Oscillating Cylinder Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted; 18th Jan., 1887.
Oscillating Cylinder Engines.
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, Engineer, California Works, Stoke on Trent. Staffre., do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED VARIABLE EXPANSIVE
AND REVERSING MOTION FOR OSCILLATING CYLINDER ENGINES, to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved variable expansive and reversing motion for
oscillating cylinder engines, which I obtain without the use of eccentrics. For the
purpose of my invention I use the following apparatus. Through a suitable arm or
bracket attached to the cylinder of an oscillating engine, I pass a pin which serves as
a fulcrum for a rocking lever; upon said rocking lever and at a suitable distance from
the fulcrum, I fix a pin which acts as a fulcrum to another lever, one end of which is
attached to the slide valve rod, the other end I attach to a block which slides in a
curved slotted link as the cylinder oscillates. Said link is supported upon a fulcrum
fixed to engine frame, its centre being in a direct line between the centre of
oscillation and centre of crank shaft, the centre line of curved link is at all points
equidistant from centre of oscillation when in mid position. I make said curved link
to vibrate upon its centre when moved from mid position, and as the cylinder oscillates,
motion is given to the sliding block, and from thence to the slide valve by means of
the before named levers. By moving the curved link upon its fulcrum in either
direction from its mid position the engine is reversed. To enable me to employ lap
and lead to use the steam expansively, I fit a bracket or arm upon the valve box or
cylinder and which projects past the bracket carrying the rocking lever, to the end of
this bracket or arm I fix a pin which acts as a fulcrum to a lever, which for clearness
in description I call A. One end of said lever I connect to before named rocking
lever by means of a rod or link, and the other end I connect to the piston rod by a
short link or other suitable.means. When the piston rod reciprocates, a corresponding
vibratory motion is communicated to the said lever A, and thence by ineans of the rod
or link to the before named rocking lever, which in its turn transmits it to the valve.
By properly proportioning the levers I obtain the additional movement required to
enable lap and lead to be added to the valve. In order to vary the expansion I make
a slot hole in that end of lever A which is connected to the link, and by moving the
said rod or link in slot hole I alter, the motion transmitted to the valve and thereby
vary the expansion.
RILLINGTON & NEWTON

page_text: An Improved Variable Expansive and Reversing Motion for
Oscillating Cylinder Engines.
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, Engineer, California Works, Stoke on Trent, Staffre., do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED VARIABLE EXPANSIVE AND
REVERSING MOTION FOR OSCILLATING CYLINDER ENGINES, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention consists of an improved variable expansive and reversing motion for
oscillating cylinder engines, which I obtain without the use of eccentrics as usually
applied. For the purpose of my invention I use the following apparatus :-Through
a suitable arm or bracket attached to the cylinder of an oscillating engine, I pass a
pin which serves as a fulcrum for a rocking lever; upon said rocking lever and at
a suitable distance from the fulcrum, I fix a pin which acts as a fulcrum to another
lever, one end of which is attached to the slide valve rod, the other end I attach to a
block which slides in a curved slotted link, as the cylinder oscillates.
:
Said link is supported upon a fulcrum fixed to engine frame, its centre being in a
direct line between the centre of oscillation and the centre of crank shaft the centre
line of curved link is at all points equidistant from centre of oscillation when in
mid-position. I make said curved link to vibrate upon its centre when moved from
mid-position, and as the cylinder oscillates motion is given to the sliding block, and
from thence to the slide valve, by means of the before named levers. By moving the
curved link upon its fulcrum in either direction from its mid-position, the engine is
reversed.
To enable me to employ lap and lead, in order to use the steam expansively, I fit a
suitable bracket or arm upon the valve box or cylinder, and to the end of this bracket
or arm I fix a pin which acts as a fulcrum to a lever. One end of said lever I connect
to before named rocking lever, by means of a rod or link, and the other end I connect
to the piston rod by a short link or by other suitable means. When the piston rod
reciprocates, a corresponding vibratory motion is communicated to the said lever, and
by means of the rod or link, to the before named rocking lever, which in its turn
transmits the motion to the valve. By properly proportioning the levers I obtain the
additional movement required, to enable lap and lead to be added to the valve.
Accompanying drawings illustrate my invention and methods of applying same.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view.
Figs. 2 and 3. are also sectional views showing different methods of arranging the
levers.
The same letters refer to the corresponding parts in each figure.
Referring to figs. 1 and 5 A represents the cylinder of an ordinary oscillating
engine, B the trunnion or centre of oscillation. Upon cylinder cover D I attach
bracket E, acting as a fulcrum for lever F, and lever F 1 fix a pin G forming
fulcrum to lever H.
a
5

