IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AD ADDADATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Allen and Richard Wright, both of
Lambeth in the County of Surrey, and William Lawrence Williams, of
Westminster Chambers in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AD
ADDADATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Allen,
Richard Wright, and William Lawrence Williams at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents on the 12th September 1882.
WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN and RICHARD WRIGHT, both of Lambeth in the
County of Surrey and WILLIAM LAWRENCE WILLIAMS of Westminster Chambers
in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR STARTING, STOPPING, AND REVERSING, STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES OR
MACHINERY
"
Our present invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of
starting, stopping, and reversing, marine or other steam Engines, or other Engines
or machines, in which it is required that the reversing or other mechanism, usually
of considerable weight, should be easily and readily moved backward or forward
when desired, and at the same time with steadiness and without liability to
concussion or sudden irregularity of motion.
Our invention is applicable more especially to that kind of such machinery or
apparatus in which the starting, stopping, reversing, or other gear or mechanism, is
actuated by the pressure of steam upon a piston in a cylinder, the movement of
such piston being controlled and regulated by a second piston working in combi-
nation with it in a cylinder filled with water or other incompressible fluid, openings
for the admission and discharge of, such water or other fluid being regulated simul-
taneously with the movement of the valve by which steam is admitted to or
discharged from the steam cylinder.

page_text: The motion of the pistons in the steam and water cylinders of such apparatus as
ordinarily heretofore constructed and used is controlled by a valve which being
opened by the hand of an attendant is closed gradually by the motion of the said
pistons, or of mechanism receiving motion from them.
Our present invention has for its object improvements in the construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus described by which it is simple, effective,
and easily worked. It consists firstly of novel methods of construction and
arrangement of the parts of the apparatus by which when the valves have been
opened by an attendant they are closed by the movement of the piston.
We take a cylinder of suitable size and provided with an ordinary slide or other
valve by which steam, compressed air, or other elastic or non-elastic fluid under
sufficient pressure can be admitted to either end of the cylinder the alternate end
of which then communicates with an exhaust or discharge pipe. Inside this
cylinder is fitted a piston upon a rod which after passing out through a stuffing
box passes through a second stuffing box at the end of a second cylinder preferably
of smaller diameter, in which works a piston fitted upon the rod the end of which
then passes out through a third stuffing box at the outer end of the cylinder. The
two pistons therefore move simultaneously in their cylinders, water or other fluid
with which the smaller cylinder is filled being allowed to pass from end to end of
the latter as the piston travels, whilst since the piston rod passes out at both
ends of the cylinder no reservoir of water is required to compensate for its
displacement.
The crosshead from which the starting or other gear or machinery is actuated, is
fixed upon the rod between the two cylinders.
In order to allow the water or other fluid to pass from one end of the cylinder to
the other as the piston moves, and to regulate such passage, we arrange a fourway
cock or valve turning in a corresponding casing or seat upon the cylinder, this
casing having two opposite openings or ports communicating with the ends of the
cylinder, a third communicating with the suction pipe of a hand force pump
arranged in any convenient position and a fourth communicating with the delivery
pipe of the said handpump. The cock or valve has two passages through it
arranged so that, as it oscillates, either the whole of the openings or ports are
closed or either end of the cylinder can be made to communicate with either the
suction or the delivery pipe of the pump, the alternate end of the cylinder commu-
nicating with the alternate pipe. The cock or valve is moved by a lever which is
connected by a rod with the slide valve by which steam is admitted to either end
of the larger cylinder as already described, so that both valves open and close
simultaneously.
The rod connecting the two valves is operated by a crank or lever connected to
it and turning freely upon a stud or shaft fixed in a suitable position. The boss
or centre of this lever where it so turns has formed upon or fixed to it a toothed
wheel or segment, concentric with which and turning upon the same stud or shaft
is a second toothed wheel or segment formed upon or attached to the end of a lever
the outer end of which is connected to the main crosshead or other convenient part
of the Engine. A hand lever also turns freely upon the same shaft or stud, having
fixed upon it at a sufficient distance from the centre on which it turns a pin or
stud upon which revolve freely third and fourth toothed wheels or segments fixed
together and one of them gearing with the first and the other with the second of
the toothed wheels or segments first described.
