Improvements in Steam Engines for Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 7th Sent 1907 100ented 0th Ant
1007
ISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Engines for Motor Vehicles.
I, JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN of 28 Rose Grove Ardwick, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to high speed steam engines for motor
driven vehicles, and consists in the improved construction hereinafter set forth.
Single acting cylinders are arranged in pairs having preferably trunk pistons and
jointed connecting rods coupled to one crank mounted between each pair of
cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with a rotary valve which rotates in one
direction with the motor shaft. The axis of the valve is preferably arranged cross-
wise to the axis of the cylinders. The valve spindle is preferably fitted with a
sprocket wheel, a similar sprocket wheel is fitted upon the motor shatt and an
endless chain or band is passed round the two wheels. The valve is preferably
slightly conical and is mounted upon adjustable ball bearings. The valve casing
has three openings or orifices one of which leads into the cylinder, one into the
exhaust pipe, and into the third is led the steam pipe. In the valve are two ports
each of which passes through, transversely to the axis of the valve. The ports are
so arranged as to connect the orifice leading to the cylinder with the steam pipe
at one part of the cycle, and the same orifice with the exhaust pipe at another part
of the cycle.
Each sprocket wheel upon the motor shaft is capable of a certain angular move-
ment which may be imparted to it by a hand wheel or other suitable means. At
the two extreme points of travel of the motor-shaft sprocket-wheel the valve is
formed to permit the motor to run in opposite directions.
The journals of the motor shaft are preferably formed taper, the smaller
diameters being nearest to the ends of the shaft. The bearings, which are each
formed preferably in one piece having flanges to bolt to the sides of the crank
chamber, are bored correspondingly taper. Thin metal washers are placed
between the bearing flanges and the casing, which are removed one by one as the
bearings require adjustment due to wear.
Each pair of cylinders is cast in one piece with a chamber provided with the
bearings in which the crank rotates. The valve chamber is also preferably cast
in one piece with the cylinder cover.
Several pairs of cylinders having their pistons connected to one crank shaft are
sometimes employed, and the valves are so arranged in some cases that the high
pressure steam shall act expansively upon the pistons of two or more cylinders so
that the high pressure steam exhausts from the first cylinder or from the first pair
of cylinders into the second cylinder or second pair of cylinders, and in other cases
the exhaust from the second cylinder or pair of cylinders passes into a third

page_text: cylinder or pair of cylinders, the sizes of the cylinders being suitably proportioned
to this end.
ليم
1000
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, 6, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
Improvements in Steam Engines for Motor Vehicles.
I, JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN, of 44 Albert Road, Alexandra Park,
late of 28 Rose Grove, Ardwick, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanician, 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 relates more particularly to high speed Steam Engines for Motor
driven vehicles, and consists in the improved construction hereinafter set forth
and illustrated in the annexed sheet of drawings having for its chief object
zompactness, simplicity and fewness of parts.
In the said drawings Figure 1 represents the Improved Engine in elevation.
Figure 2 in sectional elevation;
Figure 3 represents a sectional plan;
Figure 4 a sectional plan of cylinder end and modified valve arrangement for
regulating the cut off.
Figure 5 represents the arrangement for reversing the direction of rotation.
Similar letters of reference are used throughout the drawings to indicate the
same parts.
Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate a compound engine, single
acting cylinders ab are arranged in pairs having preferably trunk pistons ab
and connecting rods a coupled to one crank e mounted between the cylinders.
The cylinders are provided with rotary valves de which are rotated in the
direction of the motor shaft. The axis of the valve is in each case preferably
arranged cross-wise to the axis of the cylinders. The valve spindles are each
preferably fitted with a sprocket wheel e similar sprocket wheels are fitted
upon the motor or crank shaft c' and endless chains or bands f f' are passed round
the two pairs of wheels. The valves d e are preferably slightly conical and are
mounted upon adjustable ball bearings e. The high pressure steam valve
casing of ordinary construction, has three orifices, one d of which leads into
the high pressure cylinder a, one into the low pressure steam pipe g and the
third d leads from the steam pipe h. In the valve are two ports do each of
which passes through, transversely to the axis of the valve. The ports are so
arranged as to connect the orifice ds leading to the cylinder with the steam pipe g
at one part of the cycle, and the same orifice with the low pressure steam pipe g
at another part of the cycle. The low pressure steam valve casing has also three
orifices viz. e leading into the low pressure cylinder b, e into the exhaust
pipe i andes leading from the low pressure steam pipe g.
The sprocket wheels upon the motor shaft are capable of a certain angular
movement which is imparted to them by a hand wheel & Figure 5, or its equivalent.
They are preferably fixed to or formed on one sleeve as illustrated. There is a
key or stop 2 upon the shaft and the sleeve is formed with a transverse
key-way, in length corresponding to the necessary angular movement of the
valve. Thus at each extreme point of travel of the motor shaft sprocket wheel

