Improvements in and relating to Air or Gas Exhausting or Compressing Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Air or Gas Exhausting or
Compressing Engines.
I, JAMES LYLE, of 6 Orchard Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction and
arrangement and combination of air or gas exhausting or compressing and steam
actuated engines, and valves, and fittings connected therewith and which will be more
simple and compact, and operate in a more efficient manner than heretofore.
According to this invention I set the piston-rod of the steam cylinder to act on
the same crank as that of the piston-rod of the air compressing cylinder, the one
cylinder preferably the steam cylinder vertical over the crank-shaft, and the other
cylinder horizontally in line with the crank shaft. And I preferably erect both
cylinders to oscillate on trunnions in strong bearings with screw covers formed in
two vertical side frames bolted on one bottom or sole plate, or other strong foundation.
In this way the bushed ends of the piston rods would work on one crank or crank
pin, and two short crank shafts might work in long bearings formed in the lower
part of the side frames, with the crank pin fixed in large discs in the centre between
the frames, and with heavy fly wheels mounted on the overhung ends outside. The
inlet and exhaust steam valve casings would preferably be cast on opposite sides. of
the cylinders, with the valves made in a conical form or it might be a disc faced valve,
in either case with radial ports formed on the working seat of the valve chest, and
the valve inserted through a bored chamber with cover and stuffing box on the end
of each trunnion. The said ports in the valve casing lead towards each end of the
cylinder for the admission of steam on the one side, and the emission or
exhaust of it on the other side admitted through the hollow spindle of the valve to
the ports through the valve and working face of the steam valve chest. In the case
of the exhaust valve this would be held from turning by a lever fixed to a stud or
bracket outside on the fixed framing or cover of the bearing with the ports so
constructed that the oscillation of the cylinder and valve casing by its crank would
allow of the escape of the steam out through the valve and its hollow spindle to the
exhaust pipe, either to escape to the atmosphere when working high pressure, or to a
larger cylinder or to a condenser when made in the form of a condensing engine.
In the case of the steam valve, its hollow spindle would be allowed a certain freedom
of oscillation so as not only to admit steam by the oscillation of the cylinder but to
give a quick cut off at any desired point of the stroke. For this purpose I attach
the lever to the valve spindle with strong blade springs or other equivalent, to always
bring it back to its normal close position. And I mount a short wiper spindle or
shaft on the trunnion cover over the centre of the valve spindle, having a long
vertical arm on this spindle worked by a slot and stud pin in a bracket on the upper
end of the cylinder, so that as the cylinder oscillated by the action of the crank shaft
it would oscillate this wiper spindle. And on the front or outer end of this oscillating
spindle, I would mount a short valve opening wiper or tappet preferably with
bevelled or curved pointed ends to act on the correspondingly shaped end on the
spring lever of the valve spindle, so that as the tappet spindle was oscillated it would
open the valve quickly against the power of the blade springs when the crank was at
its lowest and highest positions, to admit the steam below or above the piston
respectively. And as soon as the acting ends of the lever and tappet passed each
other arranged to give steam for the desired length of stroke the strong blade springs
would bring the valve lever back to its normal position and shut off the steam to the
cylinder, thus giving any desired admission of steam and cut-off by the setting of

page_text: 35
the wiper and lever secured on the hollow valve spindle. The outer end of the inlet
steam valve spindle would project further than the exhaust spindle and have
longitudinal ports cut through it, and a plug closing in the extreme hollow end; and
this ported end of the hollow valve spindle would be mounted to work in a thick
steam admission box, with stuffing rings or other equivalent to keep the working
surfaces steam-tight; while the steam would be admitted through a lower or lateral
branch, and a lubricating cup with tap or other regulator would be mounted on the
top to prevent friction; and equivalent or conical rings would preferably be fitted on
the inside of the covers of the inlet and outlet steain valve chests, also fitted with
lubricating cups or arrangements, so as to lubricate the working faces of the valves
and spindles; and "derinatine ог "woodite " rings would preferably be nsed in
these stuffing boxes or asbestos or other packing. The air compressing cylinder
would preferably be cast or formed with an annular casing round the inner bored
cylinder, and have the journal trunnions cast solid near the centre of the outer
cylinder or case; and fitted with bored stuffing boxes and end covers, with hollow
brass spindles passing out through these stuffing box covers, which would not
oscillate, but be attached to their respective pipes as will hereinafter be described,
both stuffing boxes being filled with dermatine or woodite packing rings or other
equivalent and lubricated from special pipes fitted on the inner or outer collars of the
stuffing boxes. A close port would run along the one side of the cylinder within the
water casing, opening into the discharge air valve chambers at the opposite ends of
the cylinder, so as to conduct the compressed air out through the trunnion and
hollow stuffing box branch at this port side, and led from this pipe to the accumulator
or service pipes for use. The other side of the annular space round the air cylinder
would have a longitudinal web running from end to end in line with the axis of the
trunnion; and removable end covers with turned and faced joints would be fitted
and jointed on each open end of the cylinder. The trunnion on this side opposite io
the discharge air side, would have a small tubular orifice leading in through the
stuffing box spindle and trunnion, to admit a circulating current of cold water to the
annular space round the inner bored cylinder, which would circulate round this and
out through a similar orifice at the top round this division, both tubes being fitted
with screw jointed or other conducting pipes on the end cover of the stationary
stuffing box spindle.
