Electro-magnetic Mechanism for Actuating Engine Valves.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Electro-magnetic Mechanism for Actuating Engine Valves.
We, JOHN MCLAREN and HENRY MCLAREN, of Midland Engine Works,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by Ernest W. Nayler,
of 1503, North Fifty-second Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America,) to be as follows:-
to one
This invention relates to valve actuating mechanism and has for its object to
provide a simple and efficient electro-magnetic valve actuating device in connection
with the admission or exhaust valves, or both, of engines, having particularly in
view to enable the engineer to alter the period of admission of the steam, or other
propelling fluid, in an engine, and also to alter the compression, both of these
adjustments being practicable in apparatus according to this invention, while the
engine is running. A further object is to provide for the automatic control of the
cut-off effected by the admission valve by means of a governor, the device being
of such character that the governor will act efficiently from a cut-
off of one per cent.
hundred per
cent. as may be desired.
Further objects of this invention are the avoidance of the usual valve gear,
substituting for it a simple and efficient electro-magnetic mechanism; the normal
generation of electric current by the engine, and obtaining a current from other
sources in starting the same. Provision is made for manually operating each valve
independently of the automatic valve actuating mechanism. Another object of this
invention is to provide in combination with the cylinder of the engine a construction
cf the electro-magnetically operated valves whereby the amount of power required
to actuate the valve is reduced to a minimum, and whereby, in case of breakage, the
danger of further damage from the piston striking with dangerous force on the
cylinder heads is obviated.
According to this invention each steam admission valve and each exhaust valve
is of conical form fitted to conical seats in the ends of the steam cylinder, the
admission valves being arranged to open outwards and the exhaust valve arranged
to open inwards. Each valve is provided with a stem passing through a stuffing
box in the steam chambers or passages to the outside and connected at the
outer end to a pivoted lever constituting or carrying the armature of an electro-.
magnet and so arranged that when the electro-magnet is energised the lever
will turn on its pivot and cause the valve in connection therewith to open.
The steam admission valves which as before described open outwards are pro-
vided with inwardly extending projections which when the said valves are closed
extend into the cylinder in such position as to be struck by the piston, in case
it moves further toward the head of the cylinder than it does in the normal
working of the engine, as, for instance, in case of the breakage of the piston
The exhaust valves which open inwards are normally held closed by springs.
rod.

page_text: The main shaft of the engine is provided with a pulley for transmitting power
by means of a belt or strap to a dynamo.
On the main shaft or other suitable part of the engine which is positively
driven by a connection from the moving parts of the engine, is a disc, parts of
which are made of or covered with a non-conducting material, and surrounding
this disc is a peripheral contact plate of conducting material and has a face
contact plate having a front edge of sickle like form and an inner edge of
curved form receding from the centre of the disc about which it revolves. The
front edge of the contact plate and its position and shape as well as that of the
curved inner edge is calculated to work in connection with the particular contact
points operating on the front of the disc and for the results desired in the operations
of the valves of the engine, the face contact plate may be fixed on the front of the
disc or it can be made adjustable thereon, and any convenient mechanism be
provided for shifting the contact plate and securing it in position. Two contact
plates may be fitted to the disc one to work in connection with the contact point
or points controlling the admission valve of the engine and the outer contact
plate working in connection with the point or points controlling the exhaust
valves of the engine. The contact plates both peripheral and face plates are in
electrical connection with each other..
Contact points are provided for making contact with the peripheral contact
plate and face contact plates, on the disc the said contact points being preferably
in the form of rollers carried in arms the peripheral contact point held in contact
by a spring and face contact being carried in arms situated on opposite sides
of the centre of the disc upon the face of which the rollers press, the arms carry-
ing these face contact points, having their outer ends forked, and secured by a
pivot pin to a block connected in turn by pivot pins to stationary arms or brackets,
and from each block projects an arm, the said arms being connected by rods with
lever arms mounted on a stud which also carries another lever arm connected
by means of a rod to a governor, adjusting nuts being provided by means of
which the contact arms and rolls can be manually shifted and adjusted on the
face of the disc. The connecting mechanism is such that each movement of
carrying the levers hereinbefore referred to effects a simultaneous and equal
movement of the contact rollers toward and away, from the centre of the contact
disc.
The contact rollers on the face of the disc are through their arms connected with
electric circuit wires which in turn are connected with and include another circuit,
containing the electro-magnets which, as hereinbefore explained, actuate the
admission valves of the engine. Other contact points or rollers carried on con-
tact arms the constructions and connections of which are substantially identical
with those before described are connected through other circuit wires with the
electro-magnets for actuating the exhaust valves- of the engine, but as the ex-
haust valves do not require automatic regulation provision is made for the
manual adjustment of these contact rolls for instance there may be secured upon
the lever arms segmental racks engaged by a worm secured on a shaft mounted
in bearings and actuated by a hand wheel.
