IMPROVEMENTS IN STARTING ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: 2
LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STARTING
ENGINES"
"6
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th September 1881.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STARTING ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of what
are known as starting engines, and are used for starting, reversing, or otherwise
controlling comparatively large steam engines, and for other analogous purposes.
In a starting engine embodying one modification of the improvements, a motive
cylinder to be worked by steam or other fluid under pressure is combined with a
locking cylinder, in which water or other suitable liquid operates, the pistons of
the two cylinders being connected so as to move together by being fixed to the
same rod, or in an equivalent manner. In the modification being described the
cylinders are vertical, the motive cylinder being above the other one, and the action
is transmitted from a part of the piston rod between the two cylinders through a
lever to the valve gear of the main engines.
The motive cylinder is provided with an ordinary slide valve which is worked
by a rod having both longitudinal and rotatory movements, the part of the rod
acting on the valve being formed with a screw thread which works in a nut fitted
to the valve. The valve rod of the motive cylinder extends into the valve casing
of the locking cylinder, and therein has on it an arm or tappet piece, being
formed with a screw thread which works in an internal screw thread formed in
the tappet piece. The tappet piece is between the stems of two conical-seated
lift valves, which are in passages communicating with the opposite ends of the
locking cylinder, and which have springs applied to them to close them.
the valve rod is moved longitudinally to admit steam to either end of the motive
cylinder, it at the same time opens the proper valve to allow the water to escape
from the opposite end of the locking cylinder, and thereby permits the desired
Di G71
When

page_text: movement of the pistons and their rod. The valve rod is moved longitudinally
for admitting steam by means of a hand lever or wheel acting on the rod through
a swivelling connection, so as not to interfere with the rotation of the rod.
A part of the valve rod between the two valve casings is made with a helical
twist, or with one or more screw threads, and is fitted to work in a counterpart eye
formed in an arm fixed to the piston rod, so that as the piston rod in moving
carries this arm along the valve rod the valve rod is made to rotate. In whichever
direction the motive piston moves, the consequent rotation imparted to the valve
rod is such that this rod by its screw action on the slide valve of the motive
cylinder and on the tappet piece of the locking cylinder brings those parts to their
neutral positions, unless further longitudinal motion is given to the valve rod by
means of the hand lever or wheel. The result of the described action is, that the
pistons and rod are moved exactly in accordance with the movement given to the
hand lever or wheel, which movement can be imparted with very little force, whilst
the starting engine may be made sufficiently powerful to control the largest main
engines.
The valve casing of the locking cylinder is made to communicate with a vessel
which may be a simple air vessel, but which is, by preference, a kind of reservoir,
. and has connected to its upper end a pipe communicating with the lower part of
the valve casing of the steam or motive cylinder. With this arrangement the
condensation of some steam maintains a sufficient supply of water, and the pressure
of the steam is imparted to the water.
For the purpose of working the starting apparatus by hand when steam is not
available, a small pump is fitted in connection with the locking cylinder. This
pump is arranged to draw from the reservoir or air vessel, and its delivery pipe
communicates with a cock or valve, from which branch pipes pass to the opposite
ends of the cylinder or its passages. On suitably setting this cock or valve, and on
working the pump, what has hereinbefore been described as the locking cylinder
may be used as a motive cylinder for moving the valve gear of the main engines
(as may be required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1882.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STARTING ENGINES."
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
what are known as starting engines, and are used for starting, reversing, or
otherwise controlling comparatively large steam engines, and for other analogous
purposes.
In a starting engine embodying one modification of my improvements, a motive
cylinder to be worked by steam or other fluid under pressure is combined with an
hydraulic locking cylinder, or a cylinder which water or other suitable liquid
operates, the pistons of the two cylinders being connected so as to move together
by being fixed to the same rod, or in an equivalent manner. The motive cylinder
is provided with an ordinary slide valve which is worked by a rod having both
longitudinal and rotatory movements, the parts being arranged so that when by a
longitudinal movement the valve has been shifted to cause steam to act in one
direction or the other in the cylinder, the consequent movement caused by the
steam whilst being transmitted to the valve gear of the main engines at the same
time imparts to the valve rod of the starting engine a rotation, which by a screwing
action restores the valve to its neutral position.
Apparatus is provided for working the starting engines by hand when steam is
not available.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing a modification of my improved
starting engines.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a front elevation of the
starting engine with one or two parts broken away, and Figure 2 is a side elevation
with some parts in section; Figure 3 is a cross section, and Figure 4 shows the
opposite side of some parts shown in Figure 2. In these Drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
In the modification shown in the Drawings the cylinders are vertical, the motive
cylinder 5 being above the locking cylinder 6, to which it is connected by an open
frame casting 7 formed upon the latter. The action is transmitted from a part of
the piston rod 8 between the two cylinders, there being formed or fixed on the rod
a crosshead 9 to which are jointed a pair of links 10 proceeding to a lever
connected with the valve gear of the main engines.
The motive cylinder 5 is provided with an ordinary slide valve 11, the rod 12
of which is connected to the valve so as to be capable of rotation, and has fixed to
it a continuation 13 which works the valves of the locking cylinder 6, and being con-
tinued through the valve casing 14 of that cylinder has its lower end screwed into
a ball 15, which is connected by a pair of links 16 to a lever 17 fixed on the same
spindle as a hand lever 18 used for controlling the action of the starting engines.
The rod 13 works the valves 19, 20, of the locking cylinder 6 by means of a tappet
or collar 21 on it between the valves. The valves 19, 20, are conical-seated lift
valves pressed to their seats by springs, and the rod 13 passes through them and
through stuffing boxes or cup leathers with which they are provided. When the

