IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINES." A communication from
abroad by James W. Chisholm, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of
America, Physician.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINES.'
[A communication from abroad by James W. Chisholm, of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America, Physician.]
This Invention has for its object to increase the efficiency of compound steam
engines by more fully utilizing the steam than is ordinarily the case, and obviating
loss of temperature from radiation of heat. This desirable result I accomplish by
a novel construction and arrangement of three double-acting cylinders, each having
independent slide-valves, the steam from the boiler being only admitted to the
smallest of the three, which is the high-pressure cylinder, and which is centrally
located in the second or intermediate cylinder. This intermediate cylinder is
provided with an annular piston having two piston rods connected to the same
cross-head as the high pressure piston rod. The steam after actuating the piston of
the high-pressure cylinder passes through a valve-chest and into the intermediate
cylinder, from which, after further expanding and actuating the annular piston, it
escapes into a receiving chamber; and from this chamber, in which the slide-valve
of the low-pressure cylinder is placed, the steam passes into the third or low
pressure cylinder, and then through an ordinary exhaust-pipe to a surface-condenser,
which may be of any of the ordinary constructions. The crank to which is
connected the piston of the low-pressure cylinder, and the crank to which is
connected the pistons of the high-pressure and of the intermediate cylinders, may

page_text: be set at any desired angle relatively to each other on the main shaft. The second
and third cylinders are surrounded by steam-jackets. The second cylinder forms a
steam jacket for the first, and all of the exterior surfaces are covered with any
suitable non-conductor of heat. The receiving chamber between the second and
third cylinders is provided with a series of pipes horizontally arranged within it,
through which some of the heat from the furnace is allowed to pass, thereby
reheating the steam in this chamber and preventing condensation taking place, as
well as re-evaporating the water in the steam should any be formed. The casings
of this chamber are provided with suitably placed doors to afford opportunity for
cleaning the tubes.
The said Invention also comprises the application of (cut off) puppet valves to
the high pressure cylinder slide-valves, of which there are two, constructed to
operate in two steam-chests connected together and to the induction pipe by steam
passages, said steam chests being located the one above and the other below the
steam chest of the intermediate or annular cylinder, into which the steam from the
high pressure cylinder exhausts through suitably arranged steam passages. The
two high-pressure valves are carried by one valve-rod, which is connected with
the valve-rod of the annular cylinder valve to a single link-motion especially
adapted to this purpose. The stems of the puppet cut-off valves are constructed to
slide between arms on shafts fitted to move laterally in the steam chests, and said
shafts are actuated by an adjustable cut off device secured to a rod placed at right
angles to them, and operated by an independent excentric secured to the main shaft
of the engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th November 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINES."
A communication from abroad by James W. Chisholm, of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America, Physician.
This Invention has for its object to increase the efficiency of compound steam
engines by more fully utilizing the steam than is ordinarily the case, and obviating
loss of heat from radiation.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improvements in compound
steam engines.
Figure 2 is an end elevation shewing the covers of the steam-chests removed.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the cylinders, with the high pressure and
intermediate cylinders partly in section on the line w, w, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the general features of the engine with the
cylinders in section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a transverse sectional elevation of the low pressure steam-chest on
the line y, y, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one of the high pressure slide-valves, with its
puppet cut-off valve and mechanism for operating the same partly in section.
Figure 7 is a plan or top view of the same, also partly in section, and Figure 8
is an end view of the cut-off device in section on the line 2, 2, Figure 6.
The form of engine shewn in the Drawing embodying my improvements is of the
vertical inverted cylinder type.
The high pressure cylinder a is centrally located in the intermediate cylinder b,
which is in line with and on the same horizontal plane as the low pressure or
condensing cylinder c. The piston a' of the central cylinder a is connected by its
rod a with the cross-head d, as is also the annular piston b¹ of the cylinder b by
its two piston-rods b, b, and the piston-rod c² of the low pressure piston c¹ connects
the latter to the cross-head e. These cross-heads d and e are fitted to slide in
guides, and are connected respectively by the connecting rods d' and c¹ to the
cranks d and e2 of the main or crank shaft ds in the ordinary manner. The two
cranks are shown in the Drawing as set diametrically opposite each other, but they
may be set in any angular position without affecting my improvements.
f represents the condenser in communication with the low pressure cylinder c by
means of the exhaust-pipe f¹, and g is the air-pump operated from the cross-head e
by means of the rods and levers g', g². As there is nothing particularly new in the
construction and arrangement of these parts of the engine, it is necessary to more
fully describe them.