From one pole of the dynamo a circuit wire extends to a switch which when
this is closed through a wire makes electrical connection with four wires leading
respectively through the four electromagnets in connection with the four contact
levers which bear on the face of the disc. By this arrangement each electro-
magnet will be energised and its corresponding valve opened whenever its corre-
sponding contact arm is through its point or roller in contact with the corresponding
plate on the face of the disc, and the circuit from the dynamo thus closed,
passing through the peripheral contact plate of the disc and its contact arm,
the cut off and the compression of the engine can be nicely regulated by shifting
the contact points on the face of the disc so as to vary the period of their
contact with the plate or plates on the face thereof.
When the electric current used in actuating the valves is derived from a

page_text: dynamo driven by the engine, it is desirable to provide means for actuating the
valves in starting the engine for which purpose the electrical connections may
be coupled with a second source of electrical energy which may be of any con-
venient character, a storage battery, for instance, being well adapted for the
purpose, leads from poles of the battery being connected to switches by which
the current can be diverted as required.
In starting the engine it is desirable to provide means for actuating the valves
manually and this may be accomplished by means of the system of switches, so that
by closing any switch the corresponding electro-magnet in the circuit wire con-
nected, will be energised irrespective of the position of the contact disc.
By arranging the admission and exhaust valves as described and proper com-
pression being provided for in the operation of the engine, each valve will be acted
upon to open it when the pressure on both sides of such valve is substantially
balanced, consequently but little power in the electro-magnet actuating the valve
is required, whilst the construction of valves is such as to enable the piston to use
practically all of the steam admitted to the cylinder to the best advantage with
but little waste steam and by providing the projections on the admission valves in
case of a breakage the piston will strike against it and open the admission valve
before striking the head of the cylinder and by admitting steam prevent a destruc-
tive blow while the immediate closing of the valve after the admission of a small
quantity of steam will prevent a dangerous rebound in the piston.
Dated this 28th day of September 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Electro-magnetic Mechanism for Actuating Engine Valves.
We, JOHN MCLAREN and HENRY MCLAREN, both of Midland Engine Works,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by Ernest W. Nayler,
of 1503, North Fifty-second Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America,) 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 valve actuating mechanism and has for its object to
provide a simple and efficient electro-magnetic valve actuating device in connection
with the admission or-exhaust valves, or both, of engines, the said device enabling
the engineer to alter the period of admission of the steam, or other propelling
fluid, in an engine; and also to alter the compression, both of these adjustments
being practicable in apparatus according to this invention while the engine is
running. A further object is to provide for the automatic control of the cut-off,
effected by the admission valve, by means of a governor, the device being of such
character that the governor will act efficiently from a cut-off of one per cent. to
one hundred per cent. as may be desired. Further objects of this invention are the
avoidance of the usual valve gear, substituting for it a simple and efficient electro-
magnetic mechanism; the normal generation of electric current being effected by
the engine, a current being obtained from other sources in starting. Provision is
made for manually operating each valve independently of the automatic valve-
actuating mechanism. Another object of this invention is to provide such a con-
struction of the electro-magnetically operated valves, and such combination thereof
with the cylinder of the engine that the amount of power required to actuate the
valve is reduced to a minimum, and, in case of breakage, the danger of further

page_text: damage from the piston striking, with dangerous force, on the cylinder heads, is
_ obviated.
The nature of this invention and the manner in which it can be performed will
be understood by the following description with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steam engine provided with the improvements
according to this invention, the cylinder being shewn in section, the line of section
passing through the valve ports.
Figure 2 is a plan of the engine and a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits
and connections used therein.
Figure 3 is a side elevation and Figure 4 a plan of the revolving disc and
contact plates together with the adjustable contact points, or rods, which mechanism
forms the leading feature of this invention.
Figure 5 is an elevation and Figure 6 is a plan of the same mechanism (partly
in section as on the line - of Figure 5) shewing in detail the pivotal connections
of the contact rods operating on the face of the disc.
Figure 7 is a plan of a modified disc and contact plates.
A is the bed, or frame, of the engine, 13 the cylinder, C the live steam chamber
connected with the steam pipe C, C is a throttle valve in the said steam pipe and C³
and Care the conically seated steam passages leading from the heads of the
cylinder, into the cylinder, the seats being adapted for valves which open outward.