A special improvement of the air compressing cylinders consists in forming an
inlet annular hollow space in each end cover of the cylinder, with a hollow end boss
projecting a little way into the cylinder, turned with a parallel surface somewhat less
than the internal bore of the cylinder, with a great number of small radial ports
passing in through this turned part. This turned part over the ports inside, is fitted
with a very thin hard spring metal ring, such as phosphor bronze, with a slightly
stronger ring outside, fitted in one, two, or more segmental parts, drawn together by
springs at their junctions over the turned surface of the said ports, so that on the
piston receding from either end of the cylinder, these thin rings would open freely to
admit the air from the outer ends of the cylinder and follow up the piston so as to
fill the cylinders and instantly close on the return stroke of the piston. Then for the
discharge valves, similar radial ports and cut spring rings would be fitted on a turned
surface at the extreme end of the cylinder, within a narrow discharge annular space
all round, so that on the compression of the air within the cylinders, it would freely
and quickly escape through the ports and valves into these annular spaces to the
longitudinal port of the cylinder and discharge trunnion before described, leaving
little or no space for undischarged compressed air to accumulate at the end of the
cylinder. In the upper ends of the cylinders in some cases small screw valvos would
be fitted to allow a small regulated jet of water to pass down a radial orifice bored in
the end flange of the cylinder, and pass-in in a spray jet over the inlet valves into the
cylinder, to moiston the air as it was drawn in, and so supply compressed air with
any desired degree of moisture. And a small drain tap would be fitted through each
and cover to draw off any water which might accumulate below the discharge valve
rings in the lower part of the annular discharge air space.

page_text: In this general arrangement of the cylinders of the steam and the compressed air
or gas, working at right angles to each other, having their piston-rods working on
one crank or crank pin, the steam-piston has its greatest effect and speed at the time
when the piston of the air cylinder is performing its maximum compressing work,
with a quick admission of the steam and cut off after the pistons pass their dead
points at each end of the stroke, the steain and pistons thus acting under the most
advantageons conditions for economising the consumption of steam to produce the
highest percentage of compressed air or gas.
In some cases when a normal or given pressure of air only, was desired to be
maintained within an accumulator, by the action of these compressing engines, a
loaded pressure valve might be fitted on the accumulator so that the excess of
pressure would be allowed to escape through a pipe leading to a small cylinder and
weighted piston, which by a rod and lever arrangements when raised by the extra
pressure, would shift the steam tappet before referred to, and give a greater cut off
and less admission of steam to the valve and cylinder, so that the engine would just
maintain the pressure of air desired without waste. In some cases, as for exhausting
air engines, the air or gas might be admitted to the cylinder through the trunnion
opposite to that in which it was discharged, and have a similar longitudinal port
leading therefrom out into ports in the end covers enclosed, and leading into the
annular space and inlet ports before referred to, fitted with the thin segmental spring
metal valves inside the cylinder. And the trunnion might be connected by a stuffing
box and fixed pipes, to the chamber or vessel to be exhausted. In this case the
cooling water might be made to enter the annular space between the outer and inner
bodies of the cylinders below the trunnion and longitudinal port made to fill up the
whole space between the inner and outer cylinders so that the water would circulate
round the whole annular casing and escape through an orifice above these ports
through the trunnion. And this current of cooling water may be circulated through
the annular space of the cylinder by gravitation, or by a small force pump for the
purpose. And instead of these segmental valves being formed of metal plates, they
might be made of thin segmental bands of "Dermatine,"
," "Woodite," or other
equivalent material.
ديلي
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Air or Gas Exhausting or
Compressing Engines.
