Improvements in and relating to Valves for Steam and other Motive Fluid Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Valves for Steam and other Motive
Fluid Engines.
I. SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement
of rotary valves and valve seats for steam and other motive fluid engines whereby
the admission of steam or other motive fluid (hereinafter referred to as steam)
from a steam chest to an engine cylinder or cylinders can be effected in a more
advantageous manner than heretofore usual with such valves.
For this purpose one or each end of the rotary valve, according as the valve
is to be used in a non-reversing or reversing engine, is formed with one or more
recesses of angular or helical shape in its periphery, one side of the recess, or
of each recess, being parallel or approximately so, to the axis of the valve, and
the other side inclined to such axis, the length of the inclined side depending
upon the degree of cut off desired, and the degree of incliration upon the required
amount of wire-drawing which is dependent upon the pressure of the steam in the
steam chest. The valve. which is or may be in the form of a tube or sleeve and be
mounted upon the driving shaft, or an extension thereof projecting into the steam
chest, so as to rotate therewith, is arranged to revolve against one or more con-
cave valve seats which, or each of which, partly surrounds the valve and is
formed with one or two ports.
By the above described arrangement, steam can pass in a direct manner, and
without obstruction, from the steam chest to the steam port, or one of such ports,
and thence to the engine cylinder when the port is uncovered by the recessed
end of the rotary valve.
The valve, or the valve seat, or each such seat, may be connected to an
external regulating device, such as a hand lever, or a governor, or both, by which
it can be moved longitudinally for regulating the supply of steam.
In one arrangement, suitable for a reversible rotary engine, the rotary valve
is recessed at each end, fixed upon a spindle, and arranged to work against a
valve seat in the form of a block that is formed with a single port and is adapted
to be moved to and fro by an external hand wheel or lever or governor, so as
to bring the said port more or less opposite one or other of two inclined passages
connected to pipes leading to the engine cylinder, and also to regulate the supply
of steam to such port. The inner end of the steam passage through the valve
seat is preferably contracted in length and extended in width as compared with
the outer end in order to give full port room with a minimum travel of the seat.
In a modified arrangement, suitable also for a reversible rotary engine, the
rotary valve is recessed at each end as described, and feathered upon a rotary
spindle along which it can be moved endways by an arm fixed to a rock shaft
that extends through a stufting box on one side of the steam chest and is con-

page_text: nected externally to a regulating lever, hand wheel or governor. The valve
seat, which is fixed, is formed with two inclined ports or passages leading to
separate pipes or passages connected to the engine cylinder, one port being
controlled by one end of the valve and the other by the other end of the valve
and one port being closed when the valve is moved into position to control the
supply of steam to the other.
A rotary valve of the kind herein described may advantageously be used as
a reducing valve for controlling the admission of steam to the steam chest in
cases where the steam is supplied at a greater pressure than that at which it is
desired to use such steam in the engine cylinder, the valve acting to wire-draw
and so reduce the pressure of the steam on its admission to the steam chest.
Such a steam admission valve may be fixed upon the same spindle as the main
valve that controls the supply of steam from the steam chest to the engine.
Dated this 7th day of October 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Valves for Steam and other Motive
Fluid Engines.
I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 has reference to an improved construction and arrangement
of rotary valves and valve seats for steam and other motive fluid engines whereby
the admission of steam or other motive fluid (hereinafter referred to as steam)
from a steam chest to an engine cylinder or cylinders can be effected in a more
advantageous manner than heretofore usual with such valves.
For this purpose one or each end of the rotary valve, according as the valve
is to be used in a non-reversing or reversing engine, is formed with one or more
recesses of angular or helical shape in its periphery, one side of the recess, or
of each recess being parallel or approximately so, to the axis of the valve, and
the other side inclined to such axis, the length of the inclined side depending
upon the degree of cut off desired, and the degree of inclination upon the required
amount of wire-drawing which is dependent upon the pressure of the steam
in the steam chest. The valve, which is or may be mounted upon the driving
shaft, or an extension thereof projecting into the steam chest, so as to rotate
therewith, is arranged to revolve against one or more concave valve seats which,
or each of which, partly surrounds the valve and is formed with one or two ports.
By the above described arrangement, steam can pass in a direct manner, and
without obstruction, from the steam chest to the steam port, or one of such ports
if there be two, and thence to the engine cylinder when the port is uncovered by
the recessed end of the rotary valve.
The valve, or the valve seat, or each such seat if there be more than one, as
for example when a single valve is used to control the supply of steam to two or
more engines or sets of engines, may be connected to an external regulating
device, such as a hand lever, or a governor, or both, by which it can be moved
longitudinally for regulating the supply of steam.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings shows in longitudinal vertical

