IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM WINCHES WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Breen, of the City of Glasgow, Merchant,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM WINCHES WHICH ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."-A communication from abroad
by Joseph Corradi, of Marseilles, in the Empire of France, Engineer of
the Compagnie Anonyme de Navigation Mixte.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Breen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
December 1867.
I, GEORGE BREEN, of the City of Glasgow, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAM WINCHES WHICH
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to
say:-
This Invention consists in an arrangement of valve box and valve and
indicating apparatus used in conjunction therewith, and its object is to enable
the winch to be instantaneously set in motion, stopped, or reversed with greater
facility than can be obtained by the ordinary means, and to simplify its con-
struction by dispensing with many of the parts which are liable to get out of
order, and at the same time effect a saving in the cost of the apparatus.
In order to effect these objects the valve seat is formed with three apertures,
above which a circular valve is fitted capable of rotatory motion, such valve
being provided with an aperture on its right, and on the left has a cavity.

page_text: formed on its under side; an indicating hand and index is provided, and by
turning the hand to one of the positions marked on the index the motion of
the valve is effected and the winch instantaneously started, stopped, or
reversed, as the case may be. Thus if the band be turned to one position the
aperture in the valve will correspond to one of the apertures in the valve
seat and the steam will be admitted through a pipe to the cylinders and the
apparatus put in motion; after having acted on the piston the steam returns
by another pipe to the valve box, and passing through the second aperture in
the valve seat enters the cavity formed in the under side of the. valve, aud
from thence passes through the third aperture in the valve seat into the
exhaust pipe, whence it is conveyed into the atmosphere. If the band be now
turned to another position the aperture in the valve will correspond to the
second aperture in the valve seat and the steam be conducted through it to
the cylinders, and after producing its effect it will be conveyed to the exhaust
and the motion of the winch will be reversed. By turning the hand to the
third position the valve shuts the orifice and the passage of the steam is
instantaneously intercepted.
The Invention is also applicable to steam engines, water engines, distributing
and bedsaulio numns ventilatore and other machinery
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 2
by the said George Breen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BREEN, of the City of Glasgow, Merchant, send greeting.
me,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 2
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
the said George Breen, Her special license that I, the said George
Breen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the 8
said George Breen, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE- S
MENTS IN STEAM WINCHES WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES,"

page_text: a communication from abroad by Joseph Corradi, of Marseilles, in the Empire-
of France, Engineer of the Compagnie Anonyme de Navigation Mixte, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Breen, my executors.
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
•
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Breen, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of valve box and valve
and indicating apparatus to be used in conjunction therewith, and has for its
object the facilitating the instantaneous starting, stopping, and reversing of
steam winches by the aid of a cheap, simple, and effective arrangement, which
is less liable to get out of order than the arrangements hitherto employed for
that purpose.
'
According to my Invention the seat of the valve which admits the steam
or other actuating medium to the working cylinders of the winch is formed
with three apertures, above which a circular valve is fitted capable of rotatory
motion, such valve being provided with an aperture or thoroughfare on one
side of its centre, and a cavity or chamber on the diametrically opposite under
side of the valve. An indicator and dial are provided, and by turning the
pointer to one or other of the positions marked on the dial the motion of the
valve is effected and the winch instantaneously started, stopped, or reversed,
as the case may be. Thus if the indicator be turned to one position the
aperture in the valve will correspond to one of the apertures in the valve seat,
and the steam will be admitted through a pipe to one side of the pistons in
the cylinders, and the apparatus put in motion; after having acted on the
pistons the steam returns by another pipe to the valve box, and passing:
through the second aperture in the valve seat enters the cavity formed in the.
under side of the valve, and thence passes through the third aperture in the
valve seat into the exhaust pipe, whence it is conveyed into the atmosphere!
If the indicator be now turned to another position the aperture in the valve
will correspond to the second aperture in the valve seat, and the steam will.
be conducted through it to the opposite side of the pistons in the cylinders;
and after producing its effect it will be conveyed to the exhaust and the

