Improvements in Fluid-pressure Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1896
Improvements in Fluid-pressure Engines.
I, HENRI NEGRE, of 21, Avenue du Maine, Paris, France, Manufacturing
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A motor embodying this invention is characterized by the arrangement of two
groups of cylinders acting in pairs and placed perpendicularly, each group having a
double piston and these pistons having an alternating movement in their cylinders,
which may be rotated.
The improved motor will be clearly understood from the following description,
reference being made to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
Fig. 1 of these drawings shows a vertical section taken along the axis of the
motor;
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the motor, the cover having been removed to show
the interior of the motor;
Fig. 4 shows a vertical section taken through my arrangement of reversing
gear on the line 3-4 of Fig. 5; which shows a longitudinal vertical section taken
on the line 5-6 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows separately, in front elevation and side elevation, the movable plate
that carries the distributing slide-valves;
Fig. 7 shows separately in front elevation and side elevation, the details of
the slotted plate fixed on the motor-shaft and serving to guide the movable plate
in its sliding movement for reversing the sense of movement;
Fig. 8 shows separately, in front elevation, the sleeve that is adapted to move
along the motor-shaft to actuate the movable plate for reversing the sense of
movement of the motor; and
Fig. 9 shows separately the details of the connecting rod secured to the sleeve.
My invention is essentially characterized by the arrangement of the distributing
slide-valves, and by the use of a device for reversing the sense of movement of
the motor.
Each of the cylinders a, a, b, and b has a piston c, c', or c³ whose piston-
rode is formed in one piece with, or is fixed to, an elliptical frame f inside
which is a roller g having its axle fixed in an eccentric or disc h keyed on the
motor shaft i¹.
The fluid employed in the arrangement shown is steam. It is led by a pipe
into a chamber m in which work the distributing slide-valves n n¹. The steam
is admitted into each cylinder through passages o o' that connect the cylinders
with the chamber m. The passages o ol also serve for exhausting.
The piston e being at the end of its stroke, the steam enters through the passage o
and acts upon the said piston, which consequently returns the piston e into its
initial position. The piston c¹ expels the steam, which escapes through the
passage o and passes into a chamber p formed in the part q constituting the

page_text: port-face on which the slide-valves work. The exhaust passes out through a
pipe r.
When the distributing parts are in the position shown admission is com-
mencing in the cylinder a and each of the pistons c² 3 is approximately in the
middle of its return stroke; when the pistons c c¹ have arrived in that position,
steam is admitted to the piston 3, and exhausting is effected by means of the
piston c¹.
:
This mode of combining the successive admissions by means of the simul-
taneously actuated slide-valves enables dead centres to be obviated.
The distributing slide-valves n n¹ are mounted on a cam s keyed on the
shaft i, as shown in Fig. 1; the slide-valves are consequently moved simultaneously
in pairs in opposite directions through the rotation of the cam.
When gas is used, I may provide the outer ring of the circular framing with
vanes that operate in a double casing open to the external atmosphere and
draw in air to serve for cooling the cylinders.
The motor which I have been describing runs in one sense only. In order that
the motor may be caused to run in both senses, I employ the arrangement shown
in Figs. 4 to 9.
As shown, the movable plate s that carries the, distributing slide-valves and
through the aperture s of which the motor-shaft i passes, carries projections t
fitting into slots u formed in a plate v fixed on the shaft i by means of a transverse
key v.
On each side of the hub of the plate v, there is jointed at a a bent lever y
connected at one end with one of the projections t of the movable plate s, and at
the other end by means of a connecting rod z with a sleeve 1, which is adapted
to move longitudinally on the shaft i as hereinafter described. This sleeve 1 is
formed with an annular groove 2 in which engages a sector or block carried by a
lever 3 pivotted on the chest 4. The axle of the lever 3 is formed with a square
part 5 carrying outside the chest 4, a hand-lever whose stroke may be regulated
by means of a graduated or notched sector or are suitably arranged on the chest 4.
In order to prevent the steam enclosed in the chamber m from entering the
free space between the cylinders in consequence of the play due to the rotation
of the motor-shaft i, I provide a ring 8 ground on a part of the shaft and held
during rotation with the latter by means of a pin 9 carried by the boss of the
plate v.
The manner of working is as follows:-
The apparatus being in the position shown in Fig. 2, the hand lever occupies
the position 6, the pressure-steam enters the chamber m through the pipe and
passes through the passage o¹, which is open, into the cylinders to produce the
rotation of the motor-shaft i in one sense.
When the hand-lever is moved into the position 7, the lever 3 follows this
movement and causes the sleeve 1 to slide from left to right along the shaft i.
During the movement of the sleeve 1, the connecting rod z is moved and, by
rocking the bent lever y about the point a, compels the movable plates to slide
down along the machined face of the plate v. The result is that the slide-valve n
closes the passage ol, whilst the slide-valve n uncovers in turn the port o. The
steam then passes through the open port o and produces motion of the motor in
the sense opposite to that produced in the preceding case.
When the hand lever is moved into a vertical position, the admission ports are
closed and the motor stops, but if the hand-lever be moved into an intermediate
position, the ports o or ol will be uncovered to a greater or less extent,. so that
the expansion can thereby be varied.
DJ: 901
1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Engineer, do hereby decrare the nature of ens ny
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by
the following statement:―
A fluid-pressure engine or motor embodying this invention is characterized
by the arrangement of two groups of cylinders acting in pairs and placed perpen-
dicularly to one another, each group liaving a double piston and these pistons
having an alternating movement in their cylinders.
The improved motor will be clearly understood from the following description,
reference being made to the illustrative drawings filed with my Provisional
Specification
Fig. 1 of these drawings shows a vertical section taken along the axis of the
motor, and
Fig. 2 a section on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the motor, the cover having been removed to show
the interior of the motor;
Fig. 4 shows a vertical section taken through my arrangement of reversing
gear on the line 3-4 of Fig. 5, which shows a vertical section taken on the
line 5-6 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows separately, in front elevation and side elevation, the movable plate
that carries the distributing slide-valves;
Fig. 7 shows separately, in front elevation and side elevation, the details of
the slotted plate fixed on the motor-shaft and serving to guide the movable plate
in its sliding movement for reversing the sense of movement;
Fig. 8 shows separately, in front elevation, the sleeve that is adapted to move
along the motor-shaft to actuate the movable plate for reversing the sense of
movement of the motor; and
Fig. 9 shows separately the details of the connecting rod secured to the sleeve.
My invention is essentially characterized by the arrangement of the distributing
slide-valves, and by the use of a device for reversing the sense of movement of
the motor.
Each of the cylinders a, a, b, and b has a piston c, e¹, or whose piston-
rode is formed in one piece with, or is fixed to, an elliptical frame f inside
which is a roller g having its axle fixed eccentrically in a disc h keyed on the
motor-shaft i.
The fluid employed in the arrangement shown is steam. It is led by a pipe
into a chamber m in which work the distributing slide-valves n n¹. The steam
is admitted into each cylinder through passages o of that connect the cylinders
with the chamber m. The passages oo also serve for exhausting.
The piston c being at the end of its stroke, the steam enters through the passage o
and acts upon the said piston, which consequently returns the piston c¹ into its
initial position. The piston expels the steam, which escapes through the
passage o and passes into a chamber p formed in the part 7 constituting the
port-face on which the slide-valves work. The exhaust passes out through a
pipe r.
When the distributing parts are in the position shown, admission is com-
mencing in the cylinder. a, and each of the pistons is approximately in the
middle of its return stroke; when the pistons c c have arrived in that position,

