IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: PE
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LETTERS PATENT to Loftus Perkins of Seaford Street Grays Inn Road in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM ENGINES
AND BOILERS FOR THE SAME"
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PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION left by the said Loftus Perkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1883.
LOFTUS PERKINS of Seaford Street Grays Inn Road in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR THE SAME
"
The improvements relate mainly to steam engines of the type described in the
specification of a former patent granted to me N° 168 in the year 1880. The
engine is a compound inverted cylinder engine I make the engine with the high
and low pressure cylinders ranged in a row at right angles with the crankshaft.
The high pressure cylinder I place in the centre with a low pressure cylinder on
either side of it. I connect the piston rods of all three cylinders to one triangular
connecting rod or frame the piston rod of the high pressure cylinder I joint to the
centre of the base of the triangle whilst the piston rods of the low pressure
cylinders I joint by short links to the two ends of the base. The apex of the
triangular connecting frame I joint to the crank pin. The pistons of the low
pressure cylinders have a longer stroke given to them than the pistons of the high
pressure cylinders
The triangular frame acts as an ordinary connecting rod for the piston of the
high pressure cylinder and at the completion of one stroke and the commencement
of another stroke of this piston the triangular frame or connecting rod is caused
to rock upon the pin at the centre of its base by reason of the piston of one
of the low. pressure cylinders continuing to complete its stroke whilst the
piston of the other low pressure cylinder is moved in the opposite direction
The rocking of the triangular frame thus carries the crank over the dead point
For controlling the admission of steam to and its escape from the several
cylinders I employ lifting valves but in place of lifting the valves in the manner
described in the before mentioned specification I cause them to be lifted at the

page_text: proper times in the following manner.
The valves for each cylinder I range in a
straight row or nearly so below the cylinder and at one or other side of it The
steam passages below each valve I make to open into the side of a long cylindrical
sleeve, through this sleeve is passed a spindle which fits within the sleeve at such
parts of it as are between the several steam passages, the spindle where it thus
fits the sleeve is embraced by packing rings or other packing to prevent the passage
of steam along the sleeve from one steam passage to the other.
From the underside of each valve an arm or wiper extends which is made to
rest upon a cam surface cut around the spindle. The spindle passes out from one
end of the sleeve through a stuffing box and it is rocked or rotated from this end.
Preferably I give to the spindle a rocking motion. To do this I connect an arm on
the Spindle by a connecting rod to the strap of an eccentric. In order to be able
to reverse the engine I make the eccentric so that it can be shifted sidewise at
right angles to the shaft. To shift the eccentric upon the shaft I connect it to short
lever arms on a Spindle carried by and at right angles to the shaft. Other arms on
the Spindle I connect by links to a collar which by a forked lever or otherwise can
be moved along the shaft.
In this way when the collar is moved along the shaft the Spindle will be turned
and the position of the eccentric will be shifted as required
The one eccentric is arranged to rock the three Spindles which actuate the
valves of the three cylinders. By controlling the opening and closing of the
valves in the manner above described I am able to use lifting valves in quick
running engines and to open and close the valves without noise. The working of
the engine is as follows:-The steam first enters the high pressure cylinder expands
from there into a medium pressure cylinder below it from there it passes into a
steam chamber and to one of the low pressure cylinders and afterwards from this
Cylinder to another steam Chamber and to the other low pressure Cylinder. All
, the Steam passages and Cylinders are covered in by a cover made double and
packed with non-conducting material as described in the Specification above
mentioned
For packing the Spindle used for working the valves I prefer to employ packing
material pressed into grooves formed around the interior of the sleeve the packing
material may be forced into the groove through a passage leading to the exterior
of the sleeve in a similar manner to what is known as a Stanah's stuffing box but
in place of the packing in the groove being made simply to forin an annular ring
around the spindle. I so form the groove in which the packing is held that the
packing makes more than one complete turn around the spindle, winding around it
as a spiral with the coils of the spiral close up one to the other. This way of
forming stuffing boxes is also applicable for packing valve rods, piston rods, pistons,
plungers, and other parts of steam engines. Also for packing the pump plungers
or piston rods or such like. I use two or more such packings at distances apart
from one another, by so doing I am able to adjust the packing in the stuffing
boxes even when the engine is running. The boiler for supplying steam to the
engine I make as heretofore of an assemblage of tubes each of comparatively small
diameter enclosed within a casing of non-conducting material.
The space immediately above the fire bars is left open except that tubes are ranged
around the sides of the non-conducting casing.
