balance or counter-weight which I so arrauge that it shall
be capable of moving away from or towards the axis of the crank shaft under the
control of a spring or springs and this weight I connect to the eccentric in such a
manner that as the weight moves outward under the action of centrifugal force or
inward under the action of the spring or springs the eccentric will be moved so as
thus in an automatic way to vary the steam distribution and so control the engine
at varying loads.
Engines according to my invention may be variously constructed.
In one
arrangement the weight is of approximately U forin and provided with projections
or guides that slide in grooves or guide ways formed in the edges of the crank
web. The weight is secured to the web as follows:-Opposite the open end of
the U there is a cross bar adapted to bear at its centre only against the crank pin
end of the crank web. Through this cross bar two bolts are passed whose heads
hear against the cross bar one near each of its ends; these bolts extend through
the hollow legs of the U within which springs are arranged that bear against seats
or shoulders formed in the said hollow legs and are compressed more or less
according to requirement by means of nuts thus the weight and cross bar are
connected together and the weight is secured on the crank web with liberty to
move outwards under control of the springs.
The eccentric sheave is carried by the weight, and is formed in two parts; one
of these may be cast integral with the weight the other being secured thereto by
screws after the weight has been put in its place. Instead of arranging the weight
to slide along the crank web, I sometimes pivot it thereto, in which case the crank
web is or may be made hollow and one coiled spring arranged within it, a bolt,
hinged to the weight, passing through the spring, which when the weight flies
outwards is compressed between a shoulder in the web and a nut on the bolt. In
another arrangement the eccentric is pivoted to the crank web or other part
carried by the shaft a link connecting it to the weight, which may either be
adapted to slide along, or he pivoted to the crank web.
As in an engine embodying my invention the movement of the weight will
affect its balancing effect, it is preferable to so arrange the weight that it will
properly balance the crank and other parts when in mid-position.
In some cases in engines constructed with my weights adapted to serve the
double purpose already mentioned I may provide another weight or other weights
adapted to serve only for balancing but arranged to be able to move similarly to

page_text: the weight that also serves as governor weight so that the counter-weighting action
will correspond in the two weights.
Dated this 24th day of July 1896.
the weight that also serves as governor weight so that the counter-weighting action
will correspond in the two weights.
Dated this 24th day of July 1896.
For the Applicant,
Improvements in Crank Shaft Engines Worked by Expansive
Fluid.
I, WILLIAM SISSON, of Quay Street Iron Works, Gloucester, in the County
of Gloucester, 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 :-
In an engine according to my invention a single weight is made to serve the
twofold purpose of a crank balance or counterweight and governor weight, to
which end in constructing an engine I dispense with the or linary crank balance or
counterweight or with one of them in an engine requiring more than one counter-
weight and provide a balance or counter-weight which I so arrange that it shall
be capable of moving away from or towards the axis of the crank shaft under the
control of a spring or springs and this weight I connect to the eccentric in such a
manner that as the weight moves outward under the action of centrifugal force or
inward under the action of the spring or springs the eccentric will be moved so as
thus in an automatic way to vary the distribution of expansive fluid and so control
the engine at varying loads.
Engines according to my invention may be variously constructed.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 shows in side elevation and Fig. 2 partly in end elevation and partly in
cross section, part of an engine crank shaft with one arrangement of combined
balance or counter-weight and governor according to this invention applied
thereto.
Fig. 3 shows the balance or counter-weight partly in plan and partly in horizontal
section.
In this arrangement 1 is the weight made of approximately U form and provided
with projections or guides 2 that slide in grooves or guide ways 3 forined in the
edges of the crank web 4. 5 is the crank shaft and 6 the crank pin in the crank
web. The weight 1 is secured to the web as follows:-Opposite the open end of
the U there is a cross bar 7 adapted to bear at its centre 7 only against the crank
pin end of the crank web 4. Through this cross bar two bolts 8 are passed whose
heads bear against the cross bar, one near each of its ends. These bolts extend
through the hollow legs 1 of the U-shaped weight 1 within which springs 9 are
arranged that bear against seats or shoulders 1b formed in the said hollow legs and
are compressed more or less according to requirement by means of nuts 10 screwed
ou the bolts 8. In this way the weight and cross bar are connected together and
the weight is secured on the crank web with liberty to move outwards under control
of the springs.
11 is the eccentric sheave carried by the weight 1 and formed in two parts one
of which may be cast integral with the weight, the other, being secured thereto or
to the other part of the eccentric by screws after the weight has been put in its
place.
(Fig. 2) is the centre of the crank shaft; y the centre of the eccentric sheave,

