IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATORS FOR STEAM, AIR, GAS AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Pimbley, George Pimbley and James Taylor
Staton Pimbley all of Springside Gt. Lever near Bolton in the County
of Lancaster for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATORS FOR
STEAM, AIR, GAS AND OTHER ENGINES"
་་
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Pimbley, George
Pimbley, and James Taylor Staton Pimbley at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 9th June 1883.
JOSEPH PIMBLEY, GEORGE PIMBLEY, and JAMES TAYLOR STATON PIMBLEY,
all of Springside, Gt Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancaster " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INDICATORS FOR STEAM, AIR, GAS AND OTHER ENGINES.
"
The object of our invention is to effect improvements in the form and
construction of indicators and to afford increased facilities for the taking of
indicator diagrams.
Our improved indicator consists of the usual drum which carries the paper upon
its circumference, and one, two or more cylinders, fitted with pistons, springs, and
pencils, to register the pressures and vacuum.
When two cylinders are used they are placed on opposite sides of the drum,
with the pencils turned next to the drum. The cylinders and drum are fitted to
one stand or bed plate, which can be fixed to any convenient part of the engine.
When fitted to a steam engine cylinder, one of the indicator cylinders is usually
connected with the bottom of the engine cylinder and the other with the top; but
the cocks are arranged so as to be put in communication with the atmosphere, the
engine cylinder, the boiler, or the condenser.
The indicator pistons have rods attached which carry crossheads working in
slots in the upper part of the cylinders, or in attachments to the cylinders. These
crossheads have springs attached which are regulated to the necessary force or
tension, which press in a direct line upon the crossheads. The crosshead is bored
to receive a ram which carries the pencil, and this ram is fitted with a spring to
cause the pencil to impinge against the drum. The back end of the ram is bored
[Price Gd

page_text: to receive an eccentric bar, fitted to the indicator cylinder; by turning which
bar the operator can withdraw the pencil or allow it to act as desired; and
two or more eccentric bars can be coupled together for simultaneous action.
The usual spring, and grooved pullies are fitted to the drum, for guiding the cord
and imparting motion to the drum.
The drum has a groove at each end, the lower groove being formed in the
circumference of the bottom flange, and the upper groove being similarly formed
in the upper (moveable) flange or cap. These grooves are for the purpose of
retaining the prepared paper for diagrams, of which a number of sheets may be
fixed at one time, and the sheets have lines of perforations to facilitate the removal
of the diagrams without disturbing the apparatus.
By means of this improved indicator, the two ends of a steam engine cylinder
can be indicated while the engine piston makes a double stroke, and the engine
shaft one revolution. Or the boiler pressure can be taken and shewn on the
same diagram, Or the operator can take a diagram shewing the vacuum in the
condenser.
The indicator piston rod being connected directly to the cross-head and pencil,
without the intervention of levers and joints, the action is steady and without
tremor.
The pencil can be placed in contact with the paper at any part of the stroke
and without any assistance, thus reducing friction and rendering the diagram more
perfect than that of an ordinary indicator.
The indicator can be put in motion and worked for any length of time, to
indicate any alteration of power taking place during the day, or other period of
time.
The indicator can also be used as a presser gauge for the boiler, without removal
from its ordinary position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Pimbley, George Pimbley and James Taylor Staton Pimbley
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December 1883.
JOSEPH PIMBLEY, GEORGE PIMBLEY and JAMES TAYLOR STATON PIMBLEY all
of Springside Great Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancaster IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INDICATORS FOR STEAM AIR GAS AND OTHER ENGINES
The object of our Invention is to effect improvements in the form and
construction of indicators and to afford increased facilities for the taking of
indicator diagrams.