The upper part of the casing is filled up with an assemblage of tubes with small
spaces between them as described in the Specification before mentioned but in place
of the casing being made of the same width at top and bottom I now make it
wider at the bottom than at the top. The sides of the fire box are thus made to
slope inwards whilst the upper part of the casing containing the main assemblage
of tubes may be parallel that is of the same size at the top as at the bottom.
In this way a greatly extended service of fire grate is obtained and the boiler
is rendered more efficient than heretofore.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Loftus Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st September 1883.
LOFTUS PERKINS of Seaford Street Grays Inn Road in the County of Middlesex
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR THE SAME
"
The improvements relate mainly to steam engines of the type described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to me N° 168 in the year-1880. The
engine is a compound inverted cylinder engine. I make the engine with the high
and low pressure cylinders ranged in a row at right angles with the crank shaft.
The high pressure cylinder I place in the centre with a low pressure cylinder on
either side of it. I connect the piston rods of all three cylinders to one triangular
connecting rod or frame-the piston rod of the high pressure cylinder I joint to
the centre of the base of the triangle whilst the piston rods of the low pressure
cylinders I joint by short links to the two ends of the base. The apex of the
triangular connecting frame I joint to the crank pin. The pistons of the low
pressure cylinders have a longer stroke given to them than the pistons of the high
pressure cylinders. The triangular frame acts as an ordinary connecting rod for
the piston of the high pressure cylinder and at the completion of one stroke and
the commencement of another stroke of this piston the triangular frame or
connecting rod is caused to rock upon the pin at the centre of its base by reason
of the piston of one of the low pressure cylinders continuing to complete its stroke
whilst the piston of the other low pressure cylinder is moved in the opposite
direction. The rocking of the triangular frame thus carries the crank over the
dead point..
For controlling the admission of steam to and its escape from the several
cylinders I employ lifting valves but in place of lifting the valves in the manner
described in the before mentioned specification I cause them to be lifted at the ;
proper times in the following manner. The valves for each cylinder I range in a
row at one or other side of the cylinder.. The steam passages below each valve
I make to open into the side of a long cylindrical sleeve-through this sleeve is
passed a spindle which fits within the sleeve at such parts of it as are between the
several steam passages the spindle where it. thus fits the sleeve is embraced by.
packing rings or other packing to prevent the passage of steam along the sleeve
from one steam passage to the other. 1
From the underside of each valve extends a rod carrying an arm or. wiper which
is made to rest upon a cam surface cut around the spindle. The spindle passes out
from one end of the sleeve through a stuffing box and it is rocked or rotated from
this end. Preferably I give to the spindle a rocking motion. To do this I connect
an arm on the spindle by a connecting rod to the strap of an eccentric. In order
to be able to reverse the engine I make the eccentric so that it can be shifted
sidewise at right angles to the shaft. To shift the eccentric upon the shaft I
connect it to short lever arms on a spindle carried by and at right angles to the
shaft. Other arms on the spindle I connect by links to a collar wbich by a forked
lever or otherwise can be moved along the shaft.
In this way when the collar is moved along the shaft the spindle will be turned
and the position of the eccentric will be shifted as required.
The one eccentric is arranged to rock the three spindles which actuate the valves
of the three cylinders. By controlling the opening and closing of the valves in
the manner above: described. I.am. able to. use lifting valves in quick running
:

page_text: engines and to open and close the valves without injury. The working of the
engine is as follows:-The steam first enters the high pressure cylinder expands
from there into a medium pressure cylinder below it-from there it passes into a
steam chamber and to one of the low pressure cylinders and afterwards from this
cylinder to another steam chamber and to the other low pressure cylinder. All the
steam passages and cylinders are covered in by a cover made double and packed
with non-conducting material as described in the specification above mentioned.
This
For packing the spindle used for working the valves I prefer to employ packing
material pressed into grooves formed around the interior of the sleeve-the packing
material may be forced into the groove through a passage leading to the exterior of
the sleeve in a similar manner to what is known as a Stanah's stuffing box or in
place of the packing in the groove being made simply to form an annular ring
around the spindle I in some cases so form the groove in which the packing is held
that the packing makes more than one complete turn around the spindle, winding
around it as a spiral with the coils of the spiral close up one to the other.
way of forming stuffing boxes is also applicable for packing valve rods, piston rods,
pistons, plungers, and other parts of steam engines. Also for packing the pump
plungers or piston rods or such like. I use two or more such packings at distances
apart from one another-by so doing I am able to adjust the packing in the
stuffing boxes even when the engine is running. The boiler for supplying steam to
the engine I make as heretofore of an assemblage of tubes each of comparatively
small diameter enclosed within a casing of non-conducting material.
