IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM OR OTHER FLUID-PRESSURE ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I THOMAS BROMLEY of 80 Blackburn Street, Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Picker Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for 'IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM OR OTHER FLUID-PRESSURE ENGINES," to be as
follows:-
:
"
This invention relates to improvements in motive-power engines capable of being
driven by either steam or gas, and consists in a novel arrangement whereby the
usual cylindrical steam or gas cylinder; connecting rod; piston rod; and slide
bars are dispensed with, also the hoavy fly wheels, thereby reducing the space,
required and the frictional surfaces to a minimum, as well as the cost of
production.
To a suitable frame is cast or otherwise an oblong casing, box, or cylinder
provided with suitable sliding or bearing surfaces planed to receive an oblong
sliding piston fitted with strips of steel or other analogous materials, set up by
springs of either flat or spiral form. The back side of the casing or oblong box is
provided with a circular cavity or recess with suitable wearing surfaces, in and
against which works a circular or disc crank secured to an ordinary shaft, the latter
working through a stuffing box and gland to make the same steam or gas tight.
The circular or disc crank is fitted with a crank pin which fits into a sliding block
or piston, the latter working or sliding in a slot or cavity in the centre or otherwise
of the oblong sliding piston, being made steam or gas tight by springs operating
strips of eteel or other equivalents.
The front side of the oblong casing, box, or cylinder is closed by a cover and can
be provided with ordinary steam or gas and exhaust ports and valve box; the
supply of steam or gas being admitted and emitted to and from each end of the
sliding oblong piston by an ordinary slide or other valve worked from the crank
ahaft by suitable gear, such as, an ordinary eccentric, rod, levers, valve spindle, or
other equivalents. The slide valve can be placed on any side of the oblong box or
cylinder with the exception of the one on which the crank shaft is.
To dispense with the heavy By wheels and turn the crank over the centres, the
steam or gas pressure is imparted to the sliding block or piston on the crank pin
through suitable openings or passages in the ends or sides of the oblong sliding
piston, the steam or gas being admitted through ports or passages provided on the
sides, top, bottom, or ends of the oblong casing, box, or cylinder, each performing
2.11

page_text: the function of a steam or gas, or exhaust port alternately according to the motion
or position of the main piston. To make the space between these ports steam or
gas tight, each side is provided with self-adjusting sliding pieces placed in openings
to receive them, being operated and held by the action of suitable springs.
This improved motivo-power engine is set to work by simply operating an i
ordinary valve admitting either steam or gas, which is regulated by the main slide
valve admitting the latter to each end of the main oblong piston, which forces it
and the sliding piston on the crank pin, thus giving a circular motion to the crank
and shaft from which the power is driven, and so on as in ordinary steam or gas
cylinders; the exhaust being delivered into the ordinary exhaust port by the main
slide valve. Immediately the crank passes the centre of the oblong box or cylinder
and before-it passes to the end or top or bottom of the same, steam or gas is
admitted to the sliding block or piston on the crank pin, which presses or forces it
to the opposite end of the slot, and so on, each side operating alternately. When
the engine is working it is receiving steam or gas from. two points through the
ports, the other two ports acting as exhaust ports, and vice-versa.
When it is intended to utilize this engine for reversing, such as is required in
winding or, other similar engines, it is provided with a four way valve or tap,
which can be regulated or altered at will and steam or gas admitted to either end
as desired according to the position of the openings in the said valvo or tap.
In case my improved engine is required to work as an ordinary single cylinder
engine, I provide a fly wheel to assist or turn the crank over the centres; the steam
or gas and exhaust ports in connection with the crank pin sliding piston or block
being dispensed with, leaving the steam or gas ports similar in every respect. to
those of an ordinary engine.
"
The advantages of this invention are that it is self-contained, requiring little
foundation, as well as being easy of manipulation and capable of working in any
convenient position, such as, horizontal, vertical, placed against a wall, or even up
side down, in which case it can be fastened to the joists of a floor or ceiling when
mado of small size. Another benefit is, that it can be run at a great speed, with
increased power, dispensing with heavy fly wheels, requiring nothing beyond an
ordinary pulley to transimit the power, or it can be coupled direct from the crank
shaft.
TAL! MAL 1100A

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I THOMAS BROMLEY of 80 Blackburn Street, Bolton in the County of
Lancaster, Picker Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM OR OTHER FLUID-PRESSURE ENGINES," and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to improvements in motive-power engines capable of being
driven by steam or other fluid-pressure and consists in a novel arrangement
whereby the usual cylindrical cylinder; connecting rod; piston rod, and slide bars
are dispensed with, also the heavy fly wheels, thereby reducing the space required
and the frictional surfaces to a minimum, as well as the cost of production..
For this purpose I arrange the mechanical movements and arrangements in the
manner I will describe referring to the accompanying drawings; Fig. 1 is a sectional
elevation of a modification of my improvements; Fig. 2 is a back side elevation,
and Fig. 3 a plan of same. To the frame A is cast or attached the cylinder B truly
planed and faced in the working parts to receive the oblong sliding piston C. This
piston is fitted with the strips L of steel or other analogous materials and set up
against the sides of the cylinder B and cover D with the springs E of eithor flat or
spiral form as shewn in Figs. 15, 16, and 17.
The back side of the cylinder B is provided with a circular cavity or recess and
suitable bearing surfaces in and against which the crank F, secured to the crank
shaft G, revolves. This shaft works through the stuffing box and gland H for the
purpose of making the same tight to prevent the escape of pressure employed for
driving the same. The disc crank F is fitted with the crank pin I provided with
the sliding block or piston J, the latter working or sliding up and down in the slot
or cavity K in the centro or otherwise of the piston C, being made pressure tight
by springs operating the strips Z.
On the top side of the cylinder B is disposed the valve box M provided with the
admission ports N and exhaust port O, pressure being admitted and emitted to and
from each end of the piston C by the slide valve P worked from the crank F. On
the back side of the disc crank F is formed the eccentric slot or groove R, in which
fits the pin S secured to the sliding rod T attached to the mounted lever U which
couples to the valve spindle V and operates the slide valve P.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, shew my improvements wherein heavy fly wheels are
dispensed with, which is effected by imparting pressure to the sliding piston J,
which operates as follows:-The piston C works to and fro in the ordinary manner
by the admission of pressure regulated by the slide valve P: when the piston C
has travelled a little over half stroke and the port b in the piston C passes the
point c, as shewn in Fig. 4, the pressure driving the same operates on the underside
of the sliding piston J attached to the crank pin-the travel of the piston C being
in the direction indicated by the arrow-by which, the stroke of the piston.C is
completed by the pressure on the piston J, during which time the exhaust from the
opposite side passes through the port d into the main exhaust port O, the port d
remaining open until the piston has completed its stroke and made about half the
--

