Improvements in Apparatus for Setting Out or Aligning Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Setting Out or Aligning Engines.
We, GEORGE JOSEPH HUNT, Engineer, and THOMAS FERGUSON MCKECHNIE,
Machinist, both of New Westminster, in the Province of British Columbia, and
Dominion of Canada, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device, especially
designed for use in assembling the parts of an engine so as to bring the same in
proper alignment without the tedious process of calibering, as is now practised.
The invention consists of adjustable heads having central openings and adapted
to be secured to the cylinder and a cord holder adapted to be vertically or laterally
adjusted to bring it in line with the central openings of the heads.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be more fully described hereinafter.
The heads are similar in construction and adapted to be secured in the ends of
the bore of the cylinder of the engine, each being provided with a casing in which
are fitted pairs of slide racks carried by rods which extend in opposite directions
through the ends of the casing and whose outer ends are provided with feet (prefer-
ably connected to the rods by a pin to permit of their ready removal) furnished
with two parallel arms adapted to bear against the inside of the cylinder. Each
arm has near its outer end a lug which abuts against the end of the cylinder, to
prevent displacement of the head. The racks mesh at opposite sides with a pinion
provided with a hollow hub mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the casing.
The outer end of the hub is screw-threaded, to receive a nut which abuts against
the casing so as to lock the hub and its pinion in place after the rods, with their
fect, are adjusted. The extreme outer end of the hub is provided with a knob for
conveniently turning the pinion so as to move the two racks inward or outward to
disengage or engage the feet from or with the cylinder, as previously described.
In one end of the hub, there is a bushing having an opening which can be used for
sighting, or through which is adapted to pass a cord, as hereinafter described.
In large cylinders, an extension can be placed on the end of the rod in place of
the foot and secured therein by the pin which passes through a socket in the
extension. The outer end of the extension is formed with a reduced part which is
adapted to receive the foot secured thereto by a pin. A. pointer can be used within
the hub in place of the bushing, for centreing pistons and other parts of the
engine. The cord holder
adapted to be placed on the end of the frame on which
the cylinder is placed. This cord holder is supported on a hollow post in which is
fitted a sliding rack rod engaged by a pinion secured on a shaft mounted to turn in
suitable bearings in the post and provided with a hand wheel so that the operator
may move the rod up or down in the hollow post. When the desired position has
been reached a set screw fastens the latter in place. The upper end of the rod
carries a horizontally-extending semi-circular frame provided at its top with
parallel guide ways on which is fitted to slide a plate having a downwardly-
extending nut engaged by a screw-rod mounted to turn and held in suitable bearings
in one end of the frame and provided at its outer end with a hand wheel for
conveniently turning the said screw-rod to move the plate forward and backward
on the guide ways. From the top of the plate there project standards in which is
mounted to turn a shaft carrying a spool on which the above mentioned cord is
wound, said cord passing through the openings of the bushings in the heads. The
outer end of the shaft of the spool or drum is provided with a hand wheel for

page_text: conveniently turning the said drum to wind up or unwind the cord or rope and one
of the ends of the spool carries a ratchet wheel with which a pawl pivoted to one
of the standards engages, serving to lock the drum in place when the cord has been
drawn tight.
The device is used as follows;-In assembling the parts of an engine, the
cylinder is first placed on the frame in a proper position and then the heads are
secured in the bore of the cylinder, by the operator first turning the pinion so as to
move the rods outward to engage their feet with opposite sides of the cylinder.
When this has been accomplished, the operator screws up the nut so as to lock the
pinion in place, thereby securely holding the heads in position. When the bushings,
are in place, their openings serve as sights for placing the holder in the proper.
position on the lower end of the frame supporting the cylinder or at any other
convenient place. The spool or drum with the extended cord, can then be brought
into proper position by adjusting the frame vertically by means of the rack and
pinion and by adjusting the plate laterally by turning the screw rod, as previously
mentioned. By this vertical and lateral adjustment, the cord can be brought into
the proper place relative to the bushings of the heads, the openings of the said
bushings being in the axial line of the cylinder. When the cord is in a proper place,
the other parts of the engine can be readily laid out or set on a frame so as to be
in proper alignment with the cylinder. In this manner, the slides for the cross
head as well as the bearings for the main driving shaft will be readily located in
the proper place.