The action of the apparatus arranged as described is as follows:-When the
hand lever is moved in either direction the toothed wheel upon the stud or shaft
is prevented from revolving by the lever to which it is attached and which is
connected to the Engine crosshead. The third and fourth toothed wheels upon the
handle therefore cause the toothed wheel upon the valve lever to turn to an extent
corresponding with the movement of the handle, and the valves of both the steam
and hydraulic cylinders are consequently opened. The handle being then held in
its position the pistons commence to move and with them the lever to which the

page_text: second toothed wheel or segment is attached, which by its movement, transmitted
through the toothed wheels or segments carried by the stationary handle, gradually
turns the valve lever in the opposite direction until the valves of both the steam
and hydraulic cylinders are closed, and the pistons brought to rest. The distance
through which the crosshead and piston of the Engine move are therefore propor-
tional to the extent of movement which is given to the hand lever. The several
toothed wheels or segments are made of diameters proportioned to the relative
movements of the handle and valves.
In order to keep the hydraulic cylinders, pipes, and valve, always fully charged
with fluid under pressure, we place upon the delivery pipe from the handpump or
in other convenient position a cylinder having a ram or plunger loaded with a
sufficiently strong spring or weight. This cylinder as well as the hydraulic cylinder
and the parts connected with it is charged by means of the handpump with water.
or other fluid until the spring is sufficiently compressed, and the water then remains
under pressure in any position of the pistons.
Should any leakage occur through the stuffing boxes or other parts of the
apparatus, it is indicated by the extension of the spring, and a sufficient quantity
of water is re-introduced when necessary, by the handpump.
We place upon the suction pipe of the handpump a vessel of sufficient capacity
into which, when the pump is worked by hand for the purpose of actuating the
piston in the hydraulic cylinder and through it the starting or other gear when
steam is not available for use in the steam cylinder, the water from the opposite
end of the hydraulic cylinder to that into which it is forced by the pump can enter,
during the down stroke of the hand pump and the consequent displacement of an
equivalent quantity of the body of the water by the ram.
When the steam cylinder is being used, this vessel is not required and is shut
off.
The vessel may also be used to supply water to the apparatus when
requisite.
Instead of using the hydraulic cylinder, piston, and valve, as described, we
sometimes make the piston rod after leaving the stuffing box in the steam cylinder
pass through a guide and clipping apparatus, formed in two halves which can be
compressed sufficiently tightly round the rod to hold the latter firmly when
desired, by means of a hand lever and wedge, screw, or cam. When this clip is
released, the piston and gear connected with it as above described can move freely
into the desired position, and the clip being then tightened the piston rod and gear
are fixed and held firmly until it is required that their position shall again be
altered.
In a modified form of novel apparatus which we sometimes employ for operating
the slide valves and regulating their movement, we arrange a frame having a
transverse slot upon the piston rod or upon a rod actuated by it. This slot is not
at right angles to the rod but inclined at a sufficient angle, and we arrange a
block or pin so that it can slide from end to end of the slot. This block or pin is
attached to one end of a rod the other end of which is jointed to a rod which
actuates the slide valves of the cylinders, and the handle is connected by a link to
this rod so that the pin or block can be moved to any desired position in the
inclined slot.
When therefore the handle is moved the valve rod is also moved in one or other
direction by the action of the inclined slot upon the pin or block and the valve
is opened, but as the piston rod begins to move it brings back with it the valve
spindle and valves until the latter are again closed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Henry Allen, Richard Wright, and William Lawrence
Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th March 1883.
WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN and RICHARD WRIGHT, both of Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, and WILLIAM LAWRENCE WILLIAMS of Westminster Chambers, in the
County of Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STARTING,
STOPPING, AND REVERSING, STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES OR MACHINERY
(f
»
Our present invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of
starting, stopping, and reversing, marine or other steam Engines, or other Engines
or machines, in which it is required that the reversing or other mechanism, usually
of considerable weight, should be easily and readily moved backward or forward
when desired, and at the same time with steadiness and without liability to
concussion or sudden irregularity of motion.