page_text: return stroke, or until the port d passes the point e, when tho piston J is again
ready for a fresh supply of pressure which takes place immediately the port d
passes the point f, which is open to the admittance of pressure from the valve
box M, during which operation the pressure on the underside of the piston J is
emitted through the port 6 into the exhaust chamber g which communicates with
the main exhaust pipe or outlet W by means of the pipe h shown in Fig. 2; the
chamber receives its supply of pressure from the valve box M by the pipe
shewn in the same figure. The ports b and d alternately become admission and
exhaust ports according to the movement of the piston.
To make the spaces or bars between the admission and exhaust ports on tho
sides of the cylinder B tight and prevent the escape of pressure from one to the
other the cavities m are fitted with the self-adjusting sliding pieces n, as shewn in
the enlarged section in Fig. 5, being hold and operated against the piston C by the
'springs r.
It will be readily seen by the foregoing description that when the engine is
working it receives pressure from two points through the admission ports, the
other two ports acting as exhaust ports, and vica-versa as the engine revolves.
In adapting my improved arrangements to work as an ordinary single cylinder
engine wherein a fly whool is requisite to assist or turn the crank over the centres,
I construct it as shewn in Figs. 6 to 14 on sheet 2 of the drawings, the general
construction of the main parts being similar to those before described with a few
exceptions, in which case the same letters and numerals are employed to indicate
the same or corresponding parts.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are a modification wherein the crank pin I is attached to the
crank F on the shaft G. The crank pin I operates in the slide or cavity K of the
piston C. The latter is provided with the adjustable slide 10 for the purpose of
taking up the slack that may occur through the wear of the sliding surfaces and
the crank pin, being set up or adjusted by the V* 12 operated by the right and left
hand screws 13. If desired the crank pin can be fitted with the slide block 14 as
shewn in Fig. 9, in which case the slack can be adjusted vertically.
The admission and exhaust ports N and O are placed vertically above the
cylinder B in which case the valve P is operated by the valve spindle V attached
to the crosshead X. This crosshead is attached to the side rods Y, and coupled to the
eccentric clip Q mounted in the cavity 14 provided with suitable sliding or bearing
surfaces for guiding the same. Through the clip Q passes the crank shaft G on
which is mounted the eccentric or cam 15 for operating on the said clip and by
which the movement of the valve P is effected.
In another modification I place the valve P on its side as in Figs. 10, 11, and 12,
and operate the same by the eccentric R, rod T, lever U, and valve spindle V, other
parts remaining as before described in Figs. 6, 7, and 8.
In Figs. 18 and 14 I place the slide valve P horizontally above the cylinder B
and operate the same as before described in Figs. 1 to 4
If desired the piston can be provided with the cavity K without adjustment to
the crank pin or sliding parts as shewn in Fig. 14.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details
given and shown as the same may be constructed in a variety of ways according
to the various requirements to which they may be applied without departing from
the principle of my invention, which can be easily arranged and applied for driving
a Locomotive, Marine Vessel, Tram Car, or other vehicle.
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. In a steam or other fluid-pressure engine wherein two pistons, one working
inside the other and sliding at right angles to each other, are employed for giving
motion to the crank and pin, applied and operating substantially as described and
shewn on the drawings.

page_text: 2. In such a steam or other fluid pressure engine the adaptation of the ports b
and d in the piston C employed alternately for the admission and emission of
pressure to and from the piston J attached to the crank pin, applied and operating
substantially as described and shewn on the drawings.
3. The construction and use of the eccentric groove R formed on the back side of
the crank F for the purpose described and shewn
4. The use of the self-adjusting pieces n, shewn in Fig. 5 for the purposes
described and set forth.
5. The combination and arrangement of the oblong piston C with the means for
adjustment, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth in
the drawings in Fig. 7, or any mere modification thereof.
6. The use and construction of the metallic strips L used in connection with the
oblong piston C in a steam or other fluid pressure engine in combination with the
means for adjustment substantially as described and shewn on the drawings in
Figs. 15, 16, and 17.
7. The combination and arrangement of valve gear, applied and operating in the
manner described and as shewn on the drawings in Figs. 6 and 8.
8. The general combination and arrangement of engine operating substantially
in the manner described and as shewn on the drawings in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
9. The respective combinations of parts forming my improved steam or other
fluid-pressure engine, with the various valve arrangements, constructed and operating
substantially in the manner described and as shewn on the drawings in Figs. 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.