IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE. TO STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Maude, of Liverpool, in the County,
of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE.
TO STEAM ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by Nathan Thomas
Edson of New Orleans in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Maude
. at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th January 1864.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD MAUDE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
These improvements consist in using a valve chest for a slide valve, and in
regulating the speed of the engine by connecting the stem of the valve by
means of a slotted lever to the eccentric rod and governor, so that an increase
of the speed of the engine will produce a less movement of the valve and an
increased expansive use of steam, by which arrangement of valve much of the
usual friction of a slide valve and waste of steam in passing from the valve to
the cylinder is saved; also in an improved eccentric yoke, by which steam is
admitted equably at both ends of the cylinder. To use all the a
above improve-.
ments, and to show some of their modifications which are necessary in the
11

page_text: performance of different kinds of work of the engine, reference is made to
the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vibrating cylinder engine. The frame (a)
is made similar to such as are used for verticle engines, on which is mounted
the shaft to which one of the heads of the cylinder (6) is attached. The
cylinder being thus supported, and its shaft being thus connected to frame (a)
by journals and boxes its movement is by vibration on these centres made to
assume the positions natural to the crank action, so far as its own vibrations
are concerned. The valve (c) has one opening near each end against the
cylinder leading to side pipe (e), which are exhaust openings and pipe and
other (supply) openings leading to the steam in the valve. The openings
in the cylinder are between the supply and exhaust openings in the valve,
but nearest the exhaust openings. The valve is held against the cylinder
by port (f), (an end view of which is shown in Figure 6). Steel plate (g)
(which is connected to the shaft by joint) and stay (h), which is firmly attached
to the 'shaft, and adjustment made by set screw (i). k is the supply pipe;
which is connected by a moveable joint (1); (a sectional view of which is shown
in Figure 5) to a part of said pipe, which is firmly attached to the shaft, which
section of pipe connects with the valve by a 'slip joint (m). The exhaust
steam is conveyed from the side pipe by a flexible tube connected at (n). O
is the eccentric yoke (á clearer view of which and of the following parts is
shown Figures 3 and 4), and (p, p,) blocks, the sides of each of which rest
against the top and bottom sections of the yoke with their sides fitting and
resting against the eccentrie; the blocks, are shorter than the width of the yoke,
and more from side to side of it on the revolving of, the eccentric. The pro-
jections (r,r,) attached to the yoke rest against the circle (s) of, the eccentric
(which circle has for its centre the crank shaft) causing the yoke and
eccentric rod to move directly up and down, thereby opening the posts quickly
and equally at both ends of the cylinder. T is the eccentric rod, the lower
end of which connects to the slotted lever (u) by a slide which moves on the
slot, the lever being pivoted to an arm of the frame at (v). The governor is
connected to the angle lever (w), which lever connects to one end of rod (x),
and the rod connects with its other end to the eccentric rod, each by a pivot.
The branch rod (y) connects to the lower end of the valve (c) as near in a
line with the journals of the shaft as the other parts will admit, and to the
lever (u) bý moveable joints. When the work to be performed by the engine
requires all its powers, the slide of the eccentric will rest against the end of
the slot of the slotted lever nearest its pivot; the movement of the valve will be
sufficient to throw the ports wide open. On the speed of the engine increasing;

