IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE VALVES OF STEAM OR HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR STARTING, STOPPING, OR REVERSING SUCH ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Tipping, of 73, High Street, Portsmouth, Mechanical
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE VALVES OF STEAM OR HYDRAULIC ENGINES
FOR STARTING, STOPPING, OR REVERSING SUCH ENGINES."
Sealed the 12th December 1879, and dated the 17th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Tipping at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1879.
"IM-
HENRY TIPPING, of 73, High Street, Portsmouth, Mechanical Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE VALVES OF
STEAM OR HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR STARTING, STOPPING, OR REVERSING SUCH
ENGINES."
This Invention of improvements in the method of and apparatus for working the
valves of steam or bydraulic engines for starting, stopping, or reversing such engines
relates to the mode of actuating the valves of steam or hydraulic engines, or as
usually designated, relates to what is termed the reversing gear. It is applicable to
any engine where the end of the main or crank shaft is accessible, but is not
readily applicable to engines, such as large paddle wheel engines, where the ends
of the crank shaft are not accessible, or where the situation would render the
apparatus liable to exposure or damage. It is chiefly applicable to engines for
launches or boats, or by engines used for driving screw propellers, winding engines,
but with the reservation named above. There are many kinds of engines to which
these improvements may be applied, whether the force employed be steam or water.
The principle consists in boring out the end of the main shaft, upon which are
placed the eccentrics for the valves, to a convenient width and depth to contain a
hollow sleeve or pin; a feather or key connects the sleeve with the main shaft so
that both must rotate together, but the sleeve has an independent to and fro motion
in the direction of the axis of the shaft. The throw of the sleeve is operated
thus: A portion of it projects beyond the end of the main shaft, this portion is
One end of
enlarged and a groove therein allows a forked bar to clasp the sleeve.
the forked bar is fulcrummed to some fixed point or a part of the engine or frame;
the other end forms the handle to operate on the sleeve, and thus to give it the to

page_text: and fro motion mentioned, or it may be operated by any other mechanical means.
The sleeve-has-cut entirely-through-it-a-helical-slot-of-the-desired length; over this.
slot is placed the portion of the eccentric usually keyed on the main shaft; this in this
case the loose portion of the eccentric is provided with a projecting pin which
passing through the shaft projects into the sleeve slot. A portion of the main shaft
is also cut away to allow the pin to rotate round the axis of the main shaft; this
portion is made of the length required to put the valves in motion for the forward
and backward motion of the engine; in other words, this cut away portion governs
the extreme positions of the eccentric in relation to the crank and valves.
It will now be seen that any to and fro motion of the sleeve will by this pin
alter the relative position of the eccentric to the shaft and crank; hence by the
motion of the hand on the forked shaft the eccentric is set to any position and the
engine valves placed to move the engines forward or backward. Whether one or
more cylinders are used, or one or more eccentrics, the action is the same; the sleeve
has only to be made correspondingly long enough. The pin actually plays the
part of the key, fixing the eccentric on the shaft in an ordinary long reversing
engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Tipping in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th January
1880.
HENRY TIPPING, of 73, High Street, Portsmouth, Mechanical Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE VALVES OF
STEAM OR HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR STARTING, STOPPING, OR REVERSING SUCH
ENGINES."
This Invention of improvements in the method of and apparatus for working the
valves of steam or hydraulic engines for starting, stopping, or reversing such engines
relates to the mode of actuating the valves of steam or hydraulic engines, or as
usually designated, relates to what is termed the reversing gear. It is applicable to
any engine where the end of the main or crank shaft is accessible, but is not so
readily applicable to engines, such as large paddle wheel engines, where the ends
of the crank shaft are not accessible, or where the situation would render the
apparatus liable to exposure or damage; it is chiefly applicable to engines for
locomotives or boats, or for engines used for driving screw propellers, or winding
engines; but with the reservation named above there are many kinds of engines to
which these improvements may be applied, whether the force employed be steam or
water.
The principle consists in boring out the end of the main shaft, upon which are
placed the eccentrics for the valves, to a convenient width and depth to contain a
hollow or solid sleeve or pin. A feather or key connects the sleeve with the main
shaft so that both must rotate together, but the sleeve has an independent to and fro
motion in the direction of the axis of the shaft. The throw off the sleeve is operated
thus: A portion of it projects beyond the end of the main shaft, this portion is
enlarged and a groove therein allows a forked bar to clasp the sleeve. One end of
the forked bar is fulcrumed to some fixed point or a part of the engine or frame ;
the other end forms the handle to operate on the sleeve, and thus to give it the to
and fro motion mentioned, or it may be operated by any other mechanical means.
In large engines the sleeve may be operated directly in line of its axis by a piston
and cylinder, the steam being admitted to the cylinder by any of the usual valves
or taps. The sleeve has cut entirely through it, when hollow, a helical slot of the
desired length; over this slot is placed the portion of the eccentric usually keyed
on the main shaft; this, in this case the loose portion of the eccentric, is provided
with a projecting pin which passing through the shaft projects into the sleeve slot.
A portion of the main shaft is also cut away to allow the pin to rotate round the
axis of the main shaft; this portion is made of the length required to put the
valves in motion for the forward and backward motion of the engines; in other
words, this cut away portion governs the extreme positions of the eccentric in relation
to the crank and valves.
It will now be seen that any to and fro motion of the sleeve will by this pin alter
the relative position of the eccentric to the shaft and crank; hence by the motion of
the hand on the forked shaft the eccentric is set to any position, and the engine
valves placed to move the engines forward or backward. Whether one or more
cylinders are used, or one or more eccentrics, the action is the same; the sleeve has
only to be made correspondingly long enough. The pin actually plays the
part of the key, fixing the eccentric on the shaft in an ordinary non-reversing
engine.
In the Drawings accompanying and forming part of this Specification, the like
letters describing like parts, A is a reversing lever working in a sleeve B in the
hollow end of an engine crank shaft C guided in its inward and outward motion
by a feather D, which also carries the sleeve B round with the shaft.
In the sleeve B is cut a spiral slot E, into which spiral slot a steel key F projects,
which said steel key is also secured firmly to one of the slide valve eccentrics.

page_text: The eccentric G is placed on the shaft in the usual manner, and the operation of
reversing takes place by working the lever A and causing the position of eccentrics
to be adjusted by the spiral slot E in the sleeve, and a slot H cut in the crank shaft
C permits of sufficient motion to allow the spiral slot in the sleeve to place the
eccentrics in right position for causing the engines to rotate in either direction.
The Drawings show the application of these improvements to one eccentric for
one engine, but two or more eccentrics may be applied on the same shaft either
-bolted-together-or-actuated-by-the-same sleeve- with independent slots for the-
eccentric.
Where two cylinders are used, and a double crank, I have found that it is an
advantage to have a large bearing or disc between the two cranks, as shewn in the
Drawings, I being the disc, J the bearings bolted to the frame K.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I claim the method of and apparatus for working the valves of steam or
hydraulic engines by the mechanism placed partly within and partly without the
main shaft of an engine, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Tipping, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.