Improvements in and relating to Steam Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Engines.
I, JOHN HENRY EICKERSHOFF, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at No. 64 Fairfax Avenue, in the City of Cincinnati, County of Hamilton,
and State of Ohio, one of the United States of America, Mechanical, 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:-
My invention relates to that class of engines which has a continuous piston
chamber provided with an opening in its periphery through which the pistons are
connected with the shaft.
The object of the invention is to provide an engine by which a larger. proportion
of the steam pressure may be rendered effective; which is always balanced what-
ever the load may be; in which a high rate of piston speed relatively to the speed
of the shaft may be obtained, and which may be operated as an automatic or as a
reversible engine at will and operate equally well in both directions, and the
invention consists in an arrangement of the pistons the resistance slides and the
ports whereby the engine is always balanced; in means for balancing the pressure
on the resistance plates or relieve them from pressure against their seats or bearings
at the moment they are to be actuated in improved means for actuating the
distribution valves; in a construction and arrangement of parts whereby the engine
may be reversed by changing the relative position of a single bearing; in provisions
for automatic adjustment of the distribution valves and automatic reversal of the
engine, and in parts and construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described
and claimed.
My invention may be embodied in simple or compound, expansion or non-
expansion, engines having one or more pistons and one or more resistance slides.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a top view of a compound engine embodying my invention, one-half
being shown in section on the lines 1-1 of Figures 4 and 5.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the high and low pressure cylinder on line 3-3
of Figs. 4 and 5.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the high pressure cylinder on
line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a diagramatic view of the parts shown in Fig. 4 showing also the
operating mechanism for the resistance slides, but in the present fig. the parts are
shown with reference to the low pressure cylinder.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the high pressure cylinder and piston
carrying plates on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, showing the packing for the piston plates.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the packing shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the distribution valve chambers on
line 8-8 of Fig. 1 showing the governor, the distribution valves and the operating
mechanism.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section upon the same line as that of Fig. 8, but showing
the valve in reversed position and omitting the governor.
Fig. 10 is an enlarged side view of the governor connection with the cut-off
mechanism.
Fig. 11 is a horizontal section through the mechanism shown in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a detail showing one means for adjusting the position of the distribution
valves.

page_text: Referring now to the drawings, in which I have selected for illustration a two
cylinder compound engine, A designates the high pressure cylinder and A 1 the
low pressure cylinder. Both cylinders are made of sections A' and A² and provided
at their points of contact with Hanges by means of which they are bolted together;
the sections are also provided with hubs a which take over the main shaft B but
leave the latter free to revolve therein. CC are piston carrying plates keyed to
the shaft, and revolving in the space between the cylinder sections, and each
carrying a pair of pistons c and el corresponding in cross section to the interior of
the cylinders. The pistons are provided with self-acting packings to prevent any
blowing through of steam. To avoid leakage of steam from the cylinder, between
the revolving piston carrying plate C and the cylinder sections, I have provided on
each face of the plates C near the periphery, a packing which operates by the
steam pressure and is secured by wedges and set-screws as most clearly shown in
Figures 6 and 7.
In the shank portion of each of the cylinder sections near the piston chamber is
an annular groove a adapted to receive a ring D composed of segments d, which
are jointed with each other by being overlapped or interlocked. Each segment has
in its outside periphery cross grooves d' corresponding with similar grooves a² in
the cylinder sections, which when brought together form openings for wedges E
which may be actuated by set-screws e. Back of the groove a' are socket holes
arranged at suitable intervals, at least one to each segment, and adapted to receive
spiral springs d² the tension of which may be regulated by set-screws d³. The
segments d and the grooves a' are scraped on the inside periphery, so that when
united by the pressure of the wedges they make a steam tight joint. The wedges E
are tapered at the outside periphery, so that the segments are between two parallel
surfaces, between which they may move in the direction toward the revolving
plate C. The spiral springs d2 and the set-screws d³ are merely for the purpose of
holding the segments against the circular plate C when no steam is at the engine.
