CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO STEAM PIPES AND STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Wood, of the Firm of John and Edward Wood, of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO STEAM
PIPES AND STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 12th April 1876, and dated the 23rd February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Wood at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1876.
EDWARD WOOD, of the Firm of John and Edward Wood, of Bolton, in tho
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES,
County of Lancaster, Engineer.
ss
PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO STEAM PIPES AND STEAM BOILERS."
The first part of my Invention relates to the valve gear of the Corliss steam
engine, and consists in an improved arrangement of parts for opening and closing
the admission valves. All the valves are on the same level, and are placed either
above or below the centre of the cylinder. The eccentric for working the admission
This double
valves is connected to a driving bar to which a double catch is fixed.
catch engages alternately in other catches fixed to sliding boxes, which are coupled
Below the sliding boxes is a
to the steam admission valves by rods and levers.
double wedge, the level of which is regulated by the governor. In each sliding box
fits a disengaging block, which rides on the double wedge as the driving bar moves
to and fro. When the engine is going too fast the double wedge is raised, and the
disengaging block acting on the driving bar disengages the catches earlier to cut off
the steam. When the engine is going too slow the double wedge is lowered, and
the disengaging blocks come later in contact with it, and thus allow the steam
The valves are closed by
admission valves to remain open for a longer time.
springs, as usual, and they are brought to a state of rest by the ordinary air
cushions. The exhaust valves may be worked in any convenient manner.
The second part of my Invention relates to syphon boxes for removing the water
of condensation from the cylinders and other parts of steam engines and from steam
pipes. The steam and water enter the bottom of the syphon box, at the top of
which is fixed the discharge pipe with an opening in the side; on the discharge
pipe fits and slides an inner box, which is lifted by the steam pressure.
At first
the water collects in the syphon box, and the opening in the discharge pipe allows

page_text: the water to flow out, but when the steam pressure lifts the inner box the opening
is closed.
In order to prevent the collapsing of the hollow floats of syphon boxes and of
floats used in steam boilers, I force air or other fluid lighter than water into the
float at a pressure proportionate to the pressure of steam used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th August
1876.
EDWARD WOOD, of the Firm of John and Edward Wood, of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES,
PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO STEAM PIPES AND STEAM BOILERS."
The first part of my Invention relates to the valve gear of the " Corliss" steam
engine, and consists in certain improved arrangements of parts for opening and
closing the admission valves.
The second part of my Invention consists in an improved syphon box for
removing the water of condensation from the cylinders and other parts of steam
engines and from steam pipes.
The third part of my Invention consists in forcing air or other fluid.lighter than
water into hollow floats to prevent them collapsing.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the two accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, 1eference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a transverse section, and Fig. 3 a plan
of part of a horizontal "Corliss" steam engine, to which my improved valve
motion is applied.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detached views of the valve motion drawn on an enlarged scale.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a is the steam cylinder; b, b, the spindles of the admission
valves; c, c, the spindles of the exhaust valves; d, the rod connected to the
eccentric for actuating the admission valves; e, the rod connected to the eccentric
for working the exhaust valves; f, the springs for closing the valves; g, the air
cushions, commonly called the dash pots; and his the rod connected to the
governor. All the parts above enumerated are made in any approved manner.
In Fig. 1 the valves are all shewn on the same level, and below the centre of the
steam cylinder, but they may be placed above, as will be described hereafter, or the
cylinder may be placed vertically instead of horizontally, as shewn in Fig. 7.
I will now proceed to describe my improved valve motion. The rod d above
referred to is jointed to a sliding block d', to which the driving bar i, shewn best in
Figs. 4 and 5, is connected. To this driving bar is fixed the double catch j; the
catch is provided with four steps, two at each side, pointing in contrary directions.
To the spindle b of each admission valve is fixed a lever b', and each lever is con-
nected by a link b² to the sliding boxes . To each sliding box is fixed a double
catch, and the double catch j fixed to the driving bar i engages alternately in the
catches . The steps in the catches j and are made of different heights. In each
sliding box is a disengaging block m. The boxes / slide to and fro in the bracket n,
which is secured to the cylinder or to the foundation plate or to the stonework.
Below the sliding boxes is the double wedge o, with which the disengaging
blocks m come in contact when the driving bar has moved the sliding blocks k
to the required extent.
The level of the double wedge o is varied by the governor in the following
manner:- -The end of the rod his connected to the link ', and this link is jointed
to the levers p, p, which are keyed on cranked studs p¹; the cranks take into holes
in bushes secured to the under side of the double wedge o. By this arrangement,