page_text: motion of the winch will be reversed. By turning the indicator to the third
position the valve closes the orifice, and the passage of the steam and other
actuating medium is instantaneously intercepted.
The Invention is obviously applicable also to steam engines, water engines,
distributing and hydraulic pumps, ventilators, and other like machinery.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure of my Drawing represents an elevation and partial vertical
section taken along the broken line 1, 2, 3, 4, in Figure 2, of a steam winch
having my said improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan
and horizontal section taken along the line 5-6, in Figure 1; and Figure 8 is
an enlarged vertical section of the improved valvular arrangements showing
the valve and valve seat for effecting the instantaneous starting, stopping, and
reversing of the winch or other machine or apparatus to which such valvular
arrangement may be applicable.
Figure 4 is a plan of the valve seat, Figure 5 is a separate plan of the
upper side of the valve detached, and Figure 6 is a similar view looking on
the under or working face thereof.
A is the bed plate upon which is supported the entire mechanism of the
steam winch; B is the main drum or barrel deriving its motion through the
large spur wheel C and pinion D, the latter being carrie: on the main driving
or actuating shaft E which receives its rotatory motion direct from the two
oscillating cylinders F, F, and crank pins G, G³, situate at or about an angle
of 90° from each other in the discs H, H, which are keyed or otherwise
secured to the opposite ends of the shaft. Any convenient arrangement of
gearing may be employed for transmitting motion from the main shaft to the
drum and provision may or may not be made as required for working thewinch
by hand. In the Drawing I have represented the winch as being capable of being
worked by hand if desired. Of course the usual or other clutches or couplings
and breaks will be applied, but as these form no part of my said Invention it
will not be necessary to refer more fully to them here. In a convenient part
of the bed plate, by preference the middle thereof, and near one side so
as to be easy of access, I bolt the valve seat I, shown more clearly in the
enlarged sectional elevation and plan at Figures 3 and 4); on this valve seat
are cast the four lateral flanged branch pipes K, L, M, N. The face of the
valve seat is ground perfectly true and fits accurately the circular valve O
(shewn in enlarged detail at Figures 5 and 6). This valve is secured to the

page_text: lower extremity of a vertical spindle P which is supported in an upright
position by the bearings Q, Q, and works through a stuffing box R in the lid
or cover S of the valve box. The valve has an opening or thoroughfare T
made on one side of its diameter, and a recess or chamber U on the opposite
side of its centre and on the under side of the valve. In the valve seat or
face I there are made three apertures l, m, and n, corresponding to and com-
municating with the respective branch pipes L, M, and N, and the recess or
chamber U in the under side of the valve should be sufficiently large to
cover or embrace either the combined openings and m, or m and n as
circumstances may require, the opening T in the valve being so situated as
to coincide with one or other of the openings 1 or n according to the required
position of the valve. The steam or other actuating medium such as com
pressed air, gas, or water is admitted to the valve by the pipe V (shewn by
red lines) which is bolted to the branch K. To the branch L are bolted the
pipes W leading to the two cylinders, and to the branch N are bolted other
pipes Xalso leading into the cylinders; these pipes W and X acting alternately
as steam and exhaust pipes, according to the direction in which the engines
are working as herein-after more fully explained. Y is the permanent exhaust
pipe bolted to the branch M, through which the steam or other actuating
medium escapes into the atmosphere. To the upper end of the valve
spindle P there is keyed an actuating lever handle Z provided with a pointer
or indicator a which moves over a fixed dial or quadrant 6 having three
divisional marks 1, 2, 0, made thereon. When the pointer a is opposite
to 0, as in the Drawing, then the steam which has always free access by the
passage k to the top of the valve is completely shut off from the pipes W
and X. As the openings 6 and n in the valve seat are closed by the valve,
and the opening T in the valve is also closed by being situate midway between
the said openings and n, on turning the handle Z so as to bring the
pointer round to One on the dial, then the opening T in the valve will be
brought over the opening in the seat, whilst the two openings m and n will
be connected by the chamber U in the valve. The result will be that steam.
or other medium will enter from the pipe K, pass through the openings T, 1,
branch L, and pipes W, to the cylinders; the pipes ✗ serving as the exhaust
pipes as they are simultaneously brought into communication with the per-
manent exhaust pipe Y through the openings n, m, and chamber U. On
reversing the position of the valve or bringing the indicator over to Two on the
dial the respective functions of the pipes W and X will be reversed, the
pipe X then acting as the steam supply pipe, and the pipe W as the exhaust,
thus reversing the motion of the pistons in the cylinders. In this latter case

page_text: the opening T will be brought over n and the openings 2 and m will be con-
nected by the chamber U. The steam will consequently pass through the
openings T, n, branch N, and pipe X, and will escape after doing duty in
the cylinders by the pipe W, branch L, openings l, m, and brauch M to the
exhaust pipe Y. Each of the working cylinders, as will be seen in the
Drawings, has two ports or passages only cast therein which act alternately
as steam and exhaust ports being brought by the oscillation of the cylinder
into alternate communication with the pipes W and X.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The peculiar construction and arrangement of valve for stopping.
starting, and reversing the engines of steam winches and other like apparatus
as herein-before described.
Second. The combination with the peculiar valve herein-before referred to
of an indicator, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third. The peculiar arrangement of pipes acting either as steam or exhaust
pipes at will in conjunction with the peculiar reversing valve, as and for the
purpose bercin-before described.
Fourth. The application and use to and in steam winches and other like
machinery of a circular or disc valve arranged and operating in conjunction
with steam and exhaust pipes, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Breen, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the 22nd day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.