Improvements in Engines actuated by Steam or other Fluid.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engines actuated by Steam or other Fluid.
We, WILLIAM YOUNG FLEMING and PETER FERGUSON, of the firm of
Fleming and Ferguson, Phoenix Engine Works, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Engineers
and Shipbuilders, and GEORGE DIXON, Manager to Messrs. John Musgrave and Sons,
Engineers, Globe Iron Works, Bolton, Lancashire, 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 :-
This invention relates to motive power engines of the type in which the cylinders
are connected to a crank shaft or shafts, by triangular, T shaped or like connecting
rods as described in the several Specifications of Letters Patent Nos. 2065 of 1887,
13,843, of 1889, and 20137, of 1890, and the present improvements consist of novel
arrangements in connection with the coupling of the reciprocating parts to the
crank pins and of applications of engines so coupled or connected in combination
with pumps, air compressors, or the like.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 are respectively an elevation and
plan of a compound engine, constructed in accordance with our invention. A is the
high pressure cylinder and B the low pressure cylinder.
The piston rods 1 and 2 provided with crossheads 3, 3¹ are coupled to the crank
pin C on the crankshaft C, by separate connecting rods 4, 4. The lower end of
one of the rods is forked, or the rods may be coupled side by side upon the crank
pin. The upper ends are coupled to the crossheads in the ordinary manner and
the latter are guided in a straight line by parallel motions of which 5, 5' are the
parallel arms, 6, 61 the radius rods, and 7, 71, the suspension links. The radius
rods, 61, are extended at 8 to provide for driving the air pump, etc. Any suitable
parallel motion may be employed, but we prefer the one described on account of its
greater adaptability. In this arrangement the connecting rods, 4, 4' form two sides
of a triangle, the rigid third side of the usual triangular connecting rod being
replaced by the parallel motion.
Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 2 show an arrangement of steam pumping engine for
water or other liquids. The team cylinders A-B, are placed directly over the
pumps C, D, and their piston rods are coupled direct to the rams EF and
connected to a crank shaft G by an arrangement of connecting rods the same as or
similar to that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In cases in which
high lifts occur, we may couple the rams directly to the pistons to obtain more
scope for balancing the load on the up and down strokes. In deep well pumps the
steam cylinders crank shaft, etc., would be placed at the top of the well, whilst the
pumps still coupled to the piston rods direct, would be placed at the bottom
the connecting pump rods being made of iron, wood or other suitable material.
The valve boxes 1, 2, 3, and 4, are of the usual kind.
The pumps may be single or double acting or of the bucket or bucket and
plunger, or any other known type.
Figures 5 and 6 Sheet 3 show the arrangement applied to blowing engines, air
compressors, or gas or vapour pumps. The blowing or other cylinders CD are
placed above the steam cylinders A B the piston rods connecting their respective
pistons together and being connected to a crank shaft G as described with reference
to Figures 1 and 2.
The arrangements described for coupling the cylinders to the crank shaft and
guiding the piston rods are applicable to compound and multiple expansion engines,
as diving pumping and blowing or like engines, and the steam may be used
separately in each motive power cylinder or may be passed successively from one
to the other as desired, the cylinders being grouped about the crank shaft as shewn,

page_text: or in the manner described in the Specifications of Patents already alluded to, the
piston rods of each pair of cylinders employed being coupled to the crank pin either
by T connecting rods, or by separate connecting rods and the crossheads being
guided by parallel motions as hereinbefore described or the arrangement described
in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,137 of 1890 may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In compound or multiple expansion engines the arrangement of connecting
rods coupling the piston rods of one or more pairs of cylinders to a crank shaft, in
combination with parallel motions for guiding the rods substantially as described.
2. A compound engine constructed and arranged substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A pumping engine constructed and arranged substantially as described with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A blowing or compressing engine constructed and arranged substantially as
herein before described, with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Sixth day of March 1891.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.