The space immediately above the fire bars is left open except that tubes are
ranged around the sides of the non-conducting casing.
The upper part of the casing is filled up with an assemblage of tubes with small
spaces between them as described in the specification before mentioned but in place
of the casing being made of the same width at top and bottom I now make it
wider at the bottom than at the top. The sides of the fire box are thus made to
slope inwards whilst the upper part of the casing containing the main assemblage
of tubes may be parallel that is of the same size at the top as at the bottom.
In this way a greatly extended surface of fire grate is obtained and the boiler is
rendered more efficient than heretofore.
Having thus described the nature of my invention I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a vertical cross section Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal_section
and Figure 3 a plan of an engine constructed as above described. Figures 4. 5
and 6 shew on a larger scale parts of the mechanism for operating some of the
valves. Figures 7. 8. 9 and 10' shew on a larger scale the parts of the reversing
gear. Figures 11. 12. 13. and 14 shew the improved packings suitable for
packing the spindles used for operating the valves or for packing pump plungers
and such like. Figure 15 shews a vertical cross section of the boiler.
In Figures 1. 2 and 3 A B C D are the steam cylinders ranged in a row at right
angles to the crank shaft E. F is the triangular connecting rod or frame at the
centre of its base it is jointed to the block G to which the piston rod of the
cylinders A B is also secured. G₁ are fixed vertical guides upon which the block G
slides up and down. At its two ends the triangular connecting rod is jointed by
links C* D* to the piston rods of the cylinders C and D which both of them have
a somewhat longer stroke given to them than the piston rod of the cylinders A B.
A is the high pressure cylinder to which the steam is first admitted. It is
single acting that is high pressure steam is admitted only to the top of the
cylinder- the admission of steam to the top of this cylinder from the steam
pipe H is controlled by the valve A' (see Figure 3)—the valve A² controls the
exhaust of steam from the top of this cylinder into the bottom of the cylinder B.
-

page_text: The valve B' controls the exhaust from the bottom of the cylinder B into a steam
chamber H-the annular space around the interior and exterior of this chamber
is open to this chamber. The three valves A' A' B¹ are all worked by cams on
the rocking shaft I. From the steam chamber H the steam is conducted by a
pipe H¹ to a valve chamber J. From this chamber steam is admitted by the
valve C to the top of the cylinder C and by the valve C to the bottom of the
cylinder C3 is the valve by which steam is exhausted from the top of the
cylinder and Cis the valve by which it is exhausted from the bottom of
the cylinder. All these valves are worked by cams on the rock shaft K. The
steam exhausted from this cylinder passes by the pipe L to a valve chamber M
from which it is admitted by valves D D to the top and bottom of the cylinder--
D³ D are the valves by which steam is exhausted from this cylinder-All the
valves D' D2 D3 D4 are worked by cams on the rock shaft N. In order that the
way in which the valves are lifted by the cams on the rock shaft may be clearly
understood I have shewn separately at Figures 4, 5 and 6 the rock shaft K used
for lifting the valves C1 C2 C3 C4 and the cylindrical sleeve in which this shaft
turns. Figure 4 is a vertical section through the sleeve-Figure 5 à horizontal
section and Figure 6 a vertical cross section taken through the cam used for
lifting the exhaust valve for the top of the cylinder C. In these figures the lifting
rods by which the valves are lifted are marked with the same letters of reference
as the valves they lift-K is the rock shaft K¹ the sleeve in which it turns
K2 circular grooves around the interior of the sleeve into which packing is forced.
The packing might be accomplished by placing metallic packing rings around the
shaft I prefer however to effect it in the way shown. The ends of the shaft may
pass out from the ends of the sleeve through ordinary stuffing boxes. Each lifting
rod has an arm or wiper standing out from it which rests on the surface of one of
the cams K on the shaft K as seen best at Figure 6-The lifting rod for lifting.
the top exhaust valve C³ is at one side of the shaft K and, the rod for lifting the
bottom exhaust valve C on the opposite side of the shaft. The cams used for
lifting them are made alike except that they are in opposite directions that is one
is right handed the other left handed so that one rod is lifted when the shaft is
rocked in one direction and the other when the shaft is rocked in the other
direction. In the position shewn at Figure 6 both valves are closed-if the shaft
is rocked to the left from position-1 in which it is shewn in Figure 6 into position 2
the valve Cs is lifted and if rocked to the right into position 3 the valve C is
lifted. The steam admission valves C¹ C³ are worked just in the same way.