The steam-chests of the high pressure cylinder a and intermediate cylinder b are
located on the side of the cylinder b. The steam-chest h of the intermediate
cylinder b is between the two steam-chests i and j of the high pressure cylinder a.
Live steam from the boiler enters only these two steam-chests i and j through the
pipe k (Figures 2, 3, and 4) and passage ways k8, 9, (Figures 3 and 4) connecting
them, and passes into the cylinder a alternately to the upper and lower sides of the
piston a' through the valves and j', which are of the ordinary slide-valve pattern;
but are each provided with a puppet cut-off valve to be hereinafter described. The
slide-valves and j' are operated by the rod k¹, which is connected to them by
adjusting nuts. The said rod k¹ passes loosely through a pipe hº, Figure 1, which

page_text: is especially provided for the purpose, and is cast into the walls of the ports of the
intermediate cylinder; this pipe serves as a passage way for the rod, and also to
brace the walls of the ports and join the two steam-chests i and j. The aforesaid
rod k¹ passes through a stuffing box in the lower chest j to the link ². This link k²
also carries the rod h², which passes up through a stuffing-box and pipe h' in the
chest j, and is connected to the double-ported slide-valve, which has necessarily
the same travel as that of the high pressure valves i¹ and j¹.
The link is operated by two excentrics *, **, and the rods ³, ³, as in
ordinary reversing gear; the said link is connected to the reversing wheel le
through the medium of its screw-shaft, fitting in a nut pivoted to a lever o, which
lever is secured to a shaft 20 working in bearings on the back of the condenser f,
and the two rods 7 pivoted to a plate at the end of the lever and to the centre
of the upper and lower sides of the link, thus applying an even strain on the
link when it is moved to allow either of the excentrics * or ** to operate the
valves; this construction also permits the ends of the rods 7, le, to pass between
the connection of the two valve-rods 1 and 2 with the link k². The shaft 10
(Figure 4) to which the lever ko is secured extends along the rear of the condenser f
and has also secured to it the lever 7, which is connected by the rod to the link 12
(Figure 1) forming the connection between the excentrics and their rods 13 and 1',
and the valve-rod m of the slide-valve m', which is of the same construction as the
slide valve ¹, and is located in the steam-chest or receiver m² of the low pressure
cylinder c. This steain-chest is a large chamber between the cylinders b and c,
and is formed on the exterior of the cylinders by casings or jackets 6³ and c³
(Figure 4).
Extending laterally through the chamber m³ is a series of pipes m³ which open
into chambers formed at the sides of the chamber m³ by plates m³, ms, and
flanges m³, m³, projecting from the sides of the chamber m², and so arranged that
the heated gaseous products of combustion from the smoke-stack entering through a
connecting pipe the opening mo, are caused to traverse the whole lengths of the
pipes m³, m³, back and forth before they pass away through the opening m7, as
shown in Figure 5. These plates m are provided with doors m³, suitably
arranged to afford facilities for cleaning the tubes ms; and these plates, as well as
the valve-chests and cylinder-heads, are covered with some suitable non-conducting
material. The cylinder-heads may also be cast hollow to further provide against
loss of heat. By the arrangement of the receiver m² above described, some of the
waste heat of the furnace is utilized to re-heat the steam and prevent the same in
the chamber from condensing, so that it may pass into the low-pressure cylinder c
in a better condition for use than if allowed to pass therein after actuating the
piston of the intermediate cylinder b without being subjected to such extra heating
and the re-evaporation of the water carried by it.
