IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION AND EXIT OF STEAM TO AND FROM STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM PEPPER of The Groves Stockton-on-Tees in the County of Durham
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION AND EXIT OF STEAM TO AND FROM
STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to steam steering engines but it is also
applicable to other steam engines, the object being to dispense with the piston
valve which is usually employed to reverse the engine, and is objectionable,
inasmuch as after a short time in use, it becomes loose and causes a waste of
steam.
In carrying out my invention as applied to the cylinders of a steam steering
engine I use a flat slide valve and I form the steam face of the cylinder with the
usual admission ports at opposite ends of the cylinder and the usual exhaust port
which I will call A port between them. In addition to these ports I form an
extra port which I will call B port. This port will be of the same dimensions as
the port A and will by preference be placed outside one or other of the admission
ports and in line therewith Tho ports A and B will as required form inlet and
exit passages for the steam, for which purpose both will be in connection with a
cock or valve conveniently placed in the steam pipe and under the control of the
attendant in the usual way.
The inlet and exit ports are covered by the slide valve above mentioned which
is of D form with double ports one placed inside the other and so arranged that
the smaller D will cover in one position of the valve on the port A and the inner
admission port while the larger D will extend from the outer admission port to
and beyond the port B so that whatever the position of the valve the port B will
always be open.
The reciprocating movement of this valve will be effected by an excentric in the
usual manner.
For convenience I prefer that the slide valve shall be enclosed in a box, which
usually acts as the steam chest and steam is admitted to this box so as to press on
the back of the valve for the purpose of keeping the valve on its seat. The steam
in this box may be of the same pressure as that working the engine or it may be
reduced.
As the valve reciprocates steam will be admitted alternately to opposite sides of
the piston, the change in direction being effected by means of the cock or valve
controlled by the attendant as above referred to.

page_text: I WILLIAM PEPPER of The Groves, Stockton-on-Tees in the County of Durhanı,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION AND EXIT OF STEAM TO AND FROM
STEAM ENGINES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
This Invention relates more particularly to steam steering engines, but it is also
applicable to other steam engines, the object being to dispense with the piston
valve which is usually employed to reverse the engine, and is objectionable,
inasmuch as after a short time in use, it becomes loose and causes a waste of
steam.
In carrying out my Invention, I use by preference a slide valve, and I form the
steam face of the cylinder with the usual admission ports to opposite ends of the
cylinder, and the usual exhaust port between them. In addition to these ports,
I form an extra port, preferably of the same area as the exhaust port, and which
may be placed in any convenient position.
-The inlet-and-exit ports. are covered by the slide valve above mentioned, which
I prefer to make of D form, with double ports one inside the other, and so arranged
that the smaller D will cover the central exhaust port, and one admission port,
while the larger D will extend from the outer admission port to and beyond
the extra port, so that whatever the position of the valve may be, the extra port
will always be open.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig 1 is a partial longitudinal section of a steam
cylinder with the valve complete, and Fig 2 is a cross section of the valve.
A is the cylinder, B the piston, and B₁ the piston rod. A¹ is the steam face of
the cylinder in which are formed the admission ports C C¹ to opposite ends of the
cylinder and the exhaust port D.-An extra exhaust port D₁ is also formed in
the steam face A¹, preferably of the same area as the port D, and placed also
preferably in line with the three ports C C¹ and D.—E is the slide valve, of D form,
with double ports a b, one inside the other (see cross section Fig 2). The outer or
port a is enlarged at one end, as shown at a¹, Fig 1, so that in whatever position
the valve is placed, the port a will always be open to the port D¹. The port b is
of a size to cover one admission port, and the exhaust port D.-E' is the valve rod,
which is connected to an excentric or crank in the usual manner, and as the valve
reciprocates, steam will be admitted and exhausted alternately to and from
opposite sides of the piston in the usual manner. The two ports D and D¹ will,
as required, serve for inlet and exhaust passages for the steam, for which purpose
both will be in connection with a cock or valve of any suitable construction,
conveniently placed in the steam pipe, and under the control of the attendant.
This cock or valve may also be in connection with an exhaust pipe by which the
exhaust steam from the cylinder may be conveyed to the condenser or elsewhere as
desired.
According to the direction in which it is desired to drive the engine, steam will
be admitted to the ports D or D¹, by the attendant simply shifting the cock or
valve in connection with the steam pipe in the required direction; thus the
reversing of the engine may be effected without complicated reversing gear, as
heretofore.
The slide valve E I enclose in a box F, such as usually forms the steam chest,
and steam is admitted in any convenient manner to this box so as to press on the
back of the valve for the purpose of keeping it down on its seat.
The valve rod will work in suitable packing in the ordinary manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st The means herein shewn and described for controlling the admission and
exit of steam to and from steam engines, such means consisting essentially of a
slide valve E having double ports a and b, an extra port D¹ in the steam face of
the cylinder in addition to the usual admission ports C C¹ and exhaust port D, the
ports D and D¹ being connected with a suitable valve or cock under the control of
the attendant, and employed alternately as inlet or exhaust ports, all substantially
as set forth.
2nd In means for controlling the admission and exit of steam to and from steam
engines, the combination of an extra port as D₁ in the steam face of the cylinder
with a slide valve, as E, having an extra port as a, and operating substantially as
berein described.
3rd In means for controlling the admission and exit of steam to and from steam
engines, the combination of ports, as D and D', with a suitable valve or cock
under the control of the attendant, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
4th In means for controlling the admission and exit of steam to and from steam
engines, the use of a valve having double ports as a and b as set forth.
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