Improvements in or applicable to Direct-acting Steam Engines and Pumps, and other Direct-acting Motors Driven by Compressed Air, Gas, or other Fluid.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Direct-acting Steam Engines and
Pumps, and other Direct-acting Motors Driven by Compressed
Air, Gas, or other Fluid.
THOMAS LOCKETT 26 Bold Street, Sandford Hill, Longton, Staffs. Engineer, and
RICHARD GOUGH, John Street, Chesterton, Staffs. Mechanic, 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 our invention has reference to improvements in, and which are applicable to
that class of machinery or motors known as direct-acting engines, which motors are
constructed without connecting rods or rotating parts, and are used for operating
pumps, air compressors, and for other purposes, and the object of our said invention
is to enable the length of the stroke of such motors to be regulated and to avoid
the "dead set or stopping at the end of each stroke of such motors in an efficient
manner.
""
In carrying our said invention into practice we place outside of and adjacent to
the main cylinder of such motors a lateral metallic rod of suitable shape and size,
parallel to but of a greater length than the main cylinder, and we support such
lateral rod in suitable bearings attached to the covers of the main cylinder, to the
bed or foundation plate of the motor, or other suitable position, the said lateral rod
we screw or thread for a suitable length from one or both of its ends, to permit of
the regulation of the length of the stroke of the motor, near to the un-screwed end
of the said lateral rod we fix one end of a suitably shaped metallic arm or lever, and
we loosely fit one end of a similar arm or lever between suitably shaped metallic
nuts or their equivalent on or near to the screwed end or portion of the lateral rod,
the lower end of each of the said arms or levers we attach, fasten or fix to the ends
or near to the ends of rods, which we term "tappet" rods, the inner end of each of
which "tappet" rods reciprocates in and through a suitable stuffing box or its
equivalent cast on or attached to each of the main cylinder covers, the inner ends of
the said "tappet" rods alternately project a suitable distance through its respective
stuffing box and cylinder cover or end into the interior of the main cylinder, so that
each time the piston of the motor arrives at the end of its stroke, the piston will
push outwards the inner end of the "tappet" rod at that end of the cylinder, and
cause the inner end of the "tappet" rod at the opposite end of the main cylinder to
project into the said cylinder, at the same time forcing the lateral rod, and a suitably
shaped vertical arm fixed on the said rod forward. A metal rocking shaft supported
in bearings attached to, or cast on the outside of the main valve chest, or to the
main cylinder of the motor or other suitable position, which rocking shaft by means
of a suitable projection fixed or cast on same operates the valve of a small steam
cylinder fitted or fixed directly above, and at either end of the main cylinder, the
bore of the said small cylinder we make about one-fourth of the bore of the main
cylinder, and the area of the small valve ports we make one-fourth of the area of
the main slide valve ports, the piston rod of the smaller steam cylinder being
connected by any suitable means to and operating the slide valve of the main
cylinder.
The piston of the smaller steam cylinder we term a "three block" piston, the
central block of which piston is solid, the end blocks we perforate through with any
suitable shape, size and number of holes or apertures, which piston determines the
length of the stroke or travel of the main slide valve, by covering the ports in its
cylinder at each end of its stroke and cutting off the supply of steam.
In order that our said invention may be more readily understood and explained
in detail we have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings illustrating one way of

page_text: carrying our said invention into practice, and on which drawings letters of reference
are marked on corresponding parts on all the figures alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a horizontal steam cylinder and horizontal pump
combined, as a direct acting pump.
Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the pump cylinder looking in the direction indicated
by the arrow A.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the steam cylinders and their accessory parts
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow B.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the suction-valve chest of the pump
without its covers.
Figure 6. is an end elevation of the perforated suction-valve grids which are fixed
or fastened to the interior of the suction-valve chest, looking in the direction
indicated by arrows C, D.
Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the smaller steam cylinder, without
its covers.
Figure 8. is an end elevation of the perforated blocks of the piston of the smaller
steam cylinder.
When the cocks or valves on the main steam pipe a and branch steam pipe b are
turned on, steam is conducted by the said pipes a and b into the valve chest c of the
main steam cylinder d, and the valve chest e of the steam cylinder f, the piston of
which cylinder is connected to and operates the valve of the main steam cylinder d,
and according to the quantity of steam which is allowed to pass into the valve
cheste of the steam cylinder the speed of the valve, piston rod 2, and piston.of.the
main steam cylinder d will be regulated, and the piston h of the main steam
cylinder d when it arrives at the end of each stroke will be caused to commence
its return stroke faster or slower, thus avoiding the "dead set
end of each stroke.
"
or stopping at the
If the piston of the cylinder d and the piston of pump cylinder i are required
to move faster, a greater quantity of steam should be admitted through the main
steam pipe into the valve chest c of the said cylinder d.
"
The length of the stroke of the piston of the main steam cylinder d, and
consequently that of the piston of the pump barrel i can be regulated by screwing
or un-screwing the nuts j, j at or near to the ends of the lateral metal rod k which
is supported in bearings k², k³, and is connected to the "tappet" rods 1, 12 by arms
or levers m, m2, so as to enable the inner ends 13, 14 of such "tappet" rods 1, 12 to be
forced further into, or to be withdrawn from the interior of the steam cylinder d, so
that each time the piston h of the said cylinderd arrives at the end of its stroke, the
said piston pushes one of the inner ends of the "tappet" rods outwards from
the interior of the cylinder d, and causes the inner end of the "tappet" rod at the
opposite end of the cylinder d to project a suitable distance into the interior of
the said cylinder, the inner ends 13, 14 of the "tappet rods, 2 being caused to
reciprocate through glands and stuffing boxes 15, 1º. The lateral metal rod k which
is supported by and slides in bearings 2, 3, the vertical projection m³ which is
fixed or attached to the said lateral rod k move at the same time as the "tappet
rods 1, 2, and operate a metal trigger n, fixed to and depending from a rocking
transverse metal bar or shaft o which is supported in bearings p, p² fixed or attached
to the valve chest c of the steam cylinder d, and cause a vertical metal tooth or
projection q fixed on the said rocking transverse shaft o about midway of its length
to gear into a metallic block fixed on the slide valve rod e² of the valve chest e
of the steam cylinder f and regulate the admission of steam into the said cylinder f,
the piston and rod of which cylinder operate the slide valve of the main
cylinder d.
"
Figure 7 of the drawings hereunto annexed is an enlarged sectional elevation of

