Improvements in Pistons for Steam or other Engines and Pumps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 7th June, 1890
[Communicated from abroad by PETER FRODSHAM, Senior, of Mazurins Mills, near,
Moscow, in the Empire of Russia, Engineer.]
Improvements in Pistons for Steam or other Engines and
Pumps.
PETER FRODSHAM, Junior, of West Brook Street, Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The Invention relates to arrangements for bearing up the weight of the piston
hlock in horizontal cylinders and improved arrangements and forms of metallic
springs and rings which give increased facility for lubricating the surfaces by. the use
of a third or middle ring.
The whole or a portion of the weight of the block is carried by a separate or special_
spring or springs, disposed round a portion of the circumference of the underside of
the piston body and resting wholly or partly on the piston rings. This arrangement
throws some extra weight upon the rings, but the advantage is that wear upon
them is of less consequence than wear upon the block, as the rings can be more easily
renewed and it is important that the block be maintained as central as possible in the
cylinder.
An improved main spring is formed by coiling wire or light bar steel into lengths,
to go round the inner circumference of the rings, so as to press them outwards, a
cross section of the spring at any part of its length having the form of a figure 8,
placed horizontally. The inner sides of the rings are inclined for the edges of the
main spring to rest upon, and the middle ring, which also serves to keep the side
rings well up to their faces-has slots or grooves for lubricating the surfaces, and the
outer sides of the rings may be inclined or straight surfaces.
Another form of main spring suitable for use with the middle lubricating and side
rings, is of flat steel, of waved form, with the ends joined to or connected with a coil
or spiral adjusting spring.
Dated this 5th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pistons for Steam or other Engines and
Pumps.
I PETER FRODSHAM, Junior, of Westbrook Street Bolton in the County of Lancaster,"
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
The Invention relates to arrangements for bearing up the weight of the piston
block in horizontal cylinders and improved arrangements and forms of metallic springs
& rings which give increased facility for lubricating the surfaces by the use of a third
or middle ring. In one arrangement shewn in figs. 1. 2. sheet 1. of the drawings
fig. 1. is a face view of a piston A, with the junk ring removed, only a portion of the
piston being shewn, while fig. 2. is a section of the piston A shewing the junk..
ring B, and the piston rings ( and a waved or corrugated steel spring D disposed
round a portion of the circumference of the underside of the piston body and
TD 07

page_text: resting on the piston rings U. The whole or a portion of the weight of the piston
block is thus carried by the spring D, which rests upon the rings C, throwing a
weight upon the rings but the advantage is that wear upon them is of less con-
sequence than wear upon the under or face side of the block A. as the rings can be
more easily removed and replaced, and it is important also that the piston or block A,
shall be maintained as central as possible in the cylinder.
Figure 3. sheet 1. of the drawings shews an improved main spring in end
view, formed by coiling wire or light bar steel into lengths to go round the inner
circumference of the piston rings, a cross section or end view of the spring as
shewn in figure 3 having the form of a figure 8 placed horizontally. Fig. 4 shews
how this form of main spring may be formed or coiled upon two bars, while the
application of the springs for the purpose of distending the piston rings, is shewn in
figures 5 and 6 of sheet I. in the drawings. Figure 5 is a section of a piston A. with its
junk ring B. and piston rings C, the inner sides of the rings C. are somewhat inclined
for the edges of the inain spring E. to rest upen and a middle ring F is intro-
duced for the purpose of keeping the side rings C. C. well up to the faces upon
the piston or block A, and upon the junk ring B. The middle ring F has
openings or grooves G, for admitting oil er lubricating matter for lubricating
the surface of the cylinder. In fig. 6. the same general arrangement of piston
rings and spring is shewn as in fig. 5, the piston or block A, in section the junk
ring B, the rings C, the main spring E, and the centre ring F, but a single
cential oil cavity or groove G is formed in the ring F for holding or admitting
oil or lubricating matter to the surfaces of the rings & cylinder. Both the
figures 5 and 6 shew a portion only of pistons in section-that is the portion
next the circumference, the pistons being fixed to the rods which are not shewn,
as will be well understood. Although the outer sides of the rings C. C. are shewn
inclined in the drawing they need not of necessity be so-but may be if desired,
made straight that is at right angles to the rubbing faces of the rings.
The improved combination of side and middle rings may he used with other
forms of main springs than the main spring E shewn on sheet 1 of the drawings, for
example on sheet 2. fig. 1 a section of a piston or block A, with its junk ring B is
shewn, and also the side rings C, central ring F, but the main spring E is oval
in section, and formed of coiled wire or light bar steel. It is obvious that the main
spring E might be of round section or might be a steel plate waved or corrugated as
will be hereafter described.
This other form of main spring suitable for use or combination with the middle or
lubricating ring F. and the side rings C. C. is made of flat steel plate, bent or worked
into a waved or corrugated form and having the ends jointed or connected with a coil
or adjusting spiral spring. Figure 2 on sheet 2 of the drawings shews the application
of this flat plate spring E in the section of a portion of a piston corresponding
generally with the sections shewn in figures 5, and 6, sheet 1, and fig. 1. sheet 2 ;
Figure 3, sheet 2 shews an end view of a portion of a piston drawn so as to shew
the application and construction of the improved main spring, made from flat steel
plate, and waved or corrugated. A is the piston or block having the junk ring
removed and thus shewing the rings C, the main spring E and the ends connected
with an adjusting coil or spiral spring H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what I
claim is
1. The mode of carrying the whole or a portion of the weight of a piston or block
by a 'separate spring or springs, disposed round the underside of the piston block or
body in the manner as described and shewn on the drawing or any mere modification
of the same.

page_text: 2. The main springs formed and constructed as described and as shewn by
Figs. 3 4. 5 and 6 of Sheet 1. and by Figs. 2 and 3 of Sheet 2 of the drawings, in
combination with the central ring F, and for the purpose set forth.
.
3. The combination of the central or middle ring with side rings and with the
openings or grooves for admitting or holding oil or lubricating matter, for the purpose
described and as shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of Ancil 1800.
PETER FRODSHAM, JNR.