It will be seen that the steam from the cylinder gets between the piston carrying
plate and the cylinder sections and, through groove a³, between the segments and
the back of groove a' being confined there, because the segments have on their
inside periphery a steam-tight joint, and forcing the segments against the piston
plate C with substantially the same pressure as that in the cylinder thereby making
a perfect steam-joint. The grooves a² with wedges E prevent the segments from
following the revolving piston plate.
Each cylinder has a pair of retractable resistance plates F adapted to divide the
annular cylinder into compartments and to be withdrawn or retracted as the pistons
approach them. The plates F, which may be seated and guided in grooves of the
cylinder sections, preferably extend diagonally across the cylinder so that the
packing rings of the pistons will not be opposite the entire groove at the same time,
thereby preventing the rings from slipping into the grooves.
to
Each slide is connected by links to crank arms g mounted upon suitable rock
shafts G. This arrangement permits the slides to lie perfectly against their seats
and the steam pressure insures a practically steam-tight joint as no binding or
twisting can occur. I prefer to enclose the links and crank-arms in suitable
housings H. Upon rock-shaft G are mounted arms or levers g' which are connected
with each other by rod g². A cam I, for the operation of the resistance plates, is
mounted upon main shaft B. A lever or pendulum J is pivoted at ; and carries
near its middle a roller j. At the lower end the lever is connected by link
connecting rod g². A lever arm g is also mounted upon rock shaft G and carries
a dash pot g. The dash pot g' is for the purpose of closing the resistance plates
after they are released by the cam I. I have made the shape, in cross section, of
the low pressure cylinder different from that of the high pressure so that both
resistance plates may have the same movement and be operated from the same rock
shaft. K and K are distribution piston valves mounted in a direct line opposite
each other and rigidly connected with each other, so that they act as one valve.
These valves are operated by the cam L, yoke M, the valve rods k, k³, k², the

page_text: 13
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link k³, the rocker arm k, the connecting rod and the dash pot *. Steam
ports p, pl and p³, p³, connect the high pressure cylinder compartments; p^, p
and p, p, are steam ports connerting the low pressure cylinder compartments.
N is the main steam pipe from the boiler; 28 and p³, are the steam inlet ports to
the valve chambers; po, p" and p2, p¹³ are exhaust ports from the valve chamber,
combined in one main exhaust pipe O. A governor Q is connected by levers and
slide rod 9 to lever r; q1 and 2 are slide bearings or guides for the governor rod q;
S is a slide for the support of yoke M. Lever is fastened to cog-wheel R, which
is loosely mounted upon bolt. A second cog-wheel m, somewhat smaller than the
first, is keyed to an eccentric m¹ which carries a roller m². The connection of the
governor rod
with lever r is made by a bolt fastened.to the lever and sliding in a
slot in rod in order that the normal reciprocation of the valves may not affect
the operation of the governor but permitting the operation of the valves to be
affected by the action of the governor. The action of the governor upon the
valves K and K¹ will be seen, by referring to Fig. 8 in which the dotted lines show
the governor balls in the higher position. Lever r and eccentric m¹ will then be
in the position indicated by dotted lines.
The connection between the eccentric, the governor lever and the valves is such
that a smaller amount of steam is admitted to the cylinder when the parts are in
the position shown by the dotted lines and that a larger amount is admitted when
the governor balls are lowered. The cam L has at its periphery three bearing
surfaces 1, 11, 12, of different height, for the purpose
more fully described
hereinafter.
I have shown in Fig. 5 in dotted lines different positions of the piston_c.
Position is about the point of cutting off live steam; position 2 is about the
point for the beginning of the compression and position 3 the point where the
resistance plates cominence closing.
