IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMIZING THE USE OF STEAM OR OTHER SUITABLE EXPANSIVE FORCE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Farr Goodwin, of Stelton, in the County of
Middlesex, and State of New Jersey, in the United States of North America,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMIZING
THE USE OF STEAM OR OTHER SUITABLE EXPANSIVE FORCE."
Sealed the 15th June 1880, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 17th November 1870
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Farr Goodwin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1879.
WILLIAM FARR GOODWIN, of Stelton, in the County of Middlesex, State of New
Jersey, in the United States of North America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
FOR ECONOMIZING THE USE OF STEAM OR OTHER SUITABLE EXPANSIVE FORCE."
From the beginning of the use of steam as a mechanical power one important
problem has been to find the most economical means of its employment. Great
progress has been made towards the solution of this problem, and the first object of
my Invention is to complete the solution of said problem as far as the wastage of
steam caused by the superfluous spaces outside of the piston space is concerned as
found in ordinary engines.
The second object of my Invention is to make an engine of the most simple,
most enduring, and most economical kind, in which no steam is wasted between
the valves and piston space, as well as in regard to construction, operation, and
repair.
The first object of my Invention is accomplished to perfection by the extremely
simple and decidedly effective arrangement of the ingress and egress ports P¹ and P³,
and the valves V and V¹ in the heads H of the cylinder A, and also the projecting
ridges R2 on the piston R, which latter serve to fill the spaces of the ports P1, P1, in
the cylinder heads H between the valves and the piston space. The second object
of my Invention is attained by combining in my new engine all of the best elements
of simplicity and durability known to science, and excluding therefrom all of the
wasteful and objectionable features of the ordinary engine, thus making a novel
and desirable improvement in the class of mechanism to which my Invention
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page_text: belongs, which class is the direct acting reciprocating piston engine. In the
accompanying Drawings,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 an end
view respectively of my improved steam engine; Figure 4 is an inside view of the
cylinder head, and Figures 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of the valves; Figures 8
and 9 are respectively a longitudinal section and a side elevation, and Figures 10,
11, 12, 13, and 14 are detail views showing a slight modification in the construction
and arrangement of the engine; Figures 15 and 16 are a longitudinal section and
a side elevation, and Figures 17 and 18 detail views of another modification in
the construction and arrangement of the engine by which the same results are
obtained.
In the above Figures of Drawings similar letters of reference are employed to
indicate like parts wherever such may occur.
A represents the main cylinder; H and H, its heads; and R, the piston; V and V1
are oscillating slide valves, and C represents their cases or seats. The piston R is
provided with projecting ridges R2 adapted to protrude into the ports P¹ & P2
at the end of each stroke, thus filling the space through the thickness of the
metal.
The projecting ridges R2 adapted to pass beyond the piston space into the ports
in the cylinder heads, together with the arrangement of the ports to receive them,
constitute one of the important features of the novelty, while the arrangement of
the cylindrical valve cases C in the cylinder heads H and H' in such a manner that
the valve is brought as nearly to the piston space as the necessary strength of metal
will permit, and sufficiently close to be met by the projecting ridges R², bence the
said ridges may be fitted and adjusted to the corresponding ports so perfectly that
when the piston is pressed metal upon metal against the cylinder head, the ridges R²
will fill the ports and touch the valves V and V1, thus completely attaining the first
object of my Invention as first above stated.
In order to attain the second object, as set forth I have selected the circular
oscillating slide valves V and V₁, which make a part of a rotation in their oscillating
movement, and in order to make said valves more durable and easier of operation,
I have improved them by adding long bearing cylindrical ends, and provided them
with grooves G for packing for the purpose of retaining oil upon the bearings of the
cylindrical ends.
The object of extending the length of the valves is to obtain greater wearing
surface, and the object of packing them oil tight or nearly so is to keep them
constantly lubricated without unnecessary waste of oil, as a sufficient quantity of
the latter will find a passage through the packing and end bearings to bearings on
each side of the ports and into the cylinder. As shown by Figure 2, the ingress
and egress port valves operate independently, and the introduction of the steam
may be controlled by any variable cut off valve movement, while the exhaust is
free, being operated by its own peculiar valve movement. The arrows plainly
indicate the direction of the steam in its passage in and out of the cylinder, with
the valves in their relative positions to the piston. Of course when the piston
has reached a similar position at the other end of the cylinder the valves will be
reversed.