page_text: and the straight line in which the eccentric centre y travels when the weight 1
moves outward under the action of centrifugal force and inward under the action.
of the springs 9 in order to vary, in an automatic manner and through the valve
worked from the said eccentric sheave, the supply of expansive fluid for the purpose
of controlling the speed of the engine at varying loads.
12 and 13 are stops of suitable cushioning material, for example india rubber,
carried by the weight 1 and eccentric sheave 11, 11" respectively, and serving to
limit in an elastic mauner, the inward and outward movements of the weight.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively, part of the
crank shaft and crank web heing however indicated in Fig. 6, showing a modified
construction in which the legs 1", of the U shaped weight 1 are solid and formerl
on their inner sides with grooved ways 2 to fit projections 3 on opposite sides of
the crank web 4 and are connected at the open end of the U by a cross piece 7
that is fixed to them by studs 14 and nuts 15. The crank web 4 is made hollow to
contain a coiled spring 9 (or springs) one end of which bears against the inner enl
of the hole in the crank web and the other end of which extends into a hole formed
in the cross piece 7 and bears against a nut 10 adjustably fitted upon one end of
a screw bolt 8 that passes through the crank web and spring and has its other end
secured as shown to the weight 1 which carries an eccentric sheave 11 as before.
12 and 13 are stops carried by the weight 1 and cross piece 7 respectively. As
will be readily understood this modified arrangement operates in the same way as
that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Instead of arranging the weight 1, to slide along the crank web 4, I sometimes
pivot it thereto.
Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations at right angles to each other, and Fig. 9 a vertical
section on the line A B of Fig. 7 showing an arrangement of this kind wherein
the weight 1 is provided with a slotted leg 1 pivoted at 1" to a lug or extension 4*
of the crank web 4. The eccentric sheave 11, is carried by a plate 16 connected
by bolts 17 to the weight. In this case the crank web 4 may as shown, be made
hollow and a coiled spring 9 (or springs) arranged within it, as in the arrangement
shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the bolt 8 being hinged or jointed to the weight 1 at 8
and passing through the spring, which, when the weight flies outwards, is compressed
between a shoulder 4 in the web and a nut 10 on the bolt. In this arrangement
the centre y of the eccentric sheave moves in a curved path .
Fig. 10 is an end view showing another arrangement in which the eccentric 11
is pivoted at 11 to the crank web 4, or it may be to some other part carried by
the crank shaft, a link 18 connecting it to the weight I which may, as in the
example shown, be pivoted at 1" to the crank web, or be adapted to slide thereon,
as in the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.
As in an engine embodying my invention the movement of the weight 1 will
affect its balancing effect, it is preferable to so arrange the weight that it will
properly balance the crank and other parts when in its mid-position.
In some cases in engines constructed with my weights adapted to serve the
double purpose already mentioned, the weight or weights attached to the other
erank web or webs and adapted to serve only for balancing, may be arranged to
he able to move similarly to the weight that also serves as a governor weight so
that the counter-weighting action will correspond in the two or more weights.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Constructing a crank shaft engine worked by expansive fluid pressure with a
balance or counterweight capable of moving away from or towards the axis of the
crank shaft under the control of a spring or springs and connected to the engine
eccentric in such a manner that as the weight moves outward under the action of
centrifugal force or inward under the action of the spring or springs, the eccentric
will be moved so as to vary in an automatic way, the distribution of expansive

page_text: fluid and so control the speed of the engine at varying loads, substantially as
-described.
2. In a crank shaft engine worked by expansive fluid pressure, the combination
with a crank web or equivalent part of the crank shaft, of a balance or counter-
weight mounted thereon so as to be capable of moving away from and towards the
axis of the crank shaft, a spring or springs arranged to control the movement of
the weight, and an eccentric arranged to be adjusted in position by the outward
and inward movements of the weight caused respectively by centrifugal force and
the spring or springs, substantially as herein described.
3. In a crank shaft engine, combined counter-balancing and governing apparatus
constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; in Figs. 4 5 and 6; in
Figs. 7 8 and 9, and in Fig. 10 of the drawings annexed.
D
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.