page_text: the governor acting on the angle lever will move the eccentric rod out from
the arm, and thereby open the ports sufficiently wide. only to keep up the
speed of the engine. The crank, when up, revolving from the pivoted.end of
the lever (u) will cause the supply ports to open, when the crank is on the
centres, and to close at a shorter stroke as the eccentric rod leaves the pivoted
end of: the lever (u); the slide will move easily in the slot at the termination
of the stroke of the valve if acted on by the governor.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cylinder with supply
opening (b, b,) on one side, and having exhaust openings on the opposite side,
the exhaust valve (c) being on the cylinder. D is a lever which has its
fulcrum at (e), and connects with the supply valve by means of a slide (9)
which enters slot (f), through which slide a pin passes into the valve, and
to the exhaust valve in a similar manner. There is also on the opposite side
of the cylinder a similar lever connected to the cylinder and valves in the
same manner. The slide which enters the slots (f) are narrower than the
slots, so that with a lap of the valve to the extent of one of the ports or
openings on the steam side, and without any lap on the exhaust side, the
exhaust valve will open at or nearly at the same time as the supply valve does,
and. remain open the full length of the stroke. To compensate for the lost
motion by the above arrangement of slot and slide, and to open the exhaust
sufficiently wide, the fulcrum or pivot of the lever is much nearer the supply
valve. The above arrangement of valve gear is applicable to engines that are
required to be reversed. If the engine is not 'required to be reversed, an
additional eccentric is placed upon the shaft over the exhaust valve, and the
eccentric rod (t) and branch rod (y) are connected and form one rod; and
connect to the lower part of the valve in the same manner that the' branch
rod is connected to the supply valve. When two valves are used, steam is
conveyed from the exhaust valve by joints similar to those used for conveying
steam to the supply valve.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of joint (1) which is in line with the journals
of the shaft, in which (a) is a tube (part of the slip joint (m), and (6) a cap
which forms a stuffing box for the packing. A set screw enter the threaded
orifice (c), the head of which rests against the shaft, and by which the pipe
and cap is forced against the packing to prevent the escape of steam.

page_text: :
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Maude 'in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1864.
TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD MAUDE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Maude, Her 'special' licence that I, the said William
Edward Maude, my executors, àdministrators, and assigns, or such 'other's as
I, the said William Edward. Maude, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES," a communication to me from
abroad by Nathan Thomas Edson, of New Orleans; in the United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Maude, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Maude, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
These improvements consist in using a valve chest for a 'slide valve, and in
regulating the speed of the engine by connecting the stem of the valve by
means, of a slotted lever to the eccentric rad and governor, so that an increase
of speed of the engine will produce a less movement of the valve and an
increase expansive use of steam, by which arrangement of valve much of the
usual friction of a slide valve and waste of steam in passing from the valve to
the cylinder is saved; also in an improved eccentric yoke, by which steam is

page_text: admitted equally at both ends of the cylinder. To use all the above improve-
ments, and to show some of their modifications which are necessary in the
performance of different kinds of work of the engine, reference is made to
the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vibrating cylinder engine. The frame a
is made similar to such as are used for verticle engines, on which is mounted
the shaft, to which one of the heads of the cylinder 6 is attached. The
cylinder being thus supported, and its shaft being connected to frame a by
journal and boxes, its mouvement is by vibration on these centres made to
assume the positions natural to the crank action so far as its own vibrations
are concerned. The valve c has one opening near each end against the
cylinder leading to side pipe e, which are exhaust openings and pipe, and
other (supply) openings leading to the steam in the valve. The openings 'in
the cylinder are between the supply and exhaust openings of the valve, but
nearest the exhaust openings. The valve is held against the eylinder by post f
(an end view of which is shown in Figure 6), steel plate (which is con-
nected to the shaft by joint), and stay h, which is firmly attached to the shaft
and adjustment made by set screw i. k is the supply pipe, which is 'connected
by a moveable joint (a sectional view of which is shown in Figure 5) to a
part of said pipe, which is firmly attached to the shaft, which section of pipe
connects with the valve by a slip joint m. The exhaust steam is conveyed
from the side pipe by a flexible tube connected at n. O is the eccentric yoke (a
clearer view of which and of the following parts is shown in Figures 3 and 4),
and p, p, blocks, the sides of each of which rest against the top and bottom
sections of the yoke, with their opposite sides fitting' and resting against 'the
eccentric; the blocks are shorter than the width of the yoke, and move from
side to side of it on the revolving of the eccentric. The projections r,'r,
attached to the yoke, rest against the circle s of the eccentric (which circlè
has for its centre the crank shaft), causing the yoke and eccentric rod 'to
move directly up and down, thereby opening the ports quickly and equally at
both ends of the cylinder. T is the eccentric rod, the lower end of which
connects to the slotted lever 'w by a slide which moves in 'the slot, the lever
being pivoted to an arm of the frame at v. The governor 'is connected to the
angle lever w, which lever connects to one end of rod x, and the rod connects
with its other end to the eccentric rod, each by a pivot. The branch rod y
connects to the lower end of the valve c (as near in a line with the journals of
the shaft as the other parts will admit), and to the lever u by moveable joints.
When the work to be performed by the engine requires all its powers, the
slide of the eccentric will rest against the end of the slot of the slotted lever

