Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 24th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 26th Apr:, 1887.
1, JAMES HOWDEN, of 8 Scotland Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows, that
is to say:
My said Invention has for its object the arranging or combining together of the
parts of compound marine steam engines in an improved manner and so that the
strains of the differently sized cylinders may be combined in a better manner than in
existing engines; whilst the general arrangement of a set of engines as made with my
improvements will be compact and have its various parts conveniently accessible.
My improvements are applicable but not exclusively to inverted-cylinder screw-
propeller engines with four or more grades of expansion. And in carrying out my
Invention in the case of a set of quadruple-expansion engines with four.cylinders [
arrange the cylinders in two pairs and connected to two cranks the two cylinders of
cach pair being placed tandem fashion. I place the high-pressure or first-stage
cylinder above the low-pressure or fourth-stage cylinder; and I place the second-stage
cylinder above the third-stage cylinder; and with this arrangement the strains are
better disposed than in existing arrangements whilst the passages from one cylinder
to the next are more convenient. The valves may be conveniently arranged between
the two pairs of cylinders, the eccentrics for working them being between two inner
bearings of the crank shaft. Or the valves may be at one side of the engines, and in
that case there may be three bearings for the crank shaft when it is desired to
minimise the fore-and-aft length occupied by the engines.
In the case of engines of large powers it will often be advisable when adopting four
stages of expansion to employ more than four cylinders; and in such cases I use three
tandem pairs of cylinders connected to three cranks, the three upper cylinders being
by preference all of one size and the three lower cylinders all of one larger size.
make the middle upper cylinder the first-stage cylinder and the two others second-
stage cylinders; and I make the middle lower cylinder a third-stage cylinder and the
two others fourth-stage cylinders. When a sufficiently high pressure of steam is used
I work six cylinders in three tandem pairs with six stages of expansion placing the

page_text: first-stage cylinder above the sixth-stage cylinder the second-stage cylinder above the
fifth-stage cylinder and the third-stage cylinder above the fourth-stage cylinder. Or
instead of having a fifth-stage cylinder and a sixth-stage cylinder I have two fifth-
stage cylinders in which case the three lower cylinders may be of one size.
Any suitable known valve gear may be used for working the valves of my improved
engines; but when the valves are placed on the same sides of all the cylinders I prefer
to work them directly by eccentrics or cranks on a counter shaft placed below them
but as much above the level of the crank shaft as to give proper access to the latter.
This counter shaft is worked from the crank shaft by means of small cranks and
connecting rods or otherwise, the motion being imparted to a bevil wheel loose on the
counter shaft and gearing with a second bevil wheel carried by a movable quadrant or
frame. The second bevil wheel gears with a third bevil wheel which is fast on the
counter shaft, and the engines are reversed by moving the second bevil wheel on its
quadrant or frame round the counter shaft. Or simple clutches may be substituted
for the bevil wheels, a middle movable block being connected to the counter shaft by
a groove and key, and having at one side of it a clutch block driven from the crank
shaft and at the other side a clutch block driven by a small starting or auxiliary
engine, or by handing gear.
Dated this twenty-fourth day of May 1886
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Marine Steam Engines.
I, JAMES HOWDEN, of 8 Scotland Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, 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, that is to say:
My said Invention has for its object the arranging or combining together of the
parts of compound marine steam engines in an improved manner, and so that the
strains of the differently sized cylinders may be combined in a better manner than in
existing engines; whilst the general arrangement of a set of engines as made with my
improvements will be compact and have its various parts conveniently accessible.
My improvements are applicable but not exclusively to inverted-cylinder screw-
propeller engines with four or more grades of expansion; and on five accompanying
sheets of explanatory drawings I show the application of my Invention in various
modifications of such engines.
In figures, 1, to 24, of the drawings are comprised six sets of four figures each, each
set showing a different modification and comprising a side elevation, an end elevation,
a plan, and a horizontal section. The remaining figures, 25, to 32, are enlarged views

