A NEW OR IMPROVED FLUID MOTOR, PUMP, OR METER, AND VALVES AND VALVE GEARING THEREFOR " PRO
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John McKendrick and Henry William Ball, Sole Partners
of the Firm of Alexander Chaplin and Company, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Engineers, and Robert Gray Watson, of Kilmarnock, in the County
of Ayr, Brass Finisher, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED FLUID
MOTOR, PUMP, OR METER, AND VALVES AND VALVE GEARING THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McKendrick, Henry
William Ball, and Robert Gray Watson, at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 7th October 1876.
JOHN MCKENDRICK and HENRY WILLIAM BALL, Sole Partners of the Firm of
Alexander Chaplin and Company, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Engineers,
and ROBERT GRAY WATSON, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, Brass Finisher.
A NEW OR IMPROVED FLUID MOTOR, PUMP, OR METER, AND VALVES AND VALVE
GEARING THEREFOR.'
"
"
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of reciprocating
piston engine with from one to four double-acting cylinders and a revolving shaft,
and a new or improved construction of single revolving valve for the admission and
emission of the water or other fluid for the whole of the cylinders, all specially
suitable as a water engine, pump, or meter, while also applicable as a steam, air, or
other elastic fluid motor, or as a blowing or forcing engine, and more simple and
efficient in construction and action than engines of this kind heretofore in use.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in having the one, two,
three, or four close-ended cylinders or barrels fixed to their frame with their axis in
a plane with their revolving crank. shaft, so that the free end of the connecting rod
from each piston-rod or its cross head will be connected to its corresponding crank
or crank pin on this shaft, which cranks are preferably set at right angles when
there are two cylinders and cranks and at 45° in advance of each other, when there
are three or four cylinders and cranks with a new or improved circular casing and
flat face plate with outer radial ports leading to the opposite ends of each cylinder
diametrically opposite each other round a central circular exhaust port leading to
the outlet pipe, while the inlet pipe leads into the casing over this face containing
[Price Gd1

page_text: the new or improved revolving disc-faced valve with three radial inlet ports through
it, so that the water or other fluid enters from the casing through from the back or
outer edge of the valve, which has three corresponding exhaust or outlet ports or
recesses formed in its face between and radially opposite the inlet through ports and
all leading into a close central chamber in the valve which conducts the escaping
fluid from the outer ports to the central outlet port and pipe in the centre of the face
plate before mentioned.
The radial ports and the spaces or solid metal on the face of the valve between
them are all equal in width, that is, each is equal to the space enclosed by an angle
of 30°, six ports and spaces making up the whole circle of the valve (thus
30° 12° 360°) and the ports in the face plate from the opposite ends of the
cylinders are all of the same width as the ports and spaces or blank faces of
the valves, so that these latter as they come round always close the port of each
cylinder when its crank is turning the dead centres and opening the inlet and
exhaust at the opposite ends the moment their piston moves therefrom, the ports in
the face plates of the different cylinders being set to suit the cranks at 90° and 45°
in advance of each other for two and three or four cylinders respectively, leaving the
spaces correspondingly equal to 60° or 15°.
The construction of the ports and valve and mode of actuating the latter are also
most suitable and convenient for driving the engine in the reverse or backward
direction by having any one of the wheels which actuate the valve, or a coupling on
the countershaft when that is made in two parts to shift round the driven shaft and
valve in relation to the driving shaft about 60° backwards or forwards; and by
making this in the form of a sleeve or tube coupling with shifting scroll groove or
other equivalent shifting coupling capable of being actuated by a hand lever while
the engine is working it would make a good reversing gear or a stopping motion
when in its mid position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John McKendrick, Henry William Ball, and Robert Gray Watson, in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th April 1877.
JOHN MOKENDRICK and HENRY WILLIAM BALL, Sole Partners of the Firm of
Alexander Chaplin and Company, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Engineers,
and ROBERT GRAY WATSON, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, Brass Finisher.
A NEW OR IMPROVED FLUID MOTOR, PUMP, OR METER, AND VALVES AND VALVE
GEARING THEREFOR.”
"
Our said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of recipro-
cating piston engine with from one to four double-acting cylinders and a revolving
shaft, and a new or improved construction of single revolving valve for the admis-
sion and emission of the water, steam, or other fluid for the whole of the cylinders,
all specially suitable as a water engine, pump, or meter, while it is also applicable
as a steam, air, or other elastic fluid motor, or as a blowing or forcing engine, and
is more simple and efficient in construction and action than engines of this kind
heretofore in use.
And in order that the full nature, novelty, and mode of performing our said
Invention may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the several
Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which we have hereunto appended for the purpose
of showing the best modes we are at present aware of for putting the Invention into
effect or practice, the same reference, letters, and numerals indicating the same or
like parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation with the valve gear removed, and
a plan, both of one construction of our reciprocating engine, with two cylinders A, B,
cast in one piece and arranged horizontally, as suitable for a motive-power engine

page_text: to be worked by the pressure of water, or by steam, air, or other pressure fluid, to
drive its own revolving crank shaft D, or otherwise as a water or other fluid force
pump, or as a meter for measuring water or other fluid by driving its revolving
crank shaft D by motive power.