The puppet cut-off valves on the backs of the slide-valves i and j of the high
pressure cylinder a and their operating mechanism are alike in every respect as
regards construction and operation, but are reversed in position, as shewn in
Figure 2, so that the following description of the upper one, as shewn in the
enlarged views, Figures 6, 7, and 8, will answer for both of them. On the back of
the slide-valve i¹ is formed the open ended cylindrical chamber n connecting the
inlet port of the valve to the interior of the steam-chest i; the ends of this chamber
are closed by the double puppet-valve n¹, n', and the ends of its stem fit between
the two arms n², n², secured to the shaft n³, so that there is no end play, but with
sufficient freedom to slide up and down between them, so that the puppet-valve n'
is not affected by the sliding action of the slide-valve ¹. The valve n¹ is opened
and closed at the desired times irrespective of the movement of the slide-valve i¹
by motion being imparted to the shaft n³, which is effected in one direction, to
close the puppet-valve by the spring n held in the bracket n³ and surrounding the
part of the shaft n³ which projects through a stuffing box on the side of the steam-
chest i. A collar on the shaft n³, against which the spring n bears, carries a
spring latch or tappet n, which is constructed so as to be held by its spring in a

page_text: horizontal position, as shewn, and operated as hereinafter described. The vertical
shaft o is fitted to slide in the brackets no, no, and is connected to the rod 2 of the
excentric p¹. On the said shaft o are secured the two adjustable cut-off devices,
which consist of a carrier of having an inclined projection o² occupying a given
part of the throw of the excentric p, which in the Drawing is shewn as being
one-fourth. A series of rectangular slides o are fitted in a slot in the carrier
immediately under the inclined projection o², and adapted to be pushed out in line
with it by means of a cam o' having as many sections as there are slides, the rises
of the cam sections being angularly placed so that the top one is the first to act
and the bottom one the last to act on their respective slides, but they all drop off
in one line, so that any number of the slides o³ may be moved and held out by
turning the cam o the required amount, or all of the slides may be moved back
flush with the side of the carrier o¹, leaving the incline o³ as the only projection,
thus determining the length of time the puppet-valve is to be held open, it being
opened by the inclined projection of acting against the tappet n as the shaft o
moves in an upward direction; and it is so held open until the top edge of the
said tappet n passes over the lower edge of the incline o², or the lower edge of
the lowest slide os, which has been pushed out by the cam o*. In the Drawing
two slides are shewn as pushed out, the cut-off in this case taking place at one
half stroke, as each of the slides represent one eighth of the stroke, and the
inclined projection o² one quarter. The number of slides and the proportion which
each one bears to the stroke may be varied as desired when the shaft o is moving
downward after the slides have passed over the tappet and the shaft n³ has been
thrown back to close the puppet-valve by the spring n³, then the bottom of the
inclined projection o³ or of the slide in use comes in contact with the top of the
tappet and moves it down out of the way against the action of its spring,
allowing the slides and projection to pass without disturbing the shaft n³.
The cam o' is designed to be turned around by the milled head on the upper end
of its shaft, and to be held in any desired position by the spring-catch o falling
into one of the holes in a collar on the said cam. The slides o³ are securely held in
either position by a web on the lever of fitting into notches formed in their sides;
the said lever o is prevented from moving out of the notches in the slides by means
of a spring-latchi.
The high pressure and annular pistons a' and b¹ are represented in the Drawing
as just about to complete their upward stroke, and the projection o2 is about to act
on the tappet no to move the puppet-valve, so that this valve is open when the
pistons reach the upper ends of their cylinders and before the slide-valve has
uncovered the port to let the steam pass through the passage formed in the
cylinder-head into the cylinder a above its piston a'. The slide-valvej has opened
the exhaust-port 2 before the pistons reach the end of the stroke, allowing the
steam which had forced the piston a¹ in an upward direction to pass through the
passage into the steam-chest h, and through its inlet port h³ to the top of the
piston b¹, the steam from the underside of the piston 61 exhausting through the
passage into the interior of the valve h¹, and out through the opening h³ around
the outside of the cylinder b into the chamber m², from which it passes into the
low pressure cylinder c through the port r, the upper part of the cylinder c being
now open to the condenser through the passage and exhaust-pipe f¹. Just
before the pistons have completed their strokes live steam is let into the cylinder a
under the piston a' from the steam-chest j through the passage is, the upper part
of the cylinder a then exhausting into the steam-chest h through the passages 2³
and steam from the chest now passes to the underside of the annular piston b¹
through the passage '; the upper part of the annular cylinder b at the same
time is open to the chamber m² through the passages h³, ³; the low pressure
cylinder c is now taking steam from the chamber m² by its upper port.