page_text: steam is admitted to the piston c³, and exhausting is effected by means of the
piston c.
This mode of combining the successive admissions by means of the simul-
taneously actuated slide-valves enables dead centres to be obviated.
The distributing slide-valves n n are mounted on a cam keyed on the
shaft i, as shown in Fig. 1; the slide-valves are consequently moved simultaneously
in pairs in opposite directions through the rotation of the cam.
The motor which I have been describing, runs in one sense only. In order that
the motor may be caused to run in both senses, I employ the arrangement shown
in Figs. 4 to 9.
As shown, the movable plates that carries the distributing slide-valves and
through the aperture s' of which the motor-shaft i passes, carries projections t
fitting into slots u formed in a plate v fixed on the shaft i by means of a transverse
key vl.
On each side of the hub of the plate v, there is jointed at a bent lever y
connected at one end with one of the projections of the movable plate s, and at
the other end by means of a connecting rod z with a sleeve 1, which is adapted
to be moved longitudinally on the shaft i as hereinafter described. This sleeve 1 is
formed with an annular groove 2 in which engages a block carried by a
lever 3 pivoted on the chest 4. The axle of the lever 3 is formed with a square
part 5 carrying, outside the chest 4, a hand-lever whose position may be regulated
by means of a notched are suitably arranged on the chest, 4.
In order to prevent the steam enclosed in the chamber m from entering the
free space between the cylinders in consequence of the play due to the rotation
of the motor-shaft i, I provide a ring 8 ground on a part of the shaft and held
during rotation with the latter by means of a pin 9 carried by the boss of the
plate v.
The manner of working is as follows:-.
The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 5, the hand-lever occupies the
position 6, and the pressure-steam enters the chamber m through the pipe and
passes through the passage o', which is open, into the corresponding cylinder
to produce the rotation of the motor-shaft i in one sense.
When the hand-lever is moved into the position 7, the lever 3 follows this
movement and causes the sleeve to slide from left to right along the shaft i.
During the movement of the sleeve 1, the connecting rods are moved and, by
recking the bent levers y about the axis r, compel the movable plates to slide
down along the machined face of the plate v. The result is that the slide-valve n¹
closes the passage o', whilst the slide-valve » uncovers the port o. The steam
then passes through the open port o and produces movement of the motor in
the sense opposite to that produced in the preceding case.
When the hand-lever is moved into a vertical position, the admission ports are
closed and the motor stops, but if the hand-lever be moved into an intermediate
position, the ports o oro will be uncovered to a greater or less extent, so that
the expansion can thereby be varied.
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:
1. A motor constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or as modified according
to Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, of the drawings referred to.
2. A motor having multiple and combined cylinders in which the distributing
slide-valves n n are mounted in a guide-slot of a movable plate s, which is eccen-
trically mounted on, and passed through by, the motor-shaft i, is connected by
means of projections t with a plate fixed on the said shaft, and is capable of
being moved in guide-slots u by means of levers y and connecting rods z actuated

page_text: by a sleeve 1 for reversing the direction of movement of the motor, substantially
as described and shown."
Dated this 19th day of Anmil 1807
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.