Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Steam
Engines.
I, LUCIUS AUGUSTUS LE MIEUX, Manufacturer, residing on Main Street, in
the City of Seymour, in the County of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, United
States of America, 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 :-
My invention has for its object the construction of an improved steam engine,
and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, and combination of parts,
all as is more fully explained hereinafter, in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Steam
Engines.
I, LUCIUS AUGUSTUS LE MIEUX, Manufacturer, residing on Main Street, in
the City of Seymour, in the County of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, United
States of America, 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 :-
My invention has for its object the construction of an improved steam engine,
and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, and combination of parts,
all as is more fully explained hereinafter, in connection with the accompanying
|drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, representing one form of my
invention, with the balance wheel removed, and parts broken away to show the
construction.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the valve driving wheel and connections.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are details of the reversing mechanism, shown in Figure 1.
Figures 7 to 11 inclusive are detail views of the valve and valve chest.
Figure 12 represents, in end elevation and transverse vertical section, a modified
form of my engine.
Figure 13, represents, in side elevation and section, a further modification.
Figure 14 is a detail view of the reversing mechanism employed with the form
of my device shown in Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a side elevation of a portion of a steam engine, with parts broken
away, embodying still another form of my invention.
Figure 16 is a vertical transverse section of the same, on the line 16--16 of
Figure 15.
Figures 17 and 18 are detail views, illustrating a form of clutch used with the
same.
Figure 19 is a detail view illustrating the connection between the piston rod,
cross-head and connecting rod shown in Figure 15.
A represents the base or bed of my engine, and B the bed-plate, C is the steam
cylinder, D the piston, and E the piston-rod, whose outer end is connected to the
cross-head F, sliding in guides a, the other end of the cross-head being similarly
connected to the connecting-rod G, wristed to the main drive or crank wheel H
on the main driving shaft I of the engine. J is my independent valve chest,
which is made as shown best in Figure 11, so that it may be removed for repair,
or replaced by another, when worn out, without displacement or injury to the
other parts of my engine. In Figures 1, 2, 8 and 9, this valve-chest is shown
above the steam-cylinder, while in Figures 12 and 13, it is shown below the
same, and in both arrangements, I have the live steam ports c and c¹ communi-
cating with the valve-chest and cylinder, the inlet port 2, and the exhaust port c³.
The valve-chest J tapers on the outside from one end to the other, and is provided
with longitudinal openings jjjj³ corresponding to the described ports c c c² c³,
(as best shown in Figure 9, which is a central vertical section on the line 9-9 of
Figure 8) and which openings are made true to any gauge desired, thus ensuring a
degree of accuracy practically impossible with the ports as ordinarily cast in a
valve-chest.
By reason of making my valve-chest J tapering it can be held securely in a
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page_text: .
similarly tapered hole without the need of any fixtures. I will next describe my
preferred form of valve, illustrated in the drawings. K is a shaft, to which are
secured the parallel plates K¹ K', as shown, one on each side, or if preferred the
shaft and plates may be all cast solidly together, making the parts K K practi-
cally a bar with opposing longitudinal recesses, whichever may be found most
convenient in any case. In these recesses are located the springs kk and the
shanks k¹ k¹ of the T-shaped valve-plates L, whose faces are rounded to correspond
with the interior of the valve-chest J, and are wider than the port openings in said
valve-chest. M M represent the heads or end pieces of my valve, and I have
illustrated their preferred construction in Figure 10, wherein I have shown a
central dove-tailed groove m bordered by shallower flat grooves m' m' on each side
thereof, central perforation m² for the reception of the shaft K, and transverse
offsets or shoulders m³ m³ of the same depth as the groove m. The end edges of
the shanks ¹ of the valve plates L are preferably somewhat larger than the inter-
mediate portions of the said shanks, as shown best in Figure 8 (which is a vertical
central section on the line 8-8 of Figure 9) and dove-tailed as best shown at k²
in Figure 7, to fit the dove-tailed groove m, the heads of the plates L fitting in the
offsets m³, and the flat grooves m³ m' are to receive the ends of the parallel plates
or recessed bar K₁ K, the whole being firmly held together by the described dove-
tailed construction. It is obvious that I may cast the heads M, recessed bar K¹ K',
and shaft K all solidly together, if desired, but I prefer the construction shown and
described, in ordinary cases. The heads M are each provided with an exterior
circumferential offset or shoulder to receive a split flexible metallic ring, N, and
interposed packing ring n of rubber or any suitable material, the inner periphery of
the ring N being provided with mortises, at intervals, to receive pins n n pro-
jecting from the recessed periphery of the said head M, all as shown in detail in
Figure 10. If found necessary, the recesses between the plates K K', or in the
bar used in place thereof, may be filled with any suitable packing between the
shaft K and shanks ¹ of the valve-plates L on both sides of the springs k, so as
to guard against the escape of steam at these points.