I, JAMES LYLE, of 6 Orchard Street, Paisley Renfrewshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction,
and arrangement and combination of air or gas exhausting or compressing and steam
actuating engines, and valves and fittings connected therewith, and which
will be more simple and compact, and operate in a more efficient manner than
heretofore.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood,I have hereunto appended
two explanatory Sheets of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 on Sheet 1
shows an elevation of one modification and general construction, or arrangement and
combination of the parts of my improved steam and air compressing engine, for both
exhausting and compressing air or other fluids, the horizontal air-compressing
cylinder (being shown in vertical section. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal horizontal

page_text: section of the air-compressing cylinder taken through the centre of the cylinder
and trunnions C³, C"; and Figure 3 shows a horizontal transverse section of the
said air-compressing cylinder C through the trunnions (2, C", corresponding to
Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 on Sheet 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through
the steam cylinder B and its trunnions B2, B", on centre of crank shaft D. Figure 5
shows a horizontal section of the air-cylinder taken through the trunnions C³, C",
as constructed for air-compression only. And Figure 6 is a transverse section
through the centre of the air-cylinder Ċ corresponding to Figure 5. Figure 7 is a
vertical. Section corresponding to Figures 5 and 6 of the upper half of the inner end
of the air-cylinder C, showing the arrangement of the suction and discharge air
valves, and for letting in the jets of water to the air-cylinder C.
Referring to these Drawings:-According to this invention I set the piston-rod B¹
of the steam-cylinder B to act on the same crank D' of the crank shaft D as that of
the piston-rod C of the air-compressing cylinder C, the one cylinder preferably the
steam cylinder B vertical over the crank-shaft D, and the other cylinder C
horizontally in line with the crank shaft D. And I preferably erect both
cylinders B, C, to oscillate on trunnions B³, B, and C, C", in strong
bearings A, A", with screwed on covers formed in the two vertical side frames A A
bolted on one botton or sole plate A', serowed to a suitable foundation all as a self
contained engine. In this way the bushed ends of the two piston-rods B¹, (", work
on one crank or crank pin D', at right angles to each other, or instead of one crank
shaft D two short crank shafts might work in long bearings A11 formed in the lower
part of the side frames, with the crank pin fixed in large discs in the centre between
the frames, and in either case have fly wheels D' mounted on the overhung ends
outside. The inlet and exhaust steam valve casings Bs B111 are preferably cast on
opposite sides of the cylinder B with the inlet and exhaust valves b, b, made in a
conical form on the inner ends of the inlet and exhaust branches 62, 61, turned and
fitted in stuffing boxes at the outer ends of the trunnions B³, B", or a disc faced
valve, in either case with radial ports formed on the working conical or flat faced
seat of the valves and valve chests. The said ports from the valve casings Bs B¹¹¹
lead towards each end of the cylinder B at 6a, i, for the admission of steam on the
one side, and the emission or exhaust of it on the other side admitted and passing out
through their hollow spindles 62, 61, of the valve to the ports through the valve and
working face of the steam valve chest as seen particularly and indicated by the
arrows in Figure 4. In the case of the exhaust valve this might be held from
turning by a lever b* fixed to a stul or bracket 611 outside on the fixed framing or
cover of this trunnion hearing A" with the ports so constructed that the oscillation
of the cylinder B and valve casing by its crank D' would allow of the escape of the
steam out through the valve b¹ and its hollow spindle 611 to the exhaust pipe, either to
escape to the atmosphere when working high pressure, or to a larger cylinder, or to a
condenser when made in the form of a condensing engine. In the case of the steam
valve bits hollow spindle is allowed a certain freedom of oscillation so as not only
to admit steam by the oscillation of the cylinder B but to give a quick cut off at any
desired point of the stroke. For this purpose as seen in Figures 1 and 4, I
attach a short lever c by an eye and pinching screw to the valve spindle 63 with strong
blado springs c or other equivalent fixed to the trunnion at c¹³, to always bring it
back to its normal close position. And I mount a short wiper spindle or shaft c³ on
the trunnion cover over the centre of the valve spindlo having a long vertical arm c²
on this spindle worked by a slot and stud pin in a bracket c', on the upper end of
the cylinder B so that as the cylinder oscillates by the action of the crank shaft D it
would oscillate this wiper spindle and lever, c³, c. And on the front or outer end of
this oscillating spindle c, I mount a short valve opening wiper or tappet c¹,
preferably with a bevelled or curved pointed end to act on the correspondingly
shaped end on the spring lever c of the valve spindle 6³, so that as the
tappet spindle was oscillated it would open the valve quickly against the power
of the blade springs c² when the crank was at its lowest and highest
positions, to admit the steam below or above the piston respectively. And as

page_text: "2
