IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Laurence Clarkson Fulton, of Greenock, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
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"
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 25th March 1873, and dated the 12th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Laurence Clarkson
Fulton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th November 1872.
I, LAURENCE CLARKSON FULTON, of Greenock, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows,
that is to say :-
This said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction
and arrangement of the parts of a reversing mechanical motion for
the eccentrics and slide valves of steam engines, as a substitute for the
reversing link motion; and the said Invention consists in forming a
screw or curvilineal groove in the boss of the eccentric or eccentrics
(as the case may be, for single or double cylinder engines), and a straight

page_text: or reverse screw or curvilineal groove in the shaft opposite the former
with an outer longitudinally shifting revolving boss with an annular
groove in its outer periphery, and a pin fixed in it projecting down into
the said two grooves, so that when the said outer revolving boss is shifted
longitudinally to the right or left on the boss of the eccentrics and shaft
by a clutch lever working in the annular groove, it reverses the
eccentrics for the forward and backward working of the valves and
engines respectively, the rods from each eccentric being connected to
the valves directly or through spindles and levers or wiper shafts, all
otherwise as heretofore, but without the necessity for or use of the usual
reversing link motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Laurence Clarkson Fulton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAURENCE
CLARKSON FULTON, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Laurence Clarkson Fulton, Her special
licence that I, the said Laurence Clarkson Fulton, my executors,
administrators and assigns, or such others as I, the said Laurence
Clarkson Fulton, 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 IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Laurence Clarkson Fulton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, 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

page_text: Figure 9 is a side elevation of the eccentrics d, d, and their long
eye D with helical shifting groove D', and Figure 10 is a side elevation
of the shifting ring B carrying the pin C and bush D" for working in
the shifting grooves D¹, D³, while Figure 11 is a side elevation of the
part of the crank shaft 5, showing the straight groove D2 in it, below
the helical groove D¹ of the eccentrics d, d, and not visible in the other
views.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the eccentrics and crank shaft,
corresponding to Figure 8, but showing a slightly different modification
of the reversing grooves D', D2, in them, both grooves being made
helical in reverse directions, thus dividing or halving the helical wedge
action of the pin and bush in the direction of their motion, which makes
them and the eccentrics more easily reversed or turned for the extra
labour and trouble of cutting a helical instead of a straight groove D³ in
the shaft 5.
Figure 2 is a sectional end diagram of the left-hand engine eccentric d
and its rod c linked to the actuating valve disc b' taken on the line
4- 4 in Figure 1, but corresponding to Figure 2, all set and retained
in the position for driving the engine in the direction indicated by the
black arrows in Figures 2 and 2ª, with the crank and piston, as on the
low centre and side, while the red lines indicate the eccentric as turned
and set rather less than half a revolution round for reversing the engine
in the direction indicated by the red arrows in Figure 24, with the crank
in the same low position; both these motions and positions of the
cccentrics being effected by shifting the reversing pin C and bush D"
in the helical groove D' of the long boss D of the eccentrics to the left
or to the right respectively, off the central or stopping position of the
cccentrics and the reversing hand lever A, which is fulcrummed so that
it requires to be moved in the reverse direction to the pin and bush
C, D, or ring B carrying these.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the general construction of the framing,
gearing, and engines is as usual with the cylinders 1, 1, attached by
strong bottom flanges to the sole formed on each side of the bed plate O,
made hollow with steam and exhaust chambers and ducts 1', 1", leading
to the steam and exhaust ports 1, 1, of the cylinders and valve
casing 2, fitted with the round or disc valve a with a central D shaped
exhaust port or chamber a¹ in it, the construction of which is seen in
Figure 6. The cylinders 1 are laid at an angle to be in the acting line