Dated this 29th day of May 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Setting Out or Aligning Engines.
We, GEORGE JOSEPII HUNT, Engineer, and THOMAS FERGUSON MCKECHNIE,
Machinist, both of New Westminster, in the Province of British Columbia, and
Dominion of Canada, 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 apparatus especially designed for use in assembling the
parts of an engine whereby to bring the same in proper alignment without the tedious
process of calibering as is now practised.
The apparatus comprises adjustable heads having central openings and adapted
to be secured to the cylinder and a cord holder adapted to be vertically or laterally
adjusted to bring it in line with the central openings of the heads. It further
comprises certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be more
fully described hereinafter.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus as applied in use, the cylinder being
shewn in séction..
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a head, with parts in section and the covers
removed.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same on line - Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an end view of one of the feet of the head.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the pinion-for actuating the feet of the head.
"
Figure 6 is a side elevation of an extension for the feet of the head, parts being
in section.

page_text: Figure 7 is a side elevation of a pointer to be used for centreing pistons, etc.,
Figure 8 is a side elevation; Figure 9 is an end elevation; and Figure 10 is a
plan view of a cord holder.
ز
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The improved apparatus for use in aligning and assembling the parts of an
engine is provided with two heads A A' similar in construction and adapted to be
secured in the ends of the bore of the cylinder B of the engine, the parts of which
are to be assembled. Each head is provided with a casing A' in which are fitted
to slide racks C and C provided with rods D and D₁ respectively, extending in
opposite directions and fitted to slide through the ends of the casing A as illustrated
in Figures 2 and 3. On the outer ends of the rods D and D are secured the
feet E and E respectively, each provided with two parallel arms E³ adapted to
bear against the inside of the cylinder B, as shewn in Figure 1, each of the
arms E being also provided with a lug E³ adapted to abut against the end of the
cylinder so as to prevent displacement of the head. The racks C and C¹ gear
with a pinion F between them provided with a hollow hub F1 journaled in the
casing A² the part of the hub being screw-threaded to receive a nut G which
abuts against the casing so as to lock the hub F and pinion F in place after the
rods D and D' with their feet E and E' have been adjusted. On the extreme
outer end of the hub F is secured a knob F³ for turning the pinion F in order to
move the two racks C and C¹ inward or outward to disengage or engage the
feet E and E' from or with the cylinder as previously described. In one end of
the hub is secured a bushing H having an opening H¹ which can be used for
sighting or through which a cord may be passed as hereinafter more fully described.
The feet E and E¹ are preferably secured to their rods D and D' by means of a
pin E which is removable to permit the removal of the foot. In large cylinders an
extension E (Figure 6) can be placed on the end of the rods D and D¹ in place of
the foot and secured by the pin E passing through a socket E' in the extension, the
outer end of the extension E being reduced as at E to receive the foot E or E
secured thereto by a pin E. The pointer H2 shewn in Figure 7 can be used
within the hub F in place of the bushing H for centreing pistons and other parts.
of the engine. A cord holder I (separately represented on a larger scale in
Figures 8, 9 and 10) is adapted to be placed on the end of the frame on which the
cylinder B is placed. This cord holder is provided with a base J supporting
a hollow post J in which is fitted to slide a rod K provided with rack teeth Kin
gear with a pinion L' secured on a shaft L which is mounted to turn in bearings on
the hollow post J¹ and is provided with a hand wheel L2 by which the shaft and
pinion L¹ may be rotated to move the rod K up or down in the hollow post J' the
rod when so adjusted being firmly secured in the desired position by a set screw K³.