Figures 3 and 4 are corresponding side and transverse sections of the same engine
taken on the lines 1 -- 1 and 2 - - 2, in Figure 2, through the valve casing E, to show
the arrangement of ports and new revolving valve F and mode of fitting and
actuating the same.
Figure 5 is a back elevation of the valve F as detached from the casing E; and
Figures 6 to 11 are front views of various other arrangements of the ports in the
face of the cylinders and in the valves to suit these for other arrangements of this
new or improved construction of engine and cylinders, and illustrative of a few of
the many ways in which this new or improved revolving and reversing valve F
and the admission and exhaust ports may be modified and worked efficiently.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4, our said Invention consists in constructing and
arranging the parts of an engine or complete motive machine suitable (with, slight
alteration obvious to engineers) for the various purposes stated, and all substantially
as herein specified. This engine consists of two close-ended cylinders or barrels
A, B, preferably cast in one piece and fixed to their inain frame or sole plate C with
their axis in a plane with that of their revolving crank shaft D carried in bush
bearing blocks C cast on the other end of the sole plate C, so that the free ends of
the connecting rods A", B", from their respective piston rods A¹, B', or cross heads
A3, B2, will be connected to their corresponding cranks or crank pins D¹, D", on the
crank shaft D. These cranks D¹, D¹¹, are preferably set at right angles when there
are two cylinders, as in the example shown; but there might be three or four
cylinders ranged and fitted all as described, in which case the cranks are pre-
ferably set at 45° in advance of each other. The connecting rods A", B", are
shown as faced to allow of the prolonged ends of the piston rods A¹, B¹, being
guided by working through bushed eyes A, B, projecting up between the
arms of the connecting rods from a guide bracket secured to the sole plate at
C", but ordinary slide guides might be used to guide the piston rods by their
cross heads. A single new or improved circular casing E is fitted with one
valve F for the whole of the cylinders revolving on a flat face plate E' formed
with radial ports a¹, a¹¹, and 6', 6", opening to the face E¹ and led to the opposite
ends of each cylinder respectively, and preferably disposed diametrically opposite to
each other, as seen in Figure 3, round a central circular exhaust port e¹ leading to the
outlet pipe El, while the inlet pipe E leads direct into the casing E. The new or
improved revolving disc-faced valve F is fitted over the face E' with its inlet and
exhaust ports having three radial inlet ports f formed through it, so that the water
or other motive pressure fluid enters from the casing E through from the back and
outer edge of the valve F, which has three corresponding exhaust or outlet ports or
recesses formed in its face F¹ between and radially opposite the inlet through ports
f, and all leading into a close central chamber or exhaust cavity f* in the valve F
which conducts the escaping fluid from the outer ports fl to the central outlet
ports e, e¹, and pipe El in the centre of the face plate E¹ of the outer cylinder A,
and all as particularly seen in Figures 3, 4, and 5, and indicated by the arrows in
these ports and passages.
The radial ports and the spaces or solid metal on the face of the valve between
them are all nearly equal in width, that is, each is equal to the space enclosed by an
angle of 30°, six ports f, f1, and spaces or solid face parts f" making up the whole
circle of the valve (thus 30° x 12°=360°) round the outlet central port e correspond-
ing to e¹ in the face plate E. The ports a, a¹, and b, b', in the face plate E from
the opposite ends of the cylinders are all of nearly the same width as the ports f, f',
and spaces or blank faces f" of the valves F, so that these latter f" as they come
round always close the ports a, a¹, and b, b', of each cylinder when its crank is turn-
ing the dead centres and opening the inlet and exhaust at the opposite ends the
moment their piston moves therefrom, or rather before when preferred, as in other

page_text: ordinary constructions of reciprocating engines and their valves. The ports in the
face plates E¹ of the different cylinders being set to suit the cranks at 90° in advance
of each other for two cylinders as shown particularly in Figure 3.