My engine may be operated with the connection between the main driving-
shaft and valve-shaft K shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 12, although I show
other means in Figure 13. In the form first named, the main-shaft I carries
a bevel gear wheel which meshes with a like wheel d on one end of a power-
transmitting shaft O, supported in suitable bearings as formed in the
standards e, f, rising from the bed-plate B or otherwise secured to the engine,
and which shaft O carries near its other end a loose bevel gear wheel, held
between two collars h, i, which are fast on said shaft, and in mesh with the
bevel-gear wheel P fast on the valve shaft K, the wheel P being double the
size of the wheel g. Q is a clutch having two projecting pins 9, 9, on one
face, which normally extend through holes o¹o in the collar i, and corresponding
holes in the bevel gear wheel y, as shown best in Figure 1, the said clutch
being further provided with a circumferential groove q', and a feather ², the
latter projecting into the bore of the clutch, as shown in Figure 4, and adapted
to slide in the longitudinal groove q³ in the shaft O, which latter has a collar, p,
fast thereon, with a spring p', surrounding said shaft between said collar and
clutch. R is a spanner, having teeth rr, which engage with the described
groove in the clutch, the said spanner, and its handle R', forming a shifting
lever for said clutch, and the said handle being pivoted at to a suitable arm
or support R². S is a pointer, whose hub, s, is fast on the valve-shaft K,
adjacent to the valve driving gear wheel P, which latter is provided, on said
adjacent face, with a graduated scale S', for indicating the position of the valve, at
any time, and for affording a means for accurately setting said valve to any
desired position with relation to the ports in the valve-chest. One end of the valve-
shaft K is supported in a suitable bearing, as 2, and the other end carries a
pulley, or other gear, for connection with a governor (not shown).
As shown in Figures 12 and 13, and as previously stated,
may, if desired,

page_text: construct my engine with the valve-chest below the steam-cylinder, and, in fact, I
regard this as really the most desirable construction, for the reason that in such
position, the exhaust port c³ will be at the bottom, and hence the cylinder will be
self-draining and as the exhaust pipe of port c³ is always open, the water of con-
densation is driven off automatically each time the engine exhausts, thus doing
away with drainage cocks. The exhaust port and its opening in the valve chest
are larger than the live steam ports c and c¹, and openings j and j' to ensure the
rapid discharge of the exhaust steam, and prevent back pressure, and I may also
make the inlet port c² and opening 2 larger than the said live-steam ports and
openings to give the steam freer access to the interior of the valve-chest J.
In Figures 13 and 14, I show a different means of connection between the main-
driving shaft I and valve shaft K, namely a sprocket-chain, and sprocket-wheels.
T represents the chain, T' the sprocket-wheel on the shaft I, and T2 the sprocket-
wheel on the shaft K. The other parts are exactly the same as hereinbefore
described, except the clutch or reversing mechanism, which may be different, as shown.
In Figure 14, I show the hub of the wheel T2 provided with mortises tt on one
end and other mortises t¹t on the opposite end and a circumferential groove t²
between the two ends of the hub, for the reception of the teeth of the spanner R,
whose handle lever is pivoted at to an arm or support R2, as before described.
U U are collars, on the shaft K, one on each side of the wheel T2, whose hub
forms the clutch, as just described, the collar U having pins u for engagement with
the mortises t, and the collar U having pins for engagement with the
mortises t¹.
My independent valve-chest J although tapered exteriorly, as described, has a
true cylindrical bore, or interior, and hence the contact of my spring-impelled valve-
plates L is equal, and on the same line at all points.
Although I have only shown my pointer and scale in connection with the bevel
wheel, it will be understood that the same may be applied to the sprocket wheel,
shown in Figures 13 and 14, if desired, and either the valve-driving-wheel or the
pointer, or both, may be adjustably secured to the valve-shaft.
In that form of my engine shown in Figures 15 to 19, inclusive, A is the bed
and a the guides or ways for the cross-head F which is connected at a', in the
ordinary manner by a connecting rod, to a crank or drive-wheel on the main driving
shaft (not shown). E is the piston-rod, also connected to the said cross-head F.
C is the steam-cylinder, beneath which is located the valve-chest J, containing the
valve, consisting of the plates K' with valve rod K and springs and other parts all
as hereinbefore described in detail.