Our improved Indicator consists of the usual drum which carries the paper upon
its circumference and one two or more cylinders fitted with pistons, springs and
pencils to register the pressures and vacuum
When two cylinders are used they are placed on opposite sides of the drum
with the pencils turned next to the drum The cylinders and drum are fitted to
one stand or bed plate which can be fixed to any convenient part of the Engine
When fitted to a steam engine cylinder, one of the indicator cylinders is usually
connected with the bottom of the engine cylinder and the other with the top but
the cocks are arranged so as to be put in communication with the atmosphere the
engine cylinder, the boiler, or the condenser
The Indicator pistons have rods attached which carry cross heads working in
slots in the upper part of the cylinders, or in attachments to the cylinders These
cross heads have springs attached which are regulated to the necessary force or
tension and which press in a direct line upon the cross heads The cross head is
bored to receive a ram which carries the pencil and this ram is fitted with a spring
to cause the pencil to impinge against the drum. The back end of the ram is
bored transversely to receive an eccentric bar fitted to the indicator cylinder by
turning which bar the operator can withdraw the pencil or allow it to act as
desired and two or more eccentric bars can be coupled together for simultaneous
action.
The usual spring and grooved pullies are fitted to the drum for guiding the cord
and imparting motion to the drum
The drum has a groove at each end the lower groove being formed in the
circumference of the bottom flange and the upper groove being similarly formed
in the upper (moveable) flange or cap These grooves are for the purpose of
retaining the prepared paper for diagrams of which a number of sheets may be
fixed at one time and the sheets have lines of perforations to facilitate the removal
of the diagrams without disturbing the apparatus.
By means of this improved indicator the two ends of a steam Engine Cylinder
can be indicated while the engine piston makes a double stroke and the engine
shaft one revolution Or the boiler pressure can be taken and shewn on the same
diagram Or the operator can take a diagram shewing the vacuum in the
condenser
The Indicator piston rod being connected directly to the crosshead and pencil,
without the intervention of levers and joints the action is steady and without
tremor.
The pencil can be placed in contact with the paper at any part of the stroke and
without any assistance thus reducing friction and rendering the diagram more
perfect than that of an ordinary indicator and the pencil is also applicable to any
other Indicator now in use
The Indicator can be put in motion and worked for any length of time, to
indicate any alteration of power taking place during the day or other period of
time
The indicator can also be used as a pressure gauge for the boiler without
removal from its ordinary position

page_text: And in order that our said Invention may be clearly understood reference is
hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
Fig 1. is an elevation (partly in section) shewing the application of our
invention to a steam Engine for the purpose of taking Indicator diagrams a is
the drum or barrel upon which the paper is wound bis the V. groove in which
the cord is placed and which cord is also as usual attached to any convenient
reciprocating part of the Engine which coincides with the motion of the piston
c. c are the indicator cylinders containing pistons d. The Indicator pistons are
fitted with piston rods e and cross heads f. f g. are the springs .hare the
pencils carried in rams i. i surrounded by spiral springs which act so as to press
the rams and pencils towards the drum. . are two slide bars, mounted upon
eccentric bearings m. m these slide bars pass through holes formed in the rams and
the rams are able to slide freely thereon. When the cranks m' are turned to the
position shewn in the drawings, the rams and pencils are withdrawn from the
drum but when the cranks m¹ are reversed the springs 9 cause the pencils to press
against the paper on the drums and readings may be taken indicating pressure or
vacuum The cranks may be coupled together for effecting simultaneous action.
n is the cap or cover of the drum, the cylindrical portion of which forms a groove
for enclosing and securing the upper edge of the roll of paper, and n³ is the lower
groove for the lower edge of the same paper
The paper may be of any convenient length and perforated at equal distances
for facilitating the removal of the diagrams while working.
Fig: 2 is a side elevation of Fig 1. and Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.
It is obvious that one two or more indicators may be placed upon one stand or
frame and simultaneous indicator diagrams may be taken of the boiler pressure,
cylinder pressure cylinder vacuum and condenser vacuum by suitable pipes or
connections thereto and by using pencils of different colors such diagrams may be
distinctly read, although overlapping each other thus insuring advantages hitherto
considered unattainable
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we claim
1. The arrangement and construction of Indicators for steam, air, gas and other
Engines, by direct action without the use of levers and connecting rods substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings
2 The method and means of fitting two or more indicators to one drum or roller
for the purpose of taking indicator diagrams simultaneously, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings
3. The method and means of actuating one or more of the pencils of indicators,
substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings
4 The combination and arrangement of the several parts together constituting our
improvements in indicators for steam, air gas and other Engines as hereinbefore
described and shewn on the drawings or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Pimbley on behalf of myself and the
said George Pimbley and James Taylor Staton Pimbley have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.