Our invention is applicable more especially to that kind of such machinery or
apparatus in which the starting, stopping, reversing, or other gear or mechanism
is actuated by the pressure of steam upon a piston in a cylinder, the movement of
such piston being controlled and regulated by a second piston working in com-
bination with it in a cylinder filled with water or other incompressible fluid,
openings for the admission and discharge of such water or other fluid being
regulated simultaneously with the movement of the valve by which steam is
admitted to or discharged from the steam cylinder.
The motion of the pistons in the steam and water cylinders of such apparatus
as ordinarily heretofore constructed and used is controlled by a valve which being
opened by the hand of an attendant is closed by the motion of the said pistons, or
of mechanism receiving motion from them.
Our present invention has for its object, improvements in the construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for the purpose described by which it is
simple, effective, and easily worked. It consists firstly of novel methods of con-
struction and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus by which when the valves
have been opened by an attendant they are closed by the movement of the
pistons.
In order to put our invention in operation we take a cylinder of suitable size
and provided with an ordinary slide or other valve by which steam, compressed
air, or other elastic fluid under sufficient pressure can be admitted as desired to
either end of the cylinder, the alternate end of which then communicates with an
exhaust or discharge pipe. Inside this cylinder is fitted a piston upon a rod which
after passing out through a stuffing box passes through a second stuffing box at the
end of a second cylinder preferably of smaller diameter, in which works a piston
fitted upon the rod the end of which then passes out through a third stuffing box
at the outer end of the cylinder. The two pistons therefore move simultaneously
in their cylinders, water or other fluid with which the smaller cylinder is filled
being allowed to pass from end to end of the latter as the piston travels, whilst
since the piston rod passes out at both ends of the cylinder no reservoir of water
is required to compensate for its displacement.
The crosshead from which the starting or other gear or machinery is actuated, is
fixed upon the rod between the two cylinders.
In order to allow the water or other fluid to pass from one end of the cylinder to
the other as the piston moves, and to regulate such passage, we arrange a four way
cock or valve turning in a corresponding casing or seat upon the cylinder, this
casing having two opposite openings or ports communicating with the ends of the

page_text: cylinder, a third communicating with the suction pipe of a hand force pump
arranged in any convenient position, and a fourth communicating with the delivery
pipe of the said hand pump. The cock or valve has two passages through it
arranged so that, as it oscillates, either the whole of the openings or ports are closed
or either end of the cylinder can be made to communicate with either the suction
or the delivery pipe of the force pump, the alternate end of the cylinder communi-
cating with the alternate pipe. The cock or valve is moved by a lever which is
connected by a rod with the slide valve by which steam is admitted to either end
of the larger cylinder as already described, so that both valves open and close
simultaneously.
The rod connecting the two valves is operated by a crank or lever connected to
it and turning freely upon a stud or shaft fixed in a suitable position upon the
frame of the apparatus or other support.
The boss or centre of this lever where it so turns has formed upon or fixed to it
a toothed wheel or segment, concentric with which and turning upon the same
stud or shaft is a second toothed wheel or segment formed upon or attached to the
end of a lever the other end of which is connected to the main crosshead or other
convenient part of the Engine. A hand lever also turns freely upon the same
shaft or stud, having fixed upon it at a sufficient distance from the centre on which
it turns a pin or stud upon which revolve freely third and fourth toothed wheels
or segments fixed together and one of them gearing with the first and the other
with the second of the toothed wheels or segments first described.
The action of the apparatus arranged as described is as follows:-When the hand
lever is moved in either direction the toothed wheel upon the stud or shaft is
prevented from revolving by the lever to which it is attached and which is
connected to the Engine crosshead. The third and fourth toothed wheels upon the
handle therefore cause the toothed wheel upon the valve lever to turn to an extent
corresponding with the movement of the handle, and the valves of both the steam
and hydraulic cylinders are consequently opened. The handle being then held in
its position the pistons commence to move and with them the lever to which the
second toothed wheel or segment is attached, which by its movement, transmitted
through the toothed wheels or segments carried by the stationary handle, gradually
turns the valve lever in the opposite direction until the valves of both the steam
and hydraulic cylinders are closed, and the pistons brought to rest. The distance
through which the crosshead and pistons of the Engine move is therefore pro-
portional to the extent of movement which is given to the hand lever. The several
toothed wheels or segments are made of diameters proportioned to the relative
movements of the handle and valves.