page_text: One end of said lever H I attach to valve rod I which gives motion to the slide
valve J. To the other end of said lever H I attach A shoe K, which is slotted out to
fit upon a curved rocking bar or link L; or, if preferred, a block and slotted link of
the ordinary construction. The said shoe K is flanged up to fit the curved rocking
bar or link L, and slides upon it as the cylinder oscillates.
The said curved bar or link works upon a pin M, fixed in a suitable position upon
stationary portion of frame, and is in this instance in a direct line between the centres
of oscillation B and crank shaft N. When curved rocking bar or link L is in
midposition, its centre line is at all points equidistant from centre of oscillation B, and
when the cylinder oscillates with link in this position, no motion is communicated to
shoe K and slide valve J.
Upon moving curved rocking bar or link L upon its centre either way according
to the direction the engine is desired to rotate: motion is transmitted to the slide
valve through lever H as the cylinder oscillates, thereby causing the engine to rotate
in one direction: and when the curved bar or link L is moved in the opposite
direction, the engine will be reversed, by admitting steam to the opposite end of the
cylinder.
From the foregoing it is obvious that this motion could be obtained with the curved
link only, and the fulcrum G fixed to the cylinder: as is frequently the case in cheap
types of oscillating engines; but, it will also be seen that no motion could be communi-
cated to the shoe K, and from thence to the valve J, as the crank is passing the dead
centres, thus, neither lap or lead can be used, so that with engines constructed as
described steam cannot be used expansively.
In order to use lap and lead and give the necessary additional travel to the valve at
each end of the pistons stroke, I attach to outer end of lever F a connecting rod O, the
other end of which I attach by a pin Q to vibrating. lever P, which vibrates upon
fulcrum R.
I carry fulcrum R upon a suitable bracket extending from any convenient part of
cylinder or valve chest, and which oscillates therewith. The other end of said lever P
I connect to piston crosshead T by means of a short link U, or to piston rod in other
convenient manner.
Lever P vibrates to and fro with reciprocating motion of piston crosshead, giving
motion through connecting rod 0, to lever F and fulcrum G and thence to lever H.
Accordingly it will be seen that the centre of shoe K, which at this point may be
near its dead centre and almost stationary, becomes the fulcrum for this motion, and
thus the end H2 of lever H is given an increased throw, which it communicates to the
slide valve J. I proportion these levers so as to give to the slide valve, an amount of
travel at each stroke of the engine, equal to the sum of the lap and lead, and this be
it observed, is a constant quantity, independent of the position of the curved bar or
link L.
To obtain a variable expansive motion I employ a lever and quadrant of ordinary
construction, attached by a suitable rod to end of curved bar or link L, so that I can
move said curved bar therewith, and fix in in any desired position. 1 then move said
curved bar out of its central position in either direction to a greater or less degree,
which correspondingly increases or decreases the travel of the valve, consequently
cutting the steam off earlier or later; varying the expansion accordingly.
In the end of lever P I form a slot, wherein the pin Q is fitted, and by moving this
pin further from fulcrum R, I increase the throw of lever F, thus compensating for
any wear or slackness in the joints of the levers.
Fig. 2 shews an arrangement with lever P carried upon opposite side of cylinder to
that shewn at fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew arrangement of levers where I obtain the desired movement of
lever F from a return crank V instead of piston rod, as in figs. 1 and 2.
I would also have it understood, that I do not confine myself to the exact details
hereinbefore described, as the same admit of modification without departing from the
essential features of my invention.

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 :-
The mode of obtaining a variable expansive and reversing motion for oscillating
cylinder engines, by actuating the fulcrum of the lever that gives motion to the valve,
by a reduced motion corresponding to the reciprocating motion of piston rod;
substantially as herein described and illustrated by accompanying drawings.