page_text: valve rod 12, 13, is moved longitudinally to admit steam to either end of the
motive cylinder 5, it at the same opens the proper valve 19 or 20 to allow
the water to escape from the opposite end of the locking cylinder 6, and thereby
permits the desired movement of the pistons and their rods 8. A part of the valve
rod 12, 13, between the two valve casings is made with a helical twist 22 or with
one or more screw threads, and is fitted to work in a counterpart eye 23 formed
in an arm 24 fixed to the piston rod 8, so that as the piston rod 8 in moving
carries this arm 24, 23, along the twisted part 22 of the valve rod, the valve rod
is made to rotate. The valve rod 12, 13, in rotating screws itself through the
ball 15, and in whichever direction the piston of the motive cylinder 5 moves
the consequent rotation imparted to the valve rod is such, that this rod by its
screw action brings the valve 11 of the motive cylinder 5 to its neutral position,
and the opened valve 19 or 20 of the locking cylinder 6 to its closed position,
unless further longitudinal motion is given to the valve rod 12, 13, by means of
the hand lever 18 or of a handwheel, which might be substituted for that lever.
The result of the desired action is that the pistons and rod 8 are moved exactly
in accordance with the movement given to the hand lever 18, which lever can be
moved with very little force, whilst the starting engine may be made sufficiently
powerful to control the largest main engines.
The valve casing 14 of the locking cylinder 6 is made to communicate by a
passage 25 with a vessel 26 (supposed to be removed in Figure 1), which vessel
may be a simple air vessel; or it may be a kind of reservoir, and have at its upper
end a pipe communicating with the lower part of the valve casing 27 of the steam
or motive cylinder 5. With the last mentioned arrangement the condensation of
some steam maintains a sufficient supply of water, and the pressure of the steam is
imparted to the water.
For the purpose of working the starting apparatus by band when steam is not
available, a small pump 28 is fitted to act in connection with the locking cylinder 6.
This pump 28 is worked by means of a hand lever 29 (shown partly broken away
in Figure 2) centered on a bracket 30, and connected by links 31 to the piston rod
or plunger 32 of the pump; and the pump is arranged to draw from the reservoir
´or air vessel 26 by a pipe 33, and its delivery pipe 34 communicates with a three-
way cock or valve 35 which communicates with the top and bottom of the valve
casing 14 of the locking cylinder 6, and through that casing with the top and
bottom of the cylinder-itself.-The-top-of-the-valve-casing-14-communicates directly-
across with the top of the cylinder 6, whilst the bottom of the casing communicates
through a bent pipe 36 with the bottom of the cylinder. On suitably setting this
cock or valve 35, and on working the pump 28, the cylinder 6 herein before described
as the locking cylinder may be used as a motive cylinder for moving the valve
gear of the main engines as may be required.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of starting engines in the
improved manner herein described and delineated.
2. The combination of the steam or motive cylinder with the hydraulic locking
cylinder, and with mechanism arranged to act simultaneously on the valves of both
cylinders, and to move the valves towards the neutral position when the pistons
move, substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
3. The arranging of the valve rod which works the valves of the motive cylinder
and of the locking cylinder, so as to rotate as well as move longitudinally, the
rotation being produced by the movement of the pistons, and by a screwing action
neutralising the longitudinal movement imparted by means of a hand lever,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

page_text: 4. The combination of the hand pump and controlling valve (35) with the
locking cylinder for the purpose of making that cylinder available as a motive
cylinder when required, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN. (LS.)