The valves are kept steam tight by the constant pressure of live steam upon
their backs. The live steam is conducted to the back of the exhaust valve through
the tube or passage H³ which connects with the live steam. The arrangement of
the ports P and P³, and E and F, by which the steam passes into and out of the
cylinder, also the arrangement of the stuffing box H2, and the mode of attaching
the cylinder heads to the cylinder, as well as the means by which the valves are
operated, being so thoroughly illustrated in the Drawings, no further explanation of
these parts is deemed necessary. In Figure the ends of the plugs B and B are
shown; they are screwed into the ends of the valve cases C, and serve as bearings,
to secure the valve stems K by which the valves are rocked and operated (see

page_text: also Figs. 5 and 6). C' are levers attached to the valve stems k connected to the
rods C, which latter are connected with the cams or valve movement.
E is the ingress opening to which the steam pipe is attached; F is the egress
opening to which the exhaust pipe is attached; U, U, are lugs by which the
cylinder is attached to a bed plate. As shown by Figures 2 and 4 the ports P and P¹
are joined together forming one passage, and those P² and P³ are joined together to
form one passage; W represents the water cock and passage by means of which the
water is let out of the cylinder. In Figure 2 the valve cases C, steam passage H³,
end of stuffing box H2, and oil cups o¹, as well as the general appearance of the
outside of the cylinder head when complete with all of its attachments are plainly
illustrated. Figure 5 shows a view of the port side of the exhaust valve V₁;
Figure 6 is a view of the back of the induction valve showing the rock-shaft k in
position, and passing through the stuffing box or plugs B and B with its rocking
arm Cattached; Figure 7 shows a view partly in perspective of the rock shaft k
detached from the valve; Figures 5 and 6 show the relative positions of the valves
and their bearings in and between the ends B and B¹ of the enclosing cases C, as
well as the packing grooves G. The advantage claimed for the rocking valve
described in the above Figures over that kind of valves in other engines is, first,
by extending the length of the ends beyond the usual length, and making them
cylindrical, affords a greater bearing surface, and second, by means of packing
a copious quantity of oil is retained constantly to the bearings much more than
could be retained without oil packing, and for engines of high velocity the rocking
valve will be well suited for the reason that the weight of the valves rests in their
cylindrical bearings, and oscillate like a shaft on its journal bearings, and does not
move bodily like a slide valve, hence the resistance of momentum is not so great as
with the ordinary reciprocating slide valve. The arrangement illustrated in Figures 6
to 14 inclusive is a modification of my Invention in which I employ two oscillating
valves (instead of four, as above described), one at each end of the cylinder, and
within each of the cylinder heads, but the valves act together as one valve, and are
not independent of each other, as those above described, the operation being similar
to that of the single ordinary slide valve, as relates to the valve movement by which
the valves are operated; but it is obvious that all the advantages of saving steam
from wastage are retained in this modification, while the advantage of independent
valves is lost to the latter, yet for small engines, in which independent valves are
not required, this arrangement possesses some valuable features which I will explain
as follows:-The engine illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 differs from that shown by
Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive in the modified construction and arrangement of its valves,
ports, cylinder heads, and means of operation in the manner as follows:-First, the
ports P and Ps are arranged in circular form around and equi-distant from the
centre, upon which latter the valves V are pivoted.
The lines of the sides of the ports radiate from the centre and widen towards the
circumference; any requisite number of those openings can be made, the number
here represented being six, three upon each side of the centre and of the partition J
of the valve (see Figs. 10, 11, and 12); those upon one side of the partition J,
marked P¹, are the ingress ports and those on the opposite side, marked P³, are the
egress ports. The projections R³ upon the piston R being made to correspond with
and enter into ports Pt and P in the same manner and for the same purpose as
those described in Figures 1 to 7, only differing from the latter in form and
arrangement around the centre, and six projections being necessary on each side of
the piston instead of two on each side, as above set forth. The valve V is a¸ box
disc valve having the form of a hollow disc wheel, the steam space and ports being
cored and formed in the casting. A hub H' is left in the centre of the valve which
s bored and fitted upon the hub H on the disc H, and serves as a pivotrupon
which the valve oscillates; an eye hole T¹ is cast in the valve, to which, the valve
tem is attached by the pivot T (see Figs. 11 and 13). The valve seat, is a plain
lisc H with the ports formed in it and having the hub H on one side, through
which the piston rod R' passes. The end of the hub H³ is packed steam tight in

page_text: the outside cap H₁ of the cylinder head, to which latter the stuffing box H³ is cast.
The valve box is formed with two pieces H and H¹ put together as shown in
Fig. 8, in which H' is the box and H the cap, there being no essential difference,
the valve seat being plain, as in Fig. 4, may be easier ground and made true.
