Improvements in Steam or other Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1891-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Engines.
We, WALTER SCOTT and FRANK FENLEY, Wall Paper Dealer and Interior
Decorator residing respectively at 233 Eighth Street and 182 St. Charles Street,
New Orleans, United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in steam or other engines, and its
novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims when
taken in connection with the annexed drawings; and the invention has for its
object to enable an engine to be operated with or without cylinder heads, in con-
junction with three or more piston heads placed within a cylinder, thereby obtaining
greater power with a less amount of steam and a reduction in the size of the
engine that has heretofore been required to perform the same work.
We attain these objects by the mechanism shown in the accompanying sheet of
illustrative drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a top view showing cylinder in section, with heads in same, also
pitman, cranks, cross heads and fly wheel in position; in this figure, the position
of the cross heads E H is such as would be the case when the rod F is drawn out
of the telescopic piston rod D.
Figure 2 is a perspective side view of the arrangement of pistons and piston
rods.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In the drawings, A. A' refer to two independent, steam chests the slide valves in
which are represented by the longitudinal lines shown passing through the chests
whilst the latter are also provided with exhaust ports as is usual, B are rods which
connect outer pistons C and which pass through centre piston C¹, and upon which
rods centre piston slides; the pistons C are placed at a distance apart of say two-
thirds of the entire length of the cylinder, and are attached to rods by nuts M, as
shown in Figure 2. D is a telescope piston rod which is attached to C¹.
and telescope cross head E, and through which interior piston rod F passes, the
latter connecting the piston C farthest from cross head with interior piston rod
cross head H. G are connecting rods, K are cranks, La fly or driving wheel, Pa
pitman, Qare air ports which close when steam is admitted, but which open when
steam is shut off, thus preventing a vacuum in end of cylinder, O are cylinder
heads. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are steam ports.
In practice, steam is admitted at port 1 in steam chest, and flows into port 2 of
cylinder, piston C' and piston C on the left of C being say one-fourth of an inch
apart, said pistons occupying the position shown in Figure 1 when steam enters
port 2, all three pistons move simultaneously, thus driving one of the pistons C to 3,
piston C to 4, and piston C nearest cross head will also be driven to 4 owing to the
rods B connecting the two end pistons CC together. In this case, i.e. whilst the
live steam is entering port the exhaust will take place through port 4.
The pistons will return to their original position when steam enters 4, (exhaust
then taking place at 2), piston C nearest cross head being driven to 5, C' to 2, and
piston C farthest from cross head to 2.
The above movements are made without cylinder heads, but when a cylinder
with heads with air ports is employed, then steam enters ports 2 and 5 and exhaust
takes place at 3 and 4, and vice versa. Thus it will be seen that the movement of
pistons C is controlled by interior piston rod F and cross head H; while piston C¹
is controlled by telescope piston rod D and cross head E.
When it is desired to increase power, steam is admitted at ports 3 and 5, our

page_text: steam chest being provided with two ports for admitting steam, where cylinder
heads are used, and the cylinder may also be provided with two ports for adinitting
steam into chest A, where no heads are used in the cylinder.
A striking advantage of our invention is its economical construction, easy
manner by which power can be increased and utilisation of exhaust steam.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an engine such as described, a cylinder having three pistons therein, two
of said pistons being connected and working in unison with a sliding piston
as set forth.
2. In an engine such as described, a cylinder having three pistons therein, two
of said pistons being connected and working in unison with a piston rod, cross
head, and pitman, as set forth.
3. In an engine such as described, a cylinder having three pistons therein, one of
said pistons being held in position by means of three connecting rods, and working
in unison with a tubular piston rod, and a cross head, and connecting rods, as set
-forth.
4. In an engine such as described, a cylinder having three pistons therein, said
-cylinder being enclosed within a steam chest, and having steam ports 2, 3, 4 and 5,
with air ports Q, as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of Anril 1901
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.