The operation is as follows:
The resistance plates being in their operative position steam, being admitted
from steam pipe N (Fig. 8) through ports ps and p to the lower compartment of the
high pressure cylinder A, forces the resistance plates against their seats and drives
the piston c in the direction indicated by arrows. The live steam is cut off at the
port by the edge of the piston valve K, when the projection of cam L reaches
and actuates roller m². The steam is expanding in the cylinder as long as
roller m² is on the projection and till the projection reaches and actuates
roller m. During the admission and expansion of steam in the high pressure
cylinder, the steam, which has previously actuated the piston but in the other
compartment, being now in front of piston c', between it and resistance slide F, has
been expanding through ports p² and p to one compartment of the low pressure
cylinder Al and driving the piston in said compartment in the same direction as the
one in the high pressure cylinder. The edges and 2 of the piston valve cover
the ports and as soon as projection reaches and actuates roller m² and the
steam remaining in both cylinders in front of pistons c' is compressed, as the pistons
approach the resistance plates, thereby equalizing the pressure on both sides of the
resistance plates so that the plates are balanced, at the moment the slides are to be
withdrawn by the operation of cam I and the connecting mechanism. The
resistance slides are now withdrawn, and, before the pistons are entirely over the
grooves of the slides, the cam I releases the roller of lever J and the slides are
quickly closed by the action of dash pot g, and the distribution valves are again
ready for admission of steam. The operation of piston valve K' is identical with
that of K, except that the steam is admitted to the upper compartments and
exhausted from the lower compartments of the cylinder as they appear in the
drawings. When desired the connection of the governor to roller m³ may be such
that the engine will receive counter steam or be reversed, when the load is suddenly
removed by accident or otherwise. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 9,
where the eccentric m¹ and roller m² are shown in positions opposite to those shown
in Fig. 8. When in this position the live steam port p³ is connected through pl to

page_text: the high pressure cylinder and the ports p and
from the high to low pressure,
and with p, which is the exhaust from the low pressure cylinder, and the
operation is the reverse of that shown in Fig. 8.
It will be seen that the cam L works perfectly in both directions and that the
projection ², serving in Fig. 8 for compression, serves in Fig. 9 for the admission
of steam, and the projection l, serving in Fig. 8 for the admission of steam, serves
in Fig. 9 for the compression of steam in the cylinder.
In Fig. 12 I have shown a roller m³ mounted in a sliding bearing in yoke M and
connected by a link to a lever m by means of which its position in the bearing may
be adjusted. The lever may be locked in position by any convenient means.
This
roller may be used in place of the eccentric m' and roller m² shown in Figures 10
and 11.
While I have described my invention as embodied in a two cylinder compound
engine with continuous cylinders, I do not wish to be understood as confining
myself to that construction. Nor do I wish to confine my invention to steam alone
as it is equally applicable to the use of liquids or gases under pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In the steam engine, a continuous cylinder having a slot in its periphery; a
plate mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot and carrying a pair of pistons; a
pair of resistance slides taking diagonally across the section of the cylinder, and
balanced piston valves controlling the distribution of steam.
2. In a steam engine a continuous cylinder having a slot in its periphery; a plate
mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot and carrying a pair of pistons; a pair
of self-seating resistance slides; link connections between the parts of the slides
and the operating mechanism, and balanced piston valves controlling the admission
and exhaust of steam.
3. In a steam engine a continuous cylinder having a slot in its periphery; a plate
mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot and carrying a pair of pistons; a pair
of resistance slides taking diagonally across the cylinder; a rock shaft operated
from the main shaft; levers and links connecting the rock shaft and the resistance
slides, and steam tight housings enclosing the bearings for the rock shaft, the
resistance slides, the links and the levers.
4. In a compound engine two continuous cylinders having slots in their peri-
pheries; plates mounted upon the shafts taking into the slots, and each carrying a
pair of pistons; a pair of resistance slides taking diagonally across the cylinders,
and balanced piston valves each controlling the admission of steam to the cylinders
and the exhaust therefrom.
5. In a compound engine two continuous cylinders having slots in their peri-
pheries; plates mounted upon the shafts, taking into the slots and each carrying a
pair of pistons; a pair of resistance slides in each of the cylinders taking diagonally
across the cylinder, and balanced piston valves each controlling the admission,
expansion and exhaust of steam.
6. In an engine a continuous cylinder having a slot in its periphery; a plate
mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot and carrying a pair of pistons mounted
opposite each other, and a pair of resistance slides taking diagonally across the
cylinder and mounted opposite each other.