D) is the exhaust chamber of the engine, connected with an exhaust pipe D and
opening into the cylinder through its heads by means of conically seated valve
passages 13 and 1 the seats being adapted as shewn for valves which open inwards.
E and E are conically faced valves operating in connection with the valve seat C
and C and connected by valve stems E2 and 13 with valve actuating levers E* E*
pivotted at and provided with armature extensions EE, arranged in such
relation to electro-magnets G and G¹ that when the said electro-magnets are
energised the armatures will be attracted and move the levers E on their pivots c¹
to open the valve E or the valve E¹ in accordance with the energising of the
magnets G and G¹.
At e, e, are shewn inwardly extending projections on the valves E and E' which,
when the said valves are closed, extend into the cylinder in such position as to be
struck by the piston H, in case it moves further toward the head of the cylinder
than it does in the normal working of the engine as, for instance, in case of the
breakage of the piston rod H. F and F are the exhaust valves of the engine
provided with conical faces adapted to seat themselves on the ports D³ and D'
and to open by moving into the cylinder B. These valves are connected by
rods F2 and F3 with valve actuating levers F F pivotted at f f and provided with
armatures F Farranged in such relation to electro-magnets G and G³ that they
will be attracted and the levers moved to open the valve For the valve F¹ as the
electro-magnets G2 and G³ respectively, are energised. FF are springs to
normally hold the exhaust valves closed. He is the crosshead whereby the piston
rod His connected with the connecting rod H" and, through it, with the crank pin I
which, as shewn, is secured on a disc I' attached in turn to the main shaft 12 of
the engine, is the belt wheel of the engine and I a belt wheel provided for
transmitting power to a dynamo.
Jis a disc which is preferably secured directly on the end of the shaft I2 (as
shewn in Figure 4) by means of screws j, j. It will be understood however that
the disc may be situated in any convenient place so long as it is positively driven
by a connection from the moving parts of the engine. The disc, or the shaded
portions thereof, as shewn in Figures 3 and 7, are made of, or covered with, a non-
conducting material. J' is a peripheral contact plate of conducting material and J
is a face contact plate having a sickle-like form and an inner edge in the form of
a curve receding from the centre of the disc J about which centre the disc revolves.
J is the front edge of the contact plate, and its position and shape, as well as that
of the curved edge J, must of course be nicely calculated to work in connection

page_text: with the particular contact points operating on the front of the disc and for the
results desired in the operations of the valves of the engine. The face contact plates
are shewn as being fixed on the front of the disc but they can be made adjustable
thereon and such adjustability would in some cases be desirable. Any convenient
mechanism for shifting the contact plates and securing them in position may be
used. In Figure 3 a single contact plate J is shewn on the face of the disc and in
Figure 7 are shown two contact plates the inner one being marked J2 and the outer
one. This double arrangement may be advantageously used in some cases, the
inner contact plate working in connection with the contact point, or points,
controlling the admission valve of the engine and the outer contact plate working
in connection with the point, or points, controlling the exhaust valves of the
engine. All of the contact plates, both peripheral and face plates, are in electrical
connection with each other.
K is a contact point, shewn in the form of a friction roller, and secured to a
contact arm K¹ pivotted to a fixed point at K3 and held by means of a spring K³
in constant contact with the peripheral contact plate J¹. L L are contact plates,
shewn as rollers, secured to contact arms L'L' situated on opposite sides of the
centre of the disc upon the face of which the rolls press, the said arms having their
outer ends forked at L, and secured by a pivot pin L' to a block L connected in
turn by pivot pins L L to stationary arms, or braces, LLC. L8, in each case,
indicates a lever arm connected to, and extending from, the block L; and L³ are
spring attachments by means of which springs (such as L1, Figure 4) are connected
to draw the rods L' in a direction to hold the contact rolls L in contact with the
face of the disc. The lever arms L8 L are connected by rods N, N, with levers
arms N1, N2, connected to a hub N³ pivotted on a stud N and provided with a lever
arm N5 which, by means of a rod No, is connected to a governor, indicated at N' in
Figure 1, n, n are adjusting nuts which, as shewn, are seated on the rods N, N,
and N6 by means of which the contact arms and rolls can be manually shifted and
adjusted on the face of the disc. The connecting mechanism is such that each
movement of the hub N effects a simultaneous and equal movement of the contact
rolls L, L, towards, and away from, the centre of the disc.
