A NEW AND FOR PUMPING, PROPELLING SHIPS, OR OTHER Kent, Lieutenant, Royal IMPROVED STEAM-ENGINE PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Fox, of Farnborough, in the County of
Engineers, for an Invention of "A NEW AND
FOR PUMPING, PROPELLING SHIPS, OR OTHER
Kent, Lieutenant, Royal
IMPROVED STEAM-ENGINE
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Fox at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1881.
JOHN HENRY FOx, of Farnborough, in the County of Kent, Lieutenant, Royal
Engineers. "A NEW AND IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE FOR PUMPING, PROPELLING
SHIPS, OR OTHER PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to a direct acting engine, or one of that kind usually
known as reciprocating.
The valve in the steam chest is worked by means of a connecting rod attached
to a lever or cross piece worked from the piston rod or rods of the engine; this
connecting rod gives direct action in the usual manner to a rod which carries a
travelling rotatory piece at one end, in which a right hand and a left hand screw
thread are cut, uniting with each other on different sides of the same; a pin or
roller is fixed so as to give a rotatory motion to the travelling rotatory piece on
the rod which carries it by means of the backward and forward motion of the rod,
one end of which travelling rotatory piece fits and works into the lengthened axle
of a wheel to which it communicates circular motion by means of slots cut in the
axle of the wheel and pins fixed to the travelling rotatory piece and working in
these slots.
The ordinary eccentric is fixed on the axle of the wheel, and thereby gives
motion to the slide valve in the steam chest; this valve is made to work flat on its
face, but pivots on a pin in the steam chest, that part covering and uncovering the
steam ports being free to move in a direct line or on a curve, and the point or
points where movement is communicated is nearer the pivoting pin than that part
of the valve which opens and shuts the ports, so that increased motion is given to
the latter part. In a double cylinder engine, which is preferred, the piston rods
are connected by means of a moveable crosspiece, which crosspiece actuates the
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page_text: connecting rod which provides circular motion as before mentioned for working
the eccentric, and by it the valve or valves in the steam chest; the one eccentric
working the valves for both cylinders.
I claim as novel the construction of my above described valve, and the method
of actuating the same. In single cylinder or double cylinder engines I also claim
as novel the following modification of the above mentioned valve:-This valve
works flat upon its face, as in the case of the ordinary steam valve, but one end fits
over and pivots on a pin fixed to the steam chest, the other end covers and
uncovers the steam ports, also the point or points of application of motion from the
connecting rod from the crosspiece connected to the piston rods is between the pin
and that part of the valve opening and shutting the steam ports, the plane of the
face of the valve is vertical, or nearly so, and the rod giving motion to the valve
carries an armpiece which turns a cross piece pivoting on the top of the valve and
carrying a weight free to move towards either end of the crosspiece; also that part
of the valve covering and uncovering the steam ports is free to move either in a
straight line or on a curve. In shutting off steam or opening to the same by
means of the slide valve the arm piece will turn the crosspiece and allow the
weight to move by gravity from one end of the cross piece to the other, and thus
cause the slide valve to move, preventing it from stopping over the ports and
obstructing the passage of the steam at any time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said John Henry Fox
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd March 1882.