page_text: the steam cylinder without its covers, shewing the block f' of its piston at one
end of its stroke covering one of the end ports of the said cylinder, the other end
port being opened to admit steam when the slide valve in the chest e of the
cylinder is reversed by the piston h of the cylinder d pushing the inner end of
one of the "tappet" rods out from the interior of the cylinder d, and causing the
inner end of the other "tappet" rod to project through the opposite end of the
main cylinder d, and occupy a similar position to that vacated by the "tappet" rod
at the opposite end of the cylinder, and actuating the valves of the steam cylinders
as above described.
The inlet or suction valves of all pumps as at present made, open one way
by suction and close by pressure of the water or other liquid being pumped;
but we find that by employing valves and grids it as shewn at Figure 5 of the
drawings hereunto annexed, and connecting such valves by means of a rigid
rod that such valves will be opened and closed by the column pressure of water
or other liquid as it is being discharged, representing the suction valve casing
without its covers, the bore of which casing we make one-third of the bore of the
pump barrel i, 3 are the suction valves, and the perforated grids, which grids are
fastened or fixed within the suction valve casing, each of the pipes or passages r, s
which connect the pump barrel or cylinder i to the suction valve casing we make
three-fourths of the bore of the said suction valve casing 2, one end of the delivery
pipe being connected to the upper part of the piping or cylinder 7 which connects
the delivery valve casings 18, which are cast on or attached to the upper side of
the pump barrel i, one end of the suction pipe 10 we have shewn connected to the
lower side of the suction valve casing 1.
We would have it understood that we do not claim the separate parts embraced
by our invention, or the material of which such parts are made, but we do claim
the combination of the several parts as herein described for the purpose herein
set forth, and it will be readily understood that the combination of the several
parts herein referred to can with slight modification be applied to direct acting
motors, engines, and pumps already constructed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is;-
66
66
"
1st. The combination with the main cylinder of direct-acting engines, of a
supplementary cylinder supplied with steam or other motive power by a separate
conducting pipe b, the three block piston of which cylinder has its central block
solid, and its end blocks perforated, which piston and its rod operates the slide
valve of the main cylinder d of the motor by means of the lateral rod k supported
in suitable bearings, the said rod k being connected by arms or levers m, m³ to the
tappet" rods 1, 12, the inner ends 13, of which "tappet rods project a suitable
distance into the interior of the cylinder d of the motor, the inner ends of which
tappet" rods are alternately pushed or forced out from the interior of the
cylinder when the motor is working by the piston of the cylinder dat each end of
its stroke, the length of the stroke of the piston of the cylinder d being regulated
by means of nuts or their equivalent at one or both ends of the lateral rod k, by
forcing in or withdrawing the inner ends of the said "tappet" rods into or from
the interior of the said cylinder d, the vertical projection m³, metal trigger n,
transverse rocking bar o, supported in suitable bearings, projection 9 on rocking
shaft o, and metal block 2 or its equivalent on valve rod e, which combination of
parts are for use in regulating the stroke of direct-acting motors, and avoiding the
dead set "
or stopping at the end of each stroke of such motors, as herein sub-
stantially described and set forth.
2ndly. The combination with direct-acting pumps of a suction valve chest i
connected to the barrel of such pumps at or near to each end of its length by
passages r, s, to the interior of which suction valve chests grids are fastened or
fixed, and valves connected by a rigid rod fitted within such chests i², the

page_text: delivery valve chests of which direct acting pumps we connect by a suitable pipe
or passage as herein substantially described and set forth.
3rdly. The combination with the cylinder of direct-acting pumps worked by
steam or other motive power, of a supplementary cylinder, separate conducting
pipe b, three-block piston f, f3 and g, lateral rod k, arms or levers m, m², "tappet'
rods 1, 2, vertical projection m³ or its equivalent ou lateral rod k, metal trigger n
or its equivalent, transverse shaft or bar o supported in suitable bearings, pro-
jection or its equivalent on shaft or bar o, metal block 2 or its equivalent on
valve rode, suction valve casing, connecting passages r, s, valves ³ connected by
a rigid rod fitted within the suction valve casing, perforated grids i* fixed to
the interior of suction valve chest, and delivery valve chests 8, 10 connected by a
suitable pipe or passage as herein substantially described and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of September 1892.
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Staffs., Agent for Applicants.