The contact rolls L, L, are, through their arms L', L1, connected with electric
circuit wires R2 and R3 which in turn are connected with, and include, in their
circuit, the electro-magnets G and G which, as already explained, actuate the
admission valves of the engine. The other contact points namely the rolls,
indicated at 1, 1, connected with the contact arms (the constructions and con-
nections of which arms are substantially identical with those of the arms L' and
are indicated by the corresponding small instead of the capital letters)
wires R and R, with the electro-
are connected, through circuit
magnets G and G³ actuating the exhaust valves of the engine but as the
exhaust valves do not require automatic regulation the manual adjustment of the
contact rolls is provided for in any convenient way thus, for example there is
secured upon the lever arms 18 segmental racks with which gears a worm M
secured on a shaft M¹ turning in a bearing at M2 and actuated by a hand wheel M³.
As shewn in Figure 3 the contact arm K₁ is connected with a circuit wire R
and as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 (the circuit connections are plotted out dia-
grammatically in Figure 2) the belt wheel It is connected, by a belt O' with the
dynamo indicated at O and from one pole of this dynamo a circuit wire R extends
to a switch S and (when the said switch is closed) through a wire R¹ making
electrical connection with four wires, viz. the wire R2, passing through the electro-
magnet G to one of the contact arms L³, the wire, R3, passing through the electro-
magnet G to the other contact arm. L', the wire R. passing through the
electro-magnet G2 to one of the contact arms and the fourth wire R³, passing through
the electro-magnet G³ to the other contact arms. By this arrangement each
electro-magnet will be energised and its corresponding valve opened whenever
the point, or roll, of its corresponding contact arm. is in contact with the plate J2
or and the circuit from the dynamo thus closed, passing through the peripheral

page_text: contact plate J, and its contact arm K¹, and thus the cut off and the compression
of the engine can be exactly regulated by shifting the position of the contact points
or rolls on the face of the disc so as to vary the period of their contact with the plate,
or plates, J2 or ³.
Where, as shewn in the drawings, the electric current used in actuating the
valves is derived from a dynamo driven by the engine it is desirable that provision
should be made for actuating the valves in starting the engine and therefore the
electrical connections are connected with a second source of electrical energy which
may be of any convenient character, a storage battery, as indicated at P, Figure 2,
being well adapted for the purpose. From one pole of the battery a circuit wire r
leads to a switch $2 and, when the said switch is closed, through a wire to
the wire R. From the other pole of the battery a wire leads to a switch S3 and,
when the said switch is closed, through a connection to the wire R which
extends from the contact arm K' to a switch S' and, when the said switch is closed,
through the circuit wire R to the dynamo 0. The construction described is such
that by closing the switches S and St and opening the switches S and S the dynamo
will provide all the current to actuate the valves, while by opening the switches S
and Sand closing the switches S2 S3 the battery, or other source of electric supply,
will be coupled to the valve mechanism.
In starting the engine it is desirable to provide means for actuating the valves
manually and this is accomplished by the system of switches indicated at Q, the
four switch buttons shewn being coupled by connection with the wires 6, R6, and
each button being connectable by an individual lever and through wires ot
and with the wires R2 R R and R so that by closing any switch the corre-
sponding electro-magnet in the circuit wire connected will be energised irrespective
of the position of the contact disc.
By arranging the admission and exhaust valves as herein before described proper
compression being provided for in the operation of the engine, each valve will be
acted upon to open it when the pressure on both sides of such valve is substantially
balanced consequently but little power in the electro-magnet actuating the valve is
required. The construction of valves shewn is such as to enable the piston to
use practically all of the steam admitted to the cylinder to the best advantage with
but little waste steam and, by providing the projections e on the admission valves, in
case of a breakage the piston will strike against it and open the admission valve
before striking the head of the cylinder, and by admitting steam prevent a destructive
blow, while the immediate closing of the valve after the admission of a small
quantity of steam will prevent a dangerous rebound to the piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In combination with a valve of an engine, an electro-magnet arranged to
actuate the said valve, a source of electrical energy, a rotating disc with a sickle-
like contact plate, with its inner edge formed in a curve receding from the centre of
the disc, a contact point or roll resting on the face of the disc and adjustable to and
from the centre thereof, and an electrical circuit embracing the electro-magnet
aforesaid having one terminal in constant electrical contact with the contact plate
and another in electrical contact with the point or roll aforesaid and, through it, in
intermittent contact with said plate.
2. In combination with an admission valve of an engine, an electro-magnet
arranged to actuate the said valve, a source of electrical energy, a rotating disc
having a sickle-like contact plate with its inner edge formed in a curve receding
from the centre of the disc, a contact point, or roll, resting on the face of the disc,
and adjustable to and from the centre thereof, a governor connected to the said
contact point or roll and so as to move it toward the centre of the disc as the speed
increases, and an electrical circuit embracing the electro-magnet aforesaid having
one terminal in constant electrical contact with the contact plate and another in

page_text: electrical contact with the point or roll aforesaid and, through it, in intermittent
contact with said plate.