soon as the acting ends of the lever c and tappet ell, passed each other arranged to
give steam for the desired length of stroke, these strong blade springs would bring
the valve levere back to its normal central closed position and shut off the steam to
the cylinder B thus giving any desired admission of steam and cut-off by the setting
of the wiper and lever secured on the hollow valve spindle; and any lesire " Lap
and leal" is obtained by breadthening the acting point of the lever con either
side of the centre to the extent of the lap or the lap and lead. The outer end of the
inlet steam valve spindle 6 projects further than the exhaust spindle and has
longitudinal ports a cut through it leading from the entering steam chest a', and the
branch is closed by a screw plug a²; and this ported end of the hollow valve spindle
is mounted to work in the thick steam admission box a¹ with stuffing rings a or
other equivalent to keep the working surfaces stoam-tight; while the steam is
admitted through a lower or lateral brauch steam pipe a³ supported by a bracket a
from one of the main fra.nes A, and a lubricating cup with tap or other regulator is
mounted on the top of the steam box a' to prevent friction, but this construction of steam
entering box a¹ may be varied or modified. "Dermatine ог ' woodite" conical
rings B are preferably fitted on the inside of the covers of the stuffing boxes of the
inlet and outlet steam valve chests within the trunnions B B and these can be also
fitted with lubricating cups or arrangements, so as to lubricate the working faces of
the valves and spindles. In some cases the exhaust valve b, might be actuated by
a pin and tappet motion analagous to the inlet steam valve, but in this arrangement
no springs would be required to actuate the valve backwards as it would be better to
keep it in constant oscillation by its tappet lever c acting in a fixed slotted
bracket 61111 Instead of using the wiper arrangement c to described to actuate
the valves, they may be actuated by eccentrics or cams mounted on the crank shaft
outside the frame A and inside the fly wheels. The air compressing cylinder C is
preferably cast or formed with an annular outer case C and space C, Figures 1 to 4
round the inner bored cylinder C, and have the journal trunnions C, (, cast solid
near the centre of the outer cylinder or case (; and fitted with bored stuffing boxes,
rings, and end covers C, with hollow air inlet and outlet brass spindles or
branches ee passing out through these stuffing box covers, ( which would not
oscillate, but be attached to their respective air pipes as will hereinafter be described,
both stuffing boxes being filled with dermatine or woodite packing rings or other
equivalent and lubricated from special pipes fitted on the inner or outer collars of the
stuffing boxes; the stuffing box pipes e being connected to the chamber or vessel to
be exhausted. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, when the air cylinder C is to be used as
a drawing or suction and forcing or compressing cylinder, it has close longitudinal
inlet and exhaust ports e ell within the water casing, from the inlet trunnion pipes e,
the first opening to the inlet valves and valve chambers G, G¹, at the opposite ends of
the cylinder C, and the second from the outlet valves and valve chambers e¹¹¹ at the
ends of the cylinder C, leading to the outlet discharge ports and branch ell el so us to
conduct the air entering by the trunnion C and branch pipe e, all as indicated by the
arrows in these figures. As seen in Figure 3, the water enters the annular
space by a branch F formed in the outer shell C, of the cylinder C under the one
ti unnion C, and passes out through a corresponding branch F formed under the
other trunnion C, a longitudinal web F running along the annular water space (""
to form the circulation of the water round the cylinder. But when the cylinders are
to be used for compression only as shown in Figures 5 and 6, only one discharge
longitudinal port elf is required and the water may be admitted and discharged
through the trunnion C, by flexible tubes and copper branches f₁", within a cap/**
fitted on the outer end of the trunnion by a single screw stud so that these
branches may be removed. In this case the divisional longitudinal web F in the
water space would run from end to end in line with the axis of the trunnion C
between these two inlet pipes and branches ff and the water circulate from the lower
to the upper branch f, as indicated by the arrows either by gravitation or by a force
pump. Both of these inlet and outlet water ducts F, F1, and f,f', would be fitted
with screw jointed elastic or other flexible or movable branches and taps at f³, to

page_text: admit and conduct the water to and from the outer casing C of the cylinder. In
either case removable end covers EE' with turned and faced joints would be fitted
and jointed on each open end of the cylinder C which when the cylinders were to he
used only as compressing cylinders would admit the air to the inlet valves e³ through
the ends G G of the covers. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, and especially in the
transverse sections Figures 3 A and 3 B, the former taken on the line 1---1 Figure 1,
and the latter a section of one of the spring rings a special improvement of the
air compressing cylinders consists in forming an inlet annular hollow space G G¹ in
each end cover E, E, of the cylinder C, as a hollow and boss projecting a little way
into the cylinder, turned with a parallel surface somewhat less than the internal bore
of the cylinder, with a great number of small radial inlet ports passing in through