The arrangement described may be somewhat modified in its details, the method
of operation remaining substantially the same. In the accompanying drawings,
which are in illustration of our invention, Figure 1 is a side view, figure 2 a
vertical section, and figure 3 a horizontal section, of our improved apparatus. a is
the steam cylinder, fitted with a piston b upon the rod c which is continued through
the stuffing boxes d, e, and f, into the second smaller or water cylinder g supported
by the frame h. A piston i, properly packed, is shewn upon the rod c in the
cylinder g. The rod c actuates reversing or other gear at k, by means of side
links l. A slide valve m of the ordinary kind regulates the admission of steam to
the cylinder a, and a four-way cock n similarly regulates the admission and
distribution of water in the cylinder g. These valves are connected together and
operated by the rods o, o, which are jointed to a lever p upon the shaft r which
turns in the bearing 8. Upon the shaft r turns freely the lever t and the toothed
wheel 1, whilst a hand lever u is keyed to the toothed wheel 1, and can be retained
in any desired position by a notched quadrant and detent, or other equivalent
device, not shewn in the drawing.
Upon the lever tis fixed the stud v, on which turns freely the two toothed
wheels 2 and 3 which are in one piece or fixed together, the wheel 2 gearing with
the wheel 1, and the wheel 3 with a fourth toothed wheel 4 which is keyed upon

page_text: the shaft s. The outer end of the lever t is connected as shewn to the crosshead l¹,
or to other reciprocating part of the Engine so that it moves simultaneously with
the piston rod and pistons.
The action of the apparatus as shewn is as follows. When the hand lever u is
moved in either direction the toothed wheel 1 turns with it upon the shaft r, and
by the intermediate toothed wheels 2 and 3 causes the toothed wheel 4 and the
shaft to turn in the same direction moving with it. the lever p through a
proportionate distance.
The lever p actuates the two valves m and n, the former admitting steam to
drive the pistons in a direction corresponding with that in which the handle was
moved, and the latter opening the four-way cock so as to allow the water to
circulate and the piston to move in the cylinder g. The handle u being retained
in the position to which it was moved, the pistons, rod c and lever will continue
to move, turning the lever t round the shaft until the toothed wheels 2 and 3
upon it rotating round the wheel 1 fixed to the handle u, have turned the wheel 4
and with it the shaft and the lever p sufficiently far to close the two valves m
and n, when the pistons b and i, the rod c, and lever k, are necessarily brought
to rest.
Any movement of the handle u, therefore, in either direction, is immediately
followed by a corresponding movement to a proportionate extent in the proper
direction of the reversing or other lever k.
In figure 2 the hand pump already described is shewn, A being the ram, and
B a hand lever by which it can be actuated when desired. The delivery pipe C of
the pump is connected with the passage 5 of the four way cock, and the suction pipe
of the pump shewn at D in figure 4 is connected with the passage 6 of the four
way cock.
In order to keep the hydraulic cylinder, pipes, and valve, always fully charged
with fluid under pressure, we place upon the delivery pipe from the hand pump,
or upon the ram of the latter or in other convenient position a cylinder E having
a plunger F loaded with a sufficiently strong spring or weight contained in the
cylinder E.
The hydraulic cylinder and the parts connected with it are charged by means
of the hand pump with water or other fluid until the spring is sufficiently com-
pressed, and the water then remains under such pressure in any position of the
pistons. Should any leakage occur through the stuffing boxes or other parts of
the apparatus, it is indicated by the extension of the spring in the cylinder E and
the depression of the plunger F, and a sufficient quantity of water is re-introduced,
when necessary, by the hand pump.
.