From this construction and arrangement of the various parts it will be seen that
the live steam from the boiler in performing its work in the cylinder a is protected
from radiation by the steam in the intermediate cylinder b. which in its turn is

page_text: protected by its own exhaust steam filling the space between the cylinder b and
jacket 63, and the chamber m²; the cylinder c also being protected by this
steam, which is further heated by the gases of combustion passing through the
pipes m³.
It is obvious that some of the improvements hereinbefore described may be
applied to steam engines separately, as, for instance, the puppet cut-off valve in
combination with the slide-valve, and the re-heating pipes passing through the
steam-chest of the low pressure cylinder, and also the arrangement of the valve
and valve appurtenances in the steam-chest h and between the steam-chests i
and j.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of the high pressure cylinder a and its piston, the
cylinder b and its annular piston, the high pressure steam-chests i, j, the slide-
valves i, j, the intermediate steam-chest h and the valve h', substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Second. The combination of the high pressure cylinder a and its piston, the
cylinder b and its annular piston, the high pressure steam-chests i, j, the connecting
pipe o, the slide-valves ¹, j', and the intermediate steam-chest h and valve h',
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Third. The cylinder b, the piston b₁, and the piston-rods bº, 62, connected to the
cross-head d, in combination with the cylinder'a, the piston a, and its rod, also
connected to the said cross-head with their respective slide-valves and steam-
passages constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
Fourth. In a compound steam-engine the combination of the high pressure
cylinder a, the intermediate cylinder b within which the said cylinder a is centrally
located, the low-pressure cylinder c, and the steam chamber m² connecting the
cylinders and c, and partly or wholly surrounding them, substantially as and for
the purpose herein before set forth.
Fifth. In a compound steam engine the combination of the high pressure
cylinder a,the valve-chests i, j, and their valves ¹, j', the intermediate cylinder b,
the valve-chest hand its valve ¹, the low pressure cylinder c and its steam-
chamber m² connecting the cylinders b and c, and partly or wholly surrounding
them, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Sixth. In combination with the steam-chamber m² located between and con-
necting the cylinders b and c, the pipes m³, m³, arranged substantially as described,
and adapted to act as flues, through which heated gases from the smoke-stack or
furnace are caused to pass, as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Seventh. In combination with the link 2 and the excentrics 3*, *, the valve-
rod carrying the two high-pressure valves i, j, and the rod 2 carrying the
valve h' of the intermediate cylinder b, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Eighth. The combination of the link, the excentrics 3*, **, the valve-rod k³,
the valve-rod h³, the rods 7, 17, and the lever k, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the slide-valve of a steam-engine of a puppet
cut-off valve, constructed substantially as described, and adapted to be operated
at right angles to the direction of motion of the slide-valve, as herein shewn and
described.
Tenth. The combination of the slide-valve , the puppet-valve n', n', the
sliding shaft n³, and the arms n³, n², substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth.
Eleventh. The cut-off device composed of the vertically moving shaft o, the
carrier o¹ having the inclined projection o², the slides o³, the adjusting cam o*, the
spring-latch o, and the horizontally moving shaft n³, provided with the spring

page_text: tappet n and spring n², all constructed and combined, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before set forth.
Twelfth. In a compound steam-engine, the combination of the high pressure
cylinder a, the intermediate cylinder b, the low pressure cylinder c, the receiving
chamber m², the re-heating pipes m³, m³, the valve-chests i,j, and h, the valves i,j,
connected to the link by the rod k, the valve ¹, also connected to the said link k²,
the rods, the lever, the hand-wheel ko, the excentrics 3*, **, and rods ³, k,
the shaft 10, the lever, rod, and link 1, 1, 1, the valve m', the excentrics and the
rods,, the cross-head d, the pistons a and b, the cross-head e, the pistons c',
the connecting rods d', e¹, and the double crank-shaft ³, constructed and operated
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY H. LAKE.
(L.S.)