The lifting rods pass down as shown into small side extensions from the sleeve K¹
these are each provided with an end cover K³ to give ready access to the fingers
and allow of their being adjusted on the ends of the lifting rods. It is not essential
that the shafts I K and N should have a rocking motion given to them they
might be made to revolve the form of the cams upon them would then be
modified accordingly.
As will be seen at Figure 1 the rock shafts I K and N are all rocked by the
action of one eccentric O on the crank shaft. One end of each shaft has an armı
projecting from it and this arm is by a link O' coupled to the strap of the eccentric
as shewn at Figure 1.
I will now proceed to describe more fully the way in which I effect the shifting
of the eccentric upon the shaft for reversing the engine. Figure 7 shows a cross
section of the shaft near to the point where the eccentric is mounted upon it-
Figures 8 and 9 are sections through the eccentric in a plane parallel with the
shaft the eccentric strap is not shewn in these figures.
Where the eccentric embraces the shaft the shaft is made square-the eccentric
has a rectangular slot through which the square shaft passes.
The eccentric can be slidden across the shaft so that the point of its circum-
ference furthest from the shaft can either be brought onto the radial line 1 or onto
the radial line 2 in Figure 7.
:

page_text: The eccentric is a broad one-it is made hollow in the centre along each of the
longer sides in the slot-a link P lies in each of these hollows. One end of each
link is coupled by a pin Q to the eccentric and the other by another pin to lever
arms R the axis of which turns in bearings fixed to one side of the shaft. Other
arms R¹ on this axis are by links R³ coupled to pins R³ carried by a disc R' which
can slide along the shaft but which by a key is made to turn with it as shewn at
Figure 10. The outer circumference of the disc R is surrounded by a loose
collar S. This collar is by pins S¹ projecting from its opposite sides jointed to the
forked end of a. lever T (see Figure 3) The opposite end of this lever is by
a connecting rod V jointed, to a slide W which by means of a screw turned by
the hand wheel X can be moved to and fro along guides Y. In this way the
position of the eccentric upon the shaft can at any time be varied by turning the
hand wheel X. Z is a casing packed with non-conducting material by which the
several steam cylinders and valve boxes of the engine are covered in-it can be
lifted up through a hatchway in the deck of the vessel.
At Figures 11 and 12 I have shewn my improved plan of packing pump plungers.
and such like by the use of two grooves filled with packing one groove at a short
distance from the other and one supplied with packing through a tangential
passage opening into it on one side and the other through a tangential passage
opening into it on the opposite side.
At Figures 13 and 14 I have shewn how the spindles used for lifting the valves
of steam engines as herein before described or the plungers of pumps or other
parts of steam engines may be packed by packing contained in a groove that
makes more than one complete turn around the sleeve' or other part through which
the spindle or plunger passes and that can also be packed with packing through
either one or other of two separate passages Z Z at the two ends of the groove.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3 many details are shewn of the way in which I prefer to
construct various other parts of the steam engine but as these form no part of the
Invention claimed under this Patent I have not thought it necessary to give any
detailed description of them.
At Figure 15 I have shewn a vertical transverse section of a steam boiler
constructed as herein before described. In this figure A is a casing packed with
non-conducting material-B are the fire bars. CC are tubes ranged around the
inner sides of the lower part of the casing A above the fire bars. D D is an
assemblage of tubes occupying the interior of the upper part of the casing. It will
be seen that the sides of the outer casing A below the assemblage of tubes D are
made to incline outwards so that the casing is wider at the bottom than at the
top and increased area of fire grate is obtained.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements in steam
engines and boilers for the same.
First. The construction of steam engines substantially, as herein before
described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Second. The triangular connecting rod jointed at the centre and ends of its base
to the piston rods of three steam cylinders and at the apex to the crank pin of a
crank shaft substantially as described.
Third. The combination of a high and medium pressure cylinder one above the
other and with their piston rod jointed to the centre of the base of a triangular
connecting rod the two ends of the base of which rod are linked one to the end of
the piston of one expansion cylinder and the other to the piston of another expansion
cylinder whilst the apex of the triangular connecting rod is jointed to the crank
pin of the crank shaft substantially as described.
Fourth. The means substantially as herein before described for opening the
valves of engines when lifting valves are used.
Fifth. The means substantially as described for shifting the position of the
valve eccentric on the crank shaft.

page_text: Sixth. The improved arrangements of stuffing boxes substantially as herein
before described.
Seventh. The improved construction of steam boiler substantially as herein
before described.
In witness whereof I the said Loftus Perkins have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty Third day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.