page_text: the valve is set to permit the motor to run in the direction corresponding with the
setting of the valve. The hand wheel k is mounted in suitable bearings in a
convenient position for the driver to handle. To it is fixed a sprocket wheel/
of as large a diameter as convenient and in line with it is fixed upon the sleeve of
or to the sprocket wheels d³ ³ a smaller sprocket wheel and over these two
sprocket wheels there is passed an endless chain 1.
The journals of the motor shaft are preferably conically turned, the smaller
diameters being nearost to the ends of the shaft as shewn in Figure 2. The
bearings which are each formed preferably in one piece having flanges to bolt
to the sides of the crank chamber are conically bored to correspond with the
journals. Thin metal washers are sometimes placed between the bearing flanges
and the casing, which are removed one by one as the bearings require adjustment
due to wear.
Each pair of cylinders a and b is preferably cast in one piece with a chamber a
provided with the bearings in which chamber the crank rotates. Each valve
chamber or casing is also preferably cast in one piece with its cylinder cover.
Several pairs of cylinders having their pistons connected to one crank shaft may
be employed. When more than one pair of cylinders is used the valves at each
end of the motor may be fixed on one spindle and rotated through one set of chain
gear.
Referring now to Figure 4 which represents in sectional plan a cylinder end
fitted with independent valves for the steam and exhaust, according to a modifica-
tion, to permit of the cut off being regulated at will, according to the circumstances
of the case. The valve d is the steam valve and e is the exhaust valve. The
steam valve is provided with a sprocket wheel d which is loosely mounted upon
the spindle There is fixed a disc 7 upon the same spindle by means of a key
or a set screw and in the disc say, there is a slot d through which and through
the sprocket wheel there passes a bolt d. This arrangement permits of the valve.
being adjusted angularly to the extent desired. When set the sprocket wheel is
clamped to the disc by the bolt 15. The exhaust valve e is also fitted with a
sprocket wheel el which is fixed to the spindle e". The valves are rotated through
the chain bands and e¹. There is one port 7 and e3 in each valve
easing ds and el which parts at every half revolution of the valves make with the
cylinder ports and eclear ways through from the steam pipe and to the
exhaust pipe el respectively.
When a
pair of high pressure cylinders is used, both cylinders are fed with
steam directly and the exhaust of each is led into the open air or into a condenser
of any suitable known construction.
The valves are cast in one piece with the cylinder ends in order to reduce the
number of joints in the engine.
The exhaust pipes may be also so arranged with respect to the valves that the steam
shall act expansively upon the pistons of three or more cylinders in succession or
pairs of cylinders in succession, the sizes of such cylinder being suitably pro-
portioned to this end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. The improved construction of steam engine for motor driven vehicles
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the annexed drawings.
2nd. In steam engines for motor driven road vehicles the arrangement and use
of a rotary valve mounted with its axis parallel to the crank shaft upon adjustable
ball bearings in a casing formed in one with or attached to the cylinder cover and
geared to the crank shaft by means of sprocket wheels and endless chain
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings.
3rd. In steam engines for motor driven road vehicles having rotary valves and
chain gear the improved reversing arrangement which consists in forming and

page_text: mounting the valve driving sprocket wheels so as to permit of a certain angular
movement thereof upon and relative to the crank shaft, and gearing the sprocket
wheels with a hand wheel mounted in a convenient position for the driver to
operate and to rotate at a slower angular speed than the crank shaft, by means of
an endless band substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this Sixth day of September 1897
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.