7. In an engine the combination of a continuous cylinder; one or more pistons
adapted to travel therein; one or more retractable resistance plates; an exhaust
normally open; and means for closing the exhaust as the piston approaches a resist
ance plate, thereby balancing the pressure upon the resistance plates, substantially
as set forth.
8. The combination in an engine of distribution valves; a shaft; a cam revolving
therewith and adapted to actuate the valves, the cam having one face adapted to
hold the valves in position for the admission of steam, a second adapted to hold

page_text: them in place for the expansion and exhaust of steam, and a third adapted to hold
them in position to shut off the exhaust, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination in an engine of distribution valves; a shaft; a cam revolving
therewith having one face adapted to hold the valves in position for the admission
of steam, a second adapted to hold them in place for the expansion and exhaust
of steam and a third adapted to hold them in position to shut off the exhaust;
and a yoke connecting the distribution valves and adapted to be actuated by the
cam, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
10. The combination in an engine of distribution valves; a shaft; a cam
revolving therewith having one face adapted to hold the valves in position for
the admission of steam, a second adapted to hold them in place for the expansion
and exhaust of steam and a third adapted to hold them in position to shut off
the exhaust; a yoke connecting the distribution valves, embracing and adapted
to be actuated by the cam and a guide for the yoke, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
11. The combination in an engine of distribution valves; a shaft; a yoke
revolving therewith having one face adapted to hold the valves in position for
the admission of steam, a second adapted to hold them in place for the expansion
and exhaust of steam and a third adapted to hold them position to shut off the
exhaust a yoke connecting the distribution valves and adapted to be actuated
by the cam; a movable bearing mounted on the yoke and adapted to engage
with the cam; and means for adjusting the position of the bearing, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
12. The combination in an engine of distribution valves; a shaft; a cam; a
sliding yoke connecting the distribution valves; a movable bearing mounted on
the yoke and adapted to engage the cam; a governor, and a connection between
the governor and the movable bearing whereby the position of the bearing and
distribution valves may be controlled by the governor, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
13. The combination, in an engine, of distribution valves, a connection between
the valves; a cam adapted to actuate the valves; a movable bearing adapted to
engage with the cam; a lever adapted to adjust the position of the bearing; a
governor; a connecting rod from the governor, and a slotted connection between
the lever and the connecting rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
14. In an engine, the combination of a cam; distribution valves normally
operated thereby; a governor, and connections between the governor and the
distribution valves whereby the engine may receive counter steam and be reversed,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
15. In a steam engine the combination of a continuous cylinder having a slot
in its periphery; a plate mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot, and
carrying one or more pistons; one or more resistance plates; grooves in the
shank portion of the cylinder sections; a packing in said grooves adapted to be
operated by steam pressure, and composed of jointed segments, and regulating
screws adapted to support the packing.
16. In a steam engine the combination of a continuous cylinder. having a slot
in its periphery; a plate mounted upon the shaft taking into the slot and
carrying one or more pistons; grooves in the shank portion of the cylinder
sections; a packing in the grooves composed of segments and operated in one
direction by steam pressure, and wedges securing the segments and adapted to
press the packing against its other bearing, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
17. In a steam engine the combination of a continuous cylinder having a slot in
its periphery; a plate mounted upon the shaft, taking into the slot and carrying
one or more pistons; grooves d in the shank portion of the cylinder sections;
a sectional packing d in the grooves; 'grooves d' in the sections of the packing;
grooves a² in the shank of the cylinder sections; wedges E adapted to take into

page_text: the grooves d¹ and a², and means for actuating the wedges, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
18. In a compound engine, the combination of two or more continuous piston
cylinders, of different form in cross-section, having. slots in their peripheries;
plates mounted. on the shaft taking into the slots, and carrying one or more
pistons; retractable resistance plates for each cylinder; and a rock shaft adapted
to actuate the resistance plates, the form of the cylinders in cross section being
such that the same movement operates the resistance plates in the high and low
pressure cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 11th day of July 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.