page_text: section and Fig. 2 in cross section, the steam chest of a reversible engine fitted
with a rotary valve and an adjustable valve seat according to the present inven
tion. Fig. 3 is a plan of the valve alone.
I is the rotary valve formed at each end with a recess 2 of angular shape, the
side 3 of each recess being parallel to the axis of the valve, and the other side 4
inclined to such axis. In this example the rotary valve is fixed upon a rotary
spindle 5 within a steam chest 6 and is arranged to work against a valve scat 7
in the shape of a block that is made concave on the side next the valve, and is
formed with a single port 7. The seat is adapted to be moved to and fro upon
the valve 1 by a rod 8 connected to an external regulating device such as a hand
lever 9, so as to bring the said port more or less opposite one or other, (according
to the desired direction of rotation of the engine) of two inclined passages 10, 10"
that are formed in a block 11 and are in communication with pipes 12, 12" leading
to the engine cylinder, and also for the purpose of controlling the point of cut
off and consequently the supply of steam to such port and the corresponding
pipe.
The block 11 may advantageously be pressed against the seat 7 by
springs 11" to compensate for wear. The inner end of the steam port 7", that
is to say the end next the block 11, is preferably contracted in length and extended
in width as compared with the outer end or that next the rotary valve I in order
to give full port room with a minimum travel of the seat.
Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, showing a
modified arrangement, suitable also for a reversible rotary engine, in which the
rotary valve 1 is recessed at each end as before but is feathered upon the rotary
spindle 5 along which it can be moved endways by arms 13 that engage a collar 14
on the boss 1 of the valve and are fixed to a rock shaft 15 that extends through
a stuffing box 16 on one side of the steam chest 6 and is connected externally
to a regulating lever 9 or other suitable regulating device. The concave valve
seat 7, which in this case is fixed endways, is formed with two inclined ports or
passages 7", 7b leading to separate pipes 12, 12" connected to the engine cylinder,
one port 7" or 7b being controlled by one recessed end of the valve 1 and the other
port by the other recessed end of the valve, and one port being closed when the
valve is moved into position to control the supply of steam to the other port.
The rotary valve is shown solid but it may if desired be made as a tube or
sleeve.
By constructing a rotary valve with a recess of the kind described in one or
each end, steam can readily enter the recess, and the port in connection with
which the valve works will be fully opened to steam when the parallel edge 3
of the recess 2 in the valve comes opposite the port, and the port will then be
gradually closed by the inclined edge 4 of the recess, whereby the supply of
steam will be regulated in an advantageous manner.
A rotary valve of the kind herein described may advantageously be used as
a reducing valve for controlling the admission of steam to the steam chest in
cases where the steam is supplied at a greater pressure than that at which it is
desired to use such steam in the engine cylinder, the valve acting to wire-draw
and to reduce the pressure of the steam on its admission to the steam chest. Such
a steam admission valve may be fixed upon the same spindle 5 as the main
valve that controls the supply of steam from the steam chest to the engine.
In the case of a reversible engine, an arrangement of rotary valve and valve
seat like either of those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or in Figs. 4 and 5 arranged
in a separate steam chest, may be employed, the two pipes or passages corre-
sponding to 12 and 12", or in lieu thereof a single port, communicating in such
case with the steam chest 6 containing the main rotary distributing valve 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A rotary valve for a steam or other motive fluid engine formed at one or

page_text: at each end with one or more peripheral recesses of angular or helical shape,
one side of the recess, or of each recess, being parallel, or approximately so, to
the axis of the valve and the other side inclined to such axis, substantially as
herein described with reference to the drawings.
2. In a steam or other motive fluid engine, the combination with a concave
valve seat formed with one or more ports connected to a passage or passages
leading to the engine cylinder, or to a steam chest, of a cylindrical main valve
mounted to rotate against the concave side of said seat and formed at one or
at each end with an angular recess one side of which is parallel, or approximately
so, to the axis of the valve and the other side is inclined to such axis, the said
valve and valve seat being adjustable relatively to one another in an endways
direction for varying the point of cut off, and also for changing the port and
passage through which the steam is supplied in the case of a reversible engine,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
3. Rotary valves and valve seats for steam and other motive fluid engines,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Figs. 1; 2 and 3; and in Figs. 4 and 5 of the
drawings annexed.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.