T and T are pivots for the flexible valve stems N and N', and M is the
oscillating lever by which the valves are connected and operated, said lever M
having its fulcrum or pivotal point upon the standard L. The lever M also carries
an arm O at right angles to its length, which arm receives motion from the con-
necting rod O' and transmits it to the lever M, and through the latter to the valves.
Figure 9 is an elevation of this modified engine showing its general appearance and
the mechanism for operating the valves, and ; are the stuffing boxes through which
the valve stems pass.
The arrows here also indicate the course of the steam in
relation to the position of the piston. The ridges of the valves covering one port
at each end and leaving the passage open through the other, when the piston
reaches a similar position at the opposite end of the cylinder of course the valves
will reverse, and the course of the steam will change in like manner, as herein before
explained. In Figure 10 I have shown a sectional view of the valve box cylinder
head H detached, illustrating the plan of construction of the valve box cylinder
head with the valve arranged in its proper place, closing one port and leaving the
other open. This valve possesses some important advantages peculiar to itself, which
are as follows:-First. The steam passes through the valve and not around it, the
live steam presses upon the back of it to hold the valve steam tight upon its
bearings, said steam does not enter the valve or the cylinder but simply remains a
constant pressure like the steam in the steam pipe, the steam passes into the space
behind the valve, through the small aperture P³, over the top of the valve (see
Fig. 10), which passage remains open and being at the top nothing heavier than
steam will return out through that passage, therefore the space behind the valve
can be filled with oil to the top of the valve, and the pressure will act upon and
through the oil to hold the valve tight upon its bearings, hence the valve will be
kept constantly lubricated without wastage of oil, the oil being constantly
present will work under the valve sufficiently to lubricate it. Second. The steam
enters the cylinder through the ports in the valve which correspond with the ports
in the valve seat, therefore the steam does not rush over the true surfaces of the
valve or its seat but simply rushes over the edges of the ports in the valve which
have no bearing, the oil therefore is not swept from the bearings by the steam but
is thoroughly protected by the close bearings of the valve, and this feature will
certainly prove of great value.
Third. As regards simplicity and cheapness of construction the entire job is
finished with the lathe, and very little lathe work is required, only the surfaces of
the valve seat H and valve V require accuracy; the hole through which the
piston-rod passes does not require to fit close. The ports and bolt holes can be
made in the casting, thus making the cheapest and most economical engines for
small sizes where independent valves are not required. Figure 11 shows the
valve V partly in section, having that part removed which covers the ports P¹ cut
along the side of the partition J, and shows the position of the valve upon the seat
or disc H when the ports P2 are closed and those P open; the dotted lines
show the closed ports and the ports of the valve, which latter are to one side of the
former in such manner that when the ports on one side of the partition J are closed
those of the other side are open, also showing the connecting rod or valve stem
attached to the valve. If necessary, for very large engines, two valve stems N and
two levers M can be employed, one upon each side of the centre of the valve.
Referring to Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18, the engine illustrated thereby has box
cylinder heads enclosing the valves, somewhat similar to those shown in Figs. 8 to
14. These boxes or heads are made each to enclose and accommodate two recipro-
cating or slide valves to conform to the independent action of the induction and
exhaust valves; here, too, four valves are employed, as first hereinbefore described,
which are arranged in the cylinder heads in a manner similar to that shown by

page_text: Figs. 8 to 14. To avoid wastage the valves and ports are arranged in the cylinder
heads as near as possible to the piston space, and the ports are filled with
corresponding ridges on the piston, as hereinbefore described, differing only in form
and arrangement. The valves V and V2 are box valves with one side open, through
which open side the steam enters and escapes, and the live steam pressure enters
the box through a small aperture or passage over the valves and presses upon their
backs in the same manner as already explained. The space behind the valves
should be filled with oil in the the same manner and for the purposes above described.
The arrows, Fig. 15, indicate the course of the steam into and out of the cylinder;
Figure 18 shews an inside view of the box or outside plate of the cylinder head H¹
to which the stuffing box is cast, and also shows the inside view of the valves
situated in their places in the box V, with its square passage, P' being the
induction valve, and V¹ being the exhaust valve, with its passage marked P³, which
latter is made to correspond with the diagonally inclined exhaust ports P², the
action of the valves in opening and closing the ports, as illustrated in Fig. 15, the
arrows indicating the passage of the steain with two valves closed and two open.