page_text: of valve gear details. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out my Invention in the case of a set of quadruple-expansion engines
I arrange the cylinders, as shown in figures, 1, to 4, in two pairs and connected to
two cranks the two cylinders of each pair being placed tandem fashion. I place the
high-pressure or first-stage cylinder, A, above the low-pressure or fourth-stage
cylinder, D; and I place the second-stage cylinder, B, above the third-stage
cylinder, C; and with this arrangement the strains are better disposed than in
existing arrangements, whilst the passages, 31, 32, 33, from one cylinder to the next
are more convenient. The valves may be conveniently arranged between the two
pairs of cylinders, as shown in figures, 1, to 4, the eccentrics for working them being
between two inner bearings of the crank shaft. Or the valves may be at one side of
the engines as shown in figures, 5, to 8; and in that case there may be three
bearings for the crank shaft when it is desired to minimise the fore-and-aft length
occupied by the engines.
In the case of engines of large powers it will often be advisable when adopting four
stages of expansion to employ more than four cylinders; and in such cases I use three
tandem pairs of cylinders connected to three cranks as in the arrangement shown in
figures, 9, to 12, and also in that shown in figures, 13, to, 16, the three upper cylinders
being all of one size and the three lower cylinders all of one larger size. I make the
middle upper cylinder the first-stage cylinder, A, and the two others second-stage
cylinders, B, B; and I make the middle lower cylinder a third-stage cylinder, C, and
the two others fourth-stage cylinders, D, D. In the arrangement shown in figures, 9,
to 12, the valves are at the side of the engines, whilst in that shown in figures, 13, to, 16,
the valves are between the tandem pairs of cylinders.
When a sufficiently high pressure of steam is used I work six cylinders in three
tandem pairs with six stages of expansion, as in the arrangement shown in figures, 17,
to 20, and also in that shown in figures, 21, to 24, I place the first-stage cylinder, A,
above the sixth-stage cylinder, F, the second-stage cylinder, B, above the fifth-stage
cylinder, E, and the third-stage cylinder, C, above the fourth-stage cylinder, D.
Or
instead of having a fifth-stage cylinder and a sixth-stage cylinder I have two fifth-
stage cylinders, in which case the three lower cylinders may be of one size.
Any suitable known valve gear may be used for working the valves of my improved
engines; but when the valves are placed on the same sides of all the cylinders, as
shown in figures, 5, to 8, 9, to 12, and, 17, to 20, I prefer to work them directly by
eccentrics or cranks on a counter shaft, 36, below them but as much above the level
of the crank shaft as to give proper access to the latter. This counter shaft, 36, is
worked from the crank shaft by means of small cranks, 37, 38, and connecting rods, 39,
as shown enlarged in figures 27, 28, 31, 32, or it may be made to rotate simultaneously
with the crank shaft. in any other convenient way. According to one modification, .
shown enlarged in figures, 25, 26, the motion derived from the crank shaft is first
imparted to a bevil wheel, 40, (either loose on the counter shaft, 36, or) fixed on a
separate short shaft, 41, in the same line with the counter shaft, 36. The bevil wheel, 40,
gears with a second bevil wheel, 42, carried by a movable quadrant or frame, 43, this
second bevil wheel being in gear with a third bevil wheel, 44, fixed on the counter
shaft, 36; and the engines are reversed by moving the second bevil wheel, 42, on its
quadrant or frame, 43, round the counter shaft, 36. The quadrant, 43, has wormwheel
teeth on its are having in gear with them a worm, 45, on the crank shaft of a small
starting and reversing engine, 46; or any other suitable known apparatus may be
provided for moving it.
Or simple clutches may be substituted for the bevil wheels, 40, 42, 44, such clutches
being arranged as shown enlarged in figures, 29, and 30. In this arrangement a
middle movable cluich block, 47, is carried on the counter shaft, 36, and connected
thereto by a groove and key, and has at one side of it a clutch block, 48, fast on the
short shaft, 41, driven from the crank shaft, whilst at the other side there is a clutch
block, 49, formed in one piece with a worm wheel, 50, which is loose on the counter
shaft, 36, and is driven by means of a worm, 45, on the crank shaft of a small starting

page_text: and reversing. engine, 46; or the wheel, 50, may be driven in any other suitable
manner. A hand lever (not shown) is provided for shifting the middle clutch block, 47,
into gear with or out of gear from either of the other clutch blocks, 48, 49, as required.
Whilst the engines are running uniformly the middle clutch block, 47, is in gear with
the outer clutch block, 48, so as to communicate the motion of the crank shaft to the
counter shaft, 36. In order to reverse the engines the middle clutch block, 47, is
moved out of gear from the outer clutch block, 48, and into gear with the other
clutch block, 49, which is then moved as required by means of the small engine, 46,
or other actuating gear. When the reversal has been effected the middle clutch
block, 47, is moved back into gear with the outer clutch block, 48, this shifting back
being effected when the proper parts of the clutch blocks are facing each other.
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 :--
1-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures, 1, to 4, of the accompanying drawings.
2-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner herein before described with reference to
figures, 5, to 8, of the accompanying drawings.
3-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures, 9, to 12, of the accompanying drawings.
4-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures, 13, to 16, of the accompanying drawings.
5-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures, 17, to 20, of the accompanying drawings.
6-The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures, 21, to 24, of the accompanying drawings.
7 The arranging or combining together of the parts of compound marine steam
engines substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described as for working
with five stages of expansion.
8 The combination and arrangement of the parts of the valve gear substantially as
herein before described more particularly with reference to figures, 25, to 28, of the
accompanying drawings.
9 The combination and arrangement of the parts of the valve gear substantially as
herein before described more particularly with reference to figures, 29, to 32, of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this twenty-third day of March 1887.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.