page_text: when the levers p are moved to and fro, the cranks elevate and depress the double
wedge.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The eccentric is now supposed to be
moving the driving bar i in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, and the double
catch is moving the right-hand sliding box k in the same direction, but as soon as
the disengaging block m in this box has been raised to the required extent by the
right-hand end of the double wedge o, the catches j are lifted out of the catches 1,
and the springs f then instantly close the admission valves. The driving bar then
continues its traverse until the left-hand catches of the double catch; have passed
over the catches of the left-hand sliding box k, so that on the return stroke of the
driving bar the disengaging block m of this sliding box will ride up the double
wedge until the catches are disengaged in the manner described, the admission
valves remaining open for the required length of the stroke at each end of the
cylinder. When the engine is going too fast the levers p are moved in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 5. This motion lifts the crank pins p¹, and the double wedge o
is raised; the disengaging block m then acting on the driving bar i disengages the
catches and earlier to close the admission valves, thereby cutting off the steam.
When the engine is going too slow the double wedge is lowered, and the disen-
gaging blocks come later in contact with it, and thus allow the steam admission
valves to remain open for a longer time. By this means the steam is cut off
according to the action of the governor, which varies according to the load on the
engine.
.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 6 is an elevation of part of a horizontal "Corliss" engine to
which a modification of my Invention is applied. In this instance the admission and
the exhaust valves b and c are placed above the centre of the steam cylinder a. The
driving bar i with the double catches j act in the manner before described on the
sliding boxes k, k, which are connected by the links be to the elbow levers b¹ fixed
to the spindles of the admission valves b; the springs f and the dash pots g are
also connected to the elbow levers b¹. The sliding boxes are provided with
disengaging blocks m, which come in contact with a double wedge o (not shown in
the Drawing), the level of which is regulated by the governor as described in
reference to Figs. 1 and 5.
Fig. 7 represents part of a vertical "Corliss" steam engine, to which another
modification of my Invention is applied. In this arrangement one admission
valve band one exhaust valve c are placed at opposite sides of the steam cylinder a,
one pair of valves being at the upper end and the other pair at the lower end of
the cylinder.
I wish to remark here that the valves may all be placed on one side of the
cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The driving bar i is actuated by the eccentric of
the admission valve, as before described, and the double catch j acts as before on the
sliding boxes k, which in this arrangement are placed in a diagonal position. The
disengaging blocks m in the boxes come in contact with a double wedge o, similar
to that shewn in Fig. 1, and the various parts act in the manner before described.
In all cases the exhaust valves are worked in any convenient manner.
Fig. 8 represents a section of my improved syphon box, marked 1, which is
provided with a lid 7.
The discharge pipes is screwed into the bush 8', which is
screwed into the boss of the lid, and in this bush is the side opening 8. Within
the box is an inner box t, which is open below, and to the top of which is fixed
the bush t fitting on the bush 8¹. Within the bush t¹ is the spindle t, the lower
end of which fits in the tube u¹ fixed into the bottom of the syphon box r, and at
the top of the spindle is the air valve t³. The upper end of the tube u¹ is
perforated to allow the steam, air, and water from the supply pipe u to enter the
syphon box. The syphon box is supposed to be full of water, and the inner box t
is resting upon the boss at the bottom of the box r; the spindle is resting upon
the top of the supply pipe u', thereby opening the air valve t³. All the air from
the steam pipes is thus allowed to escape through the discharge pipe 8, and so long
as only water is admitted from the supply pipe u the opening 83 remains open to

page_text: discharge it, but as soon as steam is admitted through the pipe u it displaces the
water in the inner box t, and causes it to rise, thereby closing the air valve t³ and
the opening 82 to shut off the egress of the water. The opening &* remains closed
until again water instead of steam is admitted by the supply pipe u; the inner
box then sinks, owing to the condensation of the steam within it, thereby un-
covering the opening 8².
In order to prevent the collapsing of the hollow floats of syphon boxes and of
floats used in steam boilers, I force air or other fluid lighter than water into the
float at a pressure proportionate to the pressure of steam used.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself
to the details given, as the same may be varied, and I claim,—
First. The improved arrangements of parts for opening and closing the admission
valves of "Corliss" steam engines, as shewn and described.
Secondly. The improved syphon box shewn and described.
And, lastly. Forcing air or other fluid lighter than water into hollow floats to
prevent them collapsing, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Wood, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Eighth day of August One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Aix
EDWARD WOOD. (L.S.)