The bridges P' and P of the valves close and open the ports by moving on and off
the opening. Figure 17 is a view of the plate H, in which the ports are represented,
also the passages P and P³ that conduct the steam to and from the valves, and
showing in dotted lines the lines x, x, of the sections of Fig. 15 in connection with
the dotted lines in Fig. 18, which show where the sections of the valves are cut.
Figure 16 represents in side elevation this modified engine ready to be set up.
The stems N of the valves protrude through their boxes and the valves are operated
by means similar to those described in reference to Figs. 8 to 14.
This plan possesses the advantages of the independent valves as explained in
connection with Figs. 1 to 7, and of being constantly immersed in oil and balanced
with the steam upon the side next to the piston, and having large bearing surfaces
serving the same purposes as explained in Figs. 8 to 14, and having the same
advantages of simplicity of construction as the latter and possessing whatever
advantages there may be in the use of the reciprocating motion slide valve and
being adapted to any kind of valve motion from the common eccentric wheel to the
trip drop. Therefore this plan, like the foregoing, has many advantages to
recommend it for large engines; it wastes no steam whatever between the valves
and the piston space, and the large copiously and constantly lubricated surfaces of
the valves with the large ports of the latter (which need not be cramped to avoid
wastage as in ordinary engines) will certainly insure durability as well as ease of
operation, which latter implies economy of the power required to operate the valves.
Hence, I believe I have accomplished the second object set forth in the foregoing,
as well as the first, by adapting my improvement to all of the requirements of the
public from the smallest to the largest sizes of engines, and suited to the fastest as
well as the slowest velocities of piston speed. I am aware of the great variety of
engines designed for economy in the use of steam, and of the great variety of valves
situated at a great variety of points about the variously formed cylinders, in some
of which the steam is admitted and discharged through the cylinder head. I
therefore disclaim all other constructions of engines or engine valves which are not
illustrated and described in this Specification, and I confine my Invention to the
novel construction and arrangement of the several improvements combined together
and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purposes substantially as illustrated
in the Drawings and described in this Specification, and which are clearly and
distinctly described as new and differing from all other known constructions, and
which are especially claimed as new as follows:-
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. In a steam engine the peculiar construction of the cylinder heads H and H¹
with suitable boxes or cases C, in which sliding valves V and V1 are enclosed and
operated, the valves V and V', and the ports P' and P' being situated as nearly as
possible to the piston space, and in such a manner as to leave only the thickness of
metal necessary for strength between the valve space and piston space, and to

page_text: secure the largest port possible, arranged to operate in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as illustrated and described.
2d. The oscillating sliding induction valve V, and the oscillating sliding exhaust
valve V', constructed and adapted to fit into the cylindrical cases C of the cylinder
heads H and H', as shown by Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, with the bridges or dividing
partitions V and Vs made to correspond with the ports P¹ and P³, and having
partitions V2, V3, so constructed and packed that the back of the valves upon which
the pressure acts to hold the valve steam tight upon its seat forms an oil retaining
aperture, which when filled with oil confines the latter upon which the pressure
rests, thus making the valve self oiling, arranged to operate in the engines illustrated
in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
illustrated and described.
3d. The oscillating sliding box, disc, or hollow wheel valve V, as illustrated by
Figures 8 to 14 inclusive, made to fit and operate in the hollow disc or box wheel
like cylinder heads H, and having elongated radial ports which widen outward
toward the periphery, and which are made to correspond with and to open and
close the ports P¹ and P¹ of the disc H, which latter in this case is the inside of the
box cylinder heads H and H¹, and being so constructed as to receive and discharge
the steam in its passage to the cylinder through the passage space within the valve
upon the induction side of the partition, and to discharge the steam in like manner
through the exhaust side of the partition without the steam passing over the top of
the valve and forming an oil retaining over and around the valve, which when
filled with oil will make a self oiling valve, the pressure of steam resting upon the
oil and provided with the valve stem N, and arranged to operate upon the pivot H³
in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 8 to 14 inclusive.
4th. The reciprocating slide box valves V and V, illustrated by Figures 15 to 18
inclusive, made to operate the induction and exhaust independently, and made to
admit of the passage of the steam through the box-like passage under the valve
and forming in conjunction with the box cylinder head an oil retaining space over
the valve, which when filled with oil make the valves self oiling, which valves may
be joined in one and operate together or may be operated separately, as described
and illustrated in said Figures 8 to 14 inclusive.
5th. The projecting ridges R2 on the piston R made to correspond with the ports
P1 and P2 for the purpose of entering and filling the space in the ports of the
cylinder head, and thus avoid any wastage of steam, made to operate substantially
as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Farr Goodwin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
WILLIAM FARR GOODWIN. (L.S.)