3. In combination with an engine having admission and exhaust valves and
separate electro-magnets arranged to actuate them, a source of electrical energy, a
rotating disc having a contact plate, or plates, of sickle-shape secured on its face
with its, or their, inner edges forming curves receding from the centre of the disc
contact points or rolls, resting on the face of the disc, contact points or rolls resting
on the face of the disc, and adjustable to and from its centre, an electrical circuit
including the electro-magnet controlling the admission valve, one terminal of the
said circuit being in constant connection with a contact plate and another in
connection with a contact point or roll operating to intermittently contact with said
plate, a governor arranged to move the said contact point or roll toward and from
the centre of the disc, another electrical circuit including the electro-magnet actuat-
ing the exhaust valve and having one terminal in constant connection with a contact
plate and its other terminal in constant connection with the second contact point or
roll, and means for adjusting the last mentioned contact point or roll on the disc.
4. As a circuit controller for electrically actuated valves, a rotating disc having
on its face a contact plate or contact plates of sickle shape with their inner edge,
or edges, formed in a curve receding from the centre of the disc.
5. As a circuit controller for electrically actuated valves, a rotating disc having
on its face a contact plate or contact plates of sickle shape with their inner edge,
or edges, formed in a curve receding from the centre of the disc, and a peripheral
contact plate in electrical connection with the said face plate.
6. A circuit controller for electrically actuated valves consisting of a rotating
dise having a contact plate or contact plates of sickle shape with its, or their,
inner edges forming a curve receding from the centre of the disc, two sets of contact
points or rolls symmetrically disposed on each side of the centre of the disc so
as to alternately make and break contact with the said contact plate, or plates.
7. A circuit controller for electrically actuated valves consisting of a rotating
disc having a contact plate, or contact plates, of sickle shape with its, or their,
inner edges forming a curve receding from the centre of the disc, and a peripheral
contact plate in electrical connection with the said face plate or plates, two sets of
contact points or rolls symmetrically disposed on each side of the centre of the disc
so as to alternately make and break contact with the said contact plate or plates,
a contact point or roll in constant contact with the peripheral plate, a source of
electrical energy, circuit connections therefrom one connecting to the contact point
or roll resting on the peripheral plate and the other branching so as to connect
independently through its separate valve actuating devices to the face contact points
aforesaid.
8. In a valve actuating device, the combination of the revolving disc J and
sickle shaped contact plates secured thereon, with a contact rod or contact rods,
such as L pivotally supported to swing in an arc approaching and receding from
the centre of the disc, and capable also of moving to and from the said disc, and
means for moving the said arm, or arms, on its, or their, pivotal supports.
9. In a valve actuating device, the combination of the revolving disc J and
peripheral and sickle shaped contact plates secured thereon, with a contact rod or
contact rods such as L' pivotally supported to swing in an are approaching and
receding from the centre of the disc, and having also capacity to move to and from
the said disc, means for moving the said arm, or arms, on its, or their, pivotal
supports and a contact arm as K bearing against the peripheral plate.
10. In a steam engine cylinder, admission valves EE opening outward from
the ends of the cylinder, exhaust valves FF opening inward from the ends of the
cylinder and electro-magnets arranged in connection with each valve to open the
same.
11. In a steam engine cylinder, admission valves EE opening outward from
the ends of the cylinder, and provided with extensions ee extending into the
cylinder when the said valves are closed, exhaust valves F F¹ opening inward from

page_text: the ends of the cylinder and electro magnets arranged in connection with each valve
to open the same.
12. In combination with an engine having electro-magnets arranged to actuate
its valves, a dynamo actuated by the engine, a connection from one pole thereof
to each electro-magnet, and, through each said magnet, to a contact point, a
variable contact device arranged to operate in connection with the said contact
points and having electrical connection with the other pole of the dynamo, a second
-source of electrical energy also connected in circuit with the electro-magnets and
contact devices and switches whereby the dynamo and second source of electrical
energy can be cut into and out of circuit.
;
:
13. In combination with an engine having electro-magnets arranged to actuate
its valves, a source of electrical energy a connection from one-pole thereof to each
electro-magnet and, through each said magnet, to a contact point, a variable contact
device arranged to operate in connection with the said contact points and having
electrical connection with the other pole of the source of electrical energy and
means for independently closing the connection through each electro-magnetrat
will.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.