We place upon the suction pipe of the hand pump a vessel of sufficient capacity,
as shewn at G figure 4, into which when the plunger A is worked by hand for the
purpose of actuating the piston in the hydraulic cylinder and through it the
starting or other gear when steam is not available for use in the steam cylinder,
the water from the opposite end of the hydraulic cylinder to that into which it is
forced by the pump can enter during the down stroke of the hand pump A, and
the consequent displacement of an equivalent quantity of the body of the water
by the ram. When the steam cylinder is being used, this vessel is not required
and is shut off.
The vessel may also be used to supply water to the apparatus when requisite,
a handle being arranged as shewn at H, in figure 4, by which the required position
of the regulating cock can be adjusted.
Instead of using the hydraulic cylinder, piston, and valve, as described, we
sometimes make the piston rod after leaving the stuffing box on the steam cylinder
pass through a guide and clipping apparatus formed in two halves which can be
compressed sufficiently tightly round the rod to hold the latter firmly when desired,
by means of a hand lever and wedge, screw, or cam. When this clip is released,
the piston and gear connected with it as above described can move freely into the
desired position, and the clip being then tightened the piston rod and gear are

page_text: fixed and held firmly until it is required that their position shall again be altered.
This method of arrangement is illustrated in figure 5, in which c is the piston rod,
w a guide in two halves through which it passes, and a handle having a cain y
by which the rod c can be firmly held, or released, as desired.
In a modified form of novel apparatus shewn in figure 6, which we sometimes
employ for operating the slide valves and regulating their movement, we arrange
a frame I having a transverse slot K upon the piston rod, or upon a rod c actuated
by the latter. This slot is not at right angles to the rod but inclined at a sufficient
angle as shewn, and we arrange a block or pin L so that it can slide from end to
end of the slot. This block or pin is attached to one end of a rod M the other end
of which is jointed to a rod which actuates the slide valves of the cylinders, and
the handle u is connected by a link N to this rod so that the pin or block can be
moved to any desired position in the inclined slot.
When therefore the handle u is moved the valve rod is also moved in one or other
direction by the action of the inclined slot K upon the pin or block L and the
valve is opened, but as the piston rod begins to move it brings back with it the
valve spindle and valves until the latter are again closed.
Where our invention is to be applied to the purpose of operating the reversing
gear of heavy marine or other Engines in which it is sometimes desirable that
steam should be admitted alternately to each end of the cylinders for the purpose
of warming them, without the Engines themselves being set in revolution, we cause
the pistons and piston rod of the apparatus described and shewn to reciprocate
automatically backward and forward in their cylinders, for the purpose of actuating
the main reversing gear backward and forward as desired, self acting valve gear of
any of the kinds ordinarily used for the purpose of actuating direct acting steam
pumps or other machinery of a similar kind being applied to actuate the valves or
levers of the apparatus described and shewn.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details of the apparatus, which may
be varied to suit varying circumstances, but having now described our invention
and the manner in which it is to be performed, we claim :-The combination of the
steam cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, and their respective distributing valves and
pistons, the piston rod passing through stuffing boxes at each end of the hydraulic
cylinder, with the hand lever, toothed wheels, and connecting links and levers,
substantially as and for the purposes described and shewn in the drawings. Also,
in combination with the steam and hydraulic cylinders, pistons and rod, and
distributing valves, the hand pump, the adjustable water vessel and handle, and
the loaded piston or plunger, all substantially as and for the purposes described
and shewn. Also, as a substitute for the hydraulic cylinder and piston and its
distributing valve, the guide and clip by which the piston rod can be held in any
desired position, substantially as described and shewn. Also, as a substitute for
the hand lever and toothed wheels, the frame having an inclined slot, upon or
actuated by the piston rod, and containing a sliding block or pin, and the handle,
levers, and rods, by which the position of the block or pin can be adjusted, and
the movement of the distributing valves determined, substantially as described and
shewn in the drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lawrence Williams, on behalf of
myself and the said William Henry Allen and Richard Wright, have
hereunto set my hand and seal this 10th day of March in the year of
our Lord 1883.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE WILLIAMS (L.S.)