IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR DRIVING SCREW AND OTHER PROPELLERS."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Burgess Young, of Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE STEAM
ENGINES FOR DRIVING SCREW AND OTHER PROPELLERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Burgess Young at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1876.
HENRY BURGESS YOUNG, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR DRIVING SCREW AND OTHER PRO-
PELLERS."
"
These improvements relate to that class or kind of engine in which an annular
piston works between an exterior and an interior cylinder and which are known as
annular cylinder engines, and particularly to those annular cylinder engines in
which the inner ends of the piston rods are fastened to the opposite sides of the
annular piston, and pass out through stuffing boxes which are provided for them
in that annular end or cover of the cylinder which is most distant from the crank
shaft, and consists of firmly uniting the outer or exterior ends of the said piston
rods to the extremities of a strong cross bar, which has projecting from it and at
right angles to it two shanks. These shanks extend into the space within the
interior cylinder. Near the ends of these shanks and across between them, uniting
them together, is the connecting rod joint pin.
The cross bar, shanks, and connecting rod joint pin, may be wholly constructed
of one piece of metal, or each part may be constructed separately and afterwards
be firmly united together. To the before-mentioned connecting rod joint pin is
jointed the inner or small end of the connecting rod. This joint I term the
"elbow joint." The outer or big end of the connecting rod is jointed to the crank
pin in the usual manner. Attached to the edges or sides of the before-mentioned
shanks are slide blocks, which slide upon the surface within the interior cylinder
when the engine is working.
In order that friction may be reduced and that the weight of the piston may be
prevented from injuriously wearing or abrading the under inside of the exterior

page_text: cylinder, when such cylinder is placed either horizontally or in an inclined position,
I employ what I term a "saddle block." I connect this block to the body of the
piston by flanges fitting into and capable of sliding in grooves therein. A set screw
is also screwed through a projecting part of the body of the piston, and one end
of it is in contact with the top of the saddle block. By this set screw the saddle
block may be pressed down upon the upper side of the interior cylinder with
sufficient force to raise the piston body more or less off the under inside surface of
the exterior cylinder. And to enable the upper side of the interior cylinder the
better to withstand the wear caused by the sliding backwards and forwards of the
weighted saddle block, when the engine is working, I prefer such interior cylinder
to be constructed of Sir Joseph Whitworth's compressed steel, and the rubbing
surface of the saddle block to be of the best antifrictional material.
In constructing what are known as compound engines, for using steam very
expansively, I prefer to employ one or more engines constructed according to this
Invention in combination with one or more engines of the ordinary or well known
types.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Burgess Young in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
January 1877.
"
HENRY BURGESS YOUNG, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Engineer. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR DRIVING SCREW AND OTHER PRO-
PELLERS."
"
My Invention consists in improved arrangements for communicating the power
from the piston to the crank in that class or kind of annular cylinder marine
engine, in which the inner ends of the piston rods are fastened to the opposite sides
of the annular piston, and from thence extend out through stuffing boxes in that
end or cover of the cylinder which is most distant from the crank shaft. To the
.outer ends of the said piston rods I firmly fasten the extremities of a strong cross
.bar. Projecting from the said cross bar and at right angles to it are shanks. These
shanks extend into the space within the interior cylinder. Near the ends of these
shanks and across between them, uniting them together, is the connecting rod
joint pin.
The cross bar, shanks, and connecting rod joint pin, may be wholly constructed
of one piece of metal, or each part may be constructed separately and afterwards be
firmly united together. To the before-mentioned connecting rod joint pin is
jointed the inner or small end of the connecting rod. This joint I term the "elbow
joint." The outer or big end of the connecting rod is jointed to the crank pin in
the usual manner. Attached to the before-mentioned shanks are slide blocks which
slide upon the inside surface of the interior cylinder when the engine is working.
In order that the friction of the piston and the wear of the under inside of the
exterior cylinder may be reduced, in horizontal engines constructed according to
this Invention, I employ what I term a "saddle block." This saddle block is con-
nected to but is free to slide in the body of the piston. A set screw is also screwed
through a part of the piston body, and one end of it is in contact with the top of
the saddle block; the other end of the set screw is made square in cross section,
upon which square a worm wheel is free to slide. This worm wheel is driven by
a tangent screw. By this means the saddle block may be pressed down upon the
upper side of the interior cylinder with sufficient force to raise the piston body
more or less off the under inside surface of the exterior cylinder. I also, when a
cylinder of large diameter is used, according to this Invention, tie the cylinder ends
together by means of a screwed ring or nut which is screwed on over the interior
cylinder and close up against the cylinder cover.

page_text: In these Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn my improved arrangements of
engine.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section; Figure 2 is a plan, partly in
section; Figure 3 is an elevation of that end of the cylinder which is most distant
from the crank shaft; Figure 4 is a cross section of the exterior and interior
cylinders, slide blocks, and connecting rod small end.
In these Drawings the slide valves and valve gear, steam and eduction pipes,
and other minor parts are not represented, as they form no part of these improve-
ments; A is the exterior cylinder; B is the interior cylinder; C is the annular
piston to which the inner ends of the piston rods D, D, are fastened; E is the cross
bar to which the outer ends of the piston rods are fastened; F, F, are the shanks
which extend into the space within the interior cylinder; G is the connecting rod
pin; H, H, are the slide blocks; I is the connecting rod the inner or small end of
which is jointed to the connecting rod pin G, and forms what I term the "elbow
joint." The small end of the connecting rod is forked and a partly threaded block J
is screwed into the fork to form the end; a screw to set up the back brass passing
through it; K is the end or cover of the cylinder which is most distant from the
crank shaft; L is the screwed ring or nut which ties the cylinder ends together;
M; engine framing; N, crank shaft; O, "saddle block;" P, worm wheel; Q, tangent
screw; R, set screw. Horizontal, vertical, inverted, and diagonal engines may be
constructed according to this Invention.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not confine myself to the particular
details shown in the Drawing; but what I claim is communicating the power from
the piston rod outer ends to an elbow or connecting rod joint formed in the space
within the interior cylinder in that class or kind of annular marine steam engine,
in which the piston rods extend out through stuffing boxes in that end or cover of
the cylinder which is most distant from the crank shaft, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Burgess Young, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
HENRY BURCESS VOTING
TO)