page_text: nearest its pivot; the mouvement of the valve will be sufficient-to throw the
ports wide open. On the speed of the engine increasing, the govenor acting
on the angle lever will move the eccentric rod out from the arm, and thereby
open the ports sufficiently wide only to keep up the speed of the engine. . The
crank, when up, revolving from the pivoted end of the lever. 4 will cause the
supply ports to open when, the crank is on the centers, and to close at a
shorter stroke as the eccentric rod leaves the pivoted end of the lever u; the
slide will move easily in the slot at the termination of the stroke of the valve
if acted on by the govenor.
.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cylinder, with supply opening
b, b, on one side, and having exhaust openings on the opposite side, the exhaust
valve c being on the cylinder. D. is, a lever, which has its fulcrum at e, and
connects with the supply valve by means of a slide 9 which enters the slot f,
through which slide a pin passes into the valve, and to the exhaust valve, in a
similar manner. There is also on the opposite side of the cylinder a similar
lever connected to the cylinder and valves in the same manner. The slides
which enter the slots f are narrower than the slots, so that with. a lap of-the
valve to the extent of one of the parts or openings on the steam side, and
without any lap on the exhaust side, the exhaust valve will open at or nearly
at the same time that the supply valve does, and remain open the full length
of the stroke. To compensate for the lost motion by the above. arrangement
of slot and slide, and to open the exhaust sufficiently wide, the fulcrum or
pivot of the lever is much nearer the supply valve. The above arrangement
of valve gear is applicable to engines that are required to be reversed.
If the engine is not required to be reversed, an additional eccentric. is placed
upon the shaft over the exhaust valve, and the eccentric rod t and branch
rod y are connected from one rod, and connect the lower parts of the valve in
the same manner that, the branch rod is connected to the supply valve. When
two valves are used, steam is conveyed from the exhaust valve by joints similar
to those used for conveying steam to the supply valve..
Figure 5 is a sectional view of joint l, which is in line with the journals of
the shaft, in, which a is the tube (a part of the slip joint.m), and ba cap,
which forms a stuffing box for the packing. A set screw enters the threaded
orifice c, the head of which rests against the shaft, and by which the pipe and
cap is forced against the packing to prevent the escape of steam.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the best mode. I am acquainted with to carry the same into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details, relative proportions, or dimensions herein-before described and set

page_text: forth, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention, but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the using of a valve chest for a slide valve when held against the
cylinder by post f, steel plate g, and stay h, or their equivalents, substantially
as set forth.
Secondly, the combination of the eccentric yoke o and blocks p, p, for the
purposes specified.
Thirdly, the combination of the eccentric rod t; rod x, angle lever w, and
lever u, when acted upon by the governor to regulate the speed of the
engine.
Fourthly, the branch rod y when connected to a valve in or nearly in line
with the journals on which the cylinder moves.
Fifthly, the lever d (Figure 2), by which one eccentric moving a variable
cut-off supply valve moves a full stroke exhaust valve, as represented.
Sixthly, the joint (Figure 5) when placed between and in line with the
journals on which the cylinder moves, as represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Maude have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
WILLIAM EDWARD (L.s.) MAUDE.
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.