this turned part, this hollow space G being left open for the entrance of atmospheric
air when only used as an air compressor as shown in Figures 5 and 7, but closed
in at E as shown in Figures 1 and 2 when used for drawing and forcing air or
gases. The turned parts and ports g inside are fitted with a very thin hard metal
ring g' such as of gun metal or phosphor bronze over them with the spring valve
ring outside, preferably fitted in two or more segmental parts as shown in
Figure 3B drawn together by springs g at their junctions over the turned surface
of the said ports g, and inner rings g, pins g keeping them in position, and these
outer elastic segmental rings g³ might be made of sheet metal or of Dermatine,
Woodite or other equivalent elastic material, so that on the piston receding from
either end of the cylinder C, these thin elastic rings would open freely to admit
the air from the chambers GG¹ in the ends E, E¹, of the cylinder and follow up the
piston so as to fill the cylinders and instantly close on the return stroke of the
piston. Then for the discharge valves, similar radial ports g and rings gland cut spring
rings g are fitted on a turned surface at the extreme end of the cylinder C, within a
narrow discharge annular space ell all round, so that on the compression of the air
within the cylinders, it would freely and quickly escape through the ports and
valves g and into these annular spaces e to the longitudinal port e" of the
cylinder and discharge tube e' in the trunnion C before described, leaving little or
no space for undischarged compressed air to accumulate at the end of the cylinder.
In the upper ends of the cylinders C, C³, in some cases small screw valves h would
be fitted to allow a small regulated jet of water to pass from the annular cooling
water space C³ down a radial orifice bored in the flange of the ends E, E', of the
cylinders, and pass-in in a spray jet over the inlet valves into the cylinder, to
moisten the air as it was drawn in and so supply compressed air with any desired
degree of moisture. _ And a small drain tap would be fitted through the lower flange
of each end cover E, E, as shown in Figure 1 to draw off any water which might
accumulate below the discharge valve rings in the lower part of the annular discharge
air space e¹¹l.
In this general arrangement of the cylinders B, C, of the steam and the com-
pressed air or gas, working at right angles to each other, having their piston-
rods B (working on one crank or crank pin D¹, the steam-piston rod B' has
its greatest offect and speed at the time when the piston rod O₁ of the air
cylinder C is performing its maximum compressing work, with a quick admission
of the steam and cut off after the pistons pass their dead points at each end of the
stroke, the steam and pistons thus acting under the most advantageous conditions
for economising the consumption of steam to produce the highest percentage of
compressed air or gas. Instead of placing the cylinders vertically and horizontally
in their main frames A to the crank shaft D, they may be placed on their frames
to act in an equivalent manner at right angles to each other, each at an angle of 45°
to the crank shaft which may be erected above or below the centre of oscillation of
the cylinders.
In some cases, when a normal or given pressure of air only was desired to be
maintained within an accumulator, by the action of these compressing engines, a
loaded pressure valve might be fitted on the accumulator so that the excess of
pressure would be allowed to escape through a pipe leading to a small cylinder and

page_text: weighted piston, which by a rod and lever arrangements when raised by the extra
pressure, would shift the steam tappet c before referred to, and give a greater cut off
and less admission of steam to the valve b and cylinder B, so that the engine
would just maintain the pressure of air desired without waste.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the functional parts of
air or gas exhausting or compressing and steam actuating engines, with their
oscillating steam and air or gas cylinders acting at right angles to each other on
the same crank pin and shaft, substantially as herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In air or gas exhausting or compressing engines the arranging and
actuating of the steam, and the gas or air exhausting or compressing cylinders at
right angles to each other, on the same crank pin and shaft, substantially as
and in the manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. In air or gas exhausting or compressing engines the fitting of the air
cylinders to oscillate on trunnions, with the air or water entering by the one
trunnion and the air forced out through the other, and with inlet and discharge
valves in the end covers, substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in
reference to and shown on in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In air or gas exhausting or compressing engines, the construction and
arrangement of inlet and discharge valves and ports in the end covers of the
cylinder for supplying a spray from the water cooling chamber to the compressed air
cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In air or gas exhausting or compressing engines the construction and
arrangement of air or gas inlet and discharge valves in the form of segmental spring
rings on the covers and ends of the cylinders substantially as and for the advantages
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated the 30th October 1889
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.