The valve F is formed with an axial spindle F on its back which works out
through a stuffing box E³ in the back of the valve casing E, so as to be worked a
from the crank shaft D by a pair of mitre wheels G, GI, giving motion to the
intermediate or counter shaft H, carried in bush bearing standards H³, secured to
the sole plate C, and which by the bevel pinion I on it gearing into the wheel I' on
the continuation of the valve spindle F, drives it at the rate of one turn or revolu-
tion to three of the counter shaft H end crank shaft D, that is, for each stroke of 1
the piston or half revolution of the crank shaft the valve is turned one-sixth of a
revolution, equal to 60° or two of the divisions or ports and spaces f, f¹, f¹¹, of the
valve face, from the position of admitting the acting fluid at the commencement of
each stroke to that of allowing it to escape at the other end of the stroke; that is
for the arrangement of this valve F, with its ports, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, either
for the two-cylinder engine here shown or for one cylinder, in which case only the
ports a, a¹ would be required in the face plate or seat E' of the cylinder A, as seen
in Figure 3. But for this same valve F, Figure 5, the ports in the face plate or
seat E¹ for one cylinder might be arranged as indicated in Figure 6 by the ports
a, as, a³, and a, a, a, leading to the opposite end of the cylinder; and for
two, three, or four cylinders the ports in the face plate seat E¹ might be arranged as
indicated at a, a, b, b¹, c, c¹, and d, d¹, in Figure 7.
one,
The construction of this new or improved valve F, and arrangement of ports and
mode of actuating it renders it most suitable and convenient for driving the engine
in the reverse or backward direction. By having any one of the wheels which
actuate the valve, or a coupling on its actuating intermediate or counter shaft, when
that is made in two parts, to shift round the driven shaft and valve (in relation to
the driving shaft) about 60° backwards or forwards from its former working position,
and by making the shifting coupling in the form of a sleeve or tube coupling with
an angled groove and pin, and a shifting scroll groove (or other equivalent shifting
coupling) capable of being actuated by a hand lever while the engine is working,
and it would make a good reversing gear or a stopping motion when in its mid-
position.
Figures 8 and 9 show a face view of a seat E and a valve F, as suitable for one
double-acting cylinder or two single-acting cylinders, with the ports a, a², and a, a¹¹,
leading to the opposite ends, and with the valve face divided into eight parts, with
two inlet and two exhaust ports f, f¹, opposite each other at an angle of 90° apart,
which arrangements give much larger ports, but the valve requires to make one
revolution for every two revolutions of the crank shaft, or turn 90° for each stroke
of the piston, and be shifted to the same extent backwards or forwards for reversing
the engine. It will be obvious however that this construction of valve might have
other arrangements of ports and seats than the three and two-way valves shown in
Figures 5 and 9 respectively, as say with four, five, six, and seven inlet and exhaust
ports, suitable for one, two, three, or four of the cylinders shown in reference to
Figures 1 to 7.
For motive-power engines it is preferred to have the ports f, f¹, in the valve the
same size as the ports a, a, b, b', in the seat E, and to have the solid faces f", or spaces
between the ports in the valve F, slightly larger than these. But for water engines,
force pumps, and meters, it is preferred to reverse the arrangement, that is, to have
the spaces slightly larger than the ports a, a¹, b, b¹, in the seat E, and the ports f, f¹,
in the valve slightly larger than the spaces f"; the ports f¹ in the case of force
pumps becoming the inlet ports, the fluid flowing in the reverse direction through
the ducts and ports to that indicated by the arrows when the crank shaft is turned
in the direction indicated. Instead of arranging the valve casing on the side of the
cylinder A, as shown, it might be arranged on the end of the cylinder, with the axis
F of the valve in a line with the countershaft H, so as to be driven direct by it
with only one pair of wheels G, G. And for reversing engines the shaft H might

page_text: be formed in two parts couple'l by the scroll groove sleeve or coupling herein-before
referred to, which is shifted by a hand lever to reverse the action of the engine at
pleasure. For meters, a screw K may be mounted on the crank shaft D, working
into and turning the screw wheel K¹ of the spindle k of an index indicator, to record
or register the number of strokes or gallons of water passed through the cylinders
of this engine when acting as a meter. For giving greater area of ports with this
arrangement of valve and seat for double-acting single cylinder engines, that is, for
leading all the alternate ports a, a², a³, and a¹, a¹¹, al, in the seat, as in Figures 6
and 8 to the reverse or opposite end of the cylinder, it is preferred to form an outer
and inner annular space or duct a*, a**, below the seat E*, into which these ports
alternately and respectively lead, as shown in the edge and face sections of a face
plate or seat Ex.
Figures 10 and 11 corresponding to the three-way valve, Figure 5, and sent,
Figure 6, with three ports leading to each end of the cylinder; but it will be evident
that this arrangement is also applicable to the other valves and seats referred to
with greater numbers of ports.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what we consider novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The general construction or arrangement and combination of parts of a
fluid motive-power reciprocating engine with from one to four cylinders, suitable
also as a force-pump or meter, all substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The working of reciprocating engines with from one to four cylinders by
one revolving inlet and exhaust valve, substantially as herein described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The general construction of a revolving valve having inlet and exhaust
radial ports actuated by wheel gearing from the crank shaft for controlling the inlet
and exhaust of the fluid in reciprocating engines, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness wliereof, we, the said Henry William Ball and Robert Gray Watson,
on behalf of the said John MoKendrick and ourselves, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
40 Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
HENRY WILLIAM BALL. (L.S.)
ROBERT GRAY WATSON. (L.S.)