page_text: or plane of the crank shaft 5 connected to the piston rods 3 by the
connecting rod 4, jointed to the overhanging disc pins 5¹ at right angles
to each other, and to the guiding cross head 3¹ of the piston rod 3, made
round and guided in bored cylindrical guides 3" formed on the cylinder
covers. The crank shaft 5 works the large wheel 6 of the barrel shaft
on the first quick motion by the pinion at 6 direct, and on the second
slow motion through the intermediate shaft 7 and connecting pinion
and wheel 7, 7", and driving pinion 6" similar to 6', both of these
pinions being loose and set into gear by their clutch 6 and lever 6.
The said barrel shaft 9 and its two actuating ones 5, 7, are all carried in
suitable bush bearings in the two side frames O' secured by screw bolts
and flanged soles to the upper side parts of the bed plate O, further
steadied and secured to each other at the top by the stay bar 8, which
carries the fulcrum studs of the lever 6 of the clutch gearing, and
also the hand lever A of my said new or improved construction and
arrangement of mechanism for reversing and actuating the eccentrics
as d, d, of motive power engines, the nature and novelty of which
consists substantially as follows:-The engine valves a, a, which in this
case are circular, have each a central hole and cross slot a¹¹ formed on
their back for the point and cross feather 6" formed on the inner end
of the actuating spindles 6 to enter. These actuating spindles b, b, of
the valves a work out through steam-tight stuffing boxes 2' in the covers
of the valve chests 2, 2, and have actuating levers or discs b' keyed on
the extreme outer ends with lateral pins 62 in them, to which the free
ends of the eccentric rods c are jointed, close to the right-hand cylinder
and side of the winch, so that the valve spindle of the left-hand
cylinder is thus made long, and has its disc end supported by a bearing
bracket screwed to the bed plate O. The two eccentrics d, d, are
formed or fixed closely together on one end of their long hollow eye or
boss D mounted on the end of the crank shaft 5, between the collars
of its bearing bush O" and pinion 7¹ or other equivalent, so as to turn
loosely without moving laterally or on end. The long boss D is formed
with the long turning helical slot D' through it having an angular
spiral throw or action equal to that required to be given to the eccentrics
to reverse the engine, as that shown and described in reference to
Figure 2, and indicated by the angled lines and dotted arc d', d', in that
Figure and in Figure 7. The groove D' turns exactly over a small
straight groove D formed in the crank shaft 5, both grooves are shown
particularly in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 11, the former D¹ with a sliding

page_text: bush D fitted and working in it below the sliding collar ring B, which
has a pin C screwed or otherwise fixed in it and passed down through
the bush D, with the point working and sliding also down into the
groove D below, formed in the crank shaft 5, all so that as the sliding
ring B is moved to one side or the other by the pins and antifriction
rollers on the bow arm A¹ of the lever A the pin C moves the bush D"
to one end or the other of the helical groove D' of the eccentrics d, d,
and so turns them to either of the positions & indicated and described
in reference to Figures 2 and 7, for oscillating the valves a, a, so as to
work the engines in the forward or backward direction as described.
The central position of the hand lever A and pin and bush C, D", within
the groove D', as indicated in Figures 1 and 8, shows the position the
eccentrics are set by this mechanism for stopping the engines, causing
the valve to be shut at the end of the stroke, and to give the steam in
the reverse direction to that in which the piston is moving, as indicated
in Figure 3. The valves a have a segmental slot a² cut through the
back part of their face to allow the free entrance of the steam to the
casings 2, and which passes through the narrow segmental steam ports a³,
Figure 6, before entering the corresponding ports a to both ends of the
cylinder, seen dotted below the valve in Figure 5. The stud fulcrum A"
of the lever A is secured by the stay A² below, screwed to one of the
side frames O', and it has a fixing or holding segment attached to it
at A (or it might be to any convenient part of the framing) with
notches on its upper face rounded at the edges for the convenient
holding of the lever A in any of these three positions for stopping the
engine, or for working it in the forward or backward direction, as
indicated in red lines at Figure 2. The parts indicated by numerals are
not new nor desired to be claimed by themselves except in combination
with the new parts which are indicated by letters.
Referring to Figure 12, this arrangement for reversing the eccentrics
is substantially the same as that described in reference to Figures 1
to 11, and shown in detail in Figures 7 to 11, except that instead of all
the turning action being done by the groove D', that groove has only
half the helical or angular action given to it, and the groove D³ instead
of being straight, as seen in Figure 11, has that groove cut in the crank
shaft 5, with an angle, or in the reverse scroll direction equal to the
other groove D¹, or half the reversing "throw" or turn required to be
given to the eccentrics.

page_text: Although this improved construction and arrangement of reversing
gear and eccentrics indicated by capital and italic letters A to D and a
to d has only been shown and described as applied to double cylinder
winch engines with circular valves, it is to be understood that this may
also be similarly applied to these and other forms and constructions of
single or double cylinder engines for land and marine motive power
purposes, with all kinds of ordinary reciprocating slide or lifting valves,
substantially by the new or improved construction and arrangement
of the parts connected with the eccentrics, indicated by the capital
letters A to D.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is, the construction and arrangement of the parts of an eccentric
reversing mechanism for working the circular and reciprocating valves
of steam winches and other motive-power purposes, substantially in the
new or improved manner herein described and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Laurence Clarkson Fulton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
LAURENCE C. FULTON. (L.S.)