On the upper end of the rod K is secured a horizontally-extending semi-circular
frame N provided at its top with parallel guide ways N¹ on which is fitted to slide
a plate O having a nut O' at the under side through which works a screw rod P
mounted to turn without longitudinal motion in bearings in one end of the frame N
and provided with a hand wheel P¹ for turning the said screw rod P to move the
plate O to and fro along the guide ways N¹ of the frame N. On the plate are
secured standards Q in which is mounted a shaft R₁ carrying a spool R on which is
wound a cord T adapted to pass through the openings H of the bushings H in the
heads A and A', see Figure 1. The shaft R' is provided with a hand wheel R² for
turning the drum R to wind up or unwind the cord or rope T and one face of the
spool or drum R is provided with a ratchet-wheel R³ which is engaged by a pawl S
pivoted to one of the standards Q by which the drum R is locked when the cord T
has been drawn tight.
The apparatus is used as follows:-In assembling the parts of an engine, the
cylinder is first placed on the frame in proper position and then the heads A and A'
are secured in the bore of the cylinder, as previously mentioned, by first turning the
pinion so as to move the rods D and D outward to bring their feet E and E'
against the sides of the cylinder B, the nut G being then screwed up so as to lock

page_text: the pinion F and thereby securely hold the heads A. and A¹ in position. When the
bushings H are in place their openings H' serve as sights for placing the holder I
in the proper position on the lower end of the frame supporting the cylinder B or at
any other convenient place. The spool or drum R with the extended cord T can
then be brought into proper position by adjusting the frame N vertically, by means
of the rack and pinion Land by adjusting the plate O laterally, by turning the
screw rod P. By this vertical and lateral adjustment, the cord T can be brought
into the proper place relatively to the bushings H of the heads A and A¹ the
openings of the said bushings being in the axial line of the cylinder B. When
the cord T is in the proper place, the other parts of the engine can be readily laid
out or set on a frame so as to be in proper alignment with the cylinder B. In this
manner the slides for the cross-head as well as the bearings for the main shaft may
be readily located in the proper place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
1. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, the combination, with a cord
holder, of an adjustable head having a central opening and adapted to be secured to
the cylinder to connect by a rope with the said cord holder, substantially as shewn
and described.
2. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a head comprising a casing two
rods fitted to slide in the said casing in opposite directions and feet on the outer
ends of the said rods provided with parallel arms adapted to bear against the side
of the cylinder and lugs E3 on the outer ends of the said arms to abut against the
cylinder end, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a head comprising a casing two
rods fitted to slide in the said casing in opposite directions, feet on the outer ends
of the said rods and adapted to bear against the side of the cylinder a pinion
gearing with racks on the said rods and provided with a hollow hub and a bushing
having a central opening and fitting into the said hollow hub, substantially as shewn
and described.
4. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a head comprising a casing two
rods fitted to slide in the said casing in opposite directions, feet on the outer ends
of the said rods adapted to bear against the side of the cylinder a pinion gearing
with racks on the said rods and provided with a hollow hub a bushing having a
central opening and fitting into the said hollow hub and a nut screwing on the said
hub and against the casing to lock the pinion in place, substantially as shewn and
described.
5. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a head comprising a casing, two
rods fitted to slide in the said casing in opposite directions, feet on the ends of the
said rods adapted to bear against the side of the cylinder a pinion gearing with racks
on the said rods and provided with a hollow hub a bushing having a central opening
and fitting into the said hollow hub and extensions adapted to be secured to the
said rods, substantially as shewn and described.
6. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a cord holder comprising a base
having a hollow post, a rod fitted to slide in the said base a horizontal frame
secured on the said rod a plate fitted to slide in the said frame, and a spool or drum
mounted to turn on the said plate, substantially as shewn and described.
7. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a cord holder comprising a base
having a hollow post a rod fitted to slide in the said base a horizontal frame secured
on the said rod a plate fitted to slide in the said frame a spool or drum mounted to
turn on the said plate and means, substantially as shewn and described, for
imparting a vertical movement to the said rod and lateral movement to the said
plate, as set forth.
8. In an apparatus for use in aligning engines, a cord holder comprising a base
having a hollow post a rod fitted to slide in the said base a horizontal frame secured

page_text: on the said rod a plate fitted to slide in the said frame a spool or drum mounted to
turn on the said plate and a ratchet wheel and pawl for locking the said drum in
place, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 28th day of September 1891
G. J. HUNT.
T. F. McKECHNIE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.