In Figure 16, I show the inlet port e² and opening 2 in the valve-chest, and the
exhaust opening and exhaust port c³, the latter opening downward as in
Figures 12 and 13, for drainage, the live steam ports not being shown, but being in
the same relative positions as heretofore. In this form of my engine, I show on one
end of the valve-rod K, a pulley or gear f, for connection with the governor (not
shown) and on its other end a gear wheel 11 meshing with a pinion I² loose upon a
sleeve L', which, in turn, is loose upon a stud or arbor, L², secured to, and
projecting horizontally from, the outside of the steam cylinder C, the said sleeve
having an increased bore between its ends, as shown at L³, for the purpose of
decreasing frictional resistance, and forming a lubricating chamber.
The hub of the pinion 12 is provided, on one face, with the segmental pro-
jections I³ I³, opposite each other, and with spaces of equal distance between their
adjacent ends. M' is a clutch, having on its face adjacent to the hub of pinion 12,
opposing segmental depressions M² M² corresponding to the described pro-
jections I³ ³ on said hub, and having segmental projections between said
depressions M2 M2, corresponding to the spaces between the projections I³ I³ on
the face of said hub. The said clutch M' is further provided with a circumferential
groove M³ for the teeth vv of a spanner V, whose handle V forms a shifting lever
for said clutch, being pivoted, as shown at 2, to the end of the cylinder C, or other
convenient part of the engine, and between the other face of this clutch, and the

page_text: cylinder there is a spring M, coiled around the sleeve L', which latter is provided
with a longitudinal external groove w for the reception and guidance of a feather w¹
formed on the clutch M' and projecting into its bore. Fast on the outer end of the
sleeve L' is the hub of a weighted crank-arm W, whose weighted end W' is
preferably in the segmental form shown in Figure 15, the better to serve as a
balance wheel to carry the crank beyond a dead centre, and to the extreme end of
the crank arm, there is wristed, as shown at X, one end of a connecting rod Y,
whose other end is wristed, as shown at y, to the outer end of an arm %, which is
rigidly secured to, and projects from, the cross-head F.
The operation of this form of my engine will be readily understood from the fore-
going description of its construction. When the clutch is adjusted as shown in
Figure 16, so that the projections 13 13 on the hub of the pinion I are in engage-
ment with the depressions M2 M² of the said clutch, then when the steam is
admitted to the cylinder, and the piston-rod commences to move, the cross-head and
its arm actuates the connecting rod Y, and the latter by the crank-arm W
revolves the sleeve L' and the pinion 12 (now secured by the clutch thereto) and
this revolves the wheel I¹ in mesh with said pinion, and thus rotates the valve to
whose shaft K the wheel I' is secured as stated. To reverse the valve, it is only
necessary to free the clutch M' from the hub of the pinion I2, until the sleeve L¹
and clutch have made a half revolution, when the handle-lever V₁ is released, and
the spring M will instantly force the clutch and hub again into engagement and
the valve will be rotated as before, but in a reversed position with relation to the
steam-ports of the valve-chest, the pinion I² being just half the size of the
wheel I¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a steam-engine, the combination with a steam cylinder, a valve-chest having
a cylindrical interior and openings communicating with the steam-ports of the said
cylinder, of the valve-shaft, a bar or plates secured thereto with longitudinal
recesses opposite each other on each side of the shaft, valve-plates, having shanks
fitting in said recesses, and transverse heads rounded on their outer faces to conform
to the interior surface of said valve-chest, and wider than the openings therein,
springs located in said recesses between the shaft and the shanks of the valve-
plates, and valve-heads at each end of the recessed bar or plates having grooves for
the reception and guidance of the ends of the valve-plates.
2. In a steam-engine, the combination with the steam-cylinder, valve and valve-
rod or shaft, piston and piston-rod, and cross-head connected to said piston-rod, of a
rigid arm projecting from said cross-head, a connecting rod or lever connected to
and actuated by said rigid arm, a stud on the cylinder, a revoluble body mounted
loosely on the cylinder stud, and wristed to the said connecting rod or lever, and a
gear connection between said revoluble body and the valve-rod or shaft.
3. In a steam-engine, the combination with the steam-cylinder, valve and valve-
shaft, piston and piston-rod, and cross-head connected to said piston-rod, of a rigid
arm projecting from said cross-head, a stud projecting from the cylinder, a sleeve
mounted loosely on said stud, a weighted crank-arm fast on said sleeve, a connecting-
rod wristed to said crank-arm and to said rigid arm, a pinion loose upon said sleeve,
a gear-wheel fast on the end of the valve-shaft, and in mesh with said loose pinion,
and a clutch on said sleeve adapted for engagement with the hub of the said loose
pinion.
Dated this 15th day of October 1890.
LUCIUS AUGUSTUS LE MIEUX.
Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.