JOHN HENRY Fox, of Farnborough, in the County of Kent, Lieutenant, Royal
Engineers. "A NEW AND IMPROVED. STEAM ENGINE FOR PUMPING, PROPELLING
SHIPS, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to a direct acting engine, or one of that kind known as
reciprocating. The valve in the steam chest is worked by means of a connecting
rod attached to a lever or cross piece worked from the piston rod or rods of the
engine; this connecting rod gives direct action in the usual manner to a rod
which carries a travelling rotatory piece, in which a right hand and a left hand
screw thread are cut, uniting with each other on different or opposite sides of the
travelling rotatory piece. A pin or roller is fixed so as to give a rotatory and to
and fro motion to the travelling rotatory piece on the rod, and in the bearings
which support it by means of the backward and forward motion of the rod, one
end of which travelling rotatory piece works into or over the lengthened axle of a
wheel, or into or over a portion of a shaft to which a wheel is made fast, as in
Figs. 1 and 2, to which lengthened axle or portion of shaft it communicates circular
motion by means of slots cut in them, and a pin or pins fixed to the travelling
rotatory piece and working in these slots. The ordinary eccentric is fixed on the
axle of the wheel or shaft carrying the same, and thereby gives motion to the valve
or valves in the steam chest; the valve or valves is made to work flat on its face,
but is worked by means of an arm which pivots in the steam chest, and the point
or points where movement is communicated is nearer the pivoting point than the
valve on the same side of the pivoting point, so that a faster motion is given to the
valve or valves. In a double cylinder engine the piston rods are connected by
means of a moveable crosspiece, which crosspiece actuates the connecting rod
which provides circular motion as before mentioned for working the eccentric, and
by means of it the valve or valves in the steam chest, the one eccentric working
the valves for both cylinders; Fig. 6 shows the method of working a double
cylinder horizontal engine adapted for pumping; b, b, is the moveable cross-piece
pivoting at its centre, and there supported by a flat bearing c; the ends of this
crosspiece are not made fast, but motion is communicated to them from the piston
rods by allowing them to pass through the pieces d, d, and to slide against the
pivoting pieces e, e, carried by the supporting pieces d, d, into which the ends of
the piston rods and pump piston rods are fixed; f is the connecting rod which
works in and gives to and fro motion to the travelling rotatory piece g;.h is the
pin or roller on which the surface of the screw threads work, and by means of the
same and the to and fro motion communicated from the connecting rod, a rotatory
and to and fro motion is given to the travelling piece g; this travelling piece gives
circular motion to the wheel and shaft carrying it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by
means of the pin i, which is fixed and passes through the travelling rotatory
piece and works in slots cut in the shaft carrying the wheel and eccentric; Fig. 2,
in a section through steam chest and travelling piece, shows the method of
connecting the eccentric with the valves in the steam chest; Fig. 5 is a section
through the eccentric and cylinders, showing the steam chest in elevation, and the
means of actuating the valves; the end of the eccentric rod is made to work in a
curve, so that a quicker motion is transmitted to the arm working the valves at the
beginning and end of each stroke, the centre portion of the armature m working
the valves for both cylinders in the same steam chest is fixed to a shaft passing

page_text: through the side of the steam chest, and carrying a crank piece which receives
motion by a connecting rod n connected on the opposite side of the slot plate o by
a bolt with the eccentric rod; the armature m is not fastened to the valves, but
by its vertical motion and position moves one valve up and the other down,
and vice versa; it is believed that the pressure of steam on the armature m will
prevent a leakage of steam through the opening in the steam chest. The curve in
the plate o is traced, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the centre half of the angle d
formed by the stroke of the armature m is divided into a number of equal parts,
from which as centres arcs of circles are traced, and a curve p, q; is traced by the
conjunction of a number of equal lines a, a, and so that the vertical distance
between p and q is greater than the vertical distance 7, 8, passed through by the
armature passed through in the centre half r, s, of its stroke.
I claim as novel my above described valve or valves and the method of actuating
the same.
"
For single and double cylinder engines I also claim as novel the following
modification of valve for admitting and exhausting the steam from the cylinder or
cylinders; Fig. 8 shows an elevation of this form of valve in a steam chest. This
valve t works flat on its face, vertically, placed, or nearly so, but one end of the arm v
moving it fits over and pivots on a pin fixed in the steam chest, the other end by
means of a rectangular small piece fitting over a pin on the back of the valve, and
free to move in a slot cut in it gives motion in a straight line to the valve t, the
fixed piece w only allowing the valve to work in a straight line; the rod giving
motion to the valve carries an arm piece which turns a cross piece x pivoting on
the top side of the arm, and carrying a weight free to move in a groove or tube
towards either end of the cross piece; thus when the valve is shutting one port
from steam and opening to the other, the arm piece y will turn the cross piece
and allow the weight to move from one end to the other of the cross piece; and
thus move the arm v and the valve, preventing the latter from stopping over the
ports and obstructing the passage of the steam at any time.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Fox, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
IWOODHAMS-Fox,-
Oak House,
